JP2010094237A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a capture image in an easy-to-view form when segmenting and displaying a part of the capture image or when reducing and displaying it. <P>SOLUTION: A display image correction circuit 29 extracts a display area image, relating to a display area set to a part of the capture image including a medical diagnostic image and an additional information image indicating additional information, from the capture image. The display image correction circuit 29 extracts at least a part of the additional information image, included in an area other than the display area of the capture image, from the capture image. Then, the display image correction circuit 29 combines the extracted additional information image with the display area image to prepare a display image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that displays a medical diagnostic image generated to represent a structure of a subject based on an ultrasonic echo signal from a tissue of the subject.

  One of the functions of the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus is a function for reviewing a captured image. The captured image is an image that is displayed as it is when the display image at the time of capture is viewed. In the above function, the captured image is displayed as it is.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which a captured image is reviewed and displayed. As shown in FIG. 11, the captured image includes an image representing a scale, a display dynamic range, a display frame rate, and the like in addition to the ultrasonic diagnostic image.

  By the way, such a review display is effective for confirming one ultrasonic diagnostic image obtained in the past, but there is a great demand for a dual screen display in which a plurality of ultrasonic diagnostic images can be compared side by side. For example, there are uses such as comparing ultrasonic diagnostic images obtained by scanning the same region of interest with different cross sections, and comparing ultrasonic diagnostic images before and after treatment on the same cross section of the same region.

  In the case of dual screen display, a display area that can be used to display one ultrasonic diagnostic image is reduced. For this reason, a part of each ultrasound diagnostic image is cut out and displayed, or each ultrasound diagnostic image is reduced and displayed. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example in which two ultrasonic diagnostic images are cut out and displayed.

Even when one ultrasonic diagnostic image is displayed alone, when this ultrasonic diagnostic image is displayed larger than the display area, a part of the enlarged ultrasonic diagnostic image is displayed. It will be cut out and displayed.
JP-A-4-307048

  When a part of a medical diagnostic image is cut out and displayed, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, an image indicating a scale, a display dynamic range, a display frame rate, or the like that is located outside the cut out region is not displayed. There is. If the reduced display is performed, an image representing the scale, the display dynamic range, the display frame rate, and the like can be displayed without omission, but the medical diagnosis image becomes smaller and the efficiency of diagnosis is reduced. Even if the medical diagnostic image becomes smaller, there is a case where characters in the image representing the scale, the display dynamic range, the display frame rate, etc. become small and difficult to see even if the diagnosis is not hindered.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and the purpose of the present invention is to display a captured image in an easy-to-view form when a part of the captured image is cut out and displayed or displayed in a reduced size. It is to make it possible to do.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention extracts a display area image related to a display area set as a part of a captured image including a medical diagnostic image and an additional information image representing additional information from the captured image. Display area extraction means, additional extraction means for extracting at least a part of the additional information image included in an area other than the display area of the capture image from the capture image, and the extracted additional information image Creating means for combining and displaying the display area image.

  According to the present invention, when a part of a captured image is cut out and displayed or displayed in a reduced size, the captured image can be displayed in an easily viewable form.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is configured by connecting an ultrasonic probe 12, an input device 13, and a monitor 14 to an apparatus main body 11. The apparatus body 11 further includes a transmission / reception unit 21, a B-mode processing unit 22, a Doppler processing unit 23, an image generation circuit 24, an image memory 25, a control processor (CPU) 26, an internal storage device 27, a software storage unit 28, and a display image correction. A circuit 29 and an interface unit 30 are included.

  The ultrasonic probe 12 has a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators as acoustic / electric reversible conversion elements such as piezoelectric ceramics. The plurality of piezoelectric vibrators are arranged in parallel and are provided at the tip of the ultrasonic probe 12. The ultrasonic probe 12 generates an ultrasonic wave based on the drive signal from the transmission / reception unit 21 and converts the reflected wave from the subject P into an electric signal (echo signal).

  The input device 13 takes in various conditions from the operator and designation of a region of interest (ROI). The input device 13 may appropriately include a known input device such as various switches, buttons, a trackball, a mouse, a keyboard, or a touch command screen.

  The monitor 14 displays an image represented by the image signal from the image generation circuit 24. As the monitor 14, for example, a known display device such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT (cathode-ray tube) can be used.

  The transmission / reception unit 21 includes a trigger generation circuit, a delay circuit, a pulsar circuit, and the like. The pulsar circuit repeatedly generates rate pulses for forming transmission ultrasonic waves at a predetermined rate frequency. The delay circuit focuses the ultrasonic wave into a beam for each channel, and gives each rate pulse a delay necessary to determine the transmission directivity. The trigger generation circuit outputs to the ultrasonic probe 12 a drive signal that generates a pulse at a timing based on the rate pulse. The transmission / reception unit 21 includes an amplifier circuit, an A / D converter, an adder, and the like. The amplifier circuit amplifies the echo signal output from the ultrasonic probe 12 for each channel. The adder individually gives a delay necessary for determining the reception directivity to the echo signal of each channel, and then adds them. By this addition, the reflection component from the direction corresponding to the reception directivity of the echo signal is emphasized, and a comprehensive beam for ultrasonic transmission / reception is formed by the reception directivity and the transmission directivity. The transmission / reception unit 21 sends the synthesized echo signal to the B-mode processing unit 22 and the Doppler processing unit 23.

  The B-mode processing unit 22 includes a logarithmic converter, an envelope detection circuit, an analog / digital (A / D) converter, and the like. The logarithmic converter logarithmically converts the echo signal. The envelope detection circuit detects the envelope of the output signal from the logarithmic converter. The analog-digital converter digitizes the detection signal from the envelope detection circuit and outputs it as detection data.

  The Doppler processing unit 23 performs frequency analysis on velocity information from the echo signal, extracts blood flow, tissue, and contrast agent echo components due to the Doppler effect, obtains blood flow information such as average velocity, dispersion, and power at multiple points. Outputs blood flow information.

  The image generation circuit 24 calculates spatial distribution information such as frame correlation and coordinate transformation based on the detection data output from the B-mode processing unit 22, and generates an ultrasound diagnostic image representing the spatial distribution information. . The image generation circuit 24 generates an average velocity image, a dispersion image, a power image, or a combination image thereof as an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the blood flow information output from the Doppler processing unit 23. The image generation circuit 24 develops these ultrasonic diagnostic images in the image memory 25 as display images. Then, the image generation circuit 24 outputs an image signal representing the display image developed in the image memory 25 to the monitor 14.

  The image memory 25 stores display image data to be displayed on the monitor 14 in a developed state.

  A transmission / reception unit 21, an image memory 25, an internal storage device 27, a software storage unit 28, a display image correction circuit 29, and an interface unit 30 are connected to the control processor 26 via a bus. In accordance with the device control program stored in the internal storage device 27, the control processor 26, the diagnostic protocol and transmission / reception conditions stored in the internal storage device 27, the mode selection instruction input from the interface unit 30, the ROI setting instruction, and transmission start Based on the end instruction, the transmission / reception unit 21 is controlled. The control processor 26 synthesizes an image representing additional information such as characters and scales representing various parameters with the display image developed in the image memory 25. Further, the control processor 26 performs a process for review-displaying the captured image according to the software stored in the software storage unit 28.

  The internal storage device 27 stores a device control program and a data group. The data group stored in the internal storage device 27 includes data representing a diagnostic protocol and transmission / reception conditions. Furthermore, the internal storage device 27 can also be used to store data representing a captured image.

  The software storage unit 28 stores software for the control processor 26 such as software for review display.

  The display image correction circuit 29 corrects the captured image so that it can be easily viewed.

  The interface unit 30 mediates exchange of information between the control processor 26 and the input device 13, a network, or an external storage device (not shown).

  Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic image generated by the transmission / reception unit 21, the B-mode processing unit 22 or the Doppler processing unit, and the image generation circuit 24 based on the echo signal output from the ultrasonic probe 12 in response to the reflected wave from the subject P Is expanded in the image memory 25 as a display image. Then, an image representing additional information such as characters and scales representing various parameters (hereinafter referred to as an additional image) and the like are synthesized with the display image developed in the image memory 25. As a result, a display image is created by synthesizing the additional image with the ultrasonic diagnostic image. The image generation circuit 24 outputs an image signal representing the display image developed in the image memory 25 to the monitor 14 so that the display image is displayed on the monitor 14. The information represented by the additional image is specifically probe information, transmission frequency, reception frequency, transmission power, mechanical index value, display frame rate, gain, display dynamic range, repetition frequency, or speed range.

  Now, when the user operates the input device 13 to instruct capture in a state where the display image is displayed in this way, the control processor 26 is expanded in the image memory 25 at that time. Save the displayed image as a captured image. It is also possible to capture a moving image. In this case, display images that are sequentially developed in the image memory 25 within a specified period are stored as captured images. The captured image can be saved in any of the internal storage device 27, an external storage device connected to the interface unit 30, or a storage device managed by a server connected via a network. Alternatively, the captured image may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD (digital versatile disk), a CD (compact disk), an MO (magneto-optical) disk, or a flash memory. The captured image may be stored as it is in the image memory 25, or may be stored as data in a format conforming to the DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine) standard or a general-purpose format such as JPEG. You may do it.

  The control processor 26 activates the review mode in response to a request from the user. In the review mode, the captured image stored as described above or the captured image captured by another ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and stored in the server or the removable storage medium is displayed as a review. In this review mode, the control processor 26 performs processing as described below based on the software stored in the software storage unit 28.

  The control processor 26 acquires captured image data to be reviewed and displayed from the storage source, and develops it as a display image in the image memory 25. The image generation circuit 24 outputs an image signal representing the display image developed in the image memory 25 to the monitor 14, so that the display image representing the captured image is displayed on the monitor 14 for review. In addition to the single display that displays only one capture image, the captured image can be displayed in multiple images such as dual display and quad display. Note that dual display and quad display are display modes in which two or four captured images are displayed side by side, respectively. In the case of dual display and quad display, the control processor 26 divides the display area of the monitor 14 into a plurality of small areas and arranges a plurality of images in the image memory 25 so as to arrange individual images in each of these small areas. expand. At this time, the plurality of images included in one display image may include not only a captured image but also an ultrasonic diagnostic image generated by the image generation circuit 24. The captured image is not limited to an ultrasonic diagnostic image, but may be a medical diagnostic image generated by another type of modality.

  In any display form, when the area allocated to one capture image is smaller than the capture image, the control processor 26 cuts out a part of the capture image or reduces the capture image and then reduces the image memory 25. Expand to. As a result, for example, a display image such as the conventional dual display image shown in FIG. 12 is developed in the image memory 25. In the following, an image obtained by cutting out a part of the captured image as described above or reducing the captured image is referred to as a review image.

  Thus, when a review image is created by cutting out or reducing, the display image correction circuit 29 executes processing as described below.

(First process when creating a review image by clipping)
This first processing can be applied when the captured image is captured by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or the same kind of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and the region of the additional image in the captured image is known. For this first processing, detailed coordinate information regarding the area of the additional image is stored in the internal storage device 27 in advance. Alternatively, detailed coordinate information regarding the area of the additional image is directly written in the software in the display image correction circuit 29 as a code. Alternatively, detailed coordinate information regarding the area of the additional image is stored in advance in a memory built in the display image correction circuit 29. Similar to the above processing, the captured image is captured by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or the same kind of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and can be applied when the area of the additional image in the captured image is known.

  When there is an additional image area outside the review image, the display image correction circuit 29 extracts the additional image by cutting out the area from the captured image based on the coordinate information. Then, the display image correction circuit 29 develops the extracted additional image in the image memory 25 so as to be combined with the display image. Thus, when the image of the left window in FIG. 12 is cut out from the captured image shown in FIG. 11, the display image correction circuit 29 extracts, for example, the additional images 41, 42, and 43 in the region indicated by the broken line in FIG. Then, these additional images 41, 42 and 43 are combined with the review image as shown in FIG. The display image correction circuit 29 synthesizes the additional image in the same manner for the right window. The broken lines in FIGS. 2 and 3 are shown for convenience to show the images 41, 42, and 43, and are not included in the captured image or the display image.

