JPH0420338A - Ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily compare each dynamic image of both images in the same phase by selecting a page of a frame memory conforming to a time phase of ultrasonic image data, based on a time phase difference of present ultrasonic image data and reproducing image data, and allowing a heat rate time phase to conform therewith. CONSTITUTION:Present image data from a DSC 7 in which present ultrasonic image data of every frame obtained from an ultrasonic echo is stored successively in the corresponding frame memory, and reproducing image data from a DSC 15 in which reproducing image data of every frame from a recorder 10a is stored successively in each frame memory are outputted to an adder 8. Subsequently, by a controller 23, a read-out timing of the reproducing image data is controlled so as to allow it to conform with a time phase of present image data, and also, a display position of a reproducing image on a TV monitor 9, and enlargement and reduction are controlled, and moreover, the selection control of a switch 14 is executed. In such a way, a page of the frame memory conforming with a time phase of the present image data is selected, a heart rate time phase is allowed to conform therewith, and by comparing easily each dynamic image of both images in the same phase, a satisfactory diagnosis is executed, the inspection time is shortened, and the burden of an operator is reduced.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention transmits and receives ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic probe to a subject, and detects the echo signals obtained thereby. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that performs scan conversion and displays ultrasonic diagnostic information.

(Prior art) Ultrasonic diagnostic methods, in which ultrasonic pulses are transmitted into a living body and biological information is obtained from reflected waves from various tissues within the living body, are used in an ultrasound diagnostic device. Moreover, it has the advantage that soft tissue diagnosis can be performed without using a contrast agent. Furthermore, array-type (also referred to as array-type) piezoelectric vibrators are used in ultrasonic probes in recent ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses. Each transducer of this ultrasonic probe is driven by a drive signal to generate ultrasonic waves, and the ultrasonic waves are transmitted into the living body. By giving a predetermined delay time to the received signal obtained from this living body to the same transducer,
By focusing the ultrasound beam on a predetermined time distance (position),
We are trying to obtain tomographic images with excellent resolution.

Furthermore, in recent ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses, the plurality of frames of tomographic image data are recorded on a recording medium, such as a video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR) or an optical disk memory. However, during reproduction, the tomographic image data can be read from the recording medium and displayed as a reproduced image on a TV monitor or the like.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) However, when the reproduced image is reproduced, it is displayed in the same format as the format at the time of recording.
For example, when comparing changes in the tomographic image of a patient before and after surgery, it is necessary to take a hard copy of each frame to a photograph or printer, or measure changes in the tomographic image during playback. There was a need to leave it there. Therefore, there has been a problem in that the inspection time is longer than necessary.

Furthermore, when comparing the tomographic images and reproduced images that sequentially change frame by frame, that is, these moving images, on a TV monitor, it is necessary to prepare two TV monitors, which is costly. Furthermore, the operator had to synchronize the heartbeat time phase, which was difficult for the operator.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to easily compare moving images of the current ultrasound image and the reproduced image in the same phase, to perform a good diagnosis, shorten the examination time, and reduce the burden on the operator. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic device.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention takes the following measures to solve the above problems and achieve the objective. That is, the present invention provides a first storage means for sequentially storing current ultrasound image data for each frame obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves to and from a subject in a frame memory corresponding to the current ultrasound image data, and a second storage means for sequentially storing reproduced image data for each frame read from a recording device for recording image data in frame memories corresponding thereto; control means for selecting a frame memory readout page to be read from the second storage means to match the time phase of the current ultrasound image data; The present invention is characterized by comprising an adding means for adding data and reproduced image data and outputting the added output to a display means.

The control means also controls the readout timing of the reproduced image data read from the second storage means so as to set a predetermined display position of the reproduced image on the screen of the display means and enlargement or reduction of the reproduced image. It is characterized by comprising means.

Further, the recording device selects in a time-sharing manner different recording media capable of storing each image data and each reproduced image data to be read from the recording medium, and outputs these reproduced image data to the second storage means in time series. The method is characterized by comprising a selection means.

(Effects) By taking such measures, the following effects are achieved. Based on the time phase difference between the current ultrasound image data read out from the first storage means and the reproduced image data read out from the second storage means, each reproduced image data is recorded frame by frame. A page of the frame memory that matches the time phase of the ultrasound image data is selected from the frame memory, and the heartbeat time phase is matched. This allows you to easily compare the current ultrasound image and the reproduced image in the same phase.
Good diagnosis can be made, inspection time can be shortened, and the burden on the operator can be reduced.

