Systems and methods for improving ultrasound image quality
Inventors
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Assignees
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MAUI ImagingMAUI Imaging develops ultrasound-based medical imaging solutions designed to overcome the limitations of traditional ultrasound, particularly in visualizing anatomy beyond bone, air, and metal barriers. Founded in 2006, the company has pioneered Computed Echo Tomography (CET) to enable diagnostic imaging in settings where conventional CT or MRI are impractical. With over 160 patents granted and FDA clearance for its K3900 system, MAUI Imaging targets applications in trauma medicine, critical care, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology, aiming to enhance timely diagnostics and interventions in both civilian and military environments.
MAUI Imaging develops ultrasound-based medical imaging solutions designed to overcome the limitations of traditional ultrasound, particularly in visualizing anatomy beyond bone, air, and metal barriers. Founded in 2006, the company has pioneered Computed Echo Tomography (CET) to enable diagnostic imaging in settings where conventional CT or MRI are impractical. With over 160 patents granted and FDA clearance for its K3900 system, MAUI Imaging targets applications in trauma medicine, critical care, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology, aiming to enhance timely diagnostics and interventions in both civilian and military environments.
Publication Number
US-12514564-B2
Publication Date
2026-01-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for improving ultrasound image quality. In some embodiments, data sets can be formed from received echoes at each of a plurality of receive elements. The data between the data sets can be masked to include or exclude data. The masked data sets can then be beamformed to form ultrasound images.
Core Innovation
The invention reduces noise in ultrasound imaging by transmitting a first unfocused ultrasound pulse with a multiple-aperture ultrasound array into a region of interest. Echoes are received from the region of interest using one or more receive elements of the multiple-aperture ultrasound array, and for each receive element a digital data set is formed for a plurality of pixels in the region of interest.
The digital data sets are averaged, and a control is applied to mask data values from the digital data sets to include or exclude data based on a user-selected percentage of the average. A masked data set output is produced and beamformed to produce one or more ultrasound images.
In a further workflow, separate digital data sets are formed for echoes received by different receiver elements, and groups of similar data are identified where common values are shared. Data is masked where the common values are shared, gap values between the digital data sets are reduced to zero or another values, or only data retained from gaps between the digital data sets is kept, and the masked data set output is beamformed to produce one or more ultrasound images.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claims. Across the independent claims, the inventive features focus on per-receiver-element digital data sets in multiple-aperture ultrasound, noise reduction using masking controlled by a user-selected percentage of an average or by shared/correlated values across receiver-element digital data sets, followed by beamforming to produce ultrasound images, including 3D ultrasound images.
Masking based on a user-selected percentage of an average
Receiving echoes from the region of interest with one or more receive elements; forming a digital data set for a plurality of pixels for each receive element; conducting an average of all the digital data sets; applying a control to mask data values from the digital data sets to include or exclude data based on a user-selected percentage of the average; producing a masked data set output; and beamforming the masked data set output to produce one or more ultrasound images.
Masking common values between receiver-element digital data sets and reducing gap values
Forming a first digital data set for echoes received by a first receiver element and a second digital data set for echoes received by a second receiver element; identifying groups of similar data where common values are shared between the first and second digital data sets; masking data where common values are shared; reducing gap values in the first and second digital data sets to zero or another values; producing a masked data set output; and beamforming the masked data set output to produce one or more ultrasound images.
Correlating similar data shared between receiver-element digital data sets and keeping only gap-retained data
Forming a first digital data set for echoes received by a first receiver element and a second digital data set for echoes received by a second receiver element; identifying groups of similar data; correlating the similar data where common values are shared between the first and second digital data sets; masking data where common values are shared; keeping only data retained from gaps between the first and second digital data sets; producing a masked data set output; and beamforming the masked data set output to produce one or more ultrasound images.
The claims cover noise reduction in ultrasound imaging in a multiple-aperture, unfocused-pulse framework using masking of echo-derived digital data sets: one claim masks based on a user-selected percentage of an average, and two claims mask shared or correlated values between receiver-element data sets while handling gap values to zero or another value, or retaining only non-shared gap data. The masked outputs are beamformed to produce ultrasound image(s), with at least one dependent refinement specifying 3D ultrasound images.
Stated Advantages
Reduces noise in ultrasound imaging.
Improves ultrasound image quality by mitigating “neighbor noise” in ping-based multiple-aperture imaging.
Documented Applications
Ping-based multiple-aperture ultrasound imaging to mitigate “neighbor noise.”
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