JP4608458B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for displaying a measurement result of a bone shape measured using ultrasonic waves.

  In order to diagnose bone metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis, determination of easy fracture, and quantitative diagnosis of bone healing after fracture treatment, simple and quantitative measurement of mechanical properties such as bone strength is desired. Yes.

  Evaluation of bone formation and bone union greatly depends on X-ray photographs, but it is difficult to quantitatively diagnose bone strength with X-ray photographs. Although a strength test of a sample bone to be measured is known as a conventional method for measuring bone strength, a sample bone removal operation is required and is invasive. Further, as a method for measuring bone mass and bone density, use of general-purpose X-ray CT, a DXA (dual energy absorption measurement method) apparatus, and the like have been put into practical use. However, these are merely means for measuring bone mass, and bone strength cannot be evaluated. Moreover, it cannot be said that it is noninvasive in the point which irradiates an X-ray.

  Other attempts to quantitatively evaluate bone strength include a strain gauge method in which a strain gauge is attached to an external fixator and the strain of the fixator is measured, and vibration that evaluates the natural frequency by applying external vibration to the bone. Examples of the existing method include a wave method and an acoustic emission method for detecting a sound wave generated from a bone having yield stress. However, these methods still have problems in terms of the limitation of applicable treatment methods, the need to invade bones, and evaluation accuracy.

  Against this background, the inventors of the present application have proposed an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that non-invasively and quantitatively evaluates the mechanical characteristics of bone (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-152079 A

  In Patent Literature 1, a plurality of ultrasonic beams are formed on a bone, a plurality of echo signals corresponding to each ultrasonic beam are acquired, and a surface point corresponding to the bone surface is specified for each echo signal. A technique for calculating a bending angle of a bone based on a plurality of surface points obtained from a plurality of echo signals is shown. This is an epoch-making technique that allows non-invasive and quantitative evaluation of bone mechanical properties in a living body from shape data such as bone bending angle obtained based on echo signals.

  Then, the inventors of the present application have conducted research on a display technique for a measurement result obtained using the epoch-making technique described in Patent Document 1.

  The present invention has been made in such a background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for easily displaying a measurement result of a bone shape measured using ultrasonic waves.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted to transmit and receive means for forming a plurality of ultrasonic beams on a bone, and to correspond to the surface of the bone for each ultrasonic beam. A surface detecting means for detecting a surface point and detecting a plurality of surface points from a plurality of ultrasonic beams; a shape measuring means for obtaining a measurement amount reflecting the shape of the bone based on the detected plurality of surface points; And an image forming means for forming a bone shape image that visually represents the shape of the bone as an image for displaying the calculated measurement amount.

  In a desirable aspect, the shape measuring unit obtains a bone bending angle as the measurement amount, and the image forming unit forms a bone shape image that visually represents a bone bending state according to the obtained bending angle. It is characterized by doing.

  In a desirable mode, the image forming means expresses a bent bone by connecting two columnar display modes to each other at one end side in the axial direction of each display mode. A bone shape image expressing the bending angle of the bone by the connection angle is formed.

  In a preferred aspect, the image forming means forms a bone shape image that schematically represents the actual shape of the bone to be measured.

  In a desirable mode, the shape measuring means obtains the bending angle of the bone when a load is applied to the bone, and the image forming means shows the time on one axis and the bending angle on the other axis. An angle change graph showing how the bending angle changes with time is formed, and a bone shape image corresponding to the bending angle at the time indicated by the time marker displayed in the angle change graph is formed.

  In a desirable mode, the shape measuring means obtains the bending angle of the bone when a load is applied to the bone, and the image forming means shows the time on one axis and the amount of load on the other axis. A load change graph showing a state of time change of the load amount is formed by, and a bone shape image when the load amount at the time indicated by the time marker displayed in the load change graph is applied is formed. .

  In a preferred aspect, the image forming means forms a waveform image showing a waveform near the surface point of each ultrasonic beam and a beam position image showing the position of each ultrasonic beam in the transmission / reception plane of the transmission / reception means. It is characterized by doing.

  In a preferred aspect, the image forming means visually displays a state in which a plurality of ultrasonic beams are formed on a bone by displaying a beam marker that visually represents each ultrasonic beam in a bone shape image. The display image expressed in the above is formed.

