JP2008073087A - Method, system, and program for analyzing strength of living body carotid artery - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for analyzing a strength of a living body carotid artery for measuring an elasticity modulus from echo moving images of a living body carotid artery and for analyzing the strength of the carotid artery from a correlation between the elasticity modulus and a burst pressure, and a system and a program for analyzing the strength of a living body carotid artery. <P>SOLUTION: A computer 12 of an arteriosclerosis analyzing system 11 includes a storage device 44 for storing carotid artery moving images and position information of a site of the carotid artery whose moving image is acquired. The computer 12 calculates the elasticity modulus of the site of the carotid artery whose moving image is acquired from blood pressure information including a systolic blood pressure and a diastolic blood pressure of an artery. The computer 12 calculates an estimated burst pressure of the site from a burst pressure mathematical formula F from the calculated elasticity modulus of the site of the carotid artery. The computer 12 includes a display 13 and a printer 14 for outputting the estimated burst pressure which is calculated by combining it with the position information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a living carotid artery strength analysis method, a living carotid artery strength analysis system, and a living carotid artery strength analysis program.

  Due to aging and diversification of dietary habits, long-term patients with cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, and cerebral hemorrhage are increasing. In order to prevent this disease, it is important that the mechanical soundness of the vascular system, that is, the so-called blood vessels are soft, that is, the elastic modulus is low and the breaking strain is large.

  Conventional methods for measuring the mechanical health of blood vessels in a non-invasive manner are pulse wave velocity measurement (elastic waves propagating through blood vessels, propagation velocity and elastic modulus are proportional), blood vessel wall thickening measurement (inner wall progresses in a bowl shape) In this case, the swelled blood vessel wall increases and the inner diameter becomes smaller. In these physical quantity measurements, the distance between two points in the former propagation velocity measurement is relatively large (for example, about 1/3 of the height), so the measurement result is an average value of the measurement length.

  However, the former has been difficult to correlate with the progress of locally occurring arteriosclerosis. In the latter case, special techniques and knowledge were required for the determination of clear blood vessel image and wall thickness measurement. In addition, both methods are physical quantities detected when arteriosclerosis has progressed considerably, and these measured values are difficult to directly relate to the rupture pressure of the blood vessel.

  On the other hand, the diameter of arteries changes with pulsatile flow due to expansion and contraction of the heart. However, when the vascular endothelium changes due to aging or lifestyle-related diseases and arteriosclerosis (increase in elastic modulus) occurs, the diameter change associated with pulsatile flow becomes smaller. In addition, arteriosclerosis also occurs locally and has viscoelastic properties, so that the blood vessel undergoes dynamic deformation behavior and elasticity in a physiological blood pressure fluctuation region at rest (generally about 70 to 130 mmHg). Measuring the coefficient is an important indicator when mechanically predicting the limit of vascular rupture. However, conventionally, a technique for measuring these has not been proposed and has been an unsolved problem.

  The present invention relates to a biological carotid artery strength analysis method, a biological carotid artery strength analysis method capable of measuring an elastic modulus based on an echo moving image of a living carotid artery and performing carotid artery strength analysis based on a correlation between the elastic modulus and a burst pressure. An arterial strength analysis system and a living carotid artery strength analysis program are provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is based on a carotid artery moving image, a storage means for storing the position information of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired, and blood pressure information of the artery. The elastic modulus calculating means for calculating the elastic modulus of the carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired, and the predicted burst pressure of the part from the burst pressure relational expression based on the calculated elastic modulus of the carotid artery part The gist of the present invention is a living carotid artery strength analysis system comprising a predicted burst pressure calculating means for calculating and an output means for outputting the calculated predicted burst pressure in combination with the position information.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the elastic modulus calculation means calculates a cross-sectional area of a blood vessel based on the carotid artery moving image, obtains a blood vessel diameter based on the area, and based on the blood vessel diameter Thus, the elastic modulus is calculated.

  A third aspect of the present invention provides the medical ultrasonic device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the carotid artery moving image is acquired by a probe of the medical ultrasonic device, and the probe has a measurement A position detection device for measuring a position is provided, and the position information is obtained by the position detection device.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the output means outputs the carotid artery shape and predicts the carotid artery shape corresponding to the position information. The burst pressure is output as a graph.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the output means outputs the output related to the portion where the predicted burst pressure is the smallest in an output mode different from the portion where the other predicted burst pressure is output. It is characterized by.

  The invention of claim 6 stores the carotid artery moving image and the position information of the carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired, and the carotid artery moving image acquired based on the blood pressure information of the artery. A step of calculating an elastic modulus of the arterial site, a step of calculating a predicted burst pressure of the site from the burst pressure relational expression based on the calculated elastic modulus of the carotid artery site, and the calculated predicted burst pressure at the position The gist of the present invention is a biological carotid artery strength analysis method characterized by comprising a step of outputting together with information.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the computer is configured to store a carotid artery moving image and positional information of a carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image is acquired; Elastic modulus calculating means for calculating the elastic modulus of the acquired carotid artery part, and predicted burst pressure calculating means for calculating the predicted burst pressure of the part from the burst pressure relational expression based on the calculated elastic modulus of the carotid artery part And a biological carotid artery strength analysis program that functions as an output means for outputting the calculated predicted burst pressure together with the position information.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the carotid artery moving image and the position information of the carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image is acquired are analyzed, the elastic modulus of the carotid artery part is calculated, and the elastic modulus is calculated based on the elastic modulus. The predicted rupture pressure of the part is calculated by the rupture pressure relational expression and output together with the position where the carotid artery moving image is acquired. As a result, the degree of arteriosclerosis can be visually and locally output in the form of predicted burst pressure for each part of the carotid artery including the bifurcation. As a result, the degree of arteriosclerosis for each part of the carotid artery can be understood, so that this information can be used for diagnosis.

  The diameter of arteries changes with pulsatile flow due to expansion and contraction of the heart. However, when arteriosclerosis (increase in elastic modulus) occurs due to deterioration of the vascular endothelium due to aging and lifestyle habits, the diameter changes with pulsatile flow. Becomes smaller. What is important here is that arteriosclerosis occurs locally, so that the form of arteriosclerosis inside the blood vessel is different from site to site and uneven. According to the present invention, the predicted burst pressure is dynamically predicted as an index indicating the degree of arteriosclerosis, and the carotid artery moving image from which the numerical value is acquired is output for each acquired carotid site, The degree of arteriosclerosis for each can be indicated.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, the cross-sectional area of the blood vessel is calculated based on the carotid artery moving image, the blood vessel diameter is obtained based on the area, and the elastic modulus is calculated based on the blood vessel diameter. The diameter of a blood vessel that is not circular in cross section can also be calculated as an equivalent diameter, and the effect of claim 1 can be easily realized.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the position detector for measuring the measurement position is provided on the probe, the position information can be easily obtained, and the effect of claim 1 or claim 2 can be easily obtained. realizable.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the carotid artery shape is output and the predicted burst pressure is output in a graph at the corresponding position of the carotid artery shape corresponding to the position information, the carotid artery part is specifically shown. Thus, the degree of arteriosclerosis at the site can be complained with a visual effect.

  According to the invention of claim 5, since the output related to the region where the predicted burst pressure is the smallest is output in a different output mode from the portion where the other predicted burst pressure is output, the site where the arteriosclerosis is most advanced It can be shown prominently and efficiently.

According to invention of Claim 6, the method which can implement | achieve the effect of Claim 1 easily can be provided.
According to invention of Claim 7, the program which can implement | achieve the effect of Claim 1 easily can be provided.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 of this embodiment includes a computer 12, a display 13 as output means, a printer 14 as output means, a keyboard 15, a medical ultrasonic device 16, and a blood pressure measurement device 31. ing.

  The arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 analyzes the arteriosclerosis state of the subject based on the subject's arterial information input to the computer 12 from the keyboard 15 and the medical ultrasonic device 16, and from the display 13 or the printer 14. Output atherosclerosis analysis results. The subject's arterial information includes carotid artery moving image, blood pressure information, name information, ID (identification) information, age information, and position information.

  The carotid artery moving image is information indicating the expansion / contraction deformation of the subject's carotid artery. That is, the carotid artery moving image is information indicating a change with time of at least one cycle in the expansion / contraction deformation in the carotid artery in which the expansion / contraction deformation is continuously repeated. As shown in FIG. 1, this moving image is obtained by a pulse reflection method using a known medical ultrasonic device 16.

  The medical ultrasonic device 16 includes a probe 21, a display unit 22, and an ultrasonic wave generation source (not shown). The medical ultrasonic device 16 transmits a pulse wave from the distal end surface of the probe 21 into the living body and receives a reflected wave (echo) from the carotid artery 23. In the medical ultrasonic device 16, the distal end surface of the probe 21 is formed in a long square shape, and acquires a cross-sectional image that is an echo moving image acquired from the carotid artery 23 in the B / M mode. A moving image when the subject's carotid artery 23 undergoes expansion / contraction deformation is displayed on the display unit 22 of the medical ultrasonic device 16.

  That is, the medical ultrasonic apparatus 16 displays an arterial longitudinal section moving image (not shown) as a moving image and an arterial cross section moving image 26 as a moving image according to the orientation of the probe 21 with respect to the carotid artery 23 schematically shown in FIG. Displayed on the unit 22. The arterial cross section moving image 26 is a moving image of an image taken in the radial direction of the carotid artery 23 as shown in FIG.

  The medical ultrasonic device 16 is connected to the computer 12, and an arterial longitudinal section moving image and an arterial cross section moving image 26 (not shown) acquired by the medical ultrasonic device 16 are input to the computer 12 and stored as a storage device 44. Stored in

The blood pressure information is composed of the highest blood pressure and the lowest blood pressure measured by a known blood pressure measurement device 31 as shown in FIG. 1 and is input to the computer 12 and stored in the storage device 44.
The position information is information indicating the position of the part where the arteriosclerosis state is analyzed in the body of the subject, that is, the carotid artery moving image is acquired. It is obtained by a movement detection device 32 as a position detection device provided on the side of the probe 21. The movement detection device 32 includes an image sensor and a digital signal processor (DSP) (not shown). The movement detection device 32 processes the image of the body surface of the subject photographed by the image sensor with the DSP, thereby determining the movement distance of the probe 21 from an arbitrary reference position on the body surface of the subject. taking measurement. The moving distance is input to the computer 12 as position information.

  By the way, when analyzing the arteriosclerosis state of the carotid artery, for example, it is most convenient to set a branch point where the common carotid artery branches into an internal carotid artery and an external carotid artery as a reference point. In the arteriosclerosis analysis system 11, a reference point is input or stored in the computer 12 in advance, and a reference position on the body surface corresponding to the reference point is detected by the movement detection device 32, and a search from the reference position is performed. Position information is obtained by detecting the moving direction and moving distance of the touch element 21 with the movement detecting device 32. Further, the arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 acquires the position information about one carotid artery 23 almost continuously, so that a detailed analysis result combining the position information and the arteriosclerosis analysis result about the carotid artery 23 can be obtained. can get.

Information such as the age information, name information, and ID information of the subject is stored in the storage device 44 of the computer 12 from the keyboard 15.
As shown in FIG. 2, the computer 12 includes a CPU 41 (central processing unit), a ROM 42, and a RAM 43, and analyzes an arteriosclerotic state based on the arterial information by executing an arteriosclerosis analysis program stored in the ROM 42. The RAM 43 is a working memory when executing the program.

The computer 12 corresponds to storage means, elastic modulus calculation means for calculating the elastic modulus of the carotid artery part from which the subject's carotid artery moving image was acquired, and predicted burst pressure calculation means.
The storage device 44 is composed of, for example, a hard disk or a semiconductor storage device, and can read and write the various information described above.

Next, processing of the arteriosclerosis analysis program executed by the CPU 41 in the arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
(S10: Acquisition and storage of various information)
In S10, the CPU 41 sends the carotid artery moving image in the B / M mode from the medical ultrasonic device 16, the position information from the movement detecting device 32, the blood pressure information including the highest blood pressure and the lowest blood pressure from the blood pressure measuring device 31, and the keyboard 15 The subject's age information, name information, ID information, and the like are input from and stored in the storage device 44.

(S20: Elastic modulus calculation)
Next, in S20, first, the CPU 41 performs a dimensional analysis of the carotid artery for each part from which each image is acquired based on the carotid artery moving image.

