JP5462598B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic system, and more particularly to display of a position of a cross section when an image of a cross section is generated and displayed from three-dimensional echo data.

  A current ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus generally displays an image based on the position of an ultrasonic probe (hereinafter referred to as a probe). Such a probe position reference image is easy to understand for the doctor who is actually operating the probe for diagnosis, but it is not clear where and in what direction the probe is applied. It is not always easy to understand. For example, if the diagnostic image data is stored and the doctor or another person observes the tomographic image later, the probe is not operated at the time of observation. It is difficult to grasp the image. In addition, for telemedicine and the like, the diagnostic image is also displayed for the observer of the remote observer in the same way when the data is transferred from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus to the remote observer for display. It is difficult to understand where the image is.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that displays an image of an arbitrary cross section in ultrasonic three-dimensional image data. In this technique, a three-dimensional image of a tissue obtained by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is displayed as a reference image in a wire frame of a three-dimensional space based on the three-dimensional image data, and a cut surface of a tomographic image display target from a user. In response to the instruction, a cut surface cursor which is an image of the cut surface is displayed. Then, a tomographic image obtained by viewing the cut surface from a predetermined direction is generated from the three-dimensional image data, and displayed side by side with the reference image.

  Patent Document 2 discloses that a mark indicating which part of the body of a subject is touched with a probe is displayed together with an ultrasonic image.

  In Patent Document 3, a body mark that imitates the body of a subject is displayed on a screen together with a diagnostic image, the position of the probe is measured with a magnetic sensor or the like, and a probe mark that represents the probe at that position on the body mark A technique for displaying is disclosed.

  In the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 4, the spatial position and orientation of the probe are measured, and the measurement data is stored in a cine memory or the like in association with ultrasonic reception data (for example, a tomographic image) of the probe. . When the received data is read from the cine memory or the like and the image is reproduced, a reference image is generated and displayed based on the coordinate data associated with the received data. The reference image is composed of a body mark imitating the body and a probe mark imitating the probe, and the diagnosis state at the time of receiving the received data is schematically reproduced by the reference image. That is, the diagnostic part and diagnostic angle in the subject are expressed as the position and posture of the probe mark on the body mark.

JP 2004-49426 A JP-A-6-22966 JP 2004-05379 A JP 2005-124712 A

  The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 displays how the cut surface of the tomographic image is positioned with respect to the three-dimensional image of the tissue obtained by ultrasound. However, a three-dimensional image of a tissue obtained by ultrasound is not always easy to understand. In particular, it is difficult for a person who is not familiar with an ultrasonic diagnostic image of an organ or the like indicated by the three-dimensional image.

  Each of the techniques described in Patent Documents 2, 3, and 4 provides information on the position and posture of the probe with respect to the body surface using marks. However, it is not always easy to understand the positional relationship of the range represented by the ultrasonic diagnostic image with respect to the organ or fetus in the body from the position and posture of the probe with respect to the body surface.

The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the present invention stores three-dimensional shape model data representing a general three-dimensional shape of an organ or fetus to be observed, and coordinate information of each feature point in the three-dimensional shape model data. A storage means; and a three-dimensional echo data generation means for generating and receiving three-dimensional echo data of an observation region including the organ or fetus to be observed in the subject by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in the subject; From the 3D echo data generated by the 3D echo data generation means, specify each feature point corresponding to each feature point of the 3D model data, and the coordinates of the feature point of the specified 3D echo data And coordinate conversion information generation for generating coordinate conversion information between the three-dimensional model data and the three-dimensional echo data based on the coordinates of each feature point of the three-dimensional model data And stage, from the three-dimensional echo data, the tomographic image generating means for generating a tomographic image of a specified section of the user, to generate a model image representing the three-dimensional shape model data, the cross-section in which the user specifies Based on the position and orientation in the three-dimensional echo data and the coordinate conversion information, the position and orientation of the cross section on the three-dimensional model data are obtained, and the cross-section cursor having the obtained position and orientation is taken as the model image. A display image in which the model image generating unit to be combined with the tomographic image generated by the tomographic image generating unit and the model image combined with the cross-sectional cursor generated by the model image generating unit are associated with each other. And a display image generating means for generating an ultrasonic diagnostic system.

  In a further aspect, the coordinate conversion information generation unit causes the user to specify a cross section in the three-dimensional echo data for each of the feature points, and the tertiary image generated by the tomographic image generation unit for the specified cross section. On the tomographic image of the original echo data, a feature point designating unit that accepts designation of the position of the feature point from the user, a position on the tomographic image of the feature point that has been designated by the feature point designating unit, and the tertiary Calculation means for calculating coordinates in the three-dimensional echo data of the feature point based on the position of the cross section corresponding to the tomographic image in the original echo data, and for each of the feature points The coordinate conversion information may be generated based on the coordinates calculated by the calculation means and the coordinates of the feature points in the three-dimensional model data.

  In another aspect, the coordinate conversion information generating means uses one of the three-dimensional echo data and the three-dimensional model data as a template, executes a template matching process on the other, and obtains the template matching process. The coordinate conversion information may be generated based on the translation amount, rotation angle, and scale of the template when the value of the obtained correlation coefficient is maximized.

  In a further aspect, the system according to the present invention includes a cross-section change instruction accepting unit that accepts a change instruction of the position and orientation of the cross-section cursor on the model image in the display image generated by the display image generating unit, Cross-section conversion for converting the information indicating the position and orientation of the cross-section cursor changed according to the change instruction into information indicating the position and orientation of the cross-section in the coordinate system of the three-dimensional echo data using the coordinate conversion information Means for generating a tomographic image of a cross section represented by the information indicating the position and orientation after conversion obtained by the cross section converting means from the three-dimensional echo data. Also good.

  According to the present invention, the positional relationship of the cross section of the tomographic image with respect to the observation target inside the subject can be displayed in relation to the three-dimensional model data representing the three-dimensional shape of the observation target.

1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the procedure of a feature point position designation | designated. It is a figure which shows typically the example of the screen display for the position designation | designated of the feature point. It is a figure which shows typically the example of the display screen which displays the guide display which displayed the cross-section cursor, and a tomographic image side by side. It is a figure which shows typically another example of the screen display for the position designation | designated of the feature point. It is a flowchart which shows another example of the process sequence of embodiment.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the functional configuration of an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

  The illustrated apparatus is an apparatus that displays a three-dimensional ultrasonic image. In this apparatus, a 3D (three-dimensional) probe 10 is an ultrasonic probe that scans a three-dimensional echo acquisition region in a subject with an ultrasonic beam and receives an echo reflected in the subject. The 3D probe 10 may be of any type, such as a type that mechanically scans a transducer array of a one-dimensional array or a type that uses a two-dimensional array transducer. The transmission / reception control unit 12 controls the 3D probe 10 to form and scan a transmission ultrasonic beam and receives an echo signal (reception signal) received by each vibration element of the transducer array of the 3D probe 10. The phasing addition unit 14 generates a reception beam by phasing and adding the reception signals of the respective vibration elements obtained by the 3D probe 10. The beam processing unit 16 performs signal processing such as detection processing and logarithmic conversion processing on the received signal (beam data) after phasing addition. The beam data after the signal processing can be addressed by three-dimensional coordinates (for example, a set of coordinates representing the two-dimensional direction of the ultrasonic beam and the depth representing the depth of the echo reflection point, or orthogonal three-dimensional coordinates). It is written in the memory 18. Before the writing, coordinate conversion may be performed from a beam scanning coordinate system to a display coordinate system such as an orthogonal coordinate system, if necessary. Thus, the memory 18 stores volume data for one frame (three-dimensional data obtained by scanning the three-dimensional echo acquisition area once) to a plurality of frames. When scanning is performed continuously, the beam data currently acquired is overwritten on the data of the oldest frame in the memory 18, such as a ring buffer.

