JP2013226335A - Acoustic wave diagnosis device and image display method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an acoustic wave diagnosis device capable of readily acquiring and displaying accurate information pertaining to blood vessels and blood flow.SOLUTION: An acoustic wave diagnosis device provided with a function for displaying an acoustic wave image of a subject using a B-mode, and with a blood flow rate display function using a D-mode; includes a photoacoustic imaging means (constituted of a laser light source 23, an ultrasonic probe 10, a receiver circuit 13, and the like) for acquiring photoacoustic data illustrating a photoacoustic image of the subject. The acoustic wave diagnosis device further includes a means (for example, a D-mode signal generation unit 32) for determining, on the basis of photoacoustic data pertaining to a blood vessel portion obtained by the photoacoustic imaging means, a parameter for acquiring information pertaining to the blood flow rate in the D-mode.

Description

  The present invention relates to an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus that can display information related to blood vessels and blood flow in addition to a normal B-mode image.

  The present invention also relates to an image display method in such an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can display information on blood vessels and blood flow in addition to image display in a normal B (luminance) mode is known. Here, the B mode is a mode for displaying the two-dimensional tomographic image by converting the amplitude of the ultrasonic echo into luminance.

  As a mode for displaying information on blood vessels and blood flow, a D (Doppler) mode and a CF (Color Flow) mode are widely known. The D mode is a mode in which the motion of the ultrasonic echo source is detected as a change in the ultrasonic frequency and the speed is displayed. The CF mode is a mode in which average blood flow velocity, flow fluctuation, flow signal strength, flow power, or the like is mapped to various colors and displayed superimposed on a B-mode image.

  On the other hand, for example, as shown in Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 1, a photoacoustic imaging apparatus that images the inside of a living body using a photoacoustic effect is known. In this photoacoustic imaging apparatus, pulsed light such as pulsed laser light is irradiated into the living body. Inside the living body that has been irradiated with the pulsed light, the living tissue that has absorbed the energy of the pulsed light undergoes volume expansion due to heat and generates an acoustic wave (acoustic signal). Therefore, it is possible to detect this acoustic wave with an ultrasonic probe or the like and visualize the inside of the living body based on the detection signal.

JP 2009-213593 A JP 2005-21380 A

A High-Speed Photoacoustic Tomography System based on a Commercial Ultrasound and a Custom Transducer Array, Xueding Wang, Jonathan Cannata, Derek DeBusschere, Changhong Hu, J. Brian Fowlkes, and Paul Carson, Proc.SPIE Vol. 7564, 756424 (Feb. 23, 2010) Development of all-polarization-maintaining high-power Yb fiber MOPA system, Kazuhiko Sumimura, Eiji Yoshida, Naoto Fujita, Masahiro Nakatsuka, IEICE Transactions C vol.J91-C, No.4, pp.244-250 , 2008

  As described above, the information display in the D mode and the CF mode has been widely adopted to display information related to blood vessels and blood flow.

  However, in general, skill is required to distinguish between an organ part and a blood vessel part in an ultrasonic diagnostic image, and it is difficult to master the D mode and the CF mode. In order to identify the blood vessel portion, information on the blood vessel can be obtained by obtaining the amount of phase change due to Doppler frequency transition due to blood flow by autocorrelation processing. However, the detected Doppler phase change amount is extremely weak, and it is difficult to accurately determine the blood vessel region from this information.

  Therefore, recently, in clinical and research fields, there is a demand for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can display accurate information on blood vessels and blood flow and is easy to use.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus such as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can easily acquire and display accurate information about blood vessels and blood flow, and an image display method in the acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus The purpose is to provide.

A first acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes:
In an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having a function of displaying an acoustic wave image (such as an ultrasonic image) of a subject in B mode and a blood flow velocity display function in D mode,
Photoacoustic imaging means for obtaining photoacoustic data indicating a photoacoustic image of the subject;
Means for determining a parameter for acquiring information relating to blood flow velocity in the D mode based on photoacoustic data relating to a blood vessel portion obtained by the photoacoustic imaging means. It is.

  The means for determining the parameter is preferably one that determines at least one of the sample gate position, the sample gate width, the beam steering direction, and the angle correction line based on the photoacoustic data.

