US EXTENDED-FIELD-OF-VIEW IMAGING TECHNOLOGY

PURPOSE: To develop an ultrasound (US) extended-field-of-view scanning technique that combines the convenience of a real-time scanner with t he spatial advantages of a static B-mode scanner and provides a panora mic image in real time without position sensors or cumbersome articula ted arms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An image-registration-based position- sensing technique was used to track probe motion and reconstruct a lar ge composite image during real-time scanning. The probe motion (transl ation and rotation) was estimated by combining multiple local motion v ectors. This computationally intensive process required a special prog rammable image processor. RESULTS: Large, resolution-preserved composi te images up to 60 cm long were obtained. Measurement accu racy as det ermined with phantom experiments was better than 5%. The method could be applied to any probe or image format. CONCLUSION: In addition to pr oviding a panoramic image to expand diagnostic capabilities, extended- field-of-view US provides a more easily interpretable image and is an effective cross-specialty communication tool.