JP4575033B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method of operating ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a mechanical scanning ultrasonic probe provided with a puncture needle used for puncture, and an operating method of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is known as one of medical imaging apparatuses that observe tissue and blood flow in a body of a subject to be examined such as a patient. In recent years, a puncture needle is combined with this ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is also used for puncture. In a puncture operation, a state in which a puncture needle is inserted and advanced (hereinafter simply referred to as insertion) toward a target in a subject (cancer tissue or other affected area such as a tumor) is excessively performed. It will be observed with the image obtained by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  However, when inserting the puncture needle, the puncture needle cannot always reach the target due to the complicated structure of the living body in the subject. As the insertion proceeds, the puncture needle may bend from the ideal insertion direction and bend. Such a state can be recognized from the display image as long as it is curved along the ultrasonic scanning plane, that is, the ultrasonic tomographic plane. On the other hand, when this curvature occurs in a direction deviating from the tomographic plane, it is difficult to grasp the degree of the curvature and the position of the puncture needle. Continued insertion without knowing where the tip of the puncture needle is is a very dangerous action considering the influence on other organs, etc., and it is important to know the position of the tip of the puncture needle.

  In the case of a conventional ultrasonic probe in which ultrasonic transducers are arranged one-dimensionally, in order to solve the above problem, the operation surface is moved little by little in a direction perpendicular to the tomographic plane, and a stereoscopic image is obtained based on the obtained image. There is a method of grasping the position of the puncture needle by configuring the above. However, in this method, the movement of the ultrasonic probe itself is unstable, and it is difficult to know the exact position of the puncture needle, how much it deviates from the original position, and the like.

  In addition, a technique in which a so-called three-dimensional imaging method in which a scanning surface is sequentially shifted by electronic scanning using an ultrasonic probe in which ultrasonic transducers are two-dimensionally arranged is combined with a puncture technique has been introduced (for example, Patent Documents). 1). However, such an ultrasonic probe has not been widely used because it requires extremely high technology in terms of manufacturing technology and is expensive. In addition, just by displaying a puncture needle and a target by a three-dimensional image, it is not possible to obtain specific information about the exact position of the puncture needle, as in the case of the conventional ultrasonic probe having the one-dimensional arrangement. It does not lead to accurate guidance of the puncture needle.

  The puncture needle guide based on the three-dimensional image has many problems that have not been solved in terms of how to convey the positional relationship between the tip of the puncture needle and the target to the operator through an easy-to-understand display. For example, in an ultrasound image, it is difficult to distinguish cancer tissue, which is one of the targets, from organs such as the liver around it and information other than luminance. In addition, since the brightness is extremely small, an image method such as a perspective method or a wire frame method generally used for three-dimensional display cannot be used.

  In addition to the above two types, a mechanical scanning type ultrasonic probe (hereinafter referred to as a mechanical probe) is being promising as a development of a conventional ultrasonic probe having a one-dimensional array. This mechanical probe has ultrasonic transducers arranged one-dimensionally like a conventional ultrasonic probe, but the scanning surface is controlled manually by the operator in that the scanning surface is mechanically switched. It is possible to increase the accuracy in comparison. Further, it is excellent in that it is possible to obtain a three-dimensional image while being cheaper than an ultrasonic probe in which ultrasonic transducers are two-dimensionally arranged.

However, in the current mechanical probe, like the above-described two types, there is no means for obtaining detailed information on the position of the tip of the puncture needle when used in combination with the puncture needle, and problems in puncture have not been improved.
JP 2000-185041 A (for example, claim 1)

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that notifies information related to the position of the tip of a puncture needle in puncture using a mechanical probe.

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention in order to achieve the above object, the ultrasonic probe comprises a puncture needle to be inserted into a subject, collecting the reflected signal by irradiating ultrasonic wave for the scanning surface of the multiple And creating a plurality of ultrasonic images corresponding to the plurality of scanning planes based on the collected reflected signals, and rendering the puncture needle in the ultrasonic image based on the luminance of the ultrasonic images By mechanically switching between the processing means and the scanning plane, the angular interval between the plurality of scanning planes is set to the first region including the scanning plane corresponding to the ultrasonic image on which the puncture needle is depicted. Scanning surface control means for controlling switching at an angular interval, and switching at a second angular interval larger than the first angular interval in a second region different from the first region, and a notification regarding the rendered puncture needle informing means to perform Characterized by including the.

