JPH0838470A - Ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To repeatedly display a M-mode image (optional directional M-mode image) on a beam line optionally set regardless of the scanning direction of an ultrasonic wave not only during actual time but also after freezing. CONSTITUTION:This device has a large capacity image memory 57 for recording the data of a B-mode image displayed in actual time for a prescribed time; an optional directional M-mode image beam setting circuit 70 for setting an M-mode beam line in an optional direction on the B-mode image; and an optional directional M-mode image drawing circuit 60 for reconstructing the optional directional M-mode image on the M-mode beam line set by the optional directional M-mode image beam setting circuit 70 by the data from a tomographic scanning means 100 side during actual time, and by the data from the large capacity image memory 57 side after freezing, and further displaying these images on an image display means 80 through an image display control means 200, respectively.

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 capable of displaying an M-direction image in an arbitrary direction not only during real time but also after freezing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for circulatory organs, in order to observe the motion state of a valve or a heart wall in detail, image data on an arbitrary ultrasonic beam line is plotted with time on the horizontal axis and depth on the vertical axis. Although the temporal change is observed by using the expressed M-mode image, the M-mode beam line is limited to the scanning line direction of the B-mode image (tomographic image).

Further, as shown in JP-A-55-103841, it is possible to set the M-mode beam line in any direction, and the M-mode image on the beam line in that direction (M-mode image in any direction). There are some that can display, but the practical range was limited to real time.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional technique has a problem in that the M-mode image in any direction can be displayed only in real time. The purpose of the present invention is to
An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of repeatedly displaying an M-direction image in an arbitrary direction not only in real time but also after freezing.

[0005]

The above object is to provide an ultrasonic probe that transmits an ultrasonic pulse to a desired portion of a subject and receives an echo signal of the ultrasonic probe, and a pulse transmission / reception operation of the ultrasonic probe. A tomographic scanning unit that can control and repeat the echo signal at a predetermined cycle, and at least one or both of the B-mode image and the M-mode image can be displayed in real time based on the echo signal obtained from the tomographic scanning unit, and at a desired time. In an ultrasonic tomography apparatus comprising image display control means for storing and processing the echo signal so that the display image can be frozen, and image display means for displaying an image in accordance with an output signal from the image display control means, real-time display Large-capacity image memory for recording the data of the B-mode image for a predetermined time, and arbitrary setting of the M-mode beam line in any direction on the B-mode image An M-mode image beam setting circuit and an M-mode image (arbitrary-direction M-mode image) on the M-mode beam line set by the arbitrary-direction M-mode image beam setting circuit are displayed on the side of the tomographic scanning means in real time. And an arbitrary direction M mode image drawing circuit for reconstructing the image data after freezing with the data from the large-capacity image memory side and displaying the image on the image display means via the image display control means. To be achieved.

[0006]

The tomographic image data obtained in real time is displayed on the image display means and recorded on the large-capacity image recording means for a predetermined time. After freezing, while reading the tomographic image data from the large capacity image recording means, the arbitrary direction M mode image set by the arbitrary direction M mode image beam setting circuit is passed through the image display control means by the arbitrary direction M mode image drawing means. Is displayed on the image display means. As a result, the arbitrary-direction M-mode image can be repeatedly displayed not only in real time but also after freezing.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes an ultrasonic wave transmitted to the subject 11, and the subject 1 receives the ultrasonic wave.
1 is an ultrasonic probe that receives an echo signal reflected at a boundary having different acoustic impedances in 1.

Reference numeral 20 denotes an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving circuit, which is the probe 1
A pulser for forming an ultrasonic beam to be transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer provided at 0 to the subject 11, a transmission delay circuit,
Further, the probe 10 is provided with an amplifier or the like for amplifying an electric signal obtained by receiving and converting the received echo signal from the inside of the subject 11.

Reference numerals 30a and 30b are a pair of phasing circuits,
The receiving beam directions can be set independently of each other, and the phases of the echo signals received by the probe 10 are aligned and added,
It includes a reception delay circuit that forms a reception ultrasonic beam and an adder. 40a and 40b are a pair of detection circuits, which are a gain control circuit, a LOG amplifier circuit, a dynamic range setting circuit, a full-wave rectification circuit, and an envelope detection circuit for detecting the reception echo signals phase-combined by the phasing circuits 30a and 30b. It is equipped with a circuit. The ultrasonic transmission / reception circuit 20, the phasing circuits 30a and 30b, and the detection circuits 40a and 40b constitute the tomographic scanning means 100.