  In a preferred aspect, the image forming means displays a bone position marker indicating the position of the bone to be measured in the subject in the bone shape image.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to a preferred aspect of the present invention includes a bone surface based on a plurality of surface points detected from a bone surface by a plurality of ultrasonic beams formed on the bone. A shape measuring means for obtaining a measurement amount reflecting the shape of the image, and an image forming means for forming a bone shape image that visually represents the shape of the bone as an image for displaying the obtained measurement amount. It is characterized by.

  In order to achieve the above object, a measurement result display method according to a preferred aspect of the present invention is based on a plurality of surface points detected from a bone surface by a plurality of ultrasonic beams formed on the bone. A step of obtaining a measurement amount reflecting the shape of the surface, and a step of forming a bone shape image that visually represents the shape of the bone as an image for displaying the obtained measurement amount. To do.

  According to the present invention, an easy-to-understand display mode regarding the measurement result of the bone shape is realized.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. The probe 10 is an ultrasonic probe used in contact with the body surface of the subject 50. The probe 10 forms a plurality of ultrasonic beams 40 toward the bone 52 in the body of the subject 50. At this time, for example, a plurality of ultrasonic beams 40 are formed on each of two upper and lower bone fragments sandwiching the fractured portion 54 of the bone 52. The surface point 60 set on the surface of the bone 52 will be described in detail later.

  FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a probe 10 suitable for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present embodiment. The probe 10 is constituted by a probe set of a probe 10A and a probe 10B. The probe 10A includes a subarray A1 and a subarray A2 each including nine vibration elements 11 therein. The probe 10B includes a subarray B1 and a subarray B2 each including nine vibration elements 11 therein.

  Then, an ultrasonic beam for echo tracking, which will be described in detail later, is formed for each subarray. For example, for each subarray, only one vibration element 11 in the array is driven to form an ultrasonic beam. Of course, for each subarray, a plurality of vibration elements 11 may be driven to form an ultrasonic beam.

  In this way, four echo tracking ultrasonic beams are formed by the subarray A1 to the subarray B2. At that time, two ultrasonic beams are formed by the probe 10A on one of the two upper and lower bone fragments sandwiching the fracture portion (reference numeral 54 in FIG. 1) of the bone (reference numeral 52 in FIG. 1), Two ultrasonic beams are formed on the other bone piece by the probe 10B.

  The probe 10 used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present embodiment is not limited to the probe set type shown in FIG. For example, a linear electronic scan probe (linear probe) that electronically scans an ultrasonic beam may be used.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the transmission / reception unit 12 controls the probe 10 to electronically scan the ultrasonic beam 40 within the tomographic plane (the cut surface of the subject 50 according to FIG. 1, that is, the long-axis cross section of the bone 52). Incidentally, if the probe 10 is a linear probe, for example, 120 ultrasonic beams 40 (FIG. 1 shows only four ultrasonic beams for echo tracking described in detail later) are electronically scanned one after another. Then, an echo signal is acquired for each ultrasonic beam 40. The acquired plurality of echo signals are output to the tomographic image forming unit 18, and the tomographic image forming unit 18 forms a tomographic image (B-mode image) of the bone based on the plurality of echo signals. The formed B-mode image is displayed on the display 34 via the display image forming unit 32.

  The echo signal acquired by the transmission / reception unit 12 is also output to the echo tracking processing unit 20. The echo tracking processing unit 20 performs a so-called echo tracking process of extracting and tracking a bone surface part from each echo signal. For the echo tracking process, for example, a technique detailed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-309918 is used. The outline of this technology is as follows.

  The echo signal acquired from the probe 10 has a large amplitude at a portion corresponding to the bone surface. If the bone surface is simply regarded as a part with a large amplitude, it is unclear which part of the large amplitude range corresponds to the surface part. As a result, an extraction error (general super In the case of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, about 0.2 mm) occurs. In the echo tracking process, the zero cross point is detected as a representative point of the echo signal, and the extraction accuracy is dramatically improved by tracking the detected zero cross point (the accuracy can be increased to about 0.002 mm). . The zero cross point is detected as the timing at which the polarity of the echo signal is inverted from positive to negative or from negative to positive within the tracking gate period. When the zero cross point is detected, a tracking gate is newly set around the point. In the echo signal acquired at the next timing, the zero cross point is detected within the newly set tracking gate period. In this way, for each ultrasonic beam, the zero cross point of the echo signal is tracked as the surface point 60, and the position of the bone surface is measured with high accuracy using the probe 10 as a reference.

  For the echo tracking processing, for example, four tracking echo signals are used. The tracking echo signal may be selected from echo signals (for example, 120 echo signals) used for tomographic image formation, or the tomographic image formation is interrupted and only four tracking echo signals are present. May be acquired.

  The shape measuring unit 22 obtains a measurement amount that reflects the shape of the bone surface based on a plurality of detected surface points (tracking points) 60. An example of the measured amount is the bending angle of the bone 52.

  When measuring the bending angle, the shape measuring unit 22 calculates straight lines corresponding to the two upper and lower bone fragments sandwiching the fractured portion 54 of the bone 52 based on the surface point 60 extracted by the echo tracking processing unit 20. Set. Furthermore, the shape measuring unit 22 calculates an angle between two straight lines corresponding to the two bone fragments. Therefore, a straight line setting process and an angle calculation process in the shape measuring unit 22 will be described with reference to FIG. The parts shown in FIG. 1 will be described with the reference numerals in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a straight line setting process corresponding to each of two bone fragments and an angle calculation process between the straight lines. FIG. 3A shows a fracture in a state where no load is applied. An enlarged view of the part 54 is shown, and FIG. 3B shows an enlarged view of the fractured part 54 in a state where a force is applied by a load. A bone fragment A52a in FIG. 3 corresponds to the upper bone fragment of the fracture portion 54 in FIG. 1, and a bone fragment B52b in FIG. 3 corresponds to a bone fragment below the fracture portion 54 in FIG. Further, the four surface points (60a to 60d) in FIG. 3 correspond to the surface point 60 in FIG. In FIG. 3, the horizontal direction is the x-axis direction and the vertical direction is the y-axis direction.

  The four surface points (60a to 60d) are set according to the position of the fractured part 54, for example. For this purpose, for example, the examiner sets two measurement points near the surface of the bone fragment A52a while confirming the position of the fracture portion 54 from the B-mode image of the bone displayed on the display 34, and further, the bone Two measurement points are set near the surface of the piece B52b. The four measurement points are set in the transmission / reception control unit 14 via the operation panel 16. The transmission / reception control unit 14 forms four tracking ultrasonic beams 40 having four measurement points as focus points, and the echo tracking processing unit 20 tracks bone surface points, and each surface point (60a to 60d). Is measured with high accuracy using the probe 10 as a reference. In setting the measurement points, the examiner may specify only the position of the fractured portion 54, and the transmission / reception control unit 14 may set the positions of the four measurement points in the x-axis direction.

  The shape measuring unit 22 sets a straight line connecting the two surface points 60a and 60b extracted by the echo tracking processing unit 20 as a straight line ab 62 corresponding to the bone fragment A52a. Similarly, the shape measuring unit 22 sets a straight line connecting the two surface points 60c and 60d as a straight line cd64 corresponding to the bone fragment B52b. The data of the straight line a-b 62 and the straight line c-d 64 (for example, the equation of the straight line in the coordinate system based on the probe 10) measured by the shape measuring unit 22 is sent to the data storage unit via the measurement data forming unit 24. 26. The data of the straight line a-b 62 and the straight line c-d 64 are recorded in the data storage unit 26 with no load in FIG. 3 (1), with a load in FIG. 3 (2), and in each state. The Further, when there is a load, each load value is recorded in the data storage unit 26.

  The shape measuring unit 22 further calculates the intersection angle of the straight line ab 62 and the straight line cd64 from the data of the straight line ab 62 and the straight line cd64. That is, the shape measuring unit 22 calculates the intersection angle θ′66 of the two straight lines based on the data of the straight lines a-b 62 and c-d 64 in a state where there is no load. Further, the shape measuring unit 22 calculates the intersection angle θ68 of the two straight lines based on the data of the straight lines a-b 62 and c-d 64 corresponding to each load value. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when a pressure is applied and a load is applied, the intersection angle of the two straight lines changes. Then, the intersection angle θ68 calculated for each load value is recorded in the data storage unit 26 via the measurement data forming unit 24 as a bending angle. The shape measuring unit 22 may calculate the difference between the intersection angle θ68 and the intersection angle θ′66 for each load value.

