JPH01124445A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a three-dimensional image easy to obtain, by two-dimensionally arranging a vibrators and linearily scanning the vibrators of line arrangement to obtain a tomographic image and continuously moving the linear scanning surface in a row direction to simultaneously display both B-mode tomographic images. CONSTITUTION:Linear scanning is performed using the endmost line (Y1-line) of vibrator groups 1 arranged two-dimensionally to obtain the tomographic image of a specimen 2 and said image is displayed on a display 5 as a main image 3. Herein, when a marker 6 is set, the tomographic image in the Y-direction from the position of said marker 6 is displayed as a sub-image 4. That is, the vibrator line of the row X5 shown by the marker 6 is also used in linear scanning to obtain a tomographic image which is, in turn, displayed simultaneously with the tomographic image due to the linear scanning of the Y1-line. Further, in the main image, the line to be used among lines Y1-Yn can be arbitrarily and variably set by a user and, when an element pitch is reduced, the same operation can be performed using a plurality of lines or rows. As a result, since the two-dimensional tomographic surface and the tomographic surface in the depth direction with respect to said surface can be simultaneously displayed, a three-dimensional image can be easily obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus suitable for obtaining a display image having a three-dimensional image.

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional device, there is known a device that mechanically scans a vibrator and displays images from a plurality of directions simultaneously, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10166/1983.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The above conventional technology mechanically scans the vibrator to obtain three-dimensional data, stores the area designated by the cursor, and simultaneously displays images from multiple directions in three views (front view, side view, and top view).
It is shown as follows.

It is possible to display any aspect of the overall picture in real time.

No consideration has been given to automatically and continuously moving cross-sectional images to construct a more three-dimensional image, and since it is a mechanical scan, an inter-room positioning device or scanning device is required. There was a problem.

An object of the present invention is to obtain a linear or sector B-mode tomographic image by electronic scanning, and to display an arbitrary plane in the forward direction with respect to the linear scanning plane, a plane continuously moved at the same time as the linear tomographic plane, and a designated tomographic plane. The aim is to make it easier to obtain three-dimensional images.

[Means for solving problems]

The above purpose is to linearly scan the transducers arranged in one row in a two-dimensional array, obtain a tomographic image, continuously move the linear scanning plane in the column direction, and display both B-mode tomographic images simultaneously. This is achieved by

[Operation] The linear scanning tomographic images of the single-column transducer are alternately scanned against the B-mode tomographic images produced by the linear scanning of the row-array transducers, and the scanning plane of the column array is sequentially shifted to obtain tomographic images and display them simultaneously. By doing so, the frontal tomographic image and the depth side tomographic image are displayed in real time.

As a result, the depth-direction tomographic images are simultaneously displayed in sequence with the B-mode tomographic image (frontal image), making it easy to imagine a three-dimensional image.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1(a), linear scanning is performed using the first row of the two-dimensionally arranged transducer group 1 (row Y1 in FIG. 3),
A tomographic image of the subject 2 is obtained and displayed as a main image 3 on a display 5 shown in FIG. 1(b). Here, when the marker 6 is set at the position shown in the figure, a tomographic image taken in the Y direction from that position is displayed as the sub-image 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 1(a), Xs indicated by a marker
The transducer rows (shaded areas) in the rows are also linearly scanned to obtain tomographic images, which are displayed simultaneously with the tomographic images obtained by the linear scanning of the Yz rows.

Here, in the main image, which line among lines Yz to Y0 is used can be freely set by the user. Furthermore, by reducing the element pitch, similar operations can be performed using multiple rows or multiple columns. Further, the short axis aperture with respect to the linear scanning plane may also be made variable.

FIG. 2 shows an apparatus in which the Y scanning plane can be tilted with respect to the main scanning plane by tilting the marker 6. As shown in FIG. 2(a), elements in the Y column are selected diagonally and linearly scanned.

The sub-image 4 becomes an image that is longer in the horizontal direction than when it is perpendicular to the X row as shown in FIG. 2(b). In FIG. 2(a), the array is disordered in the diagonal direction, but by reducing the array pitch, it is possible to select a large number of vibrators so that they have a width close to a straight line.

In addition, in Figures 1 and 2, the scanning position was determined by manually setting markers, but by using the automatic selection method, the X column is automatically
Move from 1 to X and display each sub-image in sequence, and press Y
By aligning the linear scanning start point of a row with the X column, it is possible to configure a mode in which tomographic images using equivalently inverted transducers are sequentially displayed as shown in FIG. 4C.

