JP2007029456A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of computerizing an anatomically abnormal image, its peripheral state and a positional relation and highly precisely expressing a diagnosis site by displaying the anatomically abnormal image with superimposed on a body mark as a mass mark. <P>SOLUTION: This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided with an ultrasonic probe 1 transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves and converting the received signals into electric signals, tomographic image data generation means 2 generating tomographic image data from the electric signals obtained from the ultrasonic probe, a body mark compilation means 6 compiling a probe mark indicating the position of the ultrasonic probe and a body mark indicating a region of interest, and a display means 5 displaying the body mark and the tomographic image according to the tomographic image data. This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has a mass mark compilation means 8 compiling the mass mark defined with diagnostic information obtained in an examination as a graphic, an image compilation means 7 superimposing the mass mark on the body mark, and an image composition means 4 superimposing the body mark superimposed with the mass mark on the tomographic image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that obtains a tomographic image from reflected waves by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves to / from a living body.

  Conventionally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is used for medical diagnosis for the purpose of obtaining biological information of a patient. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasonic pulse from an ultrasonic probe into a living body, receives a reflected wave from a boundary surface of a tissue having different acoustic impedance, and converts it into an electric signal. Then, an ultrasonic tomographic image is constructed based on the electrical signal and displayed on the display.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an ultrasonic diagnostic image displayed on a display of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The tomographic image 11 is an image displaying a living tissue, and an anatomical abnormality image 15 of the living body is displayed. In addition, a body mark 12 simulating the body surface shape or organ shape of a living body to be diagnosed is displayed on the display. The body mark 12 displays a linear probe mark 13 indicating the scanning position of the ultrasonic probe that has obtained the tomographic image 11.

  In the ultrasonic examination by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the observation, photographing and recording of the region of interest are performed as follows. First, the examiner scans the living body using an ultrasonic beam with the ultrasonic probe applied to the skin surface of the subject, and displays an ultrasonic image as the tomographic image 11 in a moving image state on the display. Since it is a tomographic image, in order to know the entire region of interest of the human body, the examiner needs to move the ultrasonic probe in accordance with the size of the region of interest of the subject. In addition, the examiner replaces the three-dimensional anatomical information in the head from the positional relationship of the structure of the tomographic image 11 displayed on the display during this time.

  Next, based on the three-dimensional anatomical information constructed in the head, the ultrasonic probe is moved to a site where a characteristic tomographic image of the subject is obtained, a desired tomographic image is selected, and the moving image state The tomographic image 11 is converted into a still image tomographic image 11 by a predetermined operation. Next, the body mark 12 corresponding to the tomographic image 11 in the still image state and the probe mark 13 are displayed simultaneously. That is, the body mark 12 and the probe mark 13 make it easy to grasp the part where the tomographic image 11 is recorded.

As a method for increasing the amount of information of a tomographic image on a display device, a device capable of simultaneously displaying a plurality of body marks stored in advance in a memory unit of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus on a display device has been proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-224596 A

  However, in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the body mark merely indicates the position of the ultrasonic probe with respect to the patient or the tomographic position with respect to the detection site. Therefore, anatomical abnormal images (mass, mass) encountered in clinical use of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus appear in various numbers and sizes at unspecified positions in the human body, and cannot be converted into graphic information as body marks. There's a problem.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and displays an anatomical abnormality image as a mass mark on a body mark by superimposing the anatomical abnormality image on the body mark. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can convert an abnormal image, its surrounding situation, and positional relationship into graphic information and can express a diagnosis part with higher accuracy.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention includes an ultrasonic probe that transmits ultrasonic waves, receives reflected waves from a living body, and converts them into an electric signal, and an electric signal obtained from the ultrasonic probe. A tomographic image data generating means for generating tomographic image data from the body, a body mark editing means for editing the probe mark indicating the position of the ultrasonic probe and the body mark indicating the region of interest, the body mark and the tomographic image data In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a display means for displaying a corresponding tomographic image, a mass mark editing means for editing a mass mark obtained by graphicizing diagnostic information obtained at the time of examination, and the mass mark on the body mark Image editing means for superimposing, and image synthesizing means for superimposing the body mark on which the mass mark is superimposed on the tomographic image. And said that there were pictures.

  With this configuration, the site in the tomographic image and surrounding diagnostic information (anatomical abnormality image) can be easily grasped, and at the same time, the site where the tomographic image is recorded can be computerized with higher accuracy.

  In addition, the mass editing can be performed by the image editing unit. With this configuration, a mass mark corresponding to the diagnostic information can be formed.

  In addition, the image editing unit can be configured to perform at least one of addition, correction, and deletion on the mass mark.

  The report image generation means for generating a report image for displaying a list of clinical findings or measurement values is further included, and the report image includes an image obtained by superimposing the edited mass mark on the body mark as information of the report Can be configured. With this configuration, the report screen can be visually understood.

  According to the present invention, when an anatomical abnormality image exists by superimposing and displaying the anatomical abnormality image as a mass mark on the body mark, the anatomical abnormality image and the surrounding situation and positional relationship are displayed. It is possible to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can be converted into graphic information and that can express a diagnostic part with higher accuracy.

  Hereinafter, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The ultrasonic probe 1 has an ultrasonic transducer, transmits an ultrasonic beam into the body of a subject, and receives echo data. The transmission / reception circuit 2 (tomographic image data generating means) outputs a drive signal to the ultrasonic probe 1 and converts echo data into tomographic image data. A digital scan converter (DSC) circuit 3 converts tomographic image data obtained by the transmission / reception circuit 2 into a signal suitable for display on the display 5 and supplies the signal to the image synthesis circuit 4.

  The body mark selection unit 6 (body mark editing means) has a body mark memory for storing a body mark indicating a body surface shape or an organ shape (region of interest) and a probe mark indicating a position of the ultrasonic probe with respect to the body mark. Furthermore, the body mark selection unit 6 selects via an input means (not shown) such as a keyboard or a trackball, and further, the body mark and the probe mark subjected to editing such as addition and correction are displayed in the graphic data storage unit. 7 is output. The mass mark editing unit 8 (mass mark editing means) includes a mass mark memory for storing a mass mark indicating an anatomical abnormality image (diagnosis information), and edits the selected mass mark via the input means. And output to the graphic data storage unit 7. The graphic data storage unit 7 (image editing means) performs general graphic control, such as combining a frame mark with a body mark.

  The image synthesis circuit 4 (image synthesis means) synthesizes the body mark with the mass mark synthesized with the tomographic image and outputs the data to the display 5. The display 5 (display means) is a display device such as a monitor, and displays a tomographic image based on the tomographic image data received from the image synthesis circuit 4.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a management table and a database stored in the body mark memory of the body mark selection unit 6 and the mass mark memory of the mass mark editing unit 8. The body mark memory stores a plurality of body marks 12 simulating the shape of the human body surface or organ suitable for each diagnosis region. In the mass mark memory, a plurality of templates of mass marks 14 used when an abnormal finding is obtained at the time of ultrasonic inspection described later are stored for each diagnosis area. There are standard shapes such as a circle and an ellipse as a template of the mass mark 14, and it is edited using a line tool that can be drawn with a free line, a correction tool that corrects a line drawn like "Eraser", etc. Is possible.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an image displayed on the display 5 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, a mass mark 14 indicating an anatomical abnormality image 15 of the tomographic image 11 is newly added on the body mark 12 with respect to FIG. 7 showing the conventional example. The mass mark 14 is created in the mass mark editing unit 8 by editing a template figure with a line tool as an editing tool.

  Thus, by attaching the mass mark 14 to the body mark 12, the situation of the tomographic image 11 and the entire region of interest can be understood quickly and easily, and at the same time, when the tomographic image 11 is recorded, an ultrasonic probe for the diagnostic region Can be expressed with high accuracy.

  The operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment. First, an initial value is set (step S101). The diagnosis area corresponding to the inspection purpose is set by the inspector by operating the keys on the console. Depending on the setting of the diagnostic area, various parameters such as gain and tomographic image display size and apparatus conditions such as the body mark 12 associated with the inspection purpose are set as initial values for inspecting the region of interest of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. To do.

  Next, the ultrasound probe 1 scans the region of interest of the subject (step S102), and the display 5 displays a tomographic image displayed as a real-time moving image. The tomographic image displayed in the moving image state is information indicating a cross section of the subject's living body. In order to prevent the examiner from overlooking the anatomical abnormal image, the ultrasonic probe 1 is sequentially moved from one end of the region of interest in the opposite direction so that the entire region of interest can be displayed, so that the entire region of interest can be observed. .

  At this time, the examiner constructs a three-dimensional anatomical structure based on the observation information of the tomographic image in the head, determines the presence / absence of the anatomical abnormality image 15, and determines the anatomy. In the case where the abnormal anatomical image 15 exists, the whole image of the region of interest is grasped while being associated with the number, size, properties, and the like.

  Next, necessary still images are taken by the examiner. For the tomographic image 11, the body mark 12 most suitable for the graphic representation of the subject is selected from the body mark memory by the body mark selecting unit 6, and if necessary, characteristic points (anatomical) of the tomographic image 11 are selected. The size and shape of the abnormal point are added to the body mark and subjected to editing processing such as correction, and then displayed on the display 5 (step S103). Next, in the detected tomographic image 11, the examiner determines whether or not the anatomical abnormal image 15 is present and whether a mass mark is necessary (step S104). When the mass mark 14 is unnecessary (for example, when an anatomical abnormality image is not displayed in the tomographic image 11), the probe indicating the position of the ultrasonic probe on the body mark 12 is the same as the conventional example shown in FIG. The mark 13 is set (step S107), and the image displayed and displayed on the display 5 is recorded.

  In step S104, when the mass mark 14 is necessary (for example, when an anatomical abnormality image is displayed on the diagnostic image 11), the examiner performs detailed observation of the same part. A mass mark 14 adapted to the anatomical abnormality image of the tomographic image is selected by the examiner from the mass mark editing unit 8 (step S105) and displayed on the display 5. The displayed mass mark 14 is subjected to editing operations such as addition, correction, and deletion by the inspector (step S106). Next, the probe mark 13 indicating the position of the ultrasonic probe is placed on the body mark 12 with the mass mark (step S107), displayed on the display unit 5 as shown in FIG. 3, and the displayed image is recorded. To do.

  As described above, according to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment, by providing the mass mark editing unit 8, it is possible to superimpose and display an anatomical abnormality image as a mass mark on the body mark. Therefore, when an anatomical abnormality image exists, it is possible to convert the anatomical abnormality image, the surrounding situation, and the positional relationship into graphic information, which can express the diagnosis part with higher accuracy, and an ultrasonic examination. You can quickly and easily understand the information obtained in.

  In the above description, an example in which a diagnosis site is a blood vessel has been described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an image displayed on the display 5 in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, and is an example in which the liver is targeted as a diagnostic part. In a diagnostic region whose main purpose is to detect a tumor or the like (anatomical abnormal image) from a region of interest of a subject, the pathological growth form of the tumor is often spherical. Therefore, a fixed-shaped mass mark 14 such as a circle or an ellipse imitating this is stored in the mass mark editing unit 8, and according to the size of the detection target observed in the tomographic image 11 of the display 5, It is also possible to edit and display the fixed-shaped mass mark 14 by enlarging or reducing it.

  Further, when it is possible to determine from the information of the tomographic image 11 whether the property of the detection target is a cystic pathology that reflects liquid retention pathologically or a solidity that reflects a pathological structure such as a tumor. Can further increase the ultrasonic diagnostic information by identifying whether or not a part or the whole of the mass mark 14 is colored.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 6 shows an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. A feature is that a report creating unit 9 (report image generating means) is added to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment, and the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, the description is omitted.

  The report creation unit 9 is connected to the graphic data storage unit 17. The report creation unit 9 creates report data capable of displaying a list of various clinical findings and measurement values obtained during the examination, and outputs the report data to the graphic data storage unit 17. The report image in which the report data is displayed on the display 5 is provided with a graphic display area, and the body mark 12 with the mass mark 14 added to the graphic display area is displayed. For this reason, the report data is linked with the body mark data.

  As described above, according to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the edited mass mark editing information is added to the report screen, so that the workability is excellent and the report screen is visually displayed. It can be made excellent.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used in the medical industry, particularly in the field of ultrasonic diagnosis, as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of superimposing and displaying a mass mark indicating an anatomical abnormal image of a tomographic image on a body mark indicating a part of a tomographic image It is.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention Schematic diagram showing management table and database of body mark memory and mass mark memory of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus The figure which shows the display image of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus same as the above Flow chart showing the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus The figure which shows the display image of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus same as the above The block diagram which shows the structure of the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the display image of the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic probe 2 Transmission / reception circuit 3 DSC circuit 4 Image composition circuit 5 Display 6 Body mark selection part 7, 17 Graphic data storage part 8 Mass mark edit part 9 Report preparation part 11 Tomographic image 12 Body mark 13 Probe mark 14 Mass mark 15 Anatomical abnormalities

Claims (4)

An ultrasonic probe that transmits ultrasonic waves and receives reflected waves from a living body and converts them into electrical signals, tomographic image data generating means for generating tomographic image data from electrical signals obtained from the ultrasonic probes, and the ultrasonic waves An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising body mark editing means for editing a probe mark indicating a probe position and a body mark indicating a region of interest, and display means for displaying a tomographic image corresponding to the body mark and the tomographic image data In
A mass mark editing means for editing a mass mark in which diagnostic information obtained at the time of inspection is made into a figure,
Image editing means for superimposing the mass mark on the body mark;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, further comprising: an image synthesis unit that superimposes the body mark on which the mass mark is superimposed on the tomographic image.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mass mark can be edited by the image editing unit.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image editing unit can perform at least one of addition, correction, and deletion on the mass mark. A report image generating means for generating a report image displaying a list of clinical findings or measurement values;
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the report image includes an image obtained by superimposing an edited mass mark on the body mark as information of the report.

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