WO2015080315A1

WO2015080315A1 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: WO2015080315A1
Application number: PCT/KR2013/010968
Authority: WO
Inventors: 장선엽; 손건호; 구자운; 강승범
Original assignee: 알피니언메디칼시스템 주식회사
Priority date: 2013-11-29
Filing date: 2013-11-29
Publication date: 2015-06-04
Also published as: KR101555264B1; KR20150062339A

Abstract

Disclosed are a method for forming a harmonic image by extracting harmonic signals, and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for same. The present invention relates to a harmonic imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus capable of transmitting a transmission ultrasonic wave set in identical phases, wherein a harmonic component can be extracted from a reflected signal even without using a band pass filter.

Description

Ultrasound Diagnostic Device and Method

The present embodiment relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method, and more particularly, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of transmitting a set of transmitting ultrasonic waves having the same phase but extracting harmonic components from the reflected signal without using a band pass filter. It is about a method.

The contents described in this section merely provide background information on the present embodiment and do not constitute a prior art.

The ultrasound imaging system transmits ultrasound to an object, receives a reflection signal reflected within the object, and converts the received reflection signal into an electrical signal to form an ultrasound image.

Harmonic Imaging (Harmonic Imaging) has been proposed to improve the resolution of ultrasound images in ultrasound imaging systems. When transmitting an ultrasonic pulse of a specific frequency and receiving a reflection signal, the reflection signal reflected from the object includes a fundamental frequency component and a harmonic component. As a technique for extracting harmonic components, a bandpass filter or a pulse inversion technique has been conventionally used.

According to the pulse inversion technique, when a pair of ultrasonic pulses in which phases are inverted from each other are transmitted to an object and the respective reflected signals are combined, the fundamental wave components cancel each other and only harmonic components are extracted. According to this pulse inversion technique, the transmitting ultrasonic pulse for obtaining the fundamental wave image and the transmitting ultrasonic pulse for obtaining the harmonic image are different from each other. As a result, in the case of obtaining a harmonic image while diagnosing an object based on the fundamental wave image or vice versa, it is inevitable to rescan the object.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide a harmonic imaging method and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus capable of transmitting harmonic components from a reflected signal while transmitting a transmitting ultrasonic set having the same phase but without using a bandpass filter.

According to an aspect of the present embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a front end for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves using a transducer and a host PC electrically connected to the front end, in a live mode in generating an ultrasound image, In operation, a real-time ultrasound image is generated based on RF data obtained by transmitting ultrasound pulses to the object in the same phase, and based on pre-acquired RF data when operated in a cine reproduction mode or an image reconstruction mode. Ultrasonics for generating non-real-time ultrasound image, and extracting the harmonic components by adjusting the phase between successive frame data, and synthesizing the continuous frame data when the harmonic component is used to generate the real-time or non-real-time ultrasound image. Provides an image creation method.

In addition, according to another aspect of the present embodiment, an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including a front end for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave using a transducer and a host PC electrically connected to the front end, the same operation when operating in Live Mode Generates a real-time ultrasound image based on the RF data obtained by transmitting ultrasound pulses to the object in phase, and when operating in the cine reproduction mode or the image reconstruction mode, non-real-time ultrasound based on the obtained RF data Ultrasonic waves, characterized in that to generate an image, and to use the harmonic components to generate the real-time or non-real-time ultrasound image to adjust the phase between successive frame data, and extract the harmonic components through a method of synthesizing the continuous frame data It provides an imaging device.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the same ultrasonic transmission pulses used in the fundamental wave imaging can be used for harmonic imaging without transmitting the ultrasonic pulse sets in which phases are inverted from each other.

In addition, by using the same ultrasonic transmission pulse used in the fundamental wave imaging, there is an advantage that both the fundamental and harmonic components can be extracted from the same RF data.

In particular, by storing RF data separately in a system memory, a cine memory, or a hard disk, a harmonic image can be obtained without a separate rescan during fundamental wave imaging, and vice versa.

