ULTRASOUND BEAMFORMING SYSTEM AND METHOD

1 . A method for ultrasound imaging, comprising:

acquiring an initial set of one or more images of a region of interest in a predetermined clinical ultrasound mode using a first generated signal of a first beamforming type;

evaluating the suitability of the first generated signal for imaging the region of interest in the predetermined mode according to a image metric determined from the initial set of one or more images; and

automatically changing the first generated signal to a second generated signal of a second beamforming type according to the suitability evaluation.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the first beamforming type employs a diverging beam/plane wave signal.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the image metric includes one or more of the following: contrast resolution, spatial resolution, penetration, power in harmonic frequency band or ratio of power between harmonic and fundamental frequency bands, and frame rate.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the image metric is determined to be suitable or unsuitable by comparison with a stored threshold metric.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of evaluating is performed automatically, without operator intervention.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically changing the generated signal can be overridden by a user instruction.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined clinical ultrasound mode is a harmonic imaging mode.

8 . An ultrasound method, comprising:

initiating an ultrasound exam on an anatomy;

acquiring a first set of images of the anatomy using a harmonic imaging mode;

performing a data analysis to extract at least one image metric;

determining whether the at least one image metric is suitable for the anatomy;

if the at least one image metric is suitable, scanning the anatomy by employing plane wave or divergent beam beamforming as a current beamforming type; and

if the at least one image metric is unsuitable, switching to a delay-sum or focused beam beamforming type or other beamforming signal variant for harmonic imaging.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of initiating the ultrasound exam is accomplished by employing a diverging beam/plane wave beamforming paradigm.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the image metrics includes one or more of the following: contrast resolution, spatial resolution, penetration, power in harmonic frequency band or ratio of power between harmonic and fundamental frequency bands, and frame rate.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining whether the at least one image metric is suitable or unsuitable is accomplished by comparing the at least one metric to a pre-determined threshold metric.

12 . The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining whether the at least one image metric is suitable or unsuitable is accomplished automatically, without operator intervention.

13 . An ultrasound method, comprising:

initiating an ultrasound exam of anatomy for B-mode+Color (Duplex) operation, employing a diverging beam or plane wave beamforming signal type and acquiring a first set of images;

evaluating the anatomy of at least one of the first set of images;

in response to the anatomy evaluation, identifying at least one location for a spectral Doppler trace;

assessing an image quality of at least one spectral Doppler trace;

if the image quality is assessed as suitable, scanning by employing the same diverging beam or plane wave beamforming signal type; and

if the image quality is assessed as unsuitable, scanning by changing to a delay-sum (focused beam) beamforming type or other beamforming signal variant suited for harmonic imaging.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the image quality is assessed to be suitable or unsuitable according to a pre-determined threshold image quality.

15 . The method of claim 13 further comprising automatically adjusting one or more filter values according to image quality suitability.