JP2008173255A - Ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic image diagnostic program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus capable of switching before the display of only a live image and the display in which the live image and a moving image fixed time before are arranged. <P>SOLUTION: The ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus includes: an image generation means 003 for generating ultrasonic images on the basis of data received by a transmission/reception means 002; a display control means 008 for receiving the generated ultrasonic images from the image generation means 003 and making a display means 011 display the moving image of the ultrasonic images practically in real time; a storage means 005; a write means 004 for successively storing the generated ultrasonic images in the storage means 005; a read means 006 for reading the past image of the specified ultrasonic image the prescribed time prior, which is stored in the storage means 005; and a switching means 007 for receiving input from a user and switching the display to the display means 011 to either one of the display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image practically in real time or the display of both of the display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image practically in real time and the display of the moving image of the past image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus and a program for displaying a moving image of an ultrasonic image of a predetermined time while displaying a live image that is a moving image of an ultrasonic image immediately after being generated.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus irradiates an ultrasonic pulse (signal) from a body surface of a subject toward a desired site in the body by a reflection method of an ultrasonic pulse, and uses the information of the reflected wave from the site to soft tissue Tomographic images and blood flow information can be obtained non-invasively. Compared to other diagnostic imaging equipment such as X-ray diagnostic equipment, X-ray CT scanner, MRI, and nuclear medicine diagnostic equipment, this equipment is small, inexpensive, and capable of real-time display, and has no exposure to X-rays and is safe. It has high characteristics such as blood flow imaging, and is widely used for diagnosis in the heart, abdomen, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

  In recent years, in such an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus, a blood flow signal is enhanced to more effectively image tissue perfusion by using a contrast medium for diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and early detection of a tumor. A technique for contrast imaging is known. And as this contrast imaging, “Contrast Harmonic Imaging (CHI)” in which an image is constructed using a second harmonic contained in a reflection signal in a living body, or a contrast agent has spread to the operation surface. There is “Flash Echo Imaging (FEI)” that images a contrast medium with high sensitivity by intermittently scanning ultrasonic waves at timing.

  As another examination method, when the function of the heart is diagnosed by an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus, the patient (hereinafter referred to as a subject) is collected with exercise load or drug load applied. There are stress tests to evaluate myocardial motor functions using ultrasound images.

  In these ultrasonic image diagnosis methods, there is an examination that is more efficient if the examination is performed while comparing the image of the current target part and the image of the target part several seconds ago. For example, in the case of a contrast examination in which images are acquired continuously, by comparing how much the target site has been stained by the contrast medium within a certain period of time, the end of the examination or the contrast medium The time such as the end of the injection can be controlled, and in the case of a stress test, the time-dependent change of the target site due to the load can be compared by comparing the state with the load applied a certain time ago with the current load. It is important to understand while referring to the situation.

  Furthermore, even in normal ultrasound image diagnosis, an oversight or the like occurs when a moving image of an ultrasound image immediately after generation (hereinafter referred to as a “live image”) is displayed substantially in real time. Sometimes. Here, displaying substantially in real time means that the ultrasonic image is displayed on the display means almost simultaneously with the generation of the ultrasonic image. In other words, in this case, it is necessary to check the current situation by comparing a live image with an overlooked image collected a little while ago.

  However, even in examinations where there is a case where it is desired to compare images before a certain period of time as described above, usually only the live image is displayed on the screen, so that the target part can be observed with a large image, and more detailed observation can be performed. it can. Therefore, only when comparing images, it is more efficient to display a live image and a moving image of a predetermined time side by side.

  In this regard, conventionally, when an ultrasonic image is displayed live, it has been impossible to check in real time by arranging moving images of a predetermined time simultaneously with the live display of the ultrasonic image. For this reason, when it is desired to compare a live image and a past image in the same examination, after a certain amount of time has passed, the display of the ultrasonic image is frozen and the image to be referred to is displayed and compared (for example, Patent Document 1). See) This method of displaying comparative images by freeze is to display still images that are temporarily stored in the cine-memory. After freezing, the mode is changed to freeze mode to display comparative images or save images. The image is frozen and the stored image is displayed.

  However, for images taken continuously in real time, it is necessary to pick up the image to be referred to after freezing the live display, which is inconvenient and cumbersome for the operator. It was.

