JPH03231649A - Ultrasonic three-dimensional image display - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate visual determination of a sense of distance and a positional relationship between a test specimen and an observer by determining a distance of the test specimen from an observing position based on three-dimensional image information to display a three-dimensional color image with the addition of specified hue information corresponding to the distance. CONSTITUTION:Positional information is used at an initial position of a body surface of a probe 12 with a fast computation processor section 30 to generate a secondary base receiving echo data at the initial position by computation. Moreover, positional information is determined repeatedly at each moving position over the entire range in which the probe 12 moves once, for example, for one scanning. An image data per cube is generated from a total two-dimensional data in a moving range along a body surface to form a three-dimensional image by a coordinate conversion. Then, a hue change is calculated by computation, for example, so that close part is colored warm looking bright and a distant part is colored cool gradually as it becomes farther and the results of the computation are added to the three-dimensional image data. This allows an observer to seize information on a depth and a distance of the three- dimensional image according to a change in hue to obtain a sense of distance and cube.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image display method of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, and in particular, to obtaining reflected echo information from a subject using an ultrasound probe, and applying this echo information to the image display method. The present invention relates to a method of displaying an ultrasound three-dimensional image, which displays a three-dimensional image of the inside of a subject based on the present invention.

[Prior art] In the medical field, tertiary ultrasound is used to display a three-dimensional image of the area to be examined on a TV monitor or the like using the ultrasound probe of an ultrasound diagnostic device based on information about reflected echoes from the object. Methods for displaying original images are well known and widely used.

In this type of conventional ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method,
Since the image of the area to be examined is displayed in three dimensions, the observer can obtain a three-dimensional effect of the area to be examined on the image. In comparison, it has become possible to better understand the location and shape of the test site, making it easier to diagnose the test site.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such conventional ultrasonic three-dimensional image display methods, the desired test region is displayed as a three-dimensional image on a television monitor simply by using black and white shading. ■As a result, the observer can obtain a three-dimensional impression of the examined part itself on the image, but the sense of distance of the examined part to the observer is insufficient, and for this reason, the observer has a sense of perspective with respect to the examined part. It was difficult to understand visually.

In other words, in the conventional three-dimensional image display method, only a monochrome display is performed, that is, a three-dimensional black and white image is displayed. It didn't make any changes.

For this reason, it is difficult for the observer to visually grasp the sense of depth of the examined part in the three-dimensional image display, and it has not been possible to easily grasp the sense of depth.

Therefore, with the conventional three-dimensional image display method, it may be difficult to diagnose the region to be examined quickly and accurately.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems.The purpose of the present invention is to change the hue according to the object distance on a three-dimensional image display based on reflected echo information, and to provide an observer with a three-dimensional image display. An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method that allows the user to visually and easily grasp the sense of depth in image display.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an ultrasound probe is moved along the body surface of a subject, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the ultrasound probe to the subject. an ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving step for transmitting and receiving sound wave pulses to obtain reflected echo information from inside the subject; and a movement position for obtaining position information by detecting the position of the body surface to which the ultrasound probe has been moved. a detection step, an information storage step of storing the reflected echo information and the position information as three-dimensional information, and obtaining three-dimensional image information subjected to three-dimensional coordinate transformation based on both information stored in the information storage step. a three-dimensional image calculation processing step, and a distance of the subject from a predetermined observation position is determined based on the three-dimensional image information, and specific hue information corresponding to the distance is added to the three-dimensional image information through calculation processing. The method is characterized by comprising a hue calculation processing step for obtaining color three-dimensional image information, and a color image display step for displaying the color three-dimensional image information as an image.

[Operations] With the above configuration, according to the present invention, the ultrasonic probe is moved along the body surface of the subject, and ultrasonic pulses are transmitted and received from the inside of the subject. Obtain reflected echo information.

On the other hand, position information is obtained by detecting the position of the body surface to which the ultrasound probe has been moved.

