JPS61268237A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention provides a method for processing black-and-white images such as reflected echo images and B-mode images;
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that displays a composite image of blood flow velocity, etc. in association with a color image.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] The basic configuration of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is shown in FIG. This device includes an ultrasonic probe 1 that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from a subject, and controls the beam direction, focus position, scanning pattern, etc. of the ultrasonic waves from this ultrasonic probe 1, and also controls echo signals from the ultrasonic probe 1. A transmitting/receiving system 2 receives the input signal and sends it out as an output signal, and a first line memory 4 and a monochrome frame memory 5 receive the output signal and perform processing such as A/D conversion processing and m-width processing.
and a DSC (
Digital scan converter) system 3 and this DSC system 3
A black and white monitor 7 serves as a display means for displaying 8-mode images, reflection echo images, etc. based on the output from the system controller, and a system controller serves as a control means for providing flexibility in scanning patterns when switching modes in this device. 8
and a raster butterfly generator 9 which is controlled by a control signal for determining the rate period of ultrasonic waves sent from the system controller 8 and which sends out a raster data signal of a scanning beam to the transmission/reception system 2, which is also controlled by the control signal. A vector pattern generator 10 sends out an address signal that determines the address of the echo signal input to the black-and-white frame memory 5.

Next, the operation of the conventional device having the above configuration will be explained with reference to a timing chart shown in FIG. 4 showing the relationship of signals of each part of this device.

A raster pattern generator 9 controlled by a control signal from the system controller 8 sends a scanning beam raster data signal to the transceiver system 2, so that the raster pattern of the transceiver system 2 is one of the rate signals.
Echo data for one scanning line in the echo signal from the ultrasound probe 1 is generated every cycle. This echo data is input to the first line memory 4 of the DSC system 3, and
/D conversion processing, display magnification on the monochrome monitor 7, position control, etc. are determined.

As a result, the black and white data outputted from the first line memory 4 lags behind the raster pattern of the transmitter/receiver system 2 by the length of the route, as shown in FIG.

The output data of this first line memory 4 is sent to the monochrome frame memory 5, but at this time, the address signal from the vector pattern generator 10 is sent to the monochrome frame memory 5.
Therefore, the vector pattern (scanning line pattern) in the black-and-white frame memory 5 also lags the raster pattern in the transmitting/receiving system 2 by 8 minutes.

That is, the data delayed by the route of the black and white data obtained based on the raster pattern of the transmitting/receiving system 2 is the vector pattern of the black and white frame memory 5.
It is written in .

However, when such a conventional device is combined with an ultrasonic blood flow imaging system (Moving Target Indicator Unit), it is possible to obtain black and white images such as B-mode images and reflected echo images using the ultrasonic blood flow imaging system. When attempting to display a composite image with a color image, the following problems occur.

That is, in order to obtain data for one scanning line with an ultrasonic blood flow imaging device, it is necessary to scan the same raster many times, and calculation processing time is required in the MTI unit. Despite outputting data using the same raster, the conventional device's D
A time phase difference occurs between the black and white data of the SC system 3 and the color data processed by the MT unit.

This situation is shown in FIG. In addition, the figure shows the same raster as 4
B-mode Doppler flow that scans each individual one by one (BD
F) mode, the color data is the data sampling interval T of the scanning raster in the MTI unit.
1 (corresponding to 4 registers) and the data calculation interval T2 (corresponding to 2 registers), a delay time phase difference of 5 registers is generated compared to black and white data.

This time phase difference is not so noticeable in M-mode display in which the raster is fixed and the scrolling speed is slow, but it is particularly noticeable in B-mode display in which the frame construction period of the ultrasound image is made as short as possible.

Therefore, devices have been proposed in the past that eliminate the effects of the above-mentioned time phase difference and display a monochrome image and a color image in a composite manner in association with each other.