  The tomographic image generation unit 20 generates a tomographic image of a specified cross section from the volume data. The user can change the position and orientation of the cross section for generating the tomographic image by operating the input device 28. For example, when the user scans the input device 28 (for example, a pointing device such as a trackball) while viewing the three-dimensional image or tomographic image displayed on the display device 24 and indicates the position and orientation of the cross section, the instruction is given. The data is transmitted to the tomographic image generation unit 20 via the central control unit 26. The tomographic image generation unit 20 generates a tomographic image by reading out the values of voxels on the cross section at the designated position and orientation from the volume data.

  The image generation / synthesis unit 22 generates a three-dimensional image of the three-dimensional echo acquisition region based on the volume data in the memory 18, and arranges the three-dimensional image and the tomographic image generated by the tomographic image generation unit 20, for example. Combine them into one screen, such as displaying them. The synthesized screen image is displayed on a display device 24 such as a liquid crystal display.

  Each module described so far may be the same as the conventional three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  In this embodiment, the display device 24 further performs a guide display indicating the positional relationship of the tomographic image with respect to the observation target such as an organ or a fetus in the three-dimensional echo acquisition region together with the tomographic image. Regarding the display of the position of the tomographic image, conventionally, a tomographic image of an arbitrary cross section designated by the user in the volume data is displayed, and the position of the cross section is displayed on the tomographic images of three predetermined cross sections (for example, It is displayed (as an intersection line between an arbitrary cross section and these three cross sections). In the following, the cross section designated by the user as the display target of the tomographic image is referred to as an arbitrary cross section in comparison with a system fixed cross section such as three orthogonal cross sections. However, for a person who is not familiar with the echo tomographic image of the observation object or who does not know in what direction the 3D probe 10 is being applied to the observation object, such a guide display will be considered as an observation object. It cannot be said that the position display with the arbitrary cross section is easy to understand. Therefore, in this embodiment, a model representing a three-dimensional shape such as an organ or fetus to be observed is displayed, and the position and orientation of an arbitrary cross section for displaying a tomographic image is displayed on the three-dimensional shape model. The three-dimensional shape model is a three-dimensional computer graphics or three-dimensional CAD (computer-aided design) model that represents a typical three-dimensional shape of an observation target such as an organ or a fetus, such as a surface model or a solid model. It is a model. In the case of the surface model, it may represent the outer surface of the observation target, and if there is an internal structure such as a cavity in the outer surface of the observation target, the surface of the internal structure (for example, the ventricle or the atrium) It may represent both an inner surface and a valve) and an outer surface. Further, in the case of a solid model, it may represent the outer shape of an observation target, or may represent both the outer shape and an internal structure such as a cavity therein. Hereinafter, such a three-dimensional shape model to be observed is referred to as a reference model. General and typical shapes can be assumed for the shapes of observation targets such as organs and fetuses based on anatomical knowledge. In this embodiment, a reference model representing such typical shapes is created in advance. And use it.

  For such guide display, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this embodiment includes a storage device 30, a coordinate matching processing unit 36, a cursor generation unit 38, and a model image generation unit 40.

  The storage device 30 is a nonvolatile storage device such as a hard disk, and stores reference model data 34 and feature point data 32. The reference model data 34 is three-dimensional shape data representing the reference model as described above. The feature point data 32 is definition data of a plurality of feature points determined on the reference model. The feature point is a point that serves as a reference for aligning the reference model with actual three-dimensional echo data (that is, volume data) obtained by ultrasonic scanning. For example, when the observation target is a fetus, feature points include the tip of the nose, the tip of the jaw, the center of the right eye, and the center of the left eye. The feature point data 32 of an observation target includes the type of each feature point of the observation target (for example, the tip of the nose or the tip of the jaw) and coordinate data. The coordinates in this case are coordinates in the coordinate system of the reference model.

