JPH04208143A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To color and draw the motion of a moving position of an object body by providing a means for overwriting a plurality of difference image data while converting the difference image data having color codes added thereto to the color code specified colors and displaying the difference image data on an image displaying device. CONSTITUTION:A color code adding means 8 adds color codes for giving color phases different in order of display images to difference image data, and a color converting and data overwriting means 10 converts the difference image data having the color codes added thereto to colors designated by the added color codes and overwrites a plurality of difference image data. Next, the means 10 is operated to display the overwritten difference image data on an image indicator 7. Thus, while the motion of a moving position of a detected body can be drawn by a colored difference image, the motional states of the moving position in time series can be displayed directly on a screen at the same time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that uses ultrasound to obtain a tomographic image of a diagnostic region of a subject, and in particular, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that uses ultrasound to obtain a tomographic image of a diagnostic region of a subject. It is possible to visualize the movements of moving parts such as the heart, blood vessels, and blood flow in color (q-scaled difference images), display the time-series movement status of the moving parts on the screen, and further visualize the living body of the subject. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can easily identify the timing of an image of a signal.

[Conventional technology]

B-mode display is a method of displaying images of the blood flow, heart, etc. inside the subject in real time using ultrasound.

Doppler mode display, etc. are known, but the latest method is an attempt to obtain a differential image by calculating between ultrasound tomograms, as reported in British Heart Journal 59 (1988).
) pages 12 to 19 (British Hear
t; Journal 59 (1988) PP12-1
．． 9).

This method uses a contrast agent to perform subtraction between tomographic images before and after the contrast agent is injected, so that, for example, a region of interest in the heart can be observed with contrast.

That is, in this image display method, as shown in FIG. 6, before injecting the contrast agent into the subject, for example, four frames of ultrasonic tomographic images are captured, and these 471-norm images are averaged. Create a mask image 7, and then
A contrast agent is injected into the subject, and tomographic images are acquired over time from the time when the contrast agent reaches the diagnosis site, and subtraction is performed between the mask image and each tomographic image after the contrast agent injection to sequentially create difference images. The method adopted is to obtain the following. Note that in this method, the density of each pixel in the image that becomes the mask image is 4.
This is the average value of the density of the corresponding pixels in the two frames. The reason for this is to reduce the influence of random noise on the difference image and obtain a better difference image.

In addition, as an ultrasonic diagnostic device that displays such differential images, the 55th Japanese Society of Ultrasound in Medicine Proceedings (198
It is described on pages 291 to 292 of the 56th H Book Ultrasonic Society in Medicine (issued October 4, 1990), pages 351 to 354 (published in May 1990).

The display of difference images in these ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses involves performing a difference between time-series tomographic images and sequentially displaying the obtained difference images one by one.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the former case, when displaying images using conventional ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, a contrast agent is injected into the blood of the subject and the places where blood moves, such as the ventricles and atria, are visualized with enhanced contrast. Therefore, it has been difficult to obtain movement information of areas with low blood flow, for example, the tissue itself. Furthermore, although the movement status of the inner walls of the ventricles and atria can be grasped, the movement status of the outer walls cannot be observed. Furthermore, in order to inject a contrast agent into the subject,
It could not be applied to people who could not tolerate it.

In addition, in the latter case, real-time differential image display is possible without using a contrast agent, and it has been reported that premature ventricular contractions, which were impossible to observe with conventional tomographic image display, can be displayed as images. Although it has the potential to open up a new field of ultrasound diagnosis, it simply displays differential images one by one, so the movement of moving parts such as organs is an afterimage of human vision. Judgments were made based on effectiveness.

In other words, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the time-series motion state of the subject's moving region is not directly displayed on the screen, but is determined by observing changes in the difference images that are sequentially displayed one by one and relying on the visual afterimage effect. It was only a matter of making a judgment, which required a lot of attention and caused individual differences between observers. It is also possible to include a biological signal detection unit and display, for example, the electrocardiogram waveform of the subject in addition to displaying the difference image, but in this case, the electrocardiogram waveform and both difference images should be compared and observed. Otherwise, it will not be possible to determine the timing of the difference image in the electrocardiogram waveform, and attention will be divided, making diagnosis difficult.

