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US5235984A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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On-line acoustic densitometry tool for use with an ultrasonic imaging system
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
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Filing: 1992-03-30
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Granted: 1993-08-17
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Expires: 2012-03-30
Abstract
Abstract In an ultrasonic imaging system capable of generating conventional envelope detected acoustic data and/or integrated backscatter acoustic data, a mechanism is provided to select a plurality of pixels in a specified region of a two dimensional ultrasonic image. The pixel values are processed to compute the average acoustic intensity for the selected pixels. The average value is then processed to reverse any non-linearities between the calculated average value and the originally received acoustic signals which non-linearities may have been introduced by the compression, scaling and mapping of the data in order to display it on a conventional video monitor. The processed average acoustic intensity is plotted and the procedure repeated at specified time intervals to form a time-intensity curve whose characteristics are linearly related to the originally received acoustic signals. The characteristics of the time-intensity curve are calculated to provide further information about the irradiated body and the presence of any contrast agent therein.
Inventors
- 👤 Alwyn P. D'Sa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:19
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52017; G01S7/5205
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for quantitative measurement of the average acoustic signal in a region of an ultrasonic image comprising: a source of image data elements, each of the data elements comprising a value representing the intensity of an acoustic signal; a data structure collectively associated with the image data elements, the data structure indicating a type and level of processing to which the intensity value of each data element was subjected; means for calculating an average intensity value from the intensity values selected of the image data elements; a memory table, selectable by the data structure, each entry of the table associated with an unprocessed intensity value; means for matching the average intensity value with an entry of the selected table and for setting the average intensity value equal to the unprocessed intensity value associated with the matched entry; and means for displaying the average intensity value.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for quantitative measurement of the average acoustic signal in a region of an ultrasonic image comprising: a source of image data elements, each of the data elements comprising a value representing the intensity of an acoustic signal; a data structure collectively associated with the image data elements, the data structure indicating a type and level of processing to which the intensity value of each data element was subjected; means for calculating an average intensity value from the intensity values selected of the image data elements; a memory table, selectable by the data structure, each entry of the table associated with an unprocessed intensity value; means for matching the average intensity value with an entry of the selected table and for setting the average intensity value equal to the unprocessed intensity value associated with the matched entry; and means for displaying the average intensity value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data structure indicates whether gray-scale processing of the image data elements has occurred and by which of a plurality of gray-scale levels the processing of the image data elements has occurred.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said memory table is a look-up memory table and wherein the unprocessed intensity value associated with each table entry comprises a value representing an acoustic signal intensity which has not been subject to gray-scale processing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data structure indicates whether compression processing of the image data elements has occurred and by which of a plurality of compression levels the processing of the image data elements has occurred.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said memory table is a look-up memory table and wherein the unprocessed intensity value associated with each table entry comprises a value representing an acoustic signal intensity which has not been subject to compression processing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a second data structure collectively associated with the image data elements, said second data structure indicating a type and level of a second processing to which the intensity value of each data element was subjected; and a second memory table, selectable by the second data structure, each entry of the second table associated with an intensity value which has not been subjected to the second process.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source of image data elements comprises a real-time memory buffer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the image data elements comprises a picture element having an intensity value representing the intensity of an envelope-detected acoustic signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the image data elements comprises a picture element having an intensity value representing the intensity of an integrated backscatter acoustic signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source of image data elements comprises a video loop memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of the image data elements comprises a picture element having an intensity value representing the intensity of an envelope-detected acoustic signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of the image data elements comprises a picture element having an intensity value representing the intensity of an integrated backscatter acoustic signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for displaying the average intensity value comprises a cathode ray tube display.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for generating a time-intensity curve from a plurality of displayed average intensity values.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means for calculating the peak intensity of the generated time-intensity curve and the area underneath the time-intensity curve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means for calculating the mean transit time of the time-intensity curve and the mean transit half-time of the time-intensity curve.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
155 words
