JP5922521B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and control program therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that creates an elastic image representing the hardness or softness of a living tissue in a subject and a control program therefor.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that synthesizes and displays a normal B-mode image and an elastic image representing the hardness or softness of a living tissue in a subject. The elastic image is created as follows, for example. First, a physical quantity related to the elasticity of the subject is calculated based on an echo signal obtained by transmitting ultrasonic waves to the subject. Based on this physical quantity, an elastic image having a color corresponding to the elasticity is created.

  In creating the elasticity image, the correspondence information between the physical quantity and the color is set based on the statistical feature of the physical quantity in the region set on the B-mode image of the subject. As the statistical feature, an average, a maximum, and a minimum are used. Based on the correspondence information, an elastic image having a color corresponding to the physical quantity is created and displayed in the region.

  For example, when it is desired to observe a tumor by an elastic image, a region is set around the tumor, and diagnosis is performed by comparing the elasticity of the surrounding tissue and the elasticity of the tumor in the elastic image displayed in the region.

JP 2007-282932 A

  Here, conventionally, since a region can be set only by a rectangle composed of a vertical side in the sound ray direction and a horizontal side orthogonal to the vertical side, the region includes non-comparison items. Sometimes. For example, when it is desired to observe a liver tumor, the region may include a diaphragm or a large blood vessel that is not a comparison target with the tumor. Further, when it is desired to observe the tissue of the shoulder, there are cases where bones that are not compared are included in the region. In this case, the correspondence information is set in consideration of physical quantities that are not compared, and an elastic image is created.

  However, since the physical quantities related to elasticity of the diaphragm, large blood vessels, and bones are greatly different from those of the observation target and the comparison target, the elasticity image when the region includes those that are not the observation target and the comparison target, and the region In the elastic image in the case where these objects that are not subject to observation or comparison are not included, even a part having the same elasticity may be displayed in a different color. In this way, depending on the state of elasticity distribution in the living tissue, even a portion having the same elasticity is displayed in a different color in the elasticity image, which may make diagnosis difficult for the operator.

  The invention made in order to solve the above-described problem is based on an echo signal obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from a living tissue, a physical quantity calculating unit that calculates a physical quantity related to the elasticity of each part in the living tissue, and the physical quantity calculating unit An elastic image data generating unit that generates elastic image data having information relating to a display form corresponding to the physical quantity calculated in step (b), and a display in which an elastic image based on the elastic image data is displayed on the ultrasonic image of the living tissue A region setting unit configured to set a region based on an operator's input in the ultrasonic image of the living tissue displayed on the display unit, and the elastic image data creation unit includes the region setting unit. And calculating a statistical characteristic of the physical quantity in the region set by the information, and based on the statistical characteristic, correspondence information between the physical quantity and the information on the display form And the elastic image data is created based on the correspondence information, and the region setting unit excludes a part of the ultrasonic image that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of the statistical characteristic of the physical quantity. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that the region can be set to a possible desired shape.

  According to the invention of the above aspect, it is possible to set the region in a desired shape that can exclude a portion that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of the statistical feature of the physical quantity. Thereby, the part which has the same elasticity in an elasticity image can be displayed with the same display form irrespective of the elastic distribution state in a biological tissue.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the display control part in the ultrasonic diagnosing device shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the synthetic | combination ultrasonic image displayed on the display part. It is a figure which shows an example of the B mode image displayed on the display part. It is a figure which shows the distribution of distortion in the area | region set to the display part, and a color conversion table. It is a figure for demonstrating the setting of an area | region. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a color conversion table set based on the statistical characteristics of the area shown in FIG. 6 and a color conversion table set based on the statistical characteristics of the area shown in FIG. 8. It is a figure which shows the synthetic | combination ultrasonic image in which the rectangular area | region which consists of the vertical side of a sound ray direction and the horizontal side orthogonal to this vertical side was set. It is a figure explaining the range of transmission / reception of the ultrasonic wave for producing an elastic image. It is a figure which shows an example of the synthetic | combination ultrasonic image displayed on the display part in the modification of 1st embodiment. In the modification of 1st embodiment, it is a figure explaining creation of the elastic image using the pulsation of the blood vessel. In the modification of 1st embodiment, it is a figure which shows the ultrasonic image in which the rectangular area | region which consists of the vertical side of a sound ray direction and the horizontal side orthogonal to this vertical side was set. It is a figure which shows the area | region newly set in the area | region set to the last image in the modification of 2nd embodiment. In the modification of 2nd embodiment, it is a figure which shows the display part by which the elasticity image was displayed on the area | region newly set in the area | region set to the last image. It is a figure which shows the other example of the ultrasonic image displayed on the display part. It is a figure which shows the other example of a color conversion table.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an ultrasonic probe 2, a transmission / reception beam former 3, a B-mode data creation unit 4, a physical quantity data creation unit 5, a display control unit 6, a display unit 7, an operation unit 8, and a control unit 9. And a storage unit 10.

  The ultrasonic probe 2 transmits ultrasonic waves to the subject and receives echoes thereof. In a state where the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface of the ultrasonic probe 2 is in contact with the body surface, for example, compression and relaxation are repeated, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted / received while deforming the living tissue of the subject, and an echo signal is transmitted. Is acquired.

  The transmission / reception beamformer 3 drives the ultrasonic probe 2 under a predetermined scanning condition to perform ultrasonic scanning for each sound ray. The transmission / reception beamformer 3 performs signal processing such as phasing addition processing on the echo received by the ultrasonic probe 2. The echo data signal-processed by the transmission / reception beamformer 3 is output to the B-mode data creation unit 4 and the physical quantity data creation unit 5. The transmission / reception beamformer 3 is an example of an embodiment of a transmission / reception beamformer in the present invention.

  The B-mode data creation unit 4 performs B-mode processing such as logarithmic compression processing and envelope detection processing on the echo data output from the transmission / reception beamformer 3 to create B-mode data. The B mode data may be stored in the storage unit 10.

  The physical quantity data creation unit 5 creates physical quantity data by calculating a physical quantity related to the elasticity of each part in the subject based on the echo data output from the transmission / reception beamformer 3 (physical quantity calculation function). The physical quantity data processing unit 5 sets a correlation window for echo data different in time on the same sound ray on one scanning plane as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-126079. The correlation calculation is performed to calculate the physical quantity related to the elasticity for each pixel, and the physical quantity data for one frame is created. The physical quantity data processing unit 5 calculates a strain as a physical quantity related to the elasticity in this example. That is, the physical quantity data is distortion data. The physical quantity data processing unit 5 is an example of an embodiment of a physical quantity calculation unit in the present invention, and the physical quantity calculation function is an example of an embodiment of a physical quantity calculation function in the present invention.

  The physical quantity data may be stored in the storage unit 10.

  The display control unit 6 is inputted with B mode data from the B mode data creation unit 4 and physical quantity data from the physical quantity data creation unit 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the display control unit 6 includes a B-mode image data creation unit 61, an elastic image data creation unit 62, a composite image display control unit 63, and a region setting unit 64.

  The B-mode image data creation unit 61 performs scan conversion on the B-mode data by a scan converter, and converts the B-mode image data into B-mode image data having luminance information corresponding to the signal intensity of the echo. The B-mode image data has information relating to, for example, 256-level luminance.

  The elastic image data creation unit 62 converts the physical quantity data into color-related information and performs scan conversion by a scan converter to create color elastic image data having color-related information according to distortion (color elastic image data). Creation function). The color elasticity image data includes information on, for example, 256 gradation colors. The elastic image data creation unit 62 gradations the physical quantity data and creates color elastic image data including information relating to the color assigned to each gradation. Details will be described later. The elasticity image data creation unit 62 is an example of an embodiment of the elasticity image creation unit according to the present invention, and the color elasticity image data is data of elasticity image data having information regarding a display form corresponding to a physical quantity in the present invention. It is an example of an embodiment. The information regarding the display form is information regarding the color in this example. The color elasticity image data creation function is an example of an embodiment of the elasticity image creation function in the present invention.

  The synthesized image display control unit 63 synthesizes the B-mode image data and the color elasticity image data, and creates image data of a synthesized ultrasound image to be displayed on the display unit 7. The composite image display control unit 63 causes the display unit 7 to display the image data as a composite ultrasonic image in which a B-mode image and an elastic image are combined. The elastic image is displayed in the region R set for the B-mode image. Details will be described later.

  A B-mode image is an example of an embodiment of an ultrasonic image that is a target for which a region is set in the present invention. In the present invention, the ultrasonic image to which the region is set is a background image on which an elastic image is displayed, and is an image that can recognize the structure of a living tissue like a B-mode image.

  The B-mode image data and the color elasticity image data may be stored in the storage unit 10. Further, the image data of the synthesized ultrasonic image may be stored in the storage unit 10.

  The region setting unit 64 sets the region R on the B-mode image displayed on the display unit 7 based on an operator input in the operation unit 8 (region setting function). The region setting unit 64 is an example of an embodiment of a region setting unit in the present invention. The area setting function is an example of an embodiment of the area setting function in the present invention.

  The display unit 7 includes, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), or the like. The display unit 7 is an example of an embodiment of a display unit in the present invention.

  The operation unit 8 includes a keyboard and a pointing device (not shown) for an operator to input instructions and information.

  The control unit 9 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 9 reads the control program stored in the storage unit 10 and functions in each unit of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 including the physical quantity calculation function, the color elastic image data creation function, and the region setting function. Is executed.

  The storage unit 10 is, for example, a semiconductor memory such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a RAM (Random Access Memory), or a ROM (Read Only Memory). The storage unit 10 is an example of an embodiment of a storage unit in the present invention.

  Now, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 of this example will be described. The transmission / reception beamformer 3 transmits ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic probe 2 to a living tissue of a subject. The transmission / reception beamformer 3 may alternately transmit an ultrasonic wave for creating a B-mode image and an ultrasonic wave for creating an elastic image. The ultrasonic echo signal transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 2 is received by the ultrasonic probe 2. At the time of transmission / reception of this ultrasonic wave, the living tissue is deformed by some method. As a technique for deforming the living tissue, for example, a technique of repeatedly pressing and relaxing the living tissue with the ultrasonic probe 2 can be cited.

  When the echo signal is acquired, the B-mode data creation unit 4 creates B-mode data, and the physical quantity data creation unit 5 calculates distortion and creates physical quantity data. Further, the B-mode image data creation unit 61 creates B-mode image data based on the B-mode data, and the elastic image data creation unit 62 creates color elastic image data based on the physical quantity data. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the composite image display control unit 63 generates a composite ultrasonic image UI obtained by combining the B-mode image BI based on the B-mode image data and the elastic image EI based on the color elastic image data. It is displayed on the display unit 7. The synthesized ultrasonic image UI is a real-time image. The elastic image EI is displayed in the region R (indicated by dots). However, first, as shown in FIG. 4, a B-mode image BI is displayed on the display unit 7. When the region R is set in the B-mode image BI, the elastic image EI is displayed in the region R. Is done.

  The creation of the color elastic image data will be described. The elastic image data creating unit 62 creates the color elastic image data composed of information about the color corresponding to the physical quantity by converting the physical quantity data into information about the color based on the correspondence information between the distortion and the color.

  The elastic image data creation unit 62 sets the correspondence information based on the statistical characteristics of strain in the region R. The setting of the correspondence information will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, a symbol D is a strain distribution graph showing the strain distribution calculated by the physical quantity data creation unit 5. The distortion distribution graph D is a distribution of distortion in the region R in a certain frame.

  In this example, the elastic image data creation unit 62 calculates an average value Stav of strain in the distribution D, sets a predetermined strain range X on the basis of the average value Stav of the strain, and this range X Is set as the correspondence information. This will be described in detail. The predetermined distortion range X is set to a range having an average value Stav of the distortion as a median value. In the color conversion table TA, different colors are assigned to the respective gradations. The number of gradations is, for example, 256 gradations from 0 to 255. In the color conversion table TA, the range X is gradationized to 256 gradations (inclined portion TA1 of the color conversion table TA), and distortion not included in the range X is represented by gradation 0 or gradation 255. Gradation is performed (horizontal portion TA2 of the color conversion table TA).

  The elastic image data creation unit 62 may set the color conversion table TA for each frame.

  Next, the setting of the region R will be described. This region R is set when the operator operates the trackball of the operation unit 8 or the like. Based on the signal from the operation unit 8, the region setting unit 64 sets the region R. The region setting unit 64 can set the region R in a desired shape that can exclude a portion that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of statistical features for setting the color conversion table TA. Therefore, it is possible to set the region R in a shape other than a rectangle including a vertical side in the sound ray direction and a horizontal side orthogonal to the vertical side.

  Here, in order to obtain an elastic image useful for diagnosis, the region R includes an observation target (for example, a tumor) whose hardness is to be observed in the elastic image EI, and a portion around the observation target and the observation target. It is desirable to set so as to include a portion (for example, normal tissue) whose hardness is to be compared. Therefore, the portions that are not desired to be included in the calculation of the statistical features for setting the color conversion table TA are the portions that are not the observation target and the portions that are not the comparison target of the hardness with respect to the observation target.

  For example, it is assumed that the operator wants to know the hardness of the portion P1 indicated by the vertical line in the B-mode image BI shown in FIG. It is assumed that a portion P2 indicated by hatching is a hard portion such as a bone. In this case, the operator sets the region R so as to exclude the portion P2. FIG. 7 shows the color conversion table TA1 (solid line) set by setting the distortion range X1 with reference to the distortion average value Stav1 in the distortion distribution in the region R.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, if it is possible to set only a rectangular region R ′ composed of a vertical side in the sound ray direction and a horizontal side perpendicular to the vertical side, a portion P2 enters the region R ′. . FIG. 7 shows the color conversion table TA2 set by setting the distortion range X2 with reference to the distortion average value Stav2 in the distortion distribution in the region R ′ (broken line).

  Since the region R ′ includes a hard portion P2 such as a bone, the average value Stav2 is smaller than the average value Stav1. As a result, the color conversion table TA1 and the color conversion table TA2 are converted into different colors even with the same distortion. For example, the distortion St shown in FIG. 7 is converted into the color C1 in the color conversion table TA1, and is converted into the color C2 different from the color C1 in the color conversion table TA2. Therefore, in the elastic image EI ′ (not shown) when the region R ′ is set, the portion P1 is displayed in a softer color than the elastic image EI when the region R is set. However, in this example, the region R can be set to a shape other than a rectangular shape composed of a vertical side in the sound ray direction and a horizontal side orthogonal to the vertical side. Therefore, since the region can be set so that a portion that is not an observation target and a portion that is not a comparison target with respect to the observation target are excluded, a portion having the same elasticity in the elastic image is obtained regardless of the elastic distribution state. Can be displayed in the same color.

  Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 9, the region setting unit 64 may detect both end portions e1 and e2 of the region R in a direction orthogonal to the sound ray direction indicated by a broken line. The transmission / reception beamformer 3 may perform transmission / reception of ultrasonic waves for creating an elastic image only between both end portions e1 and e2 detected by the region setting unit 64.

  Next, a modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the B-mode image BI shown in FIG. 10, the symbol bl indicates a blood vessel, and the symbol pl indicating a hatched portion indicates a plaque. The operator sets a region R around the plaque pl, and compares the elasticity of the plaque pl with the elasticity of the biological tissue on the blood vessel wall side where the plaque pl is formed by the elasticity image EI. In this example, the region R is rectangular. However, the region R is a rectangle having sides oblique to the sound ray direction.

  In this example, the living tissue is not deformed by the compression by the ultrasonic probe 2 and its relaxation, but the living tissue around the plaque pl and the blood vessel bl is deformed by the pulsation of the blood vessel bl. To create an elastic image EI. Here, due to the pulsation of the blood vessel bl, the biological tissues on both sides of the blood vessel bl are deformed in opposite directions as indicated by arrows in FIG. Therefore, since the distortion value calculated by the physical quantity data creation unit 5 has a plus and minus signs, the biological tissue on the blood vessel wall side where the plaque pl is formed, and For the living tissue on the opposite side, a strain having the opposite sign is calculated. For this reason, the average value of the distortion in the region R differs depending on whether or not the biological tissue opposite to the blood vessel wall side where the plaque pl is formed is included in the region R.

  As shown in FIG. 12, if only a rectangular region R ′ composed of a vertical side in the sound ray direction and a horizontal side perpendicular to the vertical side can be set, the blood vessel wall side on which the plaque pl is formed is In some cases, the region R ′ cannot be set so as not to include the opposite side biological tissue. In this case, an elastic image EI useful for diagnosis cannot be obtained. However, according to the present example, the region R can be set only around the plaque pl and the tissue that is the comparison target, and is outside the comparison target, that is, the side opposite to the blood vessel wall side where the plaque pl is formed. It is possible to set so as not to include the living tissue. Thereby, an elastic image EI useful for diagnosis can be obtained.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. However, the same items as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. Items different from those in the first embodiment will be described.

  In this example, B-mode image data is created based on the B-mode data stored in the storage unit 10, and the B-mode image BI is displayed on the display unit 7 (see FIG. 4). When B-mode image data is stored in the storage unit 10, a B-mode image BI based on the B-mode image data may be displayed.

  When the region R is set in the B-mode image BI displayed on the display unit 7, the elastic image data creation unit 62 determines the correspondence information (the color conversion table based on the statistical characteristics of distortion in the region R). TA) is set and color elastic image data is created. The elastic image data creation unit 62 sets the correspondence information using physical quantity data (distortion data) stored in the storage unit 10.

  Then, an ultrasonic image UI in which the elastic image EI based on the color elastic image data created in this way is displayed in the region R is displayed on the display unit 7 (see FIG. 3).

  Also in this example, similarly to the first embodiment, the region R is set to a desired shape that can exclude a portion that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of statistical features for setting the color conversion table TA. be able to. Even when the elastic image EI is to be observed after the real-time image is displayed, the elastic image EI useful for diagnosis is displayed by setting the region R at an appropriate position. Can do.

  Next, a modification of the second embodiment will be described. The storage unit 10 may store an area set for the B-mode image. This area may be an area set in a desired shape that can exclude a portion that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of the statistical feature of the physical quantity, and the vertical side in the sound ray direction and the vertical side It may be a rectangular area composed of transverse sides orthogonal to each other.

  When displaying an image based on the data stored in the storage unit 10, an area stored in the storage unit 10 may be displayed. For example, in FIG. 13, a rectangular area R ′ is displayed in the B-mode image BI. In this case, a region R different from the rectangular region R ′ may be set in the B mode image BI. Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the elastic image EI is displayed in the newly set region R.

  According to this modification, for example, when the operator looks at the previously set area R ′ and thinks that the position is not appropriate, the operator sets an appropriate area and displays the elastic image EI useful for diagnosis. Can be made.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated by each said embodiment, of course, this invention can be variously implemented in the range which does not change the main point. For example, the physical quantity data creation unit 5 may calculate an elastic modulus or the like of the living tissue instead of strain as a physical quantity related to the elasticity of the living tissue. Further, by applying acoustic radiation pressure to the living tissue by the ultrasonic probe 2, a shear wave is generated in the living tissue, and based on the velocity of the shear wave, a physical quantity relating to the elasticity of the living tissue, You may calculate the hardness (Pa: Pascal) of a biological tissue. Incidentally, the velocity of the shear wave can be calculated based on an ultrasonic echo signal. Furthermore, the physical quantity relating to the elasticity of the living tissue may be calculated by other known methods.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the elastic image EI (indicated by dots) may be displayed in a display area RR set separately from the area R. In this example, the display area RR includes the area R and is set in a wider range than the area R. For example, the display region RR may be set in a real-time image and stored in the storage unit 10.

  The elastic image data creation unit 62 sets the correspondence information (the color conversion table TA) based on the statistical characteristics of distortion in the region R, as in the above embodiments. Then, using this correspondence information, the elastic image data creating unit 62 creates color elastic image data by converting the distortion in the region RR into information relating to color. An elastic image EI based on the color elastic image data is displayed in the display area RR. This display area RR is an example of an embodiment of the display area in the present invention.

