Feng Lin

US Patent:

7846099, Dec 7, 2010

Filed:

Oct 23, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/551755

Inventors:

Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US
Christopher Robert Hazard - Niskayuna NY, US
David Thomas Dubberstein - Waukesha WI, US
Steven Charles Miller - Waukesha WI, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600447, 600443

Abstract:

A method of performing a scanning sequence for an ultrasound scan includes establishing a number of ultrasound beams to be transmitted during an ultrasound scan, establishing a pulse repetition interval to be used for performing the ultrasound scan, and establishing a number of firings of each of the ultrasound beams to be performed during the ultrasound scan. The method further includes performing a scanning sequence based on a processing of one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of the number of ultrasound beams, the pulse repetition interval, and the number of firings of the ultrasound beams, wherein the processing of the one or more parameters is configured to provide a continuous interleaving in the transmitted beams thereby avoiding a generation of beam interleaving discontinuities and a formation of artifacts in a resulting image.

US Patent:

8100831, Jan 24, 2012

Filed:

Nov 22, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/562920

Inventors:

Karsten Hiltawsky - Garching b. Munchen, DE
Christopher R. Hazard - Niskayuna NY, US
Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600438, 600407, 600442, 600443, 600447

Abstract:

Ultrasound data of a biological tissue is acquired in a relaxed state and a tensed state. A strain is estimated directly from the relaxed state ultrasound data and the tensed state ultrasound data by way of an imaginary part of a complex correlation function. In estimating the strain, the tensed state ultrasound data is re-stretched, and the imaginary part of the complex correlation function is calculated from this re-stretched ultrasound data and the relaxed state ultrasound data. A slope factor is also calculated, and the strain is estimated from this slope factor and the imaginary part of the complex correlation function.

US Patent:

8123692, Feb 28, 2012

Filed:

Dec 6, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/567285

Inventors:

Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US
Christopher Robert Hazard - Niskayuna NY, US
Karsten Hiltawsky - Schwerte, DE
Zhe Wu - Waukesha WI, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600443

Abstract:

An apparatus, system and method for adaptively controlling a frame interval between ultrasound scanning frames of an ultrasound elasticity imaging scan. The system includes a transmitter for transmitting ultrasound beams to a subject during an ultrasound elasticity imaging scan, and a receiver for receiving ultrasound beam echoes from the subject responsive to transmitted ultrasound beams. The system also includes a processor for processing a plurality of the ultrasound beam echoes to determine a strain variation of the tissue undergoing strain, calculating a value for an ultrasound scanning frame interval adapted for imaging the tissue undergoing the determined strain variation, and setting the value of the ultrasound scanning frame interval for acquiring ultrasound elasticity images of the tissue undergoing the determined strain variation.

US Patent:

8197407, Jun 12, 2012

Filed:

Mar 10, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/045434

Inventors:

Lihong Pan - Brookfield WI, US
Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600437, 600443, 600458

Abstract:

A non-linear response may be measured by transmitting a first pulse at an amplitude and transmit frequency, using an aperture having N elements. A first response is measured at a sub-harmonic frequency based on the transmit frequency. At least second and third pulses are transmitted at the amplitude and transmit frequency. At least second and third responses are measured at the sub-harmonic frequency. The second and third pulses have the same phase with respect to each other and use first and second sub-apertures that have different ones of the N elements. A sum of the elements within the first and second sub-apertures is equal to N. Alternatively, at least two pulses having the same aperture and different amplitudes may be transmitted, and the responses measured at the sub-harmonic frequency. The responses are combined to suppress linear echoes and determine a non-linear response.

US Patent:

8235905, Aug 7, 2012

Filed:

May 26, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/471732

Inventors:

Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600443, 600442, 600458

Abstract:

A method for automatic image optimization in ultrasound imaging of an object is provided. The method includes transmitting a first ultrasound signal into the object, wherein the signal has a plurality of first signal parameters. The method also includes receiving a first set of electrical signals representing reflections of the first ultrasound signals from the object and processing the first set of electrical signals into a first image. The method evaluates an image quality cost function for the first image to produce a first image quality metric and determines a second plurality of signal parameters based upon the first image quality metric. Similarly, the method includes transmitting a second ultrasound signal into the object, wherein the signal has the second plurality of signal parameters and receiving a second set of electrical signals representing reflections of the second ultrasound signal from the object and processing the second set of electrical signals into a second image. The method also includes evaluating an image quality cost function for the second image to produce a second image quality metric. The method further includes comparing the first image quality metric and the second image quality metric to determine whether a maximized image quality metric has been reached and assigning multiple signal parameters that produced the maximized image quality metric as optimum parameters.

US Patent:

20100069751, Mar 18, 2010

Filed:

Sep 18, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/212903

Inventors:

Christopher Robert Hazard - Niskayuna NY, US
Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US
Mirsaid Seyed Bolorforosh - Albany NY, US
Kenneth Wayne Rigby - Clifton Park NY, US

Assignee:

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY - SCHENECTADY NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600438

Abstract:

An ultrasound imaging method for detecting a target region of altered stiffness is provided. The method comprises delivering at least one reference pulse to the target region to detect an initial position of the target region, delivering a first pushing pulse having a first value of a variable parameter to a target region to displace the target region to a first displaced position, delivering a first tracking pulse to detect the first displaced position of the target region, delivering a second pushing pulse having a second value of the variable parameter to the target region to displace the target region to a second displaced position, and delivering a second tracking pulse to detect the second displaced position of the target region. An ultrasound imaging system for detecting a region of altered stiffness is also provided.

US Patent:

20100191113, Jul 29, 2010

Filed:

Jan 28, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/360881

Inventors:

Christopher Robert Hazard - Niskayuna NY, US
Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US
Kenneth Wayne Rigby - Clifton Park NY, US

Assignee:

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/14
G01N 29/04

US Classification:

600443, 73596, 600459

Abstract:

An ultrasound imaging method is provided. The method includes identifying a plurality of locations within a region of interest, delivering a pulse sequence to two or more of the plurality of locations in a determined order, wherein the pulse sequence comprises a pushing pulse, and a tracking pulse, and applying a motion correction sequence to each of the plurality of locations where the pulse sequence is delivered.

US Patent:

20110054317, Mar 3, 2011

Filed:

Aug 31, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/551206

Inventors:

Feng Lin - Niskayuna NY, US
Suhyun Park - Schenectady NY, US
Xiaodong Tao - Niskayuna NY, US
Kai Thomenius - Clifton Park NY, US
Menachem Halmann - Milwaukee WI, US

International Classification:

A61B 8/14
G06K 9/00

US Classification:

600443, 382131

Abstract:

A system for dynamic optimization of gain and contrast in ultrasound imaging includes an image processor module programmed to dynamically estimate a correction profile in real-time and apply the correction profile to adjust a gain and contrast of image frame data sets. The image processor module is programmed to identify tissue and background regions in an image frame data set, determine an image intensity for each of the tissue and background regions, and formulate a gain profile based on the image intensity of the tissue region to compensate the gain variation of an image. The image processor module is further programmed to calculate an image contrast metric based on the image intensity of the tissue and background regions, and modify a gray map of the image frame data set based on the image contrast metric to adjust the contrast of an image displayed on the display system.