3d ultrasound imaging system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system comprising: an image processor configured to receive at least one set of volume data resulting from a three-dimensional ultrasound scan of a body and to provide corresponding display data, an anatomy detector configured to detect a position and orientation of an anatomical object of interest within the at least one set of volume data, a slice generator for generating a plurality of two-dimensional slices from the at least one set of volume data, wherein said slice generator is configured to define respective slice locations based on the results of the anatomy detector for the anatomical object of interest so as to obtain a set of two-dimensional standard views of the anatomical object of interest, wherein the slice generator is further configured to define for each two-dimensional standard view which anatomical features of the anatomical object of interest are expected to be contained, and an evaluation unit for evaluating a quality factor for each of the generated plurality of two-dimensional slices by comparing each of the slices with the anatomical features expected for the respective two-dimensional standard view.

1 . An ultrasound imaging system comprising:
 an image processor configured to receive at least one set of volume data resulting from a three-dimensional ultrasound scan of a body and to provide corresponding display data,   an anatomy detector configured to detect a position and orientation of an anatomical object of interest within the at least one set of volume data,   a slice generator for generating a plurality of two-dimensional slices from the at least one set of volume data, wherein said slice generator is configured to define respective slice locations based on the results of the anatomy detector for the anatomical object of interest so as to obtain a set of two-dimensional standard views of the anatomical object of interest, wherein the slice generator is further configured to define for each two-dimensional standard view which anatomical features of the anatomical object of interest are expected to be contained, and   an evaluation unit for evaluating a quality factor for each of the generated plurality of two-dimensional slices by comparing each of the slices with the anatomical features expected for the respective two-dimensional standard view.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the anatomy detector is configured to conduct a model-based segmentation of the at least one set of volume data by finding a best match between the at least one set of volume data and a geometrical model of the anatomical object of interest in order to detect the position and orientation of the anatomical object of interest, and wherein the slice generator is configured to define the respective slice locations of the anatomical object of interest based on said geometrical model. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory for storing a plurality of sets of volume data resulting from a plurality of different three-dimensional scans of a body and for storing the plurality of two-dimensional slices generated from the plurality of sets of volume data and their quality factors; and   a selector for selecting for each two-dimensional standard view a two-dimensional slice having the highest quality factor by comparing the evaluated quality factors of corresponding two-dimensional slices generated from each of the plurality of sets of volume data.   
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the quality factor that is evaluated within the evaluation unit for each of the generated plurality of two-dimensional slices is a quantitative factor that includes a ratio to which extend the expected anatomical features are included in the respective two-dimensional slice. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the quality factor for each of the generated plurality of two-dimensional slices by comparing a field of view of each of the two-dimensional slices to the geometrical model of the anatomical object. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the image processor is configured to generate display data for simultaneously illustrating graphical representations of a plurality of two-dimensional slices corresponding to different standard views of the anatomical object of interest on the display. 
     
     
         7 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 6 , wherein the image processor is furthermore configured to generate display data for illustrating a graphical representation of the quality factor for each of the two-dimensional slices on the display. 
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 7 , wherein the graphical representation of the quality factor comprises an icon and/or a percentage. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transducer array configured to provide an ultrasound receive signal,   a beam former configured to control the transducer array to perform the three-dimensional scan of the body, and further configured to receive the ultrasound receive signal and to provide an image signal,   a controller for controlling the beam former, and   a signal processor configured to receive the image signal and to provide the three-dimensional volume data.   
     
     
         10 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to control the beam former to control the transducer array to perform an additional two-dimensional scan for a two-dimensional standard view of the anatomical object of interest if the quality factor of one of the plurality of two-dimensional slices generated by the slice generator is above a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         11 . A method of generating and evaluating two-dimensional standard views from three-dimensional ultrasonic volume data, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving at least one set of volume data resulting from a three-dimensional ultrasound scan of a body,   detecting a position and orientation of an anatomical object of interest within the at least one set of volume data,   generating a plurality of two-dimensional slices from the at least one set of volume data, by defining respective slice locations based on the detected position and orientation of the anatomical object of interest so as to obtain a set of two-dimensional standard views of the anatomical object of interest,   defining for each two-dimensional standard view which anatomical features of the anatomical object of interest are expected to be contained, and   evaluating a quality factor for each of the generated plurality of two-dimensional slices by comparing each of the slices with the anatomical features expected for the respective two-dimensional standard view.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the position and orientation of the anatomical object of interest are detected by conducting a model-based segmentation of the at least one set of volume data and finding a best match between the at least one set of volume data and a geometrical model of the anatomical object of interest, and wherein the respective slice locations are defined based on said geometrical model. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving and storing a plurality of sets of volume data resulting from a plurality of three-dimensional scans of a body,   generating and storing a plurality of different two-dimensional slices generated from each of the plurality of sets of volume data together with their quality factors; and   selecting for each two-dimensional standard view a two-dimensional slice having the highest quality factor by comparing the evaluated quality factors of corresponding two-dimensional slices generated from each of the plurality of sets of volume data.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the quality factor for each of the generated plurality of two-dimensional slices is evaluated by comparing a field of view of each of the two-dimensional slices to the geometrical model of the anatomical object. 
     
     
         15 . Computer program comprising program code means for causing a computer to carry out the steps of the method as claimed in  claim 11  when said computer program is carried out on a computer.