Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/08—Clinical applications
  • A61B8/0833—Clinical applications involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
  • A61B8/0841—Clinical applications involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures for locating instruments
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B34/00—Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
  • A61B34/20—Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/44—Constructional features of the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic device
  • A61B8/4483—Constructional features of the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic device characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
  • A61B8/4488—Constructional features of the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic device characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer the transducer being a phased array
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/46—Ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic diagnostic devices with special arrangements for interfacing with the operator or the patient
  • A61B8/461—Displaying means of special interest
  • A61B8/463—Displaying means of special interest characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
  • A61B8/54—Control of the diagnostic device
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
  • G01S15/88—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications
  • G01S15/89—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications for mapping or imaging
  • G01S15/8906—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques
  • G01S15/8909—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration
  • G01S15/8915—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration using a transducer array
  • G01S15/892—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration using a transducer array the array being curvilinear
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
  • G01S7/52—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S15/00
  • G01S7/52017—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S15/00 particularly adapted to short-range imaging
  • G01S7/52023—Details of receivers
  • G01S7/52036—Details of receivers using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B34/00—Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
  • A61B34/20—Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
  • A61B2034/2046—Tracking techniques
  • A61B2034/2063—Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
  • G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
  • G01S15/88—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications
  • G01S15/89—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications for mapping or imaging
  • G01S15/8906—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques
  • G01S15/8909—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration
  • G01S15/8915—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration using a transducer array
  • G01S15/8927—Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques using a static transducer configuration using a transducer array using simultaneously or sequentially two or more subarrays or subapertures

Definitions

• This invention relates to medical ultrasound imaging systems and, in particular, to ultrasound systems which provide image guidance for insertion of biopsy needles and other invasive devices.
• Ultrasound image guidance provides a simple and effective way to insert an invasive device such as a biopsy needle into the body.
• the imaging is used to view both the needle and the target anatomy in the body, and thus the clinician can see and plan the insertion path to the target as the needle is being inserted.
• Major blood vessels and obstacles to smooth insertion such as calcified tissues can be avoided.
• obtaining a clear and complete image of the needle can be problematic due to the physics of ultrasound.
• the clinician observes the target anatomy in the ultrasound image and then inserts the needle adjacent to the
• the ultrasound beam angle can pose an additional impediment to clear and complete needle imaging, which is that returning echoes can be at steep angles relative to the probe aperture that give rise to grating lobe (side lobe) artifacts. These artifacts can appear in the image around the actual needle location in the image, making it difficult to discern the needle from the surrounding clutter. It is thus desirable to prevent or eliminate these clutter artifacts during needle insertion guidance.
• the present disclosure includes methods for operating an ultrasonic imaging system for image guidance of needle insertion.
• the methods can include transmitting unsteered beams from an ultrasound transducer over an image field in a subject, identifying a peak angle of a transmit beam for producing a peak magnitude of echo returns from a needle in the image field, transmitting a plurality of parallel steered beams at the peak angle, and displaying an ultrasound image of the needle in the image field.
• the methods can include identifying a line of needle specular
• the identifying the angle of the transmit beam can include identifying the transmit beam which
• the displaying the ultrasound image of the needle can include displaying a needle guide graphic in the image, which can include displaying a graphic line at a location of the needle in the ultrasound image.
• displaying the needle guide graphic can include displaying needle guide graphic lines on either side of a location of the needle in the ultrasound image.
• the displaying the needle guide graphic can include displaying graphic lines at the location of the needle in the ultrasound image and on either side of a location of the needle in the ultrasound image.
• the present disclosure can include methods for operating an ultrasonic imaging system for image guidance of needle insertion that can include acquiring image data from an image field within a subject using a plurality transducer
• the processing the image data with two different apodization functions can include forming two ultrasound images from the image data, each using a different apodization function.
• Using image data processed with the two different apodization functions can include combining or correlating image data from the two ultrasound images to produce clutter-reduced image data. Processing the image data with two different apodization
• Processing the image data with complementary apodization functions can include processing the image data with
• Processing the image data with apodization functions which affect side lobe artifact data differently can include using an apodization function which acts as a notch filter for side lobe or main lobe data.
• Using image data processed with the two different apodization functions can include combining image data with both side lobe and main lobe data with image data having only side lobe or main lobe data.
