JP4666899B2 - Biplane ultrasound imaging - Google Patents

Description

[Related applications]
This application is a continuation-in-part of US patent application Ser. No. 09 / 641,306 filed Aug. 17, 2000 (currently US Pat. No. 6,443,896).

[Technical field]
The present invention relates generally to ultrasound imaging, and more particularly to a technique for creating multiple planar ultrasound images of a body volume region in real time.

  The main advantage of 3D ultrasound imaging is that it gives the possibility to acquire a unique image plane through the volume of interest, such as the human body, which is available with conventional 2D scanning. There wasn't. For example, through three-dimensional imaging techniques, several different cut planes of a region of tissue can be viewed simultaneously to observe features from different angles or viewpoints. Alternatively, at some point in time it may be desired to view an image plane at a certain depth below the surface of the subject, such as the skin, and such an image plane may be It cannot be obtained by scanning.

  The ability to obtain multiple image planes of a volumetric region provides the best way to display the plane to be imaged, the relationship of the planes to be imaged in space to each other, and the image. It was necessary to decide. Until now, a general display technique has been to display a three-dimensional ultrasonic image of a volume region of planes orthogonal to each other. Each image has two orthogonal sights displayed thereon, which indicate the position of the other two orthogonal image planes. As the aim is dragged to a different position, a new parallel image plane in that dimension is selected and displayed. This display technique allows the physician to investigate and determine by their appearance in the image plane that intersects the tissue structure in the volume region.

  Such a display may be useful for volumetric static image data that can be easily re-addressed appropriately for display of different image planes as the selection aim is moved. Display technology itself does not lend itself to real-time imaging because of the considerable control and display complexity for real-time imaging. In addition, such real-time displays can provide too much information for a physician to perform analysis in a methodological or systematic manner. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively display and control a large number of planar images of the volume region.

  In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a method and apparatus for creating and displaying multiple planar images of a body volume region is shown. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, two real-time image planes are acquired and displayed in a format referred to herein as a “biplane” display format. The two planes of the biplane display can be controlled in two control modes, one control mode is one image plane tilted with respect to the other image plane, the other control mode is one The image plane is rotated with respect to other image planes. In another aspect of the invention, an icon is displayed simultaneously with the biplane image to inform the physician of the relative orientation of the two image planes.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system 100 in which the method and apparatus according to the present invention may be used. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to this imaging system, and the figures are merely illustrative implementations. In the imaging system 100, the central controller 120 gives a command to the transmission frequency control unit 117 to transmit a desired transmission frequency band. The transmission frequency band parameter f _tr is coupled to a transmission frequency control unit 117 that causes the transducer 112 of the ultrasonic probe 110 to transmit an ultrasonic wave in the selected frequency band. Of course, any frequency or group of frequencies known as frequency signatures can be used, considering the desired penetration depth and the sensitivity of the transducer and the ultrasound system.

  The transducer 112 of the probe 110 includes an array of individual elements that transmit ultrasonic energy in the form of a beam and receive echo signals returned in response to the transmission. The beam may be steered to scan different parts of the object by mechanically moving the probe, or preferably by electrically adjusting the timing of transmission of the various array elements. In the imaging system 100, this maneuver is controlled by the central controller 120. The controller 120 in turn provides an interface program and pointing device (eg, mouse, trackball, stylus, tablet, touch screen, or other pointing device), keyboard, or other input that provides instructions to the central controller. Responds to commands from a user entered via a user interface 119 including the device. Alternatively, the controller may be programmed to automatically steer the beam in a predetermined default manner.