  By the way, when the additional image extracted by cutting out the rectangular area as described above is combined with the display image, a part of the ultrasonic diagnostic image included in the review image is obscured as shown in FIG. Sometimes. Therefore, only the dots of the same color as the display color of characters and scales in the additional image may be combined with the review image. For example, if the character color or scale display color is 8 bits RGB and R = 255, G = 255, and B = 255, only pixels with R = 255, G = 255, and B = 255 are synthesized. This makes it possible to minimize the range in which the ultrasound diagnostic image is hidden.

  If the review image is requested to be enlarged or reduced while the display image created as described above is being displayed, it may be enlarged or reduced in the same way as the review image, such as a scale represented by depth. The additional image that needs to be reduced may be enlarged or reduced in the same manner as the review image. An additional image that does not need to be enlarged / reduced like a review image, such as a character indicating a parameter, may be enlarged / reduced similarly to a review image, or may remain the size of a captured image. When the additional image is enlarged / reduced similarly to the review image, the captured image is first enlarged / reduced, and then the review image and the additional image are extracted from the enlarged / reduced captured image to obtain the image memory 25. You just have to redeploy.

  Thus, according to the first process, the additional image positioned outside the review image in the captured image can be combined with the review image and displayed. Thus, the captured image can be displayed in an easily viewable manner in a smaller display area. Further, in the first process, the additional image is automatically extracted and combined, so that there is no burden on the user.

(Second process when cut out)
In the second process, the control processor 26 sets the additional image and its synthesis position in accordance with an instruction from the user.

  When the second process is requested by the user, the control processor 26 causes the monitor 14 to display a GUI (graphical user interface) as shown in FIG.

  In this GUI, image display areas 51 and 52, a close switch 53, a read switch 54, a cutout switch 55, a read switch 56, a window designation switch 57, a save switch 58 and a cancel switch 59 are arranged.

  The control processor 26 moves the pointer 60 on the GUI in response to the user operating the trackball mounted on the input device 13.

  First, the control processor 26 reads a reference image from the internal storage device 27 in order to determine a position to be arranged in each window when a plurality of windows are displayed, and causes the image display area 52 to display the image.

  When the determination key mounted on the input device 13 is pressed while the reading switch 54 or the reading switch 56 is pointed by the pointer 60, the control processor 26 displays a captured image selection screen 61 as shown in FIG. To display. The selection screen 61 shows a list of stored captured images. When the determination key is pressed while the selection screen 61 is displayed, the control processor 26 sets the captured image on which the pointer 60 is pointed at that time as a display target. Then, the control processor 26 displays the captured image set as the display target in the image display area 52. When the selection key is repeatedly pressed while the selection screen 61 is displayed, the control processor 26 sets the captured image to which the pointer 60 is pointed each time as a display target, and the captures set as these display targets. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the images are arranged in separate windows and displayed in the image display area 52. In general, when a plurality of captured images are set as display targets, the control processor 26 displays only a part of each captured image in the image display area 52 due to the restriction on the size of the display screen of the monitor 14.

  The window designation switch 57 includes a plurality of option buttons for selecting a window. If the determination key is pressed while any one of the option buttons is pointed by the pointer 60, the control processor 26 sets a window corresponding to the option button as an operation target. Here, an example of supporting Dual display and Quad display is shown. In FIG. 3, since the option button “Dual (Left)” is turned on, the control processor 26 sets the left window of the two windows displayed in Dual as an operation target. Then, the control processor 26 displays the entire captured image displayed in the window set as the operation target in the image display area 51 as shown in FIG.

  In this state, processing by the display image correction circuit 29 is performed as will be described below. An instruction from the user for this processing is received by the control processor 26 and then notified from the control processor 26 to the display image correction circuit 29. Is done.

  When the enter key is pressed while the cutout switch 55 is pointed by the pointer 60, the display image correction circuit 29 selects the ROI shape according to the pointed position. Here, one of four patterns of a rectangle, an arbitrary polygon, a rectangle with rounded corners, or an ellipse is selected. Then, the display image correction circuit 29 sets the ROI of the selected shape in the image display area 51 in accordance with the operation of the trackball and the enter key. At this time, the control processor 26 holds the coordinate information of the ROI in the original captured image. In FIG. 6, a rectangular ROI 62 is set.

  When the trackball and the enter key are operated so as to drag the ROI to the image display area 52, the display image correction circuit 29 moves the image cut out from the captured image with respect to the ROI to the image display area 52. If the enter key is operated so as to release this image to the image display area 52, the display image correction circuit 29 synthesizes the clipped image as an additional image at the position. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the ROI 62 image is combined with the image in the image display area 52 as the additional image 63. At this time, the display image correction circuit 29 holds coordinate information of the additional image on the image shown in the image display area, that is, information indicating the display position of the additional image. By repeating such processing, additional images for a plurality of ROIs can be combined with the image displayed in the image display area 52.

  When the determination key is pressed while the save switch 58 is pointed with the pointer 60, the display image correction circuit 29 stores the information of the additional image displayed in the image display area 52 in the internal storage device 27. When the determination key is pressed while the cancel switch 59 is pointed by the pointer 60, the display image correction circuit 29 discards the information that has not been saved at that time and also deletes the corresponding ROI.

  When the enter key is pressed while the close switch 53 is pointed by the pointer 60, the display image correction circuit 29 closes the GUI, and the image displayed in the image display area 52 is displayed in the most area of the screen of the monitor 14 or Display the entire area.

  Note that the display image correction circuit 29 extracts a scale portion represented by depth without restriction and arranges it as an additional image. However, the scale needs to be enlarged / reduced similarly to the captured image being displayed. Therefore, the display image correction circuit 29 can set the necessity of enlargement / reduction for each additional image. For example, when a submenu display key mounted on the input device 13 is pressed in a state where any additional image is pointed with the pointer 60, the display image correction circuit 29 sets a sub-menu for setting whether or not enlargement / reduction is necessary. A menu is displayed on the monitor 14. When the determination key is pressed while the submenu is pointed with the pointer 60, the control processor 26 changes the setting of whether or not enlargement / reduction is necessary, and displays the setting status after the change in the submenu. Change the display.

  FIG. 8 shows a state in which the submenu 65 is displayed for the additional image 64 in which the enlargement / reduction is set to “unnecessary”. When the determination key is pressed in a state where the sub menu 65 is pointed with the pointer 60 from this state, the display image correction circuit 29 changes the setting of enlargement / reduction of the additional image 64 to “necessary”. Then, the display image correction circuit 29 changes the submenu 65 to a submenu 66 as shown in FIG. 9, for example. When the determination key is pressed while the submenu 66 is pointed by the pointer 60, the display image correction circuit 29 returns the enlargement / reduction of the additional image 64 to "unnecessary" and returns the submenu 66 to the submenu 65. . When the input device 13 performs an operation for requesting enlargement or reduction of the captured image, the display image correction circuit 29 similarly enlarges the captured image and the additional image for which enlargement / reduction is set to “necessary”. Or reduce. At this time, the display image correction circuit 29 maintains the size of the original captured image even if the additional image whose enlargement / reduction is set to “unnecessary” is requested. Note that if the color or line type of the frame of the additional image is made different according to the necessity of enlargement / reduction, the user can easily recognize the setting status of the necessity of enlargement / reduction of each additional image. Is possible and convenient. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI in which the line type of the frame line of the additional image is made different. In FIG. 10, the frame line of the additional image 63 for which enlargement / reduction is set to “unnecessary” is represented by a broken line, while the frame line of the additional image 64 for which expansion / reduction is set to “necessary” is indicated by one point. It is represented by a chain line.

  Thus, according to the second process, the additional image located outside the review image in the captured image can be combined with the review image and displayed. Thus, the captured image can be displayed in an easily viewable manner in a smaller display area. Unlike the first process, the second process increases the burden on the user, but the review display in a form according to the user needs can be performed.

(When creating a review image by reduction)
In this process, the captured image is captured by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or the same kind of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as in the first process, and the region of the additional image in the captured image is known Applicable to. For this first processing, detailed coordinate information related to the area of the additional image that does not need to be reduced is stored in the internal storage device 27 in advance. Or you may make it receive designation | designated of the additional image which does not need reduction by designation | designated of ROI like a 2nd process.