  1 and 3, the measurement of the bone 52 including the fracture portion 54 has been described. However, in the present embodiment, the measurement of the bone 52 without a fracture can be performed. Further, the load applied to the bone 52 is not limited to the load applied along the axial direction of the bone 52 as shown in FIGS. For example, when measuring the bone 52 without fracture, both ends in the axial direction of the bone 52 may be supported, and a load may be applied along a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis near the center in the axial direction. . That is, a three-point load method in which both ends are supported and a load is applied near the center may be employed. Of course, it goes without saying that the load amount and the like should be carefully set according to the state of the bone 52.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the measurement data forming unit 24 forms measurement data in which the measurement amount when the load is applied to the bone, the load amount, and the time are associated with each other, and stores the measurement data in the data storage unit 26. The measurement data forming unit 24 is supplied with the displacement amount of each surface point, the bending angle of the bone, and the like from the shape measuring unit 22. Further, the data forming unit 24 is supplied with a measurement result of a load value accompanying pressurization on the bone 52 from the load measuring device 36. The measurement data forming unit 24 associates the displacement amount of each surface point or the bending angle of the bone with the load value at that time, and further associates the time when the load value is given to form measurement data. Incidentally, the time is specified using time information obtained from a control unit (not shown) or the like.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining measurement data formed by the measurement data forming unit and stored in the data storage unit. The measurement data includes the measurement date and time (including the year / month / day) when the data was measured, measurement conditions, and subject information. In addition, image data of a bone to be measured may be attached. As the image data, for example, a tomographic image formed by a tomographic image forming unit (reference numeral 18 in FIG. 1) is suitable. Note that data such as X-ray images and CT images may be attached as the image data. Further, the image data itself may be attached to the measurement data, or an address of the storage destination of the image data may be attached as link information.

  The time (time) when the load value is given, the load value (load), the bending angle (bending angle) of the bone, and the displacement amount (displacement 1 to displacement 4) of each surface point are arranged in a horizontal row. It is associated. Displacement 1 to displacement 4 are displacements of bone surface points obtained from four tracking beams, respectively. Further, a measurement amount such as a bone strain amount may be associated with the displacement 4 value. In this way, time, load, bending angle, and the like are aligned in a horizontal row and associated with each other, and data for each different time is aligned in a vertical row.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the display image forming unit 32 forms a measurement result image for displaying the measurement amount based on the measurement data stored in the data storage unit 26. The display image forming unit 32 switches between the tomographic image formed by the tomographic image forming unit 18 and the measurement result image, or forms a display image in which the tomographic image and the measurement result image are arranged. The formed display image is displayed on the display 34.

  One of the features of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to this embodiment is a measurement result image formed by the display image forming unit 32. Therefore, a measurement result image formed in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a display example of a measurement result image. A measurement result image 500 shown in FIG. 5 includes a waveform image 510, a bone shape image 520, a graph image 530, a time setting bar 540, and the like.

  A waveform image 510 shows a waveform in the vicinity of the surface point of each ultrasonic beam. As described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, four ultrasonic beams for echo tracking are formed. In FIG. 5, a waveform image 510 shows four waveforms, ProbeA-1, ProbeA-2, ProbeB-1, and ProbeB-2. These four waveforms correspond to the waveforms of the ultrasonic beams formed by the subarray A1, subarray A2, subarray B1, and subarray B2 in FIG.

  Note that a tracking point designation marker indicated by a one-dot chain line is displayed on each of the four waveforms shown in FIG. From this marker, the position of the tracking point in the waveform can be grasped. A beam position image 512 is displayed next to each waveform.

