JPS63246144A - Stereoscopic ultrasonic image pickup system - 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] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a stereo ultrasonic imaging method, and particularly to a technique that is effective when applied to a technique for three-dimensionally observing the inside of an object using ultrasonic waves. It is.

[Prior art]

For a long time, X-ray equipment has been used to take pictures of the same subject separately using two X-ray tubes (focal points) placed at a distance equal to the distance between the left and right eyes. Stereo photography is being performed to observe objects and view them three-dimensionally at 1tFN (stereoscopic view).

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, as ultrasound imaging technology has improved, ultrasound stereoscopic images have become as important as X-ray stereoscopic images in the examination of various objects and patients using ultrasound images. However, there has been a problem in that stereo ultrasound imaging devices have not yet been put into practical use.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can obtain three-dimensional ultrasound images.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can improve the accuracy and efficiency of testing using ultrasound images.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Means for solving problems]

A brief overview of typical inventions disclosed in this application is as follows.

In other words, two ultrasound probes on the left and right are placed at positions separated by the distance between the left and right eyes, and two consecutive ultrasound probes are moved perpendicularly to the array of the two left and right ultrasound probes. This is a stereo ultrasonic imaging method characterized by forming two ultrasonic images and capturing the two ultrasonic images on separate films.

Furthermore, instead of the two left and right probes, there is also a single long ultrasound probe that uses transducers separated by the distance between the left and right eyes. Contains.

It also includes a case where one ultrasonic probe is used instead of the two left and right probes by alternately moving the distance between the left and right eyes.

[Operation] An X-ray image obtained by the stereo photography method of the xvA device described above,
For example, compared to linear mode ultrasound images, X-ray images are made by taking multiple tomographic planes of a subject such as a human body and superimposing them on a single piece of film, whereas ultrasound images This is a single tomographic plane in the long axis direction (direction in which the transducers are arranged). To make this the same as an X-ray image, the depth direction of the tomographic plane is compressed into a single line, and in order to obtain multiple tomographic planes, the ultrasound probe is moved in the short axis direction and continuous so that a single image can be obtained. To observe a three-dimensional ultrasound image, move the ultrasound probe in the longitudinal direction by the distance between the left and right eyes, obtain another image using the same operation, and then If you look at each ultrasound image, the three-dimensional ultrasound image is 'a? I can do it.

According to the means of the present invention, the principle of the ultrasonic three-dimensional image construction can be realized. In other words, two ultrasound probes are placed on the left and right at a distance equal to the distance between the left and right eyes,
By moving the two left and right ultrasound probes in a direction perpendicular to the array to form two consecutive ultrasound images, and capturing the two ultrasound images on separate films. , two ultrasonic image films for configuring an ultrasound 3D image are obtained, so if these two ultrasound image films for configuring an ultrasound 3D image are viewed with the left and right eyes separately, each ultrasound image can be viewed. Three-dimensional ultrasound images can be observed.

Thereby, it is possible to improve the inspection accuracy and inspection efficiency within the object.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In addition, in all the figures for explaining the embodiment, parts having the same functions are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof will be omitted.

[Example I]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of a stereo ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the subject of FIG. 1, viewed from the side.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stereo ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the first embodiment has a convex type ultrasonic probe 2A, 2B placed in contact with a subject (human body) 1, for example, between the left and right eyes. (approximately 8 cm) apart. The convex type ultrasound probes 2A and 2B are electrically connected to the electric circuit of the ultrasound imaging device main body 4 by cables 3, respectively. The ultrasound imaging device main body 4 includes two display sections 5A and 5B, one display section 5A displays the image of the convex type ultrasound probe 2A, and the display section 5B displays the image of the convex type ultrasound probe 2B. Display each. In a general ultrasound imaging device, an ultrasound image has a fan-shaped waveform IM shown in FIG. 3, but in this example! In the stereo ultrasonic imaging device, the bright spot U of the ultrasonic image is projected onto a straight line.

When the ultrasound probes 2A, 2B are not moved (position C in FIG. 2), the ultrasound image remains stationary at position C on the display sections 5A, 5B.