  Therefore, in an image diagnostic apparatus in which it is important to observe images at a constant interval, an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus that can perform diagnosis in comparison with an image to be referred to without causing the image to freeze (see, for example, Patent Document 2). ) Has been proposed.

JP 2000-126187 A JP 2004-57356 A

  However, since the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus described in Patent Document 2 always displays thumbnail images, the image of the live image becomes small and difficult to see during normal inspection. Further, the thumbnail image in Patent Document 2 is displayed completely stored in the storage means, and does not output a temporarily stored moving image, and requires a large storage area.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus capable of switching and displaying only a live image and a display in which a live image and a moving image before a certain time are arranged. It is an object.

  In order to achieve the above object, the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 includes an ultrasonic probe, a transmission / reception unit that scans and receives a subject with ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic probe, and the transmission / reception unit. Generates an ultrasonic image based on the received data, receives the generated ultrasonic image from the image generation unit, and causes the moving image of the ultrasonic image to be displayed on the display unit substantially in real time. Display control means, storage means, writing means for sequentially storing the generated ultrasonic images in the storage means, and a past that is the ultrasonic image stored in the storage means for a specified time before In response to an input from a user and a reading means for reading out an image, the display on the display means is substantially real-time display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image or substantially of the moving image of the ultrasonic image. Real-time display and the display of both display past images of the moving image and is characterized in that it comprises a switching means for switching to either.

  The ultrasound diagnostic imaging program according to claim 6 causes a computer to generate an ultrasound image by receiving data obtained by scanning a subject through an ultrasound probe, and to generate the generated ultrasound image. Are sequentially stored in the storage means, and the ultrasonic images exceeding a predetermined capacity are deleted in the oldest order, and the past image which is the ultrasonic image stored in the storage means before the specified time is read out. In response to an instruction from the user, both the real-time display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image or the real-time display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image and the display of the moving image of the past image The display is switched to either one and displayed on the display means.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging program according to claim 5 is a moving image of the ultrasonic image displayed substantially simultaneously with the generation of the ultrasonic image, that is, displayed substantially in real time. During the inspection while referring to the live image, both the live image and the moving image of a predetermined time can be displayed at the same time by switching. This allows you to display only a live image and check a detailed portion of a large image, and to compare a moving image of a certain time ago with a live image when necessary. Sound image diagnosis is possible.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing functions of an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to the present invention. The solid arrows in FIG. 1 represent data exchange, and the dotted arrows represent control signals. Here, the execution control unit 012 includes a CPU and a program that defines a control command for operating each unit. However, in the following description, the operation of exchanging data through the execution control means may be described as if each means is directly exchanging for convenience of explanation.

    The transmission / reception unit 002 scans the subject by driving the ultrasonic probe 001 and transmits / receives ultrasonic waves (hereinafter, these operations may be simply referred to as “scan”). Further, the transmission / reception unit 002 transmits an echo signal obtained by scanning to the image generation unit 003.

  The image generation unit 003 includes a B-mode processing circuit, a CFM processing circuit, and the like. The B-mode processing circuit visualizes echo amplitude information and generates B-mode ultrasonic raster data from the echo signal. The CFM processing circuit visualizes the moving blood flow information and generates color ultrasonic raster data from the echo signal. Further, the image processing unit 003 has a digital scan converter (DSC), converts the ultrasonic raster data into image data represented by orthogonal coordinates, and obtains an image represented by an orthogonal coordinate system. Further, the image generation unit 003 sends the generated image data to the switching unit 007 and the writing unit 004.

  The storage unit 005 includes a first storage unit 015 that can perform writing / reading such as a nonvolatile memory at a high speed but is expensive, and a second storage unit 025 that has a large capacity because writing / reading such as a hard disk is slow but inexpensive. ing. The first storage unit 015 has a capacity capable of storing an ultrasonic image moving image for about one minute, and the second storage unit 025 has a capacity capable of storing an ultrasonic image moving image for about two minutes. Since the first storage means 015 is expensive, the capacity cannot be increased so much that the capacity is almost the same as that of a conventional cine memory. The capacity of the second storage unit 025 is determined based on the liver. That is, since the liver is an organ that hardly moves, it is one of the slowest portions of the contrast medium in the organ. And it takes about 3 minutes for the contrast medium in the liver to completely spread. Therefore, in this embodiment, the capacity of the second storage unit 025 is converted to a moving image of an ultrasonic image so that a past image three minutes before the maximum necessary for comparison and confirmation of the contrast agent spread in the liver can be output. The capacity can be stored for about 2 minutes. This is because the capacity of the moving image of the ultrasonic image is very large. Therefore, if a large amount of moving image of the ultrasonic image can be stored, the capacity of the second storage means 025 is required and the cost is increased. Because it ends up. In this regard, when a moving image of a past image that is earlier than 3 minutes is necessary, the second storage unit 025 may be enlarged according to the capacity. In addition, the first storage unit 015 may be enlarged when an image output that is faster than the cost is required.

