Methods and apparatus for non-uniform rotation distortion detection in an intravascular ultrasound imaging system

摘要

Methods and apparatus for non-uniform rotation distortion detection for enhanced intravascular ultrasound imaging. The present invention provides methods and apparatus which detect non-uniform rotation in an improved manner without using beacons which may create shadowing of tissue behind the beacons or other undesired artifacts in the image. In specific embodiments, the present invention may provide a particularly simple and useful solution for addressing the problem of non-uniform rotation distortion in intravascular ultrasound imaging in systems which use mechanical scanning. In specific embodiments, the present invention utilizes correlation of received signals in an image vector from reverberating ultrasound in a bubbly liquid-flushed catheter to determine non-uniform rotation of the transducer within the catheter. In other embodiments, the present invention utilizes correlation of imaging vectors within a blood speckle region given a particular beamwidth of ultrasound energy from a transducer to determine non-uniform rotation of the transducer.