JP3447150B2 - Ultrasound imaging device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and more particularly to processing a plurality of images including a small number of unnecessary images compared to the image to be processed. The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus in consideration of the input operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an ultrasonic wave is applied to a subject, the ultrasonic wave is transmitted through a living tissue as a medium. However, there is a difference in acoustic impedance from tissues such as organs and surrounding tissues such as lesions. A part of the transmitted ultrasonic wave returns by being reflected and scattered by red blood cells in blood.

When the reflector or scatterer is an object that moves or moves in the direction of the line of sight, the frequency of the reflected wave deviates from the transmission frequency due to the Doppler effect. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is an apparatus for measuring the frequency shift amount, displaying and observing the velocity and moving direction of the moving object, and providing the diagnostic object.

When the reflector is moving toward the probe, the reception frequency is higher than the transmission frequency, and conversely, the reception frequency is low. The shift frequency is proportional to the moving speed of the reflector. Using this Doppler effect, for example, the direction and velocity of the blood flow in the heart or blood vessel can be known.

In this ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a color flow mapping (CFM (Color Flow) in which the moving direction of a moving object is displayed in colors such as red when approaching and blue when moving away and the moving speed is displayed in luminance Some devices have a mode (also called Mapping).

Further, image data of a plurality of frames subjected to color flow mapping processing at the same position or different positions may be stored in a cine memory, and peak hold may be performed on the plurality of image data to generate one image data. Then, it becomes possible to visualize the state of minute peripheral blood vessels. Cine capture (Ci
ne Capture).

[0007]

When executing the cine capture processing as described above, it is necessary to store the image data subjected to the color flow mapping processing of a plurality of frames in the cine memory. The number of image data to be stored varies depending on the object, but it is necessary to be about ten to several dozen.

Then, it is necessary to exclude image data, which has no meaning as data due to the motion of the ultrasonic probe or the subject, from the cine capture process. Such image data to be excluded generally has a larger value in each pixel than normal image data due to color flow mapping processing of the motion.
Incidentally, such image data to be excluded is also called noise.

Therefore, if the image data of such noise is included in the cine capture process, only the noise is held by the peak hold process, and a meaningless result is obtained. .

Therefore, when selecting the image data to be cine-captured, the images to be selected are confirmed and designated while sequentially displaying the images one by one on the display device as shown in FIG. I was operating. And
The frame number of the designated image is held in a table or the like, and the cine capture process is executed. In general, the number of images that need not be processed is smaller than the number of images that should be processed.

In the case of FIG. 5, the cine capture processing range is from the image of the (n + 1) th frame to the image of the (n + 15) th frame, but each of the 14 images other than the image of the (n + 13) th frame, which is noise, was confirmed. The selection and designation operations (indicated by arrows in FIG. 5) were performed above. That is, it is necessary to repeat the operations such as sending each sheet, stopping, confirming, and inputting selection.

For the above reasons, the operation of selecting an image to be processed has been troublesome. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and realizes an image processing method capable of performing image processing by selecting an image to be processed by an easy operation, an image processing apparatus, and an ultrasonic imaging processing apparatus. It is an object.

[0013]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The inventor of the present application has a problem of an input operation in a process for a plurality of images including a small number of unnecessary images that are unnecessary to process, as compared with the image to be processed, in particular, As a result of intensive research to improve the inconvenience of the operation of selecting an image to be selected in the conventional cine capture, a new method regarding the operation of the image to be selected and a configuration suitable for such operation are found, The present invention has been completed.

Therefore, the present invention, which is a means for solving the problems, is configured as described below. A first invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is an image processing method for processing a plurality of images including a small number of unnecessary images compared to the image to be processed, wherein a plurality of images within a predetermined range are processed. An image processing method, in which images are sequentially displayed, an unnecessary image in the displayed images is designated, and one image is generated by holding a specific value for an image other than the unnecessary image within a predetermined range. Is.

Here, to generate one image while holding a specific value means paying attention to a predetermined value such as a maximum value, a minimum value or an average value in each pixel of the image. , Means that one value is generated by holding or extracting the value.

A second invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is an image processing apparatus for processing a plurality of images including a small number of unnecessary images which are unnecessary to be processed as compared with the image to be processed, and the image processing apparatus has a predetermined range. A display control means for sequentially displaying a plurality of images, an input means for designating an unnecessary image in the displayed images, and a specific value for an image other than the designated unnecessary images within a predetermined range. And an image processing unit that generates the image of 1.

