JPS59144444A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for performing ultrasonic diagnosis of in-vivo lesions such as periodontal lesions.

Conventional Structure and Problems Traditionally, X-ray photographs have been used to depict periodontal lesions, but in recent years, advances in ultrasound technology have led to the recognition of the usefulness of ultrasound diagnosis. On the other hand, in order to diagnose periodontal disease, especially alveolar bone resorption, it is necessary to examine the degree of alveolar bone resorption at multiple locations on a single tooth. To perform this with ultrasound diagnosis, the mutual positional relationship of multiple tomographic images must be clearly recorded and displayed in order to be able to understand the positional relationship of the tomographic images obtained at multiple locations with the tooth in three dimensions. A tool was needed. Such means have not been found in conventional ultrasonic diagnostic equipment.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that improves inspection accuracy by clarifying the mutual positional relationship between multiple tomographic images. 1. Structure of the Invention In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides means for displaying the intersection position of tomographic planes on each tomographic image of a first scanning mode and a second scanning mode that intersects with the first scanning mode. It is /ζ.

Explanation of the fruit example Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a two-dimensional ultrasonic scan R of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.
1 (This is a schematic configuration diagram of one embodiment. In the figure, 1 is an ultrasonic transducer, 2 is a scanning transmission shaft, 3 is a scanning power section, 4 is a signal line, and 5 is a main body section. It is assumed that the transmission shaft 2 is capable of reciprocating rotation of at least about 60 degrees and movement of about 1 centimeter in the direction of the shaft center.

21Qa and 21B are usage diagrams showing a state in which periodontal tissues are diagnosed using the two-dimensional ultrasonic scanning section shown in FIG. 1 from two directions. Figure a shows a linear parenting mode in which the scanning transmission axis 2, which is placed almost parallel to the occlusal surface (Figure 6), stops rotating and moves in the central direction. In this embodiment, this is called the first scanning mode. The figure shows a sector scanning mode in which reciprocating shaft rotation is applied to the scanning transmission shaft 2 of figure a, and this is
This is called scanning mode. As is clear from the figure, the positional relationship between adjacent teeth can be obtained in the first scanning mode, and the boundaries of tooth roots, gingiva, alveolar bone, etc. can be obtained in the second scanning mode. In the second scanning mode, it is assumed that the movement in the axial center direction is stopped or is moved as necessary.

FIG. 3 is a diagram briefly showing one embodiment of the display format of the present invention. In the figure, 7 is a display section, 8 is a tomographic image display area obtained in the first scanning mode and stored and displayed, 9 is a tomographic image display area obtained in the second scanning mode, and 10 is a first marker. The second scanning mode tomographic plane position is shown on the mode tomographic image.

11 is a second marker, and the first marker is included in the second scanning mode tomographic image.
The scanning mode tomographic plane position is shown.

As an example of a specific scanning method corresponding to these tomographic images and markers, the freeze first scanning mode is repeated, the movement in the axial center direction is stopped at an appropriate position, and the first marker 10 is moved in the axial center direction at an appropriate position. A possible method is to fix the display, then start displaying the second marker 11, and then repeat the second scanning mode. Alternatively, a method in the completely opposite order is also possible. Or the first
After obtaining a tomographic image in the scanning mode, a method of displaying the second marker 11 and repeating the second scanning mode f without stopping the movement in the it-axis center direction may also be considered. In that case No. 17-Ka1
A method of displaying 0 on the first scanning mode tomographic image at a position of 6" L at the intersection with the second scanning mode tomographic image moving by 1 degree in the axial center direction is also considered. The ability to display markers facilitates three-dimensional understanding of the shape of the subject and improves diagnostic accuracy.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, an embodiment of the first marker generator that generates the first marker and the second marker generator that generates the second marker will be described in detail. As a means of generating various markers on the display section, the combination of a microprocessor and a graphic memory is one of the methods that can be realized because it is a general-purpose 1-1-1 method. All explanations will be given in conjunction with dedicated hardware.