Therefore, the present invention solves these problems and makes it possible to depict the movement of moving parts such as the heart and blood vessels within the subject using colored difference images without using a contrast agent, and also to make it possible to visualize the movements of moving parts such as the heart and blood vessels within the subject using colored difference images. The purpose of LJ is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can display a series of movement states on the screen L, and can also easily identify the timing of an image on a biological signal of a subject.

[Failure to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from a subject, and a moving tissue using reflected echo signals from the ultrasonic transmitting/receiving means. a tomographic scanning unit that repeatedly obtains tomographic image data within a subject at a predetermined period, and a unit that sequentially generates difference image data by performing calculations between the time-series images obtained by the tomographic scanning unit; In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an image display device that displays the differential image data from the differential image data generating means, different hues are added to the differential image data in the order of the displayed images! A means for adding a color code is provided, and the difference image data to which this color code is added is converted into the color specified by the added color code, and the plurality of difference image data are overlaid. The overwritten difference image data is displayed on the image display device.

In addition, a means for detecting biological signals for the subject described in 2. is provided, and a storage means is provided for writing and reading data of the detected biological signals in synchronization with tomographic image data of the tomographic scanning means, and and the difference image data to which the color code has been added are provided, and the difference image data corresponding to the biological signal data pairwise is read out using the biological signal data in the storage means. It is effective to add a color code to each frame using a color code 1/adding means, and display a difference image by changing the color for each frame.

[For production]

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 6 configured in this manner adds a color code for adding different hues to the difference image data in the order of the displayed images by the color two 1 to addition means, and the color conversion and data overwriting means. As a result, the difference image data to which the above color code has been added is converted to the color specified by the above added color code 1-, and multiple difference image data are overwritten, and the overwritten difference image data is It operates to display on an image display device. This makes it possible to depict the movement of the subject's moving part in a colored difference image, and simultaneously display the time-series movement state of the moving part directly on the screen.

Further, in a device which is provided with a biosignal detection means, a biosignal data storage means, and an image data addition means, the biosignal detection means detects the biosignal of the subject, and the storage means detects the biosignal. The data of the detected biosignal is written and read in synchronization with the tomographic image data of the IJ scanning means, and the biosignal data from the storage means and the color code are added to the difference image data by the image data adding means. By adding up the difference image data that corresponds one-to-one to the biological signal data from the tomographic scanning means using the biological signal data in the recording storage means, and the color code addition means It works by adding a code and displaying a difference image by changing the color for each frame. Thereby, it is possible to easily identify the timing of the difference image on the biological signal of the subject.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus uses ultrasonic waves to obtain a tomographic image of a diagnostic part of a subject.
, a video signal processing circuit 4, a digital scan converter (hereinafter abbreviated as rDSCl) 5, and a subtracter 6.
and an image display device 7, and further includes a color code adding circuit 8, frame 11 memories 9a to 9n, etc., a color mapping circuit 10, and a controller 1-roller 11.

The probe 1 performs beam scanning mechanically or electronically to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves to the subject. Although not shown, there is a part of the probe that is the source of the ultrasonic waves as well as the reflected echo. It has a built-in transducer to receive it. The transmitting circuit 2 generates a transmitting pulse position for moving the probe 1 to generate ultrasonic waves, and converges the transmitted ultrasonic waves using a built-in transmitting phasing circuit. This is to set a point at a certain depth. In addition, the receiving circuit 3 amplifies the reflected echo signal received by the J-recording probe 1 with a predetermined gain, and controls the phase to one or more convergence points using a built-in receiving phasing circuit to superimpose the reflected echo signal. This forms a sonic bea 11. Furthermore, the video signal processing circuit 4 inputs the received signal from the upper 51 receiving circuit 3 and performs m-th processing such as gain correction, log compression, edge enhancement, and filter processing. The probe 1, the wave transmitting circuit 2, the receiving circuit 3, and the video signal processing circuit 4 collectively constitute an ultrasound transmitting/receiving means, and the probe 1 transmits the ultrasound beam to the subject. A single tomographic image is obtained by scanning in a certain direction inside the body.

