Systems and methods for capture and display of blood pressure and ultrasound data

Abstract

An ultrasonic imaging system comprises a processing system and an ultrasound imaging probe that is configured to transmit ultrasound energy into a selected portion of a subject and to receive echoes therefrom and to transmit data signals representative thereof to the processing system. The system further comprises a blood pressure sensor that is configured to measure the blood pressure of the subject and to transmit data signals representative thereof to the processing system. The processing system can processes the received ultrasound data signals to generate an ultrasound image and the received blood pressure data signals to generate a blood pressure trace. The processing system can also display the ultrasound image and blood pressure trace in a display image in which portions of the ultrasound image are displayed in temporal synchrony with portions of the blood pressure trace.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a medical imaging system, the method comprising:
 receiving ultrasound image data and blood pressure measurement data collected from a subject at a plurality of times;   marking a plurality of points in the ultrasound data and the blood pressure measurement data with temporal identifiers;   displaying a frame of the ultrasound image data and a blood pressure waveform on a display with an indicator that indicates a point in the blood pressure waveform that corresponds to a first temporal identifier of a first frame of ultrasound image data, wherein the first frame of ultrasound image data includes a B-mode ultrasound image and portions of the B-mode ultrasound image are displayed in temporal synchrony with portions of the blood pressure waveform;   receiving a trace on a cross-sectional representation of an organ or a portion thereof in the first frame of ultrasound image data, wherein the trace substantially defines an area;   determining a first volume from the defined area;   comparing the first volume with a first pressure measurement corresponding to the first temporal identifier to determine a first pressure-to-volume relationship;   determining a second volume of the defined area from at least a second frame of ultrasound image data having a second temporal identifier;   comparing the second volume with a second point in the blood pressure waveform corresponding to the second temporal identifier to determine a second pressure-to-volume relationship; and   displaying a dynamic representation of at least the first and second pressure-to-volume relationships as a pressure-to-volume loop.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the dynamic representation includes displaying a pressure-to-diameter loop. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the trace includes receiving a trace on a cross-sectional representation of at least a portion of a heart in the subject. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the ultrasound image data and the blood pressure measurement data includes marking the received ultrasound image data and blood pressure measurement data by a time of receipt from the subject. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein marking the ultrasound image data and the blood pressure measurement data includes:
 identifying the received ultrasound image data by a time of receipt from an ultrasound imaging probe; and   identifying the received blood pressure measurement data by a time of receipt from a blood pressure sensor.   
     
     
         6 . A method of operating an ultrasound imaging system to assess cardiac function of a subject, the method comprising:
 receiving ultrasound image data and blood pressure measurement data collected from the subject at a plurality of times;   determining a diameter of a structure in a portion of the ultrasound image data;   assigning temporal identifiers to the ultrasound image data and the blood pressure measurement data;   calculating, by the ultrasound imaging system, a pressure-to-diameter relationship using a portion of the ultrasound image data having a first temporal identifier and a portion of the blood pressure measurement data having the first temporal identifier; and   displaying a dynamic representation of the pressure-to-diameter relationship.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the dynamic representation includes a pressure-to-volume loop.