WO2016002992A1 - Image distortion compensation system for three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image distortion compensation system for a three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic device, the image distortion compensation system for a three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic device having the purpose of solving the problem of the error of an obtained image increasing according to the diagnostician operating the three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic device, the problem being solved by selecting a two-dimensional ultrasound image for rendering an obtained two-dimensional ultrasound image into a three-dimensional image by using the moving speed and location of an ultrasonic probe, and rendering the two-dimensional ultrasound image into a three-dimensional image, thereby compensating for image distortion in the three-dimensional ultrasound image so as to increase the quality of the three-dimensional ultrasound image.

Description

Image Image Distortion Correction System for 3D Ultrasound

The present invention relates to an image image distortion correction system for a 3D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus. The present invention relates to a method for correcting a problem in which an error of an image obtained by a diagnostic operator operating a 3D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus increases. Image for 3D ultrasound diagnosis to improve 3D ultrasound image quality by correcting image distortion of 3D ultrasound image by selecting and rendering 2D ultrasound image for 3D rendering using moving speed and position An image distortion correction system.

In general, as an ultrasound device used for medical purposes, an ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus mainly used to image organs and fetuses in the human body may be mentioned. Unlike other medical devices for internal imaging such as X-ray radiography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), an ultrasound imager can steer the radiation angle of an ultrasound to the human body. It is possible to image specific points inside, there is no damage to the human body, such as radiation, and there is an advantage that the image can be obtained in a relatively short time than other medical equipment for internal imaging.

Means and / or devices for mutually converting an ultrasonic signal and an electrical signal are essential in order to implement an image with an ultrasound image diagnosis apparatus, which is called an ultrasound probe or an ultrasound transducer in the art. The ultrasonic probe reduces the difference in acoustic impedance between the piezoelectric layer and the human body so that the piezoelectric layer vibrates and converts electrical and acoustic signals to each other. And an ultrasonic module comprising a matching layer, a lens layer for focusing the ultrasonic waves traveling forward of the piezoelectric layer to a specific point, and a sound absorbing layer for preventing the distortion of the ultrasonic waves by preventing the propagation of the ultrasonic waves behind the piezoelectric layer. A general medical ultrasound probe has a plurality of ultrasound elements, except that it is composed of a single ultrasound element for general and special use.

Medical ultrasonic probes can be classified into various criteria such as the number of ultrasonic elements, the arrangement of ultrasonic elements or the shape of the arrangement axis of ultrasonic elements, or their application fields. It can be divided into a multi-element type ultrasonic probe. In this case, the multi-element type ultrasonic probe includes a 1-dimensional array type ultrasonic probe in which ultrasonic elements are arranged on a single axis according to an arrangement method of ultrasonic elements, and 2 in which the ultrasonic elements are arranged on a plurality of axes crossing each other. It can be divided into 2 dimensional array type ultrasonic probe, and the 1 dimensional array type ultrasonic probe is a linear array ultrasonic probe and a curvilinear array ultrasonic probe according to the shape of the array axis of the ultrasonic elements. And so on.

In order to obtain a three-dimensional image by using the one-dimensional array ultrasonic probe, a diagnostic person uses a manual operation to move the one-dimensional array ultrasonic probe or mechanically move the one-dimensional array ultrasonic probe. However, in the case of the one-dimensional array type ultrasonic probe that allows the diagnostic operator to obtain a three-dimensional image by hand, the quality of the image is extremely poor due to the uneven contrast interval and the error of the acquired image is increased according to the diagnostic person. There is a problem.

In order to improve this, a method of mechanically moving a one-dimensional array ultrasonic probe to obtain a three-dimensional image has been actively studied. As such a technique, Korean Patent No. 10-1076917 is disclosed, and a PRF signal input to an ultrasonic probe is disclosed. (Pulse Repetition Frequency Signal) intervals and based on the control of the drive flow of the motor to control the backlash (Backlash), the sync with the PRF signal in the non-linear ultrasonic probe that allows the perfect sync with the PRF signal It is about controlling.