  In the first acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus, the photoacoustic data is phase-matched so as to become data along the acoustic wave receiving direction, and the photoacoustic data after phase matching is detected / log-compressed. It is preferable that photoacoustic data after passing through these means is input to the means for determining the parameter.

On the other hand, the second acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention is:
In an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having a function of displaying an acoustic wave image (ultrasonic image or the like) of a subject in B mode and a function of performing color mapping and displaying blood flow information in CF mode,
Photoacoustic imaging means for obtaining photoacoustic data indicating a photoacoustic image of the subject;
Means for determining the position of color mapping performed under the CF mode based on the photoacoustic data relating to the blood vessel portion obtained by the photoacoustic imaging means is provided.

  In this second acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus, means for phase-matching photoacoustic data so as to be data along the reception direction of acoustic waves, and means for detecting / Log compressing the photoacoustic data after phase matching It is desirable that photoacoustic data after passing through these means is input to the means for determining the position of the color mapping.

  In the acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that a means for removing the noise component by performing threshold processing on the photoacoustic data regarding the blood vessel portion is preferably provided.

On the other hand, the first image display method according to the present invention includes:
An image display method in an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having a function of displaying an acoustic wave image of a subject in a B mode and a blood flow velocity display function in a D mode,
Obtain photoacoustic data showing the photoacoustic image of the subject,
A parameter for acquiring information relating to blood flow velocity under the D mode is determined based on the photoacoustic data relating to the blood vessel portion.

  Note that the parameter is preferably at least one of a sample gate position, a sample gate width, a beam steering direction, and an angle correction line.

The second image display method according to the present invention includes:
An image display method in an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having a function of displaying an acoustic wave image of a subject in a B mode and a function of performing color mapping and displaying blood flow information in a CF mode,
Obtain photoacoustic data showing the photoacoustic image of the subject,
The position of color mapping performed under the CF mode is determined based on the photoacoustic data relating to the blood vessel portion.

  In the second image display method according to the present invention, if the acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus further includes a blood flow velocity display function in the D mode, the timing of the acoustic wave transmission for executing the D mode. In this order, the light irradiation timing for acquiring the photoacoustic data, the acoustic wave transmission timing for executing the CF mode, and the acoustic wave transmission timing for executing the B mode are priorities. It is desirable to set high.

  The above-mentioned “high priority” is as follows in detail. If both original timings are applied as the two timings, the two timings coincide with each other, but one timing is removed from the original one, but it is better to maintain the original timing without doing so. , “High priority”.

  According to the first acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, the photoacoustic imaging means for acquiring the photoacoustic data indicating the photoacoustic image of the subject, and the parameter for acquiring the information regarding the blood flow velocity under the D mode Is provided on the basis of photoacoustic data relating to the blood vessel portion obtained by the photoacoustic imaging means, so that accurate information relating to blood vessels and blood flow can be easily obtained and displayed. The detailed reason is as follows.

  The photoacoustic data is obtained by receiving an acoustic wave generated by adiabatic expansion of hemoglobin in blood, and it is very unlikely that this acoustic wave is emitted from other than blood vessels. Therefore, if the above parameters are determined based on this photoacoustic data, it is possible to easily obtain blood flow velocity information with extremely high accuracy without requiring special skills.

  Further, the second acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention also determines the position of color mapping based on the photoacoustic data obtained by detecting the acoustic wave as described above. The blood flow information with extremely high accuracy can be easily obtained without the need.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which shows the example of an ultrasonic probe and a light irradiation part Schematic showing an example of connection between the ultrasound probe and the part that captures the signal from it FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of part of the apparatus of FIG. Timing chart showing the operation timing of each part in the apparatus of FIG. Schematic which shows an example of the acoustic wave B mode image obtained by the apparatus of FIG. Schematic showing an example of a blood vessel region determination image obtained by the apparatus of FIG. Schematic showing an example of image display in D mode The figure explaining how to use the blood vessel region determination image Schematic showing another example of image display in D mode Schematic showing an example of image display in CF mode The figure explaining how to use the blood vessel region determination image Schematic showing another example of image display in the CF mode

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which is an embodiment of an acoustic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic deep probe (probe) 10, a multiplexer 11 connected to the ultrasonic deep probe 10, a transmission circuit 12 and a reception circuit 13 respectively connected to the multiplexer 11, An AD converter 14 connected to the receiving circuit 13, an ultrasonic signal processing unit 15 made of, for example, a dedicated integrated circuit that receives a digital signal output from the AD converter 14, and an output of the ultrasonic signal processing unit 15 It has a DSC (Digital Scan Converter) 16 to receive, and a display unit 17 that receives the output of the DSC 16 and displays an ultrasonic image B-mode image or the like.

