JPH0773578B2 - Medical image evaluation device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical image evaluation apparatus for evaluating an ultrasonic tomographic image of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus used in the medical field.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, medical ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses have been used in a wide range of medical fields, and high resolution and high image quality of the apparatus itself have been attempted. Is determined by many acoustic and electrical factors such as the response characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer used for the ultrasonic probe, the acoustic characteristics of living tissue that is a propagation medium, and the signal processing method in the mainframe. To be done. Therefore, the relationship between these many different factors and the ultrasonic tomographic image that is the output of the device is clarified, the ultrasonic tomographic image is comprehensively evaluated, and the design guideline of the device and the material for medical judgment are provided. A medical image evaluation device provided is desired.

A conventional medical image evaluation apparatus will be described below. As a conventional medical image evaluation apparatus, for example, ""
Computer Simulations of Speckle in B-Scan Images, DR Foster et al., Ultrasonic Imaging, VOL5,1
983 "(" Computer Simulation
so of spectrum in B-scan image
ges ", DR Foster et., Ultra
Those described in Sonic Imaging, Vol 5, 1983) are known. FIG. 15 shows a conventional medical image evaluation apparatus. In FIG.
151 is an ultrasonic circular concave surface transducer, 152 is a random scatterer phantom, 153 is a transmitter, 154 is a receiver, 15
Reference numeral 5 is an A / D, 156 is a memory, and 157 is an image analysis unit.

The operation of the medical image device configured as described above will be described below. First, a drive waveform of the ultrasonic circular concave surface transducer 152 is generated from the transmitter, the ultrasonic wave is radiated to the random scatterer phantom 152, and the reflected ultrasonic wave is received. The received RF signal is the receiver 1
The signal is amplified by 54, quantized by the A / D 155, recorded in the memory 156, and analyzed and evaluated by an image analysis unit such as a computer. The analysis data can be obtained by actually implementing the above system and using actual data, or by calculating the transmission waveform of the ultrasonic circular concave surface transducer or by using an approximate waveform.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the shape of the ultrasonic transducer used in the actual ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the noise level which becomes a problem when the ultrasonic tomographic image is constructed, and the biological tissue. There is a problem that it is not possible to elucidate the relationship between many different factors and ultrasonic tomographic images as outputs that interfere with each other without considering frequency dependent attenuation and the like.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. A medical image evaluation apparatus capable of comprehensive image evaluation by clarifying the relationship between various parameters that determine the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image and the image. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating the vibration form of an ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator and an ultrasonic array for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. From the calculation results of the spatial response calculation unit that calculates the spatial response of one piezoelectric element to the sound field space from the shape of one piezoelectric element that is configured, the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit, and the spatial response calculation unit. An ultrasonic beam calculation unit that calculates the beam of the ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic phantom generation unit that generates a random scatterer as an object, the calculation result of the ultrasonic beam calculation unit and the ultrasonic phantom generation unit An RF signal calculation unit for calculating a reflected ultrasonic signal from the random scatterer group, a signal processing unit for processing the calculation result of the RF signal calculation unit and converting the RF signal into ultrasonic tomographic image data, An image forming unit that forms an ultrasonic tomographic image from the output of the acoustic wave signal processing unit and converts it into a video signal, an image display device that receives the output from the image forming unit and displays an ultrasonic tomographic image, and the image forming unit An image evaluation unit that performs various image analyzes and evaluations according to the calculation result of, a recording device that records the calculation results of the above units into a database, a parameter generation unit that outputs calculation parameters to the above units, and the parameter generation unit An input device for inputting calculation parameters and a central control unit for controlling the above respective units are configured.

[0008]

According to the present invention, with the above configuration, medical ultrasonic tomographic images can be combined in the apparatus and the combined ultrasonic tomographic images can be evaluated. Further, the present invention is capable of synthesizing an image by changing various parameters that affect the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image, and determining the optimum values of various parameters while observing or evaluating the image. It is possible to obtain appropriate design guidelines.

[0009]

(Embodiment 1) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 11 is a piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit, 12 is a spatial response calculation unit, 13 is an ultrasonic beam calculation unit, 14 is an ultrasonic phantom generation unit, 15 is an RF signal calculation unit, 16 is a signal processing unit, 17 is an image forming unit, 18 is an image evaluation unit, 19 is an image display device, 20 is a recording device, 21 is a parameter generation unit,
Reference numeral 22 is an input device, 23 is an output device, and 24 is a central control unit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram relating to the response characteristic calculation of the piezoelectric vibrator, FIG. 2 (a) is a sectional view of an ultrasonic probe including the piezoelectric vibrator, and FIG. 2 (b) is the calculated piezoelectric vibrator. The response characteristics are shown. In FIG. 2A, 25 is a backing layer,
26 is a piezoelectric vibrator, 27 is a first matching layer, 28 is a second matching layer, 29 is an acoustic lens, 30 is an electrode layer, 31 is an adhesive layer,
32 is a sound wave emitting surface, 33 is a drive waveform, and 34 is a response waveform in (b).

FIG. 3 is a diagram relating to the calculation of spatial response characteristics.
FIG. 3A shows a conceptual diagram of spatial response characteristic calculation, and FIG. 3B shows the calculated spatial response characteristic. 3 in FIG.
2 is a sound wave emitting surface, 35 is a propagation medium, 36 is an observation point, 37
Indicates an ultrasonic wave propagation path, and 38 indicates a spatial response characteristic.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of ultrasonic beam calculation. In FIG. 4, 26 is a piezoelectric vibrator, 36 is an observation point, 4
Reference numeral 1 is an ultrasonic transducer array, 42 is a delay time, 43 is an adder, 44 is a propagation path for which the response characteristics of each simulated piezoelectric transducer are calculated, and 45 is the ultrasonic wave at the finally calculated observation point. The sonic beam waveform is shown.

The operation of the medical image evaluation apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, the shape, size, matching layer characteristics, drive waveform, and the like of the vibrator are input from the input device 22. The input parameters are input to the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit 11 via the parameter generation unit 21 and the vibration mode of the piezoelectric vibrator is calculated. Arbitrary drive waveform 3 during transmission
3 is applied to the electrode layers 30 at both ends of the piezoelectric vibrator 26, the vibration waveform of the sound wave emitting surface 32 and the sound wave emitting surface 3 at the time of reception.
The electrical response characteristics of the electrode layer 30 when the impulse waveform is incident on 2 are calculated. The response characteristics of these piezoelectric vibrators can be accurately calculated using the Mason equivalent circuit or the finite element method. In addition, the calculated response characteristics of the piezoelectric vibrator are as shown in FIG.
It is recorded in the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic database in 0.

Next, the characteristics of the propagation medium to be calculated, such as attenuation parameters, are input from the input device 22. The parameters are sent via the parameter generation unit 21 to the spatial response calculation unit 12
Is input to the ultrasonic probe array 41, the spatial response characteristic of one element is considered in consideration of the shape, size, acoustic impedance, etc. of the sound wave emitting surface 32 of one piezoelectric vibrator 25 (one element). Calculated. In the process of this calculation, the propagation medium 3
5 is taken into account, and the distribution of the ultrasonic wave propagation path 37 between the observation point 36 and the sound wave emitting surface 32 and the propagation medium 35.
The spatial response characteristic data of one element is calculated by executing the area on the sound wave emitting surface 32 in consideration of the acoustic characteristic of 1. These spatial response characteristic data are a kind of impulse response in an acoustically homogeneous medium, and the waveform thereof is as shown in FIG. 3 (b). The calculated spatial response characteristic is recorded in the spatial response database in the recording device 20.

Next, the number of elements, delay characteristics, etc. are input from the input device 22, and the input parameters are input to the ultrasonic beam calculation unit 13 via the parameter generation unit 21 and the spatial response calculated in the previous stage Ultrasonic beam data is calculated from the piezoelectric transducer response characteristic data. Ultrasonic array 41
Propagation path 44 from each piezoelectric vibrator 26 to the observation point 36
The piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic corresponding to the above is read from the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic database in the recording device 20, and the delay time determined by the position of each piezoelectric vibrator 26 and the observation point 36 is read. Added to the characteristic data,
After that, data for all the elements is added. Since the settings of the number of elements and the delay time are different in transmission and reception, two types of data are calculated for transmission and reception, and the convolution integral of these two types of data is used to calculate the round trip response characteristics to the observation point 36. By convolving the piezoelectric transducer response characteristics at the time of transmission and reception with the obtained data, the ultrasonic beam waveform for one round trip at the observation point 36 is calculated. Observation point 3
By moving 6 in the calculation target space and repeating the calculation, data of the entire ultrasonic beam can be obtained.
When it is desired to visually grasp the shape of the ultrasonic beam, the calculated peak value of the ultrasonic beam waveform may be obtained two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally and displayed on the output device 23 or the image display device 19. The calculated ultrasonic beam data is recorded in the ultrasonic beam database in the recording device 20.

Next, the size of the phantom, the density of the random scatterers, the information of the structure, etc. are inputted from the input device 22,
The input parameters are input to the ultrasonic phantom generator 14 via the parameter generator 21. The ultrasonic phantom generator 14 distributes random scatterers in the input scatterer density within the size of the input phantom. Also, random scatterers inside the structure are excluded from the data based on the structure information, or the structure scatterers are newly distributed inside the structure. Data that considers the inhomogeneity of the medium may be calculated during the calculation process. The calculated ultrasonic phantom data is recorded in the ultrasonic phantom database in the recording device 20.

Next, parameters such as an imaging range necessary for calculating the RF signal are input from the input device 22, and the input parameters are input to the RF signal calculation unit 15 via the parameter generation unit 21. The ultrasonic phantom data and the ultrasonic beam data calculated in the previous stage and stored in the database are read from the respective databases of the recording device 20, and the propagation time is calculated from the position information of the random scatterers and the position information of the structure scatterers. Then, RF signal data is calculated by superimposing the data on the time axis, and this process is performed for all scatterers and the extraction position of the RF signal, which is necessary to image the input imaging region. Calculate as much RF signal data as possible. Calculated R
The F signal data is recorded in the RF signal database in the recording device 20.

Next, the parameters necessary for processing the RF signal calculated in the previous step are input from the input device 22. The input parameters are input to the signal processing unit 16 via the parameter generation unit 21, and parameters for signal processing such as dynamic range, noise level, various filter constants, etc. are determined. The RF signals required for imaging are sequentially read from the RF signal database in the recording device 20 and processed to become image signals. The calculated image signal is recorded in the image signal database in the recording device 20. The image signal recorded in the recording device 20 is read out by the image forming unit 17, converted into a video signal, and displayed on the image display device 19.
Is displayed in. The image display device 19 can display necessary or all of the various calculation parameters input via the input device 22 together with the ultrasonic tomographic image. The image signal data in the recording device 20 is read by the image evaluation unit 18, and various image evaluations such as frequency analysis and statistical analysis are performed according to an instruction input through the input device 22. The image evaluation result is displayed on the image display device 19 via the image forming unit 17, or recorded in the image evaluation database in the recording device 20, and output by the output device 23 when necessary.

These processes are comprehensively controlled by the central controller 24. The calculation process may be sequential as described above, or it is also possible to provide a distributed control device in each part and perform an independent process via a database in the recording device 20 as long as each part does not interfere. is there. The various parameters can be input each time the calculation process starts, during the calculation, or each time, or can be input to the database in the recording device 20 and read out the database to input the parameters. . In addition, although the embodiment shown here assumes an ultrasonic linear probe, it goes without saying that an ultrasonic convex probe or the like can be used.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating the response characteristics of the ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator and the single piezoelectric element forming the ultrasonic array for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. An ultrasonic probe based on the spatial response calculation unit that calculates the spatial response of one piezoelectric element to the sound field space from the shape of the element, the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit, and the calculation results of the spatial response calculation unit. An ultrasonic beam calculation unit that calculates the beam of the, an ultrasonic phantom generation unit that generates a random scatterer as a subject, and a random scattering that receives the calculation results of the ultrasonic beam calculation unit and the ultrasonic phantom generation unit. An RF signal calculation unit that calculates a reflected ultrasonic signal from the body group, a signal processing unit that processes the calculation result of the RF signal calculation unit and converts the RF signal into ultrasonic tomographic image data, and the ultrasonic signal processing An image forming unit that forms an ultrasonic tomographic image from the calculation result of and converts it into a video signal, an image display device that displays an ultrasonic tomographic image by receiving an output from the image forming unit, and a calculation result of the image forming unit In response to this, an image evaluation unit for performing various image analyzes and evaluations, a recording device for recording the output of each of the above units and forming a database, a parameter generation unit for outputting calculation parameters to each of the above units, and calculation parameters for the parameter generation unit By providing an input device for inputting, an output device for outputting calculation parameters and image evaluation results of each of the above parts, and a central control unit for controlling each of the above parts, medical ultrasonic tomographic images are combined in the device, and combined. The obtained ultrasonic tomographic image can be evaluated.

Further, according to the present invention, images can be synthesized by changing various parameters which affect the image quality of the ultrasonic tomographic image,
Optimal values of various parameters can be determined while observing or evaluating an image, and appropriate design guidelines for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the spatial response calculator in the second embodiment of the present invention. 51 in FIG.
Is a position information generator, 52 is a one-element surface mesh divider,
53 is an amplitude / phase corrector, 54 is a frequency dependent attenuation corrector,
Reference numeral 55 denotes an integrator.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the three-dimensional mesh division of the space for which the spatial response characteristic of one element is calculated in the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, 32 is a sound wave emitting surface, and 35
Is a propagation medium, 36 is a propagation path of ultrasonic waves, 61 is a three-dimensional mesh obtained by dividing the calculation target space, and 62 is a mesh point.

In the configuration as described above, the position information generator 51 receives parameters such as mesh intervals and calculation target space dimensions from the parameter generation unit 21, divides the calculation target space into a three-dimensional mesh 61, and divides each mesh. The three-dimensional discrete position information of the mesh points 62 is sequentially output to the one-element surface mesh divider 52 with the points 62 as calculation points. In the 1-element surface mesh divider 52, the 1-element surface mesh divider 52 is used to execute the area on the sound wave emitting surface 32 necessary for calculating the spatial response.
The sound wave emitting surface 32 of the element is divided into a two-dimensional mesh. At this time, the positions of the mesh points 62 of the three-dimensional mesh 61, which are the spatial response calculation points, and the two points on the sound wave emitting surfaces 32 adjacent to each other.
The amplitude and phase corrector is determined by determining the mesh width and the division number of the two-dimensional mesh on the sound wave emitting surface 32 so that the path difference of the propagation path connecting the mesh points of the three-dimensional mesh becomes 1/10 or less of the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave used. The position information of each two-dimensional mesh is output to 53. In the amplitude / phase corrector 53, the sound wave emitting surface 3
The distance attenuation and the phase shift due to the propagation path length from the two-dimensional mesh point on 2 to the three-dimensional mesh point 62 which is the spatial response calculation point are corrected. The frequency dependent attenuation compensator 54 corrects the phase shift and the amplitude change of the spatial response characteristic due to the frequency dependent propagation attenuation as the acoustic characteristic of the propagation medium 35, and the integrand for the area on the sound wave emitting surface 32. Is calculated and output to the integrator 55. 1 for integrator 55
Parameters such as the number of divisions of the two-dimensional mesh from the element surface mesh divider 52 and the output of the integrand from the frequency-dependent attenuation corrector 54 are added to the integrand by adding weights resulting from the number of divisions to the spatial response characteristic. Perform the calculation.

In this case, the mesh interval of the three-dimensional mesh 61 for the spatial response calculation is the depth direction, the scanning direction,
It is possible to set each slice direction independently, but with regard to the scan direction, set it to the same interval as the scan direction pitch of the piezoelectric transducer element of the ultrasonic probe to be calculated, or to its integer fraction. This is convenient for later ultrasonic beam calculation and the like. Further, the depth direction and the slice direction may be set at intervals such that the change in the waveform of the calculated spatial response does not change significantly between adjacent meshes.
Note that the embodiment shown here is an embodiment in the case of an ultrasonic linear probe, and the three-dimensional mesh 61 is divided by the xyz coordinate system, but in the case of an ultrasonic convex probe or the like, rθz The same calculation can be performed by dividing by the coordinate system.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the spatial response calculation unit divides the sound field space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate a discrete position information, and a sound wave emitting surface of one element. A one-element surface mesh divider that divides into a two-dimensional mesh and generates information for the area, and the phase and amplitude of the spatial response from the propagation path length by receiving the outputs of the position information generator and the one-element surface mesh divider. An amplitude / phase corrector that corrects the frequency, a frequency-dependent attenuation corrector that receives the output of the amplitude-phase corrector and calculates a propagation attenuation value from a frequency-dependent attenuation parameter, the position information generator, and the one-element surface mesh divider. By constructing an integrator that calculates and outputs the spatial response from the output of the frequency-dependent attenuation corrector, the frequency-dependent attenuation of the propagation medium is considered from the parameters such as the shape of the sound radiation surface of one element. It is possible to obtain the spatial response characteristic.

(Third Embodiment) A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an ultrasonic beam calculator in the third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, 71 is a spatial response characteristic database in the recording device 20, 7
2 is a position information generator, 73 is a spatial response selector, 74 is a weight generator, 75 is a multiplier, 76 is a delay time controller, 77
Is a variable delay device, 78 is an adder, 79 is a data line, 8
0 indicates a convolutional integrator.

In the above-mentioned configuration, the position information generator 72 receives parameters such as the sound field calculation mesh interval and the calculation target space size from the parameter generation unit 21, and makes the calculation target sound field space into a three-dimensional mesh. Divided and using each mesh point as a calculation target point, the discrete position information of the mesh points is sequentially output. The spatial response selector 73 receives the number of elements of the ultrasonic probe as a parameter from the parameter generation unit 21, receives the positional information of the mesh points from the positional information generator 72, and needs the spatial response characteristic necessary for the calculation. Select only the number. The selected spatial response characteristic is read from the spatial response characteristic database 71 in the recording device 20 via the data line 79. The weight generator 74 calculates the weight value added to each element from the position information of the mesh point to be calculated from the position information generator 72 and the information about the weight from the parameter generation unit 21, and the weight value on the data line 79 is calculated. It is output to the multiplier 75, and the multiplier 75 adds weight to the spatial response characteristic data on the data line 79. The delay time controller 76 calculates the delay time for each element from the position information of the mesh point to be calculated from the position information generator 72 and the delay characteristic information from the parameter generation unit 21,
It is output to the variable delay unit 77 on the data line 79, and the delay time is given to the spatial response characteristic data on each data line 79. Thereafter, the spatial response characteristic data on each data line 79 are added by the adder 78 to calculate the spatial response characteristic for one aperture of one way. Weight generator 74,
There are two systems of the multiplier 75, the delay time controller 76, the variable delay unit 77, the adder 78, and the data line 79, and each calculates the one-way spatial response characteristic for one aperture during transmission and reception. The convolutional integrator 80 performs convolutional calculation of the adder output for reception calculation, the adder output for transmission calculation, and the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic data output from the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic database in the recording device 20,
It outputs ultrasonic beam data for round trip transmission and reception.

In this case, the mesh interval of the three-dimensional mesh for calculating the ultrasonic beam data is the same as the pitch at the time of calculating the spatial response characteristic data, which is the basic data for calculation, in the depth direction, the scan direction and the slice direction, or It is convenient to set it to an integer multiple. Also, the delay time controller 7
By allowing the delay time error to occur within 6, it is possible to calculate the ultrasonic beam in consideration of the delay time accuracy and the change of the ultrasonic beam shape.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the ultrasonic beam calculation unit divides the sound field space into three-dimensional meshes to generate discrete position information, and the position information generator. It receives the output and selects from the spatial response database in the recording device the spatial response selector that selects the spatial response data by the set number of elements, the output of the position information generator, and the output of the spatial response selector. A weight generator that adds weight to each spatial response, a delay time controller that receives the output of the position information generator and the weight generator and gives a delay time for each element data, and an output of the delay time controller It is composed of an adder that adds each element data and outputs ultrasonic beam data of the forward path or the backward path. The weight generator, the delay time controller and the adder are respectively for transmission and reception. It has two systems, and the output of each adder and the output of the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit are convoluted to output the reciprocal ultrasonic beam data. Ultrasonic beam calculation closer to the device can be performed, basic data for later RF signal calculation and image display can be generated, and the relationship between various parameters that determine the quality of the ultrasonic beam and the beam shape is clarified. Therefore, it becomes possible to derive a guideline for optimum design of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

(Fourth Embodiment) A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 8 shows the RF in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The block diagram of a signal calculation part is shown. In FIG.
81 is a position information generator, 82 is an ultrasonic beam selector, 8
3 is an ultrasonic beam database in the recording device 20, 84
Is a phantom data selector, 85 is a phantom database in the recording device 20, 86 is an amplitude corrector, 87 is a scatterer position generator, 88 is a propagation time generator, 89 is an RF signal database in the recording device 20, and 90 is The RF signal selection unit, 91 is an adder.

In the above configuration, the position information generator 81 receives parameters such as mesh intervals and calculation target space size from the input device 22 via the parameter generator 21 and divides the phantom space into a three-dimensional mesh. , The discrete position information of each mesh point is sequentially output. The ultrasonic beam selector 82 selects, from the ultrasonic beam database 83, ultrasonic beam data at a position that matches a mesh point that is a calculation point, and outputs it to the amplitude corrector 86. The phantom data selector 84 receives the output of the position information generator 81, selects random scatterer data or structure scatterer data in the vicinity of the mesh point to be calculated from the phantom database 85, and outputs it to the scatterer position generator 87. . The scatterer position generator 87 decodes the position information of each scatterer and outputs it to the amplitude corrector 86 and the propagation time generator 88. The amplitude corrector 86 converts the displacement of the calculation target mesh point and the position of the scatterer, and applies the amplitude correction corresponding to the displacement of the position and the amplitude due to the reflectance of the scatterer to the ultrasonic beam data. The amplitude-corrected ultrasonic beam data is output to the propagation time generator 88, and R is output from the scatterer position generator 87.
The round-trip propagation time from the F signal extraction position to the scatterer is calculated, and the propagation time of the ultrasonic beam data is corrected and output to the adder 91. In the RF signal selector 90, the extraction position of the RF signal affected by the scatterer is calculated from the position information generator 81, the corresponding RF signal is selected from the RF signal database 89, read out to the adder 91, and in the adder 91. It is added to the corrected ultrasonic beam data and output again to the RF signal database 89.

In this case, the mesh interval of the three-dimensional mesh of the phantom for RF signal data calculation is the depth direction,
It is convenient to set both the scanning direction and the slice direction to the same interval as the pitch at the time of calculating the ultrasonic beam data, which is the basic data for calculation, or an integral multiple thereof. In addition, the amplitude correction in the amplitude corrector 86 may be performed by previously calculating a correction coefficient from the ultrasonic beam data corresponding to the three-dimensional mesh of the adjacent phantoms. If the coefficient is obtained by using a spline function or the like, the accuracy can be improved. It can be corrected well.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the RF signal calculator divides the phantom space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information, and the output of the position information generator. An ultrasonic beam selector for selecting ultrasonic beam data from an ultrasonic beam database in the receiving and recording device, and a phantom corresponding to a three-dimensional mesh to be calculated from a phantom database in the recording device which receives the output from the position information generator. Data selector for selecting partial data of the above, a scatterer position generator for converting the phantom data selected by the phantom data selector into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and the scatterer position generator Amplitude correction for correcting the amplitude of the ultrasonic beam data selected by the ultrasonic beam data selector And a propagation time generator that receives the output of the scatterer position generator and the output of the amplitude corrector, obtains the propagation time of transmission and reception and gives a delay time to the ultrasonic beam data, and RF of the RF signal database in the recording device. By using an RF signal selector for selecting signal data and an adder for adding the output of the propagation time generator to the RF data selected by the RF signal selector, ultrasonic waves are obtained for all scatterer data. The RF signal data can be calculated accurately and at high speed from the ultrasonic beam data calculated discretely without calculating the beam characteristics, and the basic data for image display can be obtained.

(Embodiment 5) A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9, 92 is a random scatterer position generator, 93 is a scatterer remover in a structure, 94 is a rearranger, 95 is a data compressor, 9
6 is a scatterer generator in the structure, 97 is a rearranger, and 98 is a data compressor.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generated by the ultrasonic phantom generating section in the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, 101 is an ultrasonic phantom, and 102 is a phantom 3 for dividing the phantom.
Dimensional mesh, 103 is a cylindrical structure as a structure, 10
4 has shown the string as a structure.

In the configuration as described above, the random scatterer position generator 92 receives parameters such as the size of the phantom and the scatterer density input from the input device 22 through the parameter generation unit 21, and sets the phantom. Generate position information for random scatterers within the dimension. The generated random scatterer position data is the scatterer remover 9 in the structure.
3 is output. The intra-structure scatterer remover 93 removes random scatterers existing in the structure based on the structure information in the phantom input from the input device 22 and input through the parameter generation unit 21. The random scatterer data that has not been removed is input to the rearranger 94.
Parameters such as the mesh spacing of the three-dimensional mesh of the phantom input from the input device 22 are input to the rearranger 94 via the parameter generation unit 21, and the input random scatterer position data is simplified in the subsequent calculation process. It is assigned to each three-dimensional mesh and rearranged in the order of the mesh so that it can be realized. In this case, the density of the random scatterer, which is a reflector of ultrasonic waves, is set so that the speckle pattern as seen in a normal ultrasonic tomographic image of biological tissue can be sufficiently generated in the subsequent RF signal calculation process. 10 in the transmission pulse of the sound wave
It is desirable to set so that there are more than one. Since a considerably large recording capacity is required to record the position information for all the random scatterers, the data compressor 95
Random scatterer position information is coded via the and compressed to save the recording capacity.

On the other hand, the intra-structure scatterer generator 96 is supplied with the information about the structure inside the phantom, which is input from the input device 22, through the parameter generation unit 21, and the random scattering of the surroundings inside the scatterer. Scatterer position information is generated in order to distribute scatterers having different characteristics from the body. The scatterer position information inside the structure generated here is, for example, a scatterer group having a reflectance different from that of the random scatterers around the inside of the cylindrical structure 103 in FIG. Is like scatterers densely arranged on a straight line. The scatterer position information generated by the in-structure scatterer generator 96 is assigned to each three-dimensional mesh by the rearrangement unit 97 in the same manner as in the case of the random scatterers described above, rearranged in mesh order, and data compression is performed. It is encoded by the device 98 and recorded in the phantom database in the recording device. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the ultrasonic phantom generation unit receives the output of the random scatterer position generator that distributes the random scatterer within the size of the phantom, and receives the output of the random scatterer position generator. An intra-structure scatterer remover for erasing random scatterer data in an object; a data rearranger for dividing a phantom into a three-dimensional mesh and rearranging random scatterer data in order corresponding to a mesh structure; A data compressor that receives the output of the intra-body scatterer remover, encodes and compresses the random scatterer position data and outputs it to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device, and a new scatterer of another type in the structure. A scatterer generator in the structure where
A data rearranger that divides the phantom into a three-dimensional mesh and rearranges the structure scatterer data in order corresponding to the mesh structure, and receives the output of the above-mentioned structure scatterer generator and codes the structure scatterer position data. A phantom simulating an actual ultrasonic phantom having a certain amount of structures inside a random scatterer group by providing a data compressor that converts the data into a structure scatterer database in the recording device and outputs the data. Data can be generated.

(Sixth Embodiment) A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator of the sixth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11, 92 is a random scatterer position generator, 93 is a scatterer remover in structure, 94 is a rearranger, 95 is a data compressor, 96 is a scatterer in structure, 97 is a rearranger,
Reference numeral 98 is a data compressor, 111 is a structure attenuation correction data generator, and 112 is a data compressor.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of generation of attenuation correction data in a structure. In FIG. 12, 121 is an RF signal extraction position, 122 is a calculation target phantom mesh point, 123 is a cylindrical structure as a structure, 124 is a propagation path connecting the mesh point and the RF signal extraction position, 125
Indicates a propagation path length that gives attenuation correction data, and 126 indicates a phantom.

In the above structure, the random scatterer position generator 92, the intra-structure scatterer remover 93, the rearranger 94, the data compressor 95, the intra-structure scatterer generator 9 are arranged.
6, the rearranger 97, and the data compressor 98 operate in the same manner as in the fifth embodiment, and output the respective scatterer information to the phantom database in the recording device 20.

On the other hand, the structure attenuation correction data generator 111
Is the propagation attenuation information, RF inside the structure from the input device 22.
Parameters such as the signal extraction position and the phantom three-dimensional mesh interval are input via the parameter generation unit 21, and the attenuation characteristics inside the structure are the same for all combinations of the RF extraction position and the mesh points to be calculated. The correction data for the deviation of the propagation attenuation due to the difference from the medium of is calculated.

In the calculation process of the attenuation correction amount, first, a propagation path 124 connecting the phantom three-dimensional mesh point 122 to be calculated and the RF signal extraction position 121 is assumed, and the propagation path 124 is, for example, the surrounding medium of the phantom 126. If it intersects with the cylindrical structure 123 given different propagation attenuation characteristics, it is assumed that the attenuation correction amount corresponding to the distance 125 that the propagation path 124 passes through the cylindrical structure 123 is given, and the propagation attenuation coefficient inside the cylindrical structure 123 and the propagation Attenuation correction data is calculated in the form of a product of path length 125.

