Method and apparatus for automatically enhancing contrast in projected ultrasound image

Claim 1

A system for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising: an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound beams and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected by a multiplicity of sample volumes in the object volume; means for acquiring pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium, each pixel intensity datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; memory means for storing acquired pixel intensity data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; means for retrieving a set of pixel intensity data from said memory means corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; means for projecting said pixel intensity data set corresponding to said volume of interest onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; means for counting the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set which lie in a data intensity range; means for correlating said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range with a display intensity range to create a mapping, the range of values in said display intensity range being different than the range of values in said data intensity range; means for mapping said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range into corresponding display intensity values from said display intensity range which represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and a display monitor for displaying said contrast-adjusted projected image.

Claim 2

A system for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising: an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound beams and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected by a multiplicity of sample volumes in the object volume; means for acquiring pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium, each pixel intensity datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; memory means for storing acquired pixel intensity data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; means for retrieving a set of pixel intensity data from said memory means corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; means for projecting said pixel intensity data set corresponding to said volume of interest onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; means for counting the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set which lie in a data intensity range; means for correlating said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range with a display intensity range to create a mapping, the range of values in said display intensity range being different than the range of values in said data intensity range; means for mapping said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range into corresponding display intensity values from said display intensity range which represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and a display monitor for displaying said contrast-adjusted projected image.

Claim 3

A system for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising: an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound beams and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected by a multiplicity of sample volumes in the object volume; means for acquiring pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium, each pixel intensity datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; memory means for storing acquired pixel intensity data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; means for retrieving a set of pixel intensity data from said memory means corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; means for projecting said pixel intensity data set corresponding to said volume of interest onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; means for transforming said projected pixel intensity data set to represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; a display monitor; and means for displaying said contrast-adjusted projected image on said display monitor, wherein said transforming means comprise: means for nulling the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a first intensity range; and means for transforming the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a second intensity range into contrast-adjusted intensity values lying in a third intensity range in accordance with a linear mapping, said first and second intensity ranges being contiguous at a pixel intensity threshold, and said third intensity range being wider than and overlapping said second intensity range, said contrast-adjusted intensity values forming a mapped projected pixel intensity data set representing said contrast-adjusted projected image.

Claim 4

A system for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising: an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound beams and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected by a multiplicity of sample volumes in the object volume; means for acquiring pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium, each pixel intensity datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; memory means for storing acquired pixel intensity data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; means for retrieving a set of pixel intensity data from said memory means corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; means for projecting said pixel intensity data set corresponding to said volume of interest onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; means for transforming said projected pixel intensity data set to represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; a display monitor; and means for displaying said contrast-adjusted projected image on said display monitor, wherein said transforming means comprise: means for nulling the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a first intensity range; and means for transforming the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a second intensity range into contrast-adjusted intensity values lying in a third intensity range in accordance with a linear mapping, said first and second intensity ranges being contiguous at a pixel intensity threshold, and said third intensity range being wider than and overlapping said second intensity range, said contrast-adjusted intensity values forming a mapped projected pixel intensity data set representing said contrast-adjusted projected image.

Claim 11

A method for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising the following steps: transmitting ultrasound beams in a scanning plane intersecting the object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; scanning said scanning plane through the object volume; acquiring pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium, each pixel intensity datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; storing acquired pixel intensity data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; retrieving a set of pixel intensity data from said stored acquired pixel intensity data, said pixel intensity data set corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; projecting said pixel intensity data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; counting the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set which lie in a data intensity range; correlating said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range with a display intensity range to create a mapping, the range of values in said display intensity range being different than the range of values in said data intensity range; mapping said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range into corresponding display intensity values from said display intensity range which represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and displaying said contrast-adjusted projected image.

Claim 12

A method for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising the following steps: transmitting ultrasound beams in a scanning plane intersecting the object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; scanning said scanning plane through the object volume; acquiring pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium, each pixel intensity datum corresponding to a respective one of said multiplicity of sample volumes; storing acquired pixel intensity data for each of said multiplicity of sample volumes; retrieving a set of pixel intensity data from said stored acquired pixel intensity data, said pixel intensity data set corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; projecting said pixel intensity data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; counting the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set which lie in a data intensity range; correlating said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range with a display intensity range to create a mapping, the range of values in said display intensity range being different than the range of values in said data intensity range; mapping said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range into corresponding display intensity values from said display intensity range which represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and displaying said contrast-adjusted projected image.

Claim 21

A method for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising the following steps: transmitting ultrasound beams in a scanning plane intersecting the object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; scanning said scanning plane through the object volume at a multiplicity of scanning positions; acquiring a multiplicity of subsets of pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium in respective planes defined by the scanning positions of said scanning plane, each subset of pixel intensity data forming a respective intensity data frame; storing said multiplicity of intensity data frames; retrieving a respective subset of pixel intensity data corresponding to a region of interest from selected successive stored intensity data frames, said pixel intensity data subsets forming a pixel intensity data set corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; projecting said pixel intensity data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; counting the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set which lie in a data intensity range; correlating said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range with a display intensity range to create a mapping, the range of values in said display intensity range being different than the range of values in said data intensity range; mapping said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range into corresponding display intensity values from said display intensity range which represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and displaying an image comprising said contrast-adjusted projected image superimposed on a central region of a selected one of said multiplicity of intensity data frames.

Claim 22

A method for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising the following steps: transmitting ultrasound beams in a scanning plane intersecting the object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; scanning said scanning plane through the object volume at a multiplicity of scanning positions; acquiring a multiplicity of subsets of pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium in respective planes defined by the scanning positions of said scanning plane, each subset of pixel intensity data forming a respective intensity data frame; storing said multiplicity of intensity data frames; retrieving a respective subset of pixel intensity data corresponding to a region of interest from selected successive stored intensity data frames, said pixel intensity data subsets forming a pixel intensity data set corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; projecting said pixel intensity data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; counting the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set which lie in a data intensity range; correlating said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range with a display intensity range to create a mapping, the range of values in said display intensity range being different than the range of values in said data intensity range; mapping said intensity values which lie in said data intensity range into corresponding display intensity values from said display intensity range which represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and displaying an image comprising said contrast-adjusted projected image superimposed on a central region of a selected one of said multiplicity of intensity data frames.

Claim 23

A method for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising the following steps: transmitting ultrasound beams in a scanning plane intersecting the object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; scanning said scanning plane through the object volume at a multiplicity of scanning positions; acquiring a multiplicity of subsets of pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium in respective planes defined by the scanning positions of said scanning plane, each subset of pixel intensity data forming a respective intensity data frame; storing said multiplicity of intensity data frames; retrieving a respective subset of pixel intensity data corresponding to a region of interest from selected successive stored intensity data frames, said pixel intensity data subsets forming a pixel intensity data set corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; projecting said pixel intensity data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; transforming said projected pixel intensity data set to represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and displaying an image comprising said contrast-adjusted projected image superimposed on a central region of a selected one of said multiplicity of intensity data frames, wherein said transforming step comprises the steps of: nulling the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a first intensity range; and transforming the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a second intensity range into contrast-adjusted intensity values lying in a third intensity range in accordance with a linear mapping, said first and second intensity ranges being contiguous at a pixel intensity threshold, and said third intensity range being wider than and overlapping said second intensity range, said contrast-adjusted intensity values forming a mapped projected pixel intensity data set representing said contrast-adjusted projected image.

Claim 24

A method for three-dimensional imaging of an ultrasound scattering medium in an object volume, comprising the following steps: transmitting ultrasound beams in a scanning plane intersecting the object volume at a multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; detecting ultrasound echoes reflected from said multiplicity of sample volumes in said scanning plane; scanning said scanning plane through the object volume at a multiplicity of scanning positions; acquiring a multiplicity of subsets of pixel intensity data derived from ultrasound echoes reflected by the scattering medium in respective planes defined by the scanning positions of said scanning plane, each subset of pixel intensity data forming a respective intensity data frame; storing said multiplicity of intensity data frames; retrieving a respective subset of pixel intensity data corresponding to a region of interest from selected successive stored intensity data frames, said pixel intensity data subsets forming a pixel intensity data set corresponding to a volume of interest in the object volume; projecting said pixel intensity data set onto an image plane, thereby forming a projected pixel intensity data set representing a projected image; transforming said projected pixel intensity data set to represent a contrast-adjusted projected image; and displaying an image comprising said contrast-adjusted projected image superimposed on a central region of a selected one of said multiplicity of intensity data frames, wherein said transforming step comprises the steps of: nulling the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a first intensity range; and transforming the intensity values of said projected pixel intensity data set lying in a second intensity range into contrast-adjusted intensity values lying in a third intensity range in accordance with a linear mapping, said first and second intensity ranges being contiguous at a pixel intensity threshold, and said third intensity range being wider than and overlapping said second intensity range, said contrast-adjusted intensity values forming a mapped projected pixel intensity data set representing said contrast-adjusted projected image.