JP3723299B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that obtains and displays an ultrasonic tomographic image of a diagnostic part of a subject using ultrasonic waves, and in particular, a direction of a probe mark in a body mark displayed together with the ultrasonic tomographic image. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of displaying
[0002]
[Prior art]
As shown in FIG. 4, a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this type has an ultrasonic probe 1 that transmits / receives ultrasonic waves in a subject 10 and drives the ultrasonic probe 1 to generate ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 that transmits and processes the received reflected echo signal, and the tomographic image data in the subject 10 including the moving tissue are repeated at a predetermined cycle by using the reflected echo signal from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2. A digital scan converter (hereinafter abbreviated as “DSC”) 3 that scans and outputs the tomographic image data, and a cine memory 4 as an image recording unit that records an ultrasonic tomographic image from the DSC 3; The graphic unit 5 for creating a body mark including a probe mark to display the position of the child mark is combined with the ultrasonic tomogram from the DSC 3 and the body mark from the graphic unit 5. A combining unit 6 and the display device 7 as an image display unit for and view consisted a control unit 8 for controlling the above components. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 9 denotes a console for inputting various operation commands.
[0003]
In such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, in order to confirm the position and direction of the subject 10 and the ultrasonic probe 1 under examination, a probe mark is displayed on the screen of the display device 7 as shown in FIG. 11 is displayed together with the ultrasonic tomographic image 13. Displaying the body mark 12 including the probe mark 11 together with the ultrasonic tomographic image 13 means that when the collected ultrasonic tomographic image 13 is observed later, the object 10 and the ultrasonic probe 1 This is an important function for diagnosis. In order to input and display the probe mark 11, it is manually input using a trackball, a volume knob, and a function key on the console 9 shown in FIG. 5, the body mark 12 including the probe mark 11 is created and displayed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, in order to input the probe mark 11, the ultrasonic probe 1 that is in contact with the body surface of the subject 10 as shown in FIG. Since the operator operated the console 9 to input manually while looking at the position and direction, the direction of the probe mark 11 in the body mark 12 could not be automatically drawn. Therefore, it takes time to display the entire body mark 12. Further, since the operator 9 is manually operated and input by the operator's sense, the super-actually in contact with the body surface of the subject 10 as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). The position and direction of the acoustic probe 1 may be misaligned with the probe mark 11 displayed on the body mark 12, and the direction of the probe mark 11 on the body mark 12 may be incorrect. there were. Therefore, even if the positional relationship between the subject 10 and the ultrasound probe 1 is displayed, it is not useful for diagnosis if the information is incorrect. Further, there is no means for recording the information of the body mark 12 in time synchronization with the ultrasonic tomographic image 13.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of dealing with such problems and displaying the direction of a probe mark in a body mark displayed together with an ultrasonic tomographic image. To do.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention transmits an ultrasonic wave by driving an ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave in a subject and transmits and receives the ultrasonic wave. An ultrasonic transmission / reception unit that processes the reflected echo signal, a tomographic image forming unit that obtains tomographic image data in a subject including a moving tissue using the processed reflected echo signal, and an ultrasonic signal from the tomographic image forming unit An image recording unit for recording an ultrasonic tomographic image, a graphic unit for creating a body mark including a probe mark, and an ultrasonic tomographic image from the tomographic image forming unit and a body mark from the graphic unit are displayed. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an image display unit; measuring a direction displacement of the ultrasonic probe in contact with the surface of the subject and calculating a direction of the ultrasonic probe. Direction of ultrasonic probe Determining means and, a probe position information storage unit and stores the input direction data of the ultrasonic probe from the direction determination unit of the ultrasonic probe is provided, the direction of the ultrasonic probe By sending the direction data of the ultrasonic probe determined by the determination means to the graphic unit, the direction of the probe mark in the body mark displayed on the image display unit is displayed , and the probe position By sending the direction data stored in the information storage means to the image recording unit, the probe mark in the body mark displayed on the image display unit is reproduced in time synchronization with the ultrasonic tomographic image. It is a thing.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus obtains and displays an ultrasonic tomographic image of a diagnostic part of a subject using ultrasonic waves. As shown in FIG. 1, an ultrasonic probe 1 and an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2, DSC 3, cine memory 4, graphic unit 5, composition unit 6, display device 7, control unit 8, console 9, signal generator 14, direction determination unit 15, Comprising.
