| 摘要 |
A chord propagation velocity measurement (CPVM) system is used in connection with, for example, a brightness-mode (B-mode) or doppler ultrasound imaging system. The CPVM system monitors ultrasound data provided to it by the ultrasound imaging system and enhances the functionality of the ultrasound imaging system by providing a chord propagation velocity (CPV) associated with a body region, such as a blood vessel in a living thing. The CPV is indicative of the stiffness of the body region. In architecture, the CPVM system includes a tissue processor connected to the scanner of the ultrasound system designed to analyze each acoustic scan line and to determine a category (type of region, for example, blood or tissue) for each point along each acoustic scan line. A display produces an image generated from acoustic scan lines. A user input mechanism permits a user to identify a region of interest in the image. The tissue processor produces samples based upon the region of interest in the image. A CPV determination system, which is connected to the tissue processor, acquires a plurality of the samples from different subregions along a longitudinal span of the region for each of a plurality of different cycles, derives a plurality of composites, one for each subregion, by combining corresponding samples from different cycles, and produces a CPV based upon the plurality of composites. Preferably, the CPV is displayed, printed, or otherwise output by the CPVM system to the user of the ultrasound imaging system in real time to permit immediate analysis, and evaluation of the body region by the user.
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