  In addition, this apparatus selects an image display mode from B (luminance) mode, M (motion) mode, D (Doppler) mode, and CF (color flow) mode, and also turns on / off photoacoustic assist described later. The operation unit 20 for setting the CPU, the CPU (central processing unit) 21 connected to the operation unit 20, the timing control unit 22 connected to the CPU 21, and the timing of the pulse drive are controlled by the timing control unit 22. A laser light source 23, a photoacoustic signal processing unit 24, and a cine memory 25 connected to the ultrasonic signal processing unit 15.

  The ultrasonic signal processing unit 15 includes a phase matching unit 30 to which the digital data output from the AD converter 14 is input, a B / M mode signal generation unit 31, a D mode signal generation unit 32, and a CF mode signal generation unit. 33 and a memory control 34 that receives the output signals of these signal generators 31 to 33 and controls the storage of the signals in the cine memory 25 and the like. In addition, each output signal of the signal generation parts 31-33 is input also into DSC16 mentioned above.

  On the other hand, the photoacoustic signal processing unit 24 receives a photoacoustic B-mode signal generation unit 40 to which the digital data output from the AD converter 14 is input and a signal output from the photoacoustic B-mode signal generation unit 40. And a blood vessel region determination unit 41. The blood vessel region determination unit 41 is connected to the D mode signal generation unit 32 and the CF mode signal generation unit 33 of the ultrasonic signal processing unit 15.

  The ultrasonic deep touch element 10 transmits an ultrasonic wave according to the applied drive signal, receives a reflected ultrasonic wave (ultrasonic echo) reflected by the subject, and outputs a reception signal. As shown in FIG. 2, this type of ultrasonic deep-contact 10 is configured by arranging transducers 10a each having electrodes formed at both ends of a piezoelectric body, for example, in a one-dimensional direction. Examples of the piezoelectric body include a piezoelectric ceramic represented by PZT (registered trademark) based on lead zirconate titanate (Pb (lead) zirconate titanate), and a polymer represented by PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride). A piezoelectric element or the like is preferably used.

  When a pulsed voltage is applied to the electrode of such a vibrator 10a, the piezoelectric body vibrates. As a result, pulsed ultrasonic waves are generated from the transducer 10a. The vibrator 10a vibrates when it receives the reflected ultrasonic wave to generate an electric signal. The electrical signal is output as an ultrasonic detection signal.

  At the time of acquisition of an ultrasonic image, the ultrasonic probe 10 is mechanically operated in a direction (basically, a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction) intersecting, for example, the juxtaposed direction (X direction) of the transducers 10a or an operator. Thus, the subject is scanned two-dimensionally by ultrasonic waves. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10b denotes a base part. Reference numeral 50 denotes a light guide plate as a light irradiation unit for irradiating the subject with light, and 51 is optically coupled to a light incident end surface 50 a of the light guide plate 50, and introduces a pulse laser beam to be described later into the light guide plate 50. A plurality of optical fibers. The pulse laser beam introduced into the light guide plate 50 in this way propagates while being totally reflected, and is emitted from the light emission end face 50b toward the subject. A pair of light guide plates 50 may be provided so as to sandwich the row of transducers 10a.

  The transmission circuit 12 is configured by, for example, a pulser, generates a high-voltage pulse drive signal, and supplies the drive signal to the ultrasonic deep contact 10 via the multiplexer 11. The receiving circuit 13 includes a preamplifier and the like, and receives and amplifies ultrasonic detection signals individually output from the transducers 10a of the ultrasonic deep touch element 10. In the present apparatus, the ultrasonic transducer 10 includes 192 transducers 10a as an example arranged in a line, and is of 192ch (channel).