[0009]
The ultrasonic probe 1 performs mechanical or electronic beam scanning to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves into a subject, and is not shown in the figure, but is a source of ultrasonic waves. In addition, a vibrator for receiving a reflected echo from within the subject is incorporated. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 drives the ultrasonic probe 1 to transmit ultrasonic waves and processes the received reflected echo signals. Although not shown, the transmission / reception unit 2 includes a transmission pulser and a transmission delay. A reception phase phasing circuit, a TGC circuit, a detection circuit, and the like including a circuit, a transmission amplification circuit, a reception delay circuit, and an adder are incorporated. Then, the ultrasonic probe 1 and the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 transmit a predetermined ultrasonic beam from the ultrasonic probe 1 in the body of the subject 10 according to a control signal from the control unit 8 described later. By scanning along the tomographic plane, one piece (one frame) of tomographic image data is obtained, and tomographic image data is obtained sequentially in time series at predetermined time intervals.
[0010]
The DSC 3 repeatedly obtains tomographic image data in the subject including the moving tissue at a predetermined cycle using the reflected echo signal from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 and scan-converts and outputs the tomographic image data. As a means, the tomographic image data obtained by the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 is captured in synchronism with the ultrasonic transmission / reception, and read out asynchronously with the ultrasonic reception to perform scanning conversion. Although not shown, the DSC 3 includes an A / D converter that converts a reflected echo signal from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 into a digital signal, and a digital signal output from the A / D converter as an ultrasonic beam. Two line memories that repeat writing and reading for each scanning line, a frame memory that writes image data output from the line memory in correspondence with the scanning line position or direction of each ultrasonic beam, and the frame memory It comprises an address generator that generates an address for writing the image data, and these components are controlled by a control unit 8 to be described later.
[0011]
The cine memory 4 serves as an image recording unit for recording the ultrasonic tomographic image from the DSC 3, and is composed of, for example, a semiconductor memory. The graphic unit 5 creates a body mark 12 including the probe mark 11 for displaying the position of the probe mark 11 as an image as shown in FIG. The position of the probe mark 11 input by using a trackball, a volume knob, and a function key is converted into data for graphic display.
[0012]
The synthesizing unit 6 synthesizes the body mark including the ultrasonic tomogram from the DSC 3 and the probe mark from the graphic unit 5 and converts the data into the same image data. The display device 7 displays the ultrasonic tomographic image and the body mark synthesized by the synthesis unit 6 and includes, for example, a display memory, a D / A converter, a CRT monitor, and the like. The composition unit 6 and the display device 7 constitute an image display unit.
[0013]
And the control part 8 controls operation | movement of said each component, for example, consists of CPU (central processing unit). The console 9 is used to input various operation commands to the control unit 8 and includes a keyboard, a plurality of function keys, a pointing device such as a trackball, and a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel. The operator is used to initialize the direction data of the ultrasonic probe 1 and to select a body mark.
[0014]
Here, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a signal generator 14 and a direction determination unit 15 are connected to the graphic unit 5. The signal generator 14 measures the displacement in the direction of the ultrasonic probe 1, and is composed of, for example, a gyro sensor and is attached to a part of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the direction of the ultrasonic probe 1. Data is acquired sequentially in a time series at predetermined time intervals. The direction determination unit 15 sequentially calculates the direction of the ultrasonic probe 1 at predetermined time intervals in time series based on the direction data of the ultrasonic probe 1 measured by the signal generator 14. It is. Then, the signal generator 14 and the direction determination unit 15 sequentially measure the directional displacement of the ultrasonic probe 1 in contact with the surface of the subject 10 at a predetermined time interval and in time series. A means for determining the direction of the ultrasonic probe 1 by sequentially calculating the direction of the probe 1 is configured.
[0015]
Next, the operation of the thus configured ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the subject 10 is positioned at a predetermined initial position on a top plate (not shown). Then, the ultrasonic probe 1 is placed at a predetermined origin position, and its direction is also set in a predetermined initial direction. In such a state, when the function key on the console 9 shown in FIG. 1 is pressed, the direction data of the ultrasonic probe 1 when the function key obtained by the signal generator 14 is pressed is set as the origin, Initialization is performed at an initial setting position determined by the direction determination unit 15.
[0016]
Next, by pressing a function key on the console 9, the body mark displayed on the display device 7 is arbitrarily selected. For example, when the body mark 12 as shown in the lower part of FIG. 2A is displayed, the probe mark corresponding to the initial setting position of the ultrasonic probe 1 determined by the direction determination unit 15 is displayed. 11 is displayed in the initial state. At this time, the relationship between the predetermined initial direction of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the initial setting position of the ultrasonic probe 1 determined by the direction determination unit 15 is a one-to-one correspondence. Yes.
[0017]
Next, after initializing the direction data of the ultrasound probe 1 as described above, in order to actually obtain an ultrasound tomographic image of the diagnostic region of the subject 10, as shown in FIG. The ultrasonic probe 1 is brought into contact with the body surface of the specimen 10, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received from the ultrasonic probe 1. At this time, the direction of the contact position is calculated by the signal generator 14 and the direction determination unit 15 shown in FIG. 1 according to the position where the ultrasonic probe 1 is contacted. Then, the calculated direction data of the ultrasound probe 1 and the position data of the ultrasound probe 1 input by the console 9 are used as a probe mark for graphic display by the graphic unit 5. While being converted into data, the graphic unit 5 creates a body mark 12 including a probe mark 11 set in a position and direction as shown in the lower part of FIG.
