JP6822806B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic equipment and medical image processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to ultrasonic diagnostic equipment and medical image processing equipment.

Conventionally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has been known as a medical diagnostic imaging apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic device is a device that generates an in-vivo image showing the inside of a subject and a doctor, a laboratory technician, or the like interprets the in-vivo image.

In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an ultrasonic image taken in the past (hereinafter, this is referred to as a reference image) is referred to as a reference image, and an ultrasonic image to be inspected from now on (hereinafter, this is referred to as a live image). ) Is displayed at the same time. For example, it is being studied to use a captured 3D image based on 3D image data as a reference image and display a live image corresponding to the reference image together with the reference image.

Here, when performing ultrasonic diagnosis using a contrast medium, the contrast medium image collected in the contrast medium mode becomes a dedicated transmission / reception condition, only the contrast medium echo is visualized, and the tissue signal is canceled. Therefore, even if the contrast image collected in the contrast mode is displayed, the tissue structure is not displayed. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to align the reference image in which the tissue structure is not displayed with the live image to be collected in the contrast mode. , Neither the reference image nor the live image displayed the characteristics of the tissue structure based on the tissue signal, and it was difficult to align them.

JP-A-2015-173899 Special Table 2015-528343

The problem to be solved by the present invention is an ultrasonic wave capable of easily and highly accurately aligning a harmonic image of a live image and a harmonic image of a reference image when photographing with a contrast medium. It is to provide a diagnostic apparatus and a medical image processing apparatus.

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the embodiment includes an image generation unit that generates a live image having a fundamental wave image and a harmonic image obtained by imaging with a contrast medium, and a reference image acquired before the live image. In the alignment of the above, the alignment reception unit that controls to apply the fundamental wave image as the live image is provided.

The schematic block diagram which showed an example of the schematic structure of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which showed the process which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which concerns on this embodiment abuts on the body surface of a subject, and generates the volume data of the body image. The conceptual diagram which showed the concept which performs the contrast scan and the non-contrast scan alternately. A flowchart showing a process for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment to receive alignment between a live image to be inspected and a reference image already collected. An example of a display screen in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment displays a reference image on the left side of the display and simultaneously displays a live image on the right side of the reference image so that it can be compared. The flowchart which showed the link information takeover processing that the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which concerns on this embodiment takes over the position and orientation information of a reference image and a live image. The schematic block diagram which showed an example of the schematic structure of the medical image processing apparatus of 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the embodiment will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 of the first embodiment includes an ultrasonic probe 10, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20, a magnetic sensor 30, a magnetic generator 31, and a position information collecting apparatus 32. There is.

The ultrasonic probe 10 is configured to include an ultrasonic vibration element. The ultrasonic vibration element has a function of converting an electric drive signal into a transmission ultrasonic wave at the time of transmission, and converting an ultrasonic reflected wave (received ultrasonic wave) into an electric reception signal at the time of reception. The ultrasonic probe 10 is provided with a magnetic sensor 30.

Here, a three-dimensional image of an organ or blood flow is obtained from the received signal obtained by manually and arbitrarily scanning the ultrasonic probe 10 on the body surface of the subject and the position / orientation information obtained from the magnetic sensor 30. The technology that can generate is known. According to this technology, it is possible to display a predetermined cross section such as vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. An image displayed in cross section is also called an ultrasonic tomographic image.

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20 includes a transmission / reception circuit 21, an image generation circuit 22, an image processing circuit 23, a processing circuit 24, a storage circuit 25, an input circuit 26, and a display 27.

The transmission / reception circuit 21 includes a transmission circuit and a reception circuit. The transmission circuit has a function of supplying a drive signal for emitting transmitted ultrasonic waves to the ultrasonic probe 10 in a predetermined direction of the subject. The receiving circuit is realized by including a phase detection circuit and a beam forming circuit. In the phase detection circuit, each of the received signals of the plurality of channels received from the ultrasonic probe 10 is divided into a baseband band in-phase signal (I signal, I: In-phase) and an orthogonal signal (Q signal, Q: Quadrature-). It is decomposed into phase) and further converted into a digital signal. The beam forming circuit forms a beam by giving a predetermined delay to the signals (I signal and Q signal) of each channel and then adding them. Then, the receiving circuit inputs the formed beam as a beam signal to the image generation circuit 22.

The image generation circuit 22 acquires a beam signal from the reception circuit of the transmission / reception circuit 21. For example, in the B mode, the image generation circuit 22 detects the envelope of the beam signal and generates a B mode image. Further, in the color Doppler mode, the beam signal is subjected to processing such as autocorrelation to generate image data of the color Doppler image. Further, in the pulse Doppler mode or the continuous wave Doppler mode, the image data of the Doppler image is generated by using the FFT method (Fast Fourier Transform method) for the beam signal.

Hereinafter, the B-mode image, the image data of the color Doppler image, the image data of the continuous wave Doppler image, and the like generated by the image generation circuit 22 are also referred to as ultrasonic image data. The image generation circuit 22 supplies the generated ultrasonic image data to the image processing circuit 23, or stores the ultrasonic image data in the storage circuit 25 via the processing circuit 24.

The image processing circuit 23 has a function of performing coordinate conversion processing on the ultrasonic image data generated by the image generation circuit 22 to match the coordinate system with the photographed cross section of the subject. The image processing circuit 23, for example, converts ultrasonic image data from a scan-type coordinate system to a television-type coordinate system. Further, the image processing circuit 23 has a function of performing tone setting suitable for image display and image processing for changing the resolution or frame rate on the coordinate-converted ultrasonic image data.

The processing circuit 24 has a function of comprehensively controlling the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100. For example, the processing circuit 24 is a processor that realizes a function corresponding to the program by reading the program from the storage circuit 25 and executing the program. Further, the processing circuit 24 reads the program and realizes the parameter setting function 241, the display cross-section control function 243, and the alignment reception function 245.

The parameter setting function 241 is a function for setting scan parameters for contrast enhancement and scan parameters for non-contrast enhancement.

The display cross-section control function 243 is, for example, a function of extracting a corresponding cross section from a reference image by using the relative position of the magnetic sensor 30 from the alignment position after the alignment of the live image and the reference image is completed. Is. That is, when the position where the alignment is completed is used as the reference point, the relative position of the magnetic sensor is a position indicating how much the ultrasonic probe 10 has been moved from the reference point of the magnetic sensor 30.

Further, the display cross-section control function 243 has a function of displaying a live image obtained by photographing with a contrast medium and a reference image already photographed on the display 27 in a synchronized state.

The alignment reception function 245 is an object displayed in the reference image and an object displayed in the live image in comparison with an image displayed as a live image in a state where the reference image is displayed on the display 27. It is a function that accepts the setting of the same part or the same position based on the object.

The alignment reception function 245 is used, for example, in aligning a live image having a fundamental wave image and a harmonic image obtained by photographing with a contrast medium and a reference image acquired before the live image. It is controlled to apply the harmonic image.

Further, the alignment reception function 245 aligns, for example, a live image and a reference image having a fundamental wave image and a harmonic image acquired before the live image and obtained by photographing with a contrast medium. In, it is also possible to control to apply a fundamental wave image as a reference image.

The storage circuit 25 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like as memories. In addition to storing the above program, the storage circuit 25 stores IPL (Initial Program Loading) and BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) data, and is used for the work memory of the processing circuit 24 and the storage of ultrasonic image data. I use it. Further, the ultrasonic image data corresponds to image data as a live image. Further, the storage circuit 25 stores the image data of the reference image as volume data. In this case, it is assumed that the storage circuit 25 stores, for example, the volume data of the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image as the reference image, and the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image are associated with each other in the volume data. .. Further, the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image are cross-sectional images extracted from the respective volume data, that is, ultrasonic tomographic images. The fundamental wave image and the harmonic image will be described in the first stage described later.

The input circuit 26 is a circuit for inputting signals from an input device such as a pointing device (mouse or the like) or a keyboard that can be operated by an operator such as a doctor or an inspection engineer. Here, the input device itself is also an input circuit 26. It shall be included in. In this case, the input signal according to the operation is sent from the input circuit 26 to the processing circuit 24.

The display 27 has a function of displaying the ultrasonic image data of the subject photographed by the ultrasonic probe 10 as an image. The display 27 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display or a monitor. In this embodiment, the display 27 displays a reference image as well as a live image. Further, the display 27 can simultaneously display the live image in which the reference image is aligned, and the reference image and the live image in accordance with the movement of the ultrasonic probe 10.

The term "processor" used in the above description refers to, for example, a dedicated or general-purpose CPU (Central Processing Unit), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a programmable logic device (for example, simple programmable logic). It means a circuit such as a device (Simple Programmable Logic Device: SPLD), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

The processor realizes each function by reading and executing a program stored in the storage circuit 25 as a memory or directly incorporated in the circuit of the processor. When a plurality of processors are provided, the memory for storing the program may be individually provided for each processor, or for example, the storage circuit 25 of FIG. 1 stores the program corresponding to the function of the processor. It doesn't matter if it is a thing.

The image generation circuit 22, the display cross-section control function 243, and the alignment reception function 245 in the present embodiment correspond to the image generation unit, the display control unit, and the alignment reception unit, respectively, within the scope of the claims.

Next, the magnetic sensor 30, the magnetic generator 31, and the position information collecting device 32 will be described.

The magnetic sensor 30 is provided in the ultrasonic probe 10, and uses the magnetism generated by the magnetic generator 31 to provide position and orientation data regarding the position and orientation of the ultrasonic probe 10 in contact with the body surface of the subject. Is designed to be measured. For example, the ultrasonic probe 10 is obtained by acquiring 6 items of position / orientation data including the coordinates (x, y, z) of the three-dimensional position and the angle information of the three-dimensional attitude (Pitch, Yaw, Roll). Measure the position and posture of.

The magnetic generator 31 is arranged near the subject and is adapted to generate a magnetic force for causing the magnetic sensor 30 to measure the position.

The position information collecting device 32 is adapted to perform various controls for generating a magnetic field in the magnetic generator 31 and causing the magnetic sensor 30 to measure the generated magnetic field.

This embodiment is composed of the following three stages. As a first step, a process of collecting an in-vivo image of a subject as a reference image, and as a second step, alignment of a reference image and a live image. The process of accepting the image and, as the third step, the process of inheriting the link information. These three steps will be described in order below.

(First stage: Internal image collection process)
The internal image collection process executed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 of the first embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, as an example, an example in which a contrast scan and a non-contrast scan are alternately performed by contrast imaging is shown. In addition, it is executed for the subject, for example, immediately before the operation or about one week before the operation to acquire an in-vivo image of the subject to be inspected.

Specifically, in the case of determining the therapeutic effect of percutaneous radiocautery therapy or observing the follow-up of a disease, an in-vivo image is acquired in order to obtain the state of the subject before surgery.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment abuts on the body surface of a subject to generate volume data of an internal image. In FIG. 2, reference numerals with numbers attached to S indicate each step of the flowchart.

First, the operator turns on the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 so that a predetermined examination target of the subject can be contrast-scanned with an ultrasonic contrast agent. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 sets contrast scan parameters using an ultrasonic contrast agent as an examination of a subject (step S001).

Then, the operator abuts the ultrasonic probe 10 on the surface of the body surface of the subject to be inspected, and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20 provides information on the position and orientation of the ultrasonic probe 10, that is, the ultrasonic probe. The position / orientation data of the 10 is acquired from the magnetic sensor 30 as the position / orientation information of the ultrasonic probe 10. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20 receives an ultrasonic reception signal received by the ultrasonic probe 10 from the transmission / reception circuit 21 by the operator operating the ultrasonic probe 10 to generate an ultrasonic tomographic image. (Step S003). In the present embodiment, the image generated during the contrast scan is referred to as a harmonic image.