In the figure, 12 is a transmission pulse generation circuit, 13 is a reception preamplifier, 14 is a reception signal processing circuit, 16 is a VD converter, 1
Reference numeral 6 denotes a data selector, which selects the second marker level b- or the output of the A/D converter 16 in response to a 27th-f selection signal a. 17 is a scan converter, the first
The received signals obtained in the scanning mode and the second scanning mode are converted into standard TV signals. Reference numeral 18 denotes a video mixer, which selects the 17th power level d or the video output of the scan converter 17 in accordance with the first marker selection signal C. 19 is a display section.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a main control section, which controls the entire apparatus including the scanning power section 3 of the ultrasonic scanning section using an interaxial rotation angle signal e and an axis center movement signal f.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a first marker generator, which is a means for displaying the intersection position of the first scanning mode tomographic image and the second scanning mode tomographic plane as a marker. Axis movement data latch 22 (d) The axis center movement signal f converted for digital use is latched at each scan in the second scan mode at the transmission pulse generation timing. g is the display position information in the first scan mode; 19
This is information that instructs in which region of the throat the first scanning mode tomographic image is to be displayed. The output of the axis movement data latch 22 and the first
The scanning mode display position habitual information q is the scanning position/display position scale.
- The data is converted into display position coordinate data h by the converter 23. Specifically, the scanning position/display angle γ position scale conversion block 23 can be constructed of a ROM having address inputs as the output of the axis movement data latch 22 and the first scanning mode display position IF information 9. A marker RAM 24 has a capacity corresponding to the number of pixels in the horizontal direction of the display section 19, for example, 512×1 bits. The display position coordinate data h is stored in the marker RAM 24 as an address value. For example, the address value of display position coordinate data h is data ``1''.
", and data "○" can be written to other addresses. i is a read address and is synchronized with the scan converter 17. Therefore, the output j of the marker RAM 24 becomes a pulse output corresponding to the current position of the ultrasound transducer 1 on the first scanning mode tomographic image. That is, it is possible to display the position of the ultrasonic transducer 1, which is obtaining a tomographic image in the second scanning mode, on the first scanning mode tomographic image, and the position of intersection with the second scanning mode tomographic plane. Become. In this way, the output j of the marker RAM 24 becomes the 17th position timing.

26 is an AND logic circuit, and the first marker selection signal C is generated by the logical product of the vertical display position signal and the output j, and the first marker selection signal C is generated by the video mixer 18 at a predetermined position on the tomographic image.
It becomes possible to display markers. Specifically, the vertical display position signal is a pulse of a predetermined width that is synchronized with and delayed from the TV vertical signal.

A second marker generator 26 displays the intersection position of the first scanning mode tomographic image and the second scanning mode tomographic image on the second scanning mode tomographic image. Reference numeral 27 is a shaft rotation angle change data latch which latches the shaft rotation angle signal e converted into a digital quantity in the first scanning mode, and then latches the shaft rotation angle signal e converted into a digital quantity in the second scanning mode. The second device 28 compares the output of the shaft rotation angle data latch 27 with the shaft rotation angle signal e, and determines which side of the tomographic plane in the first scan mode the blind tube scan line in the second scan mode is on, that is, whether it intersects with the output of the shaft rotation angle data latch 27. Determine whether or not. Reference numeral 29 denotes a flip-frog, which changes the output level at the crossing timing. Reference numeral 30 denotes an AND logic circuit which takes the second marker display timing λ on the acoustic scanning line and the output of the Pflosog 29, generates the second marker selection timing a, and sets the data selector 16 to the second marker level b. Select. In this way, it is possible to write and display the intersection position with the first scanning mode tomographic image at a predetermined position of the second scanning mode tomographic image.

FIG. 5 is a diagram briefly showing another embodiment of the display format of the present invention. In the figure, 31 is a display section, and 32 and 33 are scanning markers, which can be set at arbitrary positions. 34,3
6.36 is a dividing point position marker, and scanning marker 32.
33 is displayed at a position divided by a predetermined ratio. 37, 38.

391d minute'tflJ point tNR-r-#y34,36.
This is a second scanning mode tomographic image at a position corresponding to "36".

A similar image is displayed in the upper half of the display section 31, but in this way, information on the outside of a specific tooth can be displayed in the upper half, and information on the inner part can be displayed in one color at the bottom. This display format makes it possible to clarify the mutual positional relationship of multiple tomographic images around one tooth, and to obtain tomographic images at predetermined positional intervals with good reproducibility. It becomes possible.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, the scanning marker 32 shown in FIG.
An example of a configuration for displaying the dividing point position markers 34, 36, and 36 will be explained in detail.