• FIGURE 1 illustrates an ultrasound system configured in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
• FIGURE 2 illustrates the angles of incidence between a needle and unsteered beams from a curved array transducer.
• FIGURE 3 is an ultrasound image of insertion of a needle into a subject at the insertion angle shown in FIGURE 2.
• FIGURE 4 illustrates acquisition of a needle image by steering beams in parallel at an optimal angle from a curved array transducer.
• FIGURE 5 is an ultrasound image of a needle with its location indicated by a needle guide graphic.
• FIGURE 6 illustrates a first dual apodization technique which can be used to reduce clutter arising due to beam steering in needle guidance imaging.
• FIGURES 7a and 7b illustrate a second dual apodization technique which can be used to reduce clutter arising due to beam steering in needle guidance imaging.
• FIGURES 8a and 8b illustrate the sidelobe energy resulting from use of the two apodization functions of FIGURES 7a and 7b.
• FIGURE 9 illustrates the reduction of sidelobe clutter achieved by a combination of the two apodization functions of FIGURES 7a and 7b.
• FIGURE 10 is a flowchart of an ultrasound image guided needle insertion procedure conducted in accordance with the principles of the present
• an ultrasound system and probe with a convex curved array transducer are used for needle insertion guidance.
• the natural curvature of the array causes its unsteered beams to traverse a wide sector angle which extends beyond the footprint of the probe and quickly captures a needle during initial insertion.
• Images of the needle are analyzed to determine a point where the angle of incidence between an ultrasound beam and the needle shaft are best for needle image acquisition, and a needle image is acquired with beams steered in parallel from the curved array at the optimized beam angle.
• the needle location is indicated in the image with a needle guide graphic.
• the optimized beam angle is
• clutter arising due to steep beam steering angles is reduced by producing images of a scan field with two different apodization functions, which are then compared or combined to reduce image clutter.
• a convex curved transducer array 12 is provided in an ultrasound probe 10 for transmitting ultrasonic waves and receiving echo information.
• the curved array transducer is coupled by the probe cable to a transmit/receive (T/R) switch 16 which switches between transmission and reception and protects the main beamformer 20 from high energy transmit signals.
• T/R transmit/receive
• the transmission of ultrasonic beams from the curved array 12 is done under control of a transmit controller 18 coupled to the T/R switch and the beamformer 20, which receives input from the user's operation of the user interface or control panel 38.
• transmission may be unsteered (directions orthogonal to the face of the transducer) , or steered at
• a signal processor 26 which includes filtering by a digital filter and noise reduction as by spatial or frequency compounding.
• the signal processor can also shift the frequency band to a lower or baseband frequency range.
• the digital filter of the signal processor 26 can be a filter of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,833,613
• a clutter processor 50 is coupled to the signal processor to remove sidelobe clutter arising during beam steering as described more fully below.
• the processed echo signals are demodulated into quadrature (I and Q) components by a quadrature demodulator 28, which provides signal phase information.
• the beamformed and processed coherent echo signals are coupled to a B mode processor 52 which produces a B mode tissue image.
• the B mode processor performs amplitude (envelope) detection of quadrature demodulated I and Q signal components by calculating the echo signal amplitude in the form of (I 2 +Q 2 ) 1 ⁇ 2 .
• the quadrature echo signal components are also coupled to a Doppler processor 54, which stores ensembles of echo signals from discrete points in an image field which are then used to estimate the
• Doppler image the estimated Doppler flow values at each point in a blood vessel are wall filtered and converted to color values using a look-up table.
• the B mode image signals and the Doppler flow values are coupled to a scan converter 32 which converts the B mode and Doppler samples from their acquired R-q coordinates to Cartesian (x,y) coordinates for display in a desired display format, e.g., a
• Either the B mode image or the Doppler image may be displayed alone, or the two shown together in anatomical registration in which the color Doppler overlay shows the blood flow in tissue and vessel structure in the image.
• the ultrasound image data produced by the scan converter 32 are coupled to an image processor 30 and a 3D image data memory.
• the image processor 30 performs further enhancement, buffering and temporary storage for display of an ultrasound image on an image display 40.
• the 3D image data memory stores image data values at addresses related to their coordinates in 3D space, from which they can be accessed for 3D image formation.