In addition, since both the fundamental and harmonic components can be extracted from the same RF data, it is easier to apply a frequency compounding technique that synthesizes the fundamental and harmonic components to generate an image.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of extracting harmonic signals to form a harmonic image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is an exemplary diagram for describing a process of extracting frame data consisting of N-th harmonic components according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an exemplary diagram for describing an operation of extracting a plurality of harmonic components for each frequency according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a transducer 110, a front end 120, and a host PC 130. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is according to an exemplary embodiment, and thus, not all blocks illustrated in FIG. 1 are essential components, and in some embodiments, some blocks may be added, changed, or deleted. Here, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 is preferably a device for performing software-based ultrasound diagnosis, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and may be implemented based on hardware.

The front end 120 includes a transceiver 122 and an analog to digital converter 126. In addition, the host PC 130 includes a data storage unit 132, a beamformer 134, a phase controller 135, a harmonic extractor 136, a fundamental wave extractor 137, and a signal processor 138. . Such a component of the host PC 130 may be implemented in software, for example, by using a central processing unit (CPU) and a general purpose graphic processing unit (GPGPU), and configured to perform parallel processing of each function in software. Can be.

The front end 120 and the host PC 130 are connected to a standard interface, such as PCI-Express, for example, to transmit ultrasonic data (RF data).

The transducer 110 converts an electrical analog signal into ultrasonic waves and transmits the ultrasonic wave to an object, and converts a signal reflected from the object (hereinafter, referred to as a reflection signal) into an electrical analog signal. In general, the transducer 110 includes a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer 110 converts acoustic energy into an electrical signal and converts electrical energy into acoustic energy.

The transducer 110 appropriately delays the input time of pulses input to each transducer element under the control of the beamformer 134 to transmit focused ultrasound to the object along the transmission scan line, and from the object. Receives a reflection signal corresponding to the ultrasonic waves.

Hereinafter, the components included in the front end 120 will be described.

The transmitter / receiver 122 applies a voltage pulse to the transducer 110 so that ultrasonic waves are output from each transducer element of the transducer 110. In some embodiments, the transceiver 122 operates to apply ultrasonic pulses having the same phase to the transducer 110 to output ultrasonic waves having the same phase at each of the transducers 110. Also, in another exemplary embodiment, the transceiver 122 may control the transducer to transmit M ultrasound waves having different frequencies to the object. For example, the transceiver 122 may operate to sequentially apply voltage pulses having the same phase and having a plurality of frequencies, such as f ₀ , f _1, and f ₂ , to the transducer 110.

In addition, the transceiver 122 performs a function of switching transmission and reception so that the transducer 110 alternately performs transmission or reception. In addition, the transceiver 122 receives a reflection signal output from each transducer element of the transducer 110, and amplifies, aliases, and removes noise components of the received reflection signal, and the ultrasonic wave is applied to the body. The post-processed signal, such as correction of attenuation generated while passing through the inside, is transmitted to the analog-digital converter 126.

The analog-to-digital converter 126 converts the analog reflection signal received from the transceiver 122 into RF data, which is a digital signal, and transmits the converted signal to the host PC 120. Here, the analog-to-digital converter 126 transmits the RF data converted into the digital signal to the data storage unit 132 to be stored. According to an embodiment, the reflected signal may go through predetermined signal processing before or after being converted into a digital signal.

Hereinafter, the components included in the host PC 130 will be described.

The data storage unit 132 stores the RF data received from the front end 120. The data storage unit 132 according to the present exemplary embodiment provides RF data based on an input signal for performing a control command of the controller 139. In more detail, the data storage unit 132 transmits the RF data received in real time to the fundamental wave extracting unit 137 when a real time processing input signal for a live mode is input from the control unit 139. A real-time ultrasound image using the fundamental wave components is generated. In addition, when the input signal for the cine reproduction mode or the image reconstruction mode is input from the control unit 139, the data storage unit 132 transmits the pre-stored RF data for a predetermined period of time. Transmitting to the phase control unit 135, and extracting harmonic components through focusing and phase adjustment based on the pre-stored RF data to generate an ultrasound image.