I) SC5 uses the reflected echo signal outputted from the video signal processing circuit 4 of the ultrasound transmitting/receiving means to obtain tomographic image data within the subject including moving tissue at the ultrasound transmission period, and transmits this data. An A/I) converter that converts the reflected echo signal from the video signal processing circuit 4 into a digital signal, which serves as a means for reading out in synchronization with the television for display and a means for controlling the system. 1
3 and this A/I) converter] A plurality of frame memories 14a that store tomographic image data digitized by 3 in time series.

]-4, b, . . . , 14n, and an ultrasonic wave transmission synchronization circuit 15 that generates write timing when writing tomographic image data in these frame memories 14, a to 14n.
, a television synchronization circuit 16 that generates a read timing when reading the cutout image data from the frame memories i4a to 14n, and a controller I/roller 17 that controls the operation of the stiffening components.

The subtracter 6 is a means for performing calculations between the time-series tomographic images obtained by the DSC 5 and generating difference image data between them. It is designed to perform subtraction between two pieces of tomographic image data read out, and is configured using standard logic. Moreover, the image display device 7 is "-
The difference image data output from the subtracter 6 is displayed as an image, for example, by a D/A converter that converts the difference image data into an analog signal, and by manually converting the converted video signal into a color image. It consists of a television monitor and a display screen.

Here, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
A color code addition circuit 8 is provided on the output side of the DSC 5, and frame memories 98 to 9n and a color mapping circuit 10 are connected to the output side of the subtracter 6. A roller 11- is provided. F. The color code addition circuit 8 serves as a means for adding a color code for giving a different hue to each pair of tomographic image data output from the DSC 5, and is a means for adding a color code to each pair of tomographic image data output from the DSC 5, and is a means for adding a color code to each pair of tomographic image data output from the DSC 5. 1.4 a~14
1-pips I~ or multiple focuses are added to the tomographic image data read from n, and color codes 1~ are written in the added bits. The number of bits to be added may be, for example, 3 bits when coloring in 8 colors, and 4 bits when coloring in 16 colors.

In this embodiment, the color code addition circuit 8 is shown as being provided between the frame memories 1.4a to 14n and the subtracter 6, but the color code addition circuit 8 is not limited to this. , may be provided between the subtracter 6 and the frame memories 9a to 9n, or between the frame memories 9a to 9B and the color mapping circuit ``0''. In the latter case, a color code is added to the difference image data of a pair of tomographic image data.

A plurality of frame memories 9a, 9b, . . . , 9n provided on the output side of the subtracter 6 are configured to extract the subtracter from a plurality of tomographic image data corresponding to, for example, one cycle of the moving tissue of the subject. 6, and the writing and reading of each image data is controlled by a controller 1 to be described later.

Further, a color mapping circuit 10 connected to the output side of the frame memories 9a to 9n transfers the differential image data from each of the frame memories 9a to 9n to the input synchronization circuit 1.
When reading out in synchronization with the readout clock of 6, the required color (= 1 digit) is applied according to the value of the 1-pin 1- color code flag added by the color code adding circuit 8, and multiple differential image data are overlapped. An example of its internal configuration is shown in FIG. 2. That is, each frame memory 98 shown in FIG.
1 to sequentially store the differential image data read from ~9n
First and second image memories 1 having a capacity for one frame
8a, 18b, an adder 1-9 that adds the image data from the second image memory 18b and the difference image data from each of the frame memories 98 to 9n, and a difference image data from the first image memory 18a. An RGB selector 20 that manually outputs image data to one of the firmware ROMs 22R, 22G, and 22B, which will be described later, and a differential image that is output according to the color code added to the differential image data from the first image memory 18a. Data to either firmware ROM22R.

Determine whether to output to 22G or 22B and write KGB
Selector control circuit 2 that sends a switching signal to the selector 20
1 and 2. Firmware ROM 22R (for red) and 22G that converts the differential image data input through the RG B selector 20 into predetermined color signals and sends them to the R, G, and B terminals of the image display device 7, respectively. (for green), 22B
(for blue color). Note that the other addresses of each of the firmware ROMs 22R, 22G, and 22B include the frame memory 14a in the DSC 5 shown in FIG.
Black and white tomographic image data from ~1.4n are manually input. And these frame memories 98
~9n and color mapping circuit] 0 convert the differential image data generated by the subtracter 6 into the color specified by the color code added by the color code 1 and the addition circuit 8, and It constitutes means for overwriting differential image data.