• the 3D image data memory is coupled to a multiplanar reformatter 44 and a volume renderer 42.
• the multiplanar reformatter converts echoes which are received from points in a common plane in a volumetric region of the body into an ultrasonic image of that plane, as described in US Pat. 6,443,896 (Detmer) .
• the volume renderer 42 converts the echo signals of a 3D data set into a projected 3D image as viewed from a given reference point as described in US Pat. 6,530,885 (Entrekin et al . )
• the 2D or 3D images produced from 3D image data are coupled to the image processor 30.
• a graphic display overlay containing textual and other graphic information such as patient ID is produced by a graphics processor 36 for display with the ultrasound images .
• FIGURE 2 illustrates an image field 60 which is scanned by unsteered beams 62 transmitted and
• the beams are unsteered because their directions are determined by the curved geometry of the array; each beam is directed normal to its point of origin along the face of the array.
• unsteered beams are formed by equally weighting echoes received at symmetrical locations of the active aperture on either side of the point of origin.
• the beams have a symmetrical weighting profile in the beamformer. The same symmetrical weighting profile can be used to form each beam along the array, with the different angular directions of the beams provided by the geometrical array curvature. The natural curvature of the array thus causes each beam 62 to be directed at a different angle across the image field, thus scanning a sector-shaped field 60.
• the broad sector image field is advantageous for needle insertion imaging, since the needle is inserted into the body at the side of the probe, and in line with the scan plane. The needle is quickly acquired at the edge of the wide image, as it will begin to intersect beams at the side of the sector after just a few millimeters of insertion.
• the beam 64 is most optimal as it is nearly orthogonal to the needle at its point of intersection and echoes from this beam will most strongly return to the array from the specular reflecting needle.
• the section 72 of the needle which produces these stronger echo returns will appear most distinctly in the ultrasound image, as clearly shown in the actual ultrasound image 66 of FIGURE 3. (This image is shown with black-white display reversal for better illustration.)
• the ultrasound system includes a needle location
• processor 46 which identifies the distinct needle section 72 in the ultrasound image 66
• the needle location processor uses image processing to search for and identify the straight line of strong echoes from needle section 72 in the image. This can be done using image processing techniques such as Hough transforms, Radon transforms, first- and second-order directional texture analysis, or heuristic criteria such as maximum brightness
• the needle location processor commands the transmit controller 18 and beamformer 20 to transmit and receive steered beams from the array 12, all steered at the identified optimal angle of beam 64.
• FIGURE 4 where the array 12 is shown transmitting beams 64 ' ...64...64 " , all transmitted and received at the same angle relative to the needle 70, an angle which is nearly orthogonal to the needle.
• arrows 62 depicting unsteered beam angles from the array 12.
• the steered beams 64 ' ...64...64 " are seen to emanate from the same points along the face F of the array as the unsteered beams, but are steered by phased operation at different respective angles relative to the face F of the array which causes them to all be directed in parallel, and to impinge upon the needle at an orthogonal or nearly orthogonal angle. Imaging the needle with these parallel steered beams will produce relatively strong echo returns from the needle 70, and a sharper, clearer appearance of the needle in the ultrasound image.
• Scanning with parallel steered beams from a curved array is a nonobvious use of a curved array. This is because a curved array has an inherent preferential radial scan pattern due to its curved geometry.
• phased steering of beams from a curved array quickly gives rise to side lobe artifact clutter due to steep beam steering angles, as discussed in detail below.
• the needle location processor 46 When the needle location processor 46 has operated as described to locate the needle in the ultrasound image as just explained, it further commands the graphics processor 36 to overlay the ultrasound image 66 with a needle location graphic as shown in FIGURE 5. Needle guidance systems of the prior art have generally positioned needle location graphics over the location of the needle itself, as shown by the dotted graphic 80 which is positioned over the needle location in the body. This can pose a difficulty, as the image of the needle is obscured by the graphic. Often, the clinician would prefer to have the needle in the image unobstructed,
• a preferred graphic which does not obstruct the needle in the image has graphic lines 82a and 82b which frame the image of the needle between them. The graphics 82a, 82b quickly identify the needle location for the clinician without
• the direction of insertion can change as the clinician manipulates the needle to avoid piercing blood vessels or work around hard substances in the body. Since the needle orientation can change due to needle manipulation or probe movement, the image processing and optimal beam angle identification and beam steering are repeated periodically by the needle location processor 46, updating the steering angle of beams 64, 64' as needed to maintain the clearest image of the needle as can be afforded by the procedure.
