KR20010080655A - Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system with voice communication - Google Patents

Abstract

The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system responds to verbal commands that change system state or execute commands. In response to the spoken command, the system generates an audible response that confirms to the user that the spoken command has been properly executed. Commands that can be performed in this way change the operating state of the ultrasound system, measure and annotate images, generate diagnostic reports, control signals used to form ultrasound images, and control the quality of ultrasound images. Includes those that control

Description

Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system with voice communication

Recently, with the development of speech recognition technology, the time when hand-free control of an ultrasound system in which a user audibly controls the ultrasound system is achieved is shortened. Many ultrasound system manufacturers, including the applicant, have developed and implemented basic voice controlled ultrasound systems. Such a system is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,544,654, where more than 70 ultrasound system commands are organized into groups called sub-vocabularies that are activated according to system state.

Voice-controlled ultrasound systems allow users to control the system to some degree, but voice control adds a new problem. One is that complete accuracy of voice control has not yet been achieved. While relatively robust speech recognition technology will undoubtedly evolve over time, this drawback must be addressed with recent technology, which requires users to "train" the speech recognition system with their own voice. Coping In the system described in the above patents, the user would have to train the speech recognition system to recognize more than 70 voice commands, which would be a real burden to the user. The natural consequence of this problem is that since speech recognition is not yet perfect, the user must always be alert to commands that the speech recognition ultrasound system has misrecognized or missed entirely. Hand-free operation is freed if you do not confirm pressing the button or setting the switch in advance.

The present invention relates to an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system, and more particularly, to an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system having a response in audible communication with a user.

1 is a block diagram of an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system having a speech synthesizer constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

2A and 2B illustrate the speech synthesis of FIG. 1 in more detail.

3A and 3B illustrate ultrasonic image measurements performed in accordance with the present invention.

4A and 4B illustrate ultrasound image labeling performed in accordance with the present invention.

5A and 5B illustrate voice control of signal frequencies used to form ultrasound images.

6A and 6B illustrate ultrasonic image compound voice control.

The inventors have recognized that an ultrasound system in which a user can speak provides half of a person's behavior, ie conversational behavior. A conversation is a two-way flow of information where one person asks a question and the other person answers. Or, one person speaks and the other responds. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the inventor has given the ultrasound system the character of human conversation by providing the ultrasound system with the ability to generate an audible response to an audible command. The audible response provides information related to the audible response or query raised by the operator. In one embodiment, an audible response is given to the control command to inform the ultrasound system operator that the requested command has been executed (or has not yet been executed). In another embodiment, the ultrasound image is analyzed in response to voice commands to display, measure, and / or audibly provide a response of this analysis. Diagnostic reports of another embodiment are prepared or edited by voice control. In another embodiment, the type of signal processed to form the ultrasound image is audibly controlled. The audible response provided by the ultrasound system may provide a qualitative audible affirmation that the voice command has been answered, or may provide quantitative audible information regarding the requested action or result.

The present invention relates to an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system in interactive communication with a user.

In a first embodiment, the system is an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system interactively communicating with a user, comprising: a voice controller for generating a command signal in response to a verbal command of a user, and a verbal command of the user in response to the command signal And an ultrasound system controller that causes the ultrasound imaging system to respond when requested by the device, and a speech synthesizer that generates an audible response in response to the command signal. In this system, the controller generates a response signal in response to the command signal, and the speech synthesizer generates the audible response in response to the response signal.

In a particular embodiment of the first embodiment,

The controller receives a confirmation signal from the ultrasound imaging system in response to a command, and the speech synthesizer generates the audible response in response to the confirmation signal.

The speech synthesizer includes a response storage device in which the audible responses are electrically stored, the response storage device generating a desired audible response in response to the command signal. In this particular embodiment, the speech synthesizer further includes conversion circuitry coupled to the response storage device to convert an electrically stored response into an audible signal, the response storage device storing textual and numerical response information, The audible response is formed from text and selected numerical response information, the response storage device may store a plurality of partial responses, and the desired audible response may be compiled from the plurality of stored partial responses.

The speech synthesizer includes a decoder for selecting a desired stored response in response to a signal from the controller, and a loudspeaker, wherein the response storage device is coupled to the decoder to produce a desired response among the plurality of stored responses. Wherein the conversion circuit is coupled to receive a response from the response storage device to generate an analog audio signal, wherein the loudspeaker receives the analog audio signal to generate an audible response.