Method for operating an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention in order to achieve the above object, a step of collecting the reflected signal by irradiating ultrasonic wave for the run査面, run on the basis of the collected reflected signal and creating an ultrasound image corresponding to査面the steps of rendering the puncture needle in the ultrasonic image based on the brightness of the ultrasound image, corresponding to the ultrasound image the puncture needle is rendered In the first region including the scanning surface to be switched, the scanning surface is switched at the first angular interval, and in the second region different from the first region, the second angle that is larger than the first angular interval. The method includes a step of switching at intervals and a step of notifying the rendered puncture needle .

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to grasp | ascertain the position of a puncture needle finely in the puncture using a mechanical probe, and to alert | report the information regarding a position.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe 1, a transmission / reception unit 2, an image processing unit 3, a control unit 4, a speaker 5, a display unit 6, and an input unit 7. . The ultrasonic probe 1 includes an ultrasonic probe 10, a movable mechanism 11, a motor 12, a puncture guide 13, and a puncture needle 14. Further, the ultrasonic probe 10 includes an ultrasonic transducer 110.

  The ultrasonic probe 1 is a mechanical probe. In this ultrasonic probe 1, an ultrasonic probe 10 including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 110 arranged one-dimensionally is mechanically moved in a swinging manner by a movable mechanism 11. The movable mechanism 11 operates by driving the motor 12, and the operation speed changes depending on the rotation speed of the motor. The rotational speed of the motor 12 and other controls are performed based on a control signal from the control unit 4. All or part of the ultrasonic transducer 110 is used according to the size of the target. The puncture needle 14 is inserted into the subject through the puncture guide 13 at the time of puncture.

  The puncture needle 14 is generally made of a metal such as stainless steel, and generates a reflected signal stronger than the reflected signal from the living body in the subject on the ultrasonic image. However, the intensity of the reflected signal varies depending on the positional relationship between the ultrasonic wave (beam) irradiated to obtain reflection and the puncture needle 14. The puncture needle 14 may be processed so as to improve (emphasize) the reflection of ultrasonic waves. For example, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 by performing a special treatment such as notching the surface of the needle tip portion or applying a rough surface treatment. Hereinafter, it is assumed that each ultrasound image in the present embodiment is collected with such a puncture needle 14 inserted.

  Based on the control of the control unit 4, the transmission / reception unit 2 supplies a transmission pulse at a timing when a predetermined delay is given to each ultrasonic transducer 110. Thereby, the ultrasonic transducer | vibrator 110 scans the area | region (scanning surface) according to the arrangement | sequence which generate | occur | produces an ultrasonic wave. When the generated ultrasonic wave is irradiated to the subject, it is reflected by a tissue such as an organ in the subject and collected by the ultrasonic transducer 110 as a reflected signal. The collected reflected signal is received by the transmission / reception unit 2.

  The received reflected signal is given a predetermined delay or the like in the transmitting / receiving unit 2 and then subjected to, for example, B-mode image processing or Doppler mode image processing in the image processing unit 3, and an ultrasonic image corresponding to the scanning plane is obtained. Created. Further, in the image processing unit 3, an ultrasonic image (for example, a B-mode image) in which the puncture needle 14 may be drawn when the puncture needle 14 is ideally inserted and when the puncture needle 14 is deviated from the ideal insertion direction. Luminance information (and position information) is extracted in the area on the / Doppler mode image). Based on the extracted information, a linear distribution that is considered to be a reflected signal of the puncture needle 14 is detected in a portion with relatively high luminance (for example, a portion drawn with the highest luminance). Luminance information (and position information) related to this on-line distribution is stored as information on a portion where the puncture needle 14 is depicted in the ultrasonic image.

  The above operation is performed on a plurality of scanning planes according to the movement of the movable mechanism 11.