Then, the reflected echo information and the position information are stored as three-dimensional information, and three-dimensional image information subjected to three-dimensional coordinate transformation is obtained based on both pieces of information.

The object distance from a predetermined observation position is determined based on this three-dimensional image information, and specific hue information corresponding to the distance is added to the three-dimensional image information through arithmetic processing to obtain color three-dimensional image information.

Here, in this color three-dimensional image information, in the positional relationship between the subject and the observation position, the area to be examined that is closest to the observation position is displayed in a warm color that appears bright, and the area to be examined that is far from the observation position gradually changes to a cooler color. The hue is changed depending on the distance of the test object.

This makes it possible to display three-dimensional image information in color, and the observer can visually grasp the sense of distance and depth from this change in hue.

[Example] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a circuit configuration to which the ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method of the present invention is applied.

A characteristic feature of the present invention is that reflected echo information and probe position information are collected while the probe is moved along the body surface of the subject, a three-dimensional image is obtained from this information, and this three-dimensional The purpose is to add a color hue to the original image information according to the distance so that the parts near the observer are warmer and the parts farther away are colder.

The circuit configuration and operation of this embodiment will be explained using FIG.

In the figure, a transmission circuit section 10 generates an ultrasonic transmission pulse signal 10a, and a probe 12 that is in contact with a subject 14.
The ultrasonic waves are transmitted to the inside of the subject via the

Then, the receiving circuit 16 receives the reflected echo information 16a that is reflected from inside the desired test site and returns, and the A/D converter 18 converts this received data into a digital signal, which is then stored in the three-dimensional image memory. It is stored in the section 26.

At the same time, the probe 12 is moved linearly along a predetermined direction on the body surface of the subject 14 by the probe moving table section 22, and the probe moving position analysis section 24 moves the probe 12 linearly along a predetermined direction on the body surface of the subject 14. For example, the moving position is detected in real time, and this moving position information 22a is stored in the three-dimensional image memory section 26 via the path line BL.

Then, the central control unit section 28 stores data in the three-dimensional image memory section 26, that is, reads out the reflected echo information and the movement position information stored in the three-dimensional image memory section 26, and transfers it to the high-speed arithmetic processing processor section 30. There is.

This high-speed arithmetic processing processor unit 30 calculates three-dimensional image data by high-speed arithmetic processing based on the reflected echo information 16a and the probe movement position information 22a, and also calculates the distance of the examined part based on this image data. An operation is being performed to convert depth information indicating the color to hue information.

Then, the central control unit section 28 transfers the result to the frame buffer memory section 32 and stores it therein. That is, this frame buffer memory section 32 stores three primary colors R.
It has three memories for each hue of (red), G (green), and B (blue), and each output is sent to the D/A converter 3.
4 is converted into an analog signal, and then a color image is displayed by a CRT 36 for color image display.

FIG. 2 shows the operation of the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 1 according to this embodiment, particularly the central control unit section 28 and the arithmetic processing section 3.
0 flowchart is shown.

Hereinafter, based on the circuit configuration of FIG. 1, the control system for hue conversion will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2.

In the figure, when the reflected echo information and the movement position information are stored in the three-dimensional image memory section 20, (
Start, step 100), said central control unit section 28
Then, the stored information is read out and transferred to the high-speed arithmetic processing processor unit 30 via the pass line BL (data transfer, step 110).

Then, this high-speed arithmetic processing processor section 30 uses the positional information of the probe 12 at the initial body surface position to create two-dimensional received echo data at the initial position by calculation. Creation of two-dimensional data, step 112).

Next, in the same way, two-dimensional received echo data is created by calculation using the position information at that position when the probe 12 is moved a little along the body surface (two-dimensional data at the moved position). creation, step 114).

Further, the high-speed arithmetic processing processor unit 30 repeatedly obtains position information at each movement position in step 114 for the entire range in which the probe 12 moves once, for example, by one scan. Then, one three-dimensional image data is created from all the two-dimensional data of the movement range along the body surface (-creation of three-dimensional image data, step 116).