In a second embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic imaging system further comprises a graphics generator for generating text and / or graphic symbols for annotating ultrasound images, in response to a verbal command of the user, wherein the voice controller further comprises: Generating a graphic command signal in response to a verbal command, wherein the ultrasound system controller causes the graphic generator to annotate an ultrasound image when requested by the user's verbal command in response to the graphic command signal, the display Is coupled to the graphic generator to display an annotated ultrasound image.

In a particular embodiment of the second embodiment, an ultrasound image with a label may be annotated, the graphic generator may annotate a measurement graphic in the ultrasound image, and in the specific embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic imaging system may The apparatus may further include a voice synthesizer configured to generate an audible measurement result in response to the generation of the graphic command signal.

In a third embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic imaging system is a report generator that responds to a verbal command of a user and generates a diagnostic report including information developed by the ultrasound system, and information for diagnostic report in response to a user's voice. And a voice controller for generating a signal, and an ultrasonic system controller that is responsive to the information signal and coupled to the report generator to cause information verbally communicated by the user to be entered in the diagnostic report. The ultrasound diagnostic imaging system includes a display coupled to the report generator for displaying a diagnostic report, wherein the information verbally communicated by the user is presented in the displayed diagnostic report.

In a fourth embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic imaging system, in response to an oral command, varies a signal type used to form an ultrasound image, and receives probes for receiving fundamental and harmonic ultrasound signals, and for responding to signals generated by the probes. A signal separation circuit for separating fundamental and harmonic signals, an image processor coupled to the signal separation circuit for generating image signals in response to harmonics and / or fundamental signals, and command signals in response to verbal commands from a user. A voice controller for generating and an ultrasonic signal controller coupled to the signal separation circuit for causing the signal separation circuit to generate an output signal in which the harmonic or fundamental signal is selectively highlighted in response to the command signal.

In a particular embodiment of this fourth embodiment, the signal separation circuit may include a controllable filter circuit, the signal separation circuit may include a pulse inversion circuit, and the command signal is a mixed fundamental and harmonic signal. The relative ratio of fundamental and harmonic signals to the image may be controlled, and the ultrasound diagnostic imaging system may further include a speech synthesizer coupled to the controller to produce an audible indication of the type of signal highlighted in the displayed image signal. have.

In a fifth embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic imaging system varies the quality of an ultrasound image in response to an oral signal, and generates a compound signal in response to a probe receiving an ultrasound signal from a different gaze direction and a signal from a different gaze direction. A compound image processor, a display for displaying the compound image, a voice controller for generating an image compound command signal in response to a user's verbal command, and a compound image processor, in response to the image compound command signal And an ultrasonic system controller for causing the compound image processor to change the quality of the compound image.

In a particular embodiment of the fifth embodiment, the controller varies a number of compounded direction directions in response to the image compound command signal, and the controller responds between the test mode and the target mode in response to the image compound command signal. Varying the operation of the compound image processor, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system further comprising a speech synthesizer for generating an audible indication of a new state of compound image processing by the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system in response to a change in function of the compound image processor do.

In a sixth embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic imaging system is in an audible communication to a user, coupled to a processor of the imaging system, in response to a command signal, an ultrasound system controller for causing a change in function of the ultrasound imaging system, and the controller And a voice synthesizer coupled to and responsive to the system function change, informing the user of the system function change.

In a particular embodiment of the sixth embodiment, an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system is coupled to the controller, and in response to a verbal command, manually operated user control that commands a change in function of the ultrasound imaging system, and coupled to the controller. And a voice recognition processor for instructing a function change of the ultrasonic imaging system. In the last embodiment, the speech synthesizer may respond to a help request from the user to provide an audible command regarding the use of the ultrasonic imaging system, the speech synthesizer assisting the user in audible operation of the ultrasonic imaging system. And the voice synthesizer may respond to an incorrect command signal to assist the user in hearing the operation of the ultrasound imaging system.

In any of these embodiments, the ultrasound system controller may retain a previous user command for modification by a subsequent user command, wherein the subsequent user command is an instruction that increments or decreases the result of the previous user command. Can be.

