US5833613A — Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging with contrast agents

Claim 1

Independent Claim 78 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the coherent detection of ultrasonic contrast agents comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses into a body infused with an ultrasonic contrast agent and receiving ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission; a beamformer for forming coherent echo signals; means for differentiating coherent echo signals received from two pulse transmissions; means for detecting differentiated coherent echo signals; and a display for displaying detected differentiated signals emanating from said ultrasonic contrast agent.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 78 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the coherent detection of ultrasonic contrast agents comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses into a body infused with an ultrasonic contrast agent and receiving ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission; a beamformer for forming coherent echo signals; means for differentiating coherent echo signals received from two pulse transmissions; means for detecting differentiated coherent echo signals; and a display for displaying detected differentiated signals emanating from said ultrasonic contrast agent.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein said means for detecting comprises an amplitude detector.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 2, further comprising an event discriminator for discriminating detected signals which emanated from a contrast agent.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 3, wherein said event discriminator comprises means for comparing detected signals against a threshold level.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 1, further comprising a B mode processor for producing B mode image signals, wherein said display displays a B mode image combined with the display of detected differentiated signals emanating from said ultrasonic contrast agent.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 97 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the detection of a harmonic response of material inside the body comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses at a first frequency into the body and receiving harmonic ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission; a receiver for receiving harmonic signals emanating from material inside the body; a programmable filter which filters said received harmonic signals with a passband excluding said first frequency and including a harmonic of said first frequency; and a harmonic signal detector for detecting said received harmonic signals; and a display for displaying received harmonic signals.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 97 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the detection of a harmonic response of material inside the body comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses at a first frequency into the body and receiving harmonic ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission; a receiver for receiving harmonic signals emanating from material inside the body; a programmable filter which filters said received harmonic signals with a passband excluding said first frequency and including a harmonic of said first frequency; and a harmonic signal detector for detecting said received harmonic signals; and a display for displaying received harmonic signals.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 16 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein said programmable filter comprises a programmable digital filter.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 7, wherein the programmable characteristics of said digital filter include the weighting of received signals.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 15 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein said programmable filter comprises an FIR filter.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 37 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 6, further comprising a B mode processor for producing B mode image signals, wherein said programmable digital filter alternately provides signals for said B mode processor and said harmonic signal detector.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 60 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 10, wherein said programmable digital filter provides filtered signals for said B mode processor which include signals of a B mode passband and excludes said harmonic of said first frequency, and provides filtered signals for said harmonic signal detector which includes said harmonic of said first frequency and excludes signals of said first frequency.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 6, further comprising a three dimensional image processor for rendering three dimensional images of said received harmonic signals.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 69 words

A method for ultrasonically detecting the perfusion rate of tissue by ultrasonic contrast agents comprising the steps of: introducing an ultrasonic contrast agent of microbubbles into the tissue so as to perfuse said tissue; transmitting an ultrasonic pulse which destroys microbubbles in said tissue; and following the destruction of said microbubbles by a time interval, ultrasonically measuring the rate of microbubble reperfusion of said tissue during said time interval.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 69 words

