High quality closed-loop ultrasound imaging system

Abstract

A closed-loop ultrasound system includes an ultrasound receiver, an ultrasound transmitter at least one of integral with or at a predetermined position relative to the ultrasound receiver, and a trigger circuit configured to receive detection signals from the ultrasound receiver and to provide trigger signals to the ultrasound transmitter in response to received detection signals. The ultrasound transmitter is configured to transmit ultrasound energy in response to the trigger signals.

1 .- 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A system for interventional ultrasound imaging, comprising:
 an ultrasound transducer for imaging a region of interest;   an interventional tool including an active reflector element, the active reflector element configured to receive ultrasound pulses from said ultrasound transducer and transmit an ultrasound pulses back to the ultrasound transducer; and   a processor for analyzing the ultrasound pulses to thereby form an image of the region of interest and active reflector element location.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the active reflector element is disposed adjacent to a tip of the interventional tool. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the active reflector element is a piezoelectric transducer. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the active reflector element is comprised of optical fibers. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the interventional tool includes a plurality of active reflector elements. 
     
     
         42 . A method for interventional tool tracking, comprising:
 inserting an interventional tool into tissue, the interventional tool including an active reflector element to receive ultrasound pulses from said ultrasound transducer and transmit an ultrasound pulses back to the ultrasound transducer;   collecting images of a region of interest with an ultrasound transducer; and   analyzing the ultrasound pulses to thereby form an image of the region of interest and active reflector element location.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the interventional tool includes two or more active reflector elements to indicate orientation of the interventional tool. 
     
     
         44 . A method for determining in-plane indication for interventional tools, comprising:
 inserting an interventional tool into tissue, the interventional tool including an active reflector element to receive ultrasound pulses from said ultrasound transducer and transmit ultrasound pulses back to the ultrasound transducer;   collecting images of a region of interest with an ultrasound transducer; and   analyzing the ultrasound pulses to thereby form an image of the region of interest and active reflector element location, wherein the active reflector element location is configured to be proportional to a received signal amplitude to indicate a best in-plane result.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein a maximum spot brightness would indicate a best in-plane result. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein a blinking frequency would represent how far the active reflector element is from a center of the imaging plane. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein a graphic user interface includes a level bar indicating how far the active reflector element is from a center of the imaging plane. 
     
     
         48 . A method of time reversal imaging for interventional tool tracking, comprising:
 inserting an interventional tool into tissue, the interventional tool including an active reflector element to receive ultrasound pulses from said ultrasound transducer and transmit ultrasound pulses back to the ultrasound transducer;   collecting images of a region of interest with an ultrasound transducer; and   analyzing amplitude and phase information from a signal received from the active reflector element; and   reconstructing the incident wave front to determine an impulse response for the imaging region of interest,   wherein said impulse response provides a correction for the transmitting beam forming.