Reference numeral 51 is an A / D converter, which is the detection circuit 40.
The echo signals output from a and 40b are converted into digital signals. Reference numeral 52 is a line memory that repeatedly writes / reads the output signal of the A / D converter 51 for each scanning line of the ultrasonic beam (or for each of a plurality of scanning lines) and outputs it to an image memory described later.

Reference numeral 70 denotes an arbitrary-direction M-mode image beam setting circuit for setting an M-mode beam line in an arbitrary direction on a B-mode image (tomographic image) displayed on an image display to be described later, such as a trackball or a joystick. The position setting means or the rotating means such as a knob or a key is provided.

Reference numeral 60 denotes an arbitrary-direction M-mode image drawing circuit for drawing and displaying the M-mode image data on the M-direction beam line for the arbitrary direction set by the setting circuit 70 on an image display described later. It is composed of a mode image image memory 61, an arbitrary direction M mode image reconstruction circuit 62 and an arbitrary direction M mode image line memory 63. Here, the arbitrary direction M
The mode image beam setting circuit 70 uses the received echo data stored in the arbitrary direction M mode image image memory 61 based on the geometrical positional relationship between the tomographic image and the arbitrary direction M mode beam line to determine the arbitrary direction M mode. The image reconstructing circuit 62 controls to reconstruct M-mode data in any direction.

Reference numeral 56 denotes the image data to be stored in the R side (for M mode image) image memory 53b from the side of the arbitrary direction M mode image drawing circuit 60 (arbitrary direction M mode image line memory 63), or a line memory. It is an image memory writing selection circuit for selecting whether it is from the 52 side or not.

Reference numeral 57 denotes tomographic image data for several seconds or several tens seconds (at least one scrollable time),
This is a large-capacity image memory that cyclically records tomographic image data for several seconds. Reference numeral 58 is a memory selection circuit, and in real time, the image data from the line memory 52 is
After freezing, the image data recorded in the large-capacity image memory 57 is selected and the image memory writing selection circuit 56 and the arbitrary direction M mode image drawing circuit 60 (arbitrary direction M) in the subsequent stage are selected.
The image is output to the mode image memory 61).

Reference numeral 53a is an L side (for B mode image) image memory for storing the image data from the memory selection circuit 58. Here, the image memories 53a and 53b are semiconductor memories having a storage capacity capable of storing images of a plurality of frames.

Reference numeral 54 denotes an image display selection circuit for selecting display of image data output from the two image memories 53a and 53b, that is, display of only L side memory image and only R side memory image on an image display described later. , Or the left / right split display of the L-side / R-side image as shown in the figure. 55 is the two image memories 5
A D / A converter that D / A converts the image data output from 3a and 53b into a video signal, and 80 is an image display that displays the video signal output from the D / A converter 55 by a TV display system. Is. The circuits 54, 56,
The image memories 53a and 53b and the D / A converter 55 constitute the image display control means 200.

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned device of the present invention will be described.
First, the ultrasonic probe 10 is brought into contact with the subject 11 and ultrasonic waves are transmitted to the diagnosis site. At this time, the transmitted ultrasonic wave is controlled by the transmission delay circuit in the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving circuit 20 so as to form a thin beam at the diagnosis site. The echo signal of this transmission beam is received by the ultrasonic probe 10 and taken in through the amplifier, the reception delay circuit, and the adder in the ultrasonic transmission / reception circuit 20 to form a reception beam.

The ultrasonic probe 10 sequentially changes the ultrasonic wave transmission / reception direction at a predetermined cycle and repeatedly transmits / receives so as to ultrasonically scan the diagnostic region, and the reception beam is similarly formed repeatedly. .

The echo signal (analog signal) output from the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving circuit 20 forms a pair of phasing circuits 30.
2a, the direction R of the reception beam is formed so as to form a symmetrical system with respect to the transmission beam T as shown in FIG.
1 and R2 are set to be slightly deflected. As a result, a combined beam (C1, C1) of the transmission beam and the reception beam is generated.
2) is formed at the center of both beams, and reception echoes from two different directions can be obtained at the same time by one transmission, and if the scanning line density for obtaining one tomographic image is constant, the number of transmissions is Halves, scanning time is halved and frame rate is doubled.

