KR20090078487A - 3/4-dimensional ultrasound scanning simulator and its simulation method for training purpose - Google Patents

Abstract

A simulator for 3D/4D ultrasonic diagnosis technology and a simulation method thereof are provided to perform a very advanced ultrasonic diagnosis, and to be widely used to any computer commercialized for educational purposes. Virtual body, internal organ, and fetus data(10) consists of polygonal 3D/4D modeling data, location information, information on movement, and color information of a virtual patient configured by using commercialization software that models a 3D image based on substantial data. 3D probe data(11) is configured in polygonal type by using the commercialization software. The virtual body and a 3D probe are expanded, moved, and rotated to simultaneously display 2D ultrasonic images according to mutual location information.

Description

3 / 4-dimensional Ultrasound scanning simulator and its simulation method for training purpose}

The present invention relates to an ultrasound image simulation method and apparatus therefor for acquiring 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic technology, and more specifically, to a virtual patient and a virtual patient based on data stored and constructed through virtual simulation modeling. By operating the probe with a mouse (including a 2D / 3D mouse, a stick-type position input device, and a model equipped with a multi-dimensional axis sensor, etc.), a 3 / 4D ultrasound image is reproduced by manipulating the probe to reproduce various clinical situations. In addition, the present invention relates to a simulation method for acquiring 4D ultrasound diagnosis technology to enable a user to efficiently acquire 3 / 4D ultrasound diagnosis technology.

Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment (Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment) is a device that scans the ultrasound generated from the probe to the diagnostic object, converts the information on the returned ultrasound into an electrical signal and displays it on a monitor, which is widely used in the medical industry. It is a medical diagnostic device.

In particular, it is used as an essential device in obstetrics and gynecology as a means of early detection of abnormalities during pregnancy.In recent years, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus uses a three-dimensional color image to capture the fetus's image 40 times a second to express it in four-dimensional perspective. As a result, a device that can clearly see the shape of the fetus in the early stages of pregnancy is being developed.

In general, the use of such an ultrasound diagnostic device is applied to the abdomen of the patient (a pregnant woman), and a probe is applied to determine the heartbeat, size and age of the fetus, or to diagnose maternal uterine fibroids and placenta previa. Accurate diagnosis through the use of such a device requires a lot of experience, long-term training and acquisition of the user (final doctors and medical professionals), and the more advanced the diagnostic device technology is, the more necessary the user's education is. .

However, there are many limitations for medical practitioners to gain this practice or experience in actual patients, and in some cases it is difficult to allow ethically. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, US Patent Publication No. 2006 / 0069536A receives a data value from a simulated scanner position and an object adjacent to the scanner, and calculates an image value based on the simulation device to display a graphic image on the screen. And a method. However, the above technique is a two-dimensional simulation technique for displaying a dynamic image by outputting a two-dimensional image in real time, and it is necessary to reproduce various clinical situations such as only judging the inside and outside of an object when calculating a two-dimensional cross-sectional image. There are many limitations to the simulation function. In addition, in addition to the processor (ultrasound device, PC, etc.), the simulated scanner 20 corresponding to the probe and the scanned object 50 corresponding to the patient should be separately provided for the simulation education. It is not simple to provide a simulation device for education, such as identifying the correlation position relationship with a sensor.

When the actual medical team performs the diagnosis at the clinical site, since the actual patient cannot see the inside, the doctor must understand the ultrasound image acquired by imagining the inside of the human body, so that the proper positioning of the probe and the ultrasound obtained from it It is difficult to accurately understand the relationship between the images.

In addition, since the medical industry has been accustomed to viewing cross-sectional data of a three-dimensional human body using two-dimensional ultrasound equipment, grasp the spatial concept or principle of how three-dimensional and four-dimensional data are formed in the three-dimensional human body. It was hard to do.

On the other hand, for this training, it is desirable to be trained through an actual ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, but these apparatuses are expensive and there are many limitations to using them for educational purposes. Most educational simulators sold so far are based on expensive computers. It was not suitable for education that could acquire various clinical situations such as lack of simulator data and lack of 4D spatial concept.

The present invention is to solve the above problems,

The first object is to provide a simulator apparatus for acquiring and displaying data of virtual human bodies that can acquire various clinical situations to which the four-dimensional space concept is applied. At this time, the provided simulator is a computer device that is widely used in the market, such as a commonly used PC, and the user understands the principle of the 3 / 4D ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, and fully understands how to use the diagnostic apparatus through simulation, The purpose is to enable medical diagnosis.