  The writing means 004 is composed of a CPU and a program that defines its operation.

  In response to a write command to the storage unit 005 from the execution control unit 012, the writing unit 004 determines whether or not there is a remaining free space for writing data in the first storage unit 015. If there is a free space remaining in the first storage unit 015, the writing unit 004 writes the image data received from the image forming unit 003 to the first storage unit 015.

  When there is no free space remaining in the first storage unit 015, the writing unit 004 determines whether or not there is a free space remaining in the second storage unit 025. When the second storage means has a free space remaining, the first storage means 015 is searched, the oldest image data existing in the first storage means 015 is written to the second storage means 025, and then The image data received from the image forming unit 003 is written into the first storage unit 015 in the first storage unit 015. If there is no remaining free space in the second storage unit 025, the writing unit 004 searches the second storage unit 025 and deletes the oldest image data. Next, the writing unit 004 searches the first storage unit 015 and writes the oldest image data existing in the first storage unit 015 to the second storage unit 025. Next, the writing unit 004 erases the image data from the first storage unit 015 and then writes the image data received from the image forming unit 003 to the first storage unit 015.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the writing unit 004 checks the free capacity of the first storage unit 015 and the second storage unit 025, and when there is no free space, the first storage unit 015 to the second storage unit 025. The old ultrasonic image is moved and the old ultrasonic image is erased from the second storage unit 025. This is because the writing unit 004 is free of the current first storage unit 015 and second storage unit 025. If the capacity is stored, the writing unit 004 knows the capacity to be written at present, so that the ultrasonic waves from the first storage unit 015 can be compared by comparing them without performing a search each time. The image can be moved and the ultrasonic image from the second storage means 025 can be erased. Furthermore, by using a FIFO (First-In / First-Out) memory or the like, the writing unit 004 simply writes without performing a capacity check, so that an ultrasonic image exceeding the capacity is automatically old. It can also be configured to be deleted in order.

  The reading unit 006 is composed of a CPU and a program that defines its operation.

  The reading unit 006 receives the heart rate or the number of seconds specified by the user or the operator from the execution control unit 012 using the input unit 010 included in the user interface 009. Here, the time corresponding to the heart rate and the time corresponding to the number of seconds are specified within a range of 3 minutes or less. In this embodiment, since the moving image of the past image that can be stored in the storage unit 005 is about 3 minutes, the specified range of the heart rate or the number of seconds by the user is set to 3 minutes or earlier. This is the capacity of the storage unit 005. It can be specified within the time of the moving image of the past image that can be stored in the storage unit 005.

  If the time for the designated heart rate or the designated number of seconds is within one minute, the reading means 006 reads the ultrasonic wave before the designated heart rate or for the designated number of seconds. The image data of the past image of the image is read from the first storage means 015 and sent to the switching means 007. If the time for the specified heart rate or the specified number of seconds is longer than 1 minute and within 3 minutes, it is specified. The image data of the past image of the ultrasonic image before the specified heart rate or the specified number of seconds is read from the second storage unit 015 and sent to the switching unit 007.

  The switching means 007 is composed of a CPU and a program that defines its operation.

