JPH02193654A - Image diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record plural time phase images in one beat without using an electrocardiograph by equipping the subject image diagnostic device with a recording control means to issue an instruction to a memory means so that the memory means can successively record images collected for every very short time or stop the recording, etc. CONSTITUTION:A control part 7 can set timing for collecting and reproducing the images according to the desire of an operator, generates trigger timing for ultrasonic scanning, issues the timing to a transmitting and receiving part 2, and supplies a control signal to a picture storage part 3 and a DSC 5 using the timing. A subtracter 33, an adder 34, a register 35, and a minimum detector 36 to compose a deciding means detect the minimum value of an evaluation function SN. Further, while the control part 7 issues an instruction for continuing the recording to a recording control part 31 when a cumulative added value is larger than the previously set minimum value, the control part 7 issues an instruction for stopping the recording to the recording control part 31 when the cumulative added value is smaller than the minimum value. The plural time phase images for one beat can be recorded in a memory means 30 by continuing the above-mentioned operation.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an image diagnostic apparatus such as an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus.

(Prior art) As a medical image diagnosis, for example, one of the ultrasound diagnostic methods uses a real-time ultrasound diagnostic device equipped with a large-capacity memory and an electrocardiograph to determine the dynamics of the circulatory system such as the heart of a subject. There is a method of displaying the circulatory system as multiple temporal images to accurately diagnose the form and function of the circulatory system.

To carry out this method, the subject is fitted with the inductive electrode of an electrocardiograph, and the ECG wave is obtained from the electrocardiograph. The ultrasonic scan is triggered for the 1st frame, and the ultrasonic scan is performed sequentially at intervals of Δt (frame interval) until the R wave of the next heartbeat. images, that is, a group of frame-by-frame temporal images covering one heartbeat, are stored in memory. Here, T is the heartbeat interval.

For image diagnosis or display, T/Δ stored in the memory is continuously displayed from among the images, for example, from the systolic image to the diastolic image. The display can be cycled from the beginning of one systole to the middle of one systole to the end of one systole (repeated display), or the display speed can be varied to display slow speed, high speed, or frame-by-frame display. Such a display method allows accurate understanding of the dynamic state of the heart, which is useful.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) The image diagnostic method described above is a suitable diagnostic method for the circulatory system that moves periodically, but it requires a large amount of data to collect and record multiple time-phase images during one heartbeat. It is necessary to attach the electrocardiograph lead electrode to the examiner. Generally, it is necessary to attach multiple electrodes, which clutters the area around the test subject due to cables, etc., and also causes mental agitation to the test subject.Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to: An object of the present invention is to provide an image diagnostic apparatus capable of recording a plurality of time phase images in one heartbeat without using an electrocardiograph.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has a structure in which the following means are taken to solve the above problems and achieve the objects.

That is, the image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention is an image diagnostic apparatus that collects images of the same part of a subject in frames at minute intervals and displays them, and includes a memory means capable of storing images for a plurality of frames. a recording control means for instructing the memory means to sequentially record or stop recording the images collected at each minute time; and determining means for instructing the recording control means to stop the operation of recording the collected image in the memory means when it is determined that a difference in image value from another image is less than a predetermined value. be.

(Function) For example, in the case of the heart as an internal organ that exhibits periodic motion, changes in its shape at every moment during one heartbeat,
This corresponds to the change in the image value of the temporal stability of one heartbeat, so as mentioned above, when the difference in image value between the reference image and other images is less than a predetermined value, it can be determined that one heartbeat has ended. . Therefore, it is possible to collect and record a plurality of time-phase images in one heartbeat as soon as the determination means issues a command to the recording control means to stop the recording operation.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described below using an example in which it is applied to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the device of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the image storage unit in the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is the relationship between the trigger timing of ultrasound scanning and the evaluation function in the same embodiment. FIG.

In FIG. 1, an ultrasonic probe 1 including a large number of micro transducers arranged in parallel has a transmitting/receiving unit that is applied to a subject (not shown) and is capable of performing B-mode scanning, M-mode scanning, Doppler scanning, etc. 2.

The two-dimensional images obtained by this transmitter/receiver 2 in various scanning modes are images r? c! The ultrasonic scan is converted into a TV scan by a DSC (Digital Scan Converter) 5 through a storage unit 3 or directly through a switch 4, and is applied to a monitor 6 for image display. There is. Here, the transmitting/receiving section 2, the image storage section 3, and the DSC 5 are controlled by the control section 7, and the switching operation of the switch 4 is performed manually by the operator or by the control section 7.
automatic operation is performed.