(Dimension analysis of carotid artery)
The dimensional analysis of the carotid artery will be described.
1. When the carotid artery has a circular cross section First, the case where the carotid artery has a circular cross section will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the CPU 41 extracts an arterial cross-sectional image 51 as an arterial cross-sectional image from the arterial cross-sectional moving image 26. The arterial cross-sectional image 51 has a long rectangular shape, and a plurality of arterial cross-sectional images 51 are extracted from the arterial cross-sectional moving image 26 as still images at regular intervals (for example, at intervals of about 0.05 seconds). Each arterial cross-sectional image 51 is extracted so that the center of the carotid artery 23 is located at the center, and at least the inner radius and the outer radius of the carotid artery 23 are set to a displayable size. The width f in the lateral direction in each artery cross-sectional image 51 is set to the same width f. The width f in the arterial cross-sectional image 51 is set to the same width f, and specifically corresponds to about several pixels on the display 13 (0.5 to 1 mm in the thickness direction of the carotid artery).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 41 creates an arterial cross section parallel image 53 as a parallel image by juxtaposing the lower end of the carotid artery 23 in each arterial cross section image 51 along the reference line 52. . In the arterial cross-sectional parallel image 53, the arterial cross-sectional images 51 are juxtaposed in a partially overlapping state in the order of extraction. The interval between the arterial cross-sectional images 51 is set to (width f) / 2 + several millimeters so that the radius or diameter of the carotid artery 23 in the arterial cross-sectional image 51 is displayed.

  The arterial cross-sectional image 51 is preferably subjected to image processing such as binarization and light / dark reversal. By these image processes, the carotid artery wall is clarified, and the accuracy of image analysis when blood vessel diameter measurement is performed is improved.

  The CPU 41 creates a change curve indicating the change over time of the carotid artery diameter from the arterial cross-sectional parallel image 53. The CPU 41 connects the outer surface midpoints 56 and the inner surface midpoints 57 of the upper end of the carotid artery 23 in each artery cross-sectional image 51 in the arterial cross-sectional parallel image 53 shown in FIG. A lateral change curve 58 is created as the change curve shown. Various numerical values for calculating the elastic modulus Eth are extracted from the lateral change curve 58. That is, the CPU 41 determines from the lateral change curve 58 the outer radius R′0 of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum expansion, the outer radius R0 and the inner radius Ri of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum contraction, and the outer radius of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum expansion. And a difference ΔR0 between the outer radius of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum contraction is extracted (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

2. When the carotid artery has a non-circular cross section The CPU 41 determines whether or not the carotid artery 23 has a non-circular cross section. When the carotid artery 23 has a non-circular cross section, for example, the cross section has an elliptical shape. In this case, the CPU 41 calculates the radius (outer radius, inner radius) of the carotid artery 23 as follows. In this case, the CPU 41 determines that the distance from the center of gravity of the arterial cross-sectional image 51 to a plurality of arbitrary points included in the outer shape of the carotid artery 23 is equal to a circle. Note that the circular or non-circular determination may be performed by pattern matching.

  The CPU 41 obtains the outer diameter area of the carotid artery 23 (the area occupied by the outer shape of the carotid artery 23) from the cross-sectional image at the time of maximum expansion, assumes a circle corresponding to this area, and calculates the equivalent radius of the assumed circle. This is calculated and set as the outer radius R′0 of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum expansion. Further, the CPU 41 obtains the outer diameter area of the carotid artery 23 (the area occupied by the outer shape of the carotid artery 23) from the cross-sectional image at the maximum contraction, assumes a circle corresponding to this area, and corresponds to the assumed circle. The diameter is calculated, and this is set as the outer radius R0 of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum contraction. In addition, the CPU 41 obtains the inner diameter area of the carotid artery 23 (the area surrounded by the inner wall of the blood vessel of the carotid artery 23) from the cross-sectional image at the time of maximum contraction, and assumes the circular shape corresponding to this area. A circular equivalent diameter is calculated, and this is set as the inner radius Ri of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum contraction.

Then, the CPU 41 extracts a difference ΔR0 between the outer radius of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum expansion and the outer radius of the carotid artery 23 at the time of maximum contraction.
(Calculation of elastic modulus Eth)
The elastic modulus Eth is a parameter indicating the mechanical properties of the carotid artery, and is obtained from the change over time in the carotid artery diameter and the blood pressure fluctuation value of the subject. Specifically, the CPU 41 calculates the elastic modulus Eth of each part of the carotid artery 23 using the following formula (1). The blood pressure fluctuation value is calculated from the blood pressure information and indicates the difference between the highest blood pressure and the lowest blood pressure of the subject.

前述したように、Ｒ0は最大収縮時における頸動脈２３の外半径、Ｒiは最大収縮時における頸動脈２３の内半径、ΔＰは最高血圧と最低血圧との差、ΔＲ0は最大拡張時における頸動脈２３の外半径と最大収縮時における頸動脈２３の外半径との差を示す。

As described above, R0 is the outer radius of the carotid artery 23 at the maximum contraction, Ri is the inner radius of the carotid artery 23 at the maximum contraction, ΔP is the difference between the maximum blood pressure and the minimum blood pressure, and ΔR0 is the carotid artery at the maximum dilation. The difference between the outer radius of 23 and the outer radius of the carotid artery 23 at the maximum contraction is shown.

(S30: Calculation of predicted burst pressure)
Next, the CPU 41 calculates a predicted burst pressure using the burst pressure relational expression F based on the calculated elastic modulus Eth of each part of the carotid artery 23. This rupture pressure relational expression F is obtained by plotting the elastic modulus of a plurality of people's carotid arteries and the pressure when the internal pressure is applied to the people's carotid arteries, and obtained by the least square method. . This predicted burst pressure is the result of the arteriosclerosis analysis.

  The data for calculating this burst pressure relational expression is based on the local carcass (sample) of a carotid artery (sample) obtained by law in cooperation with the University of New South Wells University Hospital (Australia). It was obtained by testing. As the sample, a plurality of carotid arteries of each age from 30s to 60s were used. The test method is to measure or calculate the outer diameter and inner diameter by applying the maximum blood pressure and the minimum blood pressure of a normal person while filling the blood vessel of the sample with physiological saline, and the measured value (or calculated value) Based on the above, the elastic modulus was calculated using the formula (1). Further, the pressure was increased in a state in which the blood vessel of the sample was filled with physiological saline, and the pressure at the time of rupture was defined as the rupture pressure.

In this way, the position information and the arteriosclerosis analysis result are obtained.
(S40)
Next, the CPU 41 outputs the subject's age information, name information, ID information, and the pulse hardening analysis result and position information in combination with each other, and displays the pulse hardening analysis result and position information on the display 13. In the present embodiment, the arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71 shown in FIG. FIG. 7 illustrates a case where the left and right carotid arteries 23R and 23L are measured at six locations respectively.

  The arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71 includes a human upper body 100, left and right carotid arteries 23R and 23L, position / distance information 77 as position information, and bar graph predictions at each position where the carotid artery moving image is acquired. The burst pressure (displayed as the predicted burst blood pressure in FIG. 7) is shown.

  In the present embodiment, the position / distance information 77 is indicated by a scale of a predetermined pitch (for example, 5 mm, which is a measured distance in FIG. 7) with respect to the position where the carotid artery moving image is acquired, that is, the branch point. Has been. The part indicated by the scale is a corresponding position of the carotid artery shape corresponding to the position information. By displaying the position / distance information 77, the position of arteriosclerosis occurring locally can be easily identified. The arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71 can be printed by the printer 14. The printed arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71 can be provided to a subject or a doctor.

  Further, in this embodiment, in the left and right carotid arteries 23R and 23L, the graphs 75R and 75L having the minimum predicted rupture blood pressure as the predicted rupture pressure are displayed in other regions so that the graphs can be more noticed than the graphs of other regions. The color is displayed in a highly visible color different from the graph of. In order to easily attract attention, the color display is not limited to different from other graphs. For example, a graph of a region where the predicted rupture blood pressure is minimum may be displayed in a blinking manner, or a bar graph wider than that of other regions may be displayed.

  In addition, in the arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71 of the present embodiment, a comment 72 of “the more dangerous the lower the predicted rupture blood pressure” is displayed, and the inner diameter displacement at the region where the predicted rupture blood pressure is minimum in the left and right carotid arteries 23R, 23L. Time curve graphs 73 and 74 are displayed.

In this way, the arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71 presents the arteriosclerosis analysis result of the subject's carotid artery.
When the arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71 is printed by the printer 14, the left and right carotid arteries 23R and 23L have graphs 75R and 75L of the regions with the smallest predicted rupture blood pressure as predicted rupture pressures from the graphs of other regions. Are displayed in a highly visible color that is different from the graphs of other parts so as to be easily noticed.

  The arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 has a feature that can detect blood vessel strength (such as rupture blood pressure) from the initial stage of progression of arteriosclerosis. For example, as an actual measurement example, when the elastic modulus Eth of a 17-year-old (high school third grader) is 0.13 MPa, a predicted rupture blood pressure of 2400 mmHg is obtained by calculating with the rupture pressure relational expression F in FIG. Further, when the elastic modulus Eth of a 22-year-old (4th year university student) is 0.21 MPa, a predicted bursting blood pressure of 2320 mmHg is obtained by calculating the bursting pressure relational expression F in FIG. Thus, even if you are young, the predicted rupture blood pressure can be acquired, and this predicted rupture pressure is an index for directly estimating arteriosclerosis.

The effects exhibited by this embodiment will be described below.
(1) In the present embodiment, the computer 12 of the arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 includes a storage device 44 (storage means) that stores the carotid artery moving image and the positional information of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired. . Further, the computer 12 calculates the elastic modulus Eth of the carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image is acquired based on blood pressure information including the maximum blood pressure and the minimum blood pressure of the artery. Then, the computer 12 calculates the predicted rupture pressure of the part from the rupture pressure relational expression F based on the calculated elastic modulus Eth of the carotid artery part. The computer 12 includes a display 13 and a printer 14 that output the calculated predicted burst pressure in combination with position information.

  As a result, the degree of arteriosclerosis can be visually and locally output in the form of predicted burst pressure for each carotid artery part including the bifurcation, and the degree of arteriosclerosis for each carotid artery part can be understood. Information can be used for diagnosis.

  (2) The computer 12 of the present embodiment calculates the cross-sectional area of the blood vessel based on the carotid artery moving image, obtains the blood vessel diameter based on the area, and calculates the elastic modulus Eth based on the blood vessel diameter. did. As a result, the diameter of a blood vessel that is generally not circular in cross section can also be calculated as an equivalent diameter, and the effect of claim 1 can be easily realized.

  (3) The arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 of the present embodiment includes the medical ultrasonic device 16 and acquires a carotid artery moving image by the probe 21 of the medical ultrasonic device 16. The probe 21 is provided with a movement detection device 32 for measuring the measurement position, and the position information is obtained by the movement detection device 32.

As a result, since the probe 21 is provided with the measurement position 32, position information can be easily obtained.
(4) In the present embodiment, the display 13 and the printer 14 output the carotid artery shape, and output the predicted burst pressure in a graph (corresponding position of the carotid artery shape) indicated by a scale corresponding to the position information in a graph. I tried to do it.

  As a result, the carotid artery shape is output, and the predicted burst pressure is output in a graph at the corresponding position of the carotid artery shape corresponding to the position information. The degree of cure can be complained with visual effects.

  (5) In the present embodiment, the display 13 and the printer 14 display the graphs 75R and 75L of the region where the predicted rupture blood pressure is the minimum as the predicted rupture pressure in the left and right carotid arteries 23R and 23L than the graphs of other regions. In order to attract attention, it is displayed in a highly visible color different from the graphs of other parts. As a result, the output related to the region where the predicted burst pressure is the lowest is output in a different output mode from the portion where the other predicted burst pressure is output. Can show.

  (6) The living carotid artery strength analysis method according to the present embodiment stores the carotid artery moving image and the position information of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image is acquired, and then based on the blood pressure information of the artery. The elastic modulus Eth of the carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image is acquired is calculated. Further, a step of calculating a predicted burst pressure of the site from the burst pressure relational expression based on the calculated elastic modulus Eth of the carotid artery site, and outputting the calculated predicted burst pressure together with the position information. Prepare.

As a result, according to the living carotid artery strength analysis method of the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a method that can easily achieve the effect (1).
(7) Further, the arteriosclerosis analysis program of the present embodiment causes the computer 12 to function as a storage unit that stores the carotid artery moving image and the position information of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image is acquired. The program also causes the computer 12 to calculate the elastic modulus Eth of the carotid artery part from which the carotid motion image is acquired based on the blood pressure information of the artery, and the elasticity of the calculated carotid artery part. It is made to function as a predicted burst pressure calculating means for calculating the predicted burst pressure of the part from the burst pressure relational expression F based on the rate Eth. Further, the program functions as output means for outputting the calculated predicted burst pressure together with the position information.