Another object of the present invention is to calculate the intersection of the position of the probe and the internal data of the virtual patient according to the position of the probe in order to accurately understand the relationship between the proper positioning of the probe and the ultrasound image obtained from the two-dimensional The present invention provides a simulation method of acquiring ultrasound image data and selectively displaying a region of interest required by a user to display a 3 / 4-dimensional image quickly and easily.

In order to achieve this object, a feature of the present invention is the polygonal 3D / 4D modeling data and location information of a virtual patient constructed using commercial software that models 3D images based on actual data such as human body, internal organs, and fetus. A virtual human body, internal organs, and fetus data 10 including information on movement and color information; 3D probe data 11 configured in polygonal form using the commercial software; The 3 / 4-dimensional modeling data 10 and the 3D probe modeling data 11 of the virtual patient are stored in a database, and loaded on a computer device having a display means that can be realized on a screen or the like. Display the back in the opaque / translucent mode, and display the 3D probe 11 on the screen; Expanding / moving / rotating the virtual body 10 and the 3D probe to display a two-dimensional ultrasound image on a simultaneous screen according to mutual position information; Setting a region of interest of the 2D ultrasound image and driving information of the 3D probe, constructing and visualizing 3 / 4D image data and displaying the same on a screen; And a computer device having display means that can be realized on a screen or the like.

Then, the 3D / 4D data 10 of the virtual human body, the virtual internal organs, and the false state are loaded on the computer and displayed on the screen (S20); Setting an opaque / semi-transparent display mode for the same direction as a situation of using an actual ultrasonic device (S21); An enlargement / movement / rotation (S22) step of enlarging the virtual patient, moving a position, or rotating and viewing about any axis; Simultaneously with the step S20, the 3D probe data 11 is loaded and displayed on the screen (S23); 3D probe position is moved or rotated about any axis (S24); A contact position calculation (S25) for calculating a point of contact such that the position shift value of the 3D probe is located on the human body surface of the virtual patient; Fixing the position of the 3D probe according to the contact position according to the calculated position movement and the probe direction vector according to the rotation (S26); In step S22, the simulation position is determined according to all position / rotation / size information of the virtual patient's human body, internal organs, and provisional children, and the position / rotation / size information of the three-dimensional probe in step S26 (S27); And (S28) displaying the positioned ultrasound image on the screen.

In addition, the step of loading the data by selecting one of the established various patient data (S402); The data is converted into a translucent / opaque display mode, so that when the patient is displayed on the screen, selecting a translucent mode in which the inside of the human body of the virtual patient is visible or an opaque mode in which the interior is not visible, or changing the mode (S403), When the ultrasound image of the patient appears in the step, the step of moving or rotating the 3 / 4-dimensional probe to the region of interest (S404), the step of checking the two-dimensional ultrasound image displayed on the screen in the process (S405); Setting a specific area to be composed of 3 / 4-dimensional volume data among all 2D ultrasound image areas displayed on the screen; (S406); When the region of interest is set, the 3 / 4D ultrasound image mode is started and the user enters a mode in which the 3 / 4D ultrasound image is displayed on the screen using the information set by the user (S407); To check the 3 / 4D ultrasound image displayed on the screen, to view the 3 / 4D ultrasound image of another patient, to change the opacity / translucent mode, to move the probe position, or to change the ROI. If it is to be reset, etc. are returned to the corresponding step (S408); Characterized in that it comprises a.

According to the above configuration and operation, the present invention provides a variety of simulation functions required to reproduce the actual clinical situation by realizing a very dynamic image inside the human body that is difficult to realize a two-dimensional image. In addition, the medical professional can effectively understand the relationship between the proper positioning of the probe and the ultrasound image obtained from the three-dimensional space concept.

In addition, it is preferable to receive training through the actual ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for such training, but these apparatuses are expensive and realistically, there are many limitations in using them for educational purposes, but the simulator according to the present invention is widely distributed in the market such as a commonly used PC. Even with this computer device, the user can understand the principle of the 3 / 4D ultrasound diagnostic device and learn how to use the diagnostic device through simulation.

Therefore, by applying the present invention in the 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound equipment, it is possible not only to perform a very advanced ultrasound diagnosis, but also widely used in any commercially available computer for education.

Indeed, professionals who sell medical ultrasound equipment (engineers, salesmen, etc.) usually have a lot of limitations on the description of the equipment or how to use it only with a catalog, etc., by installing the program or the recording medium of the present invention on a laptop and explaining the promotion very easily. can do.

1 is a configuration schematically showing a system for acquiring 3D / 4D volume data used in the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a system for constructing a virtual human body, a virtual internal organ, and a virtual fetus and storing its data will be described.

