Methods and apparatuses for ultrasound imaging of lungs

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing device in operative communication with an ultrasound device with exactly a single transducer array, the processing device configured to:

receive a user selection of a lung imaging preset option and a user-selected imaging depth for the ultrasound device;

define a threshold imaging depth based on a shallow lung imaging mode and a deep lung imaging mode, wherein the threshold imaging depth is between approximately 4 cm and 8 cm;

after receiving the user selection of the user-selected imaging depth, compare the user-selected imaging depth with the threshold imaging depth; and

automatically configure the single transducer array of the ultrasound device to switch between the shallow lung imaging mode and the deep lung imaging mode, depending upon a result of the comparison of the user-selected imaging depth with the threshold imaging depth, wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode comprises a peak frequency of transmitted ultrasound between approximately 5 MHz and 10 MHz, and

the deep lung imaging mode comprises a peak frequency of transmitted ultrasound between approximately 2 MHz and 5 MHz.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the shallow lung imaging mode is associated with imaging depths that are smaller than or equal to the threshold imaging depth and the deep lung imaging mode is associated with imaging depths that are larger than the threshold imaging depth; or

the shallow lung imaging mode is associated with imaging depths that are smaller than the threshold imaging depth and the deep lung imaging mode is associated with imaging depths that are larger than or equal to the threshold imaging depth.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode comprises a receive frequency between approximately 5 MHz and 10 MHz.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the deep lung imaging mode comprises a receive frequency between approximately 2 MHz and 5 MHz.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode comprises a virtual apex greater than or equal to approximately 10 cm above a skin line of a subject being imaged.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the deep lung imaging mode comprises a virtual apex between approximately 0 cm and 5 cm above a skin line of a subject being imaged.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode comprises an image field of view angle between approximately 0 and 20 degrees around a virtual apex.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the deep lung imaging mode comprises an image field of view angle between approximately 40 degrees and 90 degrees around a virtual apex.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode comprises an instantaneous transmit aperture between approximately 4 mm and 8 mm.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the deep lung imaging mode comprises an instantaneous transmit aperture between approximately 12 mm and 20 mm.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode comprises a linear ultrasound image format.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the deep lung imaging mode comprises a sector ultrasound image format.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode comprises time gain compensation gain values of approximately 0 dB, −8 dB, and −2 dB at respective control points of approximately 0 cm, 3 cm, and 6 cm.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the deep lung imaging mode comprises time gain compensation gain values of approximately 0 dB, 0 dB, and 5 dB at respective control points of approximately 0 cm, 3 cm, and 6 cm.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the shallow lung imaging mode is optimized for imaging lung sliding.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the deep lung imaging mode is optimized for imaging A lines and B lines.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the processing device is further configured to automatically determine that lung imaging is being performed by the ultrasound device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein

the processing device is configured, when automatically determining that lung imaging is being performed by the ultrasound device, to:

receive ultrasound data from the ultrasound device; and

determine that the ultrasound data was collected from lungs.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein

the processing device is configured, when determining that the ultrasound data was collected from the lungs, to input the ultrasound data to a statistical model trained to accept inputted ultrasound data and determine an anatomical region where the inputted ultrasound data was collected.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein

the processing device is configured, when automatically determining that lung imaging is being performed by the ultrasound device, to

receive an optical image of the ultrasound device and a subject; and

determine that the ultrasound device is located at the subject's lungs.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein

the processing device is configured, when determining that the ultrasound device is located at the subject's lungs, to input the ultrasound data to a statistical model trained to accept an inputted optical image depicting an ultrasound device and a subject and determine an anatomical region on the depicted subject where the depicted ultrasound device is located.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein

the optical image is collected by a camera on the processing device.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the user-selected imaging depth is a depth of a B-mode image.