The data storage unit 132 is implemented as a memory such as system memory, CINE memory, VRAM, and SRAM, and can store RF data for a predetermined time. The data storage unit 132 can be implemented in the form of a hard disk for continuously storing RF data. It may be implemented in the form of a memory and a hard disk in the form of a backup, so that an ultrasound image may be generated by real time and image reconstruction. In more detail, the data storage unit 132 may be implemented as a data storage medium such as a memory (eg, system memory, cine memory, etc.), a hard disk, a DVD, and the like and a control module thereof. For example, when the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 operates in the real time mode, the harmonic component is extracted using RF data stored in the system memory, and when the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 operates in the cine reproduction mode, the harmonic component is used by using the RF data stored in the cine memory. In the case of operating in the image reconstruction mode, the harmonic component may be extracted using RF data stored in a hard disk or a DVD. Here, the system memory and the cine memory are described as separate memories that are separated from each other, but regions may be logically divided and used in one memory. For example, according to some embodiments, the cine memory may be implemented in a form in which a predetermined area logically preset within the system memory is operated.

The image reconstructor 133 controls to generate a non-real-time ultrasound image by reconstructing an image based on RF data stored in the data storage unit 132 based on an input signal input from the controller 139. .

The image reconstruction unit 133 according to the present embodiment adjusts a phase based on pre-stored RF data when an input signal for a cine reproduction mode or an image reconstruction mode is input from the control unit 139. Harmonic components are used to generate non-real-time ultrasound images that reconstruct the image. Here, the non-real time ultrasound image may be at least one image of a frequency compounding image, a harmonic image, and a dual image simultaneously outputting a harmonic image and a fundamental wave image. In other words, the non-real-time ultrasound image may be an image using a fundamental wave component, an N-th harmonic component and a frequency compounding component obtained by combining the fundamental wave component and the N-th harmonic component, and the like. Two images of harmonic images and frequency composite images may be displayed simultaneously.

Also, the non-real-time ultrasound image may be generated as the non-real-time ultrasound image only when the ROI is obtained from the controller 139 when an input signal including information on the ROI corresponding to all or a part of the real-time ultrasound image output in real time is obtained. You may.

The beamformer 134 delays an electrical signal suitable for the transducer 110 and converts the electrical signal into an electrical signal suitable for each transducer element. In addition, the beamformer 134 delays or sums the electric signals converted by each transducer element to calculate the output value of the corresponding transducer element. Here, the beamformer 132 may be implemented to include a transmit beamformer, a receive beamformer, and a beam former.

The beamformer 134 according to the present embodiment focuses the RF data stored in the data storage unit 132. The beamformer 134 applies different amounts of delay (determined according to a position to receive receive beamforming) to the RF data having the same phase stored in the data storage unit 132 and applies the delayed signal. Dynamic focusing is performed by synthesizing and generating a received focusing signal. For example, the beamformer 134 may extract RF data corresponding to the reflection signals received from each of the transducer elements from the data storage unit 132 and combine them into one frame data.

The beamformer 134 may focus the RF data received in real time in the data storage unit 132, and if an input signal for the cine reproduction mode or the image reconstruction mode is present from the control unit 139. The RF data pre-stored in the data storage unit 132 may be extracted and focused as frame data. Here, the frame data is described as focused data by extracting and storing RF data received and stored by the data storage unit 132, but is not limited thereto. Ultrasonic data before or after receive beamforming is performed is described. It may mean.

The phase controller 135 performs a phase shift for adjusting the phase of the received focus signal. The phase controller 135 according to the present exemplary embodiment adjusts a phase such that consecutive N (N is a natural number of 2 or more) RF data having a phase difference of 360 ° / N with respect to a reception focus signal having the same phase. The operation of generating one phase adjustment data is performed. Here, the phase difference may be determined based on the consecutive N pieces of RF data, but is not necessarily limited thereto and may be determined based on a preset N for extracting the Nth harmonic component from the high frequency extractor 136.