1 illustrates an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The ultrasonic probe 10 including the array transducer 12 is operated under the control of the beam former 14 which causes the array transducer to transmit an ultrasound beam back to the patient's body and receive an echo signal back. The received echo signal is formed into a receive beam of coherent echo signals by the beam former 14 coupled to the signal processor 16. The signal processor uses coherent echo signals to perform, for example, filtering, demodulation, detection or Doppler evaluation. The processed echo signals are coupled to an image processor 18, which processes these signals to form, for example, B or M mode image signals or color or spectral Doppler images in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image format. The image information is then coupled to the display device for display. The function of the beam shaper and processor of the ultrasound system is directed by the system controller 22, which includes the initialization and modification of the operating states of the elements such that the display device displays information in the form desired by the ultrasound system operator, Control and adjust the function of the elements.

In a typical ultrasound system, the system controller receives control commands issued by the operator from the user interface 62. The user interface may include both hard keys (buttons, switches, keyboards, trackballs, etc.) and soft keys (shown in display devices, plasma touch-panels, etc.), which are system controller 22 when activated by an operator. Send a control signal to.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, conventional user interface 62 is coupled to system controller 22 by command multiplexer (MUX) 60. Command MUX allows the system controller to receive input signals from user interface 62, voice controller 50, or both. Command MUX 60 multiplexes input signals from other control devices such as footswitches. Voice controller 50 includes voice recognition processor 52 that responds to voice input from microphone 56 by generating a digital output signal indicative of audible information. The command encoder 54 converts the digital output signal of the speech recognition processor into a digital command signal that can be used by the system controller. In a configured embodiment, the hardware and / or software of the speech recognition processor and command encoder may be integrated into one device that receives the audio input signal and generates an ultrasound system control signal as an output signal. The command MUX is selectively adjusted to couple the signal to the system controller in response to signals from the conventional user interface 62, voice controller 50, or both. The system controller responds to these inputs by making changes to the current state of the ultrasound system, such as changing modes or displaying new or other information on the display.

According to the principles of the present invention, the action taken by the ultrasound system is audibly conveyed to the user by the speech synthesizer 30. A signal indicative of the action taken by the ultrasound system is coupled to the input of speech synthesizer 30. This signal may be a command signal output by the voice controller, a command signal issued by the system controller to the ultrasonic system processor or component, or a signal generated after the requested action is performed, or derived therefrom. The response decoder receives one of these input signals and generates an output signal that identifies the audible response or response type that will select the audible response. The response selection processor 34 receives the identification output signal from the response decoder and selects one or more responses stored in the response storage device for audible delivery. In a configured embodiment, the response decoder 32 and the response selection processor 34 may be integrated such that in an integrated process, the state change signal received from the ultrasound system may be a signal addressed to the response storage device 36. . The response storage device may include some form of response that may be combined to form an integrated response, as represented by response storage 36a and value portion 36b. The responses may be stored in any form or on a medium, and may be stored in analog or digital form, where the responses are preferably stored in digital form, in which case they are clocked from the response storage device 36 and the D / A It will be converted into an analog signal by the converter 38, amplified by the amplifier 42 and reproduced by the loudspeaker 40.

Examples of response forms that response storage device 36 may include are illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. 2A illustrates a series of responses that may be provided in response to a change in depth of an ultrasound image. For example, the ultrasound system may be set up to produce an image down to a depth of 4 cm. The user can then instruct the system to change the image to a depth of 6 cm. In response to this command, response selection processor 34 sends a response selection signal to response storage 36, whereby response storage outputs a response " set depth to 6 cm ". In conversation mode, when the user verbally commands by saying "increase depth by 6 cm" or "increase by 2 cm", voice controller 50 receives the verbal command and sends an appropriate command signal to the system controller ( 22). In response to a command or depth change, the input signal is sent to the speech synthesizer and the ultrasound system responds with audible "set depth to 6 cm." By doing so, the user confirms that the verbal command has been correctly received and executed completely, interactively. Since the user does not need to visually confirm that a suitable depth change has been made, the user can focus on the scanning process and the ultrasound image without looking elsewhere in the diagnosis process.

FIG. 2B illustrates a second embodiment of response storage device 36 in which an audible response is formed from a plurality of response elements stored in the storage device. In response to the same command, the response selection signal selects the first response element from response storage 36a, which in this example is " set depth to-". This response is followed by a first response element from the value portion 36b, which in this example is " 6cm ". As a result, the user hears a complete response, "Set depth to 6 cm." Again, the user can issue verbal commands and receive a sound audible response from the ultrasound system fully interactively.