  When the captured image is reduced to a review image, the display image correction circuit 29 reduces the captured image to create a review image, and then adds an additional image that does not require reduction in the review image from the original captured image. Replace with the cut out additional information.

  Thus, according to this processing, even if the review image is created by reducing the captured image, the characters indicating the parameters can be kept at the original size without being reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the characters indicating the parameters from becoming difficult to read, and it is possible to display the captured image in a display area smaller than that.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the capture image is cut out or the capture image is reduced to create the review image, the collection condition for generating the capture image and the image quality condition for display, Alternatively, scales such as depth can be displayed in an easy-to-see form. As a result, it is possible to reduce the labor of the operation at the time of review and increase the diagnosis efficiency of the doctor.

  This embodiment can be variously modified as follows.

  It is not necessary to perform all of the above three processes, and it is possible to realize an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a function of performing at least one process.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

1 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the additional image extracted from a captured image. The figure which shows the review image which synthesize | combined the additional image. The figure which shows GUI. The figure which shows the selection screen 61 of the captured image. The figure which shows GUI of the state showing the some review image and the capture image which became the one origin. The figure which shows the state which synthesize | combined the image of ROI62 shown in FIG. The figure which shows the state which displayed the submenu 65 about the additional image 64 to which enlargement / reduction is set to "unnecessary". The figure which shows the state which changed the submenu 65 shown in FIG. The figure which shows an example of GUI which made the line type of the frame line of an additional image differ. The figure which shows a mode that the capture image was review-displayed. The figure which shows the example which cut out and displayed each two ultrasonic diagnostic images.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Apparatus main body, 12 ... Ultrasonic probe, 13 ... Input device, 14 ... Monitor, 21 ... Transmission / reception unit, 22 ... B mode processing unit, 23 ... Doppler processing unit, 24 ... Image generation circuit, 25 ... Image memory, 26 ... control processor, 27 ... internal storage device, 28 ... software storage unit, 29 ... display image correction circuit, 30 ... interface unit.

Claims (13)

Display area extraction means for extracting a display area image related to a display area set in a part of a capture image including a medical diagnostic image and an additional information image representing additional information from the capture image;
Additional extraction means for extracting at least a part of the additional information image included in an area other than the display area of the capture image from the capture image;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a creation unit that creates a display image by combining the extracted additional information image with the display area image.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional extraction unit extracts an image of an area defined as an area in which an additional information image representing specific additional information is arranged in the capture image.   The specific additional information is at least one of a collection condition of the medical diagnosis image, an image quality condition for displaying the medical diagnosis image, and a scale of the medical diagnosis image. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to 1.   The specific additional information includes at least one of probe information, transmission frequency, reception frequency, transmission power, mechanical index value, display frame rate, gain, display dynamic range, repetition frequency, and speed range. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional extraction unit extracts an image of an area designated by a user. Further comprising enlargement / reduction means for enlarging or reducing the captured image;
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display area extraction unit and the additional extraction unit extract the display area image and the additional information image from the captured image after being enlarged or reduced. .   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the creating unit enlarges or reduces the display area image and the additional information image at the same magnification.   The said creation means synthesize | combines the said additional information image of the original magnitude | size with the said display area image after enlarging or reducing, when enlarging or reducing the said display area image. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment. Enlarging / reducing means for enlarging or reducing a captured image including a medical diagnostic image and an additional information image representing the additional information;
An additional extraction means for extracting at least a part of the additional information image from the captured image before being enlarged or reduced;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising: a creating unit that creates a display image by combining the extracted additional information image with the display area image after being enlarged or reduced.   The creating means synthesizes the additional information image with the display area image by replacing the pixels of the display area image with only the pixels of the display color of the additional information in the additional information image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 or 9. Further comprising generating means for generating a medical diagnostic image based on an ultrasonic echo signal from the subject;
The said creating means displays the image obtained by synthesizing the additional information image with the display area image and the medical diagnostic image generated by the generating means side by side. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to 1.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing the captured image.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for acquiring the captured image from an external storage device.

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