JPH06189956A - Ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic device capable of properly displaying the velocity value or the like of a blood stream with color and brightness according to a user's intention. CONSTITUTION:A conversion table change control section 9 causes retrievable samples of color and brightness stored in the logical unit table 8 thereof to be displayed on a CRT 7. A user, while operating a track ball 11, selects desired color and brightness from the displayed samples. The section 9 changes the content of TR, TG and TB in a conversion table, on the basis of original color signals forming the color and brightness in the selected sample. As a result, a velocity value or the like of a blood stream can be properly displayed with the color and brightness according to the user's intention. For the change of the color and brightness, the user is only required to select desired color and brightness from the displayed samples and, therefore, a work for such a change becomes easy.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which converts a flow velocity value of blood flow into a primary color signal based on a conversion table for color display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an essential part of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a CFM (color flow mapping) function. In this ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 51, ultrasonic echo signals are obtained by the ultrasonic probe 2 and the beam former 3, and the CFM is used.
The processing unit 4 extracts the flow velocity value v (vector).

The flow velocity / RGB conversion unit 5 is shown in FIG.
The conversion tables TR, TG, as shown in (b) and (c),
Using TB, the flow velocity value v is converted to the corresponding primary color signal ER,
Convert to EG, EB. In FIG. 8, [toward] is a direction toward the ultrasonic probe 2, and [away] is a direction away from the ultrasonic probe 2.

Returning to FIG. 7, the CRT control unit 56 performs CFM display on the CRT 7 based on the primary color signals ER, EG, EB. In the CFM display, generally, the direction [toward] of the flow velocity value v is expressed in red, and the [away] is expressed in blue. Further, the magnitude of the flow velocity value v is expressed by the brightness of red and blue. For example, the blood flow moving away from the ultrasonic probe 2 at high speed is represented by high-intensity blue on the screen.

The conversion table changing unit 59 is the keyboard 1
Based on the instruction from 0, the contents of the conversion tables TR, TG, TB of the flow velocity / RGB conversion unit 5 are rewritten to change the color and brightness of the flow velocity value v on the screen. That is, the user uses the keyboard 10 to input, for example, the flow velocity value vb and the values ERb, EGb, EBb of the primary color signals ER, EG, EB. Then, the conversion table changing unit 59 rewrites the contents of the conversion tables TR, TG, TB corresponding to the flow velocity value vb to the values ERb, EGb, EBb. On the screen, the direction of the flow velocity value vb is the above-mentioned values ERb, EGb,
It is expressed by a color in which red, green, and blue corresponding to EBb are mixed. The magnitude of the flow velocity value vb is, for example, luminance Yb = 0.30ERb + 0.59E in the NTSC system of television.
It is expressed by Gb + 0.11EBb.

[0006]

In the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described above, the user inputs the values of the primary color signals to change the color / brightness of the flow velocity value v on the screen. However, the color on the screen is red according to the value of the primary color signal,
Since green and blue are mixed, it is difficult for the user to reliably display the desired color. Further, there is a similar problem regarding the brightness.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of reliably displaying a blood flow velocity value and the like in the color and brightness desired by the user.

[0007]

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for converting a flow velocity value of blood flow into a primary color signal based on a conversion table and displaying the color in color.
Color that can be displayed, color that stores a sample of luminance,
Luminance sample storage means, color / luminance sample display means for displaying the sample, color / luminance selection means for allowing the user to select the color / luminance in the displayed sample, and color / luminance in the selected sample And a conversion table changing means for changing the contents of the conversion table based on the primary color signal.

[0008]

In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, the color / brightness sample storage means stores the displayable color / brightness samples, and the color / brightness sample display means is
Display the sample. The color / brightness selecting means allows the user to select the color / brightness to be displayed by the corresponding color / brightness in the displayed sample. The conversion table changing means changes the contents of the conversion table based on the primary color signals forming the color / luminance in the selected sample. Therefore, the flow velocity value of the blood flow and the like can be displayed in the color / luminance desired by the user.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in more detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of essential parts of an embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. In this ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1, ultrasonic echo signals are obtained by the ultrasonic probe 2 and the beam former 3, and the flow velocity value v is obtained by the CFM processing unit 4.
(Vector) is extracted.

The flow velocity / RGB conversion unit 5 has a structure shown in FIG.
The conversion tables TR, TG, as shown in (b) and (c),
Using TB, the flow velocity value v is converted to the corresponding primary color signal ER,
Convert to EG, EB. In FIG. 2, [toward] is a direction toward the ultrasonic probe 2, and [away] is a direction away from the ultrasonic probe 2.

Returning to FIG. 1, the CRT control section 6 performs CFM display on the CRT 7 based on the primary color signals ER, EG and EB. FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of CFM display on the screen 7G.

