Systems and methods for quantification and classification of fluids in human cavities in ultrasound images
View Patent ↗Ultrasound imaging systems and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an ultrasonography method includes creating a database that is representative of a tissue, a fluid, or a cavity of a body, and transmitting ultrasound pulses into a region-of-interest in a patient. Echoes are received from the region of interest, and based upon the received echoes, compiling an ultrasonic pattern of the region-of-interest is compiled. The pattern is processed by comparing the region-of-interest patterns to the pattern information stored in the database. A composition within the region-of-interest of the patient is then determined.
1. An ultrasonography method, comprising:
gathering ultrasonic information pertaining to the characteristics of a tissue, a fluid, or a cavity in a biological body;
storing the information;
transmitting ultrasound pulses into a region-of-interest in a patient;
receiving echoes from the region of interest, and based upon the received echoes:
compiling an ultrasonic pattern of the region-of-interest;
automatically comparing, with a processing device, the pattern of the region-of-interest to the characteristics of the stored information; and
based on the automatic comparison between the pattern and the characteristics of the stored information, automatically detecting, with a processing device, a boundary between a first organ of the patient and a second organ of the patient within the region-of-interest of the patient.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting ultrasound pulses into the region of interest includes transmitting the pulses to at least one of a tissue, a fluid, and a cavity.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein transmitting the pulse further comprises transmitting the pulses to at least one of urine, blood, amniotic fluid, lung fluids, liver bile, and mixtures thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the pattern includes calculating at least one of a Goldberg number, a harmonic ratio, and an attenuation factor.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein processing the pattern further includes applying a window algorithm to a section of an echo pulse near a cavity-boundary interface within the region-of-interest.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein applying a window algorithm further comprises determining the harmonic frequencies associated with the section of the echo pulse near the cavity-boundary interface.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving echoes further comprises receiving at least one of a single dimensional line, a two-dimensional plane, and a three-dimensional array of single dimensional lines.
8. An ultrasonography method, comprising:
gathering ultrasonic information pertaining to the characteristics of a tissue, a fluid, or a cavity in a biological body;
storing the information;
transmitting ultrasound pulses into a region-of-interest in a patient;
receiving echoes from the region of interest, and based on the echoes:
compiling an ultrasonic pattern of the region-of-interest;
comparing the pattern of the region-of-interest to the characteristics of the stored information; and
based on a comparison between the pattern and the characteristics of the stored information, determining at least one of a volume, an area, and a thickness within the region-of-interest of the patient.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting ultrasound pulses to the region of interest includes transmitting the pulses into at least one of a tissue, a fluid, and a cavity.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the pulse further comprises transmitting the pulses into at least one of urine, blood, amniotic fluid, lung fluids, liver bile, and mixtures thereof.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein processing the pattern includes calculating at least one of a Goldberg number, a harmonic ratio, and an attenuation factor.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein processing the pattern further includes applying a window algorithm to a section of an echo pulse near a cavity-boundary interface within the region-of-interest.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein applying a window algorithm further comprises determining one or more harmonic frequencies associated with the section of the echo pulse near the cavity-boundary interface.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving echoes further comprises receiving at least one of a single dimensional line, a two-dimensional plane, and a three-dimensional array of single dimensional lines.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the volume within the region of interest includes determining a volume of at least one cavity.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining a volume of at least one cavity further comprises determining a volume of at least one of a bladder and a uterus.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining a volume of at least one of a bladder and a uterus further comprises determining a volume of the bladder after fluid has been voided from the bladder.
18. An ultrasonography method, comprising:
gathering information representing the characteristics of a tissue, a fluid, or cavity in a body;
storing the gathered information;
transmitting ultrasound pulses into a region-of-interest in a patient;
receiving echoes from the region of interest, and based upon the received echoes:
compiling an ultrasound harmonic of the region-of-interest;
automatically comparing, with a processing device, the harmonic of the region-of-interest to the characteristics of the stored information; and
automatically detecting, with a processing device, a boundary between a first organ of the patient and a second organ of the patient within the region-of-interest of the patient based upon the automatic comparison of the harmonic with the stored information.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the harmonic comprises a second harmonic.
20. An ultrasonography method, comprising:
gathering information representing the characteristics of a tissue, a fluid, or cavity in a body;
storing the gathered information;
transmitting ultrasound pulses into a region-of-interest in a patient;
receiving echoes from the region of interest, and based upon the received echoes:
compiling an ultrasound harmonic of the region-of-interest;
comparing the harmonic of the region-of-interest to the characteristics of the stored information; and
determining a volume within the region-of-interest of the patient based upon the comparison of the harmonic with the stored information.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the harmonic further includes a second harmonic.
22. An ultrasonography method, comprising:
gathering ultrasonic information pertaining to the characteristics of a tissue, a fluid, or a cavity in a biological body;
storing the information;
transmitting ultrasound pulses into a region-of-interest in a patient;
receiving echoes from the region of interest, and based upon the received echoes:
compiling an ultrasonic pattern of the region-of-interest;
automatically comparing, with a processing device, the pattern of the region-of-interest to the characteristics of the stored information; and
based on a comparison between the pattern and the characteristics of the stored information, automatically distinguishing, with a processing device, a first fluid composition of the patient from a second fluid composition of the patient within the region-of-interest of the patient.
23. An ultrasonography method, comprising:
gathering ultrasonic information pertaining to the characteristics of a tissue, a fluid, or a cavity in a biological body;
storing the information;
transmitting ultrasound pulses into a region-of-interest in a patient;
receiving echoes from the region of interest, and based upon the received echoes:
compiling an ultrasonic pattern of the region-of-interest;
automatically comparing, with a processing device, the pattern of the region-of-interest to the characteristics of the stored information; and
based on a comparison between the pattern and the characteristics of the stored information, automatically distinguishing, with a processing device, a first fluid composition of the patient from a first organ of the patient within the region-of-interest of the patient.