Next, the ultrasonic probes 2A and 2B are slid over the subject 1 to the position C' in FIG.
, 5B are moved from the position C to the position C'. The images captured by ultrasound in this way are displayed on display units 5A and 5.
Display on B. The image displayed on the display section 5A is captured by the camera 6.
Photographed with A.

Photograph the image displayed on the display section 5B with the camera 6B and
Make a sheet of film.

If you look at the image on the film taken by camera 6A with your left eye and the image on the film taken by camera 6B with your right eye, you will see the overlapping area of the fields of view seen by the two ultrasound probes (Fig. 1 and The shaded area in Figure 2) appears three-dimensional.

In addition, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a, a'.

b, b'' indicate the ultrasonic beam and the corresponding display range.

As described above, according to the stereo ultrasonic imaging method of this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Conventionally, three-dimensional images were obtained by capturing a number of images, but a three-dimensional ultrasound image can be observed with one image capturing.

(2) Conventionally, test results or diagnostic results were obtained using ultrasound images and information about subjects such as individual objects or patients, but it is now possible to obtain test results or diagnostic results using ultrasound images alone. It becomes possible. In other words, an ultrasonic image can be obtained that can produce test results or diagnostic results no matter who views it.

(3) Since information in the depth direction of the object can be sliced (cut) in time, inspection accuracy can be improved.

[Example ■]

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of a stereo ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to Example H of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the stereo ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present embodiment (2) is designed to increase the overlapping area of the field of view of the above-mentioned embodiment I with respect to the subject l and the convex type ultrasound probes 2A and 2.
An ultrasonic conductor (an ice bag may be used) 7 is inserted between B.

In Examples I and (2), the convex type ultrasonic probes 2A and 2B may be mechanically fixed as shown in FIG. 5 to form one ultrasonic probe.

In addition, when subject 1 is a human body, the same effect can be obtained even if the convex type ultrasound probes 2A and 2B are used together and one ultrasound probe is moved separately for parts of the human body that move slowly. can get.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, by rotating the two convex type ultrasonic probes 2A and 2B, the stereoscopic viewing range can be made fan-shaped.

Furthermore, the ultrasound images displayed on one display section 5A, 5B are stored in a video memory and displayed alternately on one display section, making it possible to easily observe the three-dimensional ultrasound image with electrically polarized glasses.

Furthermore, when projecting a bright spot of an ultrasound image onto a straight line as shown in FIG. 3, it also includes a case where a part of a fan-shaped portion is used. This is a method of avoiding the case where the reflection at the top and bottom of the fan-shaped portion, that is, the ejection portion, is strong and may cause an obstruction shadow.

The present invention has been specifically explained above using examples, but
It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit thereof.

For example, in the embodiment described above, an example was explained in which the present invention was applied to a reflection type ultrasonic imaging device, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a transmission type ultrasonic imaging device.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to one aspect of the present invention, two left and right ultrasound probes are placed at positions separated by the distance between the left and right eyes,
By moving the two left and right ultrasound probes in a direction perpendicular to the array to form two consecutive ultrasound images, and capturing the two ultrasound images on separate films. , two ultrasonic image films for configuring an ultrasound 3D image are obtained, so if these two ultrasound image films for configuring an ultrasound 3D image are viewed with the left and right eyes separately, each ultrasound image can be viewed. It is possible to measure 551 three-dimensional ultrasound images. Thereby, it is possible to improve the inspection accuracy and inspection efficiency within the object.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of a stereo ultrasonic imaging device according to Example 2 of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the principle of the stereo ultrasonic imaging method of the present embodiment (2); and FIG. 4 is a side view of the subject of the present invention as seen from the side. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of a stereo ultrasound imaging device. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are explanatory diagrams for explaining other embodiments. In the figure, 1... Subject, 2A, 2B... Convex type ultrasound probe, 3... Cable, 4... Ultrasonic imaging device main body, 5A, 5B... Display section, 6A, 6B...
- Camera, 7... Ultrasonic conductor. Kaya 1 Prisoner C'C

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Two left and right ultrasound probes were placed at a position separated by the distance between the left and right eyes, and the two left and right ultrasound probes were moved in a direction perpendicular to the array. A stereo ultrasonic imaging method characterized by forming two ultrasonic images and capturing each of the two ultrasonic images on separate films.