Further, when the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20 generates an ultrasonic tomographic image at the time of contrast scanning in the image generation circuit 22, the position and orientation information of the ultrasonic probe 10 is associated with each ultrasonic tomographic image, and the ultrasonic tomographic image thereof. Is stored in the storage circuit 25 (step S005). In this embodiment, a harmonic image is stored for each frame.

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20 sets the non-contrast scan parameter in order to execute the non-contrast scan for the next frame when the harmonic image by the ultrasonic contrast agent is stored for one frame (step S007).

Then, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20 executes a non-contrast scan, receives the position / orientation information of the ultrasonic probe 10 and the reception signal of the ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic probe 10 from the transmission / reception circuit 21, and does not. An ultrasonic tomographic image during a contrast scan is generated (step S009). In the present embodiment, the image generated during the non-contrast scan is referred to as a fundamental wave image.

Further, when the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body 20 generates an ultrasonic tomographic image at the time of non-contrast scan in the image generation circuit 22, the position and orientation information of the ultrasonic probe 10 is associated with each ultrasonic tomographic image, and the ultrasonic fault. The image is stored in the storage circuit 25 (step S011). In this embodiment, the fundamental wave image is saved for each frame.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of alternately performing contrast-enhanced scans and non-contrast-enhanced scans. The process of alternately performing contrast-enhanced scans and non-contrast-enhanced scans is called contrast-enhanced imaging.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment automatically captures a harmonic image and a fundamental wave image one frame at a time when scanning is performed using an ultrasonic contrast agent in contrast imaging. It is generated alternately and stored in the storage circuit 25.

In the present embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 generates an image from the received signal in the image generation circuit 22, and generates a fundamental wave image and a harmonic image when performing contrast imaging. Further, the fundamental wave image forms the volume data of the fundamental wave image by collecting each cross-sectional image, and the harmonic image also forms the volume data of the harmonic image by collecting each cross-sectional image. To form. As described above, the reference image stored in the storage circuit 25 has two images, a fundamental wave image and a harmonic image.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 generates a harmonic image and a fundamental wave image and generates volume data for each, and the present invention is not limited to this. Other examples will be described later.

Then, when the collection of the reference image including the harmonic image and the fundamental wave image using the contrast medium is completed (YES in step S013), the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 ends the process of acquiring the internal image. On the other hand, when the collection of the reference image is not completed (NO in step S013), the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 waits until the collection process of the internal image is completed.

In this way, the process of collecting the in-vivo image of the subject in the first stage is completed. Next, the process of accepting the alignment of the reference image and the live image in the second stage will be described.

(Second stage: Alignment reception process)
Next, a case where the reference image and the live image are aligned will be described. In addition, the reference image is an image generated by the imaging performed on the subject in the past, while the live image is an image generated by the imaging performed on the same subject in the future, or This is the image that is currently being taken. It should be noted that contrast imaging is also performed in the collection of live images. Therefore, even when collecting the live image, the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image are collected while switching for each frame.

Here, for example, when determining the therapeutic effect of percutaneous radiocautery therapy or observing the disease, the reference image taken earlier is compared with the live image taken from now on, and comparative interpretation is performed. Is assumed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment to accept the alignment of the live image to be inspected and the reference image already collected. In FIG. 4, reference numerals with numbers attached to S indicate each step of the flowchart.

First, the operator operates the input circuit 26 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 to select the image data of the fundamental wave image of the subject as the reference image from the storage circuit 25. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 reads the volume data of the fundamental wave image as the reference image from the storage circuit 25 according to the instruction of the operator (step S101).

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 displays a fundamental wave image on the display 27 as a reference image when the live image and the reference image are aligned (step S103). That is, by operating the input circuit 26, the operator displays the fundamental wave image of the reference image to be compared with the current state of the subject on the display 27.

