FUJIFILM SONOSITE, INC.

Embodiments of ultrasound utility station and methods for using the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes displaying a status of the ultrasound machine that indicates a location of the ultrasound machine and an amount of charge of a battery of the ultrasound machine, and displaying an additional status that indicates an additional location of the ultrasound utility station and one or more available ultrasound probes on the ultrasound utility station. After receiving a selection of an ultrasound probe of the available ultrasound probes and a user input that determines a schedule for said configuring the ultrasound machine, the method instructs the ultrasound utility station to charge the battery of the ultrasound machine and provide the ultrasound probe for transfer to the ultrasound machine.

Ultrasound systems, methods and other apparatuses for ultrasound parameter selection are disclosed. In some embodiments, the ultrasound system includes a processor system implemented to generate ultrasound images based on the sampled data and candidate sound speeds, generate image scores for the ultrasound images, and determine the speed-of-sound values from the candidate sound speeds based on a ranking of the ultrasound images according to the image scores.

Ultrasound systems, ultrasound scanners, and methods for determining venous congestion using ultrasound are disclosed. In some embodiments, the ultrasound machine includes a display device configured to display a user interface for the ultrasound machine and a processor. The processor is configured to cause the display device to display an ultrasound image that includes a vein, cause the display device to display a Doppler waveform for the vein, determine a vein type for the vein, determine, based on the vein type, classification waveforms, and cause the user interface to display the classification waveforms.

Systems and methods for ultrasound devices with simultaneous arrays are disclosed. These systems and methods include an ultrasound having simultaneous arrays that can be used during an examination of an anatomy. The simultaneous arrays include at least a first array and a second array, where the first array transmits first ultrasound signals focused at a first depth and the second array transmits second ultrasound signals focused at a second depth that differs from the first depth. A first image is generated based on reflected signals of the first ultrasound signals from the anatomy and a second image is generated based on reflected signals of the second ultrasound signals from the anatomy. The first image can be first displayed, and the system can automatically replace the first image with the second image when an interventional instrument, shown in the first image, reaches a threshold depth of a region of interest.

Systems and methods for repeatable ultrasound using multi-array scanners are disclosed. These techniques include one or more robotic manipulators that couple to one or more multi-array ultrasound scanners to perform ultrasound examinations. The system uses ultrasound data generated by the scanner to generate registration data, which is usable to create movement instructions for the robotic manipulator(s) for controlling movement, positioning, and operation of the scanner, another scanner, or an interventional instrument (e.g., needle). In an example, one robotic manipulator uses a scanner to generate ultrasound data usable to determine positioning and orientation for a second robotic manipulator to insert an interventional instrument or to operate a second scanner. In aspects, the multi-array scanner can generate ultrasound data using a first array, and the ultrasound data is usable to determine where and how to use a second array to generate additional ultrasound data.

A method of fabricating a transducer includes embedding signal flexes and ground-return flexes inside a backing block. The method includes forming stack configurations with a height in elevation and a width perpendicular to the height. The forming includes: dicing a piezoelectric layer in the elevation into rows (separating the piezoelectric layer into portions); defining a beam pattern for the transducer by aligning the portions on the backing block; and forming gaps in-between each piezoelectric layer portion and each adjacently aligned piezoelectric layer portion. The method includes forming stacks by bonding one or more matching layers to the piezoelectric layer portions by utilizing a conductive surface of a first matching layer of the one or more matching layers. The method also includes forming cavities in the one or more matching layers in elevation, dicing the stacks along an elevation direction into multiple elements, and filling the cavities with a material.

An ultrasound imaging system computes real time physiological parameters from measurements of anatomical features in ultrasound image data using a neural network to identify the location of the anatomical features. In one embodiment, cardiac parameters are computed from endocardial wall tracings in M-mode ultrasound image data that are identified by the neural network.

Ultrasound systems, ultrasound scanners, and methods for determining port health using ultrasound are disclosed. In some embodiments, the ultrasound system includes a display device configured to display a user interface for the ultrasound system and a wearable ultrasound scanner configured to be attached to a patient over a port that is placed inside the patient, where the port is configured to supply fluid to the patient or retrieve additional fluid from the patient. The ultrasound system also includes a processor system configured to generate, based on reflections of ultrasound received by the wearable ultrasound scanner, a health status of the port, and cause the user interface to display the health status of the port.

An ultrasound device, ultrasound system and method for performing the same with a multi-array scanner are disclosed. In some embodiments, an ultrasound device includes an array that has a plurality of rows of ultrasonic transducer elements, with the plurality of rows of transducer elements having a first row of transducer element sub-arrays and two or more outer rows of transducer element sub-arrays. The two or more outer rows have at least one row on two opposite sides of the first row of transducer element sub-arrays, and transducer element sub-arrays in first and second rows of transducer element sub-arrays of the one or more outer rows have heights and widths that are different from each other, with the height of each transducer element sub-array corresponding to a lateral dimension and the width corresponding to an elevation dimension perpendicular to the lateral dimension.

Systems and methods for simultaneous acquisition of pulsed-wave Doppler and color Doppler for retrospective analysis of cardiovascular function are disclosed. In aspects, imaging techniques are used for acquisition of raw partly processed ultrasound data. The ultrasound data is stored in its raw form, synchronized with a simultaneously acquired physiological signal. The stored ultrasound data can then be accessed and processed according to pulsed-wave Doppler and color Doppler imaging techniques to provide both a full frame, or sequence of frames of color Doppler images and a post-acquisition pulsed-wave Doppler signal of a sample volume at one or more locations within the acquisition area using the color Doppler image. Such locations can be selected automatically or by a user, and a pulsed-wave spectrum for the selected location is displayed. As the user moves the sample volume around, the pulsed-wave spectral data is recomputed and redisplayed.