However, the conventional technology is capable of improving the image quality of the ultrasound image by adjusting the backlash by controlling the drive flow of the rotary motor embedded in the ultrasound probe, so that the synchronization with the PRF signal is achieved. Careful attention should be paid to the parts caused by the impact of the driving of the rotary motor built in.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art as described above is to move the ultrasonic probe to the two-dimensional ultrasound image obtained in order to solve the problem that the error of the image is obtained according to the diagnostic operator operating the three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic device The purpose of the present invention is to improve the quality of a 3D ultrasound image by correcting an image distortion of the 3D ultrasound image by selecting and rendering a 2D ultrasound image for 3D rendering using speed and position.

In addition, the present invention has another object for detecting the moving speed and position of the ultrasonic probe with higher reliability by detecting the moving speed and position of the ultrasonic probe by a plurality of means rather than one means.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, comprising: a two-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of two-dimensional ultrasound images of a target site of a subject for a predetermined time; A detector for detecting a moving speed and a position of the ultrasonic probe provided in the 2D ultrasound image acquisition unit; A distortion image corrector for correcting image distortion of a 3D ultrasound image by selecting the 2D ultrasound image by using a moving speed and a position of the ultrasound probe detected by the detector; A rendering unit configured to render a 2D ultrasound image selected by the distortion image correcting unit and configure a 3D ultrasound image; And a display unit for displaying the 3D ultrasound image.

Therefore, the image image distortion correction system for the 3D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of the present invention selects the 2D image in consideration of the moving speed and position of the acoustic wave probe to correct the image distortion when rendering in 3D to improve the quality of the 3D ultrasound image. It is effective to improve.

1 is a view showing a change in the movement speed generated with time during a general hand operation,

2 is a flow chart for controlling the sync with the PRF signal in a non-linear ultrasonic probe according to the prior art,

3 is a block diagram of an image image distortion correction system for a three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

The terms or words used in this specification and claims are not to be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings, and the inventors may appropriately define the concept of terms in order to best describe their invention. It should be interpreted as meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that the present invention.

Therefore, the embodiments described in the specification and the drawings shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiment of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical idea of the present invention, various modifications that can be replaced at the time of the present application It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a block diagram of an image image distortion correction system for a three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the system for correcting image image distortion of the 3D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of the present invention is a 2D ultrasound image acquisition unit 100 for a predetermined time period of the ultrasound probe with respect to the target site of the subject. A plurality of two-dimensional ultrasound images are obtained by scanning.

In the case of a plurality of two-dimensional ultrasound images obtained as described above, when scanning a target part of a subject by hand manipulation as shown in FIG. 1, it is almost impossible to scan at a constant speed during the scanning time. Accordingly, the 3D ultrasound image generated by 3D rendering of the plurality of 2D ultrasound images may cause distortion of the image image. In the present invention, in order to improve this, the ultrasonic probe provided in the 2D ultrasound image acquisition unit 100 may be used. A distortion image correction unit 300 including a detection unit 200 for detecting a movement speed and a position, and selecting the 2D ultrasound image by using the movement speed and position of the ultrasonic probe detected by the detection unit. Corrects the image distortion of the 3D ultrasound image, and renders the selected 2D ultrasound image by the rendering unit 400 The 3D ultrasound image is displayed on the display unit 500 by synthesizing the sound wave image.

In order to prevent the distortion of the 3D image, the detection unit 200 for detecting the moving speed and the position of the ultrasonic probe extracts the feature points of the ultrasonic probe from the image photographed by the image capturing means 210, The position is detected and transmitted to the distortion image corrector 300.

Detecting the moving speed and the position of the ultrasonic probe may be detected by the contour recognition of the ultrasonic probe, but it is more preferable to detect the moving speed and the position of the ultrasonic probe by extracting feature points for reducing the throughput of data.

The image capturing means 210 is provided in the main body of the 3D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, acquires the movement of the marker formed on the ultrasound probe, stores the acquired image signal as image data, and then stores information on the marker through image processing. Acquire.

In addition, the detection unit is further provided by attaching, incorporating or integrating the sensor means 220 which detects the moving speed and position in addition to the image photographing means 210 to the ultrasonic probe, and the sensor means 220 has an output value by wire or wirelessly. The distortion image correction unit 300 is transmitted.

The sensor means 220 is a six-axis sensor that senses motion and direction in space, and can realize the function of the six-axis sensor by combining a single or a plurality of sensors among geomagnetic sensors, acceleration sensors, gyro sensors, and optical sensors. It is selected and implemented.

