Workflow assistance for medical doppler ultrasound evaluation

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are provided to provide workflow assistance to an operator during a medical imaging procedure, such as an ultrasound evaluation of a body vessel of a subject. A sensor such as a gyroscope may be integrated in an external ultrasound probe. Workflow assistance may be provided to position the ultrasound probe to make accurate flow measurements of fluid within the vessel, such as by coupling color flow information with gyroscope angles. The system may also be used to create a vessel map.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
 an imaging probe configured for handheld operation by a user;   an ultrasound transducer array within the imaging probe and configured to obtain imaging data associated with blood flow through a blood vessel within a body of a subject;   a first display device on the imaging probe and comprising an indicator light; and   a processor within the imaging probe and in communication with the ultrasound transducer array and the first display device, wherein the processor configured to:
 determine an angle of the imaging probe with respect to the blood vessel while the imaging probe is in a first orientation; and 
 output, to the first display device, a visual representation of the angle for the user, wherein the visual representation of the angle comprises a color of the indicator light, wherein the color is representative of a numerical value of the angle such that the indicator light changes to a different color in response to the imaging probe is moved to be in a second orientation in which the imaging probe is positioned at a different angle from the first orientation with respect to the blood vessel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first display device further comprises a screen. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the screen is configured to display the numerical value of the angle. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the visual representation of the angle indicates in response to the imaging probe is disposed at a selected angle with respect to the blood vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the selected angle is greater than or equal to 30 degrees from the perpendicular angle. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator light is represented on the same display device as an graphical representation of the imaging data gathered by the ultrasound transducer array. 
     
     
         7 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processing system is physically separate from and in communication with the imaging probe, wherein the processing system is configured to:
 receive the imaging data from the processor of the imaging probe; and   generate a graphical representation of the imaging data.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 7 , further comprising a second display device in communication with the processing system and configured to output the graphical representation of the imaging data. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator light is physically located on the imaging probe. 
     
     
         10 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging probe further comprises a gyroscope. 
     
     
         11 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the angle of the imaging probe based on data from the gyroscope. 
     
     
         12 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is further configured to receive the imaging data along a length of the blood vessel as the imaging probe is moved adjacent to the body, and   wherein the processor is configured to generate a vessel map representative of the length of the vessel based on the imaging data.   
     
     
         13 . The ultrasound imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a location of the imaging probe with respect to the vessel map. 
     
     
         14 . A method of ultrasound imaging, comprising:
 during a first a first portion of an imaging procedure:
 receiving, with a processor within an imaging probe under operation by a user, imaging data obtained by an ultrasound transducer array within the imaging probe, wherein the imaging data is associated with blood flow through a blood vessel within a body of a subject; 
 determining, with the processor, an angle of the imaging probe with respect to the blood vessel while the imaging probe is in a first orientation, using the perpendicular orientation as a reference; and 
 outputting, to a first display device on the imaging probe, a visual representation of the angle for the user, wherein the first display device comprises an indicator light, wherein the visual representation of the angle comprises a color of the indicator light, wherein the color is representative of a numerical value of the angle such that the indicator light changes to a different color in response to the imaging probe is moved to be in a second orientation in which the imaging probe is positioned at a different angle from the first orientation with respect to the blood vessel. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the visual representation of the angle indicates when the imaging probe is positioned at a  30  degree angle relative to the perpendicular angle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving the imaging data along a length of the blood vessel as the imaging probe is moved adjacent to the body; and   generating a vessel map representative of the length of the vessel based on the imaging data.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining a location of the imaging probe with respect to the vessel map. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vessel map comprises locations of vessel walls. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the indicator light is represented on the same display device as an graphical representation of the imaging data gathered by the ultrasound transducer array. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the indicator light is physically located on the imaging probe.