• An ultrasound array like a radio antenna, exhibits an energy profile of the ultrasound energy transmitted or received by the array.
• This antenna pattern for an ultrasound array is known as a lobe pattern.
• the pattern has a main or central lobe which axially aligns with the beam direction, and side lobes which can also be sensitive to off-axis echo reception.
• the clinician would prefer a strong, narrow main lobe in the beam direction, and virtually nonexistent side lobes. This is because energy received in side lobes in the image field can result in the production of artifacts in the image during beamformation, clutter which can obscure the image of the needle.
• the beamformer is programmed on the assumption that all energy is being received from along the beam axis. Off-axis energy received from the side lobes will be undesirably beamformed and manifest itself as artifacts in the resultant image. Side lobe clutter artifacts are prevented by using a probe with an element pitch
• FIGURE 4 it is seen that the outermost needle imaging beams 64' and 64" are at significant nonorthogonal steering angles relative to the face F of the array 12, and these steeper steering angles can be a source of side lobe image clutter.
• side lobe clutter is reduced by a clutter processor 50 in the ultrasound system.
• the clutter processor 50 operates by forming two ultrasound images from the echoes produces from a scan of the image field, each using a different apodization function. The pixel values of the two differently apodized images are combined to reduce side lobe clutter artifacts in the final image.
• One set of apodization functions for clutter removal is shown in FIGURE 6.
• An array 12 of transducer elements e At the bottom of the drawing is an array 12 of transducer elements e, extending in a direction y. Shown above the array 12 in spatial correspondence are two different
• apodization function 92 weights the signals from two adjacent elements with a weight of one, then the signals from the next two elements with a weight of zero, then the next two signals with a weight of one, and so on.
• apodization function 94 is the inverse, with the same alternation of one and zero weights across the aperture.
• the beamformed echo signals of the two images are amplitude detected, producing pixel values for the two images. Pixel values at the same spatial location in the two images are then compared or correlated. If the correlation of the two values is high, such as greater than 50%, one or both of the values are used for that pixel value in the resultant image. If the correlation of the two values is relatively low, such as less than 50%, the values are omitted from the image.
• FIGURES 7a and 7b Preferred apodization functions for clutter reduction of needle images are shown in FIGURES 7a and 7b.
• the graphs of these two drawings are plotted as voltage weighting, v, against distance from the center of the ultrasonic transducer array, y.
• the graph 410 of FIGURE 7a shows an example of a first apodization function in the form of a rectangular apodization function. This apodization function results in signals from all of the elements of the transducer array receive an equal weighting such as one. The results of applying this function to the received echo data are shown in FIGURE 8a.
• FIGURE 8a shows a plot 500 of magnitude
• the plot depicts the summation of all of the echo signals received by each transducer element of a transducer array, across all of the steering angles within the field of view of the array. More specifically, the plot shows the main and side lobe response in image data beamformed using the first apodization function
• the main lobe response 520 has a finite width that includes a small range of angles either side of zero degrees.
• Image data with this characteristic also includes multiple signals of diminishing intensity spreading out from the main lobe, the side lobes 530.
• the side lobes are the response of signals with a steering angle outside of the range of the main lobe.
• a notch filter is applied as a pass filter to the lobe characteristic 500, signals from the main lobe of the beampattern of the array receive a high weighting, which decreases exponentially towards signals from the more lateral side lobes.
• the results of applying this function to the received echo data are shown in FIGURE 9.
• the shapes of the apodization functions used may be designed by the user of the ultrasound system or may be preloaded onto the system and selected by the user to perform a desired function.
• an apodization function may be adjusted through a single control parameter.
• This parameter is a scaling factor, k, which may be empirically
• Linear acoustics dictates that the ultrasound beampattern is equivalent to the Fourier transform of the apodization function used. This relationship provides a tool for analysis and beampattern design. More specifically, it is possible to design the apodization function to achieve a desired
• the image data produced by use of the apodization function 420 will exhibit a sharp null at the main lobe location and a decreased amplitude at off-axis steering angles, as shown in FIGURE 8b.
• beampattern of the second image data can be used to discern what type of apodization function should be used to achieve the desired beampattern.