The system in which the present invention is implemented includes data 10 such as a virtual human body constructed from 3D / 4D modeling of a virtual patient, virtual probe data 11 implemented on a simulation constructed from 3D probe modeling, and the data 10. And (11) a computer device having means for storing and displaying ultrasound images.

Virtual patients' 3D / 4D modeling is based on the actual data of the human body, internal organs, fetus, etc. and uses commercial software (MAYA, 3DMAX, SOFTIMAGE, etc.) to construct the virtual patient to be simulated.

3D / 4D modeling data 10 of the constructed virtual patient is characterized in that it includes not only the appearance of the human body, internal organs, fetus, etc., but also all the bones, blood vessels, muscles, placenta, umbilical cord and the like contained therein. In addition, in the case of a moving human body part, internal organs, fetuses, etc. includes both the movement of the external appearance and the subordinate parts and the linked movement of the connected parts.

For example, when to be used as a virtual patient's internal organs ultrasound data obtained a cross-sectional image by scanning a real human body (patient) of, by attaching a position sensor to a 2D or 3D probe, internal organs required from the actual patient using ultrasound equipment and A continuous two-dimensional ultrasound image of the body part and position data of each ultrasound image are acquired together. In addition, data obtained from medical imaging equipment such as CT and MR may be included.

The obtained continuous two-dimensional cross-sectional images are arranged according to the acquired position information, and constitute large ultrasonic volume data of the entire area of the scanned body part. In the simulation using the obtained volume data, the volume data is positioned inside the virtual patient, the position where the ultrasonic wave of the virtual volume probe passes through the inside of the virtual patient is calculated, and the corresponding cross-sectional image is extracted from the ultrasonic volume data. It will be taken out and displayed on the screen. The cross-sectional image thus obtained is different from the image virtually drawn using 3DMAX or MAYA, which is the same as the cross-sectional image obtained by the ultrasound scan in a real patient, which is more effective in the ultrasound image simulation education.

In addition, when configuring the virtual human body, the virtual internal organs, the virtual fetus and all internal organs by setting their own color information according to each sub-organ, the user can easily identify the parts that are easily simulated by color.

The obtained real data are used in 3D / commercial programs such as 3Dmax (autodesk company), which is widely used for 3D graphic modeling, and Maya (alias company), which is very suitable for expressing partial effects and special effects such as muscle system. Build 4D modeling.

3D probe modeling uses a commercial software or the like described above to construct a probe, which is a main component of the simulation, based on actual data of the 3D probe.

The ultrasonic probe is a transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and is one of the most important components of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for transmitting ultrasonic waves to an object and receiving reflected ultrasonic signals. The types of probes include one-dimensional probes using one ultrasonic transducer, two-dimensional probes in which one ultrasonic transducer is arranged in a linear or sectoral or annular manner in the longitudinal direction, and mechanically rotating or rotating the two-dimensional transducers in the longitudinal direction. There are three-dimensional mechanical probes configured to move to obtain three-dimensional volume data, and three-dimensional electronic probes configured to obtain three-dimensional volume data by arranging them in a two-dimensional matrix in a longitudinal direction as well as in a width direction.

The probe used in the present invention is defined as a three-dimensional (3D) probe including all probes capable of obtaining three-dimensional volume data such as three-dimensional mechanical probes and three-dimensional electronic probes.

The 3D volume probe modeling data 11 is cross-sectional image information acquired by the 3D probe, and includes polygonal position information (node position value of each polygon, connection information of the polygon, etc.), motion information, and color information. do.

The 3D / 4D data configured in the 3D / 4D modeling data 10 and the 3D probe modeling data 11 of the virtual patient are stored and processed into a database by a storage means, and are provided with display means that can be realized on a screen or the like. Simulation training of the present invention is performed through a computer device.

At this time, the information stored includes polygonal position information, motion information, and color information such as triangles, rectangles, and pentagons, and includes 3D / virtues for representing one virtual human body, virtual internal organs, and virtual fetuses. 4D data is configured to consist of one or more components. For example, in the case of a virtual fetus, the placenta, the umbilical cord, the skin, the eyes, the spine, the ribs, the arm bones, the leg bones, the skull bone, the brain, blood vessels, etc. The data may be stored in one file or several files. Can be. The file storage may be an ASCII file or a binary file.

Hereinafter, the simulation method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 5 to 6. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a simulation method in which a virtual patient and a 3D probe are simultaneously displayed on a simulator screen according to the present invention. 5 to 6 are photographs showing the display of the virtual patient in an opaque mode or a translucent mode.

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the 3D / 4D data 10 and the virtual 3D probe 11 of the virtual human body, etc. built in the simulator according to the present invention are loaded on a computer and displayed on the screen.

First, when the 3D / 4D data (10) of the virtual human body, the virtual internal organs, and the virtual fetus are loaded on the computer and displayed on the screen (S20), an opaque / translucent display mode is used for the same production as the situation using the actual ultrasonic equipment. The process proceeds to step S21 of setting.

The opaque display mode is a mode in which the human body of the virtual patient is opaquely processed. As shown in FIG. 5, the outline is clearly shown but the inside is not known. As such, in the situation of using the actual ultrasound equipment, since the inside of the patient's human body is opaque, there is a difficulty in locating the desired area by moving the probe by imagining the inside of the human body with only the 2D / 3D / 4D ultrasound images obtained.

Therefore, it supports a semi-transparent display mode that allows users to see the inside of the virtual patient's body, making it easier to find a desired position. As shown in FIG. 6, the translucent mode is a semi-transparent mode in which the human body of the virtual patient is translucent to locate a probe while looking inside the human body to view a 2D / 3D / 4D ultrasound image obtained. Since the relationship between the probe located in the region and the acquired ultrasound image is shown, it allows the user of the ultrasound apparatus to acquire an understanding and knowledge about the relationship between the anatomical knowledge of the human body and the ultrasound image.

The translucent display mode and the opaque display mode can switch modes at any time while displaying a 2D ultrasound image or displaying a 3D or 4D ultrasound image.

When the user finds a certain part of the virtual patient or needs to observe more closely, the virtual patient may be enlarged, moved, or rotated about an axis to be viewed in a zoom / move / rotate step (S22). To fulfill. At this time, the enlargement / movement / rotation applied to the virtual patient is equally applicable to the organ and fetus located inside the virtual patient.

Meanwhile, the 3D probe data constructed in FIG. 1 is loaded and displayed on the screen (S23), and the 3D probe may move the position of the 3D probe or rotate the 3D probe about an arbitrary axis according to a user input. The probe moves to the position shift / rotation step S24.

At this time, since the 3D probe must move to contact the surface of the virtual patient's body, the process moves to the step of calculating the contact point (S25) to calculate a point of contact such that the position movement value input by the user is located on the body surface of the virtual patient. do. In addition, when the 3D probe is rotated along an arbitrary axis, the rotation direction vector of the probe is calculated according to the probe rotation value with respect to an axis input by the user, and the surface curvature of the virtual patient is calculated to calculate the probe. Do not place it inside.

Position the 3D probe according to the position of the contact according to the position movement and the probe direction vector according to the rotation calculated in S25.

In S22, all position / rotation / size information of the virtual patient's human body, internal organs, and gestational child is determined, and in S26, the position / rotation / size information of the three-dimensional probe is determined. )

The ultrasound image of the virtual patient part in contact with the positioned 3D probe is displayed on the screen (S28).

3 is a flowchart illustrating a simulation method of displaying a 2D ultrasound image, a 2D ultrasound image, a region of interest, or a 3 / 4D ultrasound image of a virtual patient on a screen according to a user's mode selection.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the 3D / 4D data 10 and the virtual 3D probe 11 such as the virtual human body, which are built in the simulator according to the present invention, are loaded into a computer and displayed on the screen. Through the process, when the ultrasound image screen of the virtual patient part in contact with the 3D probe having a predetermined position is displayed, the user simulates a desired ROI on the simulator.

The user selects an ultrasound image mode to be displayed on the screen together with the virtual patient and the 3D probe (S300).

There are two-dimensional mode or three-dimensional mode for mode selection. The two-dimensional mode is a mode in which a two-dimensional ultrasound image is displayed on a screen, and at the same time, a region of interest setting mode is performed. In this case, ROI (Region Of Interest) refers to the determination of which region to make a 3/4 dimensional ultrasound image by displaying a 2D ultrasound image and a boundary line representing the ROI on the screen. The 3D mode can be selected. The 3 / 4D mode refers to displaying a 3D or 4D ultrasound image on the screen, and the user selects either the 2D mode or the 3D mode.

In the process, the position / rotation / size information of the human body, internal organs, virtual fetus of the virtual patient and the position / rotation / size information of the three-dimensional probe is determined, and if the two-dimensional mode is selected (S310), The cross-calculation (S311) of the probe position and the virtual patient is performed from the relation of the three-dimensional probe.