In addition, the phase control unit 135 receives the harmonic order (N) information to be generated from the control unit 139, and the N RF data for the N frames from the data storage unit 132 based on the input order information. The extracted N RF data may be adjusted to have a phase difference of 360 ° / N from each other. Here, the phase controller 135 preferably adjusts a phase after N focused RF data extracted from the data storage 132 is received. However, the phase controller 135 is not necessarily limited thereto and performs phase prior to performing the focused N RF data. You can also make adjustments.

For example, an operation of adjusting the phase by the phase control unit 135 will be described. For example, the phase control unit 135 controls the received focus signal including two consecutive data having the same phase to have a phase difference of 180 °, respectively. Phase adjustment data may be generated by adjusting the phase to 180 ° (360 ° / 2). Here, the phase adjustment data whose phases are adjusted to 0 ° and 180 ° may be transmitted to the harmonic extracting unit 136 to extract the second harmonic component.

In addition, the phase control unit 135 receives the received focusing signal including three consecutive data to have a phase difference of 120 ° from 0 °, 120 ° (360 ° / 3), and 240 ° (360 ° / 3 + 360 ° / 3). Phase can be adjusted to generate phase adjustment data. Here, phase adjustment data whose phases are adjusted to 0 °, 120 ° and 240 ° may be transmitted to the harmonic extracting unit 136 to extract the third harmonic component.

The harmonic extracting unit 136 synthesizes N phase adjustment data generated from the phase control unit 135 to generate N-th harmonic components for forming a real-time or non-real-time ultrasound image. The harmonic extracting unit 136 synthesizes phase adjustment data according to the transmission of the N ultrasounds at the time of initial frame formation, and then synthesizes the phase adjustment data generated for each newly transmitted ultrasound in order of reception to form a real-time or non-real-time ultrasound image. Be sure to

Hereinafter, the synthesis process of the harmonic extraction unit 136 will be described assuming that N is 3. When N is 3, the beamformer 134 focuses RF data having the same phase stored in the data storage unit 132 to generate three consecutive received focusing signals having the same phase (eg, O °). The phase controller 135 adjusts the phases of the received focus signals having the same phase to 0 °, 120 °, and 240 °, respectively, so as to have a phase difference of 120 °._One', And the phase-adjusted data at 120₂'And assume that the data has been phase adjusted to 240 °₃Assume Thereafter, the harmonic extraction unit 136 is' A_One + A₂ + A₃In order to synthesize the data for each received focus signal, the third harmonic component can be extracted to form a first frame. After the new data phase adjusted to 0˚,₄Assume '(A_OneAnd A₄Are adjusted to the same phase received at different times), the synthesis unit 240 is a 'A₂ + A₃+A₄In order to synthesize the data on the received focus signal to extract the third harmonic component to form a second frame.

The harmonic extractor 136 may extract harmonic components by adjusting a phase of RF data having a plurality of frequencies (M frequencies) in sequence. Here, the sequence preferably means a group unit having M frequencies, but may be interpreted as a group unit in which the same phase difference is adjusted. Hereinafter, a process of synthesizing the RF data having three frequencies of the harmonic extracting unit 136 will be described on the assumption that N is 2. For example, when the phase controller 135 adjusts a phase difference of 360 ° / 2 for each of a plurality of sequences including three RF data having frequencies of f ₀ , f _1, and f ₂ , the harmonic extracting unit 136 may determine the respective phases. Second harmonic components may be extracted by extracting and synthesizing RF data having the same frequency in a sequence.

The fundamental wave extracting unit 137 extracts fundamental wave components to generate a real-time ultrasound image in real time based on pre-stored RF data received in real time by the data storage unit 132.

The fundamental wave extracting unit 137 is orthogonal to the in-phase component obtained by passing a low pass filter by multiplying a predetermined function by the RF data stored in the data storage unit 132 to a baseband. Based on IQ data based on a quadrature phase, a fundamental wave component may be extracted. Meanwhile, the fundamental wave extracting unit 137 is described as a separate module from the signal processing unit 138, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The fundamental wave extracting unit 137 may be combined with the signal processing unit 138 to generate a real-time ultrasound image through the fundamental wave component. It may be.