3A-4B illustrate the use of an interactive ultrasound system to draw and measure an ultrasound image and display it in the image. In the example of FIG. 3A, the user positions two measurement cursors on the image 70. First, the user issues a command that causes the cursor to appear, such as "create a new cursor." System. For example, it responds by creating a cursor at a predetermined position that is the center of the image, and responds with "Create Cursor A". The user then moves the cursor to the desired location with one or more commands. Any number of command methods can be used to move the cursor. For example, a user may give a command "upward to the cursor" or "to the left of the cursor" to move the cursor in a predetermined increment each time a command is given. If the given increment is insufficient, the user will give a command "more" and the cursor will move to another increment in the desired direction. The "many" command is applied to the previous command while the ultrasound system remembers the context of the previous command (ie, moving the cursor up, down, left or right). In a similar manner, the command "less" or "too much" will cause the previous increment in movement to be reversed by half, thereby decreasing. As a second example, the command "upper cursor" may cause the cursor to move upwards slowly, which moves until the user is given a command such as "stop cursor", for example. The ultrasound system will respond with "Cursor A stop". As a third example, if the ultrasound system includes automatic edge detection capability, the user may instruct "cursor up to tissue boundary". The cursor will move upwards to the next tissue boundary, as indicated by tissue boundary 72 in FIG. 3A. The user can then instruct the user to move the cursor along the organization boundary until it is in the desired position.

The user will create Cursor B in a similar manner and move it to the desired location as indicated by the cursor "+ B" on tissue boundary 74 in FIG. 3A. Once the user places cursors A and B as desired, the user can issue a measurement command such as "measure from A to B." The system will then measure the distance from cursor A to cursor B and announce the result "2.6 cm". The measurement is shown on or near the image as shown in FIG. 3B. For example, the measurement may appear as a sidebar in the image in which the measurement is displayed.

4A illustrates a scenario in which the user labels on image 70. In FIG. 4A, the user has created a new cursor indicated by the "+" symbol and has moved it near the valve 76 in the image 70. The user then issues a command labeled "Mitral Valve." The system responds by replacing the + cursor with a "mitral valve" indication, as shown in Figure 4B, and can be heard by notifying "marked mitral valve." You can give the image a mark if you want, for example, you can give it a command that says "Mark the image as a Long Long Axis." And display the desired image display on or near the image 70 as shown at the bottom in Fig. 4b .. The system responds audibly by notifying that "the image has been marked with a long tube axis." .

The ultrasound system may be operable to generate a report that includes image analysis results such as the measurements and image display described above. In addition to the results of the analysis, such reports may also include comments or diagnostic details in text form. According to another aspect of the present invention, the system operator may be given a system command by using the same microphone and voice controller to thereby include comments or textual details in the diagnostic report. When the report appears on the display 20, the user can manually move the cursor to the report's comment field, or move the cursor to the comment field with a verbal command, such as, for example, a "comment field." The user can then read the comment or other text into the microphone to be converted by the controller 50 into text data. The text data is inserted into the report and coupled to the system controller to be displayed in the comment field of the displayed diagnostic report. Therefore, the operator can quickly dictate a comment on the diagnostic report immediately upon completion of the analysis of the image data, and can finish the ultrasound examination by completing the diagnostic report.

5A and 5B illustrate another embodiment of the present invention in which a user audibly controls an ultrasonic signal processed to form an ultrasonic image. This type of control can be done in the same imaging mode if desired. For example, a user may instruct the ultrasound system to use a fundamental frequency signal to form a 2D image, or to use a harmonic frequency signal to form a 2D image or to form an image of a mixture of the two types of signals. Command the ultrasound system. You can give the same command to 3D images if you want. 5A and 5B illustrate two techniques for achieving this control. FIG. 5A shows a filter 110 in the ultrasonic signal path of the ultrasonic system of FIG. 1, separating the desired type of signal for a particular image. The filter 110 is controlled by a control signal labeled "f selection" to select either the low frequency band f ₁ or the high frequency band f ₂ . For example, the f ₁ band can be a fundamental frequency band and f ₂ can be a harmonic frequency band. The user may issue a command, such as a "base image", which instructs the system controller 22 to select the base frequency band as received by the voice controller. System controller 22 applies a suitable band selection control signal to filter 110 and the response signal is coupled to speech synthesizer 30. The speech synthesizer generates an audible response that "the base image has been selected" to inform the user that the command has been executed.

