WO2009132520A1

WO2009132520A1 - Three dimension ultrasound imaging system

Info

Publication number: WO2009132520A1
Application number: PCT/CN2009/000469
Authority: WO
Inventors: 郑永平; 张忠伟; 何俊峰; 陈昕
Original assignee: 香港理工大学
Priority date: 2008-04-29
Filing date: 2009-04-29
Publication date: 2009-11-05
Also published as: CN101569541A; CN101569541B

Abstract

A three dimension ultrasound imaging system is disclosed. The system comprises an ultrasonic probe, a camera, a positioning module, an ultrasound scanner and a computer module. The camera is attached to the ultrasonic probe. The positioning module is in the view area of the camera. The ultrasound scanner produces ultrasonic images of the corresponding body area, and the camera produces instantaneous video. The computer module collects scanning images and video synchronously, and executes corresponding calculation to produce the three dimension ultrasound images. The system of the invention is low cost and could improve the veracity of three dimension ultrasound imaging space tracking.

Description

Three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system. Background technique

Recently, attention has been paid to the practice of 3D diagnostics to enable rapid development of 3D ultrasound equipment. Compared to CT and MRI imaging, 3D ultrasound is a low-cost solution for acquiring stereoscopic imaging. In addition, its operation does not require centralized training and radiation protection. And its hardware is detachable and potentially portable. Three-dimensional ultrasound imaging has been widely used for the examination or diagnosis of abnormal fetal, lymph node and heart diseases.

Recently, many different technologies have been developed for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging. In view of the acquisition method, it can be divided into four categories: a two-dimensional converter array, a mechanical scanner, and a freehand scanning method with and without position information.

Systems of two-dimensional transducer arrays provide a large number of important three-dimensional images in real time, but are expensive and difficult to purchase.

In the mechanical scanning method, the ultrasonic transducer is rotated or mobilized to acquire position data by a stepping motor located at the scanning head. According to the type of mechanical movement, the obtained B ultrasonic waves can be arranged into a series of parallel segments by linear movement, and the obtained B ultrasonic waves are arranged in a wedge shape by tilting movement, and the obtained B ultrasonic waves are arranged into a cone shape by rotational movement or Cylindrical, thus providing high accuracy for position measurement, but the range of motion of the mechanical scanning method is limited by the scanning device.

Compared to mechanical scanning methods, clinicians are less restricted in their ability to manipulate ultrasound probes on their body surfaces. The position and orientation of the probe can be recorded using an orientation sensing device and used to reconstruct a 3D data set. Many different orientation sensors are available, including electromagnetic inductive devices, pulsed ultrasonic positioning, articulated arms, and optical sensors. These devices are expensive, bulky or inaccurate. There are also many devices that do not use any orientation sensing device but estimate the relative position and orientation between B ultrasound scans by obtaining information from the image. However, such devices require the probe to move stably in one direction but not for large-scale rotation and transformation during B-ultrasonic scanning. Also, due to the data Obtaining errors caused by mobile measurements during this period, such devices cannot provide accurate distance or body

Summary of the invention

The present invention is directed to a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system that has measurement accuracy, simple steps, and low cost.

The present invention provides a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system including an ultrasonic probe, at least one first camera, a positioning module, an ultrasonic scanner, and a calculation module, wherein the camera is attached to the ultrasonic probe, and the positioning module is placed in the Within the framing range of the camera, the ultrasound scanner provides corresponding ultrasound images of various parts of the body, while the camera provides real-time video. The calculation module simultaneously collects the scanned images and video and performs corresponding calculations to generate three-dimensional images.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the camera is a black and white camera, a color camera or an infrared camera.

A three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein a lighting unit is added to the camera or the positioning module.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the camera is integrated with an ultrasonic probe.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic probe has a button for setting an initial frame of the live video.