The signal processor 138 generates real-time or non-real-time ultrasound image data of one scan line or image frame by using the fundamental wave component or N-th harmonic component generated based on the RF data. The signal processor 138 according to the present exemplary embodiment may detect an envelope of an N-th harmonic component and process the data as data for displaying.

The signal processor 138 receives the fundamental wave components, harmonic components, etc. extracted based on the RF data stored in the data storage unit 132 and performs post-processing such as frequency synthesis, thereby real-time or It can be operated to generate and display a non-real time image. Here, the frequency synthesis may be synthesis for the fundamental wave component and the N-th harmonic component, but is not necessarily limited thereto, and at least two or more frequencies among M different frequencies based on the RF data stored in the data storage unit 132. It may be a synthesis of.

In addition, the signal processor 138 may match the scanning direction of the data to the pixel direction of the display unit (eg, the monitor), and may include a scan converter (not shown) for mapping the corresponding data to the pixel position of the display unit. Can be. The scan converter may convert the ultrasound image data into a data format used in a display unit of a predetermined scan line display format.

The controller 139 receives an instruction by a user's operation and performs overall management of the front end 120 and the host PC 130. The controller 139 controls the transceiver 122 of the front end 120 to allow the transducer 110 to transmit ultrasonic pulses having the same phase. Here, the controller 139 may control the transceiver 122 so that the ultrasonic pulses having the same phase have the same frequency, but may control the transceiver 122 so that the ultrasonic pulses having the same phase have different frequencies. .

The controller 139 transmits an input signal for a cine reproduction mode or an image reconstruction mode to the image reconstruction unit 133 based on a user's input, and adjusts a phase based on RF data previously stored in the data storage unit 132. Harmonic components are extracted and an ultrasound image can be generated based on the harmonic components. Here, the input signal may further include information on the ROI set as a part or all of the ultrasound image output in real time, or may include priority information for focusing or phase adjusting pre-stored RF data. have.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of extracting harmonic signals to form a harmonic image according to the present embodiment.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 transmits ultrasound waves having the same phase and receives a reflected signal corresponding to the ultrasound waves (S210). In more detail, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 transmits ultrasound to an object using a voltage pulse train having the same phase, and receives a reflection signal from the object. The voltage pulse train having the same phase may be, in some embodiments, each pulse having the same frequency, and in another embodiment, pulses having different frequencies may be repeated.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 stores RF data based on the reflected signal (S220). The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 may store RF data based on the reflected signal in a memory such as a system memory, a CINE memory, a VRAM, and an SRAM.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 determines whether to process the stored RF data in real time (S230). As a result of the determination in step S230, when the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 is a real time processing mode for generating a real time ultrasound image, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 extracts a fundamental wave component based on RF data received in real time, and extracts the extracted fundamental. A real-time ultrasound image may be generated using the wave component (S232). The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 converts the RF data into a baseband signal by converting the RF data into a baseband signal, and then extracts the IQ data based on the in-phase and quadrature components obtained by passing through a lowpass filter as a fundamental wave component. Real-time ultrasound image using the component can be generated.

On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S230, when the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 corresponds to the cine reproduction mode or the image reconstruction mode other than the real-time processing mode, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 focuses the RF data to generate the reception focus data In operation S240, the phase of the received focus data is adjusted (S250). The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 may generate a received focusing signal by synthesizing the delayed signals by applying different delay amounts determined according to a position to be focused on the RF data having the same phase. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 may generate phase adjustment data in which phases are adjusted such that consecutive N (N is a natural number of 2 or more) RF data has a phase difference of 360 ° / N with respect to a reception focus signal having the same phase. have. For example, the phase adjusting data whose phase is adjusted to 0 ° and 180 ° (360 ° / 2) may be generated from a received focus signal including two consecutive data having the same phase.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 extracts harmonic components for each of the N phase adjustment data which are reception focusing data whose phase is adjusted in step S250 (S260). The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 may extract N-th harmonic components for synthesizing the N phase adjustment data to form one frame. For example, when N is 3, the third harmonic component may be extracted by synthesizing the data whose phase is adjusted to 0 degrees, the data whose phase is adjusted to 120 degrees, and the data whose phase is adjusted to 240 degrees.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 generates a harmonic image based on the extracted harmonic components (S270). Here, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 processes the harmonic image as data for displaying the harmonic image by using the N-th harmonic component extracted in step S260.

