Methods and systems for identifying ultrasound images

1. A tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more computer software modules configured to direct one or more processors to:

identify first ultrasound image features of a current ultrasound image during a current ultrasound exam based on ultrasound data received from an ultrasound probe;

access a plurality of prior ultrasound images that were acquired during a prior ultrasound exam;

compare the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images after identifying the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image, wherein the first ultrasound image features comprise an ultrasound image mode and at least one anatomical structure, wherein the at least one anatomical structure is selected from the group consisting of a heart, a tissue of the heart, and a vascular structure of the heart, and wherein the related ultrasound image features comprise at least one corresponding ultrasound image mode and at least one corresponding anatomical structure;

identify, after identifying the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image, a first resultant ultrasound image from the plurality of prior ultrasound images based on the comparison of the first ultrasound image features in the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images, the first resultant ultrasound image having at least one anatomical structure having a common orientation with the at least one anatomical structure of the current ultrasound image; and

display the current ultrasound image and the first resultant ultrasound image that was identified from the plurality of prior ultrasound images on a display.

2. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the comparing operation includes determining a first set of characteristic vectors for the current ultrasound image and sets of related characteristic vectors for the plurality of prior ultrasound images, wherein the first set of characteristic vectors and the sets of related characteristic vectors include values for intensity, color, and gradient of individual pixels, and wherein the first resultant ultrasound image is identified based on the first set of characteristic vectors and the related sets of characteristic vectors.

3. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the identifying operation of the first ultrasound image feature includes determining differences between the related sets of characteristic vectors for the plurality of prior ultrasound images with the first set of characteristic vectors for the current ultrasound image, and selecting the first resultant ultrasound image having a candidate difference within a predetermined non-zero threshold of the first set of feature vectors.

4. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first ultrasound image features further include at least one of an anatomical measurement graphic, a view window, a noise of the current ultrasound image, or an acquisition setting.

5. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the comparing operation includes identifying tags of the plurality of prior ultrasound images and selecting a set of ultrasound images from the plurality of prior ultrasound images having the tags indicative of the first ultrasound image features.

6. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the first resultant ultrasound image is in the set of ultrasound images.

7. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first resultant ultrasound image includes an anatomical measurement, and wherein the displaying operation includes displaying the anatomical measurement on the first resultant ultrasound image.

8. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the one or more computer software modules are further configured to direct the one or more processors to overlay the anatomical measurement on the current ultrasound image.

9. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the accessing operation includes receiving the plurality of prior ultrasound images along a bi-directional communication link.

10. The tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer software modules are further configured to direct the one or more processors to identify a second resultant ultrasound image, and to display the current ultrasound image, the first resultant ultrasound image, and the second resultant ultrasound image concurrently on the display.

11. A medical imaging system comprising:

an ultrasound probe configured to acquire ultrasound data of an anatomical structure;

a display; and

a controller circuit configured to:

identify first ultrasound image features of a current ultrasound image during a current ultrasound exam based on ultrasound data received from an ultrasound probe;

access a plurality of prior ultrasound images that were acquired during a prior ultrasound exam;

compare the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images after identifying the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image, wherein the first ultrasound image features comprise an ultrasound image mode and at least one anatomical structure, wherein the at least one anatomical structure is selected from the group consisting of a heart, a tissue of the heart, and a vascular structure of the heart, and wherein the related ultrasound image features comprise at least one corresponding ultrasound image mode and at least one corresponding anatomical structure;

identify, after identifying the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image, a first resultant ultrasound image from the plurality of prior ultrasound images based on the comparison of the first ultrasound image features in the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images, the first resultant ultrasound image having at least one anatomical structure having a common orientation with the at least one anatomical structure of the current ultrasound image; and

display the current ultrasound image and the first resultant ultrasound image that was identified from the plurality of prior ultrasound images on the display.

12. The medical imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to determine a first set of characteristic vectors for the current ultrasound image and sets of related characteristic vectors for the plurality of prior ultrasound images, the first resultant ultrasound image being identified based on the first set of characteristic vectors and the related sets of characteristic vectors, wherein the first set of characteristic vectors and the sets of related characteristic vectors include values for intensity, color, and gradient of individual pixels.

13. The medical imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to determine differences between the sets of related characteristic vectors with the first set of characteristic vectors, and to select the first resultant ultrasound image having a candidate difference within a predetermined non-zero threshold of the first set of feature vectors.

14. The medical imaging system of claim 13 , wherein the controller circuit is further configured to display a graphical icon on the display indicative of an adjustment to the ultrasound probe to decrease the candidate difference.

15. The medical imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the first ultrasound image features further include at least one of an anatomical measurement graphic, a view window, a noise of the current ultrasound image, or an acquisition setting.

16. The medical imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the controller circuit is configured to identify tags of the plurality of prior ultrasound images, and the controller circuit is configured to select a set of ultrasound images from the plurality of prior ultrasound images having the tags indicative of the first ultrasound image feature, wherein the first resultant ultrasound image is in the set of ultrasound images.

17. The medical imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the controller circuit is configured to identify a second resultant ultrasound image and to display the current ultrasound image, the first resultant ultrasound image, and the second resultant ultrasound image concurrently on the display.

18. A tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more computer software modules configured to direct one or more processors to:

identify first ultrasound image features of a current ultrasound image of an anatomical structure during a current ultrasound exam based on ultrasound data received from an ultrasound probe, wherein the first ultrasound image features comprise an ultrasound image mode and at least one anatomical structure, wherein the at least one anatomical structure is selected from the group consisting of a heart, a tissue of the heart, and a vascular structure of the heart;

access a plurality of prior ultrasound images of the anatomical structure that were acquired during a prior ultrasound exam;

compare the first ultrasound image features in the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images after identifying the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image, wherein the related ultrasound image features comprise at least one corresponding ultrasound image mode and at least one corresponding anatomical structure;

determine a first set of characteristic vectors for the current ultrasound image and sets of related characteristic vectors for the plurality of prior ultrasound images; and

identify, after identifying the first ultrasound image features of the current ultrasound image, a first resultant ultrasound image and a second resultant ultrasound image from the plurality of prior ultrasound images and the sets of related characteristic vectors based on the comparison of the first ultrasound image features in the current ultrasound image with related ultrasound image features in the plurality of prior ultrasound images, the first resultant ultrasound image and the second resultant ultrasound image each having at least one anatomical structure that has a common orientation with the at least one anatomical structure of the current ultrasound image.