Here, the width of the main image 3 in the X direction becomes narrower as shown in d and e of the figure, but the main image may be shaved off while the sub-image is fixed, or vice versa. or,
The main image may remain as it is, and the marker may move to display the position of the Y-direction tomographic plane. In addition, as shown in Figure 3, by sequentially moving and displaying the columns from Yz to Yn to obtain the main image, it is possible to capture depth information in a moving image.The 1-selection transducer is limited to rows. Similar operations can be performed on columns as well.

In the above-described embodiment, main scanning and sub-scanning are sequentially repeated for simultaneous display. Therefore, the frame rate is slightly inferior to -tomogram display. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the sub-screen may be tilted to display a perspective image to create a more three-dimensional image. Here, a sub image is used, but the main image or both images may be displayed diagonally.

The switch system for realizing the scanning of the above embodiment is shown in FIG.
An example is shown in which 4×4 elements and two linear scanning aperture elements are used. A first switch 1° is connected to each vibrator, and the other end is connected to a second switch. The terminal 1 side of the second switch 11 is connected to the X-axis receiving circuit and bundled in the Y-axis direction, and although not shown in Figure 1, the phase is adjusted by the variable delay line 12 via the receiving amplifier. and is led to the video circuit.

In addition, the terminal 2 side of the second switch 11 is connected to the Y-axis direction receiving circuit, bundled in the X-axis direction, phase-aligned in the same way as the X-axis, and guided to the video circuit, each of which has a main image and a sub-image. Form.

FIG. 7a is a matrix representation of the first switch 1o, and the diagram also shows terminals 1 and 2 of the second switch 11.
is expressed as a matrix. In the same figure C, during linear scanning of one row of X-axis cylinders, the S
ELp 5tay 518tS14 is turned on, and the second switch 11 turns on the 1st side of the 1st row of X-axis cylinders as shown in FIG. That is, if the third subscript indicates whether the second switch is on the 1st side or the 2nd side, then S11etaS121
TS 181. S141 becomes the operating mode. Figures e and f show the case of the fourth row of operations in the Y-axis direction, and similarly S x+x, 5x4z.

5aaz+ Stag becomes the operating mode. Regarding the wave transmitting circuit, a transmitting/receiving separation circuit is provided before the variable delay line 12 (before the receiving preamplifier) and is connected to the driver circuit. This driver circuit can perform arbitrary delay operations using timing pulses.

When scanning sectors in the Y-axis direction, the second switch 1
After the terminals 2 of 1 are bundled in the X-axis direction, each variable delay line is inserted and the delay amount of the linear variable delay line 12 for phase matching is set to 0. Sector scanning in the X-axis direction requires a similar configuration. In the sector configuration, it is also possible to perform linear focusing using the variable delay line 12 shown in FIG. 5, with the delay amount of the inserted variable delay line set to O.

Although the above embodiments have been described with respect to linear scanning, the same applies to electronic sector scanning (or two-dimensional convex scanning).

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since a two-dimensional tomographic plane and a tomographic plane in the depth direction relative to the two-dimensional tomographic plane can be displayed simultaneously, it is possible to easily obtain a three-dimensional image.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the scanning method and display method according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram when the second scanning plane in the tIM is oblique, and Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the two-dimensional array vibration. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the transducers; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a method for displaying three tomographic images by inverted-shaped scanning; FIG. 5 is a switch connection diagram of the transducer group in an embodiment of the present invention; The figure is an explanatory diagram showing a modification of the display method, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the switch in FIG. 5. 1... Vibrator group, 1'... Selected vibrator group, 2
...Subject, 3...Main image, 4...Sub image, 5...De 3rd country 6 Marker early 4 Mouth J: Face 13...+'&vJ! r

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to obtain a tomographic image of a subject, m ultrasonic vibrations are two-dimensionally arranged in the X-axis direction and n in the Y-axis direction. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized by simultaneously displaying a tomographic image in an arbitrary depth direction perpendicular to the transducer surface with respect to a B-mode tomographic image displayed by electronic scanning using a transducer. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the linear scanning plane is scanned and displayed while being sequentially shifted in the depth direction. 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tomographic images in the depth direction with respect to the linear scanning plane are scanned while being sequentially shifted, and both tomographic images are displayed simultaneously. 4. A first switch is connected to each of the vibrators, a second switch is connected to the other end of the switch, and an X-axis direction scanning circuit is connected to the terminal at the other end of the first switch, 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a Y-axis direction scanning circuit is connected to the other end terminal of the second switch.