The calculated attenuation correction data is used as the extraction position 121 for all RF signals that affect the subsequent RF signal calculation.
Since the calculation is performed for a combination of the calculation target mesh points 122, the data is compressed and encoded through the data compressor 112 to reduce the recording capacity. The attenuation correction amount calculated here depends on the frequency in consideration of the attenuation characteristic of the living tissue.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the ultrasonic phantom generator generates the random scatterer position generator for distributing the random scatterers within the size of the phantom and the output of the random scatterer position generator. In-structure scatterer remover that erases random scatterer data in the received content structure,
Receiving the output from the scatterer in the structure, the phantom is divided into a three-dimensional mesh and the random scatterer data is rearranged in order corresponding to the mesh structure, and the random scatterer position data is coded. Compressor to output the data to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device, scatterer in structure to newly dispose scatterer of another kind in structure, scatterer in structure Data arranging device for dividing the phantom into a three-dimensional mesh by receiving the output of the device and rearranging the structure scatterer data in order corresponding to the mesh structure, and a recording device for encoding and compressing the scatterer position data in the structure The data compressor that outputs to the intra-structure scatterer database, and the propagation attenuation inside the structure based on the attenuation characteristics inside the structure and the propagation path length In the recording device, the structure attenuation correction data generator for calculating the combination of the RF signal extraction positions of the above and generating the data for the attenuation correction inside the structure, and the data of the structure attenuation data generator are coded and compressed. To generate phantom data closer to the ultrasonic phantom actually used, which is composed of a data compressor that outputs to the attenuation correction database and considers the inhomogeneity of the propagation attenuation as the acoustic characteristics of the propagation medium in the phantom. You can

(Embodiment 7) A seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 13 shows R in the seventh embodiment of the present invention.
The block diagram of the F signal calculation part is shown. In FIG. 13, 81 is a position information generator, 82 is an ultrasonic beam selector, 83 is an ultrasonic beam database in the recording device 20, 84 is a phantom data selector, and 85 is the recording device 2.
Phantom database in 0, 86 is amplitude corrector, 8
7 is a scatterer position generator, 88 is a propagation time generator, 89 is an RF signal database in the recording device 20, 90 is an RF signal selector, 91 is an adder, 131 attenuation correction data selector, 132 is propagation attenuation correction It is a vessel.

In the above configuration, the position information generator 81, ultrasonic beam selector 82, ultrasonic beam database 83, phantom data selector 84, phantom database 85, amplitude corrector 86, scatterer position generator 87. , Transit time generator 88, RF signal database 8
9, the RF signal selector 90, and the adder 91 operate in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment.

The attenuation correction data selector 131 receives the output from the position information generator 81 and selects from the phantom database 85 in the recording device 20 the propagation attenuation correction data due to the structure in the phantom. The selected propagation attenuation correction data is output from the phantom database 85 to the attenuation correction data corrector 131 and the attenuation data corrector 13 is output.
The propagation time generator 8 corrects the amplitude and phase of the ultrasonic beam data decoded in 1 and output from the amplitude corrector 86.
Output to 8.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the RF signal calculator divides the phantom space into three-dimensional meshes to generate discrete position information, and outputs the position information generator. An ultrasonic beam selector for selecting ultrasonic beam data from an ultrasonic beam database in the receiving and recording device, and a phantom corresponding to a three-dimensional mesh to be calculated from a phantom database in the recording device which receives the output from the position information generator. From the position information generator, a phantom data selector for selecting the partial data of, a scatterer position generator for converting the phantom data selected by the phantom data selector into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and Output from the phantom database in the recording device to reduce the propagation in the structure corresponding to the 3D mesh to be calculated. An attenuation correction data selector for selecting correction data, an amplitude corrector for receiving the output of the scatterer position generator and correcting the amplitude of the ultrasonic beam data selected by the ultrasonic beam data selector, Propagation attenuation corrector for decoding the structure propagation attenuation correction data selected by the attenuation correction data selector and correcting the amplitude and phase of the output of the amplitude corrector, the output of the scatterer position generator and the propagation attenuation A propagation time generator that receives the output of the corrector, obtains the propagation time of transmission and reception, and gives a delay time to the ultrasonic beam data, an RF signal selector that selects the RF signal data of the RF signal database in the recording device, and the above RF. It has an adder that adds the output of the propagation time generator to the RF data selected by the signal selector. Heterogeneous propagation attenuation characteristics as possible the calculation of realistic form of RF signals from considering.

(Embodiment 8) An eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a signal processor in the eighth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 14, 141 is a preamplifier section, 142 is a DGC section, 143 is a dynamic filter section, 144 is a logarithmic amplifier, 145 is a detector,
146 is a Nyquist filter and 147 is an arbitrary level noise generator.

In the above-mentioned structure, the recording device 20
The RF signals are sequentially read from the RF signal database inside and are input to the preamplifier unit 141. Preamplifier section 1
The RF signal data that has been amplified to some extent by 41 is added to the noise component generated by the arbitrary level noise generator 147, and then input to the DGC unit 142 for compensating for propagation attenuation. The DGC unit performs attenuation compensation according to the distance of the RF signal, the dynamic filter unit 143 for band limitation performs filtering according to the distance, and the logarithmic amplifier 144 for level compression logarithmically amplifies it. It The logarithmically compressed RF signal data is detected by the detector 145 and becomes envelope data, which is band-limited by the Nyquist filter unit 146 and becomes an image signal.
The calculated image signal is output to the image signal database in the recording device, and is output to the image forming unit 17 or the image evaluation unit 18 via the image signal database.

In this process, the parameters relating to the processing of each processing unit may be input before the processing, or the parameters may be input interactively while displaying the processing result of each unit on the image display device 19. It is also possible to observe changes in processing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the signal processing unit includes the preamplifier unit, the DGC unit, the dynamic filter unit, the logarithmic amplifier, the detector, the Nyquist filter unit, and the arbitrary level noise generator. By being configured, the RF signal data can be converted into the image signal data, and the process of processing the RF signal by each processing unit can be observed to clarify the influence of each unit on the imaging signal as an output. It is also possible to derive the optimum design specifications of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[0062]

As described above, according to the present invention, the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating the vibration mode of the ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator,
A spatial response calculation unit that calculates a spatial response of one piezoelectric element to a sound field space from the shape of one piezoelectric element that constitutes an ultrasonic array that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation Beam calculation section for calculating the beam of the ultrasonic probe from the calculation result of the section and the spatial response calculation section, an ultrasonic phantom generation section for generating a random scatterer as an object, and the ultrasonic beam calculation Section and an RF signal calculation section that receives the calculation results of the ultrasonic phantom generation section and calculates a reflected ultrasonic signal from the random scatterer group,
A signal processing unit that processes the calculation result of the RF signal calculation unit to convert the RF signal into ultrasonic tomographic image data; and an ultrasonic tomographic image is formed from the calculation result of the ultrasonic signal processing unit and converted into a video signal. An image forming unit for displaying an ultrasonic tomographic image by receiving an output from the image forming unit,
An image evaluation unit that performs various image analyzes and evaluations in response to the calculation result of the image forming unit, a recording device that records the calculation result of each unit into a database, and a parameter generation unit that outputs calculation parameters to each unit, An input device for inputting calculation parameters to the parameter generation unit,
By providing an output device for outputting the calculation parameters and image evaluation results of the respective parts and a central control part for controlling the respective parts, a medical ultrasonic tomographic image is synthesized in the device, and the synthesized ultrasonic tomographic image is obtained. Can be evaluated. Further, the present invention is capable of synthesizing an image by changing various parameters that affect the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image, and determining the optimum values of various parameters while observing or evaluating the image. It is possible to realize an excellent medical image evaluation apparatus capable of obtaining an appropriate design guideline.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall block connection diagram of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of an ultrasonic probe including a piezoelectric vibrator of the medical image evaluation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a waveform showing a calculation example of the response characteristic of the piezoelectric vibrator. Figure

FIG. 3A is a conceptual diagram of calculation of spatial response calculation which is a main part of the medical image evaluation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a waveform diagram showing an example of calculation of the same spatial response characteristic.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of calculation of ultrasonic beam calculation, which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block connection diagram of a spatial response calculation unit which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of three-dimensional mesh division of a calculation target space of the medical image evaluation apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block connection diagram of an ultrasonic beam calculation unit, which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block connection diagram of an RF signal calculation unit, which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block connection diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator, which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of an ultrasonic phantom required for a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block connection diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator, which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of attenuation correction data generation of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block connection diagram of an RF signal calculation unit, which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a block connection diagram of a signal processing unit which is a main part of a medical image evaluation apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a block connection diagram of a conventional medical image evaluation apparatus.

[Description of Reference Signs] 11 Piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit 12 Spatial response calculation unit 13 Ultrasonic beam calculation unit 14 Ultrasonic phantom generation unit 15 RF signal calculation unit 16 Signal processing unit 17 Image forming unit 18 Image evaluation unit 19 Image display Device 20 Recording device 21 Parameter generation unit 22 Input device 23 Output device 24 Central control unit 25 Backing layer 26 Piezoelectric vibrator 27 First matching layer 28 Second matching layer 29 Acoustic lens 30 Electrode layer 31 Adhesive layer 32 Sound wave emitting surface 33 Drive Waveform 34 Response Waveform 35 Propagation Medium 36 Observation Point 37 Ultrasonic Wave Propagation Path 38 Spatial Response Characteristic 41 Ultrasonic Transducer Array 42 Delay Time 43 Adder 44 Propagation Path 45 Ultrasonic Beam Waveform 51 Position Information Generator 52 1 Element Surface Mesh Divider 53 Amplitude and phase corrector 54 Frequency dependent attenuation corrector 55 Integrator 61 3D mesh 62 Mesh point 71 Spatial response database 72 Position information generator 73 Spatial response selector 74 Weight generator 75 Multiplier 76 Delay time controller 77 Variable delay unit 78 Adder 79 Data line 80 Convolutional integrator 81 Position information Generator 82 Ultrasonic beam selector 83 Ultrasonic beam database 84 Phantom data selector 85 Phantom database 86 Amplitude corrector 87 Scatterer position generator 88 Propagation time generator 89 RF signal database 90 RF signal selector 91 Adder 92 Random Scatterer position generator 93 In-structure scatterer remover 94 Sorter 95 Data compressor 96 In-structure scatterer generator 97 Sorter 98 Data compressor 101 Ultrasonic phantom 102 Phantom 3D mesh 103 Cylindrical structure 10 4 String 111 Structure Attenuation Correction Data Generator 112 Data Compressor 121 RF Signal Extraction Position 122 Mesh Point 123 Cylindrical Structure 124 Propagation Path 125 Propagation Path Length 126 Phantom 131 Attenuation Correction Data Selector 132 Propagation Attenuation Corrector 141 Preamplifier 142 DGC section 143 Dynamic filter section 144 Logarithmic amplifier 145 Detector 146 Nyquist filter section 147 Arbitrary level noise generator 151 Ultrasonic circular concave surface transducer 152 Random scatterer phantom 153 Transmitter 154 Receiver 155 A / D 156 Memory 157 Image analysis section

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G06T 1/00

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating a vibration mode of an ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator and a shape of one piezoelectric element constituting an ultrasonic array for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves are defined as 1 to a sound field space. A spatial response calculation unit that calculates the spatial response of each piezoelectric element, and an ultrasonic beam calculation that calculates the beam of the ultrasonic probe from the calculation results of the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit and the spatial response calculation unit. Section, an ultrasonic phantom generation section that generates a random scatterer as a subject, and a reflected ultrasonic wave signal from a random scatterer group from the calculation results of the ultrasonic beam calculation section and the ultrasonic phantom generation section. An RF signal calculation unit, a signal processing unit that processes the calculation result of the RF signal calculation unit to convert the RF signal into ultrasonic tomographic image data, and an ultrasonic tomographic image from the calculation result of the ultrasonic signal processing unit. Formation An image forming unit for converting to a video signal, an image display device for displaying an ultrasonic tomographic image by receiving a video output from the image forming unit, and a calculation result of the image forming unit or a calculation result of the signal processing unit. An image evaluation unit that performs various image analyzes and evaluations, a recording device that records the calculation results of the above-described units into a database, a parameter generation unit that outputs calculation parameters to the above-mentioned units, and input calculation parameters to the parameter generation unit. A medical image evaluation apparatus including an input device for performing the above operation, and a central control unit that controls the above-mentioned units. 2. A spatial response calculation unit divides a sound field space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information, and a sound wave emitting surface of one element into a two-dimensional mesh to divide an area into areas. A one-element surface mesh divider that generates information for
An amplitude / phase corrector for receiving the outputs of the position information generator and the one-element surface mesh divider to correct the phase and amplitude of the spatial response from the propagation path length, and an output of the amplitude / phase corrector for frequency dependent attenuation parameter It is composed of a frequency-dependent attenuation compensator for calculating the propagation attenuation value from the above, a positional information generator, the one-element surface mesh divider, and an integrator for calculating and outputting a spatial response from the output of the frequency-dependent attenuation compensator The medical image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1. 3. An ultrasonic beam calculation unit divides a sound field space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information, and a spatial response in a recording device which receives an output of the position information generator. , A spatial response selector that selects spatial response data for the set number of elements, a weight generator that receives the output of the position information generator and calculates the addition to each selected spatial response, and the spatial response selection A multiplier for receiving the output of the position generator and the output of the weight generator for weighting each selected spatial response, a delay time controller for receiving the output of the position information generator and giving a delay time for each element data, It is composed of an adder that receives the output of the delay time controller, adds the respective element data, and outputs the ultrasonic beam data of the forward path or the backward path, the weight generator, the multiplier,
The delay time controller and the adder have two systems for transmission and reception, respectively, and the output of each adder and the output of the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit are convoluted to generate reciprocating ultrasonic beam data. The medical image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medical image evaluation apparatus is composed of a convolutional integrator for outputting. 4. The RF signal calculation unit sets the phantom space to 3
A position information generator that generates discrete position information by dividing into a dimensional mesh, an ultrasonic beam selector that selects the ultrasonic beam data from the ultrasonic beam database in the recording device that receives the output of the position information generator, A phantom data selector that receives an output from the position information generator and selects partial data of a phantom corresponding to a three-dimensional mesh to be calculated from a phantom database in the recording device; and phantom data selected by the phantom data selector. The scatterer position generator for converting into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and the output of the scatterer position generator, corrects the amplitude of the ultrasonic beam data selected by the ultrasonic beam data selector. And the output of the scatterer position generator and the output of the amplitude corrector. A propagation time generator that gives a delay time to the obtained ultrasonic beam data, an RF signal selector that selects RF signal data in an RF signal database in the recording device, and the propagation time for the RF data selected by the RF signal selector. The medical image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an adder that adds outputs of the generator. 5. An ultrasonic phantom generator, wherein a random scatterer position generator distributes the random scatterer within the size of the phantom, and a random scatterer in the content structure receiving the output of the random scatterer position generator. Data for removing the scatterer in the structure for erasing data and the output of the scatterer for removal in the structure, and dividing the phantom into a three-dimensional mesh and rearranging the random scatterer data in order corresponding to the mesh structure. A rearranger, a data compressor that receives the output of the rearranger, encodes and compresses the random scatterer position data, and outputs the data to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device. In-structure scatterer generator in which scatterers are arranged, and by dividing the phantom into three-dimensional meshes by receiving the output of the in-structure scatterer generator, structure scatterer data The data rearranger that rearranges in order according to the mesh structure, and receives the output of the rearranger, encodes the scatterer position data in the structure, compresses it, and outputs it to the scatterer database in the structure in the recording device. The medical image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a data compressor for performing the operation. 6. An ultrasonic phantom generator, wherein the random scatterer position generator distributes the random scatterer within the size of the phantom, and the random scatterer in the content structure receiving the output of the random scatterer position generator. Data for removing the scatterer in the structure for erasing data and the output of the scatterer for removal in the structure, and dividing the phantom into a three-dimensional mesh and rearranging the random scatterer data in order corresponding to the mesh structure. A rearranger, a data compressor that encodes and compresses random scatterer position data and outputs it to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device, and a structure that newly arranges other kinds of scatterers in the structure The phantom is divided into a three-dimensional mesh by receiving the output of the scatterer generator and the above-mentioned structure scatterer generator, and the structure scatterer data is ordered according to the mesh structure. Data rearrangement device, a data compressor that encodes and compresses the scatterer position data in the structure and outputs it to the scatterer database in the structure in the recording device, the attenuation characteristics inside the structure and the propagation path A structure attenuation correction data generator for calculating propagation attenuation in a structure from a length for each combination of all meshes and all RF signal extraction positions to generate attenuation correction data in the structure, and the above structure The medical image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a data compressor that encodes the data of the object attenuation data generator and outputs it to an attenuation correction database in the recording device. 7. The RF signal calculation unit sets the phantom space to 3
A position information generator that generates discrete position information by dividing into a dimensional mesh, an ultrasonic beam selector that selects the ultrasonic beam data from the ultrasonic beam database in the recording device that receives the output of the position information generator, A phantom data selector that receives an output from the position information generator and selects partial data of a phantom corresponding to a three-dimensional mesh to be calculated from a phantom database in the recording device; and phantom data selected by the phantom data selector. A scatterer position generator for converting into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and a calculation target 3 from a phantom database in the recording device which receives an output from the position information generator.
Attenuation correction data selector for selecting propagation attenuation correction data in a structure corresponding to a three-dimensional mesh, and ultrasonic beam data selected by the ultrasonic beam data selector by receiving the output of the scatterer position generator An amplitude corrector for correcting the amplitude of, and a propagation attenuation corrector for decoding the structure propagation attenuation correction data selected by the attenuation correction data selector to correct the amplitude and phase of the output of the amplitude corrector,
A propagation time generator that receives the output of the scatterer position generator and the output of the propagation attenuation corrector, determines the propagation time of transmission and reception and gives a delay time to the ultrasonic beam data, and R in the recording device.
The medical device according to claim 1, comprising an RF signal selector for selecting RF signal data in the F signal database, and an adder for adding the output of the propagation time generator to the RF data selected by the RF signal selector. Image evaluation device. 8. A signal processing unit, a preamplifier unit, and a DGC.
2. The medical image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medical image evaluation unit comprises a unit, a dynamic filter unit, a logarithmic amplifier unit, a detection unit, a Nyquist filter unit, and an arbitrary level noise generator.