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EP-4740868-A1 - SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATED BI-PLANE ULTRASOUND IMAGING

EP4740868A1EP 4740868 A1EP4740868 A1EP 4740868A1EP-4740868-A1

Abstract

Systems are provided for automating bi-plane ultrasound imaging. In one example, an ultrasound imaging system (100) includes a processing circuit (114) having a processor (116) coupled to a memory device (118) storing instructions thereon that, when executed, cause the processing circuit (114) to perform operations. The operations include receiving a first image dataset obtained by an ultrasound probe (106) along two or more planes of a first orientation in a field of view; identifying at least one secondary anatomical feature based on the first image dataset; determining an additional plane oriented according to the at least one secondary anatomical feature in the field of view; automatically aligning a scanning plane of the ultrasound probe (106) with the additional plane; receiving second image data obtained by the ultrasound probe (106) along the additional plane; and displaying a bi-plane image, the bi-plane image based on an image from the first image dataset and the second image data.

Inventors

  • SOKULIN, ELLA
  • SHIRAN, CARMIT
  • SOKULIN, ALEXANDER
  • SHAKED, DORON

Assignees

  • GE Precision Healthcare LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251017

Claims (15)

  1. An ultrasound imaging system (100) comprising: a processing circuit (114) having a processor (116) coupled to a memory (118) device storing instructions thereon that, when executed, cause the processing circuit (114) to perform operations comprising: receiving a first image dataset obtained by an ultrasound probe (106) along two or more planes of a first orientation in a field of view; identifying at least one secondary anatomical feature based on the first image dataset; determining an additional plane oriented according to the at least one secondary anatomical feature in the field of view; automatically aligning a scanning plane of the ultrasound probe (106) with the additional plane; receiving second image data obtained by the ultrasound probe (106) along the additional plane; and displaying a bi-plane image on a display device (132) of the ultrasound imaging system (100), the bi-plane image based on an image from the first image dataset and the second image data.
  2. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary anatomical feature comprises two rib bones (205).
  3. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 2, wherein the first orientation is a sagittal plane and the additional plane is a transverse plane parallel to the two rib bones (205).
  4. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise, prior to determining the transverse plane, assessing the two rib bones (205).
  5. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 4, wherein assessing the two rib bones (205) comprises: estimating, using the sagittal plane, a space between the two rib bones (205); and regressing one or more edge lines (615) of the two rib bones (205).
  6. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise calculating a midpoint of the space between the two rib bones (205), and wherein the transverse plane is along the midpoint of the space between the two rib bones (205).
  7. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 1, wherein the first image dataset and the second image data depict a primary anatomical feature.
  8. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 7, wherein the primary anatomical feature comprises a lung.
  9. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 8, wherein the second image data is obtained by the ultrasound probe (106) according to a frequency of a breathing cycle of a patient from whom the first image dataset and the second image data is obtained.
  10. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound probe (106) comprises a three-dimensional matrix probe.
  11. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: detecting a pathology (815) in the first image dataset; and determining the additional plane such that the additional plane intersects with a location of the pathology (815).
  12. An ultrasound imaging system (100) comprising: an image processing circuit (120) configured to identify at least one secondary anatomical feature based on a first image dataset obtained by an ultrasound probe (106) along two or more planes of a first orientation in a field of view, wherein an additional plane is oriented according to the at least one secondary anatomical feature in the field of view, wherein second image data is obtained by the ultrasound probe (106) along the additional plane; a control circuit (124) configured to automatically align a scanning plane of the ultrasound probe (106) with the additional plane; and a display device (132) configured to display a bi-plane image based on an image from the first image dataset and the second image data.
  13. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 12, wherein the at least one secondary anatomical feature comprises two rib bones (205), and wherein the first orientation is a sagittal plane and the additional plane is a transverse plane parallel to the two rib bones (205).
  14. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 13, wherein the image processing circuit (120) is further configured to: estimate, using the sagittal plane, a space between the two rib bones (205); regress one or more edge lines (615) of the two rib bones (205); and calculate a midpoint of the space between the two rib bones (205), wherein the transverse plane is along the midpoint of the space between the two rib bones (205).
  15. The ultrasound imaging system (100) of claim 12, wherein the first image dataset and the second image data depict a primary anatomical feature, wherein the primary anatomical feature is a lung.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT This invention was made with government support under Grant No. 75A50123C00035 awarded by Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The Government has certain rights in the invention. FIELD Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to ultrasound imaging, and more particularly, to automating bi-plane navigation of a probe during a lung ultrasound scan. BACKGROUND During an ultrasound scan of a lung, an ultrasound probe is placed in a first orientation (e.g., a sagittal orientation towards a patient's head) by a technician, such as a sonographer. When a pathology is detected during the ultrasound scan, however, the technician may move the ultrasound probe from the first orientation to a second orientation (e.g., a transverse orientation). The ultrasound scan continues by collecting ultrasound data using the ultrasound probe in the second orientation. The images obtained during the ultrasound scan of the lung depict anatomical features such as rib bones, shadows of the rib bones, a pleura (e.g., tissue covering the lungs), and so on. SUMMARY An embodiment relates to an ultrasound imaging system. The ultrasound imaging system includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit includes a processor coupled to a memory device, and the memory device stores instructions thereon that, when executed, cause the processing circuit to perform operations including receiving a first image dataset obtained by an ultrasound probe along two or more planes of a first orientation in a field of view, identifying at least one secondary anatomical feature based on the first image dataset, determining an additional plane oriented according to the at least one secondary anatomical feature in the field of view, automatically aligning a scanning plane of the ultrasound probe with the additional plane, receiving second image data obtained by the ultrasound probe along the additional plane, and displaying a bi-plane image on a display device of the ultrasound imaging system, the bi-plane image based on an image from the first image dataset and the second image data. Another embodiment relates to an ultrasound imaging system. The ultrasound imaging system includes an image processing circuit configured to identify at least one secondary anatomical feature based on the first image dataset obtained by an ultrasound probe along two or more planes of a first orientation in a field of view, wherein an additional plane is oriented according to the at least one secondary anatomical feature in the field of view, and wherein second image data is obtained by the ultrasound probe along the additional plane. The ultrasound imaging system includes a control circuit configured to automatically align a scanning plane of the ultrasound probe with the additional plane. The ultrasound imaging system includes a display device configured to display a bi-plane image based on an image from the first image dataset and the second image data. Another embodiment relates to a method. The method includes receiving, by a processing circuit of an ultrasound imaging system, a first image dataset obtained by an ultrasound probe along two or more planes of a first orientation in a field of view. The method includes identifying, by the processing circuit, at least one secondary anatomical feature based on the first image dataset. The method includes determining, by the processing circuit, an additional plane oriented according to the at least one secondary anatomical feature in the field of view. The method includes automatically aligning, by the processing circuit, a scanning plane of the ultrasound probe with the additional plane. The method includes receiving, by the processing circuit, second image data obtained by the ultrasound probe along the additional plane. The method includes displaying, by the processing circuit, a bi-plane image on a display device of the ultrasound imaging system. This summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices or processes described herein will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ultrasound imaging system, according to an example embodiment.FIG. 2 is a diagram of a desired orientation of an ultrasound probe used in the ultrasound imaging system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment.FIG. 3 is an illustration of a configuration of the ultrasound probe used in the ultrasound imaging system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment.FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for automating bi-plane ultrasound imaging using the ultrasound imaging system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment.FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a