In the figure, reference numeral 40 denotes a scanning marker position data generating section, which is composed of a volume, an A/D converter, an up/down counter, etc., and can set external J:redata to an arbitrary value. 41 and 42d are two scanning marker position data latches, which store data corresponding to DA1 in two scanning marker positions. 43 is an arithmetic unit which generates divided position marker data from the outputs of scanning marker position data latches 41 and 42.

In this example, the number of divisions is 3, which is chosen at equal intervals.

Data storage areas 44 to 48 store the respective marker data. The outputs of the data storage areas 46 to 48 are sent to the main image drawing section 49 and used for controlling the tomographic plane position in the second tomographic mode. The storage area control unit 50 determines which of the storage areas 44 to 48 the data is written to or output from. Data storage areas 44 to 48, arithmetic unit 43, main control 1sls 49, etc. /i + division scan Will
It constitutes one part of the side. m is first scanning mode display position information,
61 is a scanning position/□ display position scale converter. ``The display position coordinate n is used as a write address of the marker RAM 62. Assuming that there are three types of marker shapes that can be written into the marker RAM 52u1, it is sufficient to have a 512 x 2 bit customer size. 53
is a marker shape generation section and a storage area control section 6
0VC, therefore, the 2-bit marker shape corresponding to the storage areas 44-4BVC is manually entered into the marker RAM according to the contents of the storage areas 44-48. 0 is a read address, and the same Iυj as that of the scan converter 64 is obtained. 55 is Dekse 1
/kuta = a, sono f-ta 7J55 a, 56
b and 55c are vertical display position signals corresponding to the marker shape.

The address p of the data selector 55 is the output of the marker RAM 62. Therefore, the output of the data selector 56 is a vertical display (57, i! signal 55a, 65b, 55c) corresponding to Z=J in the marker cedar shape written in the marker RAM 62.
This coincides with the display timing of the scanning markers 32 and 33 and the display timing of the division markers 34 to 360 on the first scanning mode tomographic image shown in FIG. This display position and timing relationship will be explained in detail in FIG. 7. Ilji is address p in Figure 6,
The vertical display position signals 56a to 55c are displayed as timing pulses. That is, the pulse signal A is generated when the 2-bit address P is within the horizontal sweep period of the display section 66. ~
The pulse signal port C, 2 shows how the vertical display position signals 56a, 55b, and 55c change between 0 and 1 within the vertical display period. Address value 1 selects pulse signal port, address value 2 selects pulse signal 7, and address value 3 selects pulse signal 2. Therefore, pulse signal A is address value 1.
When K selects the pulse signal port, and at that time the level of the pulse signal port is 1'', a marker is displayed.When the pulse signal A has an address value of 2, the pulse signal port is selected, and at that time the level of the pulse signal port When is 1'', the lever marker is displayed. In this way, the vertical display filft is displayed on the screen.
No. 4 tsts a, ts 5b, s; 5c
1F lower dimension corresponding to KYf and width q corresponding to address pK
Scanning markers 32, 33 and dividing point position markers 34, 36, 36 having the ``method'' are displayed.

In the following explanation, we have shown an example in which two scanning markers are specified and a dividing point position marker is generated between them, but in the first scanning mode tomographic image, one fixed / ζ point is used as the reference point, and One scanning marker may be set and a dividing point position marker may be generated between the two points. An example of a fixed reference point may be a point on the edge of the tomographic image. The dividing point position markers 34 to 34 indicated on the first scanning mode tomogram as described above
36, that is, data storage areas 46 to
At each position corresponding to the output of 48, the main control unit 49 repeats the stop of movement in the b direction and the second scanning mode in the axis of the scanning transmission axis, that is, performs divided scanning control and stores each l layer image. , the display format shown in FIG. 5 is possible.

In addition, a marker is displayed in an appropriate direction of the second scanning mode fault-F, and when the marker matches the direction of the ultrasonic beam of the probe, the second scanning mode is stopped and the first scanning mode is started. It is also possible to perform a scanning method, but the method of displaying markers or controlling scanning in that case is shown in Figure 4.
Since there are many similarities with the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, detailed explanation will be omitted.

