JP2004350744A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a novel ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus allowing an operator to operate without taking an unnatural posture, improving the visibility of an ultrasonic image to be displayed and improving the operability. <P>SOLUTION: This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic vibrator 24 transmitting/receiving the ultrasonic wave relative to a three-dimensional space including an organism, a display part 14 displaying the ultrasonic image formed, at least, based on echo data obtained by the ultrasonic vibrator 24, and a case 12, at least, storing the ultrasonic vibrator 24 and having its bottom face in direct contact with the organism. The case 12 stores the ultrasonic vibrator 24 in its lower face side and is disposed with the display part 14 on the upper surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to a novel ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that improves the visibility of an ultrasonic image to be displayed and improves operability.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that irradiates a living body as a subject with ultrasonic waves and forms an ultrasonic image based on reflected echo data has been widely used. A general ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is roughly composed of two housings. One is an apparatus main body including an ultrasonic transmission / reception control unit, an image forming unit that processes acquired echo data to form a desired ultrasonic image, and a display unit that presents the formed ultrasonic image to a user. The other is a probe including an ultrasonic transducer that actually irradiates ultrasonic waves to a living tissue and receives reflected echoes reflected from the living body. The probe is connected to the apparatus main body via a cable that bundles signal lines, power lines, and the like extending from the end. As a result, it is possible to appropriately select probes with different characteristics and connect them to the apparatus main body, and it is possible to arbitrarily select and connect probes having frequency characteristics and shapes according to the diagnostic part of the living body and the diagnostic use Thus, a wide range of diagnosis can be performed from low frequency to high frequency. That is, the versatility of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is improved (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-225881
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when actually using the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the operator sits on the front or oblique position of the apparatus main body placed next to the bed on which the subject (diagnosis subject) lies, and holds the apparatus main body with one hand. By operating the upper operation panel, the probe supported by the other hand was moved so as to contact a desired position of the subject. In this case, the operator has to move the probe and operate the operation panel while looking at the display unit arranged on the apparatus main body. At this time, the operator often took an unnatural posture in which both arms were greatly spread left and right and the face was directed toward the display unit. By taking such an unnatural posture, the visibility of the display section of the apparatus main body section has been reduced. In addition, the operation in a state in which both arms are greatly widened while visually observing the display unit is an operation in which both hands are in a groping state, which causes a decrease in operability. Further, in order to avoid groping, it was necessary to frequently move the line of sight between the display unit and the hand. Further, when the operation is performed for a long time while frequently moving the line of sight between the display unit, the operation panel, and the probe in an unnatural posture, there is a problem that a feeling of fatigue is accelerated. Therefore, there is a demand for reducing the feeling of fatigue when operating the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and for improving frequent movement of the line of sight and groping operation.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can be operated without taking an unnatural posture, and can improve the visibility of an ultrasonic image to be displayed and can improve the operability. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from a three-dimensional space including a living body, acquires echo data, and obtains an ultrasonic image. An ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving, and a display unit for displaying an ultrasonic image formed based on echo data obtained by at least the ultrasonic transducer, and at least the ultrasonic transducer is housed, and the bottom surface thereof is A case that directly contacts a living body, wherein the case houses an ultrasonic vibrator on a lower surface thereof and the display unit is disposed on an upper surface of the case.
[0007]
According to this configuration, since the display unit is arranged on the upper surface of the case that houses the ultrasonic transducer that actually transmits and receives the ultrasonic waves, the moving operation position of the ultrasonic transducer and the display unit are simultaneously viewed. be able to. As a result, the movement of the line of sight is reduced, and the feeling of fatigue can be suppressed and the operability can be improved.
[0008]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described configuration, the display unit displays a fluoroscopic image of a living body when viewed from the transmission / reception direction of an ultrasonic wave in an actual size.
[0009]
According to this configuration, since the real living body and the ultrasonic image correspond one-to-one, it is easy to grasp the formed ultrasonic image, and the moving amount of the case is reduced to obtain a desired ultrasonic image. This makes it easy to grasp and improves usability.