[0018]
The body mark 12 including the probe mark 11 created in this way is output from the graphic unit 5 and sent to the synthesizing unit 6 shown in FIG. 1, and the same image data as the ultrasonic tomographic image output from the DSC 3. Is synthesized. The combined image data is sent to a display memory or a moving image display memory in the display device 7. The contents of the display memory or the moving image display memory are always sent to the D / A converter in the display device 7, converted into an analog video signal, and the CRT monitor in the display device 7 as shown in FIG. An image is displayed. In this case, the direction of the probe mark 11 in the body mark 12 can be automatically drawn.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a probe position information storage memory 16 is provided between the direction determination unit 15 and the cine memory 4. The probe position information storage memory 16 receives the direction data of the ultrasonic probe 1 from the direction determination unit 15 and is synchronized with the ultrasonic tomogram recorded in the cine memory 4 in time synchronization. This is a probe position information storage means for storing. Then, by sending the stored direction data of the ultrasonic probe 1 to the cine memory 4, the probe mark 11 in the body mark 12 displayed on the display device 7 as shown in FIG. The tomographic image 13 is reproduced while being temporally synchronized. In this case, when reproducing and diagnosing the ultrasonic tomographic image of the subject 10 after the examination, the positional relationship between the subject 10 and the ultrasonic probe 1 can be quantitatively understood.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the direction displacement of the ultrasonic probe brought into contact with the surface of the subject is determined by the direction determination means of the ultrasonic probe. And measuring the direction of the ultrasonic probe to determine the direction of the ultrasonic probe, and by means of the probe position information storage means, the ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic probe direction determination means Probe direction data can be entered and saved. Then, by transmitting the ultrasonic probe direction data determined by the ultrasonic probe direction determining means to the graphic unit, the probe in the body mark displayed together with the ultrasonic tomographic image on the image display unit. The direction of the child mark can be displayed. Therefore, the entire body mark can be displayed easily and in a short time. Further, since the direction of the probe mark is not input by manually operating the console according to the operator's sense as in the conventional case, the probe mark can be displayed accurately. Further, by sending the direction data stored in the probe position information storage means to the image recording unit, the probe mark in the body mark displayed on the image display unit is temporally synchronized with the ultrasonic tomographic image. You can play while taking. Therefore, when an ultrasonic tomographic image of the subject is reproduced and diagnosed after the examination, the positional relationship between the subject and the ultrasonic probe can be quantitatively understood, and the diagnosis becomes easy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of drawing a probe mark on a body mark in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display state of an ultrasonic tomographic image and a body mark on a display device.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the position and direction of an ultrasonic probe actually in contact with the body surface of a subject and the probe mark displayed on the body mark are deviated in the conventional example. is there.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ultrasonic probe 2 ... Ultrasonic transmitter-receiver 3 ... DSC
4 ... Cine memory 5 ... Graphic part 6 ... Composition part 7 ... Display device 8 ... Control part 9 ... Console 10 ... Subject 11 ... Probe mark 12 ... Body mark 13 ... Ultrasonic tomographic image 14 ... Signal generator 15 ... Direction determination unit 16 ... probe position information storage memory

Claims (1)

An ultrasonic probe that transmits / receives ultrasonic waves in the subject, an ultrasonic transmitter / receiver that drives the ultrasonic probe to transmit ultrasonic waves and processes received reflected echo signals, and the processed A tomographic image forming unit that obtains tomographic image data in a subject including a moving tissue using a reflected echo signal, an image recording unit that records an ultrasonic tomographic image from the tomographic image forming unit, and a probe mark In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a graphic part that creates a body mark; and an image display part that combines and displays an ultrasonic tomographic image from the tomographic image forming means and a body mark from the graphic part.
Means for measuring the direction displacement of the ultrasonic probe in contact with the surface of the subject and determining the direction of the ultrasonic probe by calculating the direction of the ultrasonic probe ;
Providing probe position information storage means for inputting and storing the direction data of the ultrasonic probe from the direction determination means of the ultrasonic probe,
By sending the direction data of the ultrasonic probe determined by the direction determination means of the ultrasonic probe to the graphic unit, the direction of the probe mark in the body mark displayed on the image display unit is changed. display and,
By sending the direction data stored in the probe position information storage means to the image recording unit, the probe mark in the body mark displayed on the image display unit is temporally synchronized with the ultrasonic tomographic image. While playing,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

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