  The coordinate matching processing unit 36 is a processing module that aligns the volume data in the memory 18 and the reference model. The volume data is generally expressed in a coordinate system (referred to as a probe coordinate system) defined based on the 3D probe 10, whereas the reference model is expressed in the coordinate system of the reference model itself. There is also a gap between the actual shape of the object to be observed and the reference model that is a typical shape. Therefore, the coordinate matching processing unit 36 calculates a coordinate transformation for aligning the reference model with the volume data (or vice versa). This coordinate conversion includes components such as translation, rotation, and enlargement / reduction.

  In order to obtain this coordinate transformation, in this embodiment, coordinate transformation between the volume data and the reference model is obtained so that the positions of the same feature points coincide with each other. Information about each feature point of the reference model is stored in advance in the storage device 32 as feature point data 32. Each feature point of the volume data is specified by the user on the image displayed on the display device 24.

  The cursor generation unit 38 converts the position and orientation of an arbitrary cross section designated by the user with respect to the volume data into the coordinate system of the reference model using the coordinate conversion information obtained by the coordinate matching processing unit 36, and To generate three-dimensional data of the cross-section cursor representing the arbitrary cross-section.

  The model image generation unit 40 generates a model image in which the cross-section cursor is shown on the reference model by rendering the reference model data 34 and the three-dimensional data of the cross-section cursor generated by the cursor generation unit 38.

  The image generation / synthesis unit 22 generates a display screen that displays the model image together with the tomographic image of the cross section specified by the user generated by the tomographic image generation unit 20, and supplies the generated display screen to the display device 24. When the display of the 3D image is instructed, the image generation / synthesis unit 22 generates a display screen that also displays the 3D image in which the volume data is rendered.

  The central control unit 26 controls the modules such as the transmission / reception control unit 12 and the coordinate matching processing unit 36 described so far.

  Among the functional modules shown in FIG. 1, the central control unit 26, the coordinate matching processing unit 36, the cursor generating unit 38, and the model image generating unit 40, for example, execute a program describing the processing of each functional module on the processor. This can be realized.

  Next, an example of a processing procedure for displaying a cross-section cursor in the apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In this procedure, when the user places the 3D probe 10 on the body surface of the subject so as to cover the region to be observed, the 3D probe 10 scans the ultrasonic beam as shown in FIG. Volume data is generated (S10). Thereby, for example, the three-dimensional image of the volume data generated by the image generation / synthesis unit 22 and the tomographic image of the arbitrary cross section (initially set cross section) generated by the tomographic image generation unit 20 are displayed on the display device 24. Is displayed. In the mode of displaying three orthogonal cross sections, further, tomographic images of three predetermined cross sections orthogonal to each other are generated by the tomographic image generation unit 20 and displayed on the display device 24. This volume data is a target of alignment processing with a reference model described below. Note that when volume data of a plurality of frames is stored in the memory 18, the user may select one of them as a target for the following alignment processing and display it on the display device 24.

  When the user instructs display of the cross-section cursor via the input device 28, the central control unit 26 executes a feature point position designation process (S12). An example of the feature point position designation process is shown in FIG.

  In the process of FIG. 3, the central control unit 26 displays a message on the screen of the display device 24 that prompts the user to specify the position of one of the feature points to be observed (S30). For example, if the observation target is a fetus, out of the four feature points of the tip of the nose, the tip of the jaw, the right eye, and the left eye, first a message that specifies the tip of the nose (for example, “a tomographic plane that clearly represents the tip of the nose” Display and specify the position of the tip of the nose on the tomographic plane. ”) Is displayed on the screen. In this case, the fact that the observation target is a fetus may be specified by the user to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus at the start of diagnosis, for example. At this time, since the tomographic image of the default cross section is displayed on the display device 24 (S32), the user operates the input device 28 as necessary to indicate the position and orientation of the cross section to be displayed (arbitrary cross section). Change (S34). When the display cross section is changed, the tomographic image generation unit 20 generates a tomographic image of the changed cross section from the volume data and displays it on the display device 24.

  When the tomographic image of the cross section including the designated feature point is displayed on the display device 24, the user scans the input device 28 and designates the position of the feature point on the tomographic image. The central control unit 26 acquires the position of the feature point on the tomographic image designated by the user (S36).

  Then, the central control unit 26 calculates the position in the coordinate system of the volume data from information indicating the position and orientation of the display cross section (for example, parameters of equations representing the cross section) and information on the position of the feature point on the tomographic image. The coordinates of the feature points are calculated (S38).

  The central control unit 26 repeats the processes of S30 to S38 described above for all feature points set for the observation target (S40).

  For example, in the example of FIG. 4, first, when the user is prompted to specify the tip of the nose, the user changes the position and orientation of the arbitrary cross section, and a tomographic image 100A in which the tip of the nose appears often is displayed on the display device 24. Then, the position of the tip 110 of the nose is designated on the image 100A. Next, when the user is prompted to specify the tip of the jaw, the user causes the display device 24 to display a tomographic image 100B in which the tip of the jaw appears frequently, and specifies the position of the tip of the jaw 110 on the image 100B. Next, when the user is prompted to specify the right eye and the left eye, the user causes the display device 24 to display a tomographic image 100C in which both eyes often appear, and specifies the positions of the right eye 114 and the left eye 116 on the image 100C. Note that the schematic diagram of the echo tomographic image such as FIG. 4 attached to this specification is drawn by inverting the gray density of the actual tomographic image and simplifying the other gradations.

  Note that the feature points to be observed are classified into essential feature points and non-essential feature points, and if all the essential feature points are specified, the non-essential feature points may not be specified. Good.

  When the coordinates of each feature point on the volume data are found in this way, the procedure returns to the procedure of FIG. 2, and then the central control unit 26 executes a feature point coordinate matching process on the coordinate matching processing unit 36. (S16). The coordinate matching processing unit 36 calculates coordinate transformation for matching the coordinates of each feature point on the volume data with the coordinates of each corresponding feature point on the reference model. The required coordinate transformation is expressed by information such as a coordinate transformation matrix. In addition, it is not essential that the coordinates of all feature points are completely the same between the two. For example, coordinate conversion that minimizes the sum of the error of coordinates between corresponding feature points over all feature points may be obtained.

  When the coordinate conversion information is obtained in this way, the cursor generation unit 38 receives information representing the position and orientation of the volume data of the current arbitrary cross section in the coordinate system from the central control unit 26, and converts the arbitrary cross section to the coordinate conversion. By performing coordinate conversion using the information, an arbitrary cross section in the coordinate system of the reference model is obtained, and cross section cursor data representing the arbitrary cross section is generated (S16). The section cursor data is three-dimensional data representing a plane of an arbitrary section in the coordinate system of the reference model. The model image generation unit 40 renders the tomographic cursor data and the reference model data 34, thereby generating a model image in which a cursor representing an arbitrary cross section is combined with the three-dimensional shape of the reference model (S18). The image generation / synthesis unit 22 displays the model image with the cross-sectional cursor as a guide display on the display device 24 together with the current tomographic image of an arbitrary cross-section (S20).

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a display screen in which a tomographic image 200 having an arbitrary cross section and a guide display 210 are displayed side by side. The arbitrary cross section in this example is a cross section with the face of the fetus. In the guide display 210, a cross section cursor 214 representing the arbitrary cross section is synthesized with the reference model image 212 representing the shape of the fetus.

  After this display, when the user further operates the input device 28 to change the position and orientation of the arbitrary cross section (Yes in S22), the cursor generation unit 38 again displays the cross section cursor data representing the changed arbitrary cross section. The model image generation unit 40 renders a model image obtained by synthesizing the cross-section cursor data and the reference model (S18), and displays the rendering result guide display together with the tomographic image of the arbitrary cross-section after the change. (S20). The above processing is repeated until the user gives an end instruction (S24).

  As described above, in this embodiment, the positional relationship of the cross section of the tomographic image with respect to the observation target inside the subject such as an organ or a fetus can be shown. In this embodiment, since the cross-section cursor is displayed on the reference model whose shape is easier to grasp than the echo image itself, the person who is not familiar with the echo image to be observed and the position and orientation of the 3D probe 10 are known. It is easy for people who do not know the position of the arbitrary section. Doctors know the shape of various organs using medical books, etc., so even if the echo image itself is difficult to understand, if it is a reference model that models the typical shape of the organ or fetus to be observed, the shape and position Easy to grasp the relationship.

  Information on a display screen generated by the image generation / synthesis unit 22 that displays a tomographic image of an arbitrary cross section and a guide display including a cross section cursor is transmitted to a remote location via a data communication network such as a local area network or the Internet. It can also be sent to and displayed on a display device.

  Further, when storing the volume data, the coordinate conversion information obtained by the coordinate matching processing unit 36 and the information specifying the reference model may be stored in association with the volume data. The association can be performed, for example, by a method of incorporating coordinate conversion information as attribute information in a volume data file. When displaying the stored volume data on the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus itself or another apparatus, the position of the arbitrary cross section of the volume data can be determined by using the corresponding coordinate conversion information and reference model information. Can be displayed by cursor.

  Moreover, although the fetus was taken as an example in FIGS. 4 and 5, the method of this embodiment can be applied to an organ such as the heart. In the case of the heart, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the user selects a tomographic image 300 of the apical four-chamber cross section in which all the left and right ventricles and atrium are captured from the volume data, as illustrated in FIG. . From the tomographic image 300, two mitral valve annulus parts (intersection of the cross-section and the annulus part), tricuspid valve annulus parts, and one apex part are selected as feature points. Let Then, coordinate transformation may be obtained so that the positions of these feature points are aligned with the feature points in the apex four-chamber cross section set in the heart reference model.

  In the above example, the feature point is specified on the volume data by the user for the coordinate conversion calculation. However, a process for automatically obtaining the coordinate conversion without such user intervention is also conceivable. FIG. 7 shows a processing procedure of an example of this automatic method. The apparatus configuration of this example may be the same as that illustrated in FIG. 1, but the feature point data 32 is not necessary.

  In this procedure, when the target volume data is acquired in S10, the coordinate matching processing unit 36 binarizes the volume data using a predetermined threshold (S40). If necessary, processing such as inversion of the pixel value of the volume data is also performed. Then, template matching processing is performed on the volume data using the reference model as a template while variously changing the scale of the reference model, the three-dimensional rotation angle, and the position (S42). In this template matching process, a correlation coefficient between the reference model and volume data is obtained for each combination of scale, rotation angle, and position. It is assumed that the reference model and the volume data are aligned when the correlation coefficient is maximum, and the coordinates between the reference model and the volume data are based on the combination of the scale, rotation angle, and position at this time. Calculate the transformation. The processing after the coordinate conversion information is calculated in this way may be the same as the procedure in FIG.

  In this embodiment, the position and orientation of a cross section that takes a tomographic image on the model image generated by the model image generation unit 40 may be designated. In this case, the user operates the input device 28 to change the position and orientation of the cross-section cursor on the model image display (guide display). The central control unit 26 acquires information indicating the position and orientation of the cross-sectional cursor after the change, and uses the coordinate conversion information obtained by the coordinate matching processing unit 36 to obtain the position of the cross-section in the coordinate system of the volume data and Convert to orientation information. Then, the tomographic image generation unit 20 generates the tomographic image of the cross section designated by the user by drawing the data of each voxel on the cross section represented by the position and orientation information obtained by the conversion.

  10 3D probe, 12 transmission / reception control unit, 14 phasing addition unit, 16 beam processing unit, 18 memory, 20 tomographic image generation unit, 22 image generation / synthesis unit, 24 display device, 26 central control unit, 28 input device, 30 Storage device, 32 feature point data, 34 reference model data, 36 coordinate matching processing unit, 38 cursor generation unit, 40 model image generation unit.