Furthermore, the display position and size of the reproduced image can be changed by controlling the readout timing, which is useful for image diagnosis.

Furthermore, since the display position can be changed arbitrarily,
By inputting multiple reproduced image data in a time-sharing manner, multiple reproduced images in addition to ultrasound images can be displayed for comparison at the same time, and these multiple images can be recorded within one frame, making image editing easier. .

(Example) Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a sector electronic scanning type ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus showing one embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows an ultrasonic image displayed on a TV monitor and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a reproduced image, an ECG waveform, etc., and is a schematic configuration diagram of the operation panel.

As shown in FIG. 2, the current time phase of the ECG signal and the reproduced image is displayed on the screen of the TV monitor 9.

In order to synchronize these time phases, the time phase difference can be set manually using the time phase difference setting key 24c provided on the operation panel 24 shown in FIG. 3, or the time phase difference can be adjusted to AUTO using the AUTO key 24d. There is.

The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus uses an ultrasound probe 1 to obtain current ultrasound image data. , T/R2 (transmission/reception circuit), B-mode processing unit 3 for obtaining tomographic image data, phase detection circuit 4°FFT for obtaining Doppler shift signals. CFM6 (
color flow mapping).

DSC7 (digital scan converter) as a first storage means, adder 3. It has a TV monitor 9.

The ultrasonic probe 1 is equipped with a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and in order to perform sector scanning, the excitation timing of each transducer is adjusted as desired so that the transmission direction of the ultrasonic beam changes sequentially in a fan-like manner. It changes depending on the direction.

T/R2 generates an ultrasonic transmission rate pulse for each transducer, gives a delay time to the rate pulse for each transducer so that the ultrasonic wave is transmitted in a predetermined direction, and applies a delay to each transducer. Ultrasonic probe 1
to drive. When the ultrasonic probe 1 is driven by the T/R 2, it generates ultrasonic waves and transmits the ultrasonic waves toward a subject (not shown).

The ultrasonic waves reflected from the object are received by the same transducer of the ultrasonic probe 1 and output to the T/R 2. Furthermore, T/R2 applies a delay time to the received signal of each transducer so as to restore the time delayed at the time of transmission. Thereafter, the received signals for each transducer are added and synthesized by an adder (not shown), and the resultant signal is output to the B-mode processing section 31 and the phase detection circuit 4.

The received signal is envelope-detected by the B-mode processing unit 3,
It is output to the DSC 7 as B-mode image data (tomographic image data).

On the other hand, in the Doppler processing system, the following processing is performed. That is, in the received signal, a Doppler shift signal consisting of a clutter component signal and a Doppler signal is detected by the phase detection circuit 4. Further, the Doppler shift signal is subjected to frequency analysis by FFT 5, and FFT image data indicating temporal changes in blood flow velocity is output to DSC 7. Further, in the CFM 6, the phase change of the Doppler shift signal from the phase detection port 4 is determined by an internal MTI filter, and the average value of the blood flow velocity is
CFM data (blood flow information) such as dispersion and power is obtained, and this CFM data is output to the DSC 7.

Furthermore, the current B-mode image data for each frame, F
The FT image data and CFM data are sequentially written into the corresponding frame memories by the DSC 7, and these image data are subjected to TV scan conversion and output to the adder 8.

On the other hand, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a reproduction image device 10 and an ECG AMP 2 for detecting heartbeat synchronization in order to obtain a reproduction image recorded in the recording device 10a in synchronization with the ultrasound image.
1. It has an R liquid detection circuit 22. The reproduction image device 10 is
DSC 15 as a second storage means of the recording device 10a
, controller 23. The recording device 10a includes:
VTRII as a recording medium for storing image data
.

Optical disc 12. It has an ultrasonic diagnostic device 13 and a switch 14 for selecting one of these. Said D
SC1,5 is recording device 1. Reading from Oa]'l
The reproduced image data of the shift gnome is sequentially stored in the corresponding frame memory, and these are scan-converted [
7 and outputs it to the adder 8.

The controller 23 sets the readout timing [7] of the reproduced image data read out from the DSC 15 to the current 11 wave image 1.
Controls ζ1, 1j to match the time phase of the τj data, controls the display position of the reproduced image on the screen of the TV monitor 9, enlarges and reduces the reproduced image, and further controls the selection of the switch]4 Do this.

