Granted Patent B2

US 12,733,899 · App. 17/957,562 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventors: Steffan Sowards (Salt Lake City, UT); Anthony K. Misener (Bountiful, UT)

Assignee: Bard Access Systems, Inc.

A61B8/0841A61B8/4416A61B8/4433A61B8/465

Abstract

Claims (29)

1 . A subcutaneous imaging system, comprising:

a probe configured to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive a reflected ultrasonic signal; and

a console communicatively coupled to the probe and including a display, the console configured to:

i) receive information from the probe and display an image of a target area disposed subcutaneously;

ii) determine a target location within the target area;

iii) modify an image parameter of the target area to a first value; and

iv) modify the image parameter of the target location to a second value different from the first value while maintaining the image parameter of the target area outside of the target location at the first value.

2 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the console is further configured to determine one or both of a location and an orientation of a medical device, relative to the probe, and overlay an icon on the target area to indicate one or more of the location, the orientation, or a trajectory of the medical device relative to the target area.

3 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 2 , wherein the medical device includes a magnetic field having a magnetic field strength, and wherein the probe is configured to detect the magnetic field strength of the medical device to determine one or both of the location and the orientation of the medical device.

4 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 2 , wherein the medical device includes one of a needle, a stylet, a guidewire, a trocar, or a catheter.

5 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the console is further configured to determine the target location within the target area using one or more of artificial intelligence, machine learning, neural networks, or Doppler ultrasonography.

6 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the console is further configured to receive an input from a user to determine the target location within the target area.

7 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the image parameter includes one of an image focus, an image contrast, an image gain, or an image transform.

8 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first value or the second value includes one of a quantitative value or a qualitative value.

9 . The subcutaneous imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the target location can include one or more of a vessel, a tissue structure, a point of interception, or a region of the target area.

10 . A method of imaging system a target area disposed subcutaneously, comprising:

displaying an image of the target area using a medical imaging system;

determining a target location within the target area;

modifying an image parameter of the target area to a first value; and

modifying the image parameter of the target location to a second value different from the first value while maintaining the image parameter of the target area outside of the target location at the first value.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the medical imaging system includes an ultrasound imaging system having a console and a probe.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the console is further configured to receive an input from a user to determine the target location within the target area.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , further including displaying an icon on the image of the target area to indicate one or more of a location, an orientation, or a trajectory of a medical device relative to the target area.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further including detecting a magnetic field strength of the medical device to determine one or both of the location and the orientation of the medical device.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the medical device includes one of a needle, a stylet, a guidewire, a trocar, or a catheter.

16 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein determining the target location within the target area further includes using one or more of artificial intelligence, machine learning, neural networks, or Doppler ultrasonography.

17 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the image parameter includes one of an image focus, an image contrast, an image gain, and an image transform.

18 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein one of the first value or the second value includes one of a quantitative value or a qualitative value.

19 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the target location can include one or more of a vessel, a tissue structure, a point of interception, or a region of the target area.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)