Here, to generate one image while holding a specific value means paying attention to a predetermined value such as a maximum value, a minimum value or an average value in each pixel of the image. , Means that one value is generated by holding or extracting the value.

A third invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is an ultrasonic imaging apparatus for processing a plurality of images including a small number of unnecessary images which are unnecessary to be processed as compared with the image to be processed. A cine memory that stores a plurality of frames of images generated by the mapping process, a processing range determining unit that determines a processing range by designating at least one of a processing start frame and a processing end frame, and a processing start frame to a processing end frame. Display control means for sequentially displaying the displayed images, input means for designating an unnecessary image in the displayed images, and one sheet holding a specific value for an image other than the unnecessary image from the processing start frame to the processing end frame Image processing means for generating the image of That is an ultrasound imaging device.

Here, to generate one image while holding a specific value means paying attention to a predetermined value, which is one of the maximum value, the minimum value and the average value, in each pixel of the image. , Means that one value is generated by holding or extracting the value.

An ultrasonic imaging processing method characterized by the above-mentioned processing procedure of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus is also included in the present invention which solves the problems.

[0021]

In the image processing method according to the first aspect of the invention to solve the problem, images within a predetermined range are sequentially displayed, and unnecessary images are designated for the displayed images. A specific value (a predetermined value such as a maximum value, a minimum value, an average value, etc.) is held for an image and one image is generated.

As a result, the operation of selecting an image to be processed can be performed by designating a small number of unnecessary images.
An image processing method capable of performing image processing by selecting an image to be processed by an easy operation can be realized.

In the image processing apparatus which is the second invention for solving the problem, the image within a predetermined range is sequentially displayed by the display control means, and the unnecessary image is designated by the input means for the displayed image, and the image processing is performed. The means holds specific values (predetermined predetermined values such as maximum value, minimum value, average value, etc.) for images other than unnecessary images within a predetermined range to generate one image.

As a result, the operation of selecting an image to be processed can be performed by designating a small number of unnecessary images.
It is possible to realize an image processing apparatus capable of performing image processing by selecting an image to be processed by an easy operation.

In the ultrasonic imaging apparatus which is the third invention for solving the problem, the image processing means refers to the data of the processing range determined by the processing range determining means and the unnecessary image data received from the instruction inputting means. Then, a single image holding a specific value (a predetermined value such as a maximum value, a minimum value, an average value, etc.) is generated.

As a result, the operation of selecting an image to be processed can be performed by designating a small number of unnecessary images.
It is possible to realize an ultrasonic imaging apparatus capable of performing image processing by selecting an image to be processed by an easy operation.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the image processing method of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image processing apparatus for implementing an embodiment of the image processing method of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of the image processing apparatus. .

In this embodiment, an ultrasonic imaging processing method will be exemplified as an image processing method, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus will be exemplified as an image processing apparatus for description.

First, an outline of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus as an image processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In the configuration of FIG. 2, the ultrasonic probe 1 converts the transmitted electric signal into an ultrasonic wave and transmits the ultrasonic wave into the subject, and the ultrasonic signal reflected and returned from the inside of the subject is an electric signal. It is an electroacoustic conversion means for converting into.

The transmission / reception unit 2 is a circuit for amplifying the transmission signal and transmitting it to the ultrasonic probe 1, and for demodulating the received signal received by quadrature detection or the like and then transmitting it to each processing unit.
That is, the reception output (demodulation output (i, q signals, etc.)) of the transmission / reception unit 2 is supplied to the B-mode processing unit 3 and the CFM calculation unit 4, respectively.

The B-mode processing unit 3 performs amplification, logarithmic compression, detection, etc. to output a signal for B-mode display of a tomographic image, and supplies it to the image processing unit 5. The demodulated output of the transmitter / receiver 2 is input to the CFM calculator 4. The CFM calculator 4 extracts the reflected wave of the moving target by an MTI filter or the like, and extracts the reflected wave or the scattered wave from the blood flow, for example, to calculate the blood flow velocity, dispersion (velocity dispersion), and power value. The color flow mapping process for detection is executed, and the process detection is supplied to the image processing unit 5 and the cine capture computing unit 9.

