US 12,138,114 B2
Apparatus and method to guide ultrasound acquisition of the peripheral arteries in the transverse plane
Ram L. Bedi, Issaquah, WA (US); Todor Jeliaskov, Scottsdale, AZ (US); Charles D. Emery, Gilbert, AZ (US); and Ivan S. Mitzev, Sofia (BG)
Assigned to Atherosys, Inc., Issaquah, WA (US)
Filed by Atherosys, Inc., Issaquah, WA (US)
Filed on Aug. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/456,400.
Application 18/456,400 is a continuation of application No. 16/268,151, filed on Feb. 5, 2019, granted, now 11,771,399.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/627,457, filed on Feb. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0404523 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 8/08 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/06 (2006.01); A61B 8/14 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/0891 (2013.01) [A61B 5/7405 (2013.01); A61B 5/742 (2013.01); A61B 5/7455 (2013.01); A61B 8/06 (2013.01); A61B 8/085 (2013.01); A61B 8/14 (2013.01); A61B 8/42 (2013.01); A61B 8/4444 (2013.01); A61B 8/4461 (2013.01); A61B 8/463 (2013.01); A61B 8/488 (2013.01); A61B 8/5223 (2013.01); A61B 8/5292 (2013.01); A61B 8/0858 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound system configured to guide ultrasound acquisition in an individual, comprising:
a handheld transducer configured to direct ultrasound signals towards tissue and to detect corresponding echo signals from the tissue;
processing circuitry operably coupled to the handheld transducer and configured to execute program instructions to produce ultrasound image data from the detected echo signals and analyze the image data via the processing circuitry, wherein analyzing the image data comprises:
(i) defining a region of interest from the tissue;
(ii) identifying an artery from the region of interest as the echo signals are being acquired, based on:
a brightness of a wall of the artery,
a darkness in a lumen of the artery, and
a difference between the brightness of the artery wall and the darkness of the artery lumen; and
(iii) measuring at the region of interest, one or more thicknesses of constituent layers of the artery wall as the echo signals are being acquired.