  In addition, in this apparatus, a photoacoustic image is also generated as described later, and at this time, the ultrasonic deep contact 10 emits an acoustic wave emitted from a subject irradiated with pulsed laser light. Then, an acoustic wave detection signal is individually output from each transducer 10a. This acoustic wave detection signal is also received and amplified by the receiving circuit 13 in the same manner as described above.

  The AD converter 14 is a sampling means, which samples the ultrasonic detection signal and the acoustic wave detection signal received by the receiving circuit 13 and converts them into ultrasonic data and photoacoustic data, which are digital signals, respectively. This sampling is performed at a predetermined sampling period in synchronization with, for example, an externally input clock signal.

  The ultrasonic data output from the AD converter 14 is input to the ultrasonic signal processing unit 15. The input ultrasonic data is phase-matched between the respective channels in the phase matching unit 30 and becomes data along the reception direction of the reflected ultrasonic waves. The phase-matched ultrasonic data is converted into a B / M mode signal generation unit 31, a D mode signal generation unit 32, or a CF mode signal generation unit 33 depending on the image display mode that is selectively set by the operation unit 20. Is input.

  The B / M mode signal generation unit 31 includes a detection / Log compression circuit 31a. The B / M mode signal generation unit 31 generates an envelope of the input ultrasonic data, and then logarithmically converts the envelope to widen the dynamic range. An image signal representing a B-mode image or an M-mode image which is tissue tomographic image information is generated.

  The D-mode signal generator 32 generates a signal for displaying the blood flow velocity by providing a sample gate at a target site and taking out and analyzing the Doppler shift from the sampling position.

  The CF mode signal generation unit 33 generates a CF mode signal. The CF mode is a mode in which average blood flow velocity, flow fluctuation, flow signal strength, flow power, or the like is mapped to various colors and displayed superimposed on a B-mode image. More specifically, the CF mode signal generation unit 33 includes a phase detection circuit, an MTI (Moving Target Indication) filter, an autocorrelator, a flow velocity / dispersion calculator, and the like. The CF mode signal generation unit 33 separates the morphological signal reflecting the morphology of the biological tissue and the blood flow signal reflecting the blood flow by high-pass filter processing (MTI filter processing), and performs the above-described autocorrelation processing. Blood flow information is obtained for a plurality of positions.

  The DSC 16 performs coordinate conversion (raster conversion) on the image signal generated by each of the signal generation units 31 to 33 into an image signal in accordance with a general television signal scanning method, and further performs image processing such as interpolation processing or D / A By performing the conversion, an image signal for display is generated. The display unit 17 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display device, and displays an ultrasonic image in each mode based on the display image signal generated by the DSC 16.

  The image signals generated by the signal generators 31 to 33 are input to the DSC 16 for immediately displaying the image of each mode as described above, and also stored in the cine memory 25 that stores moving image data for a predetermined time. Remembered. The storage operation at this time is controlled by the memory control 34.

  As described above, the point of generating and displaying the ultrasonic image of each basic mode has been described. Next, it is prevented that the D mode signal and the CF mode signal are illegally generated as a result of misrecognizing the blood vessel region. The operation for doing this will be described. Hereinafter, this operation is referred to as PAI assist (assistance with photoacoustic image). Although this PAI assist may be always performed, in the present embodiment, it is possible to selectively set the PAI assist on or off in the operation unit 20.

The operation unit 20 includes a known input means such as a keyboard and a mouse, a monitor for confirming input, and the like. The CPU 21 controls the operation of the timing control unit 22 based on the information input by the input means. That is, when the PAI assist is set to ON, the laser light source 23 is driven at a predetermined timing set by the timing control unit 22 to generate pulsed laser light. As the laser light source 13, for example, a Q-switch pulse laser composed of an Nd: YAG laser, a Ti: Sapphire laser, an alexandrite laser, or the like is preferably used.