The cross-calculation of the probe position and the virtual patient (S311) refers to the intersection of the probe direction vector and the virtual patient (internal organs, a pseudonym, etc.) data from the relationship between the virtual patient and the 3D probe. To calculate. At this time, two-dimensional data is obtained in a linear, sectored or annular manner according to the loaded three-dimensional probe information. In the linear case, the intersection of the straight line and the curved surface is calculated by moving the three-dimensional probe direction vector in the longitudinal direction of the two-dimensional probe in the probe. At this time, the straight line serves as an ultrasonic beam transmitted / received by the probe, and the curved surface is an interface between the virtual patient and the organs, the false-child, and the like included in the human body.

Connecting all the calculated intersection points creates a closed curve and fills the inside of the closed curve with the corresponding color information. As described above, when modeling the virtual human body in FIG. 1, when configuring the virtual human body, the virtual internal organs, the virtual fetus, and all the internal organs, unique color information may be set according to each detailed organ.

When the cross-calculation is performed, the number of data samples is determined according to the determined three-dimensional probe information, thereby extracting and generating two-dimensional data on a straight line. In this case, the straight line serves as an ultrasonic beam transmitted / received by the probe.

In order to display the two-dimensional data obtained in S312 on the screen, the coordinate system is converted to generate two-dimensional image data (S313), and the two-dimensional image data converted to the rectangular coordinate system is displayed on the screen.

The 2D image displayed on the screen is obtained by moving the 3D probe of the current virtual patient selected by the user, and the corresponding 2D image is displayed on the screen in real time whenever the user moves / rotates the 3D probe. Is displayed. In addition, when moving / rotating the virtual patient, the corresponding two-dimensional image is displayed on the screen in real time. This simulates the diagnosis of a patient with ultrasound equipment and probes in a real situation.

In the above process, the position / rotation / size information of the virtual patient's human body, internal organs, and premature babies, and the position / rotation / size information of the 3D probe are determined, and the 2D mode is selected and the ROI setting mode is also selected. It is done.

Cross-calculation of the probe position and the virtual patient (S321), two-dimensional data generation (S322) according to the predetermined probe information, transforming the coordinate system to generate two-dimensional image data (S323), the step of displaying the two-dimensional image on the screen (S324) Since it is the same as the above-mentioned S311, S312, S313, and S314, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

When the 2D image is displayed on the screen, the user sets the size and location of the region of interest (S325), and only the data inside the set region of interest is used to make the 3/4 dimensional image. In operation S325, a two-dimensional area to be made into a 3 / 4-dimensional image may be set according to the information of the currently selected three-dimensional probe in the form of a rectangle or a fan.

The ROI boundary line display generated through the above process displays the boundary line of the ROI on the 2D ultrasound image output on the screen (S326).

On the other hand, the position / rotation / size information and the position / rotation / size information of the three-dimensional probe, such as the human body, internal organs, the state of the child of the virtual patient in the process is determined, and if the three-dimensional mode is selected (S330), First, the process proceeds to selecting a 3 / 4-dimensional image quality (S331).

In order to obtain a high quality 3/4 dimensional image, a lot of data must be used. In order to obtain a lot of data and to produce a 3/4 dimensional image using the same, it takes longer to calculate the quality and the speed is inversely related. The user may need the precision or clear image of the part to be simulated, and it may be important to proceed quickly, so it is a process of giving a selective selection whether to select high quality quality or fast speed time in consideration of the necessity. .

If a predetermined quality is selected in S331, the number of scan lines and the number of samples corresponding thereto are determined (S332). In the scan line count / sample count calculation step (S332), in order to generate a 2D ultrasound image, the focused ultrasound beam is transmitted / received by how many scan lines, and how many data are obtained according to the number of samples on one scan line. After this step is performed, an interval calculation step S333 between two-dimensional image data for calculating an interval between the two-dimensional image data so as to match or approximate the interval between scan lines is performed.

On the other hand, similar to the image quality selection described above, the user is given a choice to selectively select the scan angle. If the user wants to obtain a narrow area as a 3 / 4-dimensional image, the user may select a narrow angle. If the user wants to obtain a wide area, the user may select a wide angle. As the wider angle is selected, a large volume of two-dimensional image data has to be used, so it takes longer to acquire one volume image. In consideration of these characteristics, the user can selectively select the scan angle.

When entering the 3 / 4-dimensional probe scan angle selection step (S334), which may select the angle of the probe, the angle is selected in the case of a volume probe configured to obtain three-dimensional volume data by rotating the two-dimensional probe according to the type of the probe. In the case of a volume probe configured to move two-dimensional transducers to obtain three-dimensional volume data, a length to be scanned is selected. In the case of an electronic 3D probe, an area to be scanned is selected.

After the step of calculating the interval between the two-dimensional image data is performed, the step of calculating the number of two-dimensional images (S335) dividing the volume probe angle determined in the step S334 by the interval determined in S333 is performed.

Three-dimensional volume data generation (S336) is calculated by repeating S350 ~ S354. 3D volume data is obtained by repeating S350 ~ S354 once and visualizing it and displaying it on the screen once. The four-dimensional volume data is repeatedly executed S350 to S354 until the user stops by pressing the stop button or the like. The speed at this time may vary depending on the size and location of the region of interest selected by the user (S325), the quality of the 4D image (S331), the probe scan angle (S334), and the like. That is, the larger the size of the ROI, the farther the position is from the probe surface, the higher the quality of the 4D image is set, and the wider the probe scan angle, the lower the screen output speed of the 4D image.

For the convenience of the user, the volume data generated in S336 may visualize various images through parameter conversion. For example, the 3 / 4-dimensional image parameter conversion S337 adopted in the present invention may select / modify brightness threshold, brightness, contrast, color palette, and the like. Do. In addition, through the 3 / 4-dimensional image view setting conversion (S338), which side of the volume data generated when displaying the 3 / 4-dimensional image on the screen, which cross section in any direction of the volume data together The user can choose whether or not to display.

9 is a diagram illustrating image view setting conversion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, the X, Y, and Z axis cross sections and the 3 / 4-dimensional image are displayed on the screen together. A method of displaying a 4D image on the screen together, a method of displaying a Z axis, a cross section, and a 3 / 4D image on the screen, or a method of outputting only the 3 / 4D image on the screen.

When the 3 / 4-dimensional data visualization (S339) desired by the user is performed through the above steps, the result of the volume data being visualized using all the determined information is displayed on the screen (S340).

Meanwhile, in the 3 / 4-dimensional probe scan angle selection step in which the angle of the probe may be selected, an angle setting method according to the type of probe will be described in detail.

When scanning the same area of the same patient with a probe, the image area obtained in 3 / 4-dimensional image varies according to the scanning angle. (The narrower the scanning angle, the narrower the area, and the wider the 3 / 4-dimensional image.) The wider the 3 / 4-dimensional image, the more time is required to generate and visualize the volume data. The scan angle required and the 3/4 dimensional image output time are inversely related. Therefore, the user selects an appropriate scan angle in consideration of this.

In the case of a volume probe configured to rotate the two-dimensional transducer to obtain volume data, the value obtained by rotating the two-dimensional transducer at the -volume probe angle / 2 is set as an initial angle value.

In the case of a volume probe configured to pan the two-dimensional transducer to obtain volume data, the value obtained by moving the two-dimensional transducer to the -volume probe length / 2 is set to an initial value.

At this time, if the equation of angle = -volume probe angle / 2 (S350) is established, the process proceeds to the 3 / 4-dimensional volume data generation step S336.

If the current angle is less than the volume probe angle / 2, the result is compared, and if the result is true (small range), the cross-calculation step (S352) of the probe position and the virtual patient is performed. S336).

Since the two-dimensional data generation (S353) is the same as the above-described (S311) and (S312), respectively, according to the cross-calculation of the probe position and the virtual patient (S352) and the predetermined probe information, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The interval between the angle + = two-dimensional image data (S354) adds the interval between the two-dimensional image data calculated in S333 to the current angle value. It returns to S351 with this value and repeats calculation until the comparison value of S351 becomes false.

As an embodiment of the present invention, a user simulation process will be described with reference to FIG.

The patient data selection S401 selects data desired by the user from among different patient data. For example, a patient may be selected from age data of a pregnant woman or a fetus. When the selected patient data is loaded (S402) and converted to the translucent / opaque display mode (S403), when the patient is displayed on the screen, the user selects a translucent mode where the inside of the virtual patient is visible or an opaque mode where the inside is not visible. Or change the mode.

When the ultrasound image of the patient appears in the above step, the user moves the 3 / 4-dimensional probe to the area to be viewed, or rotates the probe to view in the direction (S404) to check the 2D ultrasound image displayed on the screen. (S405). In this case, the 2D ultrasound image displayed on the screen is determined from the selected virtual patient, the 3 / 4D probe, and each rotated / moved state. This is the same as the role of the two-dimensional ultrasound image to see the diagnosis of the patient with the ultrasound equipment and probe in the actual situation.

In reality, as in the ultrasound diagnosis situation, the user configures a simulation to look at a clearer image by searching a region of interest in order to check for abnormalities of patients or to observe a specific area more accurately.

Of the two-dimensional ultrasound images displayed on the screen, the region of interest setting (S406) sets a desired area while viewing the two-dimensional ultrasound image to make the 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound image. At this time, only a part of a region of interest (ROI) is reconstructed and visualized as a 3 / 4-dimensional image.

