SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ULTRASOUND SCREENING

The invention provides an ultrasound system including an ultrasound transducer array and a processor. The ultrasound transducer array comprises a plurality of transducer elements adapted to conform with a subjects body. Further, at least two ultrasound transducer elements of the plurality of transducer elements are adapted to acquire a plurality of ultrasound signals from a region of interest at different orientations relative to said region of interest. The processor is adapted to receive ultrasound signals acquired by the ultrasound transducer array. The processor is further adapted to partition the plurality of ultrasound signals according to a signal depth and, for each ultrasound signal partition, calculate a Doppler power. For each ultrasound signal, the processor identifies a depth of a fetal heartbeat based on the Doppler power of each ultrasound signal partition and identifies a fetal heart region based on the identified fetal heartbeat and a location of the at least two ultrasound transducers.