Ultrasound imaging system and method for tracking a specular reflector

1. A method of ultrasound imaging with an ultrasound imaging system including a processor and a display device, the method comprising:

acquiring ultrasound channel data with a probe;

identifying, with the processor, a subset of the ultrasound channel data with a specular reflector signature, where the ultrasound channel data has not been beamformed during said identifying;

implementing, with the processor, a specular reflector processing technique on the subset of the ultrasound channel data to calculate at least one of a position and an orientation of a specular reflector, where the ultrasound channel data has not been beamformed during said implementing;

beamforming the ultrasound channel data using a summing technique to generate an ultrasound image after identifying the subset of the ultrasound channel data with the specular reflector signature;

performing an action, with the processor, on the ultrasound channel data or on the ultrasound image to enhance a representation of the specular reflector in the ultrasound image based on at least one of the position and the orientation of the specular reflector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises a 2D matrix array probe.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said performing the action comprises co-displaying an enhanced representation of the specular reflector with the ultrasound image based on at least one of the position and the orientation of the specular reflector.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the enhanced representation of the specular reflector comprises a line or a curve.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the enhanced representation of the specular reflector comprises an icon representing the position and the orientation of the specular reflector.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said implementing the specular reflector processing technique results in the generation of a specular image and, wherein the method further comprises displaying the specular image superimposed on the ultrasound image.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said performing the action comprises transmitting at least one of the position and the orientation of the specular reflector to an external system.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the external system comprises a surgical navigation system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying the subset of the ultrasound channel data with the specular reflector signature comprises analyzing a variance of the ultrasound channel data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specular reflector processing technique comprises calculating at least one of the position of the specular reflector and the orientation of the specular reflector by assuming the specular reflector reflects ultrasound energy with an angle of reflection equal to an angle of incidence.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said performing the action comprises applying a post-processing technique to a region within a preset distance of the specular reflector in the ultrasound image to remove or reduce a haze artifact.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said acquiring the ultrasound channel data comprises transmitting unfocused ultrasound energy.

13. An ultrasound imaging system comprising:

a probe;

a display device;

a receiver in electronic communication with the probe; and

a processor in electronic communication with the receiver and the display device, wherein the processor is programmed to:

receive ultrasound channel data from the receiver;

identify a subset of the ultrasound channel data with a specular reflector signature, where the ultrasound channel data has not been beamformed;

implement a specular reflector processing technique on the subset of the ultrasound channel data to calculate at least one of a position and an orientation of a specular reflector, where the ultrasound channel data has not been beamformed; and

beamform the ultrasound channel data to generate an ultrasound image after implementing the specular processing technique on the subset of the ultrasound channel data;

perform an action on the ultrasound channel data or on the ultrasound image generated from the ultrasound channel data to enhance a representation of the specular reflector in the ultrasound image based on at least one of the position and the orientation of the specular reflector.

14. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is programmed to perform the action of transmitting at least one of the position and the orientation of the specular reflector to an external system.

15. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is programmed to perform the action of generating an enhanced image by superimposing an enhanced representation of the specular reflector on the ultrasound image and displaying the enhanced image.

16. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is programmed to update the enhanced image in real-time.

17. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is programmed to identify the subset of the ultrasound channel data by analyzing the ultrasound channel data to identify a subset of the ultrasound channel data with a signal distribution indicative of a specular reflector.

18. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is programmed to control the probe to direct a beam transmitted by the probe to the specular reflector based on at least one of the position and the orientation of the specular reflector so that a reflected beam is detectable by the probe.

19. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 13 , further comprising a controller in electronic communication with the probe, the processor, and the display device, wherein the controller is programmed to control the probe to acquire the ultrasound channel data and to control the processor to identify the subset of the ultrasound channel data, implement the specular reflector processing technique, and perform the action based on the at least one of the position and orientation of the specular reflector.

20. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the processor comprises a software beamformer or a component of a software beamformer.