JP2774288B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an apparatus has been proposed in which an arbitrary one of probes each having an ultrasonic transducer is selectively connected to an observation apparatus to display an ultrasonic image. In this type of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the attenuation characteristic of the ultrasonic wave with respect to the subject differs according to the excitation frequency of the ultrasonic transducer of the probe selectively connected to the observation apparatus. The signal needs to be corrected according to the probe. For this reason, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-247437 discloses a code generation circuit that generates code data corresponding to the connection of a probe, and a reference STC corresponding to the selected probe. A data memory in which data is stored in advance, and an STC volume for manually adjusting the gain of the received signal in accordance with the depth of the subject, and a corresponding reference STC data from the data memory based on the code data from the code generation circuit. Is output, and an STC signal is created based on this reference STC data and STC data from the SCT volume.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-described conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, reference STC data corresponding to a probe to be selected and used is stored in advance in a data memory, and generated from a code generation circuit by connecting the probe to be used. Since the corresponding reference STC data is read from the data memory based on the code data to be read, it is necessary to change the data memory, code generation circuit, etc. in the observation device when using a new probe. However, there is a problem that it lacks versatility.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and without any change in an observation apparatus, a general-purpose apparatus which is appropriately configured so that an optimal STC signal can be set for various probes. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having excellent performance.

[Means and actions for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a probe having an ultrasonic transducer is selectively connected to an observation device, and an ultrasonic image is displayed based on a signal received by the ultrasonic transducer of the probe. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, setting means for setting an STC signal for correcting an attenuation characteristic of a reception signal in the ultrasonic transducer is included in the configuration, and the setting is performed by the setting means in a state where the probe is connected to the observation apparatus. Was
An STC signal generating means for generating an STC signal, and a correcting means for correcting a reception signal at the ultrasonic transducer by an output of the STC signal generating means, wherein at least the setting means is the STC signal generating means. Provided in the probe, the other part is provided in the probe or the observation device, the setting value of the setting means included in the STC signal generating means is configured to be adjustable, the output of this correction means It is configured to display an ultrasonic image based on the information.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention. An arbitrary one of various probes 3 each having an ultrasonic transducer 2 is selectively connected to the observation device 1. The signal received by the ultrasonic transducer 2 is amplified by the amplifier 4 in the observation device 1 and then logarithmically amplified by the logarithmic amplifier 5 and supplied to the addition circuit 6. The addition circuit 6 is also supplied with a signal from a slide volume 7 for increasing or decreasing the gain of the signal at a desired depth of the subject from the output of the logarithmic amplifier 5, and the output of the addition circuit 6 is detected by a detection circuit (not shown). After that, it is supplied to a digital scan converter and displayed on a monitor as an ultrasonic image.

In this embodiment, each probe 3 is provided with an STC signal generation circuit 11.
Is provided. The STC signal generation circuit 11 includes a semi-fixed resistor 12 and a capacitor 13 connected in series, and a transistor 14 having a collector-emic path connected in parallel to both ends of the capacitor 13. By connecting the probe 3 to the observation device 1, the STC signal generation circuit 11 connects a semi-fixed resistor 12 to a DC power supply (not shown) provided in the observation device 1.
A DC voltage _Vcc is applied between the capacitor 13 and the charging voltage of the capacitor 13 is supplied to the addition circuit 6 as an STC signal, and a transmission drive timing signal for driving the ultrasonic transducer 2 is transmitted. The voltage is applied to the base of the transistor 14 so that the transistor 14 is turned on and the capacitor 13 is discharged during the period of the timing signal. Here, the semi-fixed resistor 12 has its resistance value adjusted and fixed in advance so that the charging characteristic of the capacitor 13 is a characteristic that corrects the attenuation characteristic of the ultrasonic wave by the ultrasonic vibrator 2.

In the above configuration, when the desired probe 3 is connected to the observation device 1 and the ultrasonic transducer 2 is driven through a transmission circuit (not shown) in synchronization with the transmission drive timing signal to project ultrasonic waves to the subject, The reflected wave is received by the ultrasonic transducer 2, converted into an electric signal, and supplied to the addition circuit 6 via the preamplifier 4 and the logarithmic amplifier 5. On the other hand, in the STC signal generation circuit 11, when the transmission drive timing signal is supplied to the base of the transistor 14, the transistor 14 is turned on, thereby discharging the electric charge of the capacitor 13. Thereafter, in synchronization with the end of the transmission drive timing signal, the capacitor 13 is charged via the semi-fixed resistor 12, and the voltage is supplied to the addition circuit 6 as an STC signal. Therefore, the reception signal at the ultrasonic transducer 2 output from the logarithmic amplifier 5 is corrected to have a constant sensitivity by the STC signal from the STC signal generation circuit 11 set to correct the attenuation characteristic. Will be. In addition, since a signal for adjusting the gain at a desired depth of the subject is supplied from the slide volume 7 to the addition circuit 6, the attenuation characteristic is corrected from the addition circuit 6, and the signal whose gain is adjusted according to the depth is provided. Is output, and based on this, an ultrasonic image is displayed on the monitor.