Further, the controller 11 controls the respective operations of the color code adding circuit 8, the frame memories 98 to 9n, and the color pine pink circuit 10.

Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention configured as described above will be explained. First, the probe 1 shown in Figure 1
is brought into contact with a position corresponding to the diagnostic site of the subject, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted to the diagnostic site. At this time, the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the second probe 1 are made to form a narrow beam at the diagnostic site by the transmitting phasing circuit in the transmitting circuit 2. The reflected echo reflected by the transmitted beam hitting the diagnostic site is received by the probe 4, and a receiving beam is formed by a receiving phasing circuit in the receiving circuit 3.

Then, the ultrasonic wave transmission and reception directions are sequentially changed from the probe 1 at a predetermined period, and the ultrasonic wave is transmitted and received repeatedly, thereby scanning the diagnostic site.

The receiving beam outputted from the receiving circuit 3 is subjected to necessary signal processing in the video signal processing circuit 4, and then sent to the DSC 5 as a reflected echo signal, and then sent to the A/O converter]-
3 and converted into a digital signal manually. This DSC
5 has a plurality of line memories (not shown),
Every time the ultrasonic wave transmission/reception direction changes, writing and reading are performed by switching under the control of the controller 1-7, and a digital reflected echo signal is sent to the frame memories 1.4a to 14n for each successively input reception beam. The reflected echo signals inputted to the frame memories 14a to 14n are transmitted and received in the frame memory 4a as the first image storage area by a control signal from the controller 7, so that their transmission and reception directions are made to correspond to each ultrasonic beam. and are written as one tomographic image to form a first image.

When the ultrasonic scanning of one tomographic deviation is completed in this way, the probe]- returns the wave transmitting and receiving direction to the initial direction again under the control of the wave transmitting circuit 2 and the receiving circuit 3, and transmits and receives ultrasonic waves. While repeating this, the wave transmission/reception directions are updated and scanning is performed. The reflected echo signals collected this time are also A/D converted in the same manner as described in -, and sent to the frame memories 14a to 14n in the DSC 5. The reflected echo signals captured in the current scan are stored in the frame memory 1 as a second image storage area under the control of the controller 17.
4) C is written as a 1-sheet tomographic image to form a second image.

Next, when the first image and the second image are formed in this way, the controller 1 to the roller 17 control the frame memories 14a and 1.4-b to obtain the first image and the second image, respectively. The pixels are read out in correspondence with each other. These pairs of image data are then manually input to the color code adding circuit 8. Then, this color code addition circuit 8 adds a plurality of pips (.) to the pair of read image data and writes a color code to the added bits.The number of bits to be added is determined by R of the image display device 7. , G, and B. By changing the color code every frame or every few frames read from the frame memories 14a to 14n, the color code can be changed every frame or every few frames. The difference image can be an image of a different color each time.

In this case, if the number of colors that can be displayed by the ultrasonic diagnostic device is n, the initial setting colors may be set in order, for example, from one color "1 to TI color 1", and the operator can select this color. The order and the number of frames 71 for changing colors can be set from a console not shown, and the set color order can be stored in the controller to determine how many times the tomographic image data can be retaken. You can get an image colored in the same color order.

In this state, the data of the first image and the second image are sent to the subtracter 6, respectively. Then, the subtracter 6 performs subtraction for each pixel data input in correspondence with each other, and sequentially outputs difference data between the first image and the second image. The difference data for each pixel output from the subtracter 6 is manually stored in one of the frame memories 98 to 9n at the next stage. After that, this frame memory 98
From ~9n, differential image data is read out in synchronization with the readout clock of the television synchronization circuit 1G in the DSC5,
It is sent to the next color mapping circuit ``0''.

In FIG. 2, the differential image data input to the color pine pink circuit 10 is first written into the first image memory 1.8a through the adder 19.