In FIG. 2, steps S210 to S270 are sequentially executed, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Since the steps described in FIG. 2 may be applied by changing the execution or one or more steps in parallel, FIG. 2 is not limited to the time series order.

As described above, an image forming method using harmonic components according to the present embodiment described in FIG. 2 may be implemented by a program and recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for implementing an image forming method using harmonic components according to the present embodiment includes all kinds of recording devices that store data that can be read by a computer system.

3 is an exemplary diagram for describing an operation of extracting an N-th harmonic signal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the frame data used for harmonic component extraction may be ultrasonic data used to generate one frame data, and may be ultrasonic data before or after receive beamforming is performed.

FIG. 3A shows one frame data composed of second harmonic components from two

consecutive frame data

310 and 320. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 adjusts the phase such that two consecutive frame data have a phase difference of 180 ° (360 ° / 2) with each other (340), and synthesizes the two frame data whose phase is adjusted (350). As a result, the fundamental wave component is removed and one frame data composed of the second harmonic component is generated.

FIG. 3B illustrates a method of extracting one frame data composed of third harmonic components from three

consecutive frame data

310, 320, and 330.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 adjusts a phase such that three

consecutive frame data

310, 320, and 330 have a phase difference of 120 ° (360 ° / 3) with each other (342), and the three frame data whose phase is adjusted Is synthesized (352). As a result, the fundamental wave component and the second harmonic component are removed, and one frame data composed of the third harmonic component is generated.

In some embodiments, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 may be configured to transmit ultrasound pulses composed of pulses having different frequencies to the object, and acquire RF data based on the reflected signal. In this case, in order to extract harmonic components for each frequency, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 performs signal processing (phase adjustment and data synthesis) for each frame data having the same frequency.

Hereinafter, a method of extracting harmonic components will be described by exemplifying a case in which ultrasonic pulses composed of pulses having frequencies f ₀ , f _1, and f ₂ are sequentially output to an object. As described above, the frame data used for extracting harmonic components is ultrasonic data used to generate one frame, and may be ultrasonic data before or after receiving focused beamforming.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a method of extracting a second harmonic signal for each frequency in the case of using ultrasonic pulses composed of pulses having different frequencies when transmitting ultrasonic waves.

As shown in FIG. 4, six consecutive frame data includes first frame data 410 having an f ₀ frequency, second frame data 420 having an f ₁ frequency, and a third frame having an f ₂ frequency. The second sequence includes a first sequence including data 430 and fourth frame data having an f ₀ frequency, fifth frame data having an f ₁ frequency, and sixth frame data having an f ₂ frequency. .

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 100 adjusts a phase so that two sequences have a phase difference of 180 ° with each other (440), and synthesizes frame data for each frequency. As a result, fundamental wave components are removed for each frequency, and frame data including secondary harmonic components are generated.

In FIG. 4, a method of generating frame data including second harmonic components has been exemplarily described. However, other orders of harmonic components may be extracted using a similar method. In particular, although FIG. 4 illustrates generating frame data including harmonic components for each frequency, according to an embodiment, it may be configured to perform only for a specific frequency (eg, the lowest frequency) among several frequencies. Do.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present embodiment, and those skilled in the art to which the present embodiment belongs may make various modifications and changes without departing from the essential characteristics of the present embodiment. Therefore, the present embodiments are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present embodiment but to describe the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present embodiment is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present embodiment should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present embodiment.

(Explanation of the sign)

100: ultrasonic diagnostic device

110: transducer 120: front end

122: transceiver 126: analog to digital converter

130: host PC

132: data storage unit 134: beamformer

135: phase control unit 136: harmonic extraction unit

137: fundamental wave extracting unit 138: signal processing unit

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims priority under patent application number 119 (a) (35 USC § 119 (a)) to patent application No. 10-2013-0146886 filed with Korea on November 29, 2013. All content is incorporated by reference in this patent application. In addition, if this patent application claims priority for the same reason for countries other than the United States, all its contents are incorporated into this patent application by reference.

