EP0961135B1
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EP
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Method and apparatus for ultrasound image acquisition
Assignee: Tomtec Imaging Systems GmbH
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Filing: 1998-03-30
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Granted: 2002-11-20
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Expires: 2018-03-30
Abstract
Abstract The present invention incooperates a method and an apparatus for obtaining three-dimensional ultrasound, especially echographic images that allows the three-dimensional reconstruction of anatomic structures. Since prior art techniques teach time-consuming procedures the present invention focuses on a rapid 3-D acquisition of dynamic and quantitative characteristics of human tissues to facilitate the diagnosis of unknown and complex pathology. An object (1), like the heart of a human being is scanned by two-dimensional image scanning means (4) to acquire cross-sectional images (7). The image scanning means (4) are moved in predetermined increments for a predetermined number of times, while scanning said object (1). After the digitalization and recording of said cross-sectional images (7), together with their corresponding positions, said cross-sectional images (7) are transformed into a three-dimensional data set by detecting the contours (14) of said object (1) within said cross-sectional images (7) and by creating a wireframe volume model (22) which represents the outer surface of said object (1) in a three-dimensional manner. Such wireframe volume model (22) is created by linking predefined contour points (19) or 3-D coordinates of said object (1) throughout e.g. an interpolation algorithm. For obtaining suitable wire-frame models (22), a full 3-D acquisition of the object (1) is obsolete by achieving at the same time good dynamic and quantitative information of said object (1) in a very short time. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Bernhard Mumm
- 👤 Johannes Waldinger
- 👤 Dietmar Kaiser
- 👤 Kiyoji Miyamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/08; A61B8/13; A61B8/14; A61B8/48; A61B8/483; G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8993; G01S5/00; G01S5/18; A61B5/00; A61B5/24; A61B5/316; A61B5/318; A61B5/346; A61B5/349; A61B5/352; A61B8/06; A61B8/0883; A61B8/54; A61B8/543
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
Method for obtaining three-dimensional ultrasound images,
comprising the steps of scanning an object (1) by two-dimensional image scanning
means (4) to acquire acquisition planes (9) of said object
(1), moving said image scanning means (4) in predetermined
increments for a predetermined number of times or
homogeneously along said object (1), while scanning said
ooject (1), digitalizing each of said acquisition planes (9), recording each of said acquisition planes (9) and its
corresponding position, and transforming said acquisition planes (9) into a three-dimensional
data set by a transformation process, and displaying said three-dimensional data set, characterized by realizing said transformation process by detecting the contours (14) of said object (1) within cross-sectional
images (7), wherein said cross-sectional images (7)
are said acquisition planes (9) and/or cutplanes (12, 13) of
said three-dimensional data set, creating a wireframe volume model (22) by using the
positions of respective cross-sectional images (7) and said
contours (14) within said cross-sectional images (7)
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized by linking contour points (17, 19) of said contours (14) by using
surface acquisition and/or volume rendering techniques.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Method as claimed in claim 2, characterized by linking contour points (17, 19) of said contours (14) with
horizontal and vertical wire lines (20, 21), preferably with
an interpolation algorithm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method as claimed in claim 2, characterized by linking contour points (17, 19) of said contours (14) by
linking each of said contour points (19) with all adjacent
contour points (19).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
Method as claimed in claim 2, characterized by moving or rotating said contours (14) or segments (25) of said
contours (14) within said cross-sectional images (7) along an
axis, being substantially perpendicular to said cross-sectional
images (7), or about a common rotation axis (15) of
said cross-sectional images (7) until the contours (14) of the
next cross-sectional image (7) are reached.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
Method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized by detecting the contours (14) of said object (1) by using grey
level ranges, followed by the application of noise reduction
algorithms, edge enhancement algorithms and/or spatial
artifacts reduction algorithms .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
Method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized by creating several wireframe volume models (22) of an object (1)
in motion and displaying said three-dimensional data sets,
which correspond to said wireframe volume models (22),
successively, to acquire dynamic and/or quantitative
information of said object (1).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
Method as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized by creating several wireframe volume models (22) of a cardiac
object (1) in motion and displaying said three-dimensional
data sets in accordance with an algorithm considering heart
cycle variations by electrocardiographic gating and
respiratory cycle variations by impedance measurements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
Method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized by moving said image scanning means (4) in predetermined angular
increments for a predetermined number of times, recording each of said acquisition planes (9) and its
corresponding angular position, and detecting the contours (14) of said object (1) within cross-sectional
images (7) with respect to a common rotation axis
(15) of said cross-sectional images (7).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
Method as claimed in claim 9, characterized by additionally recording one or more cross-sectional images (7)
from cutplanes (12,13) of said object (1) which are substantially
orthogonal to said angular positioned cross-sectional images
(7).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
169 words
Apparatus for obtaining three-dimensional echographic
images, comprising two-dimensional image scanning means (4) for scanning an
object (1) to acquire acquisition planes (9) of said object
(1), moving means for moving said image scanning means (4) in
predetermined increments for a predetermined number of times
or homogeneously along said object (1), digitalization means for digitalize each of said acquisition
planes (9), recording means for recording each of said acquisition
planes (9) and its corresponding position, transforming means for transforming said acquisition planes
(9) into a three-dimensional data set by a geometrical
transformation process, and displaying means for displaying said three-dimensional data
set, characterized by, said transforming means comprising detecting means for detecting the contours (14) of said
object (1) within cross-sectional images (7), wherein said
cross-sectional images (7) are said acquisition planes (9)
and/or cutplanes (12, 13) of said three-dimensional data set,
and volumetric acquisition means for creating a wireframe volume
model (22) using said positions of said cross-sectional images
(7) and said contours (14) within said cross-sectional images
(7).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said means for moving said image scanning means (4)
incooperate a step motor and a steering logic which control
the incremental acquisition of acquisition planes (9) of said
object (1).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said two-dimensional image scanning means (4) comprise a
position sensor (23) for detecting the positions of said
acquisition planes (9).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as claimed in one of the claims 11 - 13, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises electrocardiographic gating
means and respiration trigger means for dynamically scanning
cardiac objects (1).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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