Next, the difference image data to which the color code has been added is read out from the first image memory 18a, and the data part of the difference image is input to the RGB selector 20.
The color code portion is input to the selector control circuit 21. Then, the selector a; q control circuit 21 determines which firmware ROM 22R, 22G, 22B the differential image data is to be outputted to according to the manually inputted color code, and sends a required switching signal to the RGB selector 20. . For example, the manually generated color code above is "red"
, the RGB selector 20 sends the difference image data to the red firmware ROM 22R.
Outputs a switching signal to switch. Then, this switching signal causes the RGB selector 20 to switch to the firmware ROM.
22R is selected, and the input difference image data is manually entered into the red firmware ROM 22R. As a result, this differential image data is stored in firmware R.
The signal is converted to red by the OM221<, and sent as an R signal to the image display device 7, where it is displayed in color.

-20~ At this time, if overwriting of difference image data is specified, the readout of the first image data will be performed in synchronization with the reading of, for example, the j-th difference image data from the first image memory '1.8 a. The differential image data is written into the second image memory 18b. Next, for example, from the second frame memory 9b to 2
The differential image data of the first sheet is read out, sent to the color mapping circuit]0, and inputted to the adder 19. At this time, the first differential image data stored last time is read out from the second image memory 18b, and the adder 1
-9. Then, this adder]-9 adds the manually-generated first difference image data and the second difference image data, and stores the addition result in the first image memory 18a.
send to As a result, the first differential image data and the second differential image data are overwritten and stored in the first image memory 1.8a.

Next, in this state, the differential image data of the first and second sheets, which have been overwritten as described above, are read out from the first image memory 18a. Then, in the same manner as described above, the data portion of the difference image is input to the RGB selector 20, and the color code portion is manually input to the selector control circuit 21, and the RG 13 selector 20 is switched according to each color code. As a result, the image data is manually converted into a desired color in one of the firmware ROMs 22R, 22G, and 22B, and sent to the image display device 7 to be displayed in color.

”The difference image data of the first and second sheets [read out in synchronization with the reading of the difference image data overwritten with the first and second sheets] from the second image memory 18a is is written into the image memory 18b. Thereafter, for example, when the third differential image data is read out from the first frame memory 9c and manually inputted to the adder 19 of the color mapping circuit 10, the third image data is overwritten from the second image memory 18b. The difference image data of the 1st and 2nd images 1 are read out, and the 2-note adder 19 adds the manually generated difference image data of the 3rd image to the difference image data of the 1st and 2nd images 1. This addition result is sent to the first image memory 1-8a, and the differential image data of the -th, second, and third images are overwritten in the -th image memory 1.8a. It is stored on one image memory. After that, by repeating this operation, any number of difference images can be combined into one image -1
- can be sequentially overwritten, colored as desired, and displayed in color on the image display device 7.

At this time, the color difference images may be colored in a rainbow color such as heavy, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple in order from the first difference image, or each difference image may be colored in rainbow colors such as heavy, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. If the displacement of the image is small, the display may be alternately colored with warm colors and cool colors such as red, purple, orange, indigo, yellow, and blue. Note that for the difference image colored in this way, the second
The first
By inputting the original tomographic image data read out from the frame memories 14a to 14n in the DSC 5 shown in the figure before performing the two calculation processes, the original black and white tomographic image is superimposed and displayed -2: ( − Can be done.

Next, the operation of displaying a difference image by adding hue and overwriting as described above will be specifically explained with reference to FIG. 3. Figure 3 shows, as an example, a case in which the movement of heart valves is displayed after differential processing, and Figures 3 (a) to (d)
(e) to (g) show tomographic images stored in chronological order in the frame memories 14a to 14n in the DSCS;
(h
) shows a difference image obtained by overwriting each of the difference images in item 4-. That is, the first image (,) stored in, for example, the frame memory 14a in the DSC 5, the second image (1) stored in the frame memory 4b,
) by the subtractor 6, the first difference image shown in FIG. 3(e) is obtained. Also,
Second image (b) stored in the frame memory 14b
and the 23rd image (c) stored in the frame memory 14c (not shown).
A second difference image shown in Figure (f) is obtained. moreover,
- The third image stored in the frame memory 1-40 (
By performing a difference calculation between the fourth image (d) stored in the frame memory 14d (not shown) and the fourth image (d), the third difference image shown in FIG. 3(g) is obtained. Here, in the difference images shown in Figures 3(e) to (g), the white parts indicate the parts where positive values remain as a result of the above difference calculation, and the black parts show the parts where negative values remain. It shows the part.