  When a plurality of ultrasonic images are obtained in this manner, the image processing unit 3 uses the luminance information (and positional information) stored for each ultrasonic image based on the luminance level and position to determine the tip portion (tip or detection) of the puncture needle 14. A pattern that is considered to be the portion closest to the tip in the range to be detected is detected, and an ultrasonic image that depicts this with the highest luminance is extracted. For this extraction, it is not necessary to store information about all the ultrasonic images as described above. For example, only information about one ultrasonic image may be stored. For example, the stored information is compared with information about the next ultrasound image, and the stored information is maintained when the stored information shows a higher value for the luminance of the tip portion of the puncture needle 14, Conversely, when the information about the next ultrasonic image shows a higher value for the luminance of the tip of the puncture needle 14, the stored information may be rewritten to the information about the ultrasonic image. Further, it may be performed after acquiring the ultrasonic images corresponding to all the scanning planes without performing each time each ultrasonic image is acquired.

  When an ultrasonic image that depicts the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 with the highest luminance is extracted as described above, the control unit performs notification based on the extraction of the ultrasonic image by various methods described below. 4 performs various controls.

  The speaker 5 emits a warning sound as one form of notification. For example, when the extracted ultrasonic image is different from an ultrasonic image (reference ultrasonic image) in which the tip portion is rendered with the highest luminance when the puncture needle 14 is normally inserted, a warning sound is generated. Be emitted. Further, a certain reference value (predetermined) depends on the degree of the difference, for example, how many (how many) ultrasound images are shifted or how many times the angle of the scanning plane is based on the difference of the ultrasound images. If it exceeds the range (1), a warning sound may be emitted. The predetermined range may be arbitrarily set / changed by inputting a specific numerical value using the input unit 7 or by selecting from a plurality of preset selection candidates.

  The display unit 6 may display a visual warning by characters or symbols together with or instead of the generation of the warning sound, or may display the degree of difference. Further, the degree of difference may be made regardless of whether or not it exceeds the predetermined range. The display unit 6 may display the reference ultrasonic image and the extracted ultrasonic image side by side with such display or independently. Further, instead of such a display, for example, ultrasonic images corresponding to all the scanning planes are displayed side by side (in a case where one screen is difficult, by a plurality of screens), and the reference ultrasonic image and the extracted ultrasonic image are displayed. You may make it display in the aspect which can be distinguished (identified) from another ultrasonic image. Examples of distinguishable modes include changing the color of the image frame and the density of the border line. The display of all the ultrasonic images may be performed by switching between the display of only the reference ultrasonic image and the extracted ultrasonic image. For example, if the puncture needle 14 is inserted as it is, only the extracted ultrasonic image is displayed in the sense that at least it can be recognized that it is dangerous in relation to other organs due to the complex structure of the living body. You may make it do.

  The input unit 7 is used for inputting or selecting various information, and the information is given to the control unit 4. Specifically, for example, in addition to the above, it is used to input an instruction for executing collection of ultrasonic images corresponding to a plurality of scanning planes at an arbitrary timing. In addition, it is possible to input from the input unit 7 an instruction for periodically performing collection of ultrasonic images corresponding to the plurality of scanning planes at a predetermined time interval (for example, every 10 seconds) instead of an arbitrary timing. Also good. In this case, the time interval may be changeable. This can be performed, for example, by inputting a specific numerical value using the input unit 7 or by selecting from a plurality of preset selection candidates.

  Furthermore, in the input unit 7, when the puncture needle 14 is normally inserted, an ultrasonic image drawn at the highest brightness is not used as the reference ultrasonic image, but other ultrasonic images are used as the reference. It may be used to change and input an ultrasonic image. That is, by making it possible to use a scanning surface different from the surface into which the puncture needle 14 is inserted as a reference for measuring the degree of the difference, it is possible to flexibly respond to the purpose of the operator of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus or as reference information. Is possible.

  FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of the appearance of the ultrasonic probe 1. Here, the puncture needle 14 is omitted. The ultrasonic probe 10 is attached to the mechanical scanning rotary shaft 20 on the side opposite to the ultrasonic transducer 110 that scans a predetermined scanning surface by irradiating ultrasonic waves. The mechanical scanning rotating shaft 20 forms a part of the movable mechanism 11 and enables the ultrasonic probe 10 to operate in an arc shape within a certain movable range, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. The ultrasonic transducer 110 irradiates the ultrasonic wave and collects the reflected signal at each arc-shaped position where the ultrasonic probe 10 operates, so that the ultrasonic wave corresponding to, for example, the scanning planes A to E at these positions. An image can be obtained.

  Next, an example of a scanning surface when the puncture needle 14 is inserted and an ultrasonic image corresponding to the scanning surface are shown.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reference ultrasonic image. When the puncture needle 14 is ideally inserted into the target 30, the puncture needle 14 and the target 30 can be included in one scanning plane. Accordingly, these are drawn on one ultrasonic image 31 corresponding to the scanning plane including the tip of the puncture needle 14. Except when the setting is changed by the operator as described above, such an ultrasonic image 31 is a reference ultrasonic image, and the scanning plane is a reference scanning plane.

  In actual puncture, the ultrasonic probe 10 is fixed at such a position, and the ultrasonic scanning is repeated on the reference scanning plane fixed without moving the movable mechanism 11. As a result, the operator, that is, the operator, can complete the puncture procedure by proceeding with the insertion of the puncture needle 14 while referring to the reference ultrasonic image in which the puncture needle 14 and the target 30 are depicted.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of the reference ultrasonic image. As shown in the figure, even when the puncture needle 14 is not ideally inserted due to the influence of other organs or the like and is curved in the middle, the reference can be obtained when the curvature is along the reference scanning plane. An ultrasound image 31 can be depicted.

  FIG. 5 shows a reference scanning plane corresponding to the reference ultrasonic image 31 when the reference ultrasonic image 31 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is viewed from the X direction. As shown in FIG. 5, since the scanning by the ultrasonic transducer 110 is performed with a constant width (slice thickness), the reference scanning plane 50 corresponding to the reference ultrasonic image 31 has a constant thickness. When the puncture needle 14 is within this thickness, it is displayed as shown in FIGS. Needless to say, the other scanning planes have a certain thickness.

  On the other hand, when the insertion of the puncture needle 14 is advanced, the puncture needle 14 is not entirely depicted in the reference ultrasonic image 31 when the puncture needle 14 is bent away from the scanning surface 50. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the curved puncture needle 14 and a plurality of scanning planes. In the figure, a scanning plane C is a reference scanning plane. The tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is not included in the reference scanning plane C as a result of bending. In the case of FIG. 6, the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is at the position of the scanning plane E described later. Therefore, the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is depicted with high luminance in the ultrasonic image corresponding to the scanning plane E, but is not depicted with high luminance in the reference ultrasonic image corresponding to the reference scanning plane C. Actually, the reference ultrasound image is rendered with high luminance up to the position 60 of the puncture needle 14, but the portion beyond that is rendered with low luminance, or in some cases, it may not be recognizable. obtain.

  Accordingly, in such a case, the movable mechanism 11 is driven by the motor 12 and the ultrasonic probe 10 is moved in an arc shape to perform ultrasonic scanning on, for example, a plurality of scanning planes A to E, thereby obtaining corresponding ultrasonic images. . Thereby, an ultrasonic image corresponding to the scanning plane E in which the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is depicted by the method described above can be obtained. When the angle for each scanning plane is known in advance in the control unit 4 or the like, the operator displays the angle information based on the number of scanning planes from the reference scanning plane C to the scanning plane E on the display section 6, so that the operator can puncture the needle 14. It is possible to know the deviation angle of the tip part of. In addition, it is possible to grasp the degree of deviation by simply displaying the scanning plane number information. In order to provide more detailed information, for example, position information on the scanning surface E (on the corresponding ultrasonic image) of the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is also taken in, and the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 from the reference scanning surface C. May be calculated and displayed.

