Granted Patent B2

US 12,551,185 · App. 18/795,036 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventors: Wendy Swan (Lake Forest Park, WA); Keith Williams (Seattle, WA); Andrew Lundberg (Woodinville, WA)

Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc.

A61B8/0841A61B8/12A61B34/20A61B2034/2063

Abstract

Claims (75)

1 . An ultrasound imaging system comprising an image processor configured to:

receive input data for capturing ultrasound images of a region of interest along a first plane, the input data including an indication that an interventional instrument will be inserted along a second plane into the region of interest, the second plane being orthogonal to the first plane;

capture the ultrasound images sequentially along the first plane;

calculate, for a respective particular area of a plurality of particular areas, a probability that the interventional instrument, when inserted along the second plane, will intersect the first plane at the respective particular area;

determine one or more high-confidence areas within the region of interest where the interventional instrument will intersect the first plane based on the probability being above a threshold;

display at least one ultrasound image of the ultrasound images and one or more on-screen markers corresponding to the one or more high-confidence areas;

detect that the interventional instrument has intersected the first plane;

provide an indication on the at least one displayed ultrasound image of a location of the interventional instrument within the first plane; and

reduce a visibility of the one or more on-screen markers when the interventional instrument is detected to have intersected the first plane.

2 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the visibility of the one or more on-screen markers is automatically reduced when the interventional instrument is detected to have intersected the first plane.

3 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the visibility of the one or more on-screen markers is reduced by an operator of the ultrasound imaging system when the interventional instrument is detected to have intersected the first plane.

4 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to increase a transparency of the one or more on-screen markers to reduce the visibility of the one or more on-screen markers.

5 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to present the one or more on-screen markets in grey scale to reduce the visibility of the one or more on-screen markers.

6 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the one or more high-confidence areas is further based on calculating a potential deflection of the interventional instrument during insertion based at least on one of a density of tissue or physical properties of the interventional instrument.

7 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein:

the ultrasound images along the first plane comprise an elevation thickness that varies as a function of depth; and

the determination of the one or more high-confidence areas is further based on the elevation thickness at each high-confidence area within the ultrasound images.

8 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is further configured to:

receive input data indicating a target within the region of interest;

determine whether a high-confidence area overlaps the target; and

notify an operator of the ultrasound imaging system whether the high-confidence area overlaps the target.

9 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the image processor is further configured to:

determine that the interventional instrument is being inserted into the region of interest along the second plane;

determine whether the high-confidence area remains overlapping with the target; and

in response to determining that the high-confidence area no longer overlaps the target, notify the operator that the high-confidence area does not overlap the target.

10 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is further configured to:

receive a selection of at least one selected on-screen markers from the one or more on-screen markers; and

display the at least one selected on-screen marker in a picture-in-picture on the display.

11 . The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is further configured to:

receive input data indicating a target within the region of interest;

prior to the interventional instrument being inserted, determine whether at least one of the one or more high-confidence areas overlaps the target;

notify an operator of the ultrasound imaging system that none of the one or more high-confidence areas overlaps the target; and

inform the operator that the operator should at least one of:

shift a position of a patient;

shift a position of an ultrasound transducer of the ultrasound imaging system;

use a different interventional instrument; or

use a different guide for the interventional instrument.

12 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software operable when executed by one or more computing devices of an ultrasound imaging system to perform one or more operations comprising:

receiving input data for capturing ultrasound images of a region of interest along a first plane, the input data including an indication that an interventional instrument will be inserted along a second plane into the region of interest, the second plane being orthogonal to the first plane;

capturing the ultrasound images sequentially along the first plane;

calculating, for a respective particular area of a plurality of particular areas, a probability that the interventional instrument will intersect the respective particular area;

determining one or more high-confidence areas of the region of interest where the interventional instrument will intersect the first plane based on the probability being above a threshold;

displaying at least one ultrasound image of the ultrasound images and one or more on-screen markers corresponding to the one or more high-confidence areas;

detecting that the interventional instrument has intersected the first plane;

providing an indication on the at least one displayed ultrasound image of a location of the interventional instrument within the first plane; and

automatically reducing a visibility of the one or more on-screen markers when the interventional instrument is detected to have intersected the first plane.

13 . The storage media of claim 12 , wherein the interventional instrument is inserted along the second plane via a guidance system, the guidance system being affixed to an ultrasound transducer of the ultrasound imaging system.

14 . The storage media of claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more high-confidence areas corresponds respectively to a particular depth within the region of interest from an ultrasound transducer of the ultrasound imaging system.

15 . The storage media of claim 12 , wherein the determining of the one or more high-confidence areas is further based on calculating a potential deflection of the interventional instrument during insertion based at least on a density of tissue or a physical property of the interventional instrument.

16 . The storage media of claim 12 wherein:

the ultrasound images along the first plane comprise an elevation thickness that varies as a function of depth; and

the determining of the one or more high-confidence areas is further based on the elevation thickness at each high-confidence area within the ultrasound images.

17 . The storage media of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving input data indicating a target within the region of interest;

prior to the interventional instrument being inserted, determining whether at least one of the one or more high-confidence areas overlaps the target;

notifying an operator of the ultrasound imaging system that none of the one or more high-confidence areas overlaps the target; and

informing the operator that the operator should perform at least one of:

shifting a position of a patient;

shifting a position of an ultrasound transducer of the ultrasound imaging system;

using a different interventional instrument; or

using a different guide for the interventional instrument.

18 . A method comprising:

receiving input data for capturing ultrasound images of a region of interest along a first plane, the input data including an indication that an interventional instrument will be inserted along a second plane into the region of interest, the second plane being orthogonal to the first plane;

capturing the ultrasound images sequentially along the first plane;

calculating, based on the input data and the ultrasound images, a probability that the interventional instrument will intersect the first plane at a respective particular area of a plurality of particular areas;

determining one or more high-confidence areas of the region of interest where the interventional instrument will intersect the first plane based on the probability being above a threshold;

displaying at least one ultrasound image of the ultrasound images and one or more on-screen markers corresponding to the one or more high-confidence areas;

dynamically changing the one or more on-screen markers as the interventional instrument moves closer to the first plane;

detecting that the interventional instrument has intersected the first plane; and

providing an indication on the at least one displayed ultrasound image of a location of the interventional instrument within the first plane.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein dynamically changing the one or more on-screen markers comprises:

changing a size of the one or more on-screen markers;

changing a shape of the one or more on-screen markers; or

changing a color of the one or more on-screen markers.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of the one or more high-confidence areas corresponds respectively to a particular depth within the region of interest from an ultrasound transducer of the ultrasound imaging system.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (36)