For example, three differential force images (e) obtained in this way
, (f), and (g) are stored in the first and second image memories 1.8 of the color mapping circuit 10 shown in FIG.
By sequentially adding the images a, 18b and the adder 19, for example, three difference images are superimposed on one image, as shown in FIG. 3(l).

In this Fig. 3 (h), each difference image (e), (f),
(g) shows a state where only the positive values are left and overwritten, but the controller 1-roller 11 shown in FIG.
By controlling the addresses of 22R, 22G, and 22B and converting the negative value difference image data into a value equal to the background, -1- each difference image (e), (f
), (g) can be made not to display negative values.

Furthermore, as shown with diagonal lines in FIG. 3(11), if you want to use the original tomographic image (for example, the first image not shown in FIG. 3(a)) as a mask image, D shown in
The firmware ROM 22R controls the frame memories J-4a to 14n from the controllers 1 to 17 in the SC5, reads out tomographic image data desired as a mask image, and stores the data as shown in FIG.

You can input it to other addresses such as 22G and 22B.

For this purpose, 1.1 firmware ROM22R.

The addresses of 22G and 22B are 2 words for the color difference image data and the tomographic image data for the mask, and the above positive or negative address. 1 bits 1 to 1 are required as control bits for truncating the value difference image data.

When the tissue at the diagnostic site within the subject moves during the period a and ν during which the first image and second image were captured to form the differential image as described above, the portion of the tissue that moved For example, a difference occurs in the image data between the first image and the second image, and for a stationary tissue part, the image data is the same between both images and the difference data is zero, so that only the moving tissue is displayed as an image. , parts of stationary tissue are not displayed.

That is, what is displayed as a difference image on the image display device 7 is only the portion that has moved from the time when the first image is captured until the time when both second images are captured.

After that, the probe 1 and the DSC5 continue to perform tomographic scanning and capture the next third tomographic image, and the reflected echo signal is A/D converted in the same way as described above, and the DS
The image data is sent to frame memories 14a to 14n in C5, and written to frame memory 14c as a third image storage area under the control of controllers 1 to 17 to form a third image. When the third image is formed in this way, the frame memory 14 is
)) and 14c, respectively, and send these image data to the subtracter 6 via the color code addition circuit 8. Then, the subtracter 6 performs subtraction between the second image and the third image in the same manner as described above, and outputs the difference image data. This difference image data is sent to the image display device 7, where the difference image between both the second images and the third image is displayed. At this time, what is displayed as a difference image on the Goji image display device 7 is only the portion that has moved between when the second image is captured and when the third image is captured.

After that, the above operation is repeated to obtain the fourth image, and the nth image.
Images are formed sequentially, and they are stored in frame memories 1-4a.
~14n are sequentially stored in the corresponding image storage areas.

Then, for example, subtraction is performed one after another between adjacent images to sequentially obtain difference image data, and the image display device 7
When displayed continuously, a real-time image of only the moving tissue of the diagnosed area can be obtained. At this time, regarding the frame ray I- displayed on the h-shaped image display device 7, it is necessary to take into consideration the speed of movement of the moving tissue. In order to obtain a tomographic image at a high frame rate in order to obtain a differential image of a moving tissue that is faster than the frame rate of the image on the image display device 7, for example, patent No. 10953
It is preferable to use the technique described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-2001.7 (Specification of No. 77).