Received signals are combined through a transmit / receive (T / R) switch 114 and digitized by an analog to digital converter 115. The sample frequency f _s of the A / D converter is controlled by the central controller 120. Desired sampling rate indicated by the sampling theory is at least twice the highest frequency f _c of the received echo. A sampling rate higher than the minimum requirement may also be used. The signal samples are delayed and summed by beam shaper 116 to form a coherent echo signal. The coherent echo signal is filtered by the digital filter 118 to the desired passband. The digital filter 118 may also shift the frequency band to a lower or baseband frequency range. The characteristics of the digital filter are controlled by a central controller 120 that performs multiplier weighting and decimation control on the filter. This arrangement preferably operates as a finite impulse response (FIR) filter and is controlled to perform both filtering and decimation. By programming the filter weighting and decimation rate under the control of the central controller 120, a wide range of filter features are possible. The use of a digital filter offers the advantage of flexibility to give different filter characteristics. The digital filter may be programmed to pass the received fundamental frequency at one time and pass the harmonic frequency at the next time. Digital filters can thus generate alternating images or lines of fundamental and harmonic digital signals by simply changing the filter coefficients during signal processing, or in an alternating sequence in time. It can be operated to generate alternating lines of different alternating harmonics.

  A filtered echo signal is detected from the digital filter 118 and processed by a B-mode processor 137, a contrast signal detector 128, or a Doppler processor 130. B-mode processors include, but are not limited to, frequency synthesis, spatial synthesis, harmonic imaging, and other typical B-mode functions well known in the art. The Doppler processor applies conventional Doppler processing to the echo signal to generate velocity and power Doppler signals. The outputs of processors 137 and 130 and contrast signal detector 128 are coupled to video processor 140 for display as a two-dimensional ultrasound image on display 150. The central controller 120 tracks the incoming signal sequence and allows the video processor 140 to enter the current data into the image being formed. When the signal is received by the video processor 140, the data is provided to the display, producing a rasterized image. The outputs of the two processors and the contrast signal detector are also coupled to a three-dimensional image rendering processor 162 for rendering a three-dimensional image that is stored in a three-dimensional (3D) image memory 164 and provided to the video processor 140 therefrom. . Three-dimensional rendering can be performed conventionally. With this arrangement, the operator can select between the contrast signal detector 128 and the outputs of the processors 137 and 130 for two-dimensional or three-dimensional display of the ultrasound image.

  The system of FIG. 1 provides multiple real-time planar images of a volume region of interest, such as the human body, by operation and control of the probe 110, transducer 112, video processor 140, and / or image rendering processor 162. Provides the ability to create while the body is being scanned. These planar images, when considered as slices through the body, have a known geometric relationship to each other, allowing the diagnostician to view body features from different orientations. The physician attempts to adjust the relative angles of the slices to visualize the spatial relationship of tissue features. Through the user interface 119, the operator can adjust the orientation of the displayed slices to align the slices with the object of interest in the image. Real-time performance is achieved by generating only a few ultrasound beams needed to build the desired planar image, rather than the much larger number of beams that must be transmitted to scan the entire volume region. Achieved.

  2A and 2B show an example of a transducer 500 that can be used to acquire data from a set of planes 510 and 512. FIG. This embodiment produces a beam 504 that extends on the plane 510 and intersects points 514 and 506 and a beam 505 that extends on the plane 512 and intersects points 516 and 508. Since the light emitted from the two-dimensional array transducer 500 can be steered electronically in three dimensions, there is no need to mechanically sweep the transducer across the volume region of interest. Similarly, data is received from the lines of interest on each plane using well-known beam steering and focusing and / or gating techniques applicable to two-dimensional array transducers.

  The above-described scanning method for generating two planar images is desirable because of its speed, but is not limited thereto. Deformation is possible. If desired, additional beams can be generated that define additional planes or intersect the additional planes. Each difference beam, of course, takes additional time to generate and thus affects the sweep rate. The desired number of planes and their orientation are communicated to the central controller 120 through the user interface 119. Further, the transducer 112 can be controlled to emit a beam toward one or more points on each surface. Alternatively, the transducer may have the beam on at least two planes, intersect at least two non-planar surfaces, or be on at least one plane and at least one non-planar surface for each sweep. Can be controlled to emit beams on fewer than all surfaces at each sampling location. These and other obvious variations can generate multiple planar images at different speeds and at different resolutions in real time, but based on the selected deformation. Furthermore, any two-dimensional ultrasound imaging technique such as B-mode, contrast signal detection, harmonic imaging, or Doppler imaging can be equally well applied in this data acquisition scheme.