In an ultrasonic imaging system for generating digitized data representing the intensity of an acoustic signal and for video processing the digitized data into ultrasonic video images, an acoustic densitometry apparatus for quantitatively measuring the average intensity of the acoustic signal in a region of an ultrasonic video image, comprising: memory means for storing said digitized data and data structure indicating the type and level of video processing to which the digitized data has been subject; a processor, couple to the memory means, for calculating an average acoustic intensity value for a selected portion of said digitized data at a predetermined time intervals; means, coupled to said processor and said memory means, for reverse processing the average acoustic intensity values calculated by the processor in accordance with the type and level of video processing indicated by said data structure; and a display for plotting said reverse processed average intensity values to generate a time-intensity curve.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
155 words
In an ultrasonic imaging system for generating digitized data representing the intensity of an acoustic signal and for video processing the digitized data into ultrasonic video images, an acoustic densitometry apparatus for quantitatively measuring the average intensity of the acoustic signal in a region of an ultrasonic video image, comprising: memory means for storing said digitized data and data structure indicating the type and level of video processing to which the digitized data has been subject; a processor, couple to the memory means, for calculating an average acoustic intensity value for a selected portion of said digitized data at a predetermined time intervals; means, coupled to said processor and said memory means, for reverse processing the average acoustic intensity values calculated by the processor in accordance with the type and level of video processing indicated by said data structure; and a display for plotting said reverse processed average intensity values to generate a time-intensity curve.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
76 words
The acoustic densitometry apparatus of claim 17 wherein said means for reverse processing comprises a first memory look-up table, selectable by said data structure, each entry of the memory look-up table associated with an intensity value; and means for matching the average acoustic intensity values calculated by said processor with an entry of the first memory look-up table and for setting said average acoustic intensity values equal to the intensity value associated with the matched entry.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
81 words
The acoustic densitometry apparatus of claim 18 wherein said means for reverse processing further comprises a second memory look-up table, selectable by said data structure, each entry of the second memory look-up table associated with an intensity value; and means for matching the intensity values from the first memory table with an entry of the second memory look-up table and for setting said intensity values equal to the unprocessed intensity value associated with each entry of the second memory look-up table.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The acoustic densitometry apparatus of claim 17 wherein said memory means comprises a real-time memory buffer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The acoustic densitometry apparatus of claim 17 wherein said memory means comprises a video loop memory.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The acoustic densitometry apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for calculating the mean transit time of the time-intensity curve and the mean transit half-time of the time-intensity curve.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The acoustic densitometry apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for calculating the peak intensity of the time-intensity curve and the area under the time-intensity curve.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for quantitatively measuring the average acoustic signal in a region of an ultrasonic image comprising the steps of: a. providing a source of image data elements; b. selecting a plurality of said image data elements representing a region of the ultrasonic image; c. specifying time intervals at which the average acoustic intensity of the selected image data elements is to be calculated over a period of time; d. calculating an average acoustic intensity value from the selected image data elements; e. determining whether the image data elements have been previously processed into a video format; f. reverse processing the calculated average acoustic intensity value to eliminate any video processing if necessary; g. plotting the average intensity value; and h. repeating steps d through f to generate a time-intensity curve.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for quantitatively measuring the average acoustic signal in a region of an ultrasonic image comprising the steps of: a. providing a source of image data elements; b. selecting a plurality of said image data elements representing a region of the ultrasonic image; c. specifying time intervals at which the average acoustic intensity of the selected image data elements is to be calculated over a period of time; d. calculating an average acoustic intensity value from the selected image data elements; e. determining whether the image data elements have been previously processed into a video format; f. reverse processing the calculated average acoustic intensity value to eliminate any video processing if necessary; g. plotting the average intensity value; and h. repeating steps d through f to generate a time-intensity curve.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of: calculating the peak intensity value of the time-intensity curve generated in step (h).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of calculating the area underneath the time-intensity curve generated in step (h).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of calculating the mean transit time of the time-intensity curve generated in step (h).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of calculating the mean transit half-time of the time-intensity curve generated in step (h).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 24 wherein step (f) comprises matching the calculated average intensity value with an entry of a first memory look-up table and setting the calculated average intensity value equal to an output intensity value associated with the matched entry.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 29 wherein step (f) further comprises matching the output intensity value with an entry of a second memory look-up table and setting the output intensity value equal to a second output intensity value associated with the matched entry of the second memory look-up table.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-08-16 | 1997-02-15 | 1997-08-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-08-16 | 2001-02-15 | 2001-08-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-08-16 | 2005-02-15 | 2005-08-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |