Pronombres del predicado

• Manual or Semi automatic Contour detection of structures (such as tumor lesion, cyst, prostate, etc.) and subsequent volume calculation.

The accuracy of the process can be visually controlled by the examiner in multi-planar display.

• Construction of a virtual shell around the contour of the lesion. The wall thickness of the shell can be defined. The shell can be imagined as a layer of tissue around the lesion, where the tumor vascularization takes place.

• Automatic calculation of the vascularization within the shell by 3D color histogram by comparing the number of color voxels to the number of grayscale voxels.

5-2-4-5 XTD-View (Extended View)

XTD-View provides the ability to construct and view a static 2D image which is wider than the field of view of a given transducer. This feature allows viewing and measurement of anatomy that is larger than what would fit in a single image. XTD-View constructs the extended image from individual image frames as the operator slides the transducer along the surface of the skin in direction of the scan plane.

Examples include scanning of vascular structures and connective tissues in the arms and legs.

Chapter 5 - Components and Functions (Theory) 5-19 5-2-4-6 STIC (Spatio-Temporal Image Correlation)

With this acquisition method the fetal heart or an artery can be visualized in 4D.

It is not a Real Time 4D technique, but a post processed 3D acquisition.

In order to archive a good result, try to adjust the size of the volume box and the sweep angle to be as small as possible. The longer the acquisition time, the better the spatial resolution will be.

A good STIC, STIC CFM (2D+CFM), STIC PD (2D+PD) or STIC HD (2D+HD-Flow) data set shows a regular and synchronous pumping of the fetal heart or of an artery.

The user must be sure that there is minimal movement of the participating persons (e.g., mother and fetus), and that the probe is held absolutely still throughout the acquisition period. Movement will cause a failure of the acquisition. The acquired images are post processed to calculate a 4D Volume Cine sequence. Please make sure that the borders of the fetal heart or the artery are smooth and there are no sudden discontinuities. If the user (trained operator) clearly recognizes a disturbance during the acquisition period, the acquisition has to be cancelled.

• STIC - Fetal Cardio is only available on RAB & RIC probes in the OB/GYN application.

• STIC - Vascular is only available on the RSP probe in the Peripheral Vascular application.

5-2-4-7 XBeam CRI - CrossBeam Compound Resolution Imaging

In this special B-mode, beams are transmitted not only perpendicularly to the acoustic window, but also in oblique directions. Between three and nine beams are correlated to form one image line.

The advantages of CrossBeam Compound Resolution Imaging are enhanced contrast resolution with better tissue differentiation and clear organ borders. Also vessel walls and tissue layers are emphasized for easier recognition.

5-2-4-8 B-Flow

B-Flow is especially intuitive when viewing blood flow, for acute thrombosis, parenchymal flow and jets.

It helps to visualize complex hemodynamics and highlights moving blood in tissue.

B-Flow is less angle-independent, no velocity aliasing artifacts, displays a full field of view and provides better resolution when compared with Color-Doppler Mode. It is therefore a more realistic (intuitive) representation of flow information, allowing to view both high and low velocity flow at the same time.

5-2-4-9 VCI - Volume Contrast Imaging

Volume Contrast Imaging utilizes 4D transducers to automatically scan multiple adjacent slices and delivers a real-time display of the ROI.

This image results from a special rendering mode consisting of texture and transparency information.

VCI improves the contrast resolution and therefore facilitates finding of diffuse lesions in organs.

VCI has more information (from multiple slices) and is of advantage in gaining contrast due to improved signal/noise ratio.

Static VCI is a part of the VCI option, which allow to apply the contrast enhancing VCI method to 3D data sets after the acquisition.

BT Version:

BT-Version: At systems upgraded to BT05/BT08 (SW5.x.x), this Mode is standard.

BT Version:

BT-Version: "B-Flow" is optional at BT04 and BT05 systems. However, at BT08 systems (SW5.4.0 or higher

installed), or systems that were upgraded to BT08 via upgrade kit, this feature is standard.

A software only update (no new BT-version key) does NOT activate this feature.

It remain optional and can be obtained via sales order.

BT Version:

BT-Version: "VCI" is optional at BT04 and BT05 systems. However, at BT08 systems (SW5.4.0 installed), or

systems that were upgraded to BT08 via upgrade kit, this feature is standard.

A software only update (no new BT-version key) does NOT activate this feature.

It remain optional and can be obtained via sales order.

5-20 Section 5-2 - General Information 5-2-4-10 Coded Contrast Imaging

Injected contrast agents re-emit incident acoustic energy at a harmonic frequency much more efficiently than the surrounding tissue. Blood containing the contrast agent stands out brightly against a dark background of normal tissue.

Possible clinical uses are to detect and characterize tumors of the liver, kidney and pancreas and to enhance flow signals in the determination of stenosis or thrombus.

5-2-4-11 SRI or SRI II - Speckle Reduction Imaging

A type of image noise or interference is generally considered undesirable and can obscure the quality or interpretation of B-mode images. Although somewhat associated with the underlying echogenicity of tissue scatters, image speckle characteristics such as brightness, density or size have no apparent value in determining tissue structure or related properties. The elimination of or significant reduction in speckle improves the quality or diagnostic potential of the image.

The method applied in the subject modification utilizes a nonlinear diffusion filtering technique that permits effective speckle reduction in real time. The speckle reduction filter is available to the user in all B-mode imaging, independent of the transducer used.

5-2-4-12 T.U.I - Tomographic Ultrasound Imaging

TUI is a new visualisation mode for 3D and 4D data sets. The data is presented as slices through the data set which are parallel to each other. An overview image, which is orthogonal to the parallel slices, shows which parts of the volume are displayed in the parallel planes. This method of visualisation is consistent with the way other medical systems such as CT or MRI, present the data to the user.

The distance between the different planes can be adjusted to the requirements of the given data set.

In addition it is possible to set the number of planes. The planes and the overview image can also be printed to a DICOM printer, for easier comparison of the ultrasound data with CT and/or MRI data.

5-2-4-13 Inversion

Inversion render mode is used to display anechoic structures such as vessels.

It is a simple gray render mode but inverts the gray values of the rendered image (e.g., image information that was black becomes white and vice versa).

5-2-4-14 SonoVCAD Heart- Computer Assisted Heart Diagnosis Package

VCAD is a technology that automatically generates a number of views of the fetal heart to make diagnosis easier. At this time it can help to find the right and left outflow tract of the heart and the fetal stomach.

BT Version:

BT-Version:Th BT05 and BT08 provide an enhanced SRI II option. This option is not activated by the SRI option for

BT04, although the system is upgraded to BT05/BT08 (SW5.x.x).

Upgraded systems which have the SRI option continue to use the feature as it was in BT04.

BT Version:

BT-Version: The option “TUI” is only applicable at systems with BT05/BT08 software (SW5.x.x installed).

BT Version:

BT-Version: At systems upgraded to BT05/BT08 (SW5.x.x), this Mode is standard.

BT Version:

BT-Version: The option “SonoVCAD Heart” is only applicable at systems with BT08 software (SW5.4.0 or higher).

Chapter 5 - Components and Functions (Theory) 5-21