Next, the operator operates the input circuit 26 to change the scan parameter to the scan parameter for non-contrast. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 receives the setting of the scan parameter for non-contrast and sets the processing circuit 24 and the display 27 to display the fundamental wave image of the live image (step S105).

As a result, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 displays the fundamental wave image on the display 27 as the live image when the live image and the reference image are aligned (step S107). That is, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 acquires a received signal from the ultrasonic probe 10 in order to confirm the current state of the subject, and generates a fundamental wave image of the subject in the transmission / reception circuit 21 and the image generation circuit 22. , The fundamental wave image is displayed on the display 27.

The operator operates the input circuit 26 to align the cross-sectional image of the fundamental wave image which is the reference image and the cross-sectional image of the fundamental wave image which is the live image on the display 27, and is displayed on the reference image, for example. The position as the same part is set with reference to the object being displayed and the object displayed in the live image. In this case, the processing circuit 24 receives the completion of the alignment of the cross-sectional image of the fundamental wave image of the reference image and the cross-sectional image of the fundamental wave image of the live image by the operation of the operator (step S109).

FIG. 5 shows that the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment displays the reference image RG on the left side of the display 27 and simultaneously displays the live image LG on the right side of the reference image RG so as to be comparable. It is a figure which showed the screen example.

As shown in FIG. 5, when aligning the live image and the reference image, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 displays the fundamental wave image as the live image LG on the right side of the display 27 and basically serves as the reference image RG. The wave image is displayed on the left side of the display 27. The display 27 displays an alignment completion button PS indicating that the alignment by the operator is completed, and when the alignment is completed, the alignment completion button PS is pressed by the operator.

In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100, when the alignment completion button PS is pressed by the operator, the processing circuit 24 refers to the object displayed in the reference image and the object displayed in the live image. It is accepted that the position as the same part is set in (step S109).

As described above, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment ends the process for accepting the alignment of the reference image and the live image as the second step.

In the present embodiment, when the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 completes the process of accepting the alignment between the live image and the reference image in the second stage, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 uses the fundamental wave image of the reference image and the live image as the third stage. Each of them is switched to the harmonic image, and the link information inheritance process for inheriting the linked information in which the reference image and the live image are aligned is executed.

(Third stage: Link information transfer process)
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a link information takeover process in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment takes over the position / orientation information of the reference image and the live image. In FIG. 6, reference numerals with numbers attached to S indicate each step of the flowchart.

First, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 reads the image data of the harmonic image of the subject as a reference image from the storage circuit 25 (step S201). In this case, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 automatically reads the volume data of the harmonic image from the storage circuit 25 as a reference image.

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 displays a harmonic image of the read reference image on the display 27 (step S203). That is, after the alignment of the reference image and the live image is executed, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 switches the fundamental wave image displayed as the reference image to the harmonic image and displays it on the display 27. The harmonic image displayed on the display 27 is a harmonic image corresponding to the fundamental wave image that has been aligned in the alignment reception process.

Further, since the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 inspects the subject by contrast imaging, the setting of scan parameters in the processing circuit 24 and the image generation circuit 22 is automatically set for contrast imaging (step S205). ..

In the processing circuit 24 and the image generation circuit 22, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 receives the received signal of the ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic probe 10 from the transmission / reception circuit 21 as a live image, generates a harmonic image, and generates a harmonic image. It is displayed on the display 27 (step S207). That is, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 switches the fundamental wave image displayed as the live image to the harmonic image and displays it on the display 27 after the alignment of the reference image and the live image is executed. As with the reference image, the harmonic image displayed on the display 27 is a harmonic image corresponding to the fundamental wave image that has been aligned in the alignment reception process.

Then, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 takes over the link information based on the position / orientation information by associating the position / orientation information between the fundamental wave image of the reference image and the fundamental wave image of the live image, and the harmonics of the reference image. The same cross section of the image and the harmonic image of the live image is displayed (step S209). As a result, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 ends the link information takeover process as the third step.

As a result, when the operator operates the ultrasonic probe 10, a harmonic image is displayed as a live image corresponding to the operation, and a reference image showing the same portion corresponding to a change in the position of the live image is displayed. The harmonic image is displayed on the display 27.

As described above, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 of the first embodiment displays a fundamental wave image as a live image on the display 27 when the live image and the reference image are aligned in the contrast imaging. Here, for example, when a harmonic image is displayed as a live image, it is difficult to align the reference image and the live image because the characteristics of the tissue structure are not displayed.

On the other hand, according to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 of the first embodiment, the fundamental wave image displaying the features of the tissue structure is displayed as a live image, so that the reference image and the live image are aligned. , High accuracy and easy to do.

Further, when the reference image and the live image are switched from the fundamental wave image to the harmonic image after the alignment, the alignment information (link information between the reference image and the live image) is inherited by the harmonic image. Therefore, in the contrast mode, when comparing and interpreting the harmonic image in the live image and the harmonic image in the reference image, the synchronization of the two images can be continued, and the comparative interpretation can be performed easily and with high accuracy. be able to.

In the first embodiment, the processing circuit 24 is manually aligned by the operator in step S109 of FIG. 4, and then the completion of the alignment is accepted. , Not limited to this. For example, in the present embodiment, in the fundamental wave image of the reference image and the fundamental wave image of the live image, the alignment of the fundamental wave image of the reference image and the fundamental wave image of the live image is performed by a known pattern matching or the like. The device may do this automatically.

Further, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the contrast imaging, the contrast scan and the non-contrast scan are alternately executed, and the harmonic image and the fundamental wave image are automatically executed frame by frame. The volume data of the harmonic image and the fundamental wave image were generated alternately. The present embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, a harmonic image and a fundamental wave image may be generated by other methods.

For example, in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the contrast imaging is executed, the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image are alternately generated for each frame from the received signal, but the fundamental wave component and the harmonic component in the received signal May be stored as it is, and a fundamental wave image and a harmonic image may be generated as needed based on the fundamental wave component and the harmonic component.

In this case, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 stores the fundamental wave component and the harmonic component as they are in the storage circuit 25, and for example, when a fundamental wave image is required, generates a fundamental wave image from the fundamental wave component. On the other hand, when a harmonic image is required, a harmonic filter can be applied to the harmonic component to generate a harmonic image.

Further, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, while displaying one reference image RG on the left side of the display 27, the live image LG is also displayed on the right side of the reference image RG so as to be comparable at the same time. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this.

For example, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 may display a plurality of reference images on the display 27 so that the plurality of reference images and the live image to be captured will inherit the link information. As a result, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 can display the harmonic image of the live image and at the same time display the harmonic image of a plurality of reference images corresponding to the same cross section as the harmonic image of the live image.

In this case, the plurality of reference images include a reference image three days ago, a reference image one week ago, a reference image one month ago, and the like, and a plurality of reference images at different shooting times are simultaneously displayed on the display 27. Can be made to.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 includes a display 27 and a processing circuit 24, and the processing circuit 24 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 performs live when aligning the live image and the reference image. As an image, a fundamental wave image is displayed on the display 27. The present embodiment is not limited to this.

In the second embodiment, for example, when the processing contents and functions shown as the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 of the first embodiment are applied to the medical image processing apparatus and comparative interpretation is performed in the medical image processing apparatus. Is also applicable.

For example, if there is volume data of two fundamental wave images and volume data of two harmonic images associated with each other, the two fundamental images are aligned with each other, and each of the two fundamental wave images is aligned. Switch so that the corresponding harmonic images are displayed at the same time. Thereby, in the second embodiment, it can be applied to regular postoperative follow-up of the same subject.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the medical image processing apparatus 200 of the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, the medical image processing apparatus 200 of the second embodiment includes a processing circuit 210, a 2-input circuit 220, a display 230, a storage circuit 240, a network interface circuit 250, and an internal bus 260.

