Image plane stabilization for medical imaging

Abstract

A medical imaging system automatically acquires two-dimensional images representing a user-defined region of interest despite motion. The plane of acquisition is updated or altered adaptively as a function of detected motion. The user-designated region of interest is then continually scanned due to the alteration in scan plane position. A multi-dimensional array is used to stabilize imaging of a region of interest in a three-dimensional volume. The user defines a region of interest for two-dimensional imaging. Motion is then detected. The position of a scan plane used to generate a subsequent two-dimensional image is then oriented as a function of the detected motion within the three-dimensional volume. By repeating the motion determination and adaptive alteration of the scan plane position, real time imaging of a same region of interest is provided while minimizing the region of interest fading into or out of the sequence of images.

1 . A method for stabilizing an image plane in medical imaging, the method comprising: 
 (a) tracking motion within a region; and    (b) automatically altering an acquisition scan plane position relative to a transducer as a function of the motion.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (a) comprises performing one of a cross-correlation and a sum of absolute differences.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (a) comprises comparing data from a first acquisition with data from a second acquisition.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (b) comprises translating and rotating an acquisition scan plane to the acquisition scan plane position.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (c) scanning the region with ultrasound energy;    (d) receiving input designating a region of interest within the region;    wherein (b) comprises maintaining the acquisition scan plane position at the region of interest over time.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (a) comprises tracking the motion within the region, the region being a three-dimensional volume, and wherein (b) comprises altering the acquisition scan plane position relative to the transducer, the transducer being a multi-dimensional array of elements, the alteration maintaining an acquisition scan plane at a region of interest within the three-dimensional volume over time.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 (c) electronically steering acoustic energy across the acquisition scan plane;    wherein (a), (b) and (c) are repeated.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein (a) comprises transmitting acoustic energy to at least three sub-regions of the three-dimensional volume without acquiring data for the entire three-dimensional volume.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 (c) scanning a representative sample of the entire three-dimensional volume;    wherein (a) comprises comparing data responsive to the acoustic energy transmitted to the at least three sub-regions with data responsive to the representative sample.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein (a) comprises: 
 (a1) transmitting at least three grouped sets of beams spaced apart within the three-dimensional volume;    (a2) determining a direction and a magnitude of motion from data responsive to the at least three grouped sets of beams for each of the at least three grouped sets of beams;    wherein (b) comprises altering the acquisition scan plane position as a function of the at least three directions and at least three magnitudes.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (b) comprises adaptively altering the acquisition scan plane position in response to the motion; 
 further comprising:    (c) repetitively scanning the adaptively positioned acquisition scan planes; and    (d) generating two-dimensional images responsive to (c).    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 (e) shifting the two-dimensional images as a function of an initial position of the region of interest.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (c) identifying at least one feature within the region;    wherein (a) comprises tracking motion of the at least one feature.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (a) comprises tracking one of speckle and a spatial gradient.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (c) adjusting a tracking parameter for (a) as a function of a position of a tracking location within the region.    
   
   
       16 . A method for stabilizing a scan plane within a volume in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the method comprising: 
 (a) identifying a region of interest;    (b) acquiring data representing at least portions of a three-dimensional volume positioned at least partly around the region of interest;    (c) acquiring data representing sub-volumes of the three-dimensional volume, (c) using fewer scan lines than (b);    (d) comparing the data representing the sub-volumes with the data representing at least the portions of the three-dimensional volume;    (e) detecting motion as a function of (d);    (f) positioning a two-dimensional scan plane within the three-dimensional volume as a function of the region of interest and the detected motion; and    (g) acquiring a-two-dimensional image responsive to the two-dimensional scan plane.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 (h) repeating (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) over time such that the two-dimensional scan plane is adaptively positioned through the region of interest over time.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein (b) comprises acquiring data representing an entire spatial extent of the three-dimensional volume, the entire spatial extent being based on an area of a two-dimensional transducer array used for (b), (c) and (g), wherein (c) comprises acquiring the data representing sub-volumes of the three-dimensional volume, the sub-volumes together being substantially less than the three-dimensional volume.  
   
   
       19 . A method for stabilizing imaging within a volume in medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging, the method comprising: 
 (a) repetitively scanning a two-dimensional area with a multi-dimensional transducer array;    (b) repetitively detecting motion within a volume including the two-dimensional area; and    (c) adaptively re-positioning the two-dimensional area within the volume as a function of the detected motion.    
   
   
       20 . A system for stabilizing a scan plane within a volume in medical imaging, the system comprising: 
 a multi-dimensional transducer array;    a beamformer controller operative to control a position of a data acquisition scan plane relative to the multi-dimensional transducer array;    a beamformer connected with the multi-dimensional transducer array, the beamformer responsive to the beamformer controller and operative to acquire data representing tissue at the data acquisition scan plane; and    a processor operable to detect motion within a volume;    wherein the beamformer controller is operable to alter the position of the data acquisition scan plane in response to the detected motion.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the multi-dimensional transducer array comprises a two-dimensional transducer array.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising: 
 a user interface connected with the processor, the user interface operable to receive input indicating a region of interest; and    a display operable to display a sequence of two-dimensional images of the region of interest, the two-dimensional images responsive to the data acquisition scan plane.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (c) obtaining data for motion tracking in response to different acquisition parameters than used for imaging.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein (b) comprises automatically altering an acquisition volume position relative to a transducer as a function of the motion.