A method for ultrasonically detecting the perfusion rate of tissue by ultrasonic contrast agents comprising the steps of: introducing an ultrasonic contrast agent of microbubbles into the tissue so as to perfuse said tissue; transmitting an ultrasonic pulse which destroys microbubbles in said tissue; and following the destruction of said microbubbles by a time interval, ultrasonically measuring the rate of microbubble reperfusion of said tissue during said time interval.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of repeating said transmitting and measuring steps with a different time interval.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of repeating said transmitting and measuring steps with the same time interval.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 13, wherein said step of ultrasonically measuring comprises the step of acquiring echo signals following transmission of a second ultrasonic pulse into said tissue.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 16, wherein said step of ultrasonically measuring further comprises the step of creating an ultrasonic image with said acquired echo signals.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 17, wherein said step of transmitting comprises transmitting a relatively low frequency, high amplitude ultrasonic pulse into said tissue, and wherein said step of ultrasonically measuring comprises the step of transmitting a second ultrasonic pulse of relatively high frequency and low amplitude into said tissue.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of ultrasonically imaging tissue whose perfusion has been enhanced with an ultrasonic contrast agent in the presence of a blood pool containing contrast agent comprising the steps of: insonifying said perfused tissue and blood pool; receiving echoes returned from ultrasonic contrast agent in said perfused tissue and blood pool; processing said received echoes for display by displaying greater intensity echoes with a lesser brightness or color intensity than echoes of lesser intensity, whereby said perfused tissue is highlighted in the display relative to said blood pool.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of ultrasonically imaging tissue whose perfusion has been enhanced with an ultrasonic contrast agent in the presence of a blood pool containing contrast agent comprising the steps of: insonifying said perfused tissue and blood pool; receiving echoes returned from ultrasonic contrast agent in said perfused tissue and blood pool; processing said received echoes for display by displaying greater intensity echoes with a lesser brightness or color intensity than echoes of lesser intensity, whereby said perfused tissue is highlighted in the display relative to said blood pool.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of ultrasonically detecting a microbubble contrast agent in the presence of undesired tissue echoes comprising the steps of: transmitting a first ultrasonic pulse into the body which causes a first response from said microbubbles; receiving a desired microbubble response to said first ultrasonic pulse; transmitting a second ultrasonic pulse into the body which causes a second response from said microbubbles receiving a desired microbubble response to said second ultrasonic response and an undesired tissue echo response to said first ultrasonic pulse; processing said received microbubble responses by incoherent detection, whereby said desired microbubble echoes and said undesired tissue echo exhibit different response characteristics; and eliminating said undesired tissue echo by means of said different response characteristics.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of ultrasonically detecting a microbubble contrast agent in the presence of undesired tissue echoes comprising the steps of: transmitting a first ultrasonic pulse into the body which causes a first response from said microbubbles; receiving a desired microbubble response to said first ultrasonic pulse; transmitting a second ultrasonic pulse into the body which causes a second response from said microbubbles receiving a desired microbubble response to said second ultrasonic response and an undesired tissue echo response to said first ultrasonic pulse; processing said received microbubble responses by incoherent detection, whereby said desired microbubble echoes and said undesired tissue echo exhibit different response characteristics; and eliminating said undesired tissue echo by means of said different response characteristics.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 20, wherein said first microbubble response is microbubble destruction and said second microbubble response is an absence of microbubble destruction.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 21, wherein said undesired echo response to said first ultrasonic pulse emanates from tissue located deeper in the body than microbubbles which cause said first response.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 20, wherein said processing step includes the step of differentiating the received microbubble responses to said first and second pulses.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 115 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the detection and display of ultrasonic contrast agents within the body comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses into a body infused with an ultrasonic contrast agent and receiving ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission, including means for transmitting high and low energy ultrasonic pulses; a trigger circuit responsive to a physiological function for triggering high energy ultrasonic pulse transmission; a contrast signal processor for processing echoes received in response to high energy pulse transmission; a B mode signal processor for processing echoes received in response to low energy pulse transmission; and a display for displaying simultaneous real time B mode images and triggered contrast agent images.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 115 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the detection and display of ultrasonic contrast agents within the body comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses into a body infused with an ultrasonic contrast agent and receiving ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission, including means for transmitting high and low energy ultrasonic pulses; a trigger circuit responsive to a physiological function for triggering high energy ultrasonic pulse transmission; a contrast signal processor for processing echoes received in response to high energy pulse transmission; a B mode signal processor for processing echoes received in response to low energy pulse transmission; and a display for displaying simultaneous real time B mode images and triggered contrast agent images.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 28 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 24, wherein said means for transmitting comprises means for selectively generating low frequency, high amplitude pulses or high frequency, low amplitude pulses.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 17 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 24, wherein said trigger circuit is responsive to a heartbeat waveform.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 129 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the detection and display of ultrasonic contrast agents within the body comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses into a body infused with an ultrasonic contrast agent and receiving ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission, including means for transmitting high and low energy ultrasonic pulses; a trigger circuit for periodically triggering high energy ultrasonic pulse transmission; a contrast signal processor for processing echoes received in response to high energy pulse transmission; a Doppler processor for processing Doppler echoes received by said transducer probe; a B mode signal processor for processing echoes received in response to low energy pulse transmission; and a display for displaying real time B mode images containing color Doppler image information and periodically containing contrast agent image information.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 129 words

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for the detection and display of ultrasonic contrast agents within the body comprising: an ultrasonic transducer probe for transmitting ultrasonic pulses into a body infused with an ultrasonic contrast agent and receiving ultrasonic echo signals following a pulse transmission, including means for transmitting high and low energy ultrasonic pulses; a trigger circuit for periodically triggering high energy ultrasonic pulse transmission; a contrast signal processor for processing echoes received in response to high energy pulse transmission; a Doppler processor for processing Doppler echoes received by said transducer probe; a B mode signal processor for processing echoes received in response to low energy pulse transmission; and a display for displaying real time B mode images containing color Doppler image information and periodically containing contrast agent image information.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 26 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 27, wherein said trigger circuit comprises means for triggering high energy ultrasonic pulse transmission in response to a heartbeat signal.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 16 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 27, wherein said real time images comprise colorflow Doppler images.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 20 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 27, wherein the periodicity of said trigger circuit is selected by the system user.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 36 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein said ultrasonic transducer probe includes an array transducer, and further comprising a digital beamformer coupled to receive signals from said array transducer for producing digital beamformed harmonic signals.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 15 words

The ultrasonic diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein said material comprises an ultrasonic contrast agent.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-11-09	2002-05-11	2002-11-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-11-09	2006-05-11	2006-11-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-11-09	2010-05-11	2010-11-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging with contrast agents

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