  Data captured from the two planes 510 and 512 are used by one or more processors 137, 130 or contrast signal detector 128 to construct corresponding planar images. Planar images are preferably formed at scan speeds to provide real-time imaging. The planar image can be displayed side by side by the video processor 140 at the same time, or simultaneously as a three-dimensional perspective view on the display 150 as the volume region is continuously scanned, or can be seen later.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of an ultrasound system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this embodiment, probe 110 includes a two-dimensional array transducer 500 and a microbeamformer 502. The microbeamformer includes circuitry that controls signals applied to groups of elements (“patches”) of the array transducer 500 and performs some processing of the echo signals received by each group of elements. Microbeam shaping in the probe reduces the number of conductors in the cable 503 between the probe and the ultrasound system, US Pat. No. 5,997,479 (Savord et al.) And US Pat. 436,048 (Pesque).

  The probe is coupled to the scanner 310 of the ultrasound system. The scanner is responsive to user control and includes a beamforming controller 312 that provides control signals to a microbeamformer 502 that commands the probe for transmit beam timing, frequency, direction, and focus. The beam shaping controller also controls beam shaping of the received echo signal by coupling to an analog / digital (A / D) converter 316 and beam shaper 116. The echo signal received by the probe is amplified by a preamplifier and TGC (Time Gain Control) circuit 314 in the scanner and digitized by an A / D converter 316. The digitized echo signal is formed into a beam by beam shaper 116. The echo signal is processed by an image processor 318 that performs digital filtering, B-mode detection, and Doppler processing as described above, and other signal processing such as harmonic separation, speckle reduction due to frequency synthesis, and other desired Image processing can be performed.

  The echo signal generated by the scanner 310 is coupled to a digital display subsystem 320 that processes the echo signal for display in the desired image format. Echo signal is an image line processor capable of sampling the echo signal, splicing the segment of the beam into a complete line signal, and averaging the line signal for improved signal-to-noise ratio or flow persistence Processed by H.322. The image lines are converted to the desired image format by a scan converter 324 that performs Rθ conversion as is known in the art. The image can be stored in the image memory 328 and displayed on the display 150 therefrom. The image in memory is overlaid with graphics to be displayed with the image, generated by a graphics generator 330 responsive to user control. Individual images or image sequences may be stored in cine memory 326 during image loop acquisition.

  For real-time volume imaging, the display subsystem 320 also includes a 3D image rendering processor 162 that receives image lines from the image line processor 322 for rendering real-time three-dimensional images displayed on the display 150.

  In accordance with the principles of the present invention, two images, hereinafter referred to as biplane images, are captured by the probe in real time and displayed in a side-by-side display format. The orientation of the image planes 510, 512 relative to the array 500 in FIGS. 2A and 2B because the 2D array 500 has the ability to steer transmitted and received beams in any direction and with any tilt in front of the array. As shown by, the planes of the biplane image can have any orientation with respect to the array and with respect to each other. However, in the preferred embodiment, the two image planes intersect at the center of the array 500 and are on the sides of the array as shown by planes L and R in FIG. 5B when viewed from the array transducer “edge on”. It is orthogonal to. In the example shown below, the image format is a sector image format, and the image line starts from the apex of the near field. However, linear or steering linear scan formats can also be used.