A three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, further comprising a second camera for observing the various parts of the body to determine the movement of the respective parts of the body and correcting the movement of the obtained ultrasonic probe.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the positioning module includes a set of positioning identifiers, the group positioning identifier includes two line segments that are vertically halved and four identification blocks at the line ends, and the four The identification blocks have a known area and a center, and the calculation module calculates and generates a three-dimensional image according to the relative relationship between the current positioning identifier and the initial positioning identifier.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the line segment and the identification block in the positioning identifier have their specific codes. In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the calculation module determines the displacement of the scan in the plane according to the distance between the intersection of the current line segment and the intersection of the initial line segments in a plane.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the calculation module determines a rotation angle of scanning within the plane based on an angle between a current line segment and an initial line segment in a plane.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the calculation module determines a displacement scanned in the direction based on a ratio of a length of a current line segment and an initial line segment perpendicular to the direction in one direction.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the calculation module determines, according to a ratio of a current area of the identification blocks on both sides of the shaft when the axis is rotated in a direction, the direction is the axis The angle of rotation.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the calculation module determines that the current intersection of the line segment is on a line segment perpendicular to the axis when the axis is rotated in a direction, and the direction is the axis. The angle of rotation.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the positioning module includes a plurality of sets of positioning identifiers continuously arranged in one direction, and the tracking for the positioning identifiers is transferred from using the current group positioning identifier to the movement of the camera. The next set of positioning identifiers.

In a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the positioning module includes a plurality of sets of positioning identifiers arranged along a matrix of two mutually perpendicular directions, and the tracking for the positioning identifiers is transferred from the use of the current group positioning identifiers with the movement of the camera. Go to the next set of positioning identifiers.

A three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging method includes the following steps: 1) acquiring a real-time video image of the positioning module by using a camera located on the ultrasonic probe; 2) simultaneously obtaining an ultrasonic image corresponding to each part of the body through the ultrasonic probe by using the ultrasonic scanner; Using the calculation module to obtain the movement and rotation amount of the ultrasonic probe by comparing the positions, angles, and areas of the units of the positioning module in the continuous real-time video image; 4) repeating the above operation to obtain a series of ultrasonic images And obtaining the ultrasonic probe and the direction when the corresponding ultrasound image is obtained; 5) calculating the module using the obtained data to perform corresponding Calculate and generate a three-dimensional image.

The invention has the advantages of low cost and improved accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging space tracking. DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging system in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a typical set of initial positioning marks;

Figure 3 shows the positioning identification and initial identification of the camera after transformation in the xy plane; Figure 4 shows the positioning identification and initial identification of the camera after transformation in the z direction; Figure 5 shows the positioning identification and initial identification of the camera after rotation in the xy plane Figure 6 shows the positioning mark and initial identification of the camera after rotating in the xz plane; Figure 7 shows the positioning mark and initial identification of the camera after rotating in the yz plane; Figure 8 shows the complex moving position identification and initial identification of the camera ;

Figure 9 shows a plurality of sets of positioning marks continuously arranged in one direction;

Figure 10 shows a plurality of sets of positioning marks continuously arranged in two mutually perpendicular directions. detailed description

The present invention is a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system. The principle of the system is to construct a three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging by attaching a video camera to the ultrasonic probe as an orientation sensing device and a positioning identification map.

As shown in FIG. 1, according to the three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system of the present invention, the system includes an ultrasonic probe, a video generating module, an ultrasonic scanner, and a computer, wherein the ultrasonic scanner can provide corresponding ultrasonic images of various parts of the body, and the video generating module includes a camera. And a positioning module, the camera is attached to the ultrasonic probe, and the positioning module is placed in a framing range of the camera, so the video generating module can provide a real-time video stream, and the computing module simultaneously collects the scanned image and the video stream and executes Corresponding calculations generate a three-dimensional image. The camera has one or more, the positioning module can actively emit light, and the camera is integrated with an ultrasonic probe, and the ultrasonic probe is used for two-dimensional or three-dimensional imaging.

When the ultrasound probe moves along various parts of the body, the ultrasound scanner provides a corresponding ultrasound image of each part of the body. At the same time, the camera can provide real-time based on the positioning identification chart. Video stream. The computer can simultaneously collect B ultrasound scan images and video streams and perform corresponding calculations. The position and orientation of the video camera can be calculated based on the content of the video image. Since the camera is fixed to the ultrasonic probe, the position and orientation of the probe can also be obtained. Therefore, the position and direction of each B ultrasonic image can be correspondingly generated simultaneously to generate a three-dimensional image, and at the same time, each part of the body is observed by the second camera to determine the movement of each part of the corresponding body and the obtained result is obtained for the obtained object. The movement of the ultrasonic probe is corrected.