[0010]
In order to achieve the object as described above, according to the present invention, in the above configuration, the case includes, in addition to the ultrasonic vibrator and the display unit, at least a control unit of the ultrasonic vibrator, a processing unit of the acquired echo data, It is an all-in-one case including a power supply unit and a user operation unit.
[0011]
When an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is used in an actual medical site, the diagnostic site is limited to some extent in each medical department, and the frequency band used and the shape of the case are also limited. Therefore, there is no problem in practical use even if the used ultrasonic vibrator is limited. As a result, simplification of functions and simplification of circuits becomes possible. Each control unit, operation unit, power supply unit, etc. are housed in an all-in-one case, and all of transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves and formation and display of ultrasonic images are performed. It becomes possible to do so. As a result, the operator supports the all-in-one case, can operate and move the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus while viewing the display unit in a natural posture facing the subject, and acquire necessary ultrasonic images. Can be easily performed without accompanying fatigue.
[0012]
By limiting the number of ultrasonic transducers to be used, functions can be reduced and the processing circuit for the acquired echo data can be simplified, the entire ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can be reduced in size, and the all-in-one case is portable. Can be easily done.
[0013]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, in the above-described configuration, reflection depth information of echo data used for image formation based on a comparison between echo data acquired by the ultrasonic transducer and a predetermined threshold. A depth detecting unit for detecting, a luminance calculating unit for calculating a luminance value of an image at the time of image formation based on the depth detected by the depth detecting unit, and transmitting the luminance value calculated by the luminance calculating unit to an ultrasonic wave. And an image forming unit that forms an ultrasonic image by mapping to a position.
[0014]
According to this configuration, based on the acquired echo data, it is possible to easily form a full-size transparent image when the living body is viewed from the transmission / reception direction of the ultrasonic wave.
[0015]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the above configuration, in which at least one observation target position on a B-mode tomographic image displaying the echo intensity obtained by the ultrasonic transducer as luminance information is displayed. A reference point setting unit for setting a display reference point, a connection region extraction unit for determining presence or absence of three-dimensional connectivity with the display reference point and extracting a continuous region for each sequentially acquired echo data; For each reflection depth of the echo data extracted as a region, a brightness calculation unit that calculates a brightness value of an image at the time of image formation, and maps the brightness value calculated by the brightness calculation unit to a transmission position of an ultrasonic wave, and And an image forming unit for forming a sound wave image.
[0016]
According to this configuration, based on the acquired echo data, it is possible to easily form a full-size fluoroscopic image when the living body is viewed from the transmission / reception direction of the ultrasonic wave, and to display only the living body part provided with the display reference point. The display can be selectively performed, and the visibility can be further improved.
[0017]
In order to achieve the object as described above, according to the present invention, in the above-described configuration, the reference point setting unit is capable of setting a plurality of display reference points, and a continuous extracted based on the plurality of set display reference points. The regions are displayed in different display colors.
[0018]
According to this configuration, the displayed ultrasonic image can be easily identified.
For example, when blood vessels and the like traveling separately are displayed in different display colors, and when the blood vessels merge with the movement of the display position (movement of the diagnosis position), they are unified to one of the display colors. It can also be changed to
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an appearance and a use state of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 processes the acquired echo data in addition to the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit (vibrator control unit) to the case 12 including the ultrasonic vibrator for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. An all-in-one type housing an image processing unit for forming an ultrasonic image, a display unit 14 for displaying the formed ultrasonic image, a rechargeable power supply unit for supplying power to each component, and a user operation unit such as various switches. is there. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10, the case (all-in-one case) 12 has a size of, for example, about 7 to 10 cm in width, about 18 to 25 cm in length, and about 6 to 7 cm in thickness, and is easily portable. Type.
