Scott T Roth

US Patent:

6932770, Aug 23, 2005

Filed:

Aug 4, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/633949

Inventors:

Harold M. Hastings - Garden City NY, US
Steven J. L. Evans - Mamaroneck NY, US
Scott L. Roth - East Hills NY, US

Assignee:

Prisma Medical Technologies LLC - New Hyde Park NY

International Classification:

A61B008/00

US Classification:

600443

Abstract:

A method for reducing speckle in an ultrasonic image formed from a digitized scan line including linearly arranged signal intensity data points obtained from ultrasonic energy reflected by structures within a body. The scan line is divided into intensity pixels. Each intensity pixel includes at least one data point. A raw intensity level and a feature gain factor are determined for each intensity pixel. A corrected intensity level is calculated for each intensity pixel by multiplying the raw intensity level for each intensity pixel by the corresponding feature gain factor. The corrected intensity level of each intensity pixel is displayed.

US Patent:

7717850, May 18, 2010

Filed:

Nov 24, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/997059

Inventors:

Scott L. Roth - East Hills NY, US
Harold M. Hastings - Garden City NY, US

Assignee:

Imacor Inc. - Uniondale NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600437, 600443, 600449

Abstract:

The visibility of features in ultrasound images that include at least two types of tissue can be improved by processing the images using a variety of algorithms. In one such algorithm, the ratio of power in a first spatial frequency band to power in a second spatial frequency band is computed for a plurality of samples of a received ultrasound return signal that are associated with a given pixel. In another such algorithm, the ratio of power in a first spatial frequency band to total power is computed. With both algorithms, the computed ratio is then mapped to a gain for the given pixel, the raw intensity of the given pixel is modified in accordance with the gain, and the pixel is displayed with the modified intensity.

US Patent:

7998073, Aug 16, 2011

Filed:

Apr 4, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/098923

Inventors:

Scott L. Roth - East Hills NY, US
Harold M. Hastings - Garden City NY, US

Assignee:

Imacor Inc. - Garden City NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600437, 600443, 600449

Abstract:

Signal processing techniques reduce the impact of noise (including speckle noise and shot noise) on ultrasound images by reducing the intensity of pixels that are probably noise and increasing the intensity of pixels that are probably signal. The decision of whether a given pixel is probably noise or probably signal is made based on spectral characteristics of the samples in and around the given pixel, based on knowledge of the expected spectral characteristics of the signal and the expected spectral characteristics of the noise.

US Patent:

8165364, Apr 24, 2012

Filed:

May 30, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/129912

Inventors:

Scott L. Roth - East Hills NY, US
Edward Paul Harhen - Duxbury MA, US
Harold M. Hastings - Garden City NY, US
Nicolas Heron - New York NY, US

Assignee:

Imacor Inc. - Uniondale NY

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382128, 382200, 382131

Abstract:

To keep the temperature of an ultrasound probe down, the probe is operated at a low frame rate (with correspondingly low heat generation) for the vast majority of time. Probe operation is only switched to the high frame rate temporarily at times when high temporal resolution is needed, preferably under operator control. The probe is only operated at the high frame rate for a short period of time, during which a burst of images with high temporal resolution is obtained. After capturing the short burst of images, the frame rate is cut back, which reduces the generation of heat.

US Patent:

8246545, Aug 21, 2012

Filed:

Sep 20, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/533641

Inventors:

Harold M. Hastings - Garden City NY, US
Scott L. Roth - East Hills NY, US

Assignee:

Imacor Inc. - Garden City NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600459, 367153, 367154, 367155, 73627, 73628, 310317, 310318, 310331, 310336, 310368

Abstract:

A phased array ultrasound transducer is made from a plurality of independently excitable elements that are arranged in a row in the azimuthal direction, configured so that azimuthal aiming of an outgoing ultrasound beam is controlled by timing the excitation of the elements. The geometry of the elements is configured to focus the outgoing beam in the elevation direction so as to improve the images of target regions located at or about a particular radial distance. In some embodiments, this is accomplished by forming each element from a plurality of subelements that are stacked in the elevation direction, with the subelements of any given element all (a) wired together and (b) positioned at about the same distance from a substantially rod-shaped focal region.

US Patent:

8641627, Feb 4, 2014

Filed:

Nov 24, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/996816

Inventors:

Scott L. Roth - East Hills NY, US
Harold M. Hastings - Garden City NY, US

Assignee:

Imacor Inc. - Garden City NY

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600459, 600443, 600444, 600445, 600450, 600463

Abstract:

Transesophageal echocardiography is implemented using a miniature transversely oriented transducer that is preferably small enough to fit in a 7. 5 mm diameter probe, and most preferably small enough to fit in a 5 mm diameter probe. Signal processing techniques improve the depth of penetration to the point where the complete trans-gastric short axis view of the left ventricle can be obtained, despite the fact that the transducer is so small. The reduced diameter of the probe (as compared to prior art probes) reduces risks to patients, reduces or eliminates the need for anesthesia, and permits long term direct-visualization monitoring of patients' cardiac function.

US Patent:

20070083121, Apr 12, 2007

Filed:

Sep 22, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/534403

Inventors:

Harold Hastings - Garden City NY, US
Scott Roth - East Hills NY, US

International Classification:

A61B 8/14

US Classification:

600459000

Abstract:

The azimuthal aperture of the transducer in a transesophageal echocardiography probe can be maximized, for a given probe diameter, by eliminating unnecessary structures in the azimuthal direction.

US Patent:

20090069682, Mar 12, 2009

Filed:

Jan 23, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/018621

Inventors:

Harold M. Hastings - Garden City NY, US
Scott L. Roth - East Hills NY, US

International Classification:

A61B 8/00

US Classification:

600443

Abstract:

An improved approach for implementing depth-based gain control is implemented by adjusting the gain at each depth in the image based on a family of stored curves, with each curve in the family specifying the gain adjustment for all depths as a function of depth. A user interface enables the user to select an entire curve at once (as opposed to the prior art approach of using a set of individually and independently adjustable gain controls for each depth range). The selected curve is then used to modify the gain adjustment provided by the default time gain compensation (TGC) curve.