5b shows a second embodiment of controlling the type of signal used to form a 2D or 3D image. 5B shows a pulse inversion circuit 120 in the ultrasonic signal path of an ultrasonic system in which echoes S ₁ and S ₂ are combined to produce a signal type used to form an image. The combining of the signals is performed by a combining circuit 122 which can selectively add or subtract S _{φ 1} and S _{φ 2} echo signals. When the _Sφ1 echo signal and the _Sφ2 echo signal are derived from differently modulated transmission signals, the type of signal to be generated will be determined depending on how they are combined. For example, addition combining of echoes from transmission signals of different phases may produce a harmonic signal component, and subtracting combining of echoes may produce a fundamental frequency signal. For example, similar results can be obtained from differently coded transmission pulses, such as amplitude modulated pulses. The combining circuit is controlled by a " +/- select " control signal as shown in Fig. 5B to select the manner in which the echo signals are to be combined. For example, when the user gives a command "base image", the voice controller 50 issues a command to the system controller 22, which then applies a select control signal to the pulse inversion circuit 120, The circuit provides a signal for the base image. The system controller 22 notifies the speech synthesizer 30 of the selection, and the speech synthesizer issues an audible response that " the base image has been selected. &Quot; In a similar manner, when the user commands a "harmonic image", the voice controller 50 issues a command to the system controller 22, which then applies a + select control signal to the pulse inversion signal 120, The circuit provides a signal for harmonic images. The selection notification is sent to the speech synthesizer 30, which issues an audible response that " harmonic image has been selected. &Quot; Accordingly, the user can control the type of signal used to form the ultrasound image by the audible command.

6A and 6B illustrate another embodiment of the present invention in which a user can audibly control the quality of an ultrasound image. 6 illustrates a compound image processor 130 that may be employed in the ultrasound signal path of the ultrasound system of FIG. 1. As described in US patent application Ser. No. 09 / 335,058, image information 132 is obtained from different viewing directions and combined to form a compound image with greatly improved image quality. 6A illustrates several operating parameters of a compound image processor that can be audibly controlled. One parameter is target / survey mode control. As described in the patent application, when the user scans for a condition of an associated disease, the probe 10 is quickly moved to examine the anatomical tissue of the patient. Since the compound image can be blurred with fast movement, the number of compound gaze directions is reduced to a single gaze direction or to several gaze directions. However, when the user focuses attention on a specific point of the body and the probe is relatively stationary, the target mode may be selected to increase the number of compounded gaze directions to improve the quality of the image. This operation sequence may be audibly controlled by the embodiment of FIG. 6A. When the user gives the command "inspection mode", this audible command is interpreted by the voice controller 50 to apply the "inspection" control signal to the compound image processor 130. The inspection control signal causes the processor 130 to compound one or only several gaze directions to generate the display signal. The ultrasound system responds to the command by responding with an "inspection mode" to assure the user that the compound image processor is operating in the desired mode. When the user finds that particular anatomical tissue, the user is given a command "target mode" which is received by the voice controller 50 and used to switch the compound image processor 130 to target mode. Here, the increased number of gaze directions is compounded to form a display signal for the display 20. Speech synthesizer 30 responds to the user by saying "target mode", which confirms that the ultrasound system has been switched to compound imaging in target mode.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6A, the user has the option of instructing compound image processor 130 for the desired degree of image quality provided by compound imaging. The user can audibly specify the number of gaze directions that the compound image processor combines by giving a command such as "compound 5 frames." In response to this command, the voice controller 50 responds by instructing the system controller 22 to command the compound image processor to compound the 5 frames or gaze direction to form display data. A command to compound the five gaze directions is applied to an input of "# frame compound " of the compound image processor, and the speech synthesizer responds by generating an audible response such as "compound 5 frames."