  Biplane images on the two image planes are captured by transmitting and receiving beams for each image as indicated by the capture of beams 504 and 505 on the respective image planes of FIG. 2A. Various acquisition sequences can be performed. All scan lines of one image can be captured, followed by all scan lines of another image. Alternatively, the capture of the lines of the two images can be alternating in time. For example, the first line of one image can be captured followed by the first line of another image. Thereafter, the second line of each image is captured, and then the third line of each image is captured. This can be advantageous in the case of Doppler images with low flow speeds, since the interval between line combination queries can be increased. Also advantageously, the lines at the intersection of the two planes will be captured in succession, preventing fast moving tissue at the intersection of the images from appearing differently in the two images. Lines can be captured with their spatial progression in the image or sequentially from separate parts of the image. For example, four edge lines may be captured first, followed by four central lines around the plane intersection, and then proceed alternately toward and away from the intersection.

  Once all lines of both images have been received by the scanner 310 and transferred to the display subsystem 320, the scanner sends an “EK” signal to the display subsystem via the control line 340 to the display subsystem. Signals that all lines for the display frame have been sent for display. The display subsystem then processes the image lines for display. In the biplane format described below, one image is processed to be displayed on one side of the display screen, formatted and mapped, and the other image is displayed on the other side of the display screen. Processed, formatted and mapped. After the image is processed, the display subsystem returns a “FRQ” signal to the scanner to inform the scanner that the display subsystem is requesting another image frame for processing. The graphics for the image are superimposed on the full screen display of the two side-by-side images and displayed on the display 150. The display subsystem waits for the completion of another scan of the two images indicated by the receipt of the end of another EK signal, at which time another real-time display frame is processed and displayed again.

  Also, transmission and reception of both biplane images, each image ending with an EK signal, each assembled with an EK signal and responding with an FRQ signal, is performed before the two-image display frame is generated by the display subsystem. Is called.

  The images are displayed side by side as shown graphically by images L and R in FIG. 4 and by a picture of the system display in FIG. In the preferred embodiment, the orientation of the image plane is selected by one of two selection modes “rotate” or “tilt”. In the preferred embodiment, the orientation of one image, i.e. the left image in FIG. 4, is fixed in relation to the transducer array. The L image is on a plane orthogonal to the plane of the array extending through the center of the array as shown in FIG. 2B. The plane of the right image R can be rotated or tilted with respect to the plane of the image L by user control. In the rotation mode, the two images always share a common centerline during sector imaging, and the plane of the right image R can be rotated by manipulating a user control, such as a trackball or knob. The right image can be rotated 90 ° from the same plane as the left reference image and can be rotated again to the same plane. It is possible to rotate the entire 360 ° by operating the user control unit or by inverting the image from left to right. In tilt mode, the center of the right image R always intersects the reference image, but can be tilted to intersect different lines of the reference image as if the sector swings from the common vertex of the two images.

  In the preferred embodiment, the probe 110 has a marker that identifies a given side of the image. Generally, this marker is a physical protrusion or color on one side of the probe case. The physician uses this marker to associate the orientation of the probe with the orientation of the image on the display. In general, it is common to display a marker on the display screen, as indicated by the dots 402 in FIG. The doctor generally holds the probe with the probe marker in the same position so that the image is always displayed in the orientation preferred by the doctor. According to a further aspect of the invention, a second image R is also shown with an orientation marker 404. In the rotation mode, the two images may be capturing the same plane when scanning is initiated, in which case the markers are spatially aligned. In that case, the physician can rotate the right image plane from a common starting orientation. In the constructed embodiment, the initial conditions for the two biplane images are two aligned, not tilted along a common centerline, and rotated 90 ° relative to each other as shown in FIG. That is.

  According to a further aspect of the invention, the icon 400 is displayed on a biplane display to graphically show the relative orientation of the two image planes. The icon 400 in FIG. 4 shows an image plane from the transducer array and has a circle 410 that graphically represents the space in which the bottom of the sector R can rotate. A dot 406 corresponds to the dot 402 of the left reference image L, and indicates that the plane of the reference image has a horizontal orientation across the circle 410 with the marker at the right side of the image. Icon line 412 indicates that right image R is in the same orientation as right image marker 408 (corresponding to dot 404) on the right side of the image.