Note that if the moving speed of the moving tissue of the subject is not very fast compared to the ultrasound transmission period, there will be little change in the obtained difference images (the difference between the difference images is small), and these difference images may not be superimposed. If you write it down, the amount of change may not be displayed. In such a case, when the subtracter 6 generates a difference image, the controller 1-roller 17 shown in FIG. Frame memory 1.
4 a to 1.4 By skipping n, it is good to widen the interval between the difference images that are calculated and output), l In addition, in the above example, for each difference image, Although we have described cases in which different hues are applied, this is not limited to cases in which parts of the body move slowly or movements of organs are difficult to distinguish in the differential image, that is, in cases where different hues are applied.
If the images do not match, an arbitrary number of X: minutes images are set as one set, and the same hue is sequentially applied to each set, and the difference images in the corresponding order in each set are read out and displayed in an overlapping manner. You can also do this.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 by adding a biological signal detector 23, a biological signal memory 24, an adder 25 (= The display device 7 is manually operated.''] The biological body No. 48 detector 23 is a means for detecting biological signals about the subject, and is an electrocardiograph or an electrocardiograph attached to the subject's limbs, etc. It is configured to detect biological signals such as electrocardiographic waveforms, cardiac sound waves, pulse waves, etc. of the liquid sample and output the waveform data. −; It serves as a storage means for writing and reading the biological signal data detected by the biological signal detector 23 in synchronization with the tomographic image data of the DSC 5, and is
It is controlled by the controller 1-roller 17 and the other controller 1-roller 17 in the SC5. Then, using the biosignal data in the biosignal memory 24, the DSC 5 reads tomographic image data corresponding to the biosignal data in pairs, and the color code addition circuit 8 adds a color code to each frame. Difference images can be displayed by changing the colors. Furthermore, an adder 25 adds the difference image data colored and overwritten by the color mapping circuit 10 and biological signal data such as an electrocardiogram waveform outputted from the biological signal memory 24 to form an image. This serves as a means for simultaneously displaying images on the display device 7.

The operation of the characteristic portion of this second embodiment will be explained below. First, the DSC 5 receives a portion of the tomographic image data, and at the same time detects, for example, an electrocardiographic waveform of the subject using the biological signal data 23, and stores the data of the electrocardiographic waveform in the biological signal memory 24. At this time, -1- Writing and reading of electrocardiographic waveform data to the biological signal memory 24 is performed by the ultrasonic wave transmission synchronization circuit 15 in the same way as reading and writing of tomographic image data to the frame memories 14a to 14n in the DSC 5. It is written in synchronization and read out in synchronization with the television synchronization circuit 16. From this, the tomographic image data stored in the frame memories 1-4a to 14n in the DSC 5 and the electrocardiographic waveform data stored in the biological signal memory 24 correspond one-to-one. Therefore, by specifying the electrocardiographic waveform data in the biological signal memory 24,
The tomographic image data stored in the frame memories 14a to 14n can be specified and designated. For this reason, by specifying the electrocardiogram waveform data,
The difference image data generated by specifying two pieces of image data and calculating the difference between them is also synchronized with the electrocardiogram waveform data written by -1.

Therefore, by looking at the electrocardiogram waveform displayed on the screen of the image display device n7 through the adder 25 shown in FIG. By specifying the radio waveform, the difference image data stored in the other frame memories 98 to 9n is specified, and the color two 1 to 1 through controller 1-1 are specified.
By adding a required color code using the additional circuit 8, the color can be specified for each frame of the difference image.

Next, the operation of displaying a difference image by specifying this electrocardiographic waveform will be explained in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 shows an electrocardiogram detected from a subject and tomographic images stored in frame memories 14a to i4-n in the DSC 5. In FIG. 5, the tomographic images shown in (,) to (d) are at timing 1' on the electrocardiogram.
1. “I”7. 'I', , 'I', the electrocardiogram waveform data and tomographic image data are paired as a pair. Also, these tomographic images (a) and (b) ), (b) and (c), (c ) and (d)
The difference images obtained by calculating the difference between
, Since the tomographic image data and electrocardiographic waveform data have a one-to-one correspondence, the difference image data obtained as described in -1- also corresponds one-to-one to the electrocardiographic waveform data. It happens. Therefore, by looking at the electrocardiogram displayed on the screen of the image display device 7 shown in FIG. 4 and moving the marker 26 to specify which timing T□ to T4 on the electrocardiogram, Any of the difference images shown in FIGS. 3(e) to (g) can be specified. Then, by specifying coloring for the specified difference image, it becomes possible to color the difference image for each frame.