  The beam position image 512 shows the position of the ultrasonic beam in each subarray. For example, for each subarray, when only one vibration element (reference numeral 11 in FIG. 2) in the array is driven to form an ultrasonic beam, the position of the driven vibration element is shown in the beam position image 512. It is. For example, the portion of the driven vibration element is displayed in a display mode different from other portions. In FIG. 5, the portion of the driven vibration element is represented by a solid color.

  In the vicinity of the waveform image 510 and the beam position image 512, a waveform display auto scale switch (A-scale), a tracking point automatic setting switch (A-TPset), and the like may be provided.

  The bone shape image 520 visually represents the bending state of the bone according to the bending angle. The bone image 522 in the bone shape image 520 represents a bent bone by connecting two columnar display modes to each other at one end side in the axial direction of each display mode. Further, the bending angle θ of the bone is expressed by the connection angle of the two columnar display modes.

  A subarray marker 524 is also displayed in the bone shape image 520. The four subarray markers 524 (ProbeA-1, ProbeA-2, ProbeB-1, and ProbeB-2) respectively correspond to the subarray A1, subarray A2, subarray B1, and subarray B2 in FIG. In FIG. 5, each subarray marker 524 represents the position of the vibration element (position in the axial direction of the bone) by expressing the portion of the driven vibration element with a solid color.

  In the bone shape image 520, an echo tracking switch (ET) or a numerical value (0.0537) of the bending angle θ may be displayed. Further, the bone image 522 may be formed by two quadrangular columnar display modes or the like. Further, the bone image 522 may be formed by an ultrasonic tomographic image or an X-ray image of the measurement target bone.

  The graph image 530 includes a load change graph 532 and an angle change graph 534. The load change graph 532 is a graph showing the time change of the load amount by indicating the time (Time) on the horizontal axis and the load amount (Load) on the vertical axis. In the load change graph 532, a time phase marker indicating a time phase set by a time setting bar 540 described later is indicated by a broken line. Furthermore, in the load change graph 532, a numerical value such as a maximum load amount (Max) or a load amount at a time corresponding to a time phase marker may be displayed.

  The angle change graph 534 is a graph showing the time change of the bending angle by indicating the time (Time) on the horizontal axis and the bending angle (Angle) on the vertical axis. In the angle change graph 534, a time phase marker indicating a time phase set by the time setting bar 540 is indicated by a broken line. Further, in the angle change graph 534, numerical values such as the maximum bending angle (Max) and the bending angle at the time corresponding to the time phase marker may be displayed.

  The time setting bar 540 provides a user interface for setting the time. In other words, the examiner sets the slider 542 to a desired time by operating the slider 542 along the time setting bar 540 using a mouse, a keyboard, or the like. An adjustment button for fine time adjustment may be provided in the vicinity of the time setting bar 540. Thus, the inspector can set a rough time using the time setting bar 540 and then finely adjust the time using the adjustment button.

  The time set by the time setting bar 540 is reflected in the graph image 530 and the bone shape image 520. That is, the time phase markers of the load change graph 532 and the angle change graph 534 slide in the horizontal axis (Time) direction according to the setting of the time setting bar 540 so as to indicate the time phase set by the time setting bar 540. . Further, the bone shape image 520 displays the bending state of the bone according to the bending angle in the time phase set by the time setting bar 540.

  Accordingly, the inspector (user) uses the measurement result image 500 to operate the time setting bar 540 while viewing the graph image 530 and grasp the state of the time change of the load amount and the bending angle. It is possible to grasp the bending state of the bone in the time phase from the bone shape image 520.

  In the measurement result image 500, a measurement data file output switch (CSV), print output switch (Print), cancel switch (Cancel), and the like may be provided.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining various markers displayed in the bone shape image 520. As described with reference to FIG. 5, the bone image 522 and the subarray marker 524 are displayed in the bone shape image 520. In the bone shape image 520, a beam marker 525, a load position marker 526, and a bone position marker 528 may be further displayed as shown in FIG.

  The beam marker 525 is a visual representation of how a plurality of ultrasonic beams are formed on a bone. That is, the state in which the ultrasonic beam is formed from the subarray marker 524 indicating the position of the probe toward the bone image 522 indicating the measurement target bone is expressed. In the present embodiment, since four ultrasonic beams for echo tracking are formed, four beam markers 525 are shown in FIG.