An example of such a device will be explained with reference to FIG. In the apparatus shown in the same figure, those having the same functions as the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

The device shown in FIG. 6 connects a Doppler unit 11 and a multiplexer 12 for obtaining Doppler information to the front stage of the DSC system 3 of the conventional device, and routes the output data of the transmitting/receiving system 2 via the Doppler unit 11. The output data of the transmitter/receiver system 2 is routed to the multiplexer 12 by two routes, including the route that does not pass through the MTI unit 1.
3, and a third stage after this MTI unit 13.
A color signal processing system 14 consisting of a line memory 15, a color frame memory 16 and a fourth line memory 17 is connected, and the output data of the second frame memory 6 and fourth frame memory 17 are taken in and combined. and a color monitor 19 which is a display means for displaying a monochrome image and a color image in a composite manner based on the data processed by the color/monochrome data composition processing section 18. A monochrome vector pattern generator 10A sends a monochrome data address signal to the monochrome frame memory 5 based on the monochrome control signal sent from the system controller 8, and a monochrome vector pattern generator 10A sends a monochrome data address signal to the color frame memory 16 based on the color control signal sent from the system controller 8. The color vector pattern generator 10B sends data address signals.

According to this device, by shifting the vector patterns of the black-and-white vector pattern generator IOA and the color vector pattern generator 10B by a predetermined period in advance and changing the generation timing of the black-and-white data address signal and the color data address signal, black-and-white frames of black-and-white data can be generated. It is possible to shift the writing position to the memory 5 and the writing position of color data to the color frame memory, and as a result, it is possible to synthesize black and white data and color data in real time by the color/monochrome data synthesis processing section 18 and the color monitor 19. However, since color data is always written to the frame memory at a location several rasters later than monochrome data, a time phase difference occurs between monochrome data and color data on display.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 6 requires two vector pattern generators, one for monochrome data and one for color data, and it is not easy to control the timing of generation of vector patterns by these generators, and the apparatus is large in terms of hardware. There is a problem in that it leads to

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to make a black and white image such as a reflected echo image or a B-mode image and a color image showing the power and dispersion state of blood flow while matching their time phases. The object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic device that can perform synthetic display.

[Summary of the Invention] The outline of the present invention for achieving the above object is to perform signal processing on echo data obtained by an ultrasound probe using a digital scan converter to obtain black and white data, and to perform blood flow imaging processing based on the echo data. In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that performs color signal processing to obtain color data, synthesizes monochrome data and color data, and displays subject information as a monochrome and color composite image, a pre-processing unit that delays the black-and-white data by the time phase difference of the resulting color data with respect to the black-and-white data; and a write interpolation unit that performs the same operation on the black-and-white data that has undergone the delay processing and the color data that has undergone the blood flow imaging processing, respectively. The writing interpolation unit that performs the writing interpolation, the black and white frame memory that stores black and white data, the color frame memory that stores color data, and the writing of black and white data and color data to the black and white frame memory and color frame memory after writing interpolation processing are the same. The device is characterized in that it has a vector pattern generator that generates an address signal and an address signal that is generated at the same timing.

[Embodiments of the Invention] Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the apparatus shown in the figure, parts having the same functions as those in the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

The difference between the device shown in FIG. 1 and the device shown in FIG.
In the SC system 3A, a pre-processing section 21 and a first old interpolation section 22a are connected to the front stage of the monochrome frame memory 5 instead of the first in-memory 4 of the conventional device, and in the color signal processing system 14A, the conventional device is connected. In place of the third line memory 15, a second write interpolation section 22b having the same function as the first write interpolation section 22a is connected to the front stage of the color frame memory 16, and a rate signal is transmitted from the system controller 8. The first control signal corresponding to the period is the first control signal. Second writing interpolation unit 22a, 2
2b, one vector pattern generator 20 is provided which is controlled by a second control signal corresponding to the period of the rate signal sent from the system controller 8, and the vector pattern generator 20 is A common address signal having the same time phase is sent to the monochrome frame memory 5 and the color frame memory 16. The preprocessing section 21 performs preprocessing such as arithmetic averaging processing on the black and white data from the multiplexer 12 to form a black and white data delay section T3 (for 5 levels) as shown in FIG. The time phase of the black and white data is made to match the time phase of the color data output from the MTI unit 13.