  Further, the CPU 21 inputs a live / freeze signal for switching between the live mode and the freeze mode to the timing control unit 22. Here, the live mode is a moving image based on reception signals sequentially obtained by performing transmission / reception of ultrasonic waves or by irradiating a subject with pulsed laser light and detecting acoustic waves generated at the subject at that time. This is a mode for displaying an image. The freeze mode is a mode for displaying a still image based on an image signal stored in the cine memory 25. In the freeze mode, an image signal is read from the cine memory 25 under the control of the memory control 34. The image signal is input to the DSC 16, and a still image carried by the image signal is displayed on the display unit 17.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the 192ch (channel) ultrasonic probe 10 is applied, but these channels are opened in units of a plurality of regions (that is, connected to the receiving circuit 13). It may be configured. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the areas A, B, and C are set for 64 channels each, and the channels of these three areas are shifted from each other and sequentially opened for each laser emission. Has been. By doing so, it is only necessary to provide 64 AD converters 14 in 192 channels.

  The multiplexer 11 functions to control the channel opening as described above. That is, for example, when the region A is selected, the multiplexer 11 connects only the portion of the transducer 10a corresponding to the region A out of the 192ch transducer 10a to the reception circuit 13. The same applies when another region B or C is selected.

  However, it is not always necessary to do the above, and it may be configured such that all 192 channels are opened for each laser emission. However, in that case, since 192 AD converters 14 are required, the circuit configuration becomes more complicated. In the following, the description will be continued on the assumption that all 192 channels are opened for each laser emission.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the photoacoustic B-mode signal generation unit 40 includes an element data memory 42 that stores data for each transducer 10 a of the ultrasonic probe 10, and photoacoustic data output from the element data memory 42. And a phase matching unit 43 similar to the phase matching unit 30 (see FIG. 1), and a sound storing photoacoustic data converted by the phase matching unit 43 into a sound ray signal along the acoustic wave receiving direction. It comprises a line memory 44 and a detection / Log compression circuit 45 similar to the detection / Log compression circuit 31a.

  When the laser light source 23 emits pulsed laser light in response to the timing signal from the timing control unit 22 in FIG. 1, the pulsed laser light is irradiated onto the subject via the optical fiber 51 and the light guide plate 50 shown in FIG. The An acoustic wave is emitted by the photoacoustic effect from the portion of the subject that has been irradiated with the pulse laser beam in this way. In the present embodiment, a laser light source 13 that emits a pulse laser beam having a wavelength that is well absorbed by blood, for example, 750 nm or 800 nm, is applied. Therefore, the acoustic wave is emitted mainly from the blood vessel portion.

  Here, the emission timing of the pulse laser beam and the like are shown in the timing chart of FIG. This indicates the timing in the above-described live mode. The top of the chart shows the generation timing of the frame synchronization signal. Here, as an example, the frame synchronization signal is generated at a cycle of 30 frames per second. The transmission timing below is a timing set so that ultrasonic transmission or emission of pulsed laser light can be performed within one frame, and in this example, the transmission timing is 192 times per frame.

  The lower PW timing is a timing at which a pulsed ultrasonic wave is generated at a predetermined period T from the ultrasonic deep touch element 10 in order to obtain information in the above-described D mode. The PAI timing below is the emission timing of the pulse laser beam. In the example of FIG. 5, as described above, the light emission timing is set once per frame in correspondence with the case where all 192 channels are opened for each laser light emission.

  Further, the CF timing below is a timing at which a plurality of ultrasonic waves (packets) are transmitted in a predetermined direction in order to generate the above-described CF mode signal. The B timing below is a timing for transmitting a plurality of ultrasonic waves in order to generate the B-mode image described above.

  The PW timing, the PAI timing, the CF timing, and the B timing described above are given higher priority in this order, that is, in order from the top in FIG. In other words, the PW timing is given the highest priority because there is a situation in which the blood flow velocity detection error increases if the predetermined period T is disturbed. As a specific example, for example, in the third frame from the left in the figure, the PW timing matches the PAI timing if it is the same as the previous frames. In such a case, the PAI timing is set to the PW timing. In order to maintain the period T of the PW timing, it is given priority by shifting backward by one transmission timing so that it does not match.

  The PAI timing is prioritized over the CF timing and the B timing because an error is likely to occur in the determination of the blood vessel region if the timing is disturbed. The CF timing and the B timing are set to appropriate timings that avoid the coincidence with the PW timing and the PAI timing. Note that the CF timing is prioritized over the B timing because there is a circumstance that the pulse interval in the packet is desired to be maintained at an equal interval.

  By using the beam sequence as described above, the Triple mode of the D mode, the CF mode, and the B mode can be realized with PAI assist.

  When the subject is irradiated with the pulsed laser light at the PAI timing, the acoustic wave generated mainly from the blood vessel portion is detected by the ultrasonic deep contact 10. The acoustic wave detection signal output by the ultrasonic deep contact 10 is processed in the same manner as the ultrasonic detection signal by the multiplexer 11, the receiving circuit 13, and the AD converter 14. The digital photoacoustic data obtained thereby is input to the photoacoustic B-mode signal generation unit 40 of the photoacoustic signal processing unit 24, where an acoustic wave B-mode image of the blood vessel is shown based on the photoacoustic data. A signal is generated. The process is basically the same as the case of generating a signal indicating the ultrasonic B-mode image described above.

  FIG. 6 schematically shows an acoustic wave B-mode image Q of the blood vessel obtained as described above. B in the figure indicates a blood vessel portion. The acoustic wave B-mode image Q basically shows only the blood vessel portion B because the wavelength of the pulsed laser light applied to the subject is selected as described above, but noise N such as clutter noise N Is often included. Therefore, preferably, a signal indicating the acoustic wave B-mode image is input to the blood vessel region determination unit 41. The blood vessel region determination unit 41 performs, for example, threshold processing on this signal and then performs binarization processing. As shown schematically in FIG. 7, the image carried by the signal after undergoing such processing is also shown with only the blood vessel portion B very clearly, with the noise N removed. Hereinafter, this image is referred to as a blood vessel region determination image J.

  A signal indicating the blood vessel region determination image J is input to the D mode signal generation unit 32 and the CF mode signal generation unit 33 in FIG. The D mode signal generation unit 32 and the CF mode signal generation unit 33 correctly determine the blood vessel part using the blood vessel region determination image J, and generate each mode signal related to the determined part.

  First, the process by the D mode signal generation unit 32 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 schematically shows the B-mode ultrasound image P created as described above. The B-mode ultrasonic image P often has the noise N as described above. As shown in FIG. 8, the apparatus user aligns the position (height position) of the cursor and the gate G with the measurement location of the B-mode ultrasound image P under the D mode, and turns on the auto switch of the operation unit 20. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the D-mode signal generation unit 32 detects the blood vessel position d and the blood vessel width D at the gate position in the input blood vessel region determination image J. At this time, the gate width is automatically adjusted so that the gate G is aligned with the center of the blood vessel and the gate width = 2D / 3. Furthermore, since the blood vessel wall surface tangent at the cursor position (broken line in FIG. 9) can also be detected, the angle correction line can also be automatically adjusted.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the D-mode signal generation unit 32 has a gate width = 2D / 3, an angle correction line = [parallel to the vascular wall tangent], and a beam steering direction = [angle correction line] on the B-mode ultrasound image P. Is automatically set to the direction in which the elevation angle is 60 °, and a D-mode signal for displaying the blood flow velocity is automatically generated under these conditions. Since the D-mode signal is generated based on the blood vessel region determination image J that accurately indicates the blood vessel portion, the blood flow velocity can be accurately displayed. The parameters such as the gate width, the angle correction line, and the beam steering direction can be set by the user through system settings or the like. As described above, in the present embodiment, the D-mode signal generation unit 32 constitutes means for determining a parameter for acquiring information related to the blood flow velocity based on the photoacoustic data regarding the blood vessel portion.

  Next, processing by the CF mode signal generation unit 33 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 shows a state in which color mapping is performed on the B-mode ultrasound image P created as described above as a blood flow portion by the CF mode. Here, the color-mapped portion is indicated by an ellipse with a horizontal line or a vertical line, but both actually have different mapping colors. As shown here, due to the above-described influence of clutter noise or the like, there is a case where mapping is also performed on a portion that is not a blood vessel portion.

  In order to eliminate this problem, the CF mode signal generation unit 33 overlaps the color mapping in the CF mode and the blood vessel region determination image J as shown in FIG. 12, and does not overlap the blood vessel portion B of the blood vessel region determination image J. For the region, the CF mode signal is replaced with a value through which the B-mode ultrasound image P is transmitted. As a result of this processing, the portion that has been color-mapped as the blood flow component in the region outside the actual blood vessel portion B, that is, the color mapping portion of the region surrounded by the one-dot chain line in FIG. As described above, in the present embodiment, the CF mode signal generation unit 33 constitutes means for determining the position of color mapping based on photoacoustic data relating to the blood vessel portion.

  If the B-mode ultrasound image P is subjected to color mapping in the CF mode after the above processing is performed, the color mapping is performed only in the region where the blood vessel portion actually exists, and the ultrasound image useful for diagnosis. Is obtained.

  It should be noted that the CF mode image region superimposed on the blood vessel region determination image J as described above may be the entire image or a region where color mapping is performed (for example, surrounded by a rectangle in FIG. 11). Area) only.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Ultrasonic transducer 11 Multiplexer 12 Transmission circuit 13 Reception circuit 14 AD converter 15 Ultrasonic signal processing part 16 DSC
17 Display unit 20 Operation unit 21 CPU
Reference Signs List 22 Timing control unit 23 Laser light source 24 Photoacoustic signal processing unit 30 Phase matching unit 31 B / M mode signal generation unit 32 D mode signal generation unit 33 CF mode signal generation unit 40 Photoacoustic B mode signal generation unit 41 Blood vessel region determination unit 50 Light guide plate 51 Optical fiber

Claims (10)

In the acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having the function of displaying the acoustic wave image of the subject in the B mode and the blood flow velocity display function in the D mode,
Photoacoustic imaging means for obtaining photoacoustic data indicating a photoacoustic image of the subject;
And a means for determining a parameter for acquiring information relating to blood flow velocity under the D mode based on photoacoustic data relating to a blood vessel portion obtained by the photoacoustic imaging means. Wave diagnostic device.   The means for determining the parameter determines at least one of a sample gate position, a sample gate width, a beam steering direction, and an angle correction line based on the photoacoustic data. The acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus of description.   Means for phase-matching the photoacoustic data so as to be data along the receiving direction of the acoustic wave, and means for detecting / Log compressing the photoacoustic data after phase-matching are provided. 3. The acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein later photoacoustic data is input to the means for determining the parameter. In an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having a function of displaying an acoustic wave image of a subject in the B mode and a function of performing color mapping and displaying blood flow information in the CF mode,
Photoacoustic imaging means for obtaining photoacoustic data indicating a photoacoustic image of the subject;
An acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus, comprising: means for determining a position of color mapping performed under the CF mode based on photoacoustic data relating to a blood vessel portion obtained by the photoacoustic imaging means.   Means for phase-matching the photoacoustic data so as to be data along the receiving direction of the acoustic wave, and means for detecting / Log compressing the photoacoustic data after phase-matching are provided. 5. The acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the subsequent photoacoustic data is input to means for determining the position of the color mapping.   6. The acoustic wave diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for removing a noise component by performing threshold processing on the photoacoustic data relating to the blood vessel portion. An image display method in an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having a function of displaying an acoustic wave image of a subject in a B mode and a blood flow velocity display function in a D mode,
Obtain photoacoustic data showing the photoacoustic image of the subject,
The image display method characterized by determining the parameter for acquiring the information regarding a blood-flow velocity under D mode based on the said photoacoustic data regarding a blood-vessel part.   The image display method according to claim 7, wherein the parameter is at least one of a sample gate position, a sample gate width, a beam steering direction, and an angle correction line. An image display method in an acoustic wave diagnostic apparatus having a function of displaying an acoustic wave image of a subject in a B mode and a function of performing color mapping and displaying blood flow information in a CF mode,
Obtain photoacoustic data showing the photoacoustic image of the subject,
An image display method characterized in that a position of color mapping performed under a CF mode is determined based on the photoacoustic data relating to a blood vessel portion. In the case where the acoustic wave diagnostic device is further provided with a blood flow velocity display function by the D mode,
In order to execute the acoustic wave transmission timing for executing the D mode, the light irradiation timing for acquiring the photoacoustic data, the acoustic wave transmission timing for executing the CF mode, and the B mode The image display method according to claim 9, wherein the priority of the acoustic wave transmission is set to a higher priority in this order.