Figure 2 shows a typical set of positioning markers. A, B, C, and D are four positioning identification blocks, each having a known area and center. Line segment a is a known line segment with the center point of the positioning identification block A and the positioning identification block C as the end point. Line segment b is a known line segment with the center point of the positioning identification block B and the positioning identification block D as the end point. O is the intersection of line segments a and b.

There are various methods for calculating the position and orientation of the camera by the video acquired by the camera. As shown in Fig. 3-7, the image of the positioning marker can be acquired in real time through the video camera. First, the ultrasonic probe has a button for setting an initial frame of the real-time video, and by pressing the button, the computer records the identifier blocks A, B, C, D and their positions in the first frame image, thereby Calculating an initial area of each of the identification blocks and a distance therebetween, each of the positioning identification blocks and the line segments of the positioning module has a specific code so that the image recognition can identify which cells exist in the current image and their specific positions . In the next frame, the camera changes in multiple directions or rotates in multiple planes. Figure 3-7 shows the different situations and describes how to calculate the transformation and rotation.

Figure 3 shows the location identification and initial identification of the camera after it has been transformed in the x-y plane. The exact displacement in the X and y directions can be calculated from the position of the initial line intersection "0" and the current line intersection "Ol".

Figure 4 shows the location identification and initial identification of the camera after it has been transformed in the z direction. The displacement in the z direction can be calculated from the distance between the blocks and the change in the dimensions of the block. The ratio of line segment a2/a to line segment b2/b can be used to calculate the displacement by scaling, where a2, b2 are the current line segments and a, b are the initial line segments which can be determined prior to measurement.

Figure 5 shows the positioning identification and initial identification of the camera after it has been rotated in the xy plane. The exact angle of the rotation can be calculated based on the change in the direction of the line a or b, also That is, the angle from the initial line segment a to the current line segment a3 or the angle from the initial line segment b to the current line segment b3.

Figure 6 shows the positioning mark and initial identification of the camera after it has been rotated in the x-z plane. The amount of rotation can be calculated by the area ratio of the current identification block B4 and the current identification block D4 or the repositioning of the current intersection 04 on the current line segment a4. In this case, there is no rotation in the y-z direction. Therefore, the areas of the current identification blocks A4 and C4 are the same.

Figure 7 shows the location identification and initial identification of the camera after it has been rotated in the y-z plane. The amount of rotation can be calculated by the area ratio of the current identification block A5 and the current identification block C5 or the repositioning of the current point 05 on the current line segment b5. In this case, there is no rotation in the X-Z direction. Therefore, the areas of the current identification blocks B5 and D5 are the same.

Figure 8 shows the complex moving position identification and initial identification of the camera. The movement combines all of the transformations and rotations of Figures 3-7. It has transformations in the x, y, and _z directions, in the xy, xz, and yz planes. The transformation and rotation can be calculated based on the method described in Figures 3-7.

In the above example, the basic requirement is that the location identification must be within the framing range of the camera. Otherwise, the transformation and rotation cannot be accurately calculated. Therefore, the method detailed in Figure 3-8 also works for relatively small movements. In order to be suitable for a large amount of movement, a plurality of sets of positioning marks can be employed.

Figure 9 shows multiple sets of positioning marks extending in one direction and a larger range of movement in this direction. When a set of positioning marks begins to disappear from the viewing range of the camera, another set of positioning marks appears within the viewing range. When this occurs, the tracking of the location identifier will be transferred from the first set of location identifiers to the second set of location identifiers. The process can be continued to achieve a larger viewing range in one direction.

Similarly, if it is necessary to have a larger viewing range in both directions, multiple sets of positioning marks arranged in two mutually perpendicular directions may be used, as shown in FIG. Similar to the case of one direction extension, when a set of positioning indicators begins to disappear from the camera's viewing range, the tracking of the positioning indicators can be transmitted from one set of positioning indicators to another.