Claims (5)

Storage means for storing three-dimensional shape model data representing a general three-dimensional shape of an organ or fetus to be observed, and coordinate information of three or more feature points in the three-dimensional shape model data;
Three-dimensional echo data generating means for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in the subject and generating three-dimensional echo data of the observation region including the observation target organ or fetus in the subject;
From the 3D echo data generated by the 3D echo data generation means, identify each feature point corresponding to each feature point of the 3D model data, and identify each feature point of the identified 3D echo data Coordinate conversion information generating means for generating coordinate conversion information between the three-dimensional model data and the three-dimensional echo data based on the coordinates and the coordinates of the feature points of the three-dimensional model data;
A tomographic image generating means for generating a tomographic image of a cross section designated by the user from the three-dimensional echo data;
A model image representing the three-dimensional shape model data is generated, and on the three-dimensional model data based on the position and orientation of the cross section specified by the user in the three-dimensional echo data and the coordinate conversion information. the cross-section obtains the position and orientation of the model image generating means for synthesizing the cross cursor to the model image with the position and orientation determined,
Display image generation means for generating a display image in which the tomographic image generated by the tomographic image generation means and the model image synthesized by the cross-sectional cursor generated by the model image generation means are associated with each other;
Ultrasound diagnostic system Ru Bei to give a. The coordinate conversion information generating means includes
For each of the feature points, the user designates a cross section in the three-dimensional echo data, and the feature is received from the user on the tomographic image of the three-dimensional echo data generated by the tomographic image generation unit for the designated cross section. A feature point designation means for accepting designation of a point position;
Based on the position on the tomographic image of the feature point that has been designated by the feature point designating means and the position of the cross section corresponding to the tomographic image in the three-dimensional echo data, the three-dimensional of the feature point Calculating means for calculating coordinates in the echo data;
And generating the coordinate conversion information based on the coordinates calculated by the calculation means for each of the feature points and the coordinates of the feature points in the three-dimensional model data.
The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 1 . The coordinate transformation information generation means uses one of the three-dimensional echo data and the three-dimensional model data as a template, executes a template matching process on the other, and obtains a correlation coefficient value obtained by the template matching process Generating the coordinate conversion information based on the parallel movement amount, rotation angle, and scale of the template when
The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 1 .   Storage means for storing three-dimensional shape model data representing a general three-dimensional shape of an organ or fetus to be observed, and coordinate information of three or more feature points in the three-dimensional shape model data;
  Three-dimensional echo data generating means for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in the subject and generating three-dimensional echo data of the observation region including the observation target organ or fetus in the subject;
  From the 3D echo data generated by the 3D echo data generation means, identify each feature point corresponding to each feature point of the 3D model data, and identify each feature point of the identified 3D echo data Coordinate conversion information generating means for generating coordinate conversion information between the three-dimensional model data and the three-dimensional echo data based on the coordinates and the coordinates of the feature points of the three-dimensional model data;
  The coordinate transformation information generation means uses one of the three-dimensional echo data and the three-dimensional model data as a template, executes a template matching process on the other, and obtains a correlation coefficient value obtained by the template matching process Generating the coordinate conversion information based on the parallel movement amount, rotation angle, and scale of the template when
  An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. A cross-section change instruction receiving means for receiving a change instruction for the position and orientation of the cross-section cursor on the model image in the display image generated by the display image generating means;
A cross section for converting the information indicating the position and orientation of the cross-section cursor changed according to the change instruction into information indicating the position and orientation of the cross section in the coordinate system of the three-dimensional echo data using the coordinate conversion information. Conversion means;
Further comprising
The tomographic image generation means generates a tomographic image of a cross section represented by information indicating the position and orientation after conversion obtained by the cross section conversion means from the three-dimensional echo data.
The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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