METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION IMAGE BOUNDARY DETECTION

摘要

An automated method for determining the boundary between a region of blood and a region of tissue helps overcome the shortcomings of conventional methods. The method entails finding a reference power value between two separate regions within the same image, or data set. The reference power value is selected in an automated fashion from a region within a region of 100 percent blood flow and a region of tissue. A cumulative power distribution curve is generated (420) from Doppler power values corresponding to the regions of 100 percent blood flow and tissue. The cumulative power distribution curve is used to determine (440) the reference power value which indicates the boundary between the two regions. The reference power value may be used to set a green tag or to numerically indicate values that correspond to blood. If the values corresponding to blood are identified, a second cumulative power distribution curve may be generated enabling a more stable reference power value to be determined. The second reference power value may be used to estimate the power value at a depth given rouleaux formation.