AUTOMATED ULTRASOUND IMAGE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

1 . An ultrasound method, comprising:

using a transducer, obtaining a desired view and/or orientation of the anatomy of interest for an exam;

initiating an automated measurement tool according to sensing of an operator action and obtaining a measurement from a region of interest of the desired view; and

concluding measurement or display according to a sensed operator action.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, storing, or transmitting the measurement.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sensed operator action is one of the following: a gesture, eye tracking, voice recognition, facial expressions, foot switch entry, pressing a button, squeezing the transducer, and a sequence of taps on the transducer.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the automated measurement tool is executed automatically.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting the operator action, and automatically initiating the measurement tool upon detection of the action.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising re-initiating the measurement tool after concluding the measuring.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising restoring imaging following the sensed operator action that concludes measurement.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising enhancing the ultrasound image for measurement.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising loading operator actions for instruction entry recorded for an individual sonographer.

10 . A method for ultrasound measurement, comprising:

obtaining a desired view and orientation of an anatomy of interest;

sensing operator activity to initiate processing and measurement;

enhancing the view for image measurement;

applying segmentation processing to define the anatomy of interest;

outlining the defined anatomy of interest;

calculating a dimension related to the defined anatomy of interest; and

recording the obtained view and calculated dimension.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein sensing the operator activity comprises sensing operator handling of the transducer.

12 . A method for ultrasound measurement, comprising:

obtaining a desired view and orientation of the anatomy of interest;

enhancing the view for image measurement according to operator instructions;

applying a measurement processing algorithm to the enhanced view;

executing an automated quality check on results of the measurement processing algorithm; and

displaying or recording results of the measurement processing algorithm.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising obtaining the operator instructions using hands-free gestures or movements.

14 . The method of claim 12 further comprising obtaining the operator instructions using a foot switch or pedal entry.

15 . The method of claim 12 further comprising obtaining the operator instructions by handling of a transducer.

16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising capturing the ultrasound image according to a measurement protocol for the exam.