  5A to 5D are diagrams showing how the icon 400 changes as the right image is rotated. When the right image is rotated 30 ° from the reference image field plane, icon 400 appears as shown in FIG. 5A, and line 412 and dot 408 indicate that the plane of the right image has been rotated 30 degrees. The number 30 is also shown below the icon. The right image plane can be further rotated 180 °, in which case the line 412 and the marker dot 408 appear as shown in FIG. 5B. The number below the icon has changed to 210, indicating that it is oriented 210 ° with respect to the reference image plane. Alternatively, in a preferred embodiment, the user interface of the ultrasound system includes a “right image flip” control. When this control is activated, the right image immediately flips 180 ° laterally and the icon switches from that shown in FIG. 5A to that shown in FIG. 5B.

  Similarly, the preferred embodiment includes a “left image inversion” control that inverts the left image horizontally. FIG. 5C shows the icon when the reference image is inverted, in which case the marker dot 406 is on the left side of the icon. In FIG. 5C, the right image is oriented 210 degrees from the original (non-inverted) position of the reference image as indicated by the line 412 and the number below the image. In FIG. 5D, the reference image is inverted with the right image as the direction of 30 ° from the original position of the left reference image.

  The advantage of displaying the biplane image and the icon in common is that when the image on the display screen is saved, the icon is also saved without further effort by the ultrasound technician. When the image is later examined by the physician, the orientation of the two image planes is shown on the display or during screen printing. The screen display can be saved as a hard copy or electronically and later retrieved and referenced so that the patient can be scanned again with the same biplane image orientation.

  It is desirable for the icon 400 to graphically show the portion of the rotating circle 410 corresponding to 0 ° to 180 ° and the portion corresponding to the numbers 181 ° to 359 ° displayed below the icon. This can be done by using visually distinguishable graphics for the lower and upper half of the circle 410. For example, the lower half of the circle 410 may be displayed with a lighter or thicker line than the upper half, or may be drawn with a dotted or dashed line, whereas the upper half is drawn with a solid line. Alternatively, the lower half and the upper half may be different colors, such as blue and green, by changing the color of the numbers according to the rotational angle change of the right plane R.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display screen when operating in the “tilt” mode. In this mode, the plane of the left image L is also fixed with respect to the plane of the transducer array, and the right image R is tilted from one side of the reference image to the other so that it swings from the common vertex of the two images. Can be done. In the constructed embodiment, the two planes are always oriented at 90 ° relative to each other in lateral (rotational) spatial dimensions. In the preferred embodiment, the center line of the right sector image R intersects the reference image, but preferably intersects at the left sector line selected by the user. Icon 600 indicates the relative orientation of the two image planes. In the icon 600, a small graphic sector 602 represents a fixed position of the left reference image. A cursor line 604 represents a right image when viewed from the side with “EDGE ON”. In this example, the right image plane is tilted 30 ° from the nominal orientation, which is the 0 ° reference orientation, where the centerlines of the two images are aligned. In the nominal (initial) orientation, the cursor line is perpendicular to the icon 600.

  Instead of the icon 600, a cursor line 604 may be displayed on the reference image L. The user can manipulate the user control to change the slope of the right plane R, or drag the cursor line from one side of the image R to the other side to change the slope of the right plane. Cursor display types other than lines, such as dots or pointers, can also be used for the cursor 604.

  Tilt mode is particularly useful for conducting longitudinal investigations of infarctions. Assume that imaging of the patient's heart reveals abnormal heart wall motion near the tip of the papillary muscle. In conventional 2D imaging, the doctor first captures an image of the papillary muscles in the long axis view of the heart and then rotates the probe through 90 degrees to image the infarct position in the short axis view, Try to image the infarcted wall. However, if the probe (and hence the image plane) is not rotated correctly, the physician can miss the location of the infarct. In biplane tilt mode, the doctor moves the probe until the papillary muscle is shown in the reference image in the long axis view, and then tilts the cursor line (604) to point to or overlap the papillary muscle tip in the long axis reference image. Thus, the infarcted position is made visible in the right image R tilted in the short axis view. When the doctor wants to see the same part of the heart wall in the short axis view after 3 or 6 months in a long-term study, the papillary muscle is imaged in the left image in the long axis view, pointing to the tilt cursor 604 with the same tilt The process of looking at the infarcted area in the right image in the short axis view can be accurately repeated, thus improving the diagnostic effect of the long-term investigation.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating two biplane images in the rotation mode. An icon between the two images in the center of the screen indicates that the right image plane has been rotated 90 degrees from alignment with the left reference image plane. The marker dot is clearly visible in the icon and to the right of the vertices of the two fan images. An EKG trace is also shown below the biplane image for completeness of the cardiac study.

