Ultrasound imaging system and method for providing assistance in an ultrasound imaging system

Abstract

An ultrasound imaging system ( 1 ) comprising an ultrasound scanner ( 2 ) for acquiring a live ultrasound image ( 7 ) of a portion of the anatomy of a patient being examined with the ultrasound imaging system ( 1 ), an assistance means ( 9 ) for providing at least one primary demonstration video clip ( 27 ), and at least one video display ( 8 ). The video display ( 8 ) is functionally connected with the ultrasound scanner ( 2 ) and the assistance means ( 9 ) in order to present the primary demonstration video clip ( 27 ) simultaneously with a live ultrasound image ( 7 ).

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An ultrasound imaging system comprising:
 an ultrasound scanner for acquiring a live ultrasound image of an object being examined with the ultrasound imaging system;   an assistance means for providing at least one primary demonstration video clip; and   at least one video display; wherein:   the video display is functionally coupled to the ultrasound scanner and to the assistance means, said video display presenting the primary demonstration video clip simultaneously with a live ultrasound image.   
     
     
         17 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the assistance means is adapted to provide at least one ultrasound image video clip corresponding to a primary demonstration video clip; and   the video display is functionally coupled to the assistance means, said video display presenting the ultrasound image video clip simultaneously with the primary demonstration video clip and with the live ultrasound image.   
     
     
         18 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 17 , wherein the assistance means comprises a synchronizer for synchronizing presentation of the primary demonstration video clip with presentation of the ultrasound image video clip. 
     
     
         19 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 17 , wherein:
 the assistance means is adapted to provide at least one secondary demonstration video clip corresponding to a primary demonstration video clip; and   the video display is functionally coupled to the assistance means and presents the secondary demonstration video clip simultaneously with the primary demonstration video clip, the ultrasound image video clip, and the live ultrasound image.   
     
     
         20 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 19 , wherein the primary demonstration video clip and the corresponding secondary demonstration video clip show different views of a step of the examination. 
     
     
         21 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 19 , wherein a synchronizer synchronizes presentation of the secondary demonstration video clip with presentations of the primary demonstration video clip and the ultrasound image video clip. 
     
     
         22 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 17 , wherein the assistance means is adapted to provide at least one set of image parameter values corresponding to at least one ultrasound image video clip and is functionally coupled to the ultrasound scanner to adjust the ultrasound scanner's imaging settings according to the set of image parameter values corresponding to the ultrasound image video clip to be presented on the video display. 
     
     
         23 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the assistance means is adapted to provide at least one procedure demonstration set comprising several primary demonstration video clips, each primary demonstration video clip demonstrating a different step in an examination procedure; and   the assistance means is functionally coupled to the video display, whereby the primary demonstration video clips are presented on the video display.   
     
     
         24 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a step control functionally coupled to the assistance means whereby, upon operation of the step control by a user of the ultrasound system, a specific primary demonstration video is presented on the video display. 
     
     
         25 . The ultrasound imaging system according to  claim 23 , wherein:
 the assistance means is adapted to provide several procedure demonstration sets, each set demonstrating steps in a different examination procedure; and   the ultrasound imaging system comprises a procedure control functionally coupled to the assistance means whereby, upon operation of the procedure control by a user of the ultrasound imaging system, a set from among the several procedure demonstration sets is selected for presentation on the video display.   
     
     
         26 . In an ultrasound imaging system, a method for assisting a user of the system, said method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring a live ultrasound image of an object being examined; and   presenting on a video display the live ultrasound image simultaneously with a primary demonstration video clip.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the presenting step further comprises presenting an ultrasound image video clip, corresponding to the primary demonstration video clip, simultaneously with the live ultrasound image and the primary demonstration video clip. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein:
 when presenting the live ultrasound image simultaneously with the primary demonstration video clip and the ultrasound image video clip, the primary demonstration video clip runs in synchronism with the ultrasound image video clip.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the presenting step further comprises presenting a corresponding secondary demonstration video clip on the video display in synchronism with the primary demonstration video clip and the ultrasound image video clip. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of adjusting imaging settings of the ultrasound scanner according to a set of image parameters corresponding to the ultrasound image video clip presented on the video display.