[0021]
The characteristic features of the present embodiment are that an ultrasonic transducer is arranged on the lower surface side of the case 12, a display unit 14 composed of an LCD or the like is arranged on the upper surface, and the ultrasonic wave is arranged at a desired position of a living body such as the arm 16. The ultrasonic image displayed on the display unit 14 can be visually observed without changing the line of sight for bringing the transmission / reception surface (the lower surface of the case 12) into contact.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 1, both sides of the display unit 14 are provided with an ultrasonic transmission / reception surface (the lower surface of the case 12) with respect to the arm 16 when carrying the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 or performing an actual ultrasonic diagnosis. A support arm 18 is provided for supporting when abutting. It is desirable that the lower surface of the case 12 and the living body are brought into close contact with each other so that no air layer is interposed therebetween. Therefore, it is preferable to interpose a water bag or a jelly-like contact member for removing the air layer, if necessary.
[0023]
A power switch 20 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 is provided at an arbitrary position, for example, a side surface of the case 12. A scan switch 22 for instructing acquisition of echo data, that is, start of scanning, is arranged near the support arm 18. By arranging the scan switch 22 in the vicinity of the support arm 18, the operator can easily operate the scan switch 22 using the thumb or the like even in a state where the operator supports the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10. As will be described later, a threshold adjustment dial for changing a threshold used during processing of an ultrasonic image may be provided on the surface of the case 12. It should be noted that the scan switch 22 may be configured as a rotary press switch, and the scan switch 22 may have a threshold adjustment function.
[0024]
In the present embodiment, in the actual medical field, the part that performs the ultrasonic diagnosis is often specified for each medical department, focusing on the characteristics of the ultrasonic transducer used, All-in-one type is adopted. Therefore, it is sufficient to prepare the minimum required functions. In order to perform various involuntary operations such as a selection operation of a display image and an input operation of a subject's profile data, for example, the display unit 14 is configured by an LCD having a touch panel function so that necessary operations can be appropriately performed. It is desirable to do.
[0025]
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal structure of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10.
FIG. 2A is a side view of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10. Inside the case 12 formed of a hard resin or the like, an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit (substrate) 26 including a transmission circuit and a reception circuit for controlling an ultrasonic transducer (for example, a 2D array) 24, an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 26, an image processing unit (substrate) 28 including a phasing addition circuit and an image forming circuit for processing the echo data obtained through 26, a CPU (substrate) 30 for controlling the entire ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10, And a rechargeable power supply unit 32 for supplying power to the unit. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit (substrate) 26, the image processing unit (substrate) 28, and the CPU (substrate) 30 are connected by a connector substrate 34. The image processing unit (substrate) 28 and the CPU (substrate) 30 are supplied with power via a power supply substrate 36.
[0026]
In the case of the present embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer 24 uses a 2D array in which the vibrating elements are arranged in a matrix, performs plane scan (electronic scan) in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. Scanning is performed while sequentially moving in the direction indicated by arrow B in a) to acquire echo data in a three-dimensional space. When scanning (mechanical scanning) while sequentially moving in the direction of arrow B, a switch can be provided for each element to sequentially transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. However, in order to simplify the configuration, in this embodiment, the motor 38 is used. The vibrating element is selectively driven (signal transmission / reception) by using the moving electrode 42 that is mechanically moved by the shaft 40 that is rotationally driven.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 2B, the motor 38 is decelerated by the reduction gear 44 to rotate the drive shaft 40a, and to rotate the shafts (for example, ball screws) 40 arranged on both sides of the ultrasonic transducer 24 at a constant speed. . Therefore, by screwing the support 42 a of the moving electrode 42 to the shaft 40, the moving electrode 42 moves in the axial direction of the shaft 40. FIG. 2B schematically shows individual electrodes (fixed electrodes) 46 corresponding to the respective vibration elements of the ultrasonic transducer (2D array) 24. A plurality of moving contacts corresponding to the individual electrodes 46 arranged in the direction of the arrow A are arranged on the support base 42a extending in the direction of the arrow A. The details of the moving contact are shown in FIG. As described above, the support base 42a supported by the two shafts 40 supplies a drive signal to each individual electrode 46 (individual vibration element), and moves up and down so that the vibration element can acquire an echo signal received. It has a plurality of pairs of moving contacts 48a and 48b in the direction of arrow A (see FIG. 2B). The moving contacts 48a and 48b are electrically connected, the moving contact 48a contacts an electrode band 50a arranged on the electrode substrate 50 of the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving unit 26, and the moving contact 48b is connected to the ultrasonic vibrator 24 side. Contact with the individual electrodes 46 disposed on the electrode substrate 52 of FIG. The electrode strips 50a extend in the direction of arrow B, and are arranged in a plurality in the direction of arrow A. The moving contacts 48a and 48b are made of, for example, a metal having a spring property so that when the support base 42a is moved by the drive of the motor 38, the contact between the electrode strip 50a and the corresponding individual electrode 46 can be made well. It has become.
[0028]
Accordingly, when a drive signal is supplied to each electrode band 50a at a certain timing from the transmission circuit of the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 26, the drive signal is transmitted to each of the individual electrodes 46 arranged in the direction of arrow A, and the corresponding vibration The element transmits the ultrasonic wave toward the living body. The ultrasonic wave reflected from the living body is received by each vibrating element, returns to each electrode band 50a via the moving contacts 48a and 48b, and is supplied to the receiving circuit of the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit 26 as echo data for each individual electrode 46. You. Then, the support table 42a is moved in the direction of arrow B by the motor 38, so that it is possible to sequentially acquire echo data in a three-dimensional space.
[0029]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 shown in FIG.
As described above, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 includes the display unit 14, the ultrasonic vibrator 24, the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving unit 26, the image processing unit 28, the CPU 30, the vibrator moving unit 54 including the motor 38, the reduction gear 44, and the like. Contains. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 26 includes a transmission circuit 26a and a reception circuit 26b, and transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave according to an instruction from the CPU 30. The power switch 20 and the scan switch (also used for adjusting the threshold value) 22 are connected to the CPU 30. Further, an operation signal from a touch panel 14a included in the display unit 14 can be input.
[0030]
The ultrasonic image forming operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described below.
[0031]
When the power switch 20 is turned on and the scan switch 22 is turned on, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and sequentially transmits the ultrasonic waves to the image processing unit 28 via the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit 26 in FIG. The echo data for one sheet in the direction of arrow A is supplied. As shown in FIG. 5, the echo data supplied from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 26 is first supplied to a depth detection unit 56 in the image processing unit 28. The depth detection unit 56 obtains, via the CPU 30, a threshold used when forming an ultrasonic image by rotating the scan switch 22, and sequentially executes binarization processing of echo data based on the threshold. , The depth information of the reflected ultrasonic waves (for each ultrasonic receiving beam) determined based on the threshold value in the ultrasonic beam direction is sequentially provided to the luminance calculating unit 58. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the threshold value may be set to a fixed value, or may be set to a constant value, K times diagonal line, or K value according to an ultrasonic image to be formed. ² A multiple curve or the like may be selectively set. For example, when acquiring an ultrasonic image related to a blood vessel, echo data having an echo intensity value lower than a threshold value is sent to the luminance calculator 58 as depth information, as shown in FIG. 6B, the echo data having a value higher than the threshold value is supplied to the luminance calculator 58 as depth information. In addition, based on this threshold value, it is also possible to perform integration processing and the like on a certain range of echo data.
[0032]
When the target of image formation is echo data with a low echo intensity such as a blood vessel, data at or below the threshold is obtained, and when the echo data is a high echo intensity such as bone, data at or above the threshold is obtained. At this point, the process proceeds to the image forming process. That is, the brightness calculation unit 58 calculates the brightness information of one pixel of the two-dimensional image based on the depth information sent from the depth detection unit 56. In this case, the image processing unit 28 has a depth-brightness table in which the depth information of the ultrasonic wave is associated with the brightness value indicating the depth in advance, and determines the brightness value sequentially. In the case of the present embodiment, a linear depth-luminance table is prepared so that the luminance value decreases as the ultrasonic wave reflection depth increases. By using such a depth-luminance table, it is possible to form an ultrasonic image from which the depth can be easily recognized. Then, the brightness values calculated by the brightness calculation unit 58 are sequentially sent to the image forming unit 60 and are mapped to the positions of the ultrasonic receiving beams. That is, one ultrasonic receiving beam becomes one pixel of the ultrasonic image. By sequentially performing such mapping in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2B and sequentially performing the mapping in the direction of arrow B by the operation of the transducer moving unit 54, a three-dimensional image of the image formation target area can be formed. . FIGS. 7A and 7B schematically show the formed ultrasonic image. FIG. 7A is an ultrasonic image mainly displaying blood vessels, and FIG. 7B is an ultrasonic image mainly displaying bones.
[0033]
In this case, it is possible to reduce or enlarge the displayed ultrasonic image, but without reducing or enlarging the image, it is necessary to display the image at a real size as a see-through image when the living body is viewed from the transmission and reception direction of the ultrasonic wave. Thereby, it is possible to easily recognize the actual running state of the blood vessel and the state of the bone, for example, the state of reproduction after the fracture. Further, omitting the reduction / enlargement processing contributes to simplification of the circuit configuration, and can promote downsizing of the device.
[0034]
As described above, according to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, by disposing the display unit 14 on the upper surface of the case 12 containing the ultrasonic transducer 24 that actually transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, Since the movement operation position of the vibrator 24 and the display unit 14 can be simultaneously viewed, at the time of diagnosis using an ultrasonic diagnostic image, the movement of the line of sight is reduced, and the feeling of fatigue is suppressed and the operability is improved. it can. Further, since the all-in-one type can be easily realized, it is not necessary to perform an operation in an unnatural posture such as twisting the body with both hands spread as in the related art.
[0035]
By the way, when depth information is sequentially acquired by binarization information obtained by comparing the acquired echo intensity with the threshold value as described above, and the luminance value is determined, FIG. 7A and FIG. As shown in the figure, an unnecessary portion other than the observation target is actually displayed on the image. Therefore, a method of displaying only a desired living body, that is, only a tissue to be observed, on the display unit 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. The procedure for acquiring depth information based on echo data and calculating a luminance value to form an image is the same as the above-described method, but in the method of FIGS. Is detected, only the portion connected to the designated organization is selectively displayed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8A, the image processing unit 28 includes a reference point setting unit 62 that specifies a target tissue to be displayed instead of the depth detection unit 56, and a display specified by the reference point setting unit 62. It has a connection area extraction unit 64 that extracts the connectivity of the tissue based on the reference points (reference coordinates). As shown in FIG. 9, the reference point setting unit 62 sets an arbitrary tissue of the B-mode tomographic image displayed on the display unit 14 before displaying a three-dimensional image of a blood vessel or the like as “display reference point 1” or “display reference point 1”. It can be arbitrarily specified as “display reference point 2”. FIG. 9 shows an example in which two points are specified. FIG. 11 shows a flowchart for detecting connectivity in the connected region extracting unit 64. For the extraction of the connected region, for example, a method using a texture analysis, a morphological filter, or the like is known, but in the present embodiment, a method of extracting using a binarization process will be described.
[0036]
The B-mode tomographic image is performed, for example, at the center of the display unit 14 (the center of the ultrasonic oscillator 24 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2A) prior to the mechanical scanning of the ultrasonic oscillator 24 (S100). . The setting of the display reference point is performed, for example, by specifying a desired pixel position using the touch panel 14a of the display unit 14 (S101).
[0037]
FIG. 8B shows a configuration example of the connected region extracting unit 64. The connected region extraction unit 64 performs a binarization process of the echo data obtained from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 26 based on a threshold value (threshold value set by operating the scan switch 22 on a line) input from the CPU 30. A neighborhood search unit 68 that determines connectivity with the periphery of a pixel to be processed based on the result of the binarization processing; a three-dimensional memory 70 that stores the connection result (binary data); It includes a memory access unit 72 and the like.
[0038]
When the display reference point is designated by the reference point setting unit 62, the three-dimensional memory 70 clears all the binarized data once to "0" (S102) and corresponds to the pixel set as the display reference point. “1” is set to the coordinates of the position in the three-dimensional memory 70 (S103).
[0039]
In this state, a scan for forming an actual ultrasonic image is started (S104). The scan start position at this time may be an arbitrary position. For example, the scan start position can be performed from the center position where the scan was first performed to display the B-mode tomographic image.
[0040]
When the echo data is sequentially input from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 26 to the binarization processing unit 66, the binarization of the target voxel is sequentially performed based on the threshold value provided from the CPU 30 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). This is performed (S105). When the binarization result is “0”, for example, in the case of a blood vessel, and when the echo intensity is larger than the threshold, “0” is set in the three-dimensional memory 70 corresponding to the voxel coordinates of interest (S106). On the other hand, when the binarization result is “1”, for example, in the case of a blood vessel, and when the echo intensity is smaller than the threshold value, the mask 74 of 3 × 3 × 3 pixels shown in FIG. Check whether the voxel is connected to the surroundings. In other words, the coordinates of the voxel of interest are set as the central portion 74a of the mask 74, and it is determined whether or not “1” exists in the neighboring voxels on the three-dimensional memory (S107).
[0041]
Then, only when “1” exists at a position adjacent to the target voxel, “1” is set to the coordinates of the three-dimensional memory 70 corresponding to the target voxel coordinates (S108). The result of the binarization in step (S105) is “1”, but when “1” does not exist in the vicinity position, that is, the binarization data of the blood vessel existing at a position distant from the display reference point. In this case, the process proceeds to step (S106), and “0” is set in the three-dimensional memory 70 corresponding to the voxel coordinates of interest. As described above, initially, only the display reference point is “1”, and therefore, a pixel adjacent to the pixel specified by the display reference point, that is, a pixel of only the binarization result “1” connected to the display reference point Is determined as the binarization result “1” on the three-dimensional memory 70, and the other non-connected pixels are determined to be corrected as the binarization result “0”. The three-dimensional memory 70 sequentially supplies the coordinate data determined as the binarization result "1" to the luminance calculating unit 58, and calculates the luminance information of one pixel of the two-dimensional image as in the case shown in FIG. Then, an ultrasonic image is sequentially formed in the image forming unit 60.
[0042]
Such continuity determination is performed in the electronic scan direction (the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2B) and the mechanical scan direction (the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 2B) to determine whether or not all the scans have been completed. This is performed in the CPU 30 (S109). If the determination of the electronic scanning direction has not been completed, the target voxel is moved by one in the electronic scanning direction (S110), the process returns to step (S105), and the above processing is repeated. Similarly, when the determination of the mechanical scan direction has not been completed, the determination target is moved to the next plane, the voxel of interest is moved (S110), the process returns to step (S105), and the above-described processing is repeated.
[0043]
By determining such connectivity to the display reference point at least once for each echo data in the three-dimensional space, the “image connected to the display reference point 1” and the “display reference point” as shown in FIG. Only the image linked to point 2 "can be displayed. That is, image display in which tissues other than the observation target are excluded from the display can be performed. In the process based on the flowchart in FIG. 11, real-time image formation is possible. However, in the initial stage, display is performed such that display images (blood vessel portions) grow sequentially in a pyramid shape with the display reference point as a vertex. Is performed, and when the processing proceeds to a certain extent, the growth proceeds with the blood vessel width. In the case where the reciprocating mechanical scan of the ultrasonic transducer 24 is repeatedly performed, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 is moved with respect to the living body after an ultrasonic image is formed as shown in FIG. The updated state is displayed on the ultrasonic image at. Therefore, for example, by sequentially moving the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10, it is possible to confirm the running state of a blood vessel or the like in a wide range.
[0044]
In addition, when setting the display reference points, the display color can be set for each of the display reference points, so that even when a plurality of display reference points are set, the tissue to be observed can be easily identified. Becomes possible. As shown in FIG. 12, when the image based on the display reference point 1 and the image intersect based on the display reference point 2, the display color is given superiority or inferiority based on the respective coordinate positions, so that the depth direction can be improved. The positional relationship can be easily recognized. In addition, as a result of moving the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 along the blood vessel traveling direction or the like, if the blood vessels that have been running separately and displayed in different colors have merged into one, It is preferable to unify the display colors into one color.
[0045]
By the way, in the above-described example, the depth-brightness table in which the depth information (coordinate position) of the ultrasonic wave and the brightness value indicating the depth are associated with each other is prepared in advance. It can also be sequentially generated based on the acquired echo data.