  The advantage of the present invention is that since only two planes of the volume region are imaged, the two images can be captured sufficiently quickly and the two images are real-time ultrasound images with a fairly high display frame rate. It can be. A further advantage is that the ultrasound system may be a conventional two-dimensional imaging system. As shown in FIG. 3, the display subsystem for two-plane imaging can be a conventional two-dimensional image processing subsystem, which means that biplane imaging according to the present invention is more than two-dimensional that is currently available to the physician. It means that it can be done with sonic systems. The scanner and display subsystem of FIG. 3 need not have special 3D capabilities to generate the biplane image shown in FIG.

  Tilt mode and rotation mode can be combined, allowing the user to see biplane images that are both tilted and rotated relative to each other.

1 is a diagram illustrating an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a real-time display of a planar image created using a two-dimensional array transducer with the system of FIG. FIG. 2 shows a real-time display of a planar image created using a two-dimensional array transducer with the system of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the 2nd Example of the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system constructed | assembled by the principle of this invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a biplane display when operating in a “rotation” mode. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a plane orientation icon of FIG. 4 in a certain image plane orientation. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a plane orientation icon of FIG. 4 in another image plane orientation. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a plane orientation icon of FIG. 4 in another image plane orientation. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a plane orientation icon of FIG. 4 in another image plane orientation. FIG. 6 illustrates a biplane display when operating in “tilt” mode. 2 is a photograph of an actual ultrasound system when operating in a rotational mode in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system 110 Ultrasonic probe 112 Transducer 114 Transmission / reception (T / R) switch 115 Analog to digital converter 116 Beam shaper 117 Transmission frequency control 118 Digital filter 119 User interface 120 Central controller 128 Contrast signal detection 130 Doppler processor 140 Video processor 150 Display 162 3D image rendering processor 164 3D image memory

Claims (22)