  In addition, as described above, when the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is out of the reference scanning plane C, a warning sound may be emitted from the speaker 5. Further, instead of simply deviating from the reference scanning plane C, a warning may be issued when the degree of deviation (difference) exceeds a predetermined range. For example, the warning may not be performed when the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is at the position of the scanning plane D, and the warning may be performed for the first time when it is on the scanning plane E. The warning is not limited to the warning sound from the speaker 5, and may be visual, for example, displaying a message or warning mark on the display unit 6.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of display of ultrasonic images corresponding to the scanning planes A to E in the embodiment of the present invention. The ultrasonic images A to E are images obtained by scanning on the scanning planes A to E, respectively. In the display unit 6, the target 30 is depicted on the C plane, which is a reference ultrasound image, and the upper part is depicted with high luminance from a portion where the puncture needle 14 is located (position 60 in FIG. 6). As for the part below the certain part, there is a part drawn with low luminance, but there may be a part not drawn sufficiently. Since the C plane is a reference ultrasonic image, the ideal insertion direction of the puncture needle 14 with respect to the target 30 is displayed as a puncture guide mark. Since the middle portion of the puncture needle 14 is depicted with high brightness on the D plane, it can be determined that this ultrasonic image does not sufficiently depict the tip portion of the puncture needle 14. As shown in FIG. 6, in FIG. 7, the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is depicted with high brightness on the E plane. By referring to the ultrasonic image in which the puncture needle 14 is actually depicted in this way, the operator can obtain a specific image of the actual state of the puncture needle 14 as compared with the case of only a warning or the like. Operability on puncture can be improved.

  In such a situation, the operator cannot move the puncture needle 14 as it is, and therefore needs to be pulled out from the subject. At this time, it becomes easy to grasp how much the image should be pulled out by using the images and the information indicating the degree of shift. There are many cases where there is no obstacle that hindered ideal insertion of the puncture needle 14 by slightly moving the subject's breathing or body. This is because it may be possible to insert along the puncture guide mark if it is pulled out to the closed position.

  In order to make a more accurate determination, for example, when the puncture needle 14 is pulled out to some extent, each scanning plane is scanned again by the input unit 7 and ultrasonic images for the corresponding scanning planes A to E are displayed. Also good. Thereby, it can be determined based on the update information whether the puncture needle 14 has been sufficiently pulled out or not yet pulled. In this re-scanning, all the scanning planes A to E may be scanned as described above, but the entire scanning time can be shortened by not scanning the unnecessary range. Become. For example, in the case of FIG. 7, scanning may be limited to the scanning planes C to E. Incidentally, the limitation of the scanning range is not limited to such a case, and scanning may be performed on the first plurality of scanning planes by limiting to a certain range that can be predicted in advance. The scanning range may be arbitrarily set / changed by inputting or selecting from the input unit 7.

  When all the scanning planes A to E are displayed as shown in FIG. 7, the ultrasonic image E plane in which the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is depicted with the highest luminance is distinguished from other ultrasonic images (A plane to D plane). Therefore, the ultrasonic image E plane may be surrounded by the identification frame frame 70. Similarly, when displaying an image other than an ultrasonic image in which the reference ultrasonic image C-plane and the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 are rendered with high luminance, the ultrasonic image rendered with high luminance is surrounded by an identification frame. Also good.

  When the puncture guide mark is displayed, it is possible to recognize the reference ultrasonic image C surface separately from other images. However, the puncture guide mark is surrounded by an identification frame frame 71 in that it can be easily identified. Also good. The identification frame frame 71 may be distinguished from the identification frame frame 70.

  Enclosing the frame with the identification frame frames 70 and 71 in this way is effective in that it can be instantaneously identified when there are many ultrasonic images to be displayed. Note that the identification frame frames 70 and 71 are one method for distinguishing these images from other images, and may be any color, density, size, and other modes that can be distinguished.

  For example, only the ultrasonic image C plane and E plane of FIG. 7 may be displayed on the display unit 6.

As described above, information regarding the degree of deviation of the E plane from the C plane may be displayed together with the display of the ultrasonic image.
(First modification)
Hereinafter, a first modification of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of scanning on a plurality of tomographic planes when the puncture needle 14 is in a curved insertion state. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which further fine scanning after the scanning in FIG. 8 is performed.

  FIG. 8 shows that when the puncture needle 14 is bent without being ideally inserted, ultrasonic images corresponding to all the scanning planes a to i are collected, and the tip portion thereof is at the position of the scanning plane g. It captures that. In the first scanning shown in FIG. 6, the scanning surface switching is finer than in the case of FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 9, in order to capture the tip of the puncture needle 14 more finely. And fine scanning is performed between the scanning surface g and the scanning surface h.

  For example, when it is desired to roughly grasp the position of the tip portion of the puncture needle 14, it is only necessary to switch the scanning surface roughly and recognize that it is at the position of the scanning surface g in FIG. On the other hand, when it is desired to know the position of the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 more accurately, it is known from the scan of FIG. 8 that the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 is already between the scanning surfaces g and h. The scanning plane is further finely switched between these planes. As a result, it is possible to know from the ultrasonic images corresponding to the scanning planes g1 to g3 that the tip of the puncture needle 14 is at the position of the scanning plane g1.

Such narrowing of the tip of the puncture needle 14 may be performed in more stages than the two stages as shown in FIGS.
(Second modification)
Next, a second modification of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The second modified example is an example in which the first modified example is efficiently executed. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of scanning on a plurality of tomographic planes when the puncture needle 14 is in a curved insertion state. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example in the case of performing further fine scanning after the scanning of FIG.

  FIG. 10 shows that when the puncture needle 14 is bent without being ideally inserted, ultrasonic images corresponding to the scanning planes a to h are collected so that the tip portion is at the position of the scanning plane g. It captures. In the first modification, scanning is performed on all the preset scanning planes a to i. However, in the second modified example, as a result of obtaining luminance by obtaining an ultrasonic image corresponding to the scanning plane h, the puncture needle 14 drawn with high luminance on the scanning planes e to g is not drawn with high luminance on the scanning plane h. When this is detected, scanning is stopped. Therefore, if the stop determination based on this detection is before the scan execution on the scan plane i, the scan on the scan plane i is not performed. If it is after the scan execution on the scan plane i (when the scan after the scan plane j is scheduled), the scan plane after the stop determination will not be scanned.

  After the scanning in FIG. 10 is performed, as in the first modification, when performing fine scanning, scanning is performed by switching the scanning surface between the scanning surfaces g and h. In this case as well, the scanning method of FIG. 10 can be applied. That is, after it is detected that the tip of the puncture needle 14 is depicted with high brightness in the ultrasound image corresponding to the scanning plane g1, the tip of the puncture needle 14 is high in the ultrasound image corresponding to the scanning plane g2. Scanning is stopped when it is detected that luminance is not drawn. From the above, it is possible to extract an ultrasound image that depicts the tip portion of the puncture needle 14 with high luminance without performing scanning more than necessary. Providing various types of information to the operator in accordance with this extraction is as described in detail in the previous embodiment.

  In the above-described embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 1 has at least one of a predetermined reference scanning surface among a plurality of scanning surfaces and a scanning surface corresponding to the extracted ultrasonic image more frequently than the other scanning surfaces. You may make it scan.

  The embodiment of the present invention described above is merely an example described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and is not a description for limiting the present invention. Accordingly, each of the constituent elements and other elements disclosed in the above-described embodiment of the present invention can be changed in design or modified to equivalents thereof without departing from the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, any possible combination of the same components and other elements is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the same effects as those obtained in the embodiment of the present invention described above can be obtained.

