System and methods for at-home ultrasound imaging

Abstract

Various methods and systems are provided for a guided at-home ultrasound imaging session. In one example, a system for ultrasonically scanning a tissue sample includes a hand-held ultrasound probe including a transducer array of transducer elements, a probe position tracking device including one or more position sensors coupled to the ultrasound probe, and a controller. The controller is configured to, during an imaging session, determine a position of the ultrasound probe relative to a target position based on position data collected by the probe position tracking device, and responsive to an indication that the ultrasound probe is at the target position, acquire image data with the transducer array.

1 . A method for an ultrasound imaging device of a patient using a hand-held ultrasound probe, comprising:
 during an initial imaging session at any of a clinic and a hospital,
 identifying a target scan plane within the patient; 
 placing one or more reference markers on the patient to indicate the target scan plane; 
 acquiring probe position information relative to the target scan plane from a tracking system; and 
 storing the probe position information at a controller of the ultrasound imaging device; and 
   during a subsequent imaging session at a home,
 adjusting a probe position to image the target scan plane with respect to the one or more reference markers; and 
 imaging the target scan plane. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reference markers is placed externally on the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more reference markers placed externally is a magnetic marker. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reference markers is placed internally within the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the probe position to image the target scan plane includes determining a current probe position of the ultrasound probe, responsive to the current probe position being outside a threshold range of a target probe position with respect to the one or more reference markers, the target probe position based on the probe position information, outputting instructions to guide a user to adjust the current probe position. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, responsive to the current probe position being within the threshold range of the target probe position, automatically acquiring image data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising sending the acquired image data to a remote device communicatively coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein outputting instructions to guide the user to adjust the current probe position comprises outputting an augmented reality user interface for display on a display device, the augmented reality user interface comprising one or more real-time visible light images of the user overlaid with an augmented reality object corresponding to the target probe position. 
     
     
         9 . A method for an ultrasound imaging device including a hand-held ultrasound probe, comprising:
 outputting instructions for identifying a current scan plane within a patient;   in response to identifying the current scan plane, determining a current probe position from a tracking device of the ultrasound probe at the current scan plane relative to positions of each of one or more reference markers on the patient;   obtaining a target probe position from any of a non-transitory memory of the ultrasound imaging device and a remote device communicatively coupled to the ultrasound imaging device, the target probe position indicating a target scan plane relative to the one or more reference markers, the target scan plane identified by a first operator at any of a clinic and a hospital during a prior imaging session; and   when the current probe position is outside a threshold range of the target probe position, outputting feedback to guide a second operator to move the ultrasound probe to the target probe position,   wherein the current scan plane is identified by the second operator at a home during a subsequent imaging session.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 responsive to the current probe position being within the threshold range of the target probe position, automatically obtaining image data with the ultrasound probe.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein obtaining image data with the ultrasound probe comprises obtaining volumetric image data with the ultrasound probe. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising sending the obtained image data to the remote device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more reference markers is placed externally on the patient. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more reference markers placed externally is a magnetic marker. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more reference markers is placed internally within the patient. 
     
     
         16 . A system for ultrasonically scanning a tissue sample, comprising:
 a hand-held ultrasound probe including a transducer array of transducer elements;   a probe position tracking device including one or more position sensors coupled to the ultrasound probe and a reference marker detector to detect one or more reference markers positioned on a patient; and   a controller configured to:
 during an initial imaging session at any of a clinic or a hospital,
 responsive to a user identifying a first target scan plane within the patient, obtain first probe position information with the probe position tracking device relative to one or more reference markers positioned on the patient to indicate the first target scan plane; and 
 store the first probe position information relative to the one or more reference markers; and 
 
 during a subsequent imaging session at a home,
 adjust a first current probe position based on the first probe position information to image the first target scan plane relative to the one or more reference markers, and 
 acquire volumetric image data at the first target scan plane. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more reference markers is placed at any of an external location on the patient and an internal location within the patient. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the ultrasound probe is a transvaginal ultrasound probe. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 during the initial imaging session,
 obtain a second target probe position relative to the one or more reference markers at which a second target scan plane is imageable; and 
   during the subsequent imaging session,
 after acquiring the volumetric image data at the first target scan plane, receive an indication of the second target scan plane to be imaged; 
   determine a second current probe position of the ultrasound probe;   responsive to the second current probe position being outside a threshold range of the second target probe position, output instructions to guide the user to adjust the second current probe position to the second target probe position; and
 responsive to the second current probe position being within the threshold range of the second target probe position, acquire second volumetric image data at the second target scan plane. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the first target scan plane comprises a first ovary of the patient and the second target scan plane comprises a second ovary of the patient.