  The load position marker 526 is a visual representation of the position and direction of the load applied to the bone. FIG. 6 shows that a load substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the bone is applied in the vicinity of the connection point of the bone image 522 in which the two columnar display modes are connected to each other. Note that the load amount may be expressed by the length of the load position marker 526 or the like.

  The bone position marker 528 is a marker indicating the position of the measurement target bone in the subject. That is, the bone position marker 528 schematically represents the entire skeleton of the subject, and displays the portion of the bone to be measured in the entire skeleton schematically shown in a display mode different from other portions. is there. In FIG. 6, the bone position marker 528 indicates that a bone (tibia or fibula) on the lower leg (L) of the subject person is a bone to be measured.

  Further, a marker (P) indicating the proximal side and a marker (D) indicating the distal side may be displayed in the bone image 522. Furthermore, a user interface for changing the bending display magnification of the bone image 522 may be formed in the bone shape image 520.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a deformation display mode of a bone image. 5 and 6, the bone image 522 in which two columnar display modes are connected to each other has been described. On the other hand, the bone image 522 ′ shown in FIG. 7 schematically represents the actual shape of the measurement target bone. That is, if the bone to be measured is a human tibia, a bone image 522 ′ similar to the human tibia is formed, and if the bone to be measured is a human rib, a bone image 522 ′ similar to the human rib is formed. Is done. For example, the bone image 522 ′ is displayed at the position of the bone image 522 instead of the bone image 522 in the measurement result image 500 illustrated in FIG. 5.

  FIG. 8 shows another preferred display example of the graph image. The graph shown in FIG. 8 is a characteristic curve with the abscissa indicating the bending angle and the ordinate indicating the load. There is a hysteresis characteristic between the load on the bone and the bending angle of the bone. In other words, the increase characteristic of the bone flexion angle when the load value is gradually increased to the maximum load value, and the decrease characteristic of the bone flexion angle when the load value is gradually decreased from the maximum load value Does not necessarily match. FIG. 8 shows angular characteristics when the load value is increased to the maximum load value and then the load value is decreased from the maximum load value. For example, the area in the graph drawn in a loop shape reflects the hysteresis characteristic between the load value and the bending angle. The area is an index for evaluating, for example, the viscoelastic component of bone.

  Incidentally, a star-shaped marker is displayed on the characteristic curve drawn in a loop. This marker is set according to the time set by the time setting bar 540 in FIG. 5, for example. That is, in FIG. 8, the star-shaped marker is displayed at the portion of the load and the bending angle at the time set by the user. The star-shaped marker moves on a characteristic curve drawn in a loop according to the time change operation by the user.

  FIG. 9 shows another preferred display example of the graph image. The graph shown in FIG. 9 is a characteristic curve with the horizontal axis representing the bending angle and the vertical axis representing the load, as in the graph of FIG. The display mode shown in FIG. 9 shows a state in which the measurement result changes with time based on a plurality of measurement data obtained at different times. That is, the display example shown in FIG. 9 shows a plurality of characteristic curves 910, 920, and 930 obtained at different times.

  For example, measurement is performed on the same subject under the same measurement conditions, and a characteristic curve 910 is obtained based on the result measured on January 1, 2000, and measured on March 1, 2000. A characteristic curve 920 is obtained based on the result obtained, and a characteristic curve 930 is obtained based on the result measured on May 1, 2000.

  In this way, the display example shown in FIG. 9 shows a state in which the measurement amount reflecting the shape of the bone changes with time. The display example shown in FIG. 9 makes it possible, for example, to easily visually grasp the process in which a fractured bone gradually heals.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment mentioned above has the following effects. For example, according to the display modes shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, it is possible to easily imagine the deformation of the fracture portion with respect to the load, which is effective for diagnosis of a fracture. Also, these display modes are valuable information for knowing the state of stress that the fracture part receives with respect to the load. In addition, by showing the display modes shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 to the subject, it becomes possible to explain the measurement result to the subject in an easy-to-understand manner.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. For example, by forming a program for realizing the echo tracking processing unit 20, the shape measuring unit 22, the measurement data forming unit 24, the display image forming unit 32, etc. in FIG. Embodiments that function as an image forming apparatus that forms display images such as those shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 are also possible. The display images shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 are not limited to those displayed on the display 34, and may be printed on paper, for example.

