Ultrasound System and Method for Imaging and/or Measuring Displacement of Moving Tissue and Fluid

Abstract

A system and method for improved imaging is disclosed. An exemplary system provides a peripheral ultrasound system connected to a host computer with a plug-and-play interface such as a USB. An exemplary system utilizes a dedicated graphics processing unit such as a graphics card to analyze data obtained from a region of interest to produce an image on one or more output units for the user's viewing. Based on the image displayed on the output units, the user can determine the velocity of the moving tissue and fluid. The system of the present invention can be used to produce a Doppler color flow map or for power Doppler imaging.

1 . A system for diagnostic imaging and estimation of displacement of moving tissue and fluid comprising:
 a probe that transmits and receives energy; and   a dedicated graphics processing unit comprising a memory and configured with algorithms to estimate tissue and fluid movement from energy received by the probe.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a demodulator for processing energy received by the probe. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1  further comprising a beamforming device for focusing and conditioning the energy emitted from the probe. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein the beamforming device further comprises a conditioning circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 3  further comprising a host computer connected to the beamforming device and in communication with the dedicated graphics processing unit for displaying an image and displacement of moving tissue to a user. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5  wherein the host computer is connected to the beamforming device by a plug-and-play interface. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6  wherein the plug-and-play interface is a USB. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the probe comprises a single element to deliver energy to a region of interest. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the dedicated graphics processing unit comprises a physics processing unit. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the dedicated graphics processing unit is a graphics card. 
     
     
         11 . A system for diagnostic imaging and estimation of displacement of moving tissue and fluid comprising:
 a peripheral ultrasound system for obtaining data from a region of interest comprising,
 a probe that transmits and receives ultrasound energy, 
 a demodulator processing the ultrasound energy received by the probe, 
 a beamforming device for focusing and conditioning the ultrasound energy before it is emitted from the probe; 
   a graphics processing unit for processing the data obtained at the region of interest comprising a memory, a processor, and software configured with algorithms to estimate tissue displacement; and
 a host computer in operative communication with the peripheral ultrasound system and the graphics processing unit for providing data processed by the graphics processing unit to the user and enabling the user to control the system. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11  further comprising a plug-and-play interface to connect the host computer to the peripheral ultrasound system. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12  wherein the plug-and-play interface is a USB. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein the graphics processing unit utilizes an algorithm to determine a directional movement of tissue. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein the graphics processing unit utilizes an algorithm to determine velocity of tissue displacement. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein the graphics processing unit utilizes a Doppler shift algorithm to estimate tissue displacement. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein the system utilizes a B-flow imaging technique to estimate tissue displacement. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein the system combines a B-flow imaging technique with a Doppler shift algorithm to estimate tissue displacement. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein the host computer further comprises at least two output devices to relay information about the region of interest to a user. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 19  wherein the at least two output devices are monitors that display an image. 
     
     
         21 - 39 . (canceled)