Thus, according to this embodiment, each probe 3 has an STC
Since the signal generation circuit 11 is provided and the probe 3 is connected to the observation device 1 so that the attenuation characteristics of the ultrasonic waves transmitted and received by the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be corrected, even when a new probe is used, This can be easily dealt with by providing a similar STC signal generation circuit. Also, a charging circuit for the semi-fixed resistor 12 and the capacitor 13 is used, and its charging time constant is set so as to obtain an STC signal having desired characteristics by adjusting the resistance value of the semi-fixed resistor 12. In addition, variations in sensitivity due to the fabrication of the probe 3 can be effectively corrected. Further, in this embodiment, the reception signal (logR) that has passed through the preamplifier 4 and the logarithmic amplifier 5 is used.
x) and the STC signal (logSf) from the STC signal generation circuit 11,
By supplying the signal (logSv) from the slide volume 7 to the adding circuit 6, a signal of logRx + logSf + logSv = log (Rx · Sf · Sv) is obtained, and based on this signal, an ultrasonic image is displayed on a monitor. Therefore, an ultrasonic image can be effectively displayed even when the display gradation of the monitor is narrow, and the circuit configuration is simpler and less expensive than when the same signal is obtained by changing the amplification factor of the preamplifier 4 with time. it can.

FIG. 2 shows a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the semi-fixed resistor 12 of the STC signal generating circuit 11 is changed to a fixed resistor 22 and the capacitor 13 is changed to a semi-fixed capacitor 23, and the time constant of the charging circuit is changed to the STC The capacitance value of the semi-fixed capacitor 23 is adjusted and set in advance so as to obtain a signal, and the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 3 shows a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the semi-fixed capacitor 23 constituting the STC signal generation circuit 11 in the second embodiment is provided on the probe 3, the other fixed resistor 22 and the transistor 14 are provided on the observation device 1 side, and the probe 3 is provided on the observation device 1. By connecting, fixed resistance 2
2 and the transistor 14 are commonly used in each probe. Therefore, according to this embodiment, since only the semi-fixed capacitor 23 of the elements constituting the STC signal generating circuit 11 needs to be provided in each probe 3, there is an advantage that the probe 3 can be small and inexpensive.

FIG. 4 shows a main part of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the semi-fixed resistor 12 constituting the STC signal generation circuit 11 in the first embodiment is provided on the probe 3 and the other capacitor 13 and the transistor 14 are provided on the observation apparatus 1 side, and the same as the third embodiment. The STC signal generation circuit 11 is configured by connecting the probe 3 to the observation device 1 so that the capacitor 13 and the transistor 14 are commonly used in each probe. Therefore, in this embodiment, the same effect as in the third embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 5 shows a main part of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, each probe 3 is provided with a ROM 31 so that an STC signal for correcting an attenuation characteristic of an ultrasonic wave transmitted and received by the ultrasonic transducer 2 is digitized and stored. A memory 32 for reading and storing the STC data in the ROM 31 when the power is turned on under the connection of the probe 3; an address generating circuit 33 for sequentially outputting the STC data stored in the memory 32 in synchronization with the transmission drive timing signal; The STC data sequentially output from 32 is converted to an analog STC signal and supplied to the adder circuit 6
The other configuration is the same as that of the above-described embodiment.

According to this embodiment, each probe 3 is provided with a ROM 31 and
Since the TC signal is digitized and stored, the STC
Fine data can be stored as data, and the influence of noise can be reduced. Therefore, the received signal can be corrected with high accuracy, including sensitivity variations due to the fabrication of the probe 3. In addition, even when a new probe is used, the same ROM may be provided for the new probe, so that versatility can be provided.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, at least the probe is provided with the STC signal setting means for correcting the attenuation characteristic of the received signal at the ultrasonic transducer, and the setting value is configured to be adjustable. In this method, an optimum STC signal can be obtained for various probes without any change, and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus excellent in versatility can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

 FIG. 1 is a view showing a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing a main part of the second embodiment, FIG. 3 is a view showing a main part of the third embodiment, FIG. 4 is a view showing a main part of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a view showing a main part of the fifth embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Observation apparatus, 2 ... Ultrasonic vibrator 3 ... Probe, 4 ... Preamplifier 5 ... Logarithmic amplifier, 6 ... Addition circuit 7 ... Slide volume, 11 ... STC signal generation circuit 12 ... ... Semi-fixed resistor, 13 ... Capacitor 14 ... Transistor, 22 ... Fixed resistor 23 ... Semi-fixed capacitor, 31 ... ROM 32 ... Memory, 33 ... Address generation circuit 34 ... D / A converter

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which a probe having an ultrasonic transducer is selectively connected to an observation device, and an ultrasonic image is displayed based on a signal received by the ultrasonic transducer of the probe. ST to correct the attenuation characteristics of the received signal in the ultrasonic transducer
A setting means for setting a C signal is included in the configuration, an STC signal generating means for generating an STC signal set by the setting means in a state where the probe is connected to the observation device, and an output of the STC signal generating means, Correction means for correcting the received signal in the ultrasonic transducer, in the STC signal generating means, at least the setting means is provided in the probe, the other part is provided in the probe or the observation device, The setting value of the setting means included in the STC signal generating means is configured to be adjustable, and is configured to display an ultrasonic image based on the output of the correcting means. apparatus.