When the ROI is set (S406), the 3 / 4D ultrasound image mode is started (S407), and the user moves to the mode in which the 3 / 4D ultrasound image is displayed on the screen with the information set above. The 3D ultrasound image check (S408) checks the 3 / 4D ultrasound image displayed on the screen.

If you want to see the 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound image of another patient, go back to S401 and repeat. If you want to switch translucent / opaque mode, go back to S403 and repeat. If you want to move or change the position of the 3 / 4-dimensional probe, it can be repeated to return to S404 or modified in S409. If you want to reset the ROI, go back to S405 to check the 2D ultrasound image and repeat the process of resetting the ROI.

In the case of modifying the size / position of the 3 / 4D ROI (S409), only a part of the 3 / 4D image displayed on the screen is changed, the size of the ROI is changed or the position is changed. The modified result is a three-dimensional ultrasound image is displayed on the screen in real time.

The 3/4 dimensional ultrasound image zoom / move / rotate (S410) rotates the 3/4 dimensional ultrasound image being displayed on the screen if desired by the user to enlarge, move or rotate about an arbitrary axis. The modified result is a three-dimensional ultrasound image is displayed on the screen in real time.

The 3/4 dimensional ultrasound image parameter correction (S411) modifies various parameters (brightness threshold, brightness, contrast, color palette, etc.) necessary for the user to visualize the image. . The modified result is a three-dimensional ultrasound image is displayed on the screen in real time.

Modifying the 3 / 4D ultrasound image display setting (S412) indicates which side of the volume data generated when the 3 / 4D image is displayed on the screen, and which cross section in any direction of the volume data is to be displayed together. Modified by the user. The modified result is a three-dimensional ultrasound image is displayed on the screen in real time.

The program for realizing the training method for acquiring the educational 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic technology according to the present invention described above is recorded on an optical CD or DVD, or recorded by an electronic recording method of a semiconductor memory device, and reproduced by a user. It can be manufactured and sold on recordable media. Of course, the recording medium is not limited to the above examples, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing an apparatus for modeling a virtual human body and a virtual probe according to the present invention to store data and to simulate the data.

2 is a flow chart showing a process in which the virtual patient and 3D probe data according to the present invention is simulated and displayed.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of displaying a 2 / 3D region of interest and a 3 / 4-dimensional image according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the actual use step of the user according to the present invention.

Figure 5 is a photograph of displaying a virtual patient and a two-dimensional ultrasound image in the opaque mode according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is a photo of displaying a virtual patient and a two-dimensional ultrasound image in a translucent mode according to the present invention.

Figure 7 is a picture of displaying a virtual patient and a two-dimensional ultrasound image in a translucent mode according to the present invention.

8 is a photograph showing a virtual patient and displaying a two-dimensional ultrasound image in a translucent mode according to the present invention.

Figure 9 is a view showing the image view setting conversion in one embodiment according to the present invention.

Claims (18)