1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the external appearance of an ultrasonic probe. The figure which shows an example of a reference | standard ultrasonic image. The figure which shows another example of a reference | standard ultrasonic image. The figure which shows an example of the cross section of the scanning surface corresponding to the reference | standard ultrasonic image shown by FIG. 3 or FIG. The figure which shows an example of the relationship between the curved puncture needle and a some scanning surface. The figure which shows an example of the display of the ultrasonic image corresponding to the some scanning surface in the Example of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the scan in the some tomographic surface in case a puncture needle exists in a curved insertion state. The figure which shows an example in the case of performing the further fine scanning after the scanning of FIG. The figure which shows another example of the scan in the some tomographic plane in case a puncture needle exists in a curved insertion state. The figure which shows an example in the case of performing the further fine scanning after the scanning of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ultrasonic probe 2 ... Transmission / reception part 3 ... Image processing part 4 ... Control part 5 ... Speaker 6 ... Display part 7 ... Input part 10 ... Ultrasound Probe 11 ... Moving mechanism 12 ... Motor 13 ... Puncture guide 14 ... Puncture needle 20 ... Machine scanning rotary shafts 70, 71 ... Identification frame frame 110 ... Ultrasonic vibration Child

Claims (17)

Comprising a puncture needle to be inserted into a subject, an ultrasonic probe that collects the reflected signal by irradiating ultrasonic wave for the scanning surface of the multiple,
Image processing means for creating a plurality of ultrasonic images corresponding to the plurality of scanning planes based on the collected reflection signals and rendering the puncture needle in the ultrasonic image based on the luminance of the ultrasonic images When,
By mechanically switching the scanning planes, the angular intervals of the plurality of scanning planes are changed at the first angular intervals in the first region including the scanning plane corresponding to the ultrasonic image on which the puncture needle is depicted. Scanning plane control means for switching and controlling to switch at a second angular interval larger than the first angular interval in a second region different from the first region;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an informing means for informing about the drawn puncture needle . The image processing means renders the puncture needle based on the fact that the luminance of the ultrasonic image exceeds a predetermined value
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 . The scanning plane control unit switches the angular interval from the second angular interval to the first angular interval in response to the image processing unit rendering the puncture needle.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 . The scanning surface control means includes
When the image processing means does not depict the puncture needle in the ultrasound image on the scanning surface irradiated with ultrasound, the scanning surface is switched to the scanning surface included in the first region.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The notification means is any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a warning when a scanning plane corresponding to the ultrasound image the puncture needle with a predetermined a predetermined reference scanning surface is depicted are different An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to 1. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the warning is performed when the difference exceeds a predetermined angle range. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined angle range is changeable. 8. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the notification means displays a difference amount when a predetermined reference scanning plane and a scanning plane corresponding to an ultrasonic image on which the puncture needle is depicted are different. or ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to item 1. 9. The display device according to claim 5, wherein the notification unit displays an ultrasonic image corresponding to a predetermined reference scanning plane that is set in advance and an ultrasonic image in which the puncture needle is depicted . 10. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. The supervising device according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the notifying unit displays the plurality of ultrasonic images, and at least displays an ultrasonic image in which the puncture needle is depicted. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. The notification means is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the identifiably displayed ultrasonic images corresponding to a predetermined reference scan plane a predetermined. Ultrasonic diagnosis according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the ultrasonic probe is characterized by repeating the collection of radiation and the reflection signal of the ultrasonic wave in the plurality of scan planes at a predetermined time interval apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the predetermined time interval is changeable. The ultrasonic probe scans at least one of a predetermined reference scanning plane among the plurality of scanning planes and a scanning plane corresponding to an ultrasonic image on which the puncture needle is depicted more times than the other scanning planes. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The ultrasonic probe further includes an instruction unit for instructing scanning, and the ultrasonic probe performs irradiation of the ultrasonic waves and collection of the reflection signals on the plurality of scanning surfaces in accordance with an instruction from the instruction unit. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of any one of Claims 1 thru | or 14 . The puncture needle ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it is made process for improving the reflection of the ultrasound. And collecting the reflected signal for the run査面by irradiating ultrasonic waves,
And creating an ultrasound image corresponding to the run査面based on the collected reflected signals,
Rendering the puncture needle in the ultrasound image based on the brightness of the ultrasound image ;
In the first region including the scanning surface corresponding to the ultrasonic image in which the puncture needle is depicted, the scanning surface is switched at a first angular interval, and in the second region different from the first region, Switching a scan plane at a second angular interval greater than the first angular interval;
And a step of notifying the rendered puncture needle .

Images