Furthermore, in this high-speed arithmetic processing processor section 30,
The three-dimensional image data obtained in step 116 is coordinate-transformed through arithmetic processing to generate a three-dimensional image (creation of three-dimensional image data, step 118).

As a result, step 1, which is a feature of this embodiment,
Arithmetic processing is performed to add color and eye information to the three-dimensional image data obtained in step 18.

That is, at a predetermined observation position based on the positional relationship between the subject and the observer, hue information corresponding to a subject part close to the observer and a subject part farthest from the observer is added. For example, a hue change is calculated in which a nearby part is made to appear brighter and a warmer color, and as the distance increases, a farther part is gradually made to be a cooler color, and this calculation result is added to the three-dimensional image data (adding hue information, Step 120).

Therefore, the central control unit section 28 transfers the color three-dimensional image information as the calculation result in step 120 from the high-speed arithmetic processing processor section 30 to the frame buffer memory 32 via the pass line BL. (store in memory, step 122).

The color three-dimensional image information is transferred from the frame buffer memory 32 as color image data to the three primary colors R.
, G, and B, and the color signals corresponding to each RSGSB are sent to D/A converters 34R and 34G, respectively.
, Convert to analog signal with 34B and use CR of TV monitor.
Sent to T36.

As a result, a three-dimensional image with a sense of distance is displayed on the CRT 36 as a color image because the hue information of the test region is added (color image display, step 12).
4).

As described above, based on such a flow, the central control unit section 28 and the high-speed arithmetic processing processor section 30
As a result, it is possible to obtain a color image display in which hue information is added to three-dimensional image information (end, step 126).
).

As described above, in the display example using the circuit configuration to which the three-dimensional image display method of the present embodiment is applied, the part closest to the observer as shown in FIG. The color becomes gradually cooler (for example, blue or green) toward the part farther from the observer.

As a result, a color image display state having a hue change according to the test distance is expressed.

As a result, the position and distance relationship between the subject and the observer become clear, and for the observer, it is possible to more visually grasp the depth and distance information of the three-dimensional image due to such changes in hue. At the same time, it is possible to obtain a sense of distance and a three-dimensional effect.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method according to the present invention, the object distance from the observation position is determined based on the three-dimensional image information, and a specific A three-dimensional color image can be displayed by adding hue information to three-dimensional image information.

As a result, since the hue changes depending on the distance to the subject, it becomes possible for the observer to easily visually grasp the sense of distance and positional relationship between the subject and the observer.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration to which the ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a control flow of the circuit configuration shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an image display state in the ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method according to the present invention. 10a... Ultrasonic pulse signal 12... Probe 16a... Reflected echo information 22a... Probe position information 24... Probe movement position analysis section 26... Three-dimensional image memory Section 28... Central control unit section 30... High speed arithmetic processing processor section 32...
Frame buffer 7 memory section 34... D/A conversion section 34R1 34G. 4B D/A converter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Move the ultrasound probe along the body surface of the subject,
In the ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method for displaying reflected echo information inside the object as a three-dimensional image, the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving method transmits and receives ultrasonic pulses from the ultrasound probe to the object to obtain reflected echo information. a wave process; a movement position detection process for obtaining position information by detecting the movement position of the body surface to which the ultrasound probe has been moved; and information for storing the reflected echo information and the position information as three-dimensional information. a storage step; a three-dimensional image calculation processing step for obtaining three-dimensional image information subjected to three-dimensional coordinate transformation based on both information stored in the information storage step; a hue calculation processing step for obtaining color three-dimensional image information by calculating the object distance and adding specific hue information corresponding to the distance to the three-dimensional image information through calculation processing; An ultrasonic three-dimensional image display method, comprising: displaying a color image, and displaying a three-dimensional color image by changing the hue depending on the distance of the subject.