JP2002306472A - Ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus which performs a display wherein the injected state of a contrast medium can be objectively recognized. SOLUTION: A graphic data generating section 1 comprises an injection mark generating section 12 and a graphic synthesizing section 13. The injection mark-generating section 12 generates an injection mark which shows the injection of the ultrasonic contrast medium. The graphic synthesizing section 13 synthesizes the injection mark generated by the injection mark generating section 12. Character data are generated by a character data-generating section 11. Then, the output of the graphic data-generating section 1 and an ultrasonic image are synthesized and output to a monitor section 5 to perform the display wherein the injected state of the contrast agent can be objectively recognized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of displaying and recording an ultrasonic image in correspondence with a timing at which an ultrasonic contrast agent is injected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a bubble-shaped contrast medium has been used for diagnosis of a circulatory organ such as a blood vessel or a heart.

[0003] The timing of using the contrast agent is associated with an ultrasonic image in the following procedure. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is configured to be able to display image accompanying information such as patient information, a diagnostic site, a probe position, and a comment simultaneously with an ultrasonic image by an operation of an operator.

An operator recognizes that an ultrasonic contrast agent has been injected into a subject by injection or infusion. At the same time as the recognition, the comment display function of the image accompanying information is used to display “S” or the like indicating the start of the injection of the contrast agent together with the ultrasonic image.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned prior art is image accompanying information that can be understood only by the operator who has performed the above-mentioned operation, and records an ultrasonic image attached with this image accompanying information, and performs other operations. There has been a problem that it may be difficult for the operator to later diagnose the recorded image.

In addition, even if the operator has performed the above operation, there is a problem that the meaning of the comment may not be understood when referring to the recorded image so long as the operator forgets the operation. Was.

On the other hand, it is possible to consider a method in which the operator makes a comment with a high degree of perfection such as “INJECT START” for another operator or himself / herself in the future. This method is not practical.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of displaying an injection state of a contrast agent in an objectively understandable manner.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a probe for transmitting ultrasonic waves to a subject and receiving reflected echoes from the subject, and a drive for transmitting ultrasonic waves to the probe. At the same time, an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit that performs signal processing on the reflected echo, a scan converter that scan-converts an echo signal processed by the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit into an ultrasonic image, and that is scan-converted by the scan converter In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a monitor unit for displaying an ultrasonic image, an injection mark generating means for generating an injection mark indicating injection of an ultrasonic contrast agent, an injection mark generated by the injection mark generating means, and And a synthesizing output unit for synthesizing with the ultrasonic image and synthesizing and outputting the synthesized image to the monitor unit.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a graphic data generating unit employed in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a DSC unit including the graphic data generating unit of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a DSC unit of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG. 3 including an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment comprises a probe 3, an ultrasonic transmitting / receiving unit 4, a digital scan converter (DSC) unit 2, a monitor unit 5, a video cassette, Recorder (VCR) 6 and injector 7
, An interface unit 8, an operation console 9, and a CPU unit 10.
And

The probe 3 is brought into contact with a subject (not shown) to transmit ultrasonic waves into the subject and to receive a reflected echo signal from the subject. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 4 drives the probe 3 to enable transmission of ultrasonic waves, and
Phase the received echo signal. The DSC unit 2 converts the echo signals phased by the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 4 into an ultrasonic image, generates image accompanying information that corresponds to the converted ultrasonic image, and generates the ultrasonic image and the image accompanying information. The information is synthesized or superimposed. The image accompanying information is generated, for example, by passing input information of the operator to the console 9 via the CPU 10. The monitor unit 5 displays a combination or superimposition of the ultrasonic image and the image accompanying information. The VCR 6 is a recording device capable of capturing the same information (output from the DSC 2) as that displayed on the monitor unit 5 as a video signal and recording the video signal. , So that it is also a reproducing apparatus for reproducing a recorded video signal. The injector 7 is an automatic injector that can inject an ultrasonic contrast agent into the subject at an arbitrary timing by an operator. When the contrast agent is injected into the subject, a signal indicating that the contrast agent has been injected can be output. . Specifically, there is a detector that detects the displacement of the cylinder when the cylinder portion of the syringe is pressed, and the detector can output information on the displacement of the cylinder as an electric signal. The I / F unit 8 converts the injection signal from the injector 7 into a CPU.
It is handed over to the unit 10 so that it can be identified. The console 9 allows the operator to display an ultrasonic image to be used for diagnosis on the CPU section 10 and sets various parameters such as image accompanying information. The CPU unit 10 transmits and receives the ultrasonic waves of the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 4 based on the parameters from the console 9, converts the received echo signal of the DSC unit 2 into an ultrasonic image, generates image accompanying information, and generates the ultrasonic image and the image attached. The combination with the information is controlled, and the injection signal from the I / F unit 8 is identified.