The processing circuit 210 is a processor corresponding to the processing circuit 24, and the input circuit 220 is a circuit corresponding to the input circuit 26. The display 230 is a device corresponding to the display 27, and the storage circuit 240 is a circuit corresponding to the storage circuit 25.

The processing circuit 210 reads the program from the storage circuit 240, and the parameter setting function 211 corresponding to the parameter setting function 241, the display cross section control function 213 corresponding to the display cross section control function 243, and the alignment corresponding to the alignment reception function 245. The reception function 215 is realized.

The network interface circuit 250 controls communication according to a communication standard, and externally controls the medical image processing device 200 through, for example, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) compliant with the IEEE802.11 series, short-range wireless communication, or a telephone line. Has the function of connecting to the network of.

The internal bus 260 is connected to each component so that the medical image processing device 200 is controlled by the processing circuit 210.

In the case of the second embodiment, the medical image processing apparatus 200 acquires the volume data of the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image from the outside via the network interface circuit 250, and stores the fundamental wave image in the storage circuit 240. Stores the volume data of the harmonic image.

The medical image processing apparatus 200 includes a display 230 and a processing circuit 210, so that the processing circuit 210 compares the first image obtained by imaging with a contrast medium with the first image. The image and the image are displayed on the display 230. In this case, the processing circuit 210 can display the fundamental wave image on the display 230 as the first image when the first image and the second image are aligned.

In other words, the processing circuit 210 compares the acquisition unit that acquires the first image having the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image obtained by photographing with the contrast medium from the storage circuit 240 with the first image. In the alignment with the second image, it is possible to realize the alignment unit that controls to apply the fundamental wave image as the first image.

In the second embodiment, neither the first image nor the second image need to be a live image, and any cross-sectional image or ultrasonic tomographic image based on the volume data already taken can be applied. That is, when the alignment of the first image and the second image is executed, the fundamental wave image is displayed as an image for accepting the alignment setting of at least one of the first image or the second image. The operator can perform the alignment more easily than before by simply displaying the image on the 230.

According to at least one embodiment described above, when photographing using a contrast medium, the harmonic image of the live image and the harmonic image of the reference image can be easily and highly accurately aligned. ..

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, as well as in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

10 ... Ultrasonic probe 20 ... Ultrasonic diagnostic device main body 21 ... Transmission / reception circuit 22 ... Image generation circuit 23 ... Image processing circuit 24 ... Processing circuit 25 ... Storage circuit 26 ... Input circuit 27 ... Display 30 ... Magnetic sensor 31 ... Magnetic generator 32 ... Position information collecting device 200 ... Medical image processing device 210 ... Processing circuit 220 ... Input circuit 230 ... Display 240 ... Storage circuit 250 ... Network interface circuit

Claims (6)

An image generator that generates a live image having a fundamental wave image and a harmonic image obtained by imaging with a contrast medium, and an image generation unit.
In the alignment with the reference image acquired before the live image, the alignment reception unit that controls to apply the fundamental wave image as the live image, and
A display control unit that switches the fundamental wave image applied as the live image to the harmonic image after the alignment of the live image and the reference image is executed.
An ultrasonic diagnostic device equipped with. An image generator that generates live images and
The fundamental wave image is applied as the reference image in the alignment of the reference image having the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image acquired before the live image and obtained by imaging with a contrast medium. With the alignment reception section that controls
A display control unit that switches the fundamental wave image applied as the reference image to the harmonic image after the alignment of the live image and the reference image is executed.
An ultrasonic diagnostic device equipped with. The image generation unit
When performing imaging with the contrast medium, the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image as the live image are generated.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 . The image generation unit
At the time of executing the shooting, the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image are alternately generated for each frame in the received signal.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3 . The image generation unit
At the time of executing the shooting, the fundamental wave component and the harmonic component in the received signal are stored, and the fundamental wave image and the harmonic image are generated based on the fundamental wave component and the harmonic component.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3 . Further equipped with a display for displaying the reference image
The fundamental wave image or the harmonic image of the reference image,
Display on the display based on the volume data
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2 .

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