In the case of geomagnetic sensors, products that allow the geomagnetic sensor to independently implement the function of a 6-axis sensor are implemented. Combining a plurality of sensors is a method of geomagnetic sensor that detects the 3-axis and the directionality of an acceleration sensor that recognizes motion in space. It is possible to implement a six-axis sensor by using the three axes, unlike the existing three axes that only recognize a single motion from this, there is an advantage that can recognize the continuous motion.

In addition, in order to correct the distorted image by hand manipulation, the two-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition of the two-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition unit 100 may be obtained in real time to render the acquired image at least ten times per second.

The distorted image corrector 300 synchronizes the 2D ultrasound image acquired by the 2D ultrasound image acquirer 100 and the moving speed and the position detected by the detector 200 with each other in a 1: 1 time, and stores the temporal information. The moving speed and position to be synchronized by using one or two moving speeds and positions using the moving speeds and positions detected by the image capturing means 210 and the sensor means 220 of the detector 200, respectively. It is possible to determine, and more preferably, it is possible to improve the reliability of the data by arithmetically determining the two moving speeds and positions detected by the image capturing means 210 and the sensor means 22.

In addition, the two-dimensional ultrasound image for rendering in three dimensions in the rendering unit 400 is selected in consideration of the moving speed and position in the distortion image correction unit 300, the two-dimensional ultrasound image in the distortion image correction unit 300 It is possible to select the selected two-dimensional ultrasound image so as to be equally spaced temporally and spatially, and more preferably, it is preferably selected so as to be spaced at equal intervals so that the subject portion of the subject can be uniformly rendered. Do.

In addition, when the 2D ultrasound image is rendered in 3D, a warping algorithm is used to find an alignment position by comparing partial regions at the same distance from the center of the image in consideration of the movement motion factors of the 2D image. Preferably, a corresponding point of the 2D ultrasound image is searched using a dimension dynamic wrapping (DDW) algorithm.

Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments as described above, it is not limited to the above embodiments and those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Various changes and modifications will be possible.

Claims (10)

In the three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic machine, A two-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of two-dimensional ultrasound images of a target site of a subject for a predetermined time; A detector for detecting a moving speed and a position of the ultrasonic probe provided in the 2D ultrasound image acquisition unit; A distortion image corrector for correcting image distortion of a 3D ultrasound image by selecting the 2D ultrasound image by using a moving speed and a position of the ultrasound probe detected by the detector; A rendering unit configured to render a 2D ultrasound image selected by the distortion image correcting unit and configure a 3D ultrasound image; And The image image distortion correction system for a three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostics, characterized in that consisting of a display unit for displaying the three-dimensional ultrasound image. The method of claim 1, The detector extracts a feature point of the ultrasound probe from an image photographed by the image capturing means, detects a moving speed and a position of the ultrasound probe, and transmits the detected image point to the distorted image corrector. Calibration system. The method of claim 2, The image capturing means is provided in the main body of the 3D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, acquires movement of the marker formed on the ultrasound probe, stores the acquired image signal as image data, and acquires information on the marker through image processing. Image image distortion correction system for a three-dimensional ultrasound diagnostics. The method of claim 2, The detection unit further includes a sensor means in the ultrasonic probe to detect the moving speed and position, the sensor means for transmitting the output value to the distortion image correction unit by wire or wireless. Video image distortion correction system. The method of claim 4, wherein And said sensor means is a six-axis sensor for sensing motion and direction in space. The method of claim 5, The six-axis sensor is image image distortion correction system for a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostics, characterized in that the implemented by the geomagnetic sensor, acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, optical sensor. The method of claim 1, 2D ultrasound image acquisition of the 2D ultrasound image acquisition unit is a three-dimensional ultrasound image distortion correction system for the diagnostic image, characterized in that to obtain the acquired image in real time to render at least 10 times per second. The method of claim 4, wherein The distortion image corrector corrects the image image distortion of the 3D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, wherein the 2D ultrasound image acquired by the 2D ultrasound image acquisition unit and the moving speed and the position detected by the detector are synchronized with each other in time. system. The method of claim 8, The moving speed and position for synchronizing in time are determined by arithmetically averaging the moving speed and position detected by the image pickup means and the sensor means of the detector, respectively. The method of claim 1, And selecting the 2D ultrasound image comprises selecting the 2D ultrasound image so that the selected 2D ultrasound image is spatially equidistantly spaced.

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