JPH09322893A - Ultrasonograph - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a graphic and characters being overlapped on a diagnosis image by a simple operation. SOLUTION: As an operator touches the surface of a display screen of an image display section 2, a coordinate position of the touched point is detected by an electronic pen sensor 3 to be recognized by a position recognizing section 7. A signal for graphics is generated by a graphic forming section 5 from a character or a graphic drawn on the display screen and sent to the image display section 2 to be displayed being superimposed on a diagnostic image on the display screen.

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 which transmits and receives ultrasonic pulses from an ultrasonic probe to a subject, amplifies the received echo signal, and then performs image processing to obtain a diagnostic image. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. In FIG. 4, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is a console 1
The transmission pulse generated by the transmission unit 10 is transmitted to the ultrasonic probe 11 capable of mutually converting the electric signal and the ultrasonic signal under the operation from, and the ultrasonic pulse is transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 11. Is irradiated into the living body, the reflected wave from the tissue or lesion in the living body is received by the receiving unit 9 and signal processing is performed, and the image processing unit 8
Is a device that converts the image signal into an image signal and displays the tomographic image and blood flow information on the image display unit 2.

In the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the console 1 is
A mode selection unit 1a, a gain setting unit 1b, a focus condition setting unit 1c, a trackball 1d, a function key 1e, an alphabet key 1f, and a display mode switching unit (not shown) are roughly provided. The mode selection unit 1a includes a mode selection function for switching between B mode, M mode, Doppler mode, and color mode, and a gain setting unit 1
b has a gain switching function for switching the transmission / reception gain in each mode, and has a DGC slide pot capable of varying the gain at the diagnostic depth. The focus condition setting unit 1c has a function of switching the focal position and the number of focal points. The display mode switching units are B, 2B, 4
B, freeze, zoom, etc. display size and still image can be provided. The function key 1e is used to extend to ancillary functions such as formation of a patient chart, setting of a text mode, initial setting of the apparatus, and communication of medical examination data to a recording medium. Recently, arranging keys for each of the above-mentioned functions results in high cost, and also the console 1
Since it is not possible to reduce the size of the console, there is an apparatus in which the liquid crystal screen is arranged on the console 1 and the function settings are multi-layered to make the console 1 compact.

As shown in FIG. 5, the conventional method of displaying an image by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is such that, in addition to the diagnostic image, the date and time at the time of diagnosis, the probe used, the transmission frequency, the focus position, the transmission / reception gain. , Dynamic range, frame rate, edge enhancement coefficient, averaging coefficient, diagnostic depth,
The patient's name, etc. is displayed. A graphic display signal for displaying these is generated by the graphic forming unit 5.

Regarding the transmission frequency, focus position, transmission / reception gain, dynamic range, frame rate, edge enhancement coefficient, and averaging coefficient, the pointer provided on the screen is moved by the trackball 1d on the console 1 to obtain a desired function. In addition, by operating the interlocked keys, the functions can be switched similarly to the keys on the console 1. Further, in addition to these displays, by inputting from the alphabet key 1f, arbitrary characters and figures can be displayed in a superimposed manner on the diagnostic image. An example of inputting this text character is shown in FIG. The pointer indicating the text input position is moved by moving the trackball, and the cursor is displayed by designating with a set key that is interlocked (A).
After the cursor is displayed, enter an arbitrary character using the alphabet keys or the like (B).

Distance measurement and graphic formation are also important factors in the usage of the trackball. In the distance measurement mode, it is possible to draw a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon by using the distance between two points of the tissue of the subject, the one-point method, the two-point method, or the three-point method, and obtain the area or volume thereof. An example of the measurement mode is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is an example of distance measurement between two points, and FIG. 8 is an example of area measurement by forming a circle by the two-point method. These measurements are calculated by the weighing unit 6, and the results are graphically displayed by the graphic forming unit 5 and displayed on the image display unit 2.

In FIG. 7, the distance between a and b is obtained. First, the pointer is moved to the point a and the point a is fixed by the interlocking key (A). Next, the trackball is moved to point b and the distance between a and b is measured. In FIG. 8,
Determine the approximate area of tissue. First, the pointer is moved to a point a on the outer circumference to fix the point a (A). Next, move the pointer to another point b on the outer circumference, and b
Fix the points. Finally, the pointer is moved using a trackball, the point c is determined so as to draw a circle with the diameters of the points a and b, the circle is completed, and the area is measured. Also,
In the case of an arbitrary figure, there is also a method in which the pointer is moved along the outer periphery of the figure to create a locus and obtain the area.

An example of the volume measurement mode is shown in FIG. In order to measure the volume, two images in which the probe touches the subject in directions different by 90 degrees are required. After recognizing the figure in one direction (A: the probe 11 is x in the longitudinal direction),
The figure in the other direction is recognized (B: the longitudinal direction of the probe 11 is y), and the figures in the two directions are combined to obtain the volume.

[0009]

However, the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described above has the following problems. First, in the text mode, that is, when inserting an arbitrary character or figure on the image, the pointer is used to move to the insertion point and the character is selected by the alphabet key or the prepared figure key to input. , The operation of keys is complicated, and there are limits to the figures that the user can draw arbitrarily. Secondly, in the distance measurement mode, when drawing a distance between two points of the tissue of the subject, a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon using the one-point method, the two-point method or the three-point method, the pointer is moved by moving the trackball. Must be moved and the measurement point must be specified, the operation is complicated, it is mainly used on a static screen, and the area and volume calculation accuracy using circles and ellipses is limited. Is that there is. The accuracy is improved by moving the pointer around the outer periphery of the arbitrary figure using a trackball to create a locus and obtaining the area, but it takes a lot of time to create the locus.

In order to simplify the operation, for example, in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-91264, the image of the input instruction position and the position of the finger are displayed on the same screen displaying the diagnostic image.
Although a technique has been disclosed in which the touch sensor of the menu key on the operation console can be operated without taking the eyes off the diagnostic image, this method cannot draw a figure or a character.

The present invention is intended to solve such a conventional problem, and an object thereof is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of drawing a figure or a character on a diagnostic image by a simple operation.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention inputs a character or a figure with an electronic pen or a mouse on a display screen displaying a diagnostic image, and recognizes coordinates from the signal. The image is displayed graphically on the display screen, and the in-vivo tissue can be measured by obtaining the area or volume of the obtained figure.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a means for detecting the coordinate position of a character or a figure directly or indirectly drawn by an operator on a display screen, and the detected coordinates. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus equipped with means for recognizing a trajectory of a character or a figure drawn by an operator from a position signal and displaying the character or the figure as a graphic image on a display screen. It can be performed by a simple operation.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the means for detecting the coordinate position is an electronic pen sensor or a touch sensor for recognizing a position touched by the operator on the display screen. It is a diagnostic device, and text input can be performed on a diagnostic image by a simple operation.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is the ultrasonic wave according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the coordinate position is means for recognizing a location designated on the display screen by the operator using a mouse. It is a diagnostic device, and text input can be performed on a diagnostic image by a simple operation.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present invention is the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is provided with means for shaping the recognized character or figure, and is a text on a diagnostic image. Input can be performed by a simple operation.

The invention according to claim 5 of the present invention is the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is provided with means for calculating the area or volume of the recognized figure. Text input can be performed by simple operation.

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 shows a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and elements similar to those in FIG. 4 are designated by similar reference numerals. In FIG. 1, 1
Is an operation console, 2 is an image display unit, 3 is an electronic pen sensor, 4 is a control unit, 5 is a graphic forming unit, 6 is a weighing unit, 7 is a position recognition unit, 8 is an image processing unit, 9 is a receiving unit, 10 is The transmitter 11 is an ultrasonic probe. The difference from the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 is that the image display section 2 is provided with an electronic pen sensor 3,
The position recognition unit 7 is provided in the control unit 4.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. In the text input mode, the electronic pen sensor 3
Drive. When the screen of the image display unit 2 is touched with an electronic pen (not shown), the coordinates detected by the electronic pen sensor 3 are recognized by the position recognition unit 7 of the control unit 4, and the graphic forming unit 5 uses the signal for graphic display from the coordinate position signal. Is generated and sent to the image display unit 2. Different from the one described with reference to FIG. 6 in the related art, the work of displaying the cursor by using the pointer is unnecessary, the alphabet keys are also unnecessary, and the character “Liver” drawn directly by the electronic pen is displayed. You can

In the distance measuring mode, similarly, by driving the electronic pen sensor 3, the position recognition unit 7 of the control unit 4 recognizes the coordinates detected by the electronic pen sensor 3, and the weighing unit 6 calculates based on the coordinates. Then, the graphic forming unit 5 generates a signal for graphic display based on the result and causes the image display unit 2 to display the signal. At that time, in the linear distance measurement mode between two points, the linear distance measurement mode function is selected, and both ends of the straight line to be measured are touched with the electronic pen. That is, in FIG. 7, it suffices to touch the points a and b with the electronic pen. After that, the distance between the two points touched with the electronic pen is measured by the measuring unit 6.
The measurement result is displayed on the image display unit 2. In the non-linear distance measurement mode, the arbitrary figure distance measurement mode is selected, a line to be measured is drawn with an electronic pen, the line length is calculated by the measuring unit 6, and the measurement result is displayed on the image display unit 2. .

In the circular and elliptical measurement modes, a plurality of points on the outer circumference are touched with an electronic pen. That is,
In FIG. 8, by touching points a, b, and c with an electronic pen, the coordinates can be recognized by the position recognition unit 7, and a circle can be automatically drawn. In the arbitrary figure measurement mode, the position recognizing unit 7 recognizes the locus by touching the outer circumference of the arbitrary figure to be measured with an electronic pen, and the measuring unit 6 calculates the area. In the volume measurement mode, the position recognition unit 7 recognizes a figure in one of two directions (a circle, an ellipse, and an arbitrary figure can be measured), and then recognizes a figure in the other direction to form a figure in two directions. The volume is obtained by combining and measuring unit 6. The bidirectional figure described here means a figure obtained by changing the direction of the ultrasonic probe by 90 degrees with respect to the subject. As described with reference to FIG. 9 in the related art, in the present embodiment, the figure formation of FIGS. 9A and 9B may be performed using the electronic pen.