The detailed configuration of the DSC unit 2 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is, as shown in FIG. 2, a scan conversion unit 21, an image memory 22, a graphic generation unit 1, an image synthesis unit 23, and Consists of

The scan converter 21 converts the echo signal phase-adjusted to the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 4 into an ultrasonic image. The image memory 22 stores the converted ultrasound image in the scan converter 21. The graphic data generation unit 1 generates image supplementary information corresponding to the ultrasonic image stored in the image memory 22. The image combining unit 23 combines the ultrasonic image stored in the image memory 22 with the image accompanying information generated by the graphic data generating unit 1.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the detailed configuration of the graphic data generator 1 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a character data generator 11, an injection mark generator 12, and a graphic synthesizer 13.

The character data generating section 11 generates various kinds of image-related information such as patient information corresponding to the ultrasonic image stored in the image memory 22, a diagnostic site, a probe position, and a comment. As shown in FIG. 4, the injection mark generation unit 12 generates an injection mark displayed in accordance with the injection of the contrast agent. Specifically, there is a graphic data generator called a graphic generator, and an injection mark may be generated each time according to the injection state of the ultrasonic contrast agent based on the injection signal from the I / F unit 8.

If it is only necessary to display whether or not the contrast agent has been injected, a ROM for storing an injection mark is required.
What is necessary is just to add memory, such as. The graphic synthesizing unit 13 synthesizes the image accompanying information generated by the character data generating unit 11 and the injection mark generated by the injection mark generating unit 12.

Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

The reflected echo signal from the subject received by the probe 3 is phased by the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 4 and converted into an ultrasonic image by the DSC unit 2. DSC part 2
Generates image accompanying information to be associated with the converted ultrasound image, and combines or superimposes the ultrasound image and the image accompanying information. The monitor unit 5 displays a combination or superimposition of the ultrasonic image and the image accompanying information. The VCR 6 captures and records a video signal obtained by synthesizing or superimposing the ultrasonic image displayed on the monitor unit 5 and the image accompanying information. The VCR 6 also reproduces the recorded video signal. The operator is the injector 7
At a desired timing. In accordance with this, a displacement signal of the cylinder portion of the injector 7 is output and delivered to the CPU portion 10 via the I / F portion 8. CPU
The unit 10 operates the injection mark generation unit 12 based on the displacement signal of the injector 7. The generated injection mark is synthesized by the output from the character data generating unit 11 and the graphic synthesizing unit 13, and the output of the image memory 22 and the output of the graphic synthesizing unit 13 are synthesized by the image synthesizing unit 23, as shown in FIG. As shown in the display example, the contrast agent injection (injection) mark and the ultrasonic image are combined and displayed.

With the above configuration, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment generates an injection mark indicating injection of an ultrasonic contrast agent, combines the injection mark with the ultrasonic image, and monitors the image. , It is possible to objectively understand the state of injection of the contrast agent.

Although the injection of an ultrasonic contrast agent has been described using an injector, when an operator or his / her assistant injects a subject with a syringe, the fact that the subject has been injected with the syringe is input to the console. For example, an injection mark may be displayed via the CPU.

[0023]

The present invention has an effect of providing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of displaying an injection state of a contrast agent in an objectively understandable manner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a graphic data generation unit employed in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a DSC including the graphic data generation unit of FIG.
FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including the DSC unit of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view showing a display example of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Graphic data generation unit, 12 ... Injection mark generation unit, 13 ... Graphic synthesis unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] A probe for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to a subject and receiving a reflected echo from the subject, driving the probe to transmit the ultrasonic wave, and transmitting the reflected echo to a signal. An ultrasonic transmission / reception unit for processing, a scan converter unit for scan-converting an echo signal processed by the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit to an ultrasonic image, and a monitor unit for displaying the scan-converted ultrasonic image on the scan converter unit In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an injection mark generating means for generating an injection mark indicating the injection of an ultrasonic contrast agent; and synthesizing the injection mark generated by the injection mark generating means with the ultrasonic image. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a composite output unit configured to perform composite output on a monitor unit.