Tracked ultrasound vessel imaging

Abstract

A medical imaging apparatus, such as including a processor circuit, can be used to construct a first image of a plane parallel to the surface of an ultrasonic imaging transducer, the plane corresponding to a locus at a specified depth within a first region of tissue. The apparatus can obtain information about a location of a vessel in the first image, then obtain, from a second region of tissue, imaging information corresponding to loci in planes parallel to the surface of the transducer, the planes at depths automatically determined at least in part using the obtained information about the location of the vessel in the first image. In an example, the apparatus can automatically determine an adjusted depth corresponding to the location of the vessel in the second region, and construct a second image of a plane corresponding to the adjusted depth within the tissue.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A processor-readable medium comprising instructions that, when performed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive ultrasound echo information from an ultrasound transducer, the ultrasound echo information corresponding to an insonified region of tissue;   automatically search a range of depths within the insonified region of tissue, the automatically searching including:
 constructing at least one image representing a portion of the region of tissue using the received ultrasound echo information; 
 extracting a feature corresponding to a vessel in the first region of tissue using the at least one image representing the portion of the region of tissue; 
 determining a vessel depth estimate using the extracted feature; and 
 updating the range of depths to provide an updated range of depths using the determined vessel depth estimate; and 
   control the ultrasound transducer to insonify the updated range of depths in response to the search to track the vessel as the ultrasound transducer is moved.   
     
     
         3 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when performed by the processor, cause the processor to continue automatically searching in the absence of the feature corresponding to the vessel in the insonified region of tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when performed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 present a constructed image representing a portion of the region of tissue to a user;   receive an indication from the user of a feature corresponding to a vessel of interest in the constructed image; and   update the range of depths to provide the updated range of depths at least in part using the indication from the user.   
     
     
         5 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when performed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive second ultrasound echo information corresponding to the updated range of depths from a second region of tissue;   construct at least one image representing a portion of the second region of tissue using the received second ultrasound echo information;   extract a second feature corresponding to the vessel in the second region of tissue using the at least one image representing the portion of the second region of tissue;   determine an adjusted vessel depth estimate using the extracted second feature; and   present an image to a user depicting the adjusted vessel depth estimate.   
     
     
         6 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions to construct at least one image include instructions to construct an image representing a plane parallel to a surface of the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         7 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions to construct at least One image include instructions to construct a plurality of images representing planes at different depths parallel to a surface of the ultrasound transducer and constructing a composite image. 
     
     
         8 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions to extract the feature corresponding to the vessel include instructions to extract the feature from the composite image. 
     
     
         9 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the composite image comprises a synthetic B-mode image defining a plane perpendicular to a surface of the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         10 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions to extract the feature corresponding to the vessel include instructions to identify a circularly-shaped region in the synthetic B-mode image, the circularly-shaped region defining at least one of a vessel wall or a vessel interior, contrasting with surrounding tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions to extract the feature corresponding to the vessel include instructions to identify a rectangularly-shaped region in the at least one image, the rectangularly-shaped region defining at least one of a vessel wall or a vessel interior, contrasting with surrounding tissue. 
     
     
         12 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions to extract the feature corresponding to the vessel include instructions to extract Doppler echo information from the received ultrasound echo information. 
     
     
         13 . The processor-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions to construct the at least one image include instructions to construct a color Doppler representation of the tissue region; and wherein the instructions, when performed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 present the color Doppler representation to a user; and   receive an indication from the user of a feature corresponding to a vessel of interest in the constructed image; and   update the range of depths to provide the updated range of depths at least in part using the indication from the user.   
     
     
         14 . An ultrasound imaging apparatus, comprising
 a processor circuit;   a memory circuit;   an ultrasound transducer coupled to the processor circuit; and   a display coupled to the processor circuit;   wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the ultrasound transmitter circuit, the ultrasound receiver circuit, and the display, including:
 receiving ultrasound echo information from an ultrasound transducer, the ultrasound echo information corresponding to a insonified region of tissue; 
 automatically searching a range of depths within the insonified region of tissue, the automatically searching including:
 constructing at least one image representing a portion of the region of tissue using the received ultrasound echo information; 
 extracting a feature corresponding to a vessel in the first region of tissue using the at least one image representing the portion of the region of tissue; 
 determining a vessel depth estimate using the extracted feature; and 
 updating the range of depths to provide an updated range of depths using the determined vessel depth estimate; and 
 
 controlling the ultrasound transducer to insonify the updated range of depths in response to the search to track the vessel as the ultrasound transducer is moved. 
   
     
     
         15 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , comprising a handheld assembly housing the processor circuit, the memory circuit, the display, and the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         16 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the ultrasound transducer and the display, including constructing an image representing a plane parallel to a surface of the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         17 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the ultrasound transducer and the display, including:
 presenting a constructed image on the representing a portion of the region of tissue to a user via the display; 
 receiving an indication from the user of a feature corresponding to a vessel of interest in the constructed image using the user input; and 
 updating the range of depths to provide the updated range of depths at least in part using the indication from the user. 
   
     
     
         18 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the ultrasound transducer and the display, including:
 constructing a plurality of images representing planes at different depths parallel to the surface of the ultrasound transducer and constructing a composite image; and   extracting the feature corresponding to the vessel include instructions to extract the feature from the composite image.   
     
     
         19 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the composite image comprises a synthetic B-mode image defining a plane perpendicular to the surface of the ultrasound transducer; and
 wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the ultrasound transducer and the display, including extracting the feature corresponding to the vessel include instructions to identify a circularly-shaped region in the synthetic B-mode image, the circularly-shaped region defining at least one of a vessel wall or a vessel interior; contrasting with surrounding tissue.   
     
     
         20 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the ultrasound transducer and the display, including extracting the feature corresponding to the vessel include instructions to identify a rectangularly-shaped region in the at least one image, the rectangularly-shaped region defining at least one of a vessel wall or a vessel interior, contrasting with surrounding tissue. 
     
     
         21 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processor circuit is configured to control the ultrasound transducer and the display, including extracting Doppler echo information from the received ultrasound echo information.