6B illustrates data that may be stored in response storage 36 to issue these responses to compound image processor state changes. When the compound image processor is instructed to change to the test mode or the target mode, the response selection signal causes the response storage unit 36a to output a response of the "test mode" or "target mode" when appropriate. The response is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 38 and reproduced by the loudspeaker 40 so that the user can confirm that the ultrasound system is operating in the desired compound imaging mode. When the user instructs the compound image processor to compound a certain number of gaze directions, the response selection signal 36a outputs a response of "compound" by the response selection signal, and then compounded from the value part 36b. Play the number of gaze directions, such as "5 frames." The user will hear a complete audible response of "compound 5 frames", which confirms to the user that the compound image processor generates image data in the desired number of gaze directions that are compounded. The ultrasound system thereby generates the level of image quality requested by the user and audibly confirms that the user is doing so.

According to another aspect of the present invention, speech synthesizer 30 responds to a user request to assist in operating the ultrasound system by providing information relating to the current operating state of the ultrasound system. In the first embodiment this capability takes the form of an online help functionality. Even if the user says "help" to the ultrasound system, the speech synthesizer 30 responds by providing the user with information about the current system operation or option. For example, a user may wish to measure the volume of blood pumped by the heart, but without the user's knowledge, the user may wish to make such a measurement with an inappropriate heart image. The user will then say "help" to the ultrasound system, and the speech synthesizer is trying to measure the ejection fraction from the heart's short axis. To measure the ejection coefficient, obtain an image of the long axis of the left ventricle. Will reply with an audible assistant, such as " As a second example, the user is trying to obtain an estimate of the fetal age but may not take the necessary measurements. In response to the word "help," the ultrasound system might respond: "To estimate fetal age, you need to measure the biparietal diameter. In this way, the user is guided by information that enables the ultrasound system to operate properly.

In the second embodiment the speech synthesizer provides audible assistance in completing the desired diagnosis or sequence of operations. For example, the user would have issued a command to change the gain of the system if he had not specified a gain change intent. The speech synthesizer remembers the context of the initial command, that is, the gain change, to "increase or decrease?" Will respond with a query. When the user answers "increase" or "decrease", they will apply the desired gain change to the ultrasound system. The change may be a predetermined increment as described above, such as a change to the requested gain setting of 60 dB. Accordingly, the user has been audibly guided so that the ultrasound system is properly controlled according to the user's needs and the user is assisted in completing the incomplete command and the command sequence.

Finally, it will be appreciated that the speech synthesizer 30 can be used independently of the speech controller 50. The ultrasound system can be operated manually by a user and the speech synthesizer provides an audible response to manual system setup and control via the user interface 62. Even when the ultrasound system is being used in a conventional manner, the user may have the advantage of audibly confirming that the ultrasound system is controlled and operated as desired by the user.

Claims (9)

An ultrasound diagnostic imaging system in interactive communication with a user, A voice controller 50 for generating a command signal in response to a verbal command of the user; In response to the command signal, causing the ultrasound imaging system to respond as requested by the verbal command of the user; And a speech synthesizer (30) for generating an audible response in response to the command signal. The method of claim 1, The controller generates a response signal in response to the command signal; And the speech synthesizer generates the audible response in response to the response signal. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The controller receives a confirmation signal from the ultrasound imaging system in response to a command; And the speech synthesizer generates the audible response in response to the confirmation signal. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The speech synthesizer comprises a response storage device 36 in which the audible responses are electrically stored; And the response storage device is responsive to the command signal for generation of a desired audible response. The method of claim 4, wherein The speech synthesizer further comprises a conversion circuit (38) coupled to the response storage device for converting electrically stored responses into audible signals. The method according to claim 4 or 5, The response storage device stores textual and numerical response information; The audible response is formed of text and selected numerical response information. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The speech synthesizer, A decoder (32) for selecting a desired stored response in response to the signals from the controller; A loudspeaker 40, The response storage device is coupled to the decoder to generate a desired response among a plurality of stored responses, The conversion circuit 38 is an analog to digital converter coupled to receive a response from the response storage device to generate analog audio signals, The loudspeaker receiving the analog audio signal to produce an audible response. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, Respond to your verbal commands, A display 20; And further comprising a voice controller (50). The method of claim 8, Respond to your verbal commands, A graphics generator for generating text and / or graphic symbols for annotating the ultrasound image; The voice controller 50 generates a graphic command signal in response to a user's verbal command; In response to the graphic command signal, the ultrasound system controller 22 causes a graphic generator to annotate an ultrasound image, as requested by the verbal command of the user; The display (20) is coupled to the graphics generator to display an annotated ultrasound image.