The electronic pen may be of any type such as laser, magnetism, temperature sensor, optical sensor, pressure sensor, and the medium that comes into contact with the sensor may be a touch sensor capable of drawing a figure with fingers without using the electronic pen. Good.

As described above, according to the first embodiment,
An image display unit 2 for displaying a diagnostic image is provided with an electronic pen sensor 3 for detecting a character or a graphic drawn by using an electronic pen, and an arbitrary character or graphic is graphicized by a graphic forming unit 5 and displayed on the image display unit 2. In addition, in the distance measurement mode, the distance between the two points touched by the electronic pen is measured by the measuring unit 6, and the area of the figure drawn by the electronic pen is measured. By recognizing a figure in one of the directions, then recognizing a figure in the other direction and combining figures in two directions, the volume can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that a mouse 12 is used instead of the electronic pen. That is, in the text input mode, the position recognizing unit 7 of the control unit 4 recognizes the coordinates of the mouse 12, the graphic forming unit 5 generates a signal for graphic display on the coordinates, and the signal is displayed on the image display unit 2.

In the linear distance measuring mode between two points, the linear distance measuring mode function is selected and both ends of the straight line to be measured are clicked with the mouse 12. That is, in FIG. 7, the points a and b are clicked with the mouse 12. After that, the mouse 12 is clicked to measure the distance between the two points by the measuring unit 6, and the measurement result is displayed on the image display unit 2. In the non-linear distance measurement mode, select the arbitrary figure distance measurement mode,
The line to be measured is drawn with the mouse 12, the line length is calculated by the measuring unit 6, and the measurement result is displayed on the image display unit 2.

In the circular and elliptical measurement modes, the mouse 12 clicks a plurality of points on the outer circumference. That is, in FIG. 8, by clicking points a, b, and c with the mouse 12, the coordinates of the points can be recognized by the position recognition unit 7, and a circle can be automatically drawn. In the arbitrary figure measurement mode, the periphery of the arbitrary figure to be measured is clicked with the mouse 12, the locus is recognized by the position recognition section 7, and the area is calculated by the weighing section 6. In the volume measurement mode, a figure is similarly drawn with the mouse 12, the figure is recognized by the position recognition section 7, and the volume is calculated by the measuring section 6.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, even if a mouse is used instead of the electronic pen, it is possible to draw a character or a figure on the diagnostic image by the same simple operation.

In each of the above embodiments, the recognition function by the electronic pen or the mouse may be driven not only when the function is used but also when the device is used. Further, the figures and characters drawn by the electronic pen or the mouse may not be able to follow due to the capability of the device. In that case, since the obtained graphic image is as shown in FIG. 3A, it is preferable to provide a shaping means for correcting this so as to be as shown in FIG. Further, characters and figures created by an electronic pen or mouse may be saved and played as data. Further, both the electronic pen and the mouse may be used.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the position recognition section for recognizing the input coordinates and the graphic forming section for generating the signal for the graphic display based on the input coordinates are provided, and the text mode, that is, the diagnostic image is provided. It is now possible to create an arbitrary character or figure on the top and to measure the area or volume of the figure using an electronic pen or mouse, so you can move the pointer using a conventional trackball. The work of selecting and inputting with the alphabet keys or the graphic key prepared in advance can be simplified, and the user can easily input any character or graphic from the diagnostic image. For example, cursive characters can be easily displayed and encrypted, and text can be easily input not only on the still screen but also on the operation screen. In addition, the area and volume of the figure can be measured with high accuracy by using the electronic pen and the mouse.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a character shaping method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a screen diagram of an image display unit of the device.

FIG. 6 is a screen view showing a method of inputting text in the image display unit of the same device.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a method for measuring a distance between two points in the same device.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing an area measuring method in the same device.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a volume measuring method in the same device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Operation Table 2 Image Display Section 3 Electronic Pen Sensor 4 Control Section 5 Graphic Forming Section 6 Weighing Section 7 Position Recognition Section 8 Image Processing Section 9 Receiving Section 10 Transmitting Section 11 Ultrasonic Probe 12 Mouse

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic pulse generated by a transmission circuit is applied to a subject, and a reflection signal obtained by an ultrasonic probe that receives a reflection signal from the subject is amplified and then converted into an image signal. In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that generates an ultrasonic diagnostic image by means of a means for detecting the coordinate position of a character or figure directly or indirectly drawn by the operator on the display screen, and the operator from the detected coordinate position signal. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: means for recognizing a trajectory of a character or a graphic drawn by the user and displaying the character or the graphic as a graphic image on a display screen. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the coordinate position is an electronic pen sensor or a touch sensor that recognizes a position touched by the operator on the display screen. 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the coordinate position is means for recognizing a location designated by the operator on the display screen using a mouse. 4. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for shaping a recognized character or graphic. 5. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for calculating the area or volume of the recognized figure.