  The switching unit 007 receives the instruction input from the input unit 010 from the execution control unit 012 and displays only the image data of the ultrasonic image immediately after being generated received from the image forming unit 003, that is, the live image. And the case where both the live image and the image data of the ultrasonic image received from the reading means 006, that is, the moving image of the past image, are sent to the display control means 008.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the display control unit 008 normally includes a live image 201 that is a moving image based on the image data of the ultrasonic image immediately after being generated received from the switching unit 007 in the user interface 009. Displayed on the display means 011. This display is a substantially real-time display of the ultrasonic image. Here, the substantially real-time display is to display the ultrasonic image on the display unit 011 almost simultaneously with the generation of the ultrasonic image. Here, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a display method of the ultrasonic image on the display unit 011. FIG. 2A is a diagram for explaining the display of only a live image. FIG. ) Is a diagram for explaining a display in which live images and past moving images are arranged, and FIG. 2C is a diagram for explaining a display in which the display positions of the live images and past images in FIG. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, when only the live image 201 is displayed, an instruction to display both the live image 201 input from the input unit 010 by the user or the operator and the moving image 202 of the past image side by side is displayed. When received from the execution control unit 012, the display control unit 008 receives the image data from the switching unit 007, and the display control unit 008 receives the image data received from the image generation unit 003 as shown in FIG. 2B or FIG. And the moving image 202 of the past image based on the image data received from the reading unit 006 are displayed on the display unit 011 side by side.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2B or 2C, when the live image 201 and the moving image 202 of the past image are displayed side by side, the live image 201 input from the input unit 010 by the user or the operator. When an instruction to display only the image is received from the execution control unit 012, the image data from the switching unit 007 is received, and only the live image 201 received from the image generation unit 003 is displayed as shown in FIG. To display.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the live image 201 is displayed on the right side and the past moving image 202 is displayed on the left side and displayed on the display unit 011, the user or the operator inputs from the input unit 010. When an instruction to replace the position of the live image 201 and the past moving image 202 is received from the execution control unit 012, the live image 201 is on the left side and the past moving image 202 is on the right side as shown in FIG. Are displayed side by side on the display unit 011. Even when this is displayed as shown in FIG. 2 (C), it can be changed so as to be displayed as shown in FIG. 2 (B).

  Next, the operation of temporarily storing images in the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart of temporary image storage in the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

  Step S001: The image generation unit 003 receives an echo signal transmitted / received via the ultrasonic probe 001 from the transmission / reception unit 002, and generates an ultrasonic image based on the echo signal.

  Step S002: The writing unit 0004 receives a write instruction from the execution control unit 012 and checks whether there is free space in the first storage unit 015. If there is free space, the process proceeds to step S006, and if there is no free capacity, the process proceeds to step S004.

  Step S003: The writing unit 004 checks whether there is free space in the second storage unit 025. If there is free space, the process proceeds to step S005. If there is no free capacity, the process proceeds to step S004.

  Step S004: The writing unit 004 deletes ultrasonic images in excess of the capacity of the second storage unit 025 in order from the oldest ultrasonic image stored in the second storage unit 025.

  Step S005: The writing unit 004 takes out ultrasonic images in excess of the capacity of the first storage unit 015 in order from the oldest one of the ultrasonic images stored in the first storage unit 015, and the second storage unit. Write to 025 and erase the ultrasound image stored in the first storage means 015.

  Step S006: The writing unit 004 writes the ultrasonic image received from the image generating unit 003 in the first storage unit 015.

  Next, an image display operation in the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIG. 4 is a view showing a flowchart of image display in the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to the present invention.

  Step S101: The image generation unit 003 receives an echo signal transmitted / received via the ultrasonic probe 001 from the transmission / reception unit 002, generates image data based on the echo signal, and sends the image data to the switching unit 007.

  Step S102: The display control means 008 receives the generated ultrasonic image from the switching means 007 and causes the display means 011 to display it.

  Step S103: The switching unit 007 determines whether an instruction to display live images and past moving images side by side is received from the input unit 010. If there is an instruction to display live images and past moving images side by side, the process proceeds to step S104, and if there is no instruction, the process proceeds to step S109.

  Step S104: The reading unit 006 receives the designation of the heart rate or the number of seconds from the input unit 010, reads out the image data of the past ultrasonic image before the heart rate or the number of seconds before from the storage unit 005, and switches the switching unit. The image data is sent to 007.

  Step S105: The switching unit 007 receives image data from the image generation unit 003 and the reading unit 006 and sends it to the display control unit 008. The display control unit 008 receives the live image and the past moving image sent from the switching unit 007, and displays the live image and the past moving image side by side on the display unit 011.

