ULTRASOUND IMAGE GENERATION SYSTEM FOR GENERATING AN INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND IMAGE

摘要

The invention relates to the field of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging. IVUS images of a vessel 6 are provided, which have been determined based on IVUS signals acquired at different acquisition locations 9, 10 along the length of the vessel and at different acquisition times. Moreover, pressure values are provided, which are indicative of the pressure within the vessel at the acquisition times, wherein a combined IVUS image is generated by combining provided IVUS images that have been determined based on IVUS signals acquired at acquisition times at which the pressure values differ by less than a predefined deviation threshold from a reference pressure value. This use of the pressure within the vessel as a selection criterion for combining IVUS images can ensure that only IVUS images are combined, which correspond to a same vessel wall motion state, thereby reducing artifacts in the combined IVUS image.