Workflow assistance for medical doppler ultrasound evaluation
Systems, devices, and methods are provided to provide workflow assistance to an operator during a medical imaging procedure, such as a Doppler ultrasound evaluation of a body vessel of a subject. A sensor such as a gyroscope ( 128 ) may be integrated in an external ultrasound probe ( 102 ). Workflow assistance may be provided to position the ultrasound probe ( 102 ) to make accurate flow measurements of fluid within the vessel, such as by coupling system color flow information with gyroscope angles. The workflow assistance may also assist a user in identifying a perpendicular orientation of the ultrasound to be used as a reference in making Doppler measurements. The system may also be used to create a vessel map.
1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
an imaging probe configured for handheld operation by a user;
an ultrasound transducer array within the imaging probe and configured to obtain imaging data associated with blood flow through a blood vessel within a body of a subject, wherein the imaging data comprises Doppler data;
a first display device on the imaging probe and comprising an indicator light; and
a processor within the imaging probe and in communication with the ultrasound transducer array and the first display device, wherein the processor configured to:
during a first portion of an imaging procedure:
receive the imaging data from the ultrasound transducer array while the imaging probe is moved to be in a plurality of orientations;
identify, based on the imaging data, a transition between a positive velocity of the blood flow and a negative velocity of the blood flow; and
determine, based on the transition, a perpendicular orientation of the imaging probe in which the imaging probe is positioned at a perpendicular angle with respect to the blood vessel; and
during a second portion of the imaging procedure that occurs after the first portion:
determine, using the perpendicular orientation as a reference, an angle of the imaging probe with respect to the blood vessel while the imaging probe is in a first orientation; and
output, to the first display device, a visual representation of the angle for the user, wherein the visual representation of the angle comprises a color of the indicator light, wherein the color is representative of a numerical value of the angle such that the indicator light changes to a different color when the imaging probe is moved to be in a second orientation in which the imaging probe is positioned at a different angle with respect to the blood vessel.
2. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the screen is configured to display the numerical value of the angle.
3. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first display device further comprises a screen.
4. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the visual representation of the angle indicates when the imaging probe is disposed at a selected angle with respect to the blood vessel.
5. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 4 , wherein the selected angle is greater than or equal to 30 degrees from the perpendicular angle.
6. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising a processing system spaced from and in communication with the imaging probe, wherein the processing system is configured to:
receive the imaging data from the processor of the imaging probe; and
generate a graphical representation of the imaging data.
7. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 6 , further comprising a second display device in communication with the processing system and configured to output the graphical representation of the imaging data.
8. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging probe further comprises a gyroscope.
9. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the angle of the imaging probe based on data from the gyroscope.
10. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is further configured to receive the imaging data along a length of the blood vessel as the imaging probe is moved adjacent to the body, and
wherein the processor is configured to generate a vessel map representative of the length of the vessel based on the imaging data.
11. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a location of the imaging probe with respect to the vessel map.
12. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the color of the indicator light comprises:
a first color when the angle is a first angle with respect to the blood vessel;
a second color when the angle is between the first angle and a second angle with respect the blood vessel; and
a third color when the angle is between the second angle and a third angle with respect the blood vessel.
13. A method of ultrasound imaging, comprising:
during a first a first portion of an imaging procedure:
receiving, with a processor within an imaging probe under handheld operation by a user, imaging data obtained by an ultrasound transducer array within the imaging probe, wherein the imaging data is associated with blood flow through a blood vessel within a body of a subject, wherein the imaging data comprises Doppler data, wherein the imaging data is received while the imaging probe is moved to be in a plurality of orientations;
identifying, with the processor, a transition between a positive velocity of the blood flow and a negative velocity of the blood flow, based on the imaging data; and
determining, with the processor, a perpendicular orientation of the imaging probe in which the imaging probe is positioned at a perpendicular angle with respect to the blood vessel; and
during a second portion of the imaging procedure that occurs after the first portion:
determining, with the processor, an angle of the imaging probe with respect to the blood vessel while the imaging probe is in a first orientation, using the perpendicular orientation as a reference; and
outputting, to a first display device on the imaging probe, a visual representation of the angle for the user, wherein the first display device comprises an indicator light, wherein the visual representation of the angle comprises a color of the indicator light, wherein the color is representative of a numerical value of the angle such that the indicator light changes to a different color when the imaging probe is moved to be in a second orientation in which the imaging probe is positioned at a different angle with respect to the blood vessel.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the visual representation of the angle indicates when the imaging probe is positioned at a 30 degree angle relative to the perpendicular angle.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving the imaging data along a length of the blood vessel as the imaging probe is moved adjacent to the body; and
generating a vessel map representative of the length of the vessel based on the imaging data.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining a location of the imaging probe with respect to the vessel map.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the vessel map comprises locations of vessel walls.
18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising transmitting, with the imaging probe to a second display device, the imaging data.