The positioning indicator can be printed on paper or on a plastic sheet. As long as you can use the camera to take It can be attached to a table, roof, human body or other surface. At the same time, the position identification of different shapes and shapes can be used. Moreover, different colors can be used for different positioning marks for identification. The positioning identifier may be passive or active illumination, that is, relying on reflective illumination or autoluminescence. In addition, to improve accuracy, multiple cameras can be used to calculate the movement and combine the results.

According to the principles of the present invention, the present invention provides another three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging method, comprising the following steps: 1) acquiring a real-time video image of the positioning module by using a camera located on the ultrasonic probe; 2) simultaneously using an ultrasonic scanner The ultrasonic probe obtains corresponding ultrasonic images of various parts of the body; 3) using the calculation module to obtain the movement and rotation of the ultrasonic probe by comparing the positions, angles and areas of the units of the positioning module in the continuous real-time video image 4) The ultrasonic probe and direction are obtained by repeating the above operations to obtain a series of ultrasonic images and obtaining corresponding ultrasonic images; the calculation module performs corresponding calculations using the obtained data to generate a three-dimensional image.

The above is a detailed description of the present invention to those skilled in the art, and it is contemplated that other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. And modifications are within the scope of the invention. Industrial applicability

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system proposed by the invention is low in cost and can improve the accuracy of spatial tracking of three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging.

Claims

E claims

A three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system, comprising: an ultrasonic probe, at least one first camera, a positioning module, an ultrasonic scanner, and a calculation module, wherein the camera is attached to the ultrasonic probe, and the positioning module is placed In the framing range of the camera, the ultrasonic scanner provides corresponding ultrasonic images of various parts of the body, while the camera provides real-time video, and the calculation module simultaneously collects the scanned images and videos and performs corresponding calculations to generate three-dimensional images.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is a black-and-white camera, a color camera or an infrared camera.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein a lighting unit is added to the camera or the positioning module.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the camera head is integrated with an ultrasonic probe.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, wherein a button on the ultrasonic probe is used to set an initial frame of the real-time video.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising a second camera for observing the parts of the body to determine movement of respective parts of the body and correcting the obtained ultrasonic probe mobile.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the positioning module comprises a set of positioning identifiers, wherein the group positioning identifier comprises two line segments that are vertically halved and four identification blocks at the line ends. The four identification blocks have a known area and a center, and the calculation module calculates and generates a three-dimensional image according to a relative relationship between the current positioning identifier and the initial positioning identifier.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the line segment and the identification block in the positioning identifier have their specific codes.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the calculation module determines the displacement of the scan in the plane according to the distance between the intersection of the current line segment and the intersection of the initial line segments in a plane.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein said meter The calculation module determines the angle of rotation of the scan in the plane based on the angle between the current line segment and the initial line segment in a plane.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the calculation module determines a displacement scanned in the direction according to a length ratio of a current line segment and an initial line segment perpendicular to the direction in one direction.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the calculation module determines the direction in the direction of the current area of the identification blocks on both sides of the axis when rotating in a direction The angle of rotation for the shaft.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the calculation module determines the position of the current intersection of the line segment on a line segment perpendicular to the axis when the axis is rotated in a direction The direction is the angle of rotation of the shaft.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the positioning module comprises a plurality of sets of positioning marks continuously arranged in one direction, and the tracking for the positioning marks is to be positioned from the current group by the movement of the camera. The identity is transferred to the next set of location identifiers.

The three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging system according to claim 7, wherein the positioning module comprises a plurality of sets of positioning identifiers arranged along a matrix of two mutually perpendicular directions, and the tracking for the positioning identifiers will follow the movement of the camera from adopting the current group. The location identifier is transferred to the next set of location identifiers.

A three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging method, comprising the steps of: 1) acquiring a real-time video image of a positioning module by using a camera located on the ultrasonic probe;

2) simultaneously obtaining an ultrasonic image corresponding to each part of the body through the ultrasonic probe by using an ultrasonic scanner;

3) using a calculation module to obtain the movement and rotation amount of the ultrasonic probe by comparing positions, angles, and areas of the units of the positioning module in the continuous real-time video image; 4) repeating the above operation to obtain a series of ultrasonic waves The image and the ultrasonic probe and direction when the corresponding ultrasound image is obtained;

5) The calculation module performs corresponding calculations using the obtained data to generate a three-dimensional image.