• a null 560 is generated at the same steering angle as the main lobe 520 of the image data processed using apodization function 410.
• the second apodization function 420 By applying the reciprocal second apodization function 420 to the echo signal data, a null 560 is generated at the same steering angle as the main lobe 520 of the image data processed using apodization function 410.
• the second apodization function 420 By applying the reciprocal second apodization function 420 to the echo signal data, a null 560 is generated at the same steering angle as the main lobe 520 of the image data processed using apodization function 410.
• apodization function 420 is acting as a notch filter; however, depending on the application, many different shapes of apodization function may be utilized.
• FIGURE 9 shows a plot 600 depicting a
• the result is signals mainly returned from the main lobe response 520, and the signals of the side lobes 530 of the lobe pattern have been substantially eliminated, meaning that the resulting signal used for imaging is primarily signals from the main lobe response of the lobe characteristic. In this way, sidelobe clutter is substantially removed from the ultrasound image.
• the shape of the second apodization function shown in graph 420 of FIGURE 7b, may be altered to change the width of the null function 560 in the second image data. In this way, the angular spread of the remaining signals may be controlled. By reducing the width of this notch function, the spatial resolution of the final ultrasound image may be increased.
• FIGURE 10 An ultrasound image-guided needle insertion procedure in accordance with the present invention is outlined in FIGURE 10.
• a clinician begins the procedure by positioning a curved array transducer probe on the body of a subject, manipulating the probe until the target anatomy for the procedure is in the field of view.
• the target anatomy may be a cyst which is to be biopsied using a needle, for instance.
• the clinician starts inserting the needle in-line with the plane of the image, as stated in step 102.
• the curved array transducer transmits unsteered beams over the field of view to image the field and capture the insertion of the needle as stated in step 104.
• the ultrasound system identifies the line of specular needle reflections in the image, where the radially directed beams from the curved array are intersecting the needle around the most favorable angle.
• the needle location processor identifies the brightest point along the needle reflection line, which identifies the angle of the transmit beam which produced that bright point as stated in step 110.
• the needle location processor then causes the
• an ultrasound system suitable for use in an implementation of the present invention may be any ultrasound system suitable for use in an implementation of the present invention, and in particular the component structure of the ultrasound system of FIGURE 1, may be
• the various embodiments and/or components of an ultrasound system also may be implemented as part of one or more computers or microprocessors.
• the computer or processor may include a computing device, an input device, a display unit and an interface, for example, for accessing the Internet.
• the computer or processor may include a microprocessor.
• the microprocessor may be connected to a communication bus, for example, to access a PACS system or the data network for
• the computer or processor may also include a memory.
• the memory devices such as the 3D image data memory 48 may include Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read Only Memory (ROM) .
• the computer or processor further may include a storage device, which may be a hard disk drive or a removable storage drive such as a floppy disk drive, optical disk drive, solid-state thumb drive, and the like.
• the storage device may also be other similar means for loading computer programs or other instructions into the computer or processor.
• the term "computer” or “module” or “processor” or “workstation” may include any processor-based or microprocessor-based system including systems using microcontrollers, reduced instruction set computers (RISC), ASICs, logic circuits, and any other circuit or processor capable of executing the functions described herein.
• RISC reduced instruction set computers
• ASIC application specific integrated circuit
• logic circuits logic circuits, and any other circuit or processor capable of executing the functions described herein.
• the above examples are exemplary only, and are thus not intended to limit in any way the definition and/or meaning of these terms.
• the computer or processor executes a set of instructions that are stored in one or more storage elements, in order to process input data.
• the storage elements may also store data or other
• the storage element may be in the form of an information source or a physical memory element within a processing machine .
• the set of instructions of an ultrasound system including those controlling the acquisition,
• processing, and transmission of ultrasound images as described above may include various commands that instruct a computer or processor as a processing machine to perform specific operations such as the methods and processes of the various embodiments of the invention.
• the set of instructions may be in the form of a software program.
• the software may be in various forms such as system software or application software and which may be embodied as a tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium. Further, the software may be in the form of a collection of separate programs or modules such as a needle
• the software also may include modular programming in the form of object-oriented
• the processing of input data by the processing machine may be in response to operator commands, or in response to results of previous processing, or in response to a request made by another processing machine.

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