Virtual 3D / 4D modeling data in the form of polygons, location information, movement information, color information, etc. of a virtual patient constructed using commercial software that models 3D images based on actual data such as the human body, internal organs, and fetus Human body, internal organs, and fetal data (10); 3D probe data 11 configured in polygonal form using the commercial software; The 3 / 4-dimensional modeling data 10 and the 3D probe modeling data 11 of the virtual patient are stored in a database, and loaded on a computer device having a display means that can be realized on a screen or the like. Display the back in the opaque / translucent mode, and display the 3D probe 11 on the screen; Expanding / moving / rotating the 3D probe with the virtual human body 10 and the like, and displaying a 2D ultrasound image on a simultaneous screen according to mutual position information; Setting a region of interest of the 2D ultrasound image and driving information of the 3D probe, constructing and visualizing 3 / 4D image data and displaying the same on a screen; And a computer device having a display means that can be realized on a screen or the like. According to claim 1, 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound to load and use the 3 / 4-dimensional data (10) of the virtual patient configured in a polygonal form using commercial software, or 3 / 4-dimensional data obtained from the actual medical imaging equipment Diagnostic training simulator. The simulator of claim 1, wherein the 3D probe comprises a probe capable of obtaining three-dimensional volume data as a three-dimensional mechanical probe or an electronic probe. The simulator for acquiring 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic technology according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein unique color information is set according to each sub-organization such as a virtual human body, a virtual internal organ, and a virtual fetus. 3D / 4D data 10 of the virtual human body, the virtual internal organs, and the virtual fetus are loaded on a computer and displayed on a screen (S20); Setting an opaque / semi-transparent display mode for the same direction as a situation of using an actual ultrasonic device (S21); An enlargement / movement / rotation (S22) step of enlarging the virtual patient, moving a position, or rotating and viewing about any axis; Simultaneously with the step S20, the 3D probe data 11 is loaded and displayed on the screen (S23); 3D probe position is moved or rotated about any axis (S24); A contact position calculation (S25) for calculating a point of contact such that the position shift value of the 3D probe is located on the surface of the human body of the virtual patient; Fixing the position of the 3D probe according to the contact position according to the position movement calculated above and the probe direction vector according to the rotation (S26) In step S22, the simulation position is determined according to all position / rotation / size information of the human body, internal organs, virtual fetus, etc. of the virtual patient and the position / rotation / size information of the 3D probe in step S26 (S27); And And a step (S28) of displaying the positioned ultrasound image on a screen. The 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound diagnostics of claim 5, wherein the translucent display mode and the opaque display mode are each capable of switching modes while displaying 2D ultrasound images or displaying 3D or 4D ultrasound images, respectively. Simulation method for skill acquisition. The method of claim 5, wherein when the 3D probe rotates about an axis, the rotated direction vector of the probe is calculated according to the probe rotation value about the axis, and the surface surface curvature of a virtual patient or the like is calculated. Simulation method for acquiring 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic technology, characterized in that the inside of the human body is not located. The method according to claim 5, wherein an ultrasound image of the virtual patient site in contact with the 3D probe having a predetermined position is displayed to include selecting one of the two-dimensional mode and the three-dimensional mode to simulate a desired ROI. Simulation method for acquiring 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic technology, characterized in that. The method of claim 8, wherein when the two-dimensional mode is selected, the virtual patient and the three-dimensional probe position are cross-calculated (S311); The number of data samples is determined according to the determined probe information (S312); Generating the two-dimensional image data obtained through the two-dimensional image data through the criminal system transformation (S313); And (S314) displaying the converted two-dimensional image data. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the three-dimensional probe acquires two-dimensional data in any one of a linear, sector, or annular manner. [Claim 11] The 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic technique according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a closed curve is formed by connecting the probe positions and all intersection points calculated by the cross-calculation of the virtual patients, and the closed curves each set a unique color. Acquisition simulation method. 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the size and position of the ROI are set in the displayed 2D image so that only the internal data of the set region forms a 3 / 4D image. Simulation method for skill acquisition. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: selecting a 3 / 4-dimensional image quality (S331); Determining the number of scan lines and the number of samples according to the selection (S332); Calculating an interval between two-dimensional image data corresponding to the interval between the scan lines (S333); Calculating a scan angle of the probe (S334); A two-dimensional image number calculation step of dividing the angle of the probe by the interval between the two-dimensional image data (S335); Generating three-dimensional volume data according to the calculation (S336); Simulation method for acquiring 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound diagnostic technology, characterized in that it is included.  The method of claim 13, wherein the scanning angle of the probe can be arbitrarily adjusted. The simulation for acquiring 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic technology according to claim 13, wherein the generated 3 / 4-dimensional volume data can be selected and corrected through a parameter transformation for brightness threshold, brightness, contrast, and color palette. Way. Selecting one of the constructed various patient data to load the data (S402); Converting the data into a translucent / opaque display mode, selecting a translucent mode in which the inside of the human body of the virtual patient is visible or an opaque mode in which the inside of the virtual patient is not visible, or changing modes (S403); In step S404, when the ultrasound image of the patient appears, moving or rotating the 3 / 4-dimensional probe to the ROI; Confirming the 2D ultrasound image displayed on the screen in the process (S405); Setting a specific area to be composed of 3 / 4-dimensional volume data among all 2D ultrasound image areas displayed on the screen; (S406); When the region of interest is set, the 3 / 4D ultrasound image mode is started and the user enters a mode in which the 3 / 4D ultrasound image is displayed on the screen using the information set by the user (S407); To check the 3 / 4D ultrasound image displayed on the screen, to view the 3 / 4D ultrasound image of another patient, to change the opacity / translucent mode, to move the probe position, or to change the ROI. If it is to be reset, etc. are returned to the corresponding step (S408); Simulation method for learning 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic technology comprising a. The method of claim 16, further comprising changing a size of a region of interest (VOI) or moving a position when only a part of the image is to be visualized in the region of interest for the 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasound image displayed on the screen. Simulation method for acquiring 3 / 4-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic technology, characterized in that. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein when displaying a 3 / 4-dimensional image on a screen, it is possible to modify which side of the generated volume data and which one of the cross-sections in any direction of the volume data are displayed together. Simulation method for acquiring 4D ultrasound diagnostic technology.

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