Formation of an elastic image in an ultrasound system

摘要

Embodiments for forming elastic images in an ultrasound system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a Tx/Rx unit repeatedly transmits/receives an ultrasound beam along scan lines in a target object to output receive signals. An image processing unit forms a plurality of consecutive ultrasound images based on the receive signals and set a center of the target object on each of the ultrasound images. The image processing unit further sets radial scan lines in radial directions with respect to the center on each of the ultrasound image and reconstructs the ultrasound images such that the radial scan lines are in parallel with each other to form reconstruction images. An elastic image forming unit forms an elastic image based on the reconstruction images.

主权项

1. An ultrasound system, comprising:
a transmission/reception (Tx/Rx) unit configured to repeatedly transmit/receive an ultrasound beam along first scan lines and the second scan lines in a target object to output first receive signals and second receive signals, respectively, wherein the first scan lines are parallel with each other and the second scan lines are passing a center of the target object; an image processing unit configured to form first ultrasound images and second ultrasound images based on the first receive signals and the second receive signals, respectively, detect boundaries of the target object on each of the first ultrasound images and the second ultrasound images, and set the center of the target object on each of the first ultrasound images and the second ultrasound images based on the detected boundaries, the image processing unit being further configured to set first radial lines in first radial directions with respect to the center on each of the first ultrasound images, set second radial lines in second radial directions with respect to the center on each of the second ultrasound images, and reconstruct the first ultrasound images and the second ultrasound images such that the first radial lines and the second radial lines are in parallel with each other to form first reconstruction images and second reconstruction images, respectively; an image compounding unit configured to form compound images by using the first reconstruction images and the second reconstruction images; and an elastic image forming unit configured to form at least one elastic image based on the compound images.