The image processing unit 5 receives the image data from the B-mode processing unit 3, the CFM calculation unit 4, and the cine capture calculation unit 9, and generates a video signal that matches the scanning frequency of the CRT display unit 6. To do. For example, a process is performed in which the color (hue) is changed (red / blue) in the moving direction of the color flow mapping processing result, and the luminance for red / blue is changed according to the moving speed for display.

The control section 7 is a control means for controlling each section, and in this embodiment, performs various controls for cine-capture calculation. In some cases, the CPU of the entire ultrasonic imaging apparatus and the CPU dedicated to the image processing are actually provided separately, but in this embodiment, both are treated as the control unit 7. .

The operation unit 8 is a user interface unit that receives various instructions from an operator, and in the present invention, it is configured as an input unit that receives an instruction to specify image data for cine capture processing.

The cine-capture calculation unit 9 stores the image data generated by the color flow mapping process for a plurality of frames and performs peak hold (holding the maximum value) on the image data of the plurality of frames to generate a captured image. It is a means. Further, if necessary, a specific value such as a minimum value or an average value other than the maximum value is held (projected) to generate one image.

The table 10 is a data holding means for holding various data, and in the present invention, holds various data for generating a captured image. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an internal configuration of the cine capture computing section 9. Here, the cine memory 9a is a memory for storing a plurality of frames of image data generated by the color flow mapping process. Here, the plurality of frames specifically means 100 frames or more.

The image memory 9b is a temporary memory.
ary) is an image memory for holding temporary image data for generating a captured image.

The image memory 9c is an image memory for holding a specific value and executing image processing for generating one image. Here, to generate one image while holding a specific value means paying attention to a predetermined value such as a maximum value, a minimum value or an average value in each pixel of the image, This means that one image (projection image) is generated by holding or extracting the value.

In this embodiment, the peak hold for holding the maximum value will be described as an example.
The image memory 9c peak-holds at each pixel the image data a read from the cine memory 9 and the image data read from the image memory 9b (the image data held in the image memory 9c at the previous timing). It is a memory that holds the maximum value obtained. The image memory stored in the image memory 9c is output to the image processing unit 5 as a captured image.

An image processing method, which is the operation of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus configured as described above, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. CF for cine memory 9a
The image data generated by the color flow mapping process in the M operation unit 4 is stored for a plurality of frames.
For example, the cine memory 9a has a capacity of 100 frames or more, and is configured to sequentially store the latest image data within this capacity range.

When the cine capture process is designated, the new storage in the cine memory 9a is stopped and the following process is started. Then, the operator operates the forward / reverse feed knob or the like of the operation unit 8 so that the CRT display unit 6 displays the stored contents of the cine memory 9a while displaying the image of the start position for starting the cine capture process. Then, when the image of the desired start position is displayed on the CRT display device 6, this image is used as the start position of the cine capture process and input from the operation unit 8 (step 1 in FIG. 1).

The input may be an operation of clicking a predetermined icon on the display screen, a pressing operation of a predetermined key of the operation unit 8, or the like. Then, the operator operates the forward / reverse feed knobs and the like starting from the above-mentioned start position to continuously feed the image toward the processing end position (end position) (step 2 in FIG. 2). In response to the instruction from the operation unit 8, the control unit 7 instructs the cine capture processing unit 9 to sequentially display the images in the cine memory 9a for display.

In this way, no instruction is given to the one for which the cine capture process should be performed with a normal image by continuing the forward feed. Then, the image that seems to be noise is stopped by using the forward / reverse feed knob or the like, and an instruction of registration as an unnecessary image to be excluded from the cine capture process is given from the operation unit 8 (step 4, FIG. 1).
5).

The input may be an operation of clicking a predetermined icon on the display screen, a pressing operation of a predetermined key of the operation unit 8, or the like. Then, when the image of the end position is found on the display screen, it is stopped using the forward / reverse feed knob or the like, and an instruction for registration as an end position image is given from the operation unit 8 (steps 3 and 6 in FIG. 1). Even if the end position is not specified, the cine memory 9a
The final image memory stored in can be used as the end location.

The start position, the end position, and the frame number of the unnecessary image designated as described above are stored in the table 10 by the control unit 7. Then, the data stored in the table 10 (data for determining the processing range) causes the cine-capture calculation unit 9 to execute the cine-capture calculation process according to an instruction from the control unit 7 (step 7 in FIG. 1).