1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating a suitable probe for the ultrasound diagnosing device of this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the setting process of a straight line, and the angle calculation process between straight lines. It is a figure for demonstrating measurement data. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of a display of a measurement result image. It is a figure for demonstrating the various markers displayed in a bone shape image. It is a figure for demonstrating the deformation | transformation display aspect of a bone image. It is a figure which shows another suitable display example of a graph image. It is a figure which shows another suitable display example of a graph image.

Explanation of symbols

  10 probe, 20 echo tracking processing unit, 22 shape measuring unit, 24 measurement data forming unit, 26 data storage unit, 32 display image forming unit, 510 waveform image, 520 bone shape image, 522 bone image, 530 graph image.

Claims (9)

Transmitting and receiving means for forming a plurality of ultrasonic beams on the bone;
Surface detecting means for detecting a surface point corresponding to the surface of the bone for each ultrasonic beam and detecting a plurality of surface points from the plurality of ultrasonic beams;
A shape measuring means for obtaining a bending angle of a bone based on a plurality of detected surface points;
Bending bone is expressed by connecting two columnar display modes to each other at one end in the axial direction of each display mode, and the bending angle of bone is expressed by the connection angle of the two columnar display modes. An image forming means for forming a bone shape image;
Display means for displaying a time setting bar that functions as a user interface for setting the time, and a bone shape image that represents the bending angle of the bone at the time set via the time setting bar;
Having
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The shape measuring means obtains the bending angle of the bone when a load is applied to the bone,
The image forming means includes an angle change graph showing the time change of the bending angle by indicating the time on one axis and the bending angle on the other axis, and the other axis indicating the time on one axis. A load change graph showing the state of the load change over time by indicating the load amount, and
The display means displays an angle change graph and a load change graph, and further displays respective time markers corresponding to the same time in the angle change graph and the load change graph.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2 ,
The image forming unit forms a waveform image showing a waveform in the vicinity of the surface point of each ultrasonic beam, and a beam position image showing a position of each ultrasonic beam in the transmission / reception plane of the transmission / reception unit,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The shape measuring means obtains the bending angle of the bone when a load is applied to the bone,
The image forming means forms an angle change graph showing the time change of the bending angle by indicating the time on one axis and the bending angle on the other axis, and the time displayed in the angle changing graph. Forming a bone shape image corresponding to the bending angle at the time indicated by the marker;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The shape measuring means obtains the bending angle of the bone when a load is applied to the bone,
The image forming means forms a load change graph showing a time change state of the load amount by indicating the time on one axis and the load amount on the other axis, and the time displayed in the load change graph. Forming a bone shape image when the amount of load at the time indicated by the marker is exerted,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The image forming means displays a beam marker that visually represents each ultrasonic beam in a bone shape image, thereby visually expressing how a plurality of ultrasonic beams are formed on the bone. Forming an image,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The image forming means displays a bone position marker indicating the position of the bone to be measured in the subject in the bone shape image.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. A shape measuring means for obtaining a bending angle of the bone based on a plurality of surface points detected from the bone surface by a plurality of ultrasonic beams formed on the bone ;
Bending bone is expressed by connecting two columnar display modes to each other at one end in the axial direction of each display mode, and the bending angle of bone is expressed by the connection angle of the two columnar display modes. An image forming means for forming a bone shape image;
Display means for displaying a time setting bar that functions as a user interface for setting the time, and a bone shape image that represents the bending angle of the bone at the time set via the time setting bar;
Having
An image forming apparatus. Determining a bending angle of the bone based on a plurality of surface points detected from the bone surface by a plurality of ultrasonic beams formed on the bone ;
Bending bone is expressed by connecting two columnar display modes to each other at one end in the axial direction of each display mode, and the bending angle of bone is expressed by the connection angle of the two columnar display modes. Forming a bone shape image;
Displaying a time setting bar that functions as a user interface for setting the time, and a bone shape image that represents the bending angle of the bone at the time set via the time setting bar;
Comprising
A measurement result display method characterized by the above.

Images