As a result, it is possible to provide a program that can easily realize the effect (1).
(8) The arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 of the present embodiment obtains a predicted burst pressure based on the elastic modulus Eth of the carotid artery 23, and this predicted burst pressure is an index for directly estimating arteriosclerosis. Therefore, the reliability as an index of the risk of developing atherosclerosis is high.

  (9) The elastic modulus Eth of the present embodiment is calculated based on the arterial cross-sectional image. Therefore, the elastic modulus Eth is a coefficient indicating the mechanical properties of the carotid artery 23 as a pinpoint, and does not indicate an average value over the entire long region of the carotid artery 23. Therefore, since the state of arteriosclerosis locally generated in the carotid artery 23 is analyzed based on the elastic modulus Eth, the arteriosclerosis analysis result can be used as local information of the carotid artery 23.

In addition, the said embodiment can also be changed and comprised as follows.
○ The arteriosclerosis analysis system 11 is provided with a tape on which an arbitrary pattern such as a bar coat is printed. When comprised in this way, the acquisition accuracy of a positional information is easily raised by sticking a tape on the body surface of a subject, and moving the movement detection apparatus 32 along the tape. That is, in the case of a subject having fine skin, there is a possibility that the case where the movement detection device 32 cannot accurately acquire the position information may occur. However, such a case can be easily obtained by using the tape. Can respond.

The arteriosclerosis analysis result may be output from only one of the display 13 and the printer 14.
In the embodiment, the graph is a bar graph, but may be a line graph.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an arteriosclerosis analysis system according to an embodiment. The block diagram of the arteriosclerosis analysis system of embodiment similarly. The flowchart of the arteriosclerosis analysis program which the computer 12 performs. Schematic which similarly shows the artery cross-section moving image of embodiment. Schematic which shows the artery cross-sectional parallel image of embodiment similarly. The graph which shows the burst pressure relational expression F of embodiment similarly. Explanatory drawing of the arteriosclerosis analysis sheet 71. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

11 ... Arteriosclerosis analysis system, 12 ... Computer,
13 ... Display (output means), 14 ... Printer (output means),
16 ... Medical ultrasonic device, 31 ... Blood pressure measurement device, 32 ... Movement detection device,
41 ... CPU.

Claims (7)

Storage means for storing the carotid artery moving image and the position information of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired;
An elastic modulus calculation means for calculating an elastic modulus of the carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired based on blood pressure information of the artery;
Predicted burst pressure calculating means for calculating a predicted burst pressure of the site from the burst pressure relational expression based on the calculated elastic modulus of the carotid site;
A living carotid artery strength analysis system comprising output means for outputting the calculated predicted burst pressure in combination with the position information.   The elastic modulus calculating means calculates a cross-sectional area of a blood vessel based on the carotid artery moving image, calculates a blood vessel diameter based on the area, and calculates an elastic modulus based on the blood vessel diameter. The living carotid artery strength analysis system according to claim 1. Comprising a medical ultrasonic device, wherein the carotid artery moving image is acquired by a probe of the medical ultrasonic device;
The probe is provided with a position detection device for measuring a measurement position,
The living carotid artery strength analysis system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position information is obtained by the position detection device.   The output means outputs a carotid artery shape and outputs the predicted burst pressure in a graph at a corresponding position of the carotid artery shape corresponding to the position information. The living carotid artery strength analysis system according to Item 1.   5. The living body neck according to claim 4, wherein the output unit outputs the output related to the portion where the predicted burst pressure is the smallest in an output mode different from the portion where the other predicted burst pressure is output. Arterial strength analysis system. Storing the carotid artery moving image and the position information of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired;
Calculating the elastic modulus of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired based on the blood pressure information of the artery;
Calculating a predicted burst pressure of the site from a burst pressure relation based on the calculated elastic modulus of the carotid site;
A biological carotid artery strength analysis method comprising a step of outputting the calculated predicted burst pressure together with the position information. Computer
Storage means for storing the carotid artery moving image and the position information of the carotid artery site from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired;
An elastic modulus calculation means for calculating an elastic modulus of the carotid artery part from which the carotid artery moving image was acquired based on blood pressure information of the artery;
Predicted burst pressure calculating means for calculating a predicted burst pressure of the site from the burst pressure relational expression based on the calculated elastic modulus of the carotid site;
A biological carotid artery strength analysis program that functions as output means for outputting the calculated predicted burst pressure together with the position information.

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