An adder 8 serving as an adding means adds the current backwave image data read out by the DSC 7 and the reproduced image data read out by the DSC 5, and outputs the resulting addition output to a TV monitor 9 serving as a display means. Output.

Next, the operation of the reproduction image device will be explained.

When the selection signal from the controller 23 is applied to the switch 14, the switch 14 selects the VTR1], the destination disc]2. [Ultrasonic Diagnostic Apparatus] 3-1] Either one is selected. The reproduced image data is then read out from the selected recording medium and written frame by frame into the corresponding frame memory of the DSC 15 via the switch ]4. In other words, the reproduced image data of the frame is
Under the acquisition control of the controller 2B, the water N1 synchronization signal HD and the vertical synchronization signal ■9 as shown in FIG.
Odd horizontal lines (ODD, broken lines in the figure) and even horizontal lines (EVEN, solid lines in the figure) are written alternately in one frame memory as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, an electrocardiographic signal (hereinafter referred to as an ECG signal) from the subject is amplified by the ECG AMP 21, and an R wave detection circuit 22 detects only the R wave from the ECG signal to generate an R wave synchronization signal. This R-wave synchronization signal is output to the controller 2B.

The controller 23 displays a page (as shown in FIG. 6).
page) The control section 23a is
For example, manually input from VTRI] 2. Time phase difference device 3 that automatically (AUTO) counts the time phase difference between the raw image data and the R-wave synchronization signal (same phase as the ultrasound image data) input from the ECG AMP 21. 2. Manually change the time phase (M A N U A L ) to UP or D.
A time phase differencer 32 for OWN adjustment, a selector 33 for selecting one of these two time phase differencers, a counter 34 for counting frame clock signals. 5UB3 that subtracts the output of the selector 33 from the output of the counter 34
It consists of 5 (zabutrakunyon).

When the page control unit 23a performs AUTO adjustment of the time phase difference, the time phase difference device 31 is used. Zunaicchi Part 7
As shown in the figure, an R-wave synchronization signal is generated based on the ECG signal input from the ECG AMP 21. In addition, in synchronization with the illustrated u<R wave, the ultrasonic image data of the above-described current 1: is written into the frame memory corresponding to each frame and issue.

Also, there is a delay of time tL with respect to the R-wave synchronization signal [also i,' T R-+5 1. -, when reading out the reproduced image data by the number, the time phase difference output of the selector 33 is calculated based on the frame 1'3 clock number output from the +17 counter 34.
It is subtracted by 5.

Therefore, the reproduced image data from the VTRs 1 and 1 can be synchronized with the R-wave synchronization signal, that is, the ultrasound image data.
Read from C15. Note that manual adjustment may be performed using the time phase λ device 32.

Further, the controller 23 has a readout control section 23b as shown in FIG. The read control unit 23b is
Counter 40.41, 42°4B, , MPY44.4
5 (multiplier, multiplier).

The display position of the reproduced image shown in FIG. 2 is determined by the X-direction delay signal DX for delay in the X-direction as shown in FIG.
It is set using a Y-direction delay signal DY for X-direction delay. That is, when the keys 24a for up, down, left, and right on the operation panel 24 are pressed, X-direction and X-direction delay signals D, D, are output to the counters 40 and 42.

] 4 When the horizontal synchronizing signal HD+vertical synchronizing signal VD and Y-direction delayed signal DY are input to the counter 40, the counter 40 detects the start of "H" of the Y-direction delayed signal as shown in FIG. The position (11 in the figure) is counted, and the counter 41 counts the number of horizontal synchronizing signals HD during the "H" period (t2 in the figure).

Also, use the enlargement/reduction key 24b to select the X address scale or MP.
Enter in Y44. Then, the count number of the horizontal synchronizing signal H9 during the H'' period outputted from the counter 4 by the MPY 44 is multiplied by the X address scale, that is, expanded or contracted, and becomes the X address.

On the other hand, the delay in the X direction is as follows. When the X-direction delay signal D8° pixel clock is input manually to the counter 42, the counter 42 detects the starting position of "H" of the X-direction delay signal DX (t3 in the figure) as shown in FIG.
) is counted, and the counter 4B counts (
The number of pixel clocks (14) in the figure is counted.

Also, the X address scale is MPY from the enlargement/reduction key 24b.
45. Then, the count number of the pixel clock during the "H" period output from the counter 43 is multiplied by the X address scale by the MPY 45, that is, expanded or contracted, and becomes the X address.