  Step S106: The execution control unit 012 determines whether an instruction to replace the position of the live image and the past moving image is received from the input unit 010. If there is an instruction to replace the position of the live image and the past moving image, the process proceeds to step S107, and if there is no instruction, the process proceeds to step S108.

  Step S107: The display control unit 008 causes the display unit 011 to display the live image and the position of the past moving image.

  Step S108: The switching unit 007 determines whether an instruction to display only a live image is received from the input unit 010. If there is an instruction to display only the live image, the process proceeds to step S102, and if there is no instruction, the process proceeds to step S110.

  Step S109: The execution control unit 012 determines whether or not the examination is finished. If the examination is not finished, the process proceeds to step S102, and if the examination is finished, the operation of displaying an ultrasonic image is finished.

  Step S110: The execution control unit 012 determines whether or not the examination is finished. If the examination is not finished, the process proceeds to Step S104, and if the examination is finished, the operation of displaying the ultrasonic image is finished.

  The program according to the present invention prescribes operations such as temporary storage of an ultrasound image, display of only a live image, display of both a live image and a moving image of a past image, and switching of display in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as described above. This is a program having the configuration described above.

  As described above, in response to a user instruction, it is possible to switch between a display in which past moving images and live images of a predetermined time ago are arranged and a display of only live images. Thus, a live image can usually be confirmed in a large image up to a fine portion, and the progress can be confirmed while comparing the past image with the live image immediately when necessary, so that an accurate and efficient diagnosis is possible.

1 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the display method to the display means of the moving image of an ultrasonic image (A) The figure for demonstrating the display of only a live image (B) For demonstrating the arrangement | sequence display of the live image and the past animation (C) A diagram for explaining a display in which the display positions of the live image and the past moving image are switched. The figure which shows the flowchart of the temporary preservation | save of the ultrasonic image in the ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows the flowchart of the display of the ultrasonic image in the ultrasonic image diagnostic apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

001 Ultrasonic probe 002 Transmission / reception means 003 Image generation means 004 Writing means 005 Storage means 006 Reading means 007 Switching means 008 Display control means 009 User interface 010 Input means 011 Display means 012 Execution control means 015 First storage means 025 Second storage means

Claims (6)

An ultrasonic probe;
Transmission / reception means for scanning and receiving a subject with ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic probe;
Image generating means for generating an ultrasonic image based on the data received by the transmitting / receiving means;
Display control means for receiving the generated ultrasonic image from the image generation means and displaying a moving image of the ultrasonic image on the display means substantially in real time;
Storage means;
Writing means for sequentially storing the generated ultrasonic images in the storage means;
Reading means for reading a past image that is the ultrasound image stored in the storage means before the specified time;
In response to an input from the user, display on the display means is substantially real time display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image or substantially real time display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image and the moving image of the past image. An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus comprising: a switching means for switching between the two displays.   The ultrasonic image diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the writing unit erases the ultrasonic images that have exceeded a predetermined capacity in the storage unit in chronological order.   3. The reading unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reading unit reads a past image before the number of seconds or a past image before the heart rate in response to designation of a number of seconds or a heart rate from a user. Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging equipment. When the switching unit is displaying both the moving image of the ultrasonic image immediately after the generation and the moving image of the past image on the display unit,
The display control means replaces a display position for displaying the moving image of the ultrasonic image in the display means in real time and a display position of the moving image of the past image in response to an instruction from a user. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The storage means includes a first storage means and a second storage means having a slower read / write speed and a larger capacity than the first storage means,
The writing means sequentially stores the generated ultrasonic images in the first storage means, and moves the ultrasonic images that have exceeded a predetermined capacity of the first storage means to the second storage means in chronological order, 5. The ultrasonic diagnostic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic images that exceed a predetermined capacity of the second storage unit are erased in order of oldness. 6. On the computer,
Receiving data obtained by scanning a subject through an ultrasonic probe to generate an ultrasonic image,
The generated ultrasonic images are sequentially stored in the storage unit, and the ultrasonic images that exceed a predetermined capacity are deleted in chronological order,
Read the past image that is the ultrasonic image before the specified time stored in the storage means,
Upon receiving an instruction from the user, either a substantially real-time display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image or a display of both a substantially real-time display of the moving image of the ultrasonic image and a moving image of the past image An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging program characterized in that the display is switched and displayed on the display means.

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