A two-dimensional array transducer;
A beam shaper coupled to the array transducer for beam shaping a received echo signal;
Coupled to the array transducer to scan two image planes of the volume region by scanning a first set of lines of a first image plane and a second set of lines of a second image plane. A controller for controlling a transducer, wherein a time interval between the first set of lines and the second set of lines is variable;
A display subsystem coupled to the beam shaper for generating a real-time image of two image planes simultaneously shown on a common display;
In response to actuation by the user, coupled to the controller, seen including a user control for selecting the orientation for the one of the other image planes of the plane of said two images,
Acquisition of the first set of lines and the second set of lines begins with a number of edge lines, followed by a number of center lines around the intersection of the two image planes, Thereafter, a direction toward the intersection and a direction away from the intersection are alternately advanced.
Ultrasound diagnostic imaging system.   The controller includes a scan plane controller that controls the transducer to scan two intersecting scan planes, and the user control selects a rotational orientation relative to the other of the scan planes. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system according to claim 1.   3. One of the scanning planes has a fixed rotational orientation relative to the plane of the transducer array, and the rotational orientation of the other scanning plane is responsive to the user controller. The described ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system.   The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 3, wherein any scan plane is orthogonal to the plane of the transducer array.   The controller includes a scan plane controller that controls the transducer to scan two intersecting scan planes, and the user control selects an angular orientation relative to one of the other scan planes. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system according to claim 1.   6. One of the scanning planes has a fixed angular orientation relative to the plane of the transducer array, and the angular orientation of the other scanning plane is responsive to the user control. The described ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system.   The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 6, wherein a scan plane oriented at a fixed angular orientation relative to the plane of the transducer array is orthogonal to the plane of the transducer array. A two-dimensional array transducer operated to scan the first and second image planes of the volume region at a real-time scanning speed;
A beam shaper coupled to the array transducer for beam shaping a received echo signal;
A controller for controlling the transducer to scan the first and second image planes by scanning a first set of lines in the first image plane and a second set of lines in the second image plane. A controller, wherein a time interval between the first set of lines and the second set of lines is variable;
A two-dimensional display subcoupled to the beam shaper and responsive to the received echo signal, each generating a two-dimensional image display frame including images of the first and second image planes at a real-time display speed. System,
Look including a display for displaying the two-dimensional image display frame as a real-time image,
The capturing of the first set of lines and the second set of lines begins with a number of edge lines and is around the intersection of the first image plane and the second image plane. A number of central lines are continued, and then the direction toward and away from the intersection is advanced alternately,
Ultrasound diagnostic imaging system.   The two-dimensional array transducer first scans the first image plane to capture a first complete image scan line, and then captures a second complete image scan line. The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 8, wherein the system is operated to scan an image plane. The display subsystem first receives all echo signals of the image from the first image plane used to process a portion of the image display frame;
The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 9, wherein the display subsystem receives all echo signals of an image from the second image plane used to process the remaining portion of the image display frame.   The two-dimensional array transducer has fewer scan lines than all scan lines of the complete image from the first image plane and less scan than all scan lines of the complete image from the second image plane. 9. The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 8, wherein the system is operated to capture lines alternately in time until a complete image is obtained from both image planes.   The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 8, further comprising a user control coupled to the two-dimensional array transducer to select a relative spatial orientation of the first and second image planes relative to each other. By scanning a first set of lines in the first image plane and a second set of lines in the second image plane in real time using a two-dimensional array transducer, A scanning step of scanning an oriented image plane, wherein a time interval between the first set of lines and the second set of lines is variable; and
Generating a real-time image in which images of the two image planes are displayed simultaneously in real time;
Changing the relative spatial orientation of the image plane being scanned;
See containing and generating a real-time image the two image planes are displayed simultaneously in real time in a new relative spatial orientation,
Acquisition of the first set of lines and the second set of lines begins with a number of edge lines, followed by a number of center lines around the intersection of the two image planes, Thereafter, a direction toward the intersection and a direction away from the intersection are alternately advanced.
A method of generating a biplane ultrasound image.   14. The method of claim 13, wherein changing the relative spatial orientation of the image plane further comprises maintaining the orientation of one of the image planes relative to the plane of the array transducer. Said scanning step further comprises scanning two image planes intersecting by a line;
The method of claim 13, wherein the changing further comprises changing a rotational orientation about the line of at least one of the image planes. Said scanning step further comprises scanning two image planes intersecting by a line;
The method of claim 13, wherein the changing further comprises changing a position of the line with respect to at least one of the image planes.   The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first set of lines and the second set of lines are captured sequentially from separate portions of the image.   The display subsystem further generates icons and numbers indicating rotation or tilt relative to one of the two image planes, and the icons and numbers are stored with the images of the two image planes. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system according to 1.   The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system of claim 8, wherein the first set of lines and the second set of lines are captured sequentially from separate portions of the image.   The display subsystem further generates icons and numbers indicating rotation or tilt with respect to the other of the first and second image planes, the icons and numbers being in the first and second image planes. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system according to claim 8, which is stored together with an image.   The method of claim 13, wherein the first set of lines and the second set of lines are captured sequentially from separate portions of the image.   The step of generating the real-time image further includes generating icons and numbers indicating rotation or tilt relative to one of the two image planes, and storing the icons and numbers together with the images of the two image planes. 14. The method of claim 13, comprising:

Images