US5515857A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1994-06-28
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Granted: 1996-05-14
•
Expires: 2014-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A bloodstream velocity image is formed by scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body to be examined with an ultrasonic wave. A velocity profile is formed by distributing either one of average velocities and maximum velocities of bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions arranged along a first direction, along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and extending across the blood vessel. A bloodstream volume is calculated from the velocity profile and a blood vessel diameter. Thus, an error caused by movement of a blood vessel accompanying pulsation can be decreased.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Tsujino
- 👤 Eiichi Shiki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:22
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8979; A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/06; A61B8/065; G01S15/899; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52017; G01S7/52053; G01S7/52057; G01S7/5206; G01S7/52063
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 61
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity image forming means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means, and region-of-interest setting means for setting a two-dimensional region of interest in the bloodstream velocity image so as to extend across the blood vessel; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing either one of average velocities and maximum velocities of the bloodstream velocities arranged along a first direction within the region of interest, along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and extending across the blood vessel said velocity profile forming means excluding the maximum velocities and minimum velocities of the bloodstream velocities along the first direction from a target averaging performed for calculating the average velocities; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume from said velocity profile and a diameter of the blood vessel; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity image forming means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means, and region-of-interest setting means for setting a two-dimensional region of interest in the bloodstream velocity image so as to extend across the blood vessel; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing either one of average velocities and maximum velocities of the bloodstream velocities arranged along a first direction within the region of interest, along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and extending across the blood vessel said velocity profile forming means excluding the maximum velocities and minimum velocities of the bloodstream velocities along the first direction from a target averaging performed for calculating the average velocities; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume from said velocity profile and a diameter of the blood vessel; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling said scanning means so as to change a range of detectable maximum and minimum velocities of a bloodstream.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which said control means changes the range of said scanning means in accordance with a heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said velocity profile forming means includes means for smoothing the velocity profile.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising blood vessel diameter calculating means for calculating a blood vessel diameter based on a distance between a rise and a fall of the velocity profile, and supplying the blood vessel diameter to said bloodstream volume calculating means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said blood vessel diameter calculating means calculates blood vessel diameters at different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle, holds calculated blood vessel diameters, and supplies a blood vessel diameter corresponding to the heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined to said bloodstream volume calculating means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average bloodstream volume by averaging bloodstream volumes continuously obtained.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, in which said display means displays the average bloodstream volume and the bloodstream volume simultaneously.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average stroke volume by averaging stroke volumes which are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said scanning means scans the two-dimensional region by shifting a timing in units of heartbeat cycles, and said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases that are continuously calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average stroke volume by averaging stroke volumes which are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
109 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity calculating means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing the bloodstream velocities along a direction extending across the blood vessel; smoothing means for smoothing the velocity profile; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume from the velocity profile smoothed by said smoothing means and a diameter of the blood vessel; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
109 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity calculating means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing the bloodstream velocities along a direction extending across the blood vessel; smoothing means for smoothing the velocity profile; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume from the velocity profile smoothed by said smoothing means and a diameter of the blood vessel; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising means for controlling said scanning means so as to change a range of detectable maximum and minimum velocities of a bloodstream.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, in which said control means changes the range of said scanning means in accordance with a heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising blood vessel diameter calculating means for calculating a distance between a rise and a fall of the velocity profile as the diameter of the blood vessel and supplying the diameter to said bloodstream volume calculating means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, in which said blood vessel diameter calculating means calculates blood vessel diameters at different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle, holds calculated blood vessel diameters, and supplies a blood vessel diameter corresponding to the heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined to said bloodstream volume calculating means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average bloodstream volume by averaging bloodstream volumes continuously obtained.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, in which said display means displays the average bloodstream volume and the bloodstream volume simultaneously.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average stroke volume by averaging stroke volumes which are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 26, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, in which said scanning means scans the two-dimensional region by shifting a timing in units of heartbeat cycles, and said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases that are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 28, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 28, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average stroke volume by averaging stroke volumes which are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 30, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
160 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity calculating means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing the bloodstream velocities along a direction extending across the blood vessel; blood vessel diameter calculating means for calculating a blood vessel diameter at each of different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle based on a distance between a rise and a fall of the velocity profile; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume based on the velocity profile sent from said velocity profile forming means and the blood vessel diameter sent from said blood vessel diameter calculating means and corresponding to a heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
160 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity calculating means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing the bloodstream velocities along a direction extending across the blood vessel; blood vessel diameter calculating means for calculating a blood vessel diameter at each of different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle based on a distance between a rise and a fall of the velocity profile; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume based on the velocity profile sent from said velocity profile forming means and the blood vessel diameter sent from said blood vessel diameter calculating means and corresponding to a heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, further comprising means for controlling said scanning means so as to change a range of detectable maximum and minimum velocities of a bloodstream.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 33, further comprising control means for changing the range of said scanning means in accordance with the heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, in which said velocity profile forming means includes means for smoothing the velocity profile.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average bloodstream volume by averaging bloodstream volumes continuously obtained.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 36, in which said display means displays the average bloodstream volume and the bloodstream volume simultaneously.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 38, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 38, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average stroke volume by averaging stroke volumes which are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 40, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 32, in which said scanning means scans the two-dimensional region by shifting a timing in units of heartbeat cycles, and said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases that are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 42, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average stroke volume by averaging stroke volumes which are repeatedly calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 44, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
133 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity calculating means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing the bloodstream velocities along a direction extending across the blood vessel; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume from the velocity profile sent from said velocity profile forming means and a diameter of the blood vessel; average bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating an average bloodstream volume by averaging bloodstream volumes continuously calculated by said bloodstream volume calculating means; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume and the average bloodstream volume simultaneously.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
133 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: scanning means for scanning a two-dimensional region including a blood vessel in a body with an ultrasonic wave; bloodstream velocity calculating means for calculating bloodstream velocities at a plurality of positions in the two-dimensional region by using outputs from said scanning means; velocity profile forming means for forming a velocity profile by distributing the bloodstream velocities along a direction extending across the blood vessel; bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating a bloodstream volume from the velocity profile sent from said velocity profile forming means and a diameter of the blood vessel; average bloodstream volume calculating means for calculating an average bloodstream volume by averaging bloodstream volumes continuously calculated by said bloodstream volume calculating means; and display means for displaying the bloodstream volume and the average bloodstream volume simultaneously.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, further comprising means for controlling said scanning means so as to change a range of detectable maximum and minimum velocities of a bloodstream.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, in which said control means changes the range of said scanning means in accordance with a heartbeat time phase of the body to be examined.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, in which said velocity profile forming means includes means for smoothing the velocity profile.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding the bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases in one heartbeat cycle.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 50, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 50, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average volume by averaging stroke volumes which are continuously calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 52, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 46, in which said scanning means scans the two-dimensional region by shifting a timing in units of heartbeat cycles, and said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates a stroke volume by adding bloodstream volumes obtained at different heartbeat time phases that are continuously calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 54, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means excludes a bloodstream volume having a negative polarity from an addition target for calculating the stroke volume.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 54, in which said bloodstream volume calculating means calculates an average volume by averaging stroke volumes which are continuously calculated over a plurality of heartbeat cycles.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 56, in which said display means displays the stroke volume and the average stroke volume simultaneously.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-05-14 | 1999-11-13 | 2000-05-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-05-14 | 2003-11-13 | 2004-05-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-05-14 | 2007-11-13 | 2008-05-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |