JP2016083192A - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a load applied to a user in setting of a three-dimensional interest region (3D-ROI), or perform the setting of it properly.SOLUTION: Two points 58, 60 corresponding to both ends of an amniotic fluid 57 (point on a mother body tissue surface, and point on a fetus surface), are designated by a user in measurement of amniotic fluid on a tomographic image. Their coordinates or a coordinate of a middle point 62 are used for setting of a rendering start surface on a three-dimensional interest region. By rendering processing to partial data in the three-dimensional interest region in volume data, a three-dimensional image is formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to setting a three-dimensional region of interest that defines a volume rendering range.

  In regular checkups of pregnant women, etc., diagnosis of fetal growth status, maternal status, etc. is performed using ultrasonic examination. In fetal diagnosis, a three-dimensional image may be formed and acquired after performing a series of measurements on a two-dimensional tomographic image. The measurement includes measurement of the size of a specific part of the fetus and measurement of amniotic fluid existing around the fetus.

  As amniotic fluid measurement, amniotic fluid pocket method, AFI (Amniotic fluid index) method, etc. are known. In the amniotic fluid pocket method, the cross section where the amniotic fluid cavity becomes the widest is specified while contacting the probe perpendicularly to the abdominal wall, and the size of the amniotic fluid cavity part (amniotic fluid pocket) on that cross section (that is, from the uterine wall surface to the fetal surface) ) Distance). The AFI method divides the abdomen of a pregnant woman into four parts, measures the maximum amniotic fluid depth on a vertical path not including the fetus etc. while maintaining the probe perpendicular to the floor surface in each compartment, and the four amniotic fluid depths. Are totaled.

  When forming a three-dimensional image, a three-dimensional probe is used. As the three-dimensional probe, there are a type that mechanically scans a transducer unit that performs one-dimensional electronic scanning of an ultrasonic beam, and a type that includes a 2D array transducer and performs two-dimensional electronic scanning of an ultrasonic beam. If all the volume data acquired from the three-dimensional space in the mother's body is rendered as it is, the maternal tissue (uterine wall, placenta) existing in front of the fetus is imaged, and the fetal image is hidden behind the maternal tissue image. End up.

  A three-dimensional region of interest (3D-ROI) is used to avoid imaging of the placenta or the like (see Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3). In other words, unnecessary tissue imaging is avoided by applying the rendering process only within the three-dimensional region of interest. Specifically, a rendering start plane (cut plane, clipping plane) is set between the uterine wall and the fetus, and the data portion on the fetus side is rendered from the rendering start plane. The rendering start surface constitutes a specific surface (for example, an upper surface) of the three-dimensional region of interest.

Japanese Patent No. 4632807 Japanese Patent No. 5437767 JP 2011-224362 A

  It is very complicated for the user to specify all the positions and shapes of the rendering start surface. There is a need to reduce the burden on users. In this regard, it is also possible to automatically detect the inner surface of the uterine wall using an edge detection (contour extraction) technique, and set the inner surface (preferably a surface slightly shifted from there to the amniotic fluid side) as a rendering start surface. However, at the time of edge detection, if there is a low echo portion due to artifacts or the like in the host tissue, the contour may be erroneously detected as a boundary surface. If the rendering start plane is set by mistake, when a three-dimensional image is formed, useless tissue is displayed on the front side of the fetus, which hinders observation of the fetus. Conventionally, when the three-dimensional diagnosis process is executed following the measurement process, the information input in the measurement process has not been used in the three-dimensional diagnosis process.

  An object of the present invention is to reduce a user's burden when setting a three-dimensional region of interest including a rendering start surface. Alternatively, the rendering start surface can be appropriately set between the fetal surface and the maternal tissue surface. Alternatively, an object of the present invention is to link two processes by utilizing information obtained in a previous process in a subsequent process.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention uses the transmission / reception means for acquiring volume data by ultrasonic transmission / reception with respect to the fetus, and the volume data based on the coordinate information obtained in the amniotic fluid measurement on the ultrasonic image. A region of interest setting means for setting a region of interest on the other hand and an image forming means for forming a three-dimensional image based on partial data in the region of interest in the volume data are included.

