Joan M Main, 871030 145Th Pl SE, Bellevue, WA 98007

6458082, Oct 1, 2002

Sep 29, 1999

09/408418

John I. Jackson - Menlo Park CA
Joan C. Main - Mountain View CA
Janice L. Marshall - Sunnyvale CA

Acuson Corporation - Mountain View CA

A61B 800

600441

A system and method for converting 2-D ultrasound data into a 2-D display image. The system and method input a 2-D ultrasound data set, transform the 2-D ultrasound data set into a mathematical 3-D data set, and transform the mathematical 3-D data set into an altered 2-D data set. Another preferred embodiment of the invention involves generating a mathematical surface, such that the height of the mathematical surface is based on a first component of an ultrasound signal in a 2-D ultrasound data set; mapping the mathematical surface to points on a 2-D plane; assigning a color value to each point based on a second component of the ultrasound signal; and displaying the mapped mathematical surface with the assigned color values on a 2-D display device.

8285357, Oct 9, 2012

Sep 19, 2008

12/234484

Edward A. Gardner - San Jose CA, US
Richard M. Kane - Los Altos CA, US
Joan C. Main - Mountain View CA, US

Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. - Malvern PA

A61B 5/05

600407, 382128

A region of interest is identified by user selection. Multiple regions of interest may be identified. An image processing region is identified by adding additional spatial locations to a region of interest. The image processing region of interest is then used for image processing.

8320989, Nov 27, 2012

Sep 19, 2008

12/234511

Edward A. Gardner - San Jose CA, US
Richard M. Kane - Los Altos CA, US
Joan C. Main - Mountain View CA, US

Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. - Malvern PA

A61B 5/05

600407, 382128

A region of interest is identified by user selection of a single point. Multiple regions of interest may be identified by selection of multiple points. Region growing is then used to define the boundary of the region of interest.

2005003, Feb 10, 2005

Jun 3, 2004

10/861880

Edward Gardner - San Jose CA, US
Richard Kane - Los Altos CA, US
Joan Main - Mountain View CA, US

G06K009/00
A61B005/00

600300000, 600407000

In one embodiment, at least one visual characteristic from a selected image is used to automatically select an ultrasound image from a set of images from a plurality of heart cycles. In another embodiment, motion correction is performed on ultrasound images that are automatically selected from a plurality of ultrasound images associated with the same phase of the heart cycle. In yet another embodiment, ultrasound images are automatically selected from a set of images based on a time interval that is within a tolerance range from a reference phase of the heart cycle. In another embodiment, a stored user-preference of a phase of the heart cycle is used to automatically select an ultrasound image from a set of images. In yet another embodiment, a user-defined region of interest is placed on an ultrasound image associated with a selected phase of a heart cycle.

2005022, Oct 13, 2005

Mar 31, 2004

10/815022

Kutay Ustuner - Mountain View CA, US
Joan Main - Mountain View CA, US
Mani Vannan - Penn Valley PA, US

A61B008/00

600443000, 600447000, 128916000

An effective method to attain high volume rates in real-time three-dimensional ultrasound imaging is to reduce the lateral scan extent in azimuth and/or elevation. Reducing the scan extent, however, may make it difficult to determine the anatomical orientation during scan, or post-scan review. Anatomical landmark information is provided, with only a small impact on the volume rate by scanning along a two-dimensional plane with a greater lateral extent than a three-dimensional volume scan or by scanning over a three-dimensional volume with a lower resolution than a higher resolution sub-volume scan. The lower resolution three-dimensional image or the two-dimensional image scan provides anatomical landmark information. The higher resolution or smaller three-dimensional volume scan provides information for diagnosis of a specific region with three-dimensional imaging.

6174287, Jan 16, 2001

Jun 11, 1999

9/330547

Jeffrey R. Resnick - Foster City CA
Sriram Krishnan - San Jose CA
Richard M. Bennett - Half Moon Bay CA
Gregory L. Holley - Mountain View CA
Joan C. Main - Mountain View CA
John A. Davidson - Palo Alto CA

Acuson Corporation - Mountain View CA

A61B 800

600458

A method and system for imaging contrast agent within human or animal tissue, organs and/or blood is provided. Contrast agents, such as perfluorocarbon gas-filled albumin microbubbles which exhibit momentary contrast enhancement when exposed to high intensity ultrasound are injected into a patient. Periodic images are generated to avoid reduction in the contrast provided by the contrast agents due to ultrasound destruction. Between the periodic images, an M-mode image is substantially continuously updated to allow the user to better locate and maintain imaging of a region of interest, determine dynamic movement within the region of interest, access attenuation, determine an appropriate trigger point, and view perfusion of the contrast agent between the periodic images while minimizing destruction of contrast agent. In one embodiment, an ultrasound system alternates between triggered firings of a two-dimensional B-mode image and substantially continuous updating of an M-mode image. The M-mode image is displayed as a strip revealing the time course of reflected ultrasound echoes along a scan line within the B-mode image plane.

6217520, Apr 17, 2001

Dec 2, 1998

9/204662

Anming He - San Jose CA
Joan C. Main - Mountain View CA

Acuson Corporation - Mountain View CA

A61B 800

600467

The preferred embodiments include a diagnostic medical ultrasound system and method for object of interest extraction. Unlike some extraction techniques, the preferred embodiments do not require the user to perform the time consuming task of manually tracing the border of the object of interest. Further, unlike some automatic border detection techniques, the preferred embodiments produce an accurate border of an object of interest even if the object of interest is connected to neighboring anatomy with similar properties.

6015384, Jan 18, 2000

Aug 31, 1998

9/144843

Bhaskar S. Ramamurthy - San Jose CA
Joan C. Main - Mountain View CA

Acuson Corporation - Mountain View CA

A61B 800
A61B 806

600440

A method of imaging to aid tissue viability determinations is provided. Tissue motion is detected for at least region of tissue. Perfusion is estimated as a function of intensity data and time for the region of tissue. An image responsive to the detected tissue motion and the estimated perfusion is displayed. A combination of tissue motion imaging and perfusion estimation provides an assessment of tissue viability. If tissue exhibits perfusion and motion, then the tissue is likely normal. Any other perfusion and motion characteristic combination indicates abnormal tissue viability.