The color bar CB is a scale showing color and brightness according to the flow velocity value v. Direction of velocity value v [towa
rd] is expressed in red (indicated by the diagonal line to the right in the figure), and [away]
Is expressed in blue (indicated by a diagonal line to the left in the figure). Also,
The magnitude of the flow velocity value v is expressed by the brightness of red and blue (in the figure, both red and blue are shown in three stages). CFM
A portion F of the image I displayed in high-brightness red (hatched portion to the right) is blood flow that approaches the ultrasonic probe 2 at high speed.

Returning to FIG. 1, the color / luminance sample LU
At T8, as shown in FIG. 4A, samples of displayable colors and luminances are stored in the chromaticity space formed by the chromaticity coordinate axis α, the chromaticity coordinate axis β, and the luminance axis Y. FIG. 4B illustrates the chromaticity coordinate plane αβ of the luminance Ya. This chromaticity coordinate plane αβ corresponds to the chromaticity coordinate plane xy of the CIE chromaticity diagram, and all the colors are included in the area of the dotted line Q. The area of the triangle RGB is the displayable color / luminance sample Sa, and the values of the primary color signals ER, EG, and EB are determined according to the chromaticity coordinates {α, β} in the area. Also, for example, luminance Ya = 0.30 ERa + 0.59 EGa + 0.11E
It is Ba.

Returning to FIG. 1, the conversion table change control unit 9
Is a conversion table T of the flow velocity / RGB conversion unit 5 based on an instruction from the keyboard 10 or the trackball 11.
The contents of R, TG, and TB are rewritten to change the color and brightness of the flow velocity value v on the screen 7G.

Next, the operation will be described. The user
When a color / brightness change is instructed using the keyboard 10, the conversion table change control unit 9
The color bar cursor CBc is displayed on the screen 7G.
The user uses the trackball 11 to move the color bar cursor CBc to the flow velocity value v whose color / luminance is desired to be changed, and then presses the return key. Then, the conversion table change control unit 9 causes the color bar cursor CBc.
The flow velocity value v for changing the color / luminance is recognized from the position of.

When the user key-in, for example, the brightness Ya, the conversion table change control unit 9 displays, as shown in FIG.
The sample Sa of the brightness Ya stored in the color / brightness sample LUT 8 and the sample cursor Sc are displayed on the screen 7G. Although the colors are not shown in FIG. 6, the sample Sa is actually filled with red, green, blue, and a mixed color thereof.

The user uses the trackball 11 to
When the return key is pressed after moving the sample cursor Sc to the color portion to be displayed in the sample Sa, the conversion table change control unit 9 recognizes the chromaticity coordinates {α, β} from the position of the sample cursor Sc. . Then, based on the recognized chromaticity coordinates {α, β}, the color
The values of the primary color signals ER, EG, and EB are read from the luminance sample LUT8, and the contents of the conversion tables TR, TG, and TB corresponding to the recognized flow velocity value v are read into the primary color signals ER, EG, and
Rewrite to the value of EB. The contents of the color bar CB are changed by rewriting the contents of the conversion tables TR, TG, TB. Thus, the color of one flow velocity value v
The brightness is changed.

In this ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1, the flow velocity value and the like can be displayed in the color and brightness desired by the user. Further, when changing the color / brightness, the user only needs to select the color / brightness in the sample displayed on the screen 7G, and therefore the changing operation is easy. In addition,
In the above-described embodiment, the sample corresponding to the CIE chromaticity diagram is applied as the displayable color / luminance sample, but it is also applicable to the HIS chromaticity diagram, for example.

[0019]

According to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, it becomes possible to reliably display the flow velocity value of the blood flow and the like in the color and brightness desired by the user. Also,
When changing the color / brightness, the user only needs to select the color / brightness in the displayed sample, which facilitates the change operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conversion table of the device of FIG.

3 is an exemplary view of a CFM display by the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a color / luminance sample LUT of the apparatus of FIG.

5 is an explanatory diagram of color / luminance change by the apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of color / luminance change by the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an example of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

8 is an explanatory diagram of a conversion table of the device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Ultrasonic Diagnostic Device 4 CFM Processing Unit 6 CRT Control Unit 8 Color / Luminance Sample LUT 9 Conversion Table Change Control Unit 11 Trackball ER, EG, EB Primary Color Signal Sa Sample

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for converting a flow velocity value of a blood flow into a primary color signal based on a conversion table and displaying the color by a color storing a sample of displayable colors and brightness.
Luminance sample storage means, color / luminance sample display means for displaying the sample, color / luminance selection means for allowing the user to select the color / luminance in the displayed sample, and color / luminance in the selected sample And a conversion table changing means for changing the contents of the conversion table based on the primary color signal.