  According to the above configuration, the coordinate information obtained in the amniotic fluid measurement can be used for setting a three-dimensional region of interest (in particular, a rendering start surface set between the maternal tissue surface and the fetal surface). Thereby, a user's burden can be reduced or the setting precision of a three-dimensional region of interest can be raised. A plurality of amniotic fluid measurement results may be used. Examples of amniotic fluid measurement include amniotic fluid pocket measurement. In that measurement, the position of the surface of the maternal tissue and the position of the fetal surface are individually specified, that is, the both ends of the range where the amniotic fluid exists can be specified, so if at least one of those coordinate information is used, rendering The starting surface setting accuracy can be increased. In addition, the three-dimensional region of interest may be set with reference to a point on the surface of the parent tissue specified in the AFI measurement.

  Preferably, in the amniotic fluid measurement, one end point and the other end point defining the amniotic fluid section are designated by the user on the ultrasonic image, and the coordinate information includes at least one of the one end point and the other end point. It is information to represent.

  Preferably, the region-of-interest setting unit determines at least one of a position and a posture of a rendering start surface in the region of interest based on a predetermined point between the one end point and the other end point. Preferably, the predetermined point is a midpoint between the one end point and the other end point, and the rendering start surface is a surface including the midpoint. Since the midpoint is highly likely to exist in amniotic fluid, using it, it is possible to reliably distinguish the black missing portion (low echo portion) and amniotic fluid portion caused by artifacts, etc. is there.

  The method according to the present invention includes a step of determining at least one of a position and orientation of a rendering start surface in the region of interest based on a plurality of coordinate information obtained by a plurality of amniotic fluid measurements that have already been performed; Forming a three-dimensional image of the fetus by rendering the partial data in the region of interest.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the burden on the user when setting the three-dimensional region of interest including the rendering start surface. Alternatively, the rendering start surface can be appropriately set between the maternal tissue surface and the fetal surface. Alternatively, the information obtained in the previous process can be used in the subsequent process.

1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the three-dimensional region of interest (3D-ROI) set with respect to volume data. It is a figure which shows amniotic fluid pocket measurement as an example of amniotic fluid measurement. It is a figure which shows the setting of the three-dimensional region of interest based on the coordinate information obtained by amniotic fluid measurement. FIG. 6 shows a three-dimensional region of interest having a curved rendering start surface. It is a figure which shows AFI measurement as another example of amniotic fluid measurement. It is a figure which shows edge extraction based on the coordinate information obtained by amniotic fluid measurement. It is a figure which shows the edge line (contour line) extracted on the representative cross section in three-dimensional space (volume data). It is a figure which shows the production | generation of the edge line based on an interpolation process. It is a figure which shows the three-dimensional region of interest which has a planar rendering start surface. It is a figure which shows the relationship between amniotic fluid measurement and the production | generation of a three-dimensional region of interest.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is installed in a medical institution such as a hospital and performs ultrasonic diagnosis on pregnant women and the like.

  The 3D probe 10 includes a transducer unit 12 and a scanning mechanism 14. The vibrator unit 12 is a movable member, and has a 1D array vibrator. The 1D array transducer includes a plurality of vibration elements, and in the present embodiment, the plurality of vibration elements are arranged in an arc shape. As a result, a so-called convex probe is formed. An ultrasonic beam is formed by the 1D array transducer, and the ultrasonic beam is electronically scanned. Thereby, the scanning surface 15 is configured.

  The scanning mechanism 14 is a mechanism that mechanically scans the transducer unit 12. In FIG. 1, the electronic scanning direction is shown as the θ direction, and the mechanical scanning direction is shown as the φ direction. The depth direction is the r direction. By performing mechanical scanning while performing electronic scanning, a three-dimensional echo data capturing space (three-dimensional space) 16 is configured.

  In this embodiment, a mechanical type 3D probe is used, but a 3D probe having a 2D array transducer may be used. In that case, the ultrasonic beam is electronically two-dimensionally scanned. As an electronic scanning method of an ultrasonic beam, an electronic linear scanning method (including a convex scanning method), an electronic sector scanning method, and the like are known.

  The transmission unit 17 is a transmission beamformer, which is configured as an electronic circuit that generates a plurality of transmission signals. At the time of transmission, a plurality of transmission signals are supplied to the 1D array transducer. As a result, a transmission beam is formed. At the time of reception, a reflected wave is received by the 1D array transducer, and a plurality of reception signals generated thereby are transmitted from the transducer unit 12 to the receiving unit 18.

  The receiving unit 18 is an electronic circuit that functions as a receiving beamformer. That is, the receiving unit 18 performs phasing addition processing on a plurality of reception signals, thereby generating beam data as reception signals after phasing addition. A scanning plane is formed at each position in the mechanical scanning direction, each scanning plane is constituted by a plurality of beam data arranged in the electronic scanning direction, and each beam data is constituted by a plurality of echo data arranged in the depth direction. Individual beam data is sent to the coordinate converter 22.

  The coordinate conversion unit 22 is a module that converts a transmission / reception wave coordinate system into a storage space coordinate system, and the coordinate conversion unit 22 is, for example, a digital scan converter (DSC). Individual data after coordinate transformation is stored in the 3D memory 24. The 3D memory 24 has a three-dimensional storage space corresponding to the transmission / reception space, and volume data acquired from the three-dimensional space 16 in the living body is stored in the storage space. That is, in the 3D memory 24, each echo data acquired from the three-dimensional space 16 is mapped, and a group of these constitutes volume data. In FIG. 1, a logarithmic compression circuit, a detection circuit, and the like constituting the beam data processing unit are not shown.

  The tomographic image forming unit 26 is a module that forms a B-mode tomographic image based on the surface data read from the 3D memory 24. The cross section to be read is specified by the arithmetic control unit 20. In the present embodiment, the tomographic image is formed based on the plane data cut out from the volume data. For example, the angle of the transducer unit 12 in the mechanical scanning direction is set to 0 ° (mechanical scanning is stopped), In the state, frame data may be repeatedly acquired in the same manner as a normal 1D probe, and a tomographic image as a moving image may be formed based on the frame data.

  In the present embodiment, a tomographic image is measured for fetal measurement (including amniotic fluid measurement). Three-dimensional diagnosis is performed after fetal measurement is completed. That is, a three-dimensional image of the fetus is formed based on the volume data. The 3D image forming unit 28 performs this. The three-dimensional image forming unit 28 forms a three-dimensional image according to the volume rendering method based on the volume data stored in the 3D memory 24. That is, on each ray extending from the virtual viewpoint, predetermined voxel calculations are sequentially executed in units of voxels from the start point, and the pixel values as the voxel calculation results are mapped on the virtual screen. By repeating such processing for each ray, a three-dimensional image is formed as a result.

  However, if uterine wall data exists on the viewpoint side of fetal data, the uterine wall data is imaged, and it becomes difficult to clearly express the fetal image. Therefore, in this embodiment, a three-dimensional region of interest (3D-ROI) is used. That is, a three-dimensional region of interest for defining partial data to be subjected to three-dimensional imaging is set for the volume data. Such setting is performed by the three-dimensional region-of-interest setting unit 30 as one function of the arithmetic control unit 20. In this embodiment, as will be described in detail later, the coordinate information specified in the amniotic fluid measurement is temporarily stored in the storage unit, and the coordinate information is referred to when setting the three-dimensional region of interest. Specifically, the position and shape of the three-dimensional region of interest (in particular, the rendering start surface) are set using the coordinates of the points in the amniotic fluid specified in the amniotic fluid measurement or the points before and after the amniotic fluid. According to such a method, there is an advantage that the burden on the user can be reduced.

  Data of each formed image is sent to the display 34 via the display processing unit 32. The display processing unit 32 executes processing for combining a graphic image with an ultrasonic image. A tomographic image is displayed on the display 34 at the stage of amniotic fluid measurement. An inspector who is a user inputs predetermined coordinates while observing the tomographic image. Thereafter, volume data is acquired in a three-dimensional diagnosis process, and a three-dimensional image of the fetus is formed based on the volume data. At that time, the three-dimensional region of interest is semi-automatically set so as not to include the mother tissue and surround the fetus.

  The arithmetic control unit is constituted by a PC and an operation program. In FIG. 1, two functions of the arithmetic control unit are shown as two blocks. That is, the three-dimensional region-of-interest setting unit 30 and the measurement unit 36 are clearly shown. The measuring unit 36 functions in amniotic fluid measurement, fetal measurement, and the like, and has a function of measuring a distance between two markers, a function of specifying coordinates specified by a user, and the like. The input device 38 is configured by a keyboard, a trackball, or the like, and the user can specify coordinates using the input device 38.

  Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

  FIG. 2 shows volume data 40. In the illustrated example, the volume data 40 includes fetal data 42 and placenta data 44. In FIG. 2, for example, the upper side is a viewpoint for rendering. When the fetal data is viewed from this viewpoint, the placenta data 44 exists on the front side, and if the entire volume data 40 is simply rendered, the fetal image is hidden by the placenta image. Therefore, a three-dimensional region of interest (3D-ROI) 46 is conventionally used. That is, the three-dimensional region of interest 46 is set so as to surround the part to be imaged. A predetermined surface (upper surface in FIG. 2) of the three-dimensional region of interest 46 is a rendering start surface 48, which is referred to as a precut surface or a clipping surface. The rendering start surface 48 defines a starting point on each ray 50. That is, by defining the rendering start point between the placenta data 44 and the fetal data 42 on each ray, imaging of the placenta data 44 is prevented. However, it is not always easy to correctly determine the rendering start surface 48 between the two data for the volume data 40. Therefore, it is desirable to support users. From the above viewpoint, in the present embodiment, coordinate information input in amniotic fluid measurement performed before the three-dimensional diagnosis is referred to when setting the rendering start surface.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of amniotic fluid measurement. In the illustrated example, amniotic fluid pocket measurement is shown. In the measurement, the probe is positioned at the position where the amniotic fluid cavity becomes the largest. What is acquired in this state is a tomographic image 52 shown in FIG. The tomographic image 52 includes a fetal image 54, a uterine wall image 56, and an amniotic fluid image 57. In the amniotic fluid pocket method, the distance is measured as the size of the amniotic fluid pocket. Specifically, the user designates a point 58 on the uterine wall surface and a point 60 on the fetal surface. The distance measurement is performed on a path crossing the amniotic fluid cavity (amniotic fluid pocket). In the present embodiment, the coordinate information of at least one of these points 58 and 60 is referred to when setting the rendering start surface directly or indirectly. In that case, for example, the midpoint 62 between the points 58 and 60 may be used as the reference point. According to this, it is possible to use coordinates that are surely present in the amniotic fluid.

  FIG. 4 shows a setting example of the three-dimensional region of interest 46. In this example, for example, the midpoint 62 is used and is used as a representative point on the rendering start surface. For example, the representative point constitutes the vertex of the rendering start surface. In FIG. 4, a cross section of the three-dimensional region of interest 46 appears on the tomographic image 52. The tomographic image 52 is an image in which amniotic fluid measurement is performed, for example. The curved upper side corresponds to a cross section of the rendering start surface, and a midpoint 62 exists on the upper side. Incidentally, the height and inclination angle of the rendering start surface 104 can be arbitrarily determined by the user. For example, the user can freely move the point 100 and the point 102 to change the size, height, and tilt angle of the three-dimensional region of interest 46. The representative point once determined based on the midpoint may be corrected afterwards. Even in such a case, it is possible to reduce the burden on the user.

  FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional region of interest (3D-ROI) 46 set based on coordinate information obtained by amniotic fluid measurement. The three-dimensional region of interest 46 defines partial data to be imaged in the volume data 40. A particularly important part is the rendering start surface 47. In the present embodiment, for example, the rendering start surface 47 is determined such that the midpoint 62 is the vertex of the rendering start surface 47. That is, the shape of the rendering start surface 47 is defined so as to pass through the midpoint (vertex) 62. The midpoint 62 is specified on the representative cross section 64 where amniotic fluid measurement was performed. On the other cross sections 66 and 68, if necessary, coordinate information (for example, points 70 and 72) necessary for defining the rendering start surface 47 may be designated by the user. Alternatively, amniotic fluid measurement may be performed on each cross section, and the results may be used. Reference numeral 50 indicates one of the plurality of rays. In the above description, the midpoint is used, but a point on the mother surface or a point on the fetal surface may be used. In such a case, a point separated by a certain offset distance from these points toward the amniotic fluid may be used as the reference point.

  FIG. 6 shows the AFI method as another amniotic fluid measurement method. On the tomographic image 106, the maximum depth of amniotic fluid is measured on the vertical path 110 not including the fetus. Specifically, the near side point 112 and the far side point 114 in the amniotic fluid cavity are designated by the user, and the distance between them is measured as the maximum amniotic fluid depth. Incidentally, the code | symbol 108 has shown the fetus image, and the code | symbol 107 has shown the amniotic fluid image. For example, the rendering start surface may be set based on the coordinate information of the point 112 obtained as a result of such measurement. For example, the point 112 may be used as a search start point when searching the surface of the parent tissue.

  FIG. 7 shows the boundary search method. On the tomographic image 52, a point 58 on the surface of the mother tissue is used as a search start point, and edge detection, that is, boundary detection is sequentially executed along both sides thereof. The extracted edge lines 74 and 76 may be used as the rendering start line as they are, but for example, a line separated from the edge line by a certain offset distance ΔL may be used as the rendering start line 78. The rendering start line is a line that defines a rendering start surface. On the tomographic image 52, a cross section of the three-dimensional region of interest 80 appears. Note that edge detection may be performed on each cross section constituting the three-dimensional space, or edge detection may be performed on a plurality of cross sections selected from among them. Reference numeral 50 denotes a ray.

  In any case, by specifying edge lines on a plurality of cross sections, a rendering start surface can be defined three-dimensionally based on them. In that case, the midpoint depth may be used as the edge search start point on each cross section. You may make it perform an edge search in another cross section on the basis of the edge line detected in the adjacent cross section. In any case, by using the amniotic fluid measurement result directly or indirectly, for example, the edge of the black-out part caused by artifacts in the uterine wall is mistakenly mistaken for the uterine wall surface. The possibility can be reduced.

  FIG. 8 shows the edge line Yk (X) detected on the representative cross section 102. Here, X is a horizontal direction, Y is a vertical direction, and Z is a depth direction. For example, the XY plane corresponds to the scanning plane, and the scanning plane is formed at each position in the Z direction. These aggregates correspond to three-dimensional space or volume data.

  In FIG. 8, amniotic fluid measurement is performed on the representative cross section 102 in the three-dimensional space, whereby a point (edge point) 58A on the surface of the mother tissue is designated by the user. The edge point 58A is used as an edge search start point. You may make it utilize the midpoint 100 mentioned above as an edge search start point. For example, an edge search may be performed from the midpoint 100 toward the matrix structure, a point on the matrix surface may be specified, and then edge detection may be sequentially performed in the positive and negative directions in the X direction. Various known techniques can be used as the edge search technique.

  As described above, the edge line Yk (X) is detected on the representative cross section. Edge lines are detected in the same manner as described above on each cross section in the Z direction or on a plurality of discretely selected cross sections. In that case, when detecting individual edge lines, coordinate information obtained by amniotic fluid measurement is directly used or indirectly used. For example, on each cross section, a search start point may be set at the same coordinates as the X and Y coordinates of the midpoint 100, and the first edge point may be searched from there.

  When a plurality of edge lines are specified discretely in the Z direction, it is desirable to generate an interpolation edge line between two adjacent edge lines by interpolation processing. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the edge line Ya (X) is specified on the cross section at the position a in the Z direction, and the edge line Yb (X) is specified on the cross section at the position b in the Z direction. In such a case, the interpolation edge line Yi (X) may be generated by the weighted linear interpolation process at the i position between the position a and the position b (see reference numerals 112 and 114). For example, assuming that ma = i−a and mb = b−i, Yi (X) is obtained by the following calculation formula.

    Yi (X) = (mb x Ya (X) + ma x Yb (X)) / (ma + mb)

  When edge lines are specified on a cross section at each position in the Z direction, a rendering start surface is configured as a set of them. When an edge line exists only on one side of both sides, it may be copied or an extrapolation method may be applied.

  FIG. 9 shows that the first edge point 58 </ b> A is specified by searching in the Y direction from the midpoint 100. By projecting the XY coordinates of the midpoint onto the next cross section (see reference numeral 104), the search start point 106 is specified on the cross section. A search is then performed in the Y direction to identify the first edge point 108. Thus, if the coordinate information obtained by amniotic fluid measurement is directly or indirectly used for edge detection, accurate edge detection that is not affected by artifacts or the like can be performed.

  FIG. 10 shows a three-dimensional region of interest 82 having a planar rendering start surface 84. It is set for volume data 40 corresponding to a three-dimensional space. When setting the position and inclination angle of the rendering start surface, the midpoint 62 of the coordinates of the two end points obtained by amniotic fluid measurement is used. The position and orientation of the rendering start surface 84 are determined so as to include the midpoint 62. The depth of the midpoint from the reference position is indicated by L1. Other required parameters are specified by the user. For example, the user may set the inclination angle. The rendering start surface 84 may be defined so as to include one or more other midpoints at the same time. The size of the rendering start surface 84 is configured to be adjustable by the user. If the rendering start surface is determined so as to include certain points in the amniotic fluid, the burden on the user can be reduced, or the setting accuracy of the rendering start surface can be increased.

