Ultrasound pulse-wave doppler measurement of blood flow velocity and/or turbulence

摘要

Apparatus and methods for measuring and analyzing blood flow in vessels in the bodies of living subjects are provided. The true velocity vector, or a projection thereof onto a scan plane, for blood flowing at a location in a vessel is determined from multiple Doppler velocity components. The true velocity vector is displayed as a directional marker on an image comprising the vessel. The true velocity magnitude and angle, and scalar blood flow characteristics derived therefrom, are plotted as a functions of time and/or position across the depiction of the blood vessel in the image. Time intervals for which blood flow characteristic data is displayed and/or determined may be user configurable.

主权项

1. A method for displaying blood flow information concerning blood in a vessel, the method comprising:
generating ultrasound signals by using an ultrasound transducer; producing, in electronic format, an ultrasound image of the vessel from the ultrasound signals, wherein the ultrasound image includes a representation of the vessel; displaying the ultrasound image via a display device; constructing and displaying a user-positionable cursor overlaid over a sub-portion of the representation of the vessel in the displayed ultrasound image, wherein the user-positionable cursor identifies a single sub-sample volume of interest in the vessel; obtaining, with a controller and for each of a plurality of different time intervals, a different true velocity vector of blood passing through the same single sub-sample volume located in the vessel wherein the true velocity vectors are determined from the ultrasound signals; constructing a plurality of vector-markers, each vector-marker including a graphical indicator that indicates a magnitude and an angle of a different one of the true velocity vectors, wherein each of the graphical indicators includes an arrow with a linear line segment having a first end and a second opposing end and a head disposed at the first end; displaying, concurrently, the arrows with their second ends at a same spatial point that is located within the same single sub-sample volume, wherein each of the arrows extends from the same point that is located within the same single sub-sample volume, and wherein all of the concurrently displayed plurality of the graphical indicators are concurrently visible.