The image storage unit 3 includes N frame memories 3 as memory means 30 capable of storing images for a plurality of frames.
0+, 302, 303...3ON. Furthermore, the image storage section 3 is configured to sequentially record frame images collected by the transmitting/receiving section 2 at minute intervals in the memory means 30 (a recording control section 31 giving an instruction and a memory means 3
The image recorded in 0 is switched and sent to the DSC via the switch 4.
5. Further, the image storage unit 3 uses one image recorded in the memory means 30 as a reference image, and when it is determined that the difference in image value between the reference image and other images is the minimum value, the image storage unit 3 stores the collected image in the memory means 30.
A subtracter 33, an adder 34, a register 35, and a minimum detector 36 are provided as determination means for giving a command to the recording control section 31 to stop the operation of recording to 0.

Note that the control unit 7 controls image collection and
The playback timing can be set, thereby creating a trigger timing for ultrasonic scanning and giving it to the transmitting/receiving section 2, and this ultrasonic scanning trigger timing signal is used to send the trigger timing to the image storage section 3 and DSC 5. A control signal is given to the

Here, the operation of the image storage section 3 shown in FIG. 2 will be explained with reference to FIG. The arranger 33, adder 34, register 35, and minimum detector 36, which constitute the determination means, use the evaluation function SN
Find the minimum value of .

S ry −1Σ l XN (a, R) −X
l (m, +7), that is, Xi (II, R
), X2 (1, g).

X3(II+,ρ)''−XN(i, j1') is the image value of the collected image, and I is the rask number,
g is the number of samples in the depth direction.

Time 1. The image x+(+,N) is collected in memory 3
Recorded in 01. Next, at time t2 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, image X2 (1, N) is collected and recorded in memory 302. At the same time, the data recorded in memory 301 and memory 302 is taken into subtracter 33. , here is the difference value (x
2(m,+2)-xl (m, N)) is calculated, and the adder 34 and register 35 provide the cumulative addition value S2 in the minimum detector 36.

52-1 Σ l X2 (Il, R) -x
t (+5. g) When S2 is larger than the preset minimum value, it instructs the recording control unit 31 to continue recording, and when it is small, it instructs the recording control unit 31 to stop recording. give.

By continuing the above operations, it becomes possible to record a plurality of time phase images for one heartbeat in the memory means 30. For example, in the case of the heart, which is an internal organ that exhibits periodic motion, the change in shape changes from moment to moment during one heartbeat, as shown in Figures 3(b) and 3(c).
The ECG waveform changes correspondingly. ) corresponds to the change in the image value of this one heartbeat, so it is shown in Figure 3(c).
As described above, when the difference in image value between the reference image and other images is less than a predetermined value, it can be determined that one heartbeat has ended, that is, one cycle has ended, using the evaluation function as shown in ing.

In addition, after image acquisition, the time phase image stored in the image storage unit 3 can be displayed continuously or repeatedly on the monitor 6 via the switch 4, allowing accurate visualization of the dynamic state of the heart. You can know. Of course, by operating the switch 4, the time phase group images collected by the transmitting/receiving section 2 can be directly displayed continuously or repeatedly on the monitor 6.

Note that, in addition to the evaluation function described above, one defined as follows may be used.

In addition, although the above example describes an example of application to an ultrasound diagnostic device, images of the same part of a subject such as an X-ray diagnostic device are collected frame by frame at minute intervals and displayed. It can also be applied to diagnostic equipment.

In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, in the present invention, in the case of the heart as an internal organ exhibiting periodic motion, for example, the change in shape from moment to moment during one heartbeat and the temporal phase maintenance of this one heartbeat can be investigated. A memory means capable of storing a plurality of frames of images based on the correspondence with a change in image value, and a command to the memory means to sequentially record or stop recording the images collected at each minute time interval. recording control means for providing one image recorded in the memory means as a reference image, and when it is determined that a difference in image value between the reference image and another image is equal to or less than a predetermined value, recording the collected image in the memory means; and determining means for giving a command to the recording control means to stop the recording operation in the means, one heartbeat ends when the difference in image value between the reference image and other images is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Accordingly, the determination means issues a command to the recording control means to stop the recording operation; and the determination means is able to collect and record multiple temporal images of one heartbeat at any time. becomes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment applied to an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus as an image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of an image storage section in the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the timing of ultrasonic scanning and the evaluation function in FIG. 1... Ultrasonic probe, 2... Transmission/reception section, 3...
Image storage section, 30... Memory means, 31 Memory control section, 32... Changeover switch, 33... Subtractor, 34...
...Adder, 35...Register, 36...Minimum detector, 4...Switcher, 5...DSC, 6...Monitor, 7...Control unit. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image diagnostic apparatus that collects images of the same part of a subject frame by frame at minute intervals and displays them, there is provided a memory means capable of storing images for a plurality of frames; a recording control means for giving a command to sequentially record or stop recording images collected at each time; and one image recorded in the memory means as a reference image, and a difference in image value between the reference image and other images. An image diagnostic apparatus comprising: determination means for giving a command to the recording control means to stop recording the acquired image in the memory means when it is determined that the acquired image is equal to or less than a predetermined value.