  FIG. 11 shows the relationship between amniotic fluid measurement and the setting of the three-dimensional region of interest. A tomographic image (B-mode tomographic image) is formed based on surface data on a predetermined cross section (amniotic fluid measurement cross section) in the volume data. Instead of cutting out from the volume data, surface data on a predetermined section may be acquired by performing one-dimensional electronic scanning of an ultrasonic beam using a 3D probe. However, the relationship of the coordinate system between amniotic fluid measurement and volume data needs to be known. If necessary, a positioning system may be provided on the 3D probe. After performing amniotic fluid measurement using a 1D probe, a 3D image may be formed using a 3D probe. In that case, it is necessary to match the coordinate system between the probes, and for this reason, a positioning system using a magnetic sensor or the like is used. A user on the tomographic image designates a point on the surface of the maternal tissue (the uterine wall surface, the placenta surface) on the tomographic image. As a result, the coordinate information is obtained and stored in the memory once. Similarly, a point on the fetal surface is designated by the user and its coordinate information is stored once. These points are the end points of the amniotic fluid section on the measurement line. Therefore, the thickness of the amniotic fluid is shown between them. Amniotic fluid measurement is performed at a plurality of positions as necessary.

  Reference numeral 86 indicates the coordinates of one end point, and reference numeral 88 indicates the coordinates of the other end point. A midpoint 90 is calculated as an intermediate point between them. You may make it obtain | require the average value of a middle point from several one end point and several other end point. The midpoint 90 is used to determine the position of the control point (representative point) that determines the position and orientation of the rendering start plane (clipping plane, precut plane) in the three-dimensional region of interest. The midpoint 90 may be used as a control point as it is. The control point 92 is, for example, a vertex or valley point on the rendering start surface. If necessary, other coordinate information is input by the user to determine the position and shape of the rendering start surface. A three-dimensional region of interest 94 is defined based on the coordinate information. A three-dimensional image is formed by rendering the partial data in the three-dimensional region of interest. Specifically, by sequentially repeating a predetermined voxel calculation in units of voxels for each ray from the rendering start surface, a pixel value corresponding to the ray is obtained and mapped on the screen.

  The uterine wall surface point 86 may be used as a search starting point or as a reference, and a uterine wall contour may be searched to identify an edge line. Alternatively, the fetal surface point 88 may be used as a search starting point or a reference may be used to search the fetal contour, thereby identifying the edge line. In this case, the rendering start line may be determined as a line that is a certain distance away from the edge line toward the amniotic fluid side. In addition, as shown by a plurality of arrows in FIG. 11, various uses of the results of amniotic fluid measurement can be considered. In any case, the user-specified or automatically specified coordinate information in the amniotic fluid measurement can be used for 3D image formation to reduce the burden on the user or increase the setting accuracy of the 3D region of interest. .

10 3D probe, 24 3D memory, 26 tomographic image forming unit, 28 3D image forming unit, 30 3D region of interest (3D-ROI) setting unit, 36 measuring unit.

Claims (5)

A transmitting / receiving means for acquiring volume data by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves to the fetus;
A region of interest setting means for setting a region of interest for the volume data based on coordinate information obtained in amniotic fluid measurement on an ultrasound image,
Image forming means for forming a three-dimensional image based on partial data in the region of interest in the volume data;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: The apparatus of claim 1.
In the amniotic fluid measurement, one end point and the other end point defining the amniotic fluid section are designated by the user on the ultrasonic image,
The coordinate information is information representing at least one of the one end point and the other end point.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The apparatus of claim 2.
The region of interest setting means determines at least one of a position and orientation of a rendering start surface in the region of interest based on a predetermined point between the one end point and the other end point;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The apparatus of claim 3.
The predetermined point is a midpoint between the one end point and the other end point;
The rendering start surface is a surface including the midpoint;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Determining at least one of the position and orientation of the rendering start surface in the region of interest based on a plurality of coordinate information obtained by a plurality of amniotic fluid measurements already performed;
Forming a three-dimensional image of the fetus by rendering the partial data in the region of interest in the volume data;
A three-dimensional image forming method comprising:

Images