That is, when the marker 26 is operated to first specify the timing T□ on the electrocardiogram, the difference image shown in FIG. 3(e) is selected, and the difference image is specified to be colored, for example, in red. do.

Next, when the timing 'step 2' is designated by the same operation of the marker 26, the difference image shown in FIG. 3(f) is selected, and this difference image is designated to be colored, for example, in blue. Furthermore, when timing T3 is designated by the same operation of the marker 26, the difference image shown in FIG. 3(g) is selected, and this difference image is designated to be colored, for example, in green. Thereby, the difference images for each frame in the frame memories 9a to 9n shown in FIG. 4 can be colored. In this case, specify the color of each differential image using one cycle of the heartbeat of the electrocardiogram,
By saving the electrocardiogram with this color specified, even if new tomographic image data is collected, it is not necessary to specify the color again for the difference image data obtained from them.

[Effects of the Invention] Since the present invention is configured as described above, the color code adding means (8) adds a color code for giving different hues to the difference image data in the order of displayed images, and performs color conversion and data processing. The overwriting means (10) converts the difference image data to which the -1-distribution color code has been added into the color specified by the added color code, and overwrites a plurality of difference image data. The overwritten difference image data can be displayed on the image display device 7.

This makes it possible to depict the movement of the subject's moving part in a colored difference image, and simultaneously display the time-series movement state of the moving part directly on the screen.

Therefore, the movement of the moving part can be directly observed without relying on the afterimage effect of human vision as in the past, and individual differences among observers can be eliminated.

Furthermore, in the case where the biosignal detection means (23) is provided, the biosignal data storage means (24) is provided, and the image data addition means (25) is provided. The means (23) detects a biological signal about the subject, the storage means (24) writes and reads data of the detected biological signal in synchronization with the tomographic image data of the tomographic scanning means (5), and the image data is added. Means (25
), by adding the biological signal data from the storage means (24) and the overwritten difference image data, the biological signal data from the storage means (24) is used to correspond to the biological signal data in a pair-wise manner. The Z-minute image can be displayed by reading out the differential image data and adding a color code 1- by the color code adding means (8), changing the color for each frame. Thereby, it is possible to easily identify at which timing of the difference image of the biological signal -1- of the subject. Therefore, it is not necessary to contrast and observe the electrocardiogram waveform and the difference image each time, and attention is not divided. For these reasons, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention can facilitate diagnosis.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a color mapping circuit, and FIG. 3 is a differential image due to overwriting in this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the display operation of the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. An explanatory diagram showing a specific example, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the display operation of a difference image in a conventional example. 1... Probe, 2... Wave transmitting circuit, 3... Receiving circuit, 4... Video signal processing circuit, 5... I) S
C56...Subtractor, 7...Image display device, 8
・Color code addition circuit, 9a-9n, 14a-1
4n=frame memory, 10... color mapping circuit, 11... controller 1 to roller, 23... biological signal detector, 24 biological signal memory, 25... adder.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Ultrasonic transmitting/receiving means for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves to and from the subject, and reflected echo signals from the ultrasound transmitting/receiving means are used to repeatedly obtain tomographic image data within the subject including moving tissue at a predetermined period. A tomographic scanning means, a means for sequentially generating differential image data by performing calculations between the time-series images obtained by the tomographic scanning means, and an image display for displaying the differential image data from the differential image data generating means. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having the apparatus, means is provided for adding a color code to the difference image data for giving different hues in the order of the displayed images, and the difference image data to which the color code has been added is added to the difference image data. The present invention is characterized by providing means for converting to a color specified by a color code and overwriting a plurality of sheets of differential image data, and displaying the overwritten differential image data on the image display device. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment. (2) Provide means for detecting biological signals for the subject, and provide a storage means for writing and reading data of the detected biological signals in synchronization with the tomographic image data of the tomographic scanning means, and read out the detected biological signals from the storage means. A means for adding the signal data and the difference image data to which the color code has been added is provided, and the biological signal data in the storage means is used to read the difference image data that corresponds one-to-one to the biological signal data, and at the same time adds the color code. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a color code is added by a means, and the color is changed for each frame to display the difference image.