Claims

In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a front end for transmitting and receiving ultrasound using a transducer and a host PC electrically connected to the front end, in generating an ultrasound image,

When operating in the live mode (Live Mode), generates a real-time ultrasound image based on the RF data obtained by transmitting ultrasound pulses to the object in the same phase,

When operating in Cine Reproduction Mode or Image Reconstruction Mode, non-real-time ultrasound images are generated based on pre-acquired RF data.

When the harmonic components are used to generate the real-time or non-real-time ultrasound image, the ultrasonic image generation method extracts the harmonic components by adjusting a phase between successive frame data and synthesizing the continuous frame data.
The method of claim 1,

The phase adjustment is

Based on the harmonic order (N) to be extracted, the ultrasound image generating method characterized in that the phase is adjusted so that the N consecutive frame data has a phase difference of 360 ° / N with each other.
The method of claim 2,

Synthesis of the continuous frame data,

Ultrasonic image generating method characterized in that for synthesizing the continuous N frame data having a phase difference of 360 ° / N with each other.
The method of claim 1,

The frame data,

Ultrasonic image generation method characterized in that the ultrasound data before or after the reception focused (Receive Beamforming) based on the RF data.
The method of claim 1,

Extraction of the harmonic components,

Receiving and focusing N pieces of frame data;

Generating N phase adjustment data by adjusting a phase such that the received focused data have a phase difference of 360 ° / N; And

A process of extracting N-th harmonic components by synthesizing the N phase adjustment data

Ultrasonic image generation method comprising a.
The method of claim 1,

Extraction of the harmonic components,

Adjusting a phase so that the frame data have a phase difference of 360 ° / N from each other;

Receiving and focusing the phase adjusted frame data; And

Extracting an N-th harmonic component by synthesizing the phase-adjusted frame data

Ultrasonic image generation method comprising a.
The method of claim 1,

The real-time ultrasound image and the non-real-time ultrasound image,

An image using any one of a fundamental wave component, an Nth harmonic component, and a frequency compounding component, wherein the frequency synthesis component is a component obtained by synthesizing the fundamental wave component and the Nth harmonic component. Ultrasound image generation method.
The method of claim 7, wherein

The cine reproduction mode or the image reconstruction mode,

And displaying at least two images of the image using the fundamental wave component, the image using the Nth harmonic component, and the image using the frequency synthesizing component at the same time.
The method of claim 1,

Extraction of the harmonic components,

And performing data only on data corresponding to a region of interest among the frame data.
The method of claim 9,

The real-time ultrasound image and the non-real-time ultrasound image,

The ultrasound image generating method of claim 1, wherein the region of interest is generated based on harmonic components, and the region other than the region of interest is generated based on fundamental wave components.
The method of claim 1,

The ultrasonic pulses,

And ultrasonic waves having the same phase and comprising M ultrasonic pulses having different frequencies.
The method of claim 11,

The phase adjustment and the frame data synthesis,

Ultrasonic image generation method characterized in that performed for each frame data of the same frequency.
The method of claim 12,

The non-real time ultrasound image,

And an image using any one of a fundamental wave component, an N-th harmonic component, and a frequency compounding component according to any one of the M frequencies.
The method of claim 13,

The frequency synthesis component,

At least two frequency components of the M frequencies are synthesized.
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising a front end for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves using a transducer and a host PC electrically connected to the front end.

When operating in the live mode (Live Mode), generates a real-time ultrasound image based on the RF data obtained by transmitting ultrasound pulses to the object in the same phase,

When operating in Cine Reproduction Mode or Image Reconstruction Mode, non-real-time ultrasound images are generated based on pre-acquired RF data.

When the harmonic component is used to generate the real-time or non-real-time ultrasound image, the ultrasound imaging apparatus extracts the harmonic component by adjusting a phase between successive frame data and synthesizing the continuous frame data.