Also, 1st. Second write interpolation section 22a.

22b are both 2iI by the first control signal.
II[l], write interpolation processing is performed on the monochrome data memory 5 and the color frame memory 16, respectively, for the monochrome data and color data whose time phases match to form the same delay interval T4, and the data is subjected to these processings. Black and white data and color data are stored in a black and white frame memory 5, respectively.
It is designed to be sent to the color frame memory 16.

Next, the operation of the embodiment apparatus having the above configuration will be explained.

The black and white data sent out from the multiplexer 12 is pre-processed by the pre-processing section 21 and delayed by 5 registers, and is sent to the first stage in a state in which the time phase matches that of the color data sent out from the MTI unit 13. The data is sent to the write interpolation unit 22a. At the same time, color data from the MTI unit 13 is also sent to the second writing interpolation section 22b.

1st. The second one-step interpolation units 22a and 22b execute interpolation processing of the same operation with a delay interval T4 based on the first control signal, respectively, and create black and white interpolated data and color interpolated data. Each data is sent to a monochrome frame memory 5 and a color frame memory 16, respectively.

In the black and white frame memory 5 and the color frame memory 16, black and white interpolation data and color interpolation data are written by the same operation based on a common address signal from the vector pattern generator 20, respectively, and these data are written to mutually corresponding addresses. Stored.

The color/monochrome data processing unit 18 stores the monochrome interpolation data stored in the monochrome frame memory 5 and the color interpolation data stored in the color frame memory 16 at the same address.
Imported at the same timing, black and white gradation processing is performed on black and white interpolated data, and hue and gradation processing is performed on color interpolated data.
Color display processing such as saturation and brightness is performed and these are combined and sent to the color monitor 19. As a result,
On the color monitor 19, a monochrome image such as a B-mode image or a reflected echo image whose time phases match, and a color image showing the state of blood flow velocity, power, dispersion, etc. of the subject are displayed in combination.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and that various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, black and white data is delayed by the delay of color data caused by blood flow imaging processing on echo data to match the time phases of the two, and fourteen things are achieved. Since a vector pattern generator is used to write black and white data and color data at the same address and at the same timing, it is possible to miniaturize the device and display an accurate composite display of black and white images and color images. It is possible to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can perform

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a timing chart showing the relationship between data of each part of the device, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic device that displays black and white images. , the fourth factor is the timing chart showing the signal patterns and data relationships of each part of the device shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 shows the signal patterns and data relationships when the MTI unit is combined with the device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional apparatus for displaying a monochrome image and a color image in a composite manner. 1... Ultrasonic probe, 2... Transmission/reception system, 3A...
・DSC system, 5...Black and white frame memory, 8...System controller, 9...Raster pattern generator, 11...Doppler unit, 12...Multiplexer, 13...MTI unit, 14A・...Color signal processing system, 16...Color frame memory, 18...Color/monochrome composition processing section, 19...Color monitor, 20...Vector pattern generator, 22a...
・First writing interpolation unit, 22b...Second writing interpolation unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] The echo data obtained by the ultrasound probe is signal-processed by a digital scan converter to obtain black-and-white data, and based on the echo data, blood flow imaging processing and color signal processing are performed to obtain color data, and black-and-white data and color data are obtained. In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured to display subject information as a black-and-white color composite image by performing a synthesis process, the black-and-white data is delayed by a time phase difference between the color data and the black-and-white data generated in conjunction with the blood flow imaging process. a preprocessing section, a write interpolation section that performs write interpolation in the same manner on the monochrome data that has undergone the delay processing and the color data that has undergone the blood flow imaging processing, and a monochrome frame memory that stores the monochrome data and the color data. It has a color frame memory for storing data, and a vector pattern generator that generates an address signal for writing black and white data after writing interpolation processing, black and white frame memory for color data, and color frame memory at the same address and at the same timing. An ultrasonic diagnostic device characterized by: