JP3091503B2 - Ultrasonic tomograph - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic tomographic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic tomographic apparatus having a monitor for displaying an ultrasonic tomographic image based on a reflected echo signal from an ultrasonic probe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In such an ultrasonic tomography apparatus,
For example, an image of a fetus in the uterus may be displayed. In this case, a so-called body mark imitating the outer shape of the fetus is displayed adjacent to the ultrasonic tomographic image. As the body mark, several typical shapes are prepared, and a mark approximate to the shape determined by the orientation of the fetus imaged in the ultrasonic tomographic image is selected, and the selected body mark is selected. A mark is recorded together with the ultrasonic tomographic image.

[0003] In this manner, the state of the body of the fetus, which is imaged on the ultrasonic tomographic image, can be determined at a glance by the body mark.

[0004]

However, in such an ultrasonic tomography apparatus of the related art, the number of body marks is limited in spite of the fact that the state of the body of the fetus is variously varied. It was rare that Mark could accurately describe the condition of the fetus.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide various types of test objects such as a fetus, for example. An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic tomography apparatus capable of displaying a mark capable of accurately expressing a state.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is disclosed in the present application.
A brief description of typical inventions will be given below.
It is as follows. (1) Anti-ultrasonic probe that transmits ultrasonic waves to the test object
Of the subject from any direction based on the echo signal
Means for generating an ultrasonic image and imitating the outer shape of the test object
Means for storing outer shape information;
Means for generating a body mark image of the object, and the ultrasonic image
Means for displaying the body mark image
In the diagnostic device, the storage means may include an outer shape of the test object.
Means for storing three-dimensional outer shape information
The body mark image generating means is provided outside the object.
X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis set to a three-dimensional image imitating the shape
Body mark image with at least one axis of rotation as the center of rotation
Means for generating an ultrasonic image, and viewing in the same direction as the displayed ultrasonic image.
Means for outputting a body mark image to said display means.
It is characterized by that. (2) Anti-ultrasonic probe that transmits ultrasonic waves to the test object
Of the subject from any direction based on the echo signal
Means for generating an ultrasonic image and imitating the outer shape of the test object
Means for storing outer shape information;
Means for generating a body mark image of the object, and the ultrasonic image
Means for displaying the body mark image
In the diagnostic device, the storage means may include an outer shape of the test object.
Means for storing three-dimensional outer shape information
The body mark image generating means is provided outside the object.
Displayed by coordinate transformation for a three-dimensional image imitating a shape
The display means displays a body mark image viewed in the same direction as an ultrasonic image.
A means for outputting the data to the computer.

[0007]

According to the above-mentioned means (1), the outer shape of the test object
Is stored in the storage means.
Have been. Here, the means for generating the body mark image
X-axis, Y-axis, or three-dimensional image
Is displayed with at least one of the Z axes as the center of rotation.
Generate a body mark image in the same direction as the ultrasound image
By outputting this body mark image to the display means,
The body mark image can be displayed in a state where the subject is viewed from an arbitrary viewpoint position such as a back surface or a side surface. Therefore, the display of such a body mark
Therefore, various forms of the test object imaged in the ultrasonic image
Being able to select body marks that accurately correspond to the body
Become.

According to the above-mentioned means (2), the inspection object
The three-dimensional outline information that simulates the outline with a three-dimensional image is stored in the storage unit.
Has been delivered. Here, the means for generating the body mark image is
By coordinate transformation for a three-dimensional image imitating the outer shape of the specimen,
Generates a body mark image in the same direction as the displayed ultrasonic image
By outputting the object to the display means, the test object can be
Or from the side from any viewpoint.
Can be displayed. Therefore, by displaying such a body mark , it is possible to select a body mark that accurately corresponds to various various shapes of the test object that is imaged in the ultrasonic image .

[0009] Incidentally, the body mark, for example, the Bodima by storing three-dimensional shape information in the memory
Form a three-dimensional image of the over-click, by performing coordinate transformation of the three-dimensional image, removed image (two-dimensional image) information when viewed from any direction, and displays an image based on the retrieved information It can be formed by the following.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram for explaining an embodiment of an ultrasonic tomographic apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, there is an ultrasonic probe 1. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 1 is operated to obtain a tomographic image of a fetus in the uterus. The ultrasonic probe 1 is driven by an ultrasonic transmission / reception circuit 2, and a reflected echo signal detected by the driving is input to the ultrasonic transmission / reception circuit 2.

An output from the ultrasonic transmission / reception circuit 2 is input to an image memory 3 and stored in the image memory 3. This image memory 3 is a TV monitor 9 described later.
Is a memory corresponding to the display surface.

The information from the image memory 3 is input to a line memory 4 and further input to an interpolation circuit 5 for performing interpolation. The information thus interpolated is input to the host process circuit 6, and the host process circuit 6 emphasizes a specific luminance, for example.

The information in which the specific luminance is emphasized is input to the synthesizing circuit 7 next. This combining circuit 7
Then, the information is synthesized with information from a graphic memory 11 described later, and the synthesized information is output to the TV monitor 9 via the D / A conversion circuit 8.

The ultrasonic transmitting / receiving circuit 2, the image memory 3,
Line memory 4, interpolation circuit 5, post-processing circuit 6,
Although not shown, the combining circuit 7 and the like are controlled by the CPU 10.

In this embodiment, in particular, the CPU 1
0 stores information of a three-dimensional image of the body mark. For example, an image (two-dimensional image) of the three-dimensional image viewed from a certain direction is formed by coordinate conversion or the like. Is stored in the graphic memory 11.