FIG. 8 is a simple configuration diagram of another embodiment of the two-dimensional ultrasonic scanning section according to the present invention. In the figure, 56 is an ultrasonic transducer, 6
7 is a scanning transmission shaft, 58 is a scanning power section, 59 is a signal line, 6
o is the main body. The scanning transmission shaft 57 can be rotated back and forth by a scanning power section 68. Although the scanning power unit 58 cannot generate movement in the axial center direction, the connecting rod 61
Since it is supported by the slide support portions 2 through , linear movement in the lateral direction is possible. This straight a! You may use your hands as the power source for the 8 motions. In this way, the scanning power section 68
It is possible to force the scanning transmission shaft 57 to move in the direction of the axis center by sliding it, and it can be regarded as a two-dimensional ultrasonic scanning section. A position sensor 63 detects the amount of sliding movement of the connecting rod 61. 64 is a support stand, a slide support part 622 position sensor 63
to be fixed. 65 is a signal line. By fixing the relative positional relationship between the subject 66 and the support base 64, the subject 66
Accurate two-dimensional scanning becomes possible by applying χ·l.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the two-dimensional ultrasonic transmitter,
It is assumed that the probe 67 is attached to a scanning mechanism C) that can deflect the probe 67 in any two-dimensional direction within an inspection area 69 that is quadrupled with broken lines around a fulcrum 68. In this case, it is useful for diagnosis-L to display the above-described first and second markers while performing 70.71 sector scans in both the first scanning mode and the second regular scanning mode.

FIG. 10 specifically shows the second scanning mode in which sector scanning is performed while moving the axis center as explained in FIG. 2. An example is shown in which by regarding one vehicle in which the ultrasonic beam faces a specific direction 72 during this second scanning mode as the first scanning mode, a near scanning section j-plane 73 is formed by t=JLUL in the axis center movement. ing. It is also possible to display the above-mentioned first marker or second marker at the intersection of the first scanning mode tomographic plane and the second scanning mode tomographic plane obtained in this way.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention performs scanning in the first scanning mode and the second scanning mode in the two-dimensional ultrasound scanning section, and detects the intersection position of the tomographic planes in the first scanning mode and the second scanning mode on the tomographic image. Because it is displayed on the screen, the relative positional relationship between multiple slices becomes clear, and the accuracy of diagnosis is improved when three-dimensional shape understanding is required, such as when diagnosing living organisms such as periodontal lesions. can be greatly enhanced. Regarding the problem of which part of the tooth to record a tomographic image, it is now possible to control the scanning position on the tomographic image and record it, making it possible to improve the reproducibility of diagnostic information.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a two-dimensional ultrasonic scanning unit for intraoral scanning according to the present invention, and FIG. b is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the periodontal tissue and the two-dimensional ultrasonic scanning unit; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the display unit according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration for generating the display section in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the display section according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 7 shows the timing in the configuration shown in FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the first scanning mode according to the present invention. 1... Ultrasonic transducer, 2... Scanning transmission axis, 3 ......Scanning power section, 10, 11.32-3
6... Marker, 19... Display section, 24
・・・・・・Marker RAM, 25°30・・・・・・A
ND logic circuit, 28...Comparator, 22°27.
41.42.44-48... Latch still storage area, 4o... Scanning marker position data 4 shots zl-,
2,43... Performance H 2 unit, 66...-
・・Data filler, 61 ・・・Connecting rod, 62
......Slide support R, 63...Position sensor. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person-2
: Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 0 Figure 1O

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) a two-dimensional ultrasonic scanning unit that scans so that the tomographic plane in the first scanning mode and the tomographic plane in the second scanning mode intersect; a means for displaying the tomographic image in the first scanning mode; An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: means for displaying a tomographic image in two scanning modes; and an intersection position display means for displaying a tomographic plane and an intersection position in the second scanning mode on the tomographic image in the first scanning mode. (2) The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the crossover position display means has means for displaying the crossover position with one layer in the first scanning mode on the tomographic image in the second scanning mode. .