PROVIDING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASOUND IMAGE BASED ON AN ELLIPSOIDAL REGION OF INTEREST IN AN ULTRASOUND SYSTEM
Embodiments for providing a 3D (three-dimensional) ultrasound image based on an ellipsoidal region of interest (ROI) are disclosed. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from a target object to thereby output a plurality of ultrasound data; a user input unit configured to receive input information; and a processing unit in communication with the ultrasound data acquisition unit and the user input unit, the processing unit being configured to form volume data based on the plurality of ultrasound data, set an ellipsoidal ROI on the volume data based on the input information and render volume data corresponding to the ellipsoidal ROI to thereby form a 3D ultrasound image.
1 . An ultrasound system, comprising:
an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from a target object to output a plurality of ultrasound data;
a user input unit configured to receive input information; and
a processing unit in communication with the ultrasound data acquisition unit and the user input unit, the processing unit being configured to form volume data based on the plurality of ultrasound data, set an ellipsoidal region of interest (ROI) on the volume data based on the input information and render volume data corresponding to the ellipsoidal ROI to thereby form a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound image.
2 . The ultrasound system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit comprises:
a volume data forming section configured to form the volume data based on the plurality of ultrasound data;
a plane setting section configured to set a reference plane on the volume data based on the input information;
a plane image forming section configured to form a reference plane image corresponding to the reference plane based on the volume data;
an ROI setting section configured to set an elliptical ROI on the reference plane of the volume data based on the input information for setting the elliptical ROI on the reference plane image, and set the ellipsoidal ROI on the volume data based on the elliptical ROI; and
a rendering section configured to render volume data corresponding to the ellipsoidal ROI to thereby form the 3D ultrasound image.
3 . The ultrasound system of claim 2 , wherein the input information comprises:
first input information for setting a reference plane on the volume data; and
second input information for setting an elliptical ROI on the reference plane image.
4 . The ultrasound system of claim 2 , wherein the plane setting section is further configured to set a plurality of planes that are orthogonal to the reference plane on the volume data, and
wherein the plane image forming section is further configured to form a plurality of plane images corresponding to the plurality of planes based on the volume data.
5 . The ultrasound system of claim 4 , wherein the input information further comprises:
third input information for adjusting sizes of the elliptical ROIs set on the plurality of plane images.
6 . The ultrasound system of claim 5 , wherein the ROI setting section is further configured to adjust the size of the ellipsoidal ROI based on the third input information to thereby reset the ellipsoidal ROI on the volume data.
7 . The ultrasound system of claim 6 , wherein the rendering section is further configured to render volume data corresponding to the reset ellipsoidal ROI to thereby form the 3D ultrasound image.
8 . A method of providing a 3D ultrasound image, comprising:
a) acquiring a plurality of ultrasound data for a target object;
b) forming volume data based on the plurality of ultrasound data;
c) setting an elliptical region of interest (ROI) on the volume data based on input information from a user;
d) setting an ellipsoidal ROI on the volume data based on the elliptical ROI; and
e) rendering volume data corresponding to the ellipsoidal ROI to thereby form a 3D ultrasound image.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the step c) comprises:
receiving first input information for setting a reference plane on the volume data;
setting the reference plane on the volume data based on the first input information;
forming a reference plane image corresponding to the reference plane based on the volume data;
displaying the reference plane image;
receiving second input information for setting the elliptical ROI on the reference plane image; and
setting the elliptical ROI on the reference plane of the volume data based on the second input information.
10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
f) setting a plurality of planes that are orthogonal to the reference plane on the volume data;
g) forming a plurality of plane images corresponding to the plurality of planes based on the volume data;
h) displaying the plurality of plane images.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
i) receiving third input information for adjusting sizes of the elliptical ROIs set on the plurality of plane images.
j) adjusting the size of the ellipsoidal ROI based on the third input information to thereby reset the ellipsoidal ROI; and
k) rendering volume data corresponding to the reset ellipsoidal ROI to thereby form a 3D ultrasound image.
12 . A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions configured to perform following acts:
a) acquiring a plurality of ultrasound data for a target object;
b) forming volume data based on the plurality of ultrasound data;
c) setting an elliptical region of interest (ROI) on the volume data based on input information from a user;
d) setting an ellipsoidal ROI on the volume data based on the elliptical ROI; and
e) rendering volume data corresponding to the ellipsoidal ROI to thereby form a 3D ultrasound image.