Ultrasound imaging system and method for compounding 3D images via stitching based on point distances

1. Ultrasound imaging system configured to acquire a plurality of 3D ultrasound image data having different but at least partially overlapping field of views for producing a spatially compounded 3D ultrasound image data, comprising:

at least one processor configured to determine a relative spatial position of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with respect to each other, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compound the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data, wherein the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data includes at least three 3D ultrasound image data, by stitching them to each other in order to generate a compounded 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein the stitching includes determining a stitching order of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined relative spatial position of the 3D ultrasound image data for minimizing an overlapping area of the different field of views of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein determining the stitching order includes determining distances between spatial positions of center points of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data and ordering the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined distances,

wherein the stitching order begins with one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data that has been acquired comparatively the latest in time being stitched to another one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data, the center point of which having the comparatively largest distance from the center point of the one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data that has been acquired comparatively the latest in time,

wherein the stitching order is further determined by selecting, as each subsequent 3D ultrasound image data to be stitched, the 3D ultrasound image data of remaining ones of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data which is farthest from a preceding one of the 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein the at least one processor is adapted to stitch the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data according to the stitching order,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to continue stitching a further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data has the comparatively largest distance from the center points of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data, and

wherein the distance from the center points of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data to the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data is computed as the sum of the distances from the center point of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data to the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data.

2. Ultrasound imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the center points of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data are the center-of-mass points of respective 3D ultrasound image data volumes.

3. Ultrasound imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the position of an ultrasound probe of the ultrasound imaging system by using an electromagnetic tracking unit.

4. Ultrasound imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the position of an ultrasound probe of the ultrasound imaging system by using an optical tracking unit.

5. Ultrasound imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compare the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data by means of an image analysis, and to perform an image registration thereupon.

6. Ultrasound imaging system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an image quality unit which is adapted to perform an image analysis of each newly acquired 3D ultrasound image data, and to calculate an image difference of the newly acquired 3D ultrasound image data and the compounded 3D ultrasound image data for determining an image quality factor of the newly acquired 3D ultrasound image data.

7. Ultrasound imaging system as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a display and a display control unit, wherein the display control unit is adapted to control the display to display the determined image quality factor.

8. Ultrasound imaging system as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising an alarm unit which is adapted to generate an optical, audible and/or haptic alarm if the image quality factor falls below or exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

9. Ultrasound imaging method for producing spatially compounded 3D ultrasound image data, comprising the steps of:

acquiring a plurality of 3D ultrasound image data having different but at least partially overlapping field of views, wherein the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data includes at least three 3D ultrasound image data;

determining a relative spatial position of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with respect to each other;

calculating a stitching order of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined relative spatial position of the 3D ultrasound image data for minimizing an overlapping area of the different field of views of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein calculating the stitching order includes determining distances between spatial positions of center points of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data and ordering the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined distances,

wherein the stitching order begins with one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data that has been acquired comparatively the latest in time being stitched to another one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data, the center point of which having the comparatively largest distance from the center point of the one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data that has been acquired comparatively the latest in time, and

wherein the stitching order is further calculated by selecting, as each subsequent 3D ultrasound image data to be stitched, the 3D ultrasound image data of remaining ones of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data which is farthest from a preceding one of the 3D ultrasound image data; and

compounding the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data by stitching them according to the stitching order,

wherein stitching is continued by stitching a further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data has the comparatively largest distance from the center points of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data, and

wherein the distance from the center points of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data to the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data is computed as the sum of the distances from the center point of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data to the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data.

10. Ultrasound imaging method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the center points of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data are the center-of-mass points of a respective 3D ultrasound image data volume.

11. Non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by at least one processor of an ultrasound imaging system cause the ultrasound imaging system to:

acquire a plurality of 3D ultrasound image data having different but at least partially overlapping field of views, wherein the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data includes at least three 3D ultrasound image data;

determine a relative spatial position of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with respect to each other;

calculate a stitching order of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined relative spatial position of the 3D ultrasound image data for minimizing an overlapping area of the different field of views of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein calculating the stitching order includes determining distances between spatial positions of center points of each of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data and ordering the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined distances,

wherein the stitching order begins with one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data that has been acquired comparatively the latest in time being stitched to another one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data, the center point of which having the comparatively largest distance from the center point of the one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data that has been acquired comparatively the latest in time, and

wherein the stitching order is further calculated by selecting, as each subsequent 3D ultrasound image data to be stitched, the 3D ultrasound image data of remaining ones of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data which is farthest from a preceding one of the 3D ultrasound image data; and

compound the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data by stitching them according to the stitching order,

wherein stitching is continued by stitching a further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data,

wherein the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data has the comparatively largest distance from the center points of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data, and

wherein the distance from the center points of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data to the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data is computed as the sum of the distances from the center point of each of the already stitched 3D ultrasound image data to the center point of the further one of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data.