[0046]
For example, as shown in FIG. 13A, each time an electronic scan (scan in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2B) is performed, the minimum value and the maximum value of the depth of the display target tissue are obtained, and the mechanical scan ( Each time the scan (scanning in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 2B) is performed, it is determined whether or not the minimum value and the maximum value are updated. If there is an update, the update is performed. Then, based on the obtained minimum value and maximum value, a depth-luminance table as shown in FIG. 13B is generated. In the case of the present embodiment, as described above, the table is generated such that the luminance value decreases as the ultrasonic wave reflection depth increases. At this time, if the brightness value is set to “0” at the maximum value, the deepest part of the extracted tissue becomes difficult to see. Therefore, for example, the maximum value is multiplied by a coefficient K (for example, the setting can be manually changed such as about 1.5). By creating a table so that the value is a luminance value “0” and the minimum value is a luminance value “100”, it is possible to perform optimal luminance expression according to the depth of the tissue to be observed, and display. The visibility of the ultrasonic image can be improved.
[0047]
14 to 16 show modified examples of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment. Although the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 2 is shown as an all-in-one type, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 76 of FIG. 14 has a diagnostic operation unit (at least a part including an ultrasonic transducer and a display unit) 78 and a power supply unit 80 separately. It has a configuration. Separating the power supply unit 80 from the case 78a and connecting it with the cable 80a makes it possible to reduce the size and weight of the diagnostic operation unit 78 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 76, thereby contributing to improved operability. Can be. The configuration and functions of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 76 are the same as those of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 2 except that the power supply unit 80 is provided outside the case 78a.
[0048]
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 82 shown in FIG. 15 is intended for further miniaturization and weight reduction. In addition to the power supply unit 80 from the case 84 a of the diagnostic operation unit 84, the CPU 30, the image processing unit 28, and the ultrasonic transmission / reception This is an example in which the unit 26 and the like are separated and configured separately as a control main unit 86. In this case, it is possible to further reduce the size and weight of the diagnostic operation unit 84 compared to the ultrasonic diagnostic device 76. If a plurality of diagnostic operation units 84 having different transducer characteristics are prepared as needed, it is also possible to selectively switch the ultrasonic diagnostic device 76. In this case, since the diagnostic operation unit 84 is connected to the control main unit 86 by the cable 86a, a connection board 88 and the like for the connection are added inside the control main unit 86.
[0049]
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses 10, 76, 82, etc. shown in FIGS. 2, 14, 15 and the like show examples using a 2D array as the ultrasonic transducer 24, but FIGS. 3) shows an example in which a 1D array is used as an ultrasonic transducer. As an example, a structure to which a 1D array is applied in the configuration corresponding to FIG. 2 is shown. In the case of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10, the supply of the drive signal and the acquisition of the received signal are sequentially performed on the ultrasonic transducer 24 of the 2D array using the moving electrode 42 engaged with the shaft 40, but FIG. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 90, a 1D array ultrasonic transducer 92 is directly connected to the shaft 40 via a support base 92a.
[0050]
Since the ultrasonic transducer 92 of the 1D array moves in the case 90a, a space is required between the transmitting / receiving surface of the ultrasonic transducer 92 and the inner surface of the case 90a. The attenuation becomes extremely large. Therefore, the ultrasonic vibrator 92 is movably disposed inside the oil bag 94 filled with oil so that no air layer exists between the transmitting / receiving surface of the ultrasonic vibrator 92 and the inner surface of the case 90a. The moving mechanism of the support base 92a that supports the ultrasonic transducer 92 is the same as the moving mechanism of the moving electrode 42 described with reference to FIG. Note that the ultrasonic vibrator 92 which is transferred in accordance with the movement of the ultrasonic vibrator 92 to secure a storage space for the oil bag 94 and to completely separate the oil and electronic components such as each substrate in the case 90a. It is preferable to provide a partition plate 96 in order to secure a space for moving the flexible cable 92b for connecting the cable with the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 26. In this case, the size of the case 90a is larger than the case 12 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10. However, by using the ultrasonic transducer 92 of the 1D array, the cost can be significantly reduced as compared with the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10. Becomes possible. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 90 and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 have basically the same configuration except that a 1D array is used instead of the 2D array, and a detailed description of each configuration will be omitted.