  In the above-described embodiment, the correspondence information is set using the average value of the physical quantity as the statistical feature of the physical quantity. However, the statistical feature is not limited to the average value. For example, the correspondence information may be set using a maximum value and a minimum value of physical quantities in the region R set in the B-mode image as statistical features. An example will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 16, a symbol D is a strain distribution graph showing the strain distribution in the region R. A color conversion table TA having a predetermined number of gradations is set between the maximum value Stmax and the minimum value Stmin of the distortion in the distortion distribution graph D. Note that the color conversion table TA illustrated in FIG. 16 is an example, and other color conversion tables TA may be set based on the maximum distortion value Stmax and the minimum distortion value Stmin. Examples of the other color conversion table TA include those described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-220801.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic diagnostic device 3 Transmission / reception beam former 5 Physical quantity data creation part (physical quantity calculation part)
7 Display unit 10 Storage unit 62 Elastic image data creation unit 64 Area setting unit BI B-mode image (ultrasonic image)
EI elasticity image

Claims (7)

Based on an echo signal obtained by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves to / from a biological tissue, a physical quantity calculating unit that calculates a physical quantity related to the elasticity of each part in the biological tissue;
An elastic image data creating unit for creating elastic image data having information on a display form corresponding to the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculating unit;
An elastic image based on the elastic image data is displayed in a region set on the ultrasonic image of the biological tissue;
A storage unit for storing physical quantity data calculated by the physical quantity calculation unit and ultrasonic image data of the living tissue;
The ultrasound images of the biological tissue that is displayed on the display unit based on the data stored in the storage unit, an area setting unit for setting the area based on the operator input,
With
The elastic image data creation unit calculates a statistical feature of the physical quantity in the region set by the region setting unit and stored in the storage unit, and based on the statistical feature, the physical quantity and the physical quantity Correspondence information with information related to the display form is set, and the elastic image data is created based on the correspondence information,
The region setting unit can set the region in a desired shape that can exclude a portion that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of the statistical characteristic of the physical quantity in the ultrasonic image. Diagnostic device.   The region setting unit can set the region in a shape other than a rectangle including a vertical side in the acoustic ray direction of an ultrasonic wave and a horizontal side orthogonal to the vertical side. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment.   The portion that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of the statistical characteristic of the physical quantity is a portion that is not an observation target in the elastic image and a portion that is not a hardness comparison target for the observation target. Or the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of 2. A transmission / reception beamformer for transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves for generating the elastic image only within a range of a region set in the ultrasonic image, wherein the transmission / reception range of the ultrasonic wave is set based on the region The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission / reception beamformer. In the storage unit, a rectangular region composed of the region set in the ultrasonic image stored in the storage unit or a vertical side in the sound ray direction of the ultrasonic wave and a horizontal side orthogonal to the vertical side is stored,
The ultrasonic diagnosis according to claim 1 , wherein the region setting unit sets the region to an ultrasonic image in which the region or the rectangular region stored in the storage unit is displayed. apparatus. The elastic image, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to 5, characterized in that the said region is displayed in the display area set separately. A control program stored in the storage unit of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus,
On the computer,
Based on an echo signal obtained by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves to / from a biological tissue, a physical quantity calculating function for calculating a physical quantity related to the elasticity of each part in the biological tissue;
An elastic image data creation function for creating elastic image data having information relating to a display form corresponding to the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation function;
The ultrasound images of the biological tissue that is displayed on the display unit based on data stored in the storage unit, the region in which the elastic image based on the elastic image data is displayed, set based on an input by the operator Area setting function to
And execute
The elasticity image data creation function calculates a physical characteristic of the physical quantity in the area set by the area setting function and stored in the storage unit, and based on the statistical characteristic, the physical quantity and the physical quantity Setting correspondence information with information related to the display form, and creating the elastic image data based on the correspondence information;
The region setting function is capable of setting the region in a desired shape that allows an operator to exclude a portion that the operator does not want to include in the calculation of the physical characteristic of the physical quantity in the ultrasonic image. Diagnostic device control program.

Images