The detection circuits 40a and 40b adjust the sensitivity of the received echoes whose phases are combined in the phase adjusting circuits 30a and 30b by their gain control circuits. The received echo signal has a dynamic range of 60 to 90 dB, but the image display 80 has a dynamic range of about 20 to 30 dB.
The optimum compression rate is set by the 0b LOG amplifier and dynamic range setting circuit. In addition, the detection circuits 40a, 40
In b, the carrier component of the high-frequency received echo signal is removed by the full-wave rectification circuit and the envelope detection circuit.

The received echo signals output from the detection circuits 40a and 40b are converted into digital signals by the A / D converter 51 and output to the line memory 52. The line memory 52 has a plurality of line memories and is switched each time the ultrasonic wave transmission / reception direction is changed to control writing and reading. Digital echo signals are sequentially input to the ultrasonic wave reception beams and image echo memories 53a and 53b are output. Output to.

Normally, the digital echo signals input to the image memories 53a and 53b are written so that each ultrasonic beam sequentially corresponds to the transmitting and receiving directions thereof to form one ultrasonic tomographic image. The ultrasonic probe 10 returns the scanning direction to the initial direction again when the ultrasonic scanning for one image is completed by the control of the ultrasonic transmission / reception circuit 20, repeats the transmission / reception, and sequentially changes the transmission / reception direction for each transmission / reception. Then, the image memories 53a and 53b are updated with the writing of the ultrasonic tomographic images in synchronization with this.

The image data output from the image memories 53a and 53b is given to the D / A converter 55 via the image display selection circuit 54, converted into analog by the D / A converter 55, and then sequentially displayed. Output to the container 80. The image display 80 intensity-modulates and displays the input video signal.
The output signal of the line memory 52 is the image memory 5
At the same time as being written in 3a, 53b, it is also written in the large-capacity image memory 57.

When the M-mode image in the arbitrary direction is drawn and displayed in real time, the output from the memory selection circuit 58 is input to the M-mode image drawing circuit 60 in the arbitrary direction. Here, one frame of image data is recorded in the arbitrary-direction M-mode image memory 61 in order to draw an arbitrary-direction M-mode image, and the arbitrary direction M according to the arbitrary-direction M-mode image beam line set on the tomographic image. The M-mode image is reconstructed by the mode-image reconstructing circuit 62 and stored in the arbitrary-direction M-mode image line memory 63. Arbitrary direction M mode image data is
It is output to the R side (for M mode image) image memory 53b via the image memory writing selection circuit 56.

The arbitrary-direction M-mode image image memory 61 records one frame of image data here for the sake of simplicity of description, but it may have a minimum memory configuration of two scanning lines. . In this case, all the M-mode image data in the arbitrary direction that can be detected by the tomographic image data on the two scanning lines written in the image memory 61 are detected, and the contents of the image memory 61 are sequentially rewritten for one line. It is only necessary to detect the M-mode image data in the arbitrary direction.

On the other hand, after freezing, the recorded image data is read from the large-capacity image memory 57 for several seconds or more, for example, 2 to 10 seconds, and the arbitrary direction M mode image drawing circuit 60 and the image memory are read through the memory selection circuit 58. By inputting to the write selection circuit 56, tomographic image data is reproduced after freezing, or M mode beam lines are arbitrarily set on the tomographic image to reproduce M direction image data in any direction.
As a result, only the L-side memory image is displayed on the image display 80, only the R-side memory image is displayed, or as shown in the figure, the L-side / R-side image is divided into left and right parts.

The large-capacity image memory 57 is arranged before the image memories 53a and 53b because the following advantages can be obtained. That is, when the scanning speed (frame rate) of the tomographic image exceeds the scanning speed of the image display device 80 (30 frames / sec when a TV monitor or the like is used as the image display device 80), thinning is performed in the display system and all Image cannot be observed on the image display 80.
However, since all the image data can be recorded in the previous stage of the image memories 53a and 53b, an M-mode image in an arbitrary direction can be rendered after freezing based on raw data of a tomographic image scanned at high speed in real time. can do. Therefore, according to this, the higher the scanning speed of the tomographic image, the more the time resolution of the M-mode image in the arbitrary direction can be improved.

