JPH0428354A - Ultrasonic diagnosing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set the probe position and the angle with high reproducibility which are equal to those in the diagnosis in the past and carry out the case history diagnosis with high accuracy by displaying the probe position and the scan region (tomograph plane) in three-dimensional display. CONSTITUTION:A sector tomograph image 11 is displayed on the left side on a screen 24A, and a body graphic 12A and a probe position marker 13 in superposition with the body graphic 12A are displayed at the right corner. The superposed display of the graphic 12A and the marker 13 is carried out by the selection from a body mark pattern memory circuit 33 and a probe mark memory circuit 34 by a pattern selecting circuit 32 under the selection instruction of an operation part 31. A contour line display graphic 14 for a breast at a specific position of a probe and in a specific scan region is displayed. The display of the above-described graphic 14 is carried out by the selection from a tomograph plane pattern memory circuit 35 by the pattern selecting circuit 32 under the selection instruction of the operation part 31. Accordingly, the probe position and the scan region are displayed in three-dimensional display, and the probe position and the angle can be set with high reproducibility.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject using a probe, receives the reflected waves, obtains an ultrasonic reception signal, and obtains an ultrasonic reception signal. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that generates and displays ultrasonic information based on the area of the subject to which the probe is applied.

(Conventional technology) In ultrasound diagnosis, B-mode image (tomographic image).

Various types of ultrasound information including M-mode images (motion I!g) and CFM images (color flow mapping images) can be displayed in real time.

Furthermore, in addition to diagnosis aimed at finding a lesion, historical diagnosis is also frequently used in which changes in the lesion or treatment area are observed over time. When performing such historical diagnosis, the important elements are, for example, in the case of tomographic image diagnosis.
The two-dimensional region to be diagnosed is scanned with high reproducibility, that is, the probe is applied to the same position on the subject at the same angle.

Conventionally, so-called body mask display has been implemented in response to this type of request. In other words, the body mark display is performed by turning the body mark display switch provided on the console into
By doing so, a graphic of the limbs of men and women, represented by a thin line, for example, appears on the screen, and a probe position marker, represented by a thick line, appears on the graphic.

The probe position marker can be moved and fixed to a desired position and angle using a trackball or the like.

Therefore, when a tomographic image is displayed by applying the probe at an angle corresponding to the position of the subject, a body mark is displayed by the above-described operation, and an image file and a photograph are taken together with the tomographic image. Then, during another diagnosis, the probe is applied to the same position on the subject at the same angle by referring to the previous image file or photograph taken.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The body mark display described above has high reproducibility in setting the probe position in relatively flat areas such as the center of the abdomen, but as shown in FIGS. When targeting a curved part such as the neck or the neck, there is a wide range of settings because it is a curved part, and even if numerical data is displayed for the probe position and probe angle (ultrasonic incident angle), both the position and angle will not be the same. Poor reproducibility. In addition, in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7,
For example, a sector tomographic image] is displayed on the left side of the screen 10,
In the right corner of the screen 10, a female limb graphic 12A is displayed in FIG. 6, and a male limb graphic 12B is displayed in FIG. 7, and a probe position marker is displayed on both.
3 is displayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that allows probe settings to be performed with high reproducibility in both position and angle.

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

That is, the present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that performs ultrasonic scanning on a specific region of a subject to which a probe is applied, and generates and displays ultrasonic information based on an ultrasonic reception signal obtained by the scanning. A scanning area pattern in which the position where the probe is applied and the ultrasonic scanning area at the position are superimposed and displayed in a graphic that three-dimensionally shows the curved part of the subject, the curved part of the subject, the probe position, and the scanning area. The present invention is characterized in that it has a storage means for storing a plurality of different patterns, and selectively displays scanning area patterns for specific subject curves, probe positions, and scanning areas.

(Function) According to this configuration, since the probe position and scanning area are displayed in a three-dimensional display, both the probe position and its angle can be set with high reproducibility, and highly accurate history diagnosis is possible. It is something to do.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, an example of an electronic scanning device is shown, which has a probe 20 including a large number of micro ultrasonic transducers arranged in parallel, The unit 21 is capable of scanning a subject (not shown) with a specific acoustic wave. Transceiver section 2
In step 1, a received signal obtained from ultrasonic scanning is obtained and sent to the signal processing unit 22, where it is subjected to detection to generate a tomographic image, detection to generate a blood flow velocity image, etc. Obtain a flow velocity image, DSC (digital scan converter) 2
3, the ultrasonic scan is converted into, for example, standard TV scan and displayed on the display section 24.