In this way, when the readout control unit 23b sets the X and Y direction delay and scale within one frame based on the vertical synchronization signals VD and HD of the current ultrasound image, the counter moves the delay and scale to the display position. An X address with a set read timing is generated. These X and X addresses are set on the memory map with values from 0 to 511 for every 64 pages (frame memory), as shown in FIG.

Thus, the reproduced image data read out from the DSC 15 at the X address and the X address by the readout control unit 23b and the current ultrasound image data read out from the DSC 7 are added by the adder 8, and then As shown in the figure, the current ultrasound image of the subject is displayed on the TV monitor 9 (
A color-represented tomographic image) and a reproduced image of a relatively small area are displayed simultaneously.

Therefore, the current ultrasound image and the past ultrasound image (reproduced image) as moving images can be reexamined while being observed in the same phase, and changes before and after surgery can be easily grasped. Furthermore, since there is no mistake in the tomographic plane or setting, and misdiagnosis can be prevented, diagnosis can be carried out efficiently and the burden on the operator can be reduced.

Further, the switches 14 provided in the recording device 10a may be selectively controlled by the controller 23 in a time-sharing manner. In this case, if the switch 14 is selectively controlled in a time-sharing manner, the VTR]-1, the optical disc 12 . Image data from the ultrasonic diagnostic device 13 is output to the DSC 15 in time series. Furthermore, the controller 23
The internal readout control unit 23b controls the readout timing (X address, do.

In this way, a plurality of images can be recorded in the frame memory, and image editing becomes easy.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Although a VTR, an 11° optical disc 12, etc. have been described as the above-mentioned recording device, the present invention is not limited to these recording media, and may be other recording media, such as a TV left camera. Further, in the above embodiment, the reproduced image is
Although the displayed image is reduced and displayed in the upper left corner of the screen of the monitor 9, the display position and size of the reproduced image may be set arbitrarily without being limited thereto. It goes without saying that various other modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, based on the time phase difference between the current ultrasound image data read out from the first storage means and the reproduced image data from the recording device read out from the second storage means. , a page of the frame memory that matches the time phase of the ultrasound image data is selected from a plurality of frame memories that record each reproduced image data frame by frame, and the heartbeat time phase is matched. This makes it possible to easily compare the current ultrasound image and the reproduced video image in the same phase to make a good diagnosis, shorten the examination time, and reduce the burden on the operator. Can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a sector electronic scanning type ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus showing an embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows an ultrasonic image and a reproduced image displayed on the screen of a TV monitor. Figure 3 shows details of the operation panel; Figure 4 shows how to write reproduced image data to the DSC code 5; Figure 5 shows how to write one frame of reproduced image data. 6 is a diagram showing the details of the page control section, FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the readout timing of reproduced image data, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the readout control section. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the memory map of DSC1,5, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the X-direction delay and Y-direction delay for one playback image position of DSC15, and FIGS. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining read timing of reproduced image data. ]... Ultrasonic probe, 2... Wave transmitting/receiving circuit, 3...
B mode processing section, 4... phase detection circuit, 5... FF
T, 6...CFM, 7.15...DSC, 8...
Adder, 9...TV monitor, 11...VTR, 12
・・・Optical disc, 13・Ultrasonic diagnostic device, 14...
switch, 2]...ECG AMP, 22...R wave detection circuit, 2B...controller, 23a...page control unit, 23b...readout control unit, 31.32...
・Time phase differencer, 33...Selector, 34.40~43...
・Counter, 35・SUB, 44.45-MPY. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A first storage means that sequentially stores current ultrasound image data for each frame obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves to and from a subject in a corresponding frame memory; and past ultrasound image data of the subject. a second storage means for sequentially storing reproduced image data for each frame read from a recording device that records them in frame memories corresponding thereto, and based on the time phase difference between the current ultrasound image data and the reproduced image data, control means for selecting a frame memory readout page to be read from the second storage means to match the time phase of the current ultrasound image data; and the current ultrasound image data read by the first and second storage means. What is claimed is: 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an adding means for adding the reproduced image data and outputting the summed output to a display means. (2) The control means sets the read timing of the reproduced image data read from the second storage means, a predetermined display position of the reproduced image on the screen of the display means, and enlargement or reduction of the reproduced image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1. (3) The recording device selects a different recording medium capable of storing each image data and each reproduced image data to be read from the recording medium in a time-sharing manner, and sequentially stores the reproduced image data in the second storage means. 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection means for outputting an output to a selection unit.