Here, regarding the method of rendering the M-mode image in the arbitrary direction, the image display is performed in order to reconstruct the beamline data for the M-mode in the arbitrary direction set on the tomographic image displayed on the image display 80. As an example of performing coordinate conversion from the coordinate system on the device 80 to the coordinate system of the large-capacity image memory 61 in which the actual image data is stored, a method of performing scan conversion by combining the following typical arithmetic processes will be described. .

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the calculation of M-mode beamline data in an arbitrary direction set on the screen of the image display 80. Here, the main roles of various conversion means for converting each coordinate system are as follows.

1) Affine transformation This is a geometric transformation for enlarging / reducing, rotating and translating an image. 2) Polar coordinate conversion The orthogonal coordinate system of the image display 80 is converted into the polar coordinate system for ultrasonic scanning. 3) Unit conversion The polar coordinate address is converted into a memory address to generate a spatial interpolation coefficient. 4) Spatial Interpolation (Bilinear Interpolation) The brightness of M-mode image data in an arbitrary direction is calculated by two-dimensional interpolation using the actual image data of four surrounding points.

First, assuming that the beam line for the M direction in the arbitrary direction on the screen of the image display 80 is the orthogonal coordinate system address (x, y) of the image display 80, (x, y) is tentatively transformed by affine transformation. Convert to Cartesian coordinate system address (u, v).
The obtained (u, v) is converted into the polar coordinate system address (r, θ). Here, θ corresponds to the angle of the ultrasonic beam and r corresponds to the depth.

Since the unit of r is radian, the unit conversion from radian to memory address is performed, and the address (r ',
θ ′) is obtained. The address of the image memory is calculated to the right of the decimal point, and the value below the decimal point is used for spatial interpolation.

The operation of each arithmetic processing section in the case of typical sector scanning will be described below. For example, let us consider a case where the beamline data for the arbitrary direction M mode on the display image is calculated from the image memory in which the actual image data is stored.

1) Conversion from the orthogonal memory address (x, y) of the image display 80 to the temporary orthogonal memory address (u, v) By the affine transformation, the orthogonal memory address (x, y) of the image display 80. To a temporary orthogonal memory address (u, v) as shown in FIG. This is because it is possible to easily deal with the case where the image displayed on the screen of the image display 80 is enlarged / reduced or rotated. The affine transformation formula is expressed by the following formula (1).

[0035]

[Equation 1]

Here, A to D are parameters for enlargement / reduction and rotation, and Xof and Yof are parallel movement parameters.

2) Conversion from Cartesian coordinate system address (u, v) to Polar coordinate system address (r, θ) In convex scanning or sector scanning, the ultrasonic beam is radially scanned around one point. , Ultrasonic data is obtained in a polar coordinate system. On the other hand, since the display format of the image display device 80 is the orthogonal coordinate system, the ultrasonic data and the display image data are associated with each other.
It is necessary to perform polar coordinate conversion as shown in (a). The conversion formula is given by the following formula (2).

[0038]

[Equation 2]

3) Conversion from polar coordinate system address (r, θ) to real memory address (r ', θ') The ultrasonic data actually stored in the memory depends on the type of probe 10, curvature, etc. The storage pitch inside the memory is different. Further, in convex scanning and the like, the offset between the beam scanning center point and the body surface must be taken into consideration. Therefore, the unit conversion is performed to convert the actual memory address (r ', θ') as shown in FIG. Conversion formulas in the unit conversion are given by the following formulas (3) and (4).

R ′ = r−r ₀ (3) (r ₀ = curvature / Δr, Δr: pitch in real memory r direction) θ ′ = θ / Δθ + θ ₀ (4) (Δθ: real memory θ direction) Pitch, θ ₀ : Real memory direction θ offset) The image data of the orthogonal memory address (x, y) of the image display 80 is calculated from the obtained real memory address (r ′, θ ′) by the spatial interpolation.

The actual memory address (r ', θ') obtained by the coordinate conversion (polar coordinate conversion, unit conversion) generally does not take an integer address position. That is, since there is no image data corresponding to the display memory address (x, y),
Image data is calculated by the spatial interpolation. Spatial interpolation is also called four-point interpolation, and as shown in FIG.
', Θ') is a two-dimensional interpolation performed using ultrasonic brightness data Pl, m, Pl + 1, m, Pl, m + 1, Pl + 1, m + 1 in which four pixels exist around (', θ').

