Interference-free ultrasound imaging during HIFU therapy, using software tools

摘要

Disclosed herein is a method for obtaining a composite interference-free ultrasoundimage when non-imaging ultrasound waves would otherwise interfere with ultrasoundimaging. A conventional ultrasound imaging system is used to collect framesof ultrasound image data in the presence of non-imaging ultrasound waves, suchas high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). The frames are directed to a processorthat analyzes the frames to identify portions of the frame that are interference-free.Interference-free portions of a plurality of different ultrasound image framesare combined to generate a single composite interference-free ultrasound imagethat is displayed to a user. In this approach, a frequency of the non-imaging ultrasoundwaves is offset relative to a frequency of the ultrasound imaging waves, suchthat the interference introduced by the non-imaging ultrasound waves appearsin a different portion of the frames.