Further, the device of this embodiment has a body mark display means embodying the present invention. This body mark display means includes an operation section 31 consisting of a switch, a trackball device, etc. (which may also be used as a console switch, trackball device, etc. not shown), and various patterns to be described later, under instructions from the operation section 31. A pattern selection circuit 32 for selecting a pattern, a body mark pattern storage circuit 33 which is similar to the conventional example and stores limb graphics for men and women represented by thin lines, for example, and a body mark pattern storage circuit 33 for storing body mark graphics for men and women represented by thin lines, A probe mark storage circuit 34 stores a probe position marker to be displayed, and a graphic that three-dimensionally shows the curved part of the subject, for example, contour lines of the breast or neck, and also displays the probe position and scanning area on the displayed graphic. a tomographic pattern storage circuit 35 which stores a large number of different patterns; and a display circuit 36 which synthesizes one or more graphics selected by the pattern selection circuit 32 and performs processing for TV display. It consists of

Next, the operation of this embodiment in which the above relationship IJ < +F+ will be explained. Zunawaji, as shown in Figure 2, the screen 24
For example, a sector tomographic image 11 is displayed on the left side of A, for example, a female limb graphic 12A is displayed in the right corner of the screen 24A, and a probe position marker 13 is superimposed on the limb graphic 12A. is displayed.

The limb graphic 12A and the probe position marker ] 3 are displayed in a superimposed manner by selecting the limb graphic and the probe position marker from the body mark pattern storage circuit 33 and the probe mark storage circuit 34 by the pattern selection circuit 32 under the selection instruction from the operation unit 31. It is done by being done.

Also displayed in the lower right corner of the screen 24A is a breast contour display graphic 14, for example for a particular probe location and scan area. The breast contour display graphic 14 is composed of contour patterns 1 and 4 A, probe positions 1 and 4 B indicated by thick lines, for example, and a scanning area (tomographic plane) 14 C indicated by diagonal lines, for example.

Here, the display of the breast contour line display graphic 14 is based on the fact that the breast contour line display graphic 4 is selected by the pattern selection circuit 32 from the tomographic plane button storage circuit 35 under a selection instruction from the operation unit 3. It will be done.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the probe position and scanning area (tomographic plane) are displayed in a three-dimensional display, so when another diagnosis is made, the probe position and its angle at the time of the previous diagnosis are displayed. Both can be set with high reproducibility, and tomographic images can be obtained under almost the same conditions.
Highly accurate history diagnosis is the key.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the operating section 3
] and the pattern selection circuit 32 are configured so that the finding patterns held in the finding pattern storage circuit 37 can be selected. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the finding pattern is, for example, "○", and the scanning area (tomographic plane)
It can be set at a desired position on 14C, and is realized by positioning and fixing with a trackball device or the like.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the probe position, tomographic plane angle (ultrasonic wave transmission angle), etc. 16 may be displayed on the breast contour display graphic 14.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and of course may apply to other curved parts including the neck.
The display form and operation form can also be modified in various ways. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention provides a scanning area pattern in which the position where the probe is applied and the ultrasound scanning area at that position are displayed superimposed on a graphic showing the curved part of the subject in three dimensions. , has a storage means for storing a plurality of different object curves, probe positions, and scanning areas, and selectively displays scanning area patterns for specific object curves, probe positions, and scanning areas. As a result, the probe position and scanning area are displayed in a three-dimensional display, so both the probe position and its angle can be set with high reproducibility, and highly accurate history diagnosis is possible.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can perform probe setting with high reproducibility in both position and angle.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of display according to the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the diagnostic device, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example according to the embodiment of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modified example of display graphics, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are It is a figure which shows the example of a display in a conventional example. 12A, 1.2B... Limb graphic, 13... Probe position marker, 14... Breast contour display graphic, 14A... Contour line pattern, 14B... Prob position, ], 4 C... Scanning area (fault plane), ]5
... finding marker, 20... probe, 21... transmitting/receiving section, 22... signal processing section, 23... DSC, 24...
...Display section, 3]...Operation section, 32...Pattern selection circuit, 33...Body mark pattern storage circuit, 34
. . . Probe mark storage circuit, 35 . . . Tomographic plane pattern storage circuit, 36 . . . Display circuit, 37 . . . Finding pattern storage circuit. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that performs ultrasonic scanning on a specific area of a subject to which a probe is applied, and generates and displays ultrasonic information based on an ultrasonic reception signal obtained by the scanning,
A scanning area pattern in which the position where the probe is applied and the ultrasonic scanning area at the position are superimposed and displayed in a graphic that three-dimensionally shows the curved part of the subject, the curved part of the subject, the probe position, and the scanning area. What is claimed is: 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a storage means for storing a plurality of different types of data, and selectively displaying scanning area patterns for specific subject curves, probe positions, and scanning areas.