Here, (l, m) means an integerization of (r ', θ'), and (l, m) = {int (r '), int (θ')} (5) It is represented by. If the distance from Pl, m to the horizontal and vertical directions is e, f when the position of (r ′, θ ′) is one side of the lattice, then e = θ′-m, f = R'-l (6) Therefore, the display position (r
If the luminance obtained by the spatial interpolation of ′, θ ′) is Q, then Q is calculated by the following equation (7).

[0043]

(Equation 3)

In this way, M-mode image data is drawn from the arbitrary-direction M-mode image image memory 61 by the arbitrary-direction M-mode image reconstruction circuit 62 according to the arbitrary-direction M-mode image beam line set on the tomographic image. , Arbitrary direction M
It is written in the mode image line memory 63.

In this way, by providing a pair of receiving systems after the phasing circuit and setting so that received echo signals from two different directions can be obtained at the same time by one transmission, the scanning line density can be made constant. The number of transmissions for obtaining one tomographic image can be halved, and the frame rate of the tomographic image can be doubled. As a result, even in the case of an arbitrary-direction M-mode image in which only one M-mode image can be obtained for one tomographic image, M-mode image data having the same image quality can be obtained as a tomographic image having a double display angle. it can.

In the above embodiment, the pair of receiving systems are provided and the receiving echo signals from two directions are simultaneously obtained. However, the number of receiving echo signals obtained at the same time is increased by providing three or more receiving systems. You may let me. Further, the phase adjusting circuits 30a and 30b may be configured by digital circuits instead of analog circuits. According to this, even in one receiving system, multidirectional reception can be performed simultaneously by setting the receiving beams in time series. FIG. 2B shows an example of the positional relationship between the transmission beams at the time of simultaneous reception in four directions, the reception beams in four directions, and the four combined beams.

When the high frequency probe 10 is used, the display depth becomes shallow and the repetition frequency of ultrasonic waves can be set high, so that the frame rate of the tomographic image can be improved. Therefore, it is possible to depict an M-mode image in any direction that is sufficiently practical without using the multi-direction simultaneous reception method. Needless to say, they may be used in combination.

As a means for improving the frame rate other than the above description, a method of increasing the repetition frequency or a method of roughening the scanning line density may be used together. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the arbitrary-direction M-mode image beam line is described as a straight line for convenience, but the M-mode image data on the arbitrary-direction M-mode image beam line 511 set by a curve as shown in FIG. It goes without saying that can also be detected. Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, it is possible to set a plurality of M-direction beam lines 512 and 513 for arbitrary directions on the tomographic image and divide the screen of the M-mode image for simultaneous display. For example, it is possible to use it for area measurement and volume measurement by displaying a long axis image and a short axis image in orthogonal heart chambers.

Further, the arbitrary direction M mode image drawing circuit 60 may be constructed as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG.
Arbitrary direction M mode image reconstruction circuit 62 outputs an arbitrary direction M
A mode image first line memory 63a and an arbitrary direction M mode image second line memory 63b are provided, and the outputs thereof are input to the spatial interpolation calculation circuit 64. The actual image data (n) of FIG. The data at an intermediate time with respect to the image data (m) can be calculated by spatial interpolation processing. At this time, the luminance data of the i-th image data on the j-th line is calculated by the following equation (8).

[0050]

[Equation 4]

Actual image data (n) and actual image data (m)
The data (j) between and can be calculated infinitely not only by one line but by changing the interpolation coefficient.
According to this, when the scroll speed is high, it is possible to display the missing M-mode image data between the real image data and the real image data by spatial interpolation.

Although FIG. 7 shows an example in which spatial interpolation is performed by using six points on both sides when obtaining image data of an arbitrary P _{i, j} , even if the number of spatial interpolation points is increased. It goes without saying that it is good. By using more actual image data, it is possible to improve the connection with the surroundings.

Further, in consideration of obtaining an M-direction image in an arbitrary direction after freezing, in order to obtain an M-mode image which is well connected when the M-mode in the arbitrary direction is selected, the constitution as shown in FIG. 8 may be adopted. That is, from the scroll speed information 91 of the M-mode image, a display angle setting circuit that automatically sets the display angle of the tomographic image in real time so that one tomographic image can be scanned before a new M-mode image is displayed. 90 may be provided.

In the display angle setting circuit 90, in order to obtain a well-connected M mode image when the M mode in the arbitrary direction is selected,
The display angle Bθ is set by the following equation (9) so that one tomographic image can be scanned before a new M mode image is displayed from the scroll speed information 91 of the M mode image.

[0055]

(Equation 5)

Here, T _SWP is the scroll time of the M mode image, T _PR is the ultrasonic wave transmission repetition period, LN is the number of display lines of the M mode image, and N _R is the number of lines that can be simultaneously received,
Δθ represents the scanning line pitch of the tomographic image.

According to this, since the display angle of the tomographic image is automatically set to an appropriate value based on the scroll speed information 91 of the M mode image, the M direction image in the arbitrary direction after freezing can be an image with less unevenness. As a setting condition of the display angle of the tomographic image, it is possible to set a condition that a new M-mode image is displayed once every several times based on the scroll speed information of the M-mode image. For example, the display angle of the tomographic image can be set wide, and an M-mode image in any direction with a high degree of freedom can be obtained.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention, in ultrasonic diagnosis of the circulatory organ, not only the M-mode image on the scanning line of the tomographic image can be observed for observing the temporal change of the valve and the heart wall, Since it is possible to depict M-mode images in any direction, and long-term tomographic image data can be recorded in a large-capacity image memory, M-mode image data in any direction can be obtained not only in real time but also after freezing. Can be obtained in any direction M
The mode image can be repeatedly displayed. Further, there is an effect that the setting direction of the beam line can be changed any number of times when the arbitrary direction M mode image is displayed after freezing, and the beam line can be displayed again.

Further, by adding two arbitrary-direction M-mode image line memories to the output of the arbitrary-direction M-mode image reconstruction circuit and a spatial interpolation calculation circuit for performing spatial interpolation processing from those outputs, the scroll speed is increased. Even if the drawing interval of the M-mode image in the arbitrary direction is widened rapidly and there is a time-missing portion, it is possible to display the image information in the meantime by the interpolation processing.

Further, if a display angle setting circuit for automatically setting the display angle of the tomographic image in real time from the scrolling speed information of the M mode image is provided, the M-mode image after freezing in any direction can be an image with less unevenness. The effect that can be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the principle of the multidirectional simultaneous reception system in the device of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of various conversion methods for rendering an M-mode image in an arbitrary direction.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of various conversion methods for rendering an M-mode image in an arbitrary direction.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the arbitrary-direction M-mode image drawing circuit in FIG.

7 is an operation explanatory diagram of the arbitrary direction M-mode image drawing circuit shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of still another embodiment of the device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ultrasonic probe 11 subject 20 ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving circuit 30a, 30b phasing circuit 40a, 40b detection circuit 51 A / D converter 52 line memory 53a, 53b image memory 54 image display selection circuit 55 D / A converter 56 image memory writing selection circuit 57 large capacity image memory 60 arbitrary direction M mode image rendering circuit 61 arbitrary direction M mode image image memory 62 arbitrary direction M mode image reconstruction circuit 63 arbitrary direction M mode image line memory 70 arbitrary direction M mode image Beam setting circuit 80 Image display (image display means) 100 Tomographic scanning means 200 Image display control means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe that transmits an ultrasonic pulse to a desired portion of a subject and receives an echo signal thereof,
A tomographic scanning unit that can control the pulse transmission / reception operation of the ultrasonic probe to repeat the echo signal at a predetermined cycle, and at least one of a B-mode image and an M-mode image based on the echo signal obtained from the tomographic scanning unit. Or image display control means capable of displaying both in real time and storing and processing the echo signal so that the display image can be frozen at a desired time,
In an ultrasonic tomography apparatus comprising image display means for displaying an image by an output signal from the image display control means,
A large-capacity image memory for recording the data of the B-mode image displayed in real time for a predetermined time, an arbitrary direction M-mode image beam setting circuit for setting the M-mode beam line in an arbitrary direction on the B-mode image, The M-mode image (arbitrary-direction M-mode image) on the M-mode beam line set by the arbitrary-direction M-mode image beam setting circuit is read after freeze by the data from the tomographic scanning means side in real time. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an arbitrary-direction M-mode image drawing circuit which is reconstructed by data from a large-capacity image memory side and is displayed on the image display unit via the image display control unit. 2. The arbitrary-direction M-mode image drawing circuit reconstructs an arbitrary-direction M-mode image over a plurality of time phases, and performs spatial interpolation processing between consecutive arbitrary-time M-mode images of two time phases. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. B according to the scroll speed of the M-mode image
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising display angle setting means for setting the display angle of the mode image to an appropriate value.