1. A method for functional ultrasound imaging, the method comprising:
obtaining ultrasound image data acquired from a multi-plane imaging scan of an imaged object, the ultrasound image data defining a plurality of image planes;
determining functional image information for the imaged object from two-dimensional tracking information based on the plurality of image planes; and
generating functional ultrasound image data for the imaged object using the functional image information.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein determining functional image information comprises one of separately or jointly processing each of the plurality of image frames.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising performing two-dimensional tracking to determine the functional image information.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of image planes are acquired simultaneously.
5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of image planes are acquired consecutively within a short period of time.
6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the imaged object is a heart and the ultrasound image data comprises imaged heart data with the functional information comprising myocardium contraction information.
7. A method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising automatically determining an apical point position in each of a plurality of image frames based on an apical point in at least one of the plurality of image frames.
8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the multi-plane imaging scan comprises a tri-plane imaging scan.
9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the tri-plane imaging scan comprises a plurality of apical image planes at different rotated scan angles.
10. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the multi-plane imaging scan comprises a plurality of tri-plane imaging scans.
11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the plurality of tri-plane imaging scans are sequentially acquired.
12. A method in accordance with claim 11 further comprising combining imaging data from the plurality of tri-plane imaging scans.
13. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the plurality of tri-plane imaging scans comprise a plurality of rotated single plane scans.
14. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the plurality of tri-plane imaging scans comprise a plurality of rotated bi-plane scans.
15. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising displaying a combined image based on the functional ultrasound image data.
16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the imaged object is a heart and the combined image comprises a graphical representation of a left ventricle of the imaged heart with the graphical representation including the functional image information.
17. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ultrasound image data comprises a three-dimensional (3D) acquisition data and wherein multiplane data is extracted from the 3D acquisition data.
18. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein an axis for the multiplane data is determined from a scanning axis.
19. A computer readable medium having computer readable code readable by a machine and with instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of functional imaging, the method comprising:
accessing multi-plane ultrasound image data of an imaged object;
performing two-dimensional tracking using the multi-plane ultrasound image data;
determining functional image information based on the two-dimensional tracking; and
generating functional ultrasound image data using the functional image information.
20. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 19 wherein the imaged object is a heart and the instructions executable by the machine cause the machine to further perform automatic determination of an apical point position in each of a plurality of image frames of the multi-plane ultrasound image data based on an apical point in at least one of the plurality of image frames.
21. An ultrasound imaging system comprising:
an ultrasound probe configured to perform multi-plane ultrasound imaging to acquire a plurality of image frames; and
a processor having a functional imaging module configured to determine functional image information from two-dimensional tracking information for the acquired plurality of image frames and generate functional ultrasound image data.
22. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 21 wherein the ultrasound probe comprises a three-dimensional probe having an electronically steerable matrix array.
23. An ultrasound system in accordance with claim 21 wherein the ultrasound probe comprises a three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) ultrasound probe.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computerized method for visualizing patterns within a plurality of datasets, the method comprising:
(a) inputting the plurality of datasets into a computer;
(b) defining a first dataset of the plurality of datasets comprising a target string comprising a numerical sequence;
(c) defining a region comprising a plurality of points, wherein each point serves as a domain of an iterative algorithm for generating a comparison string, and wherein the region is selected from the group consisting of a Mandelbrot set and a Julia set;
(d) selecting a point in the region;
(e) generating a comparison string comprising a second dataset from the selected point using the iterative algorithm;
(f) scoring the comparison string to generate a score by testing the comparison string against the target string;
(g) determining if the score meets a pre-determined condition;
(h) marking the point within the region if the score meets the pre-determined condition to represent a point-model of the first dataset in a human readable format; and
(i) generating a visual display wherein the point is graphically displayed at coordinates within a grid that corresponds to the region, and wherein a location of the point within the region is an indicator of similarity of the first dataset to other datasets of the plurality of datasets.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps (d) through (h) are repeated for a plurality of target strings corresponding to one or more other datasets of the plurality to generate a plurality of point-models in the region to form a map of the point-models.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a point comprises selecting the point within the grid of the visual display.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dataset of the comparison string is of any length.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating the comparison string further comprises selecting a new point for iteration if the iteration from the point becomes unbounded.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein scoring comprises a one-to-one comparison between the corresponding data in the target string and in the comparison string.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one-to-one comparison is between corresponding sequential or non-sequential data in the target string and in the comparison string.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein scoring of the comparison and target strings is based on Pearson Correlation between the strings.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein marking comprises storing the coordinates of the point corresponding to the target string or properties of the comparison string in memory, a database, or a table.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the point is displayed by changing color of a pixel in the grid.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the point-model functions as data compression for the target string.