[0051]
14 and 15 can also be applied to the 1D array, and the effects of each configuration can be obtained.
[0052]
Note that, in the present embodiment, the configuration and processing procedure described in each drawing are merely examples, and the display unit is disposed on the upper surface of the case that houses the ultrasonic transducer that actually transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and the display unit With a configuration that displays an ultrasonic image of a living body, the same effect as that of the present embodiment can be obtained.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the display unit is disposed on the upper surface of the case that houses the ultrasonic transducer that actually transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, the moving operation position of the ultrasonic transducer and the display unit are simultaneously viewed. Therefore, the movement of the line of sight is reduced, and the feeling of fatigue can be suppressed and the operability can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an appearance and a use state of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an internal structure of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a detailed structure of a moving contact used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating details of an image processing unit of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a threshold value and an echo intensity used at the time of image formation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display example of an ultrasonic image formed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating details of another image processing unit of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating setting of a display reference point used for determining connectivity in the configuration of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a mask used for determining connectivity in the configuration of FIG. 8;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a fixed order for determining connectivity of the configuration of FIG. 8;
12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display example of an ultrasonic image formed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus when the connectivity determination of the configuration in FIG. 8 is used.
FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of generating a depth-luminance table used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating another configuration of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram illustrating another configuration of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration when a 1D array ultrasonic transducer is used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, 12 case, 14 display unit, 14a touch panel, 16 arms, 18 support arms, 20 power switch, 22 scan switch, 24 ultrasonic transducer, 26 ultrasonic transmitting / receiving unit, 26a transmitting circuit, 26b receiving circuit , 28 image processing unit, 30 CPU, 32 rechargeable power supply unit, 34 connector board, 36 power supply board, 38 motor, 40 shaft, 42 moving electrode, 42a support base, 44 reduction gear, 46 individual electrode, 48a, 48b move contact.

Claims (6)

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from a three-dimensional space that includes a living body, acquires echo data, and obtains an ultrasonic image,
An ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves,
A display unit that displays an ultrasonic image formed based on echo data obtained by at least the ultrasonic transducer,
A case where at least the ultrasonic vibrator is housed and the bottom surface of which directly contacts the living body,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the case houses an ultrasonic transducer on the lower surface side and the display unit is arranged on an upper surface. The device of claim 1,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the display unit displays a fluoroscopic image of the living body when viewed from the transmission / reception direction of the ultrasonic wave in actual dimensions. The device according to claim 1 or 2,
The case is an all-in-one case including, in addition to the ultrasonic vibrator and the display unit, at least a control unit of the ultrasonic vibrator, a processing unit for the acquired echo data, a power supply unit, and a user operation unit. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A depth detection unit that detects reflection depth information of echo data adopted for image formation based on a comparison between the echo data obtained by the ultrasonic transducer and a predetermined threshold,
A brightness calculation unit that calculates a brightness value of an image at the time of image formation based on the depth detected by the depth detection unit,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit that maps an intensity value calculated by the intensity calculation unit to a transmission position of an ultrasonic wave to form an ultrasonic image. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A reference point setting unit that sets at least one display reference point at a desired observation target position on a B-mode tomographic image displaying the echo intensity acquired by the ultrasonic transducer as luminance information;
A connected region extracting unit that determines presence or absence of three-dimensional connectivity with the display reference point and extracts a continuous region for each sequentially acquired echo data;
For each reflection depth of the echo data extracted as a connected area, a brightness calculation unit that calculates the brightness value of the image at the time of image formation,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit that maps an intensity value calculated by the intensity calculation unit to a transmission position of an ultrasonic wave to form an ultrasonic image. The device according to claim 5,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the reference point setting unit is capable of setting a plurality of display reference points, and continuous regions extracted based on the plurality of set display reference points are displayed in different display colors. .

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