A real-time ultrasound image processing technique for computer-assisted and image-guided interventional technologies

图像引导的医疗干预和手术依赖于一个或多个成像反馈来监测治疗，并指导干预医生或外科医生放置和操作医疗工具或针对目标组织的探针。传统的成像技术，如x射线、CT（计算机断层扫描）和MRI（磁共振成像），给许多图像引导的医疗手术带来了一些缺点。例如，大剂量的x射线和CT扫描对人体有害，而核磁共振成像和超声波则是安全的。另一方面，核磁共振成像成像速度慢得令人望而却步，需要特殊的设备，成本高，而且不能搬进手术室。相比之下，美国成像相对便宜，便携，实时操作（24- 30fps），使其成为首选的成像技术

Image-guided medical interventions and surgeries rely on one or more imaging feedback to monitor the treatment and to guide an interventionist or surgeon in placing and operating a medical tool or probe with respect to a target tissue. Conventional imaging techniques such as X-ray, CT (computed tomography) scan, and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) impose several shortcomings for many image-guided medical operations. For instance, X-ray and CT scans are harmful to the human body in large doses, while MRI and US (ultrasound) are known to be safe. On the other hand, MRI has prohibitively slow imaging speeds, requires special facilities, incurs high costs, and cannot be moved into the operating room. In contrast, US imaging is relatively cheap, portable, and operates in real-time (24-30 fps), making it the preferred imaging technology