When the processing is executed in such a procedure, the following effects can be obtained. Instead of an image that performs cine capture processing,
By specifying the image (unnecessary image) where cine capture processing is not executed and the start / end positions, the number of operation inputs is greatly reduced. If there is one unnecessary image in the 15 images shown in FIG. 5, 14 input operations are required, but in the same situation, as shown in FIG. 4, 3 input operations are required. Become. If the end position is the final position of the cine memory 9a, the input operation can be performed twice.

Since an instruction for selection is not necessary for an image for which cine capture processing is executed, it is sufficient to perform fast-forwarding by using the forward / reverse feed knob while looking at the image on the display screen. Therefore, the speed can be increased as compared with the conventional method that is stopped for each image. Although it depends on the conditions, for example, the number of unnecessary images included in the processing range of a dozen to several tens of sheets is about one, so that there is a great effect of continuously fast-forwarding a normal image.

The amount of data held in the table 10 can be made extremely small. Conventionally, all the frame numbers of each designated image are stored as shown in FIG. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, since only the start position, the end position, and the frame number of the unnecessary image need be held, the data amount can be reduced to a fraction.

In the above embodiment, the case where the cine capture process is performed in the ultrasonic imaging process has been described as an example, but a small number of unnecessary images that do not need to be processed are included in comparison with the image to be processed. It can be used for an image selecting operation in various image processing for a plurality of images.

[0050]

As described above in detail, a plurality of images in a predetermined range are sequentially displayed, an unnecessary image in the displayed images is designated, and a specific value is specified for an image other than the unnecessary image in the predetermined range. According to the image processing method of holding one and generating one image, the operation of selecting the image to be processed can be performed by designating a small number of unnecessary images, and the image to be processed can be easily selected. Thus, an image processing method capable of image processing can be realized.

Regarding display control means for sequentially displaying a plurality of images within a predetermined range, input means for designating an unnecessary image in the displayed images, and an image other than the designated unnecessary image within the predetermined range. Image processing means for holding a specific value and generating one image,
According to the image processing apparatus having the above, the operation of selecting the image to be processed can be performed by designating a small number of unnecessary images, and the image processing capable of performing the image processing by selecting the image to be processed by the easy operation. The device can be realized.

Then, a cine memory for storing a plurality of frames of images generated by the color flow mapping process, a processing range determining means for determining a processing range by designating at least one of a processing start frame and a processing end frame, and a processing start Display control means for sequentially displaying the images included in the frames from the processing end frame, input means for designating an unnecessary image in the displayed images, and specifying an image other than the unnecessary image from the processing start frame to the processing end frame According to the ultrasonic imaging apparatus including the image processing unit that holds the value and generates one image, the operation of selecting an image to be processed can be performed by designating a small number of unnecessary images. An ultra-high-performance image processing system that allows you to easily select the image to be processed It is possible to realize a wave imaging device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a principle procedure of an image processing method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an overall configuration of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state of an input operation of image selection in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a state of a conventional image selection input operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Ultrasonic probe 2 transceiver 3 B-mode processing unit 4 CFM calculator 5 Image processing unit 6 CRT display 7 control unit 8 operation part 9 Cine capture calculation unit 10 tables

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Iku Kato 127 GE Yokogawa Medical Systems Co., Ltd., 4-7 Asahigaoka, Hino-shi, Tokyo (56) References JP-A-5-212031 (JP, A) Kaihei 7-75061 (JP, A) JP-A-6-14923 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 8 / 00-8 / 15

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for processing a plurality of images including a small number of unnecessary images that are unnecessary to be processed as compared with the image to be processed, wherein the images generated by the color flow mapping process are processed in a plurality of frames. A cine memory for storing minutes, a processing range deciding means for deciding a processing range by designating at least one of a processing start frame and a processing end frame for the plurality of stored frames, and a processing start frame which is the decided processing range. Display control means for sequentially displaying images included in the processing end frame, input means for designating an unnecessary image in the displayed image, and an image other than the unnecessary image from the processing start frame to the processing end frame, Keep the maximum value in the projected range 1 by performing a cine capture
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that generates one image. 2. The unnecessary image designated by the input means is an image in which the motion of the ultrasonic probe or the subject is color flow mapping processed into noise. Ultrasonic imaging device. 3. A sequential feed and reverse feed of an image when designating at least one of a processing start frame and a processing end frame by the processing range determining means, and an image when the display control means sequentially displays the images. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a forward / reverse feed knob for instructing to perform forward feed and reverse feed.