The three-dimensional image information of the body mark is formed by, for example, a program or the like, and the coordinate conversion is performed in response to an input from a keyboard 13 via a keyboard interface 12. .

The keyboard 13 will be described later in detail.

The output from the graphic memory 11 is inputted to the synthesizing circuit 7, and the synthesizing circuit 11 synthesizes the ultrasonic tomographic image and the body mark so that they are imaged on the same display surface. It is supposed to be.

In FIG. 1, a TV synchronizing circuit 14 is provided, and television signals are output to a line memory 4, an interpolation circuit 5 and the like based on an input from the image memory 3.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which an ultrasonic tomographic image and a body mark are displayed on the display surface 9A of the TV monitor 9. In the figure, an ultrasonic tomographic image 20 showing a fetus is displayed on the right side of the display surface 9A, and a body mark 21 of the fetus is displayed on the lower left side.

Next, the body mark of the fetus will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional image 31 of the body mark stored in the CPU 10.
Are calculated by an operation such as coordinate transformation, for example, the X axis, the Y axis,
Alternatively, it can be rotated about the Z axis. The rotation about the X axis, Y axis, or Z axis enables the three-dimensional image to be observed from various directions.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing such a state.

By rotating the basic body 41 about the Z axis, a body 42 in which the direction of the head sequentially changes can be obtained. At this time, by rotating around the X axis, a figure 43 in which the directions of the limbs change sequentially is obtained. In this case,
By rotating around the Y axis, a figure 44 that can observe the top of the head or a figure 4 that can observe the buttocks
5 will be obtained.

The rotation operation of the three-dimensional image 31 is performed by operation keys on the keyboard 13 shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, a trackball 15 for rotating about the Z axis, an angle conversion key 16 for rotating about the X axis, an angle conversion key 17 for rotating about the Y axis, and an orientation inversion key 18 are provided. Here, the orientation inversion key 18 is a key operated to instantly invert the three-dimensional image 31 currently displayed.

A keyboard 1 provided with each of these keys
FIG. 5 shows a specific configuration diagram of No.3.

In the figure, various control keys for driving the ultrasonic tomography apparatus are provided. In this embodiment, in particular, the above-mentioned track ball 15, angle conversion keys 16, 17 and orientation inversion key are provided. 18 are provided.

In this way, the three-dimensional image 31 is arbitrarily rotated, and the image observed thereby (two-dimensional image)
Is displayed on the TV monitor 9 via the graphic memory 11 as shown in FIG. 2, so that the operator can use the body mark 21 composed of the same body as the fetus of the ultrasonic tomographic image 20. Can be easily selected.

According to the ultrasonic tomographic apparatus according to the present embodiment described above, a mark imitating the outer shape of the object to be imaged as the ultrasonic tomographic image 20 is constituted by the three-dimensional image 31. Are displayed as viewed from one direction. Then, by rotating the mark formed by the three-dimensional image, the mark can be displayed while being viewed from the back surface or the side surface of the mark.

Therefore, by displaying the mark 21 as described above, it is possible to select the mark 21 corresponding to various various bodies of the test object imaged on the ultrasonic tomographic image 20 accurately.

In the above-described embodiment, the three-dimensional image 31 can be rotated around its Z axis, X axis and Y axis. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be possible to rotate around only the Z axis. In short, Z axis, X
It goes without saying that at least one of the axis and the Y axis may be rotatable.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case where an ultrasonic tomographic image of a fetus is obtained has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this case. It is needless to say that the present invention is applied to all the test objects imaged as an ultrasonic tomographic image.

[0034]

As is apparent from the above description,
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the ultrasonic tomographic apparatus by this invention, it becomes possible to display the mark which can accurately represent the state with respect to various various bodies, such as a fetus, for example.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing one embodiment of an ultrasonic tomographic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of an image plane of a TV monitor of the ultrasonic tomography apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a three-dimensional body mark image formed in a CPU of the ultrasonic tomographic apparatus according to the present invention and a rotation state thereof.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an aspect of a change of a body mark displayed on a TV monitor of the ultrasonic tomographic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a keyboard provided in the ultrasonic tomography apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 9A Monitor display surface 15 Trackball 16 Angle conversion key 17 Angle conversion key 18 Orientation inversion key 20 Ultrasound tomographic image 21 Body mark 31 Body mark three-dimensional image

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Masahiro Nagai 2-1 Shinjuyo, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture Hitachi Medical Corporation Osaka Plant Kashiwa Branch Plant (72) Inventor Satoshi Hanasaka 2-1 Shinjuyoji, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture Stock Hitachi Medical Corporation Osaka Plant Kashiwa Branch Plant (56) References JP-A-60-66735 (JP, A) JP-A-64-86950 (JP, A) 3-78513 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 8/00-8/15

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to a test object from an arbitrary direction based on a reflected echo signal from an ultrasonic probe.
Means for generating an ultrasonic image of the test object, means for storing outer shape information simulating the outer shape of the test object, and
Means for generating a body mark image of the object,
In an ultrasonic tomographic apparatus including a unit that displays a sound image and the body mark image , the storage unit simulates a three-dimensional image of an outer shape of the test object.
Means for storing three-dimensional outer shape information,
The image generating means is a three-dimensional image imitating the outer shape of the test object.
At least one of the X axis, Y axis or Z axis
Means for generating a body mark image about the axis of rotation;
Means for outputting, to the display means, a body mark image viewed in the same direction as the displayed ultrasonic image . 2. An ultrasonic probe for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to a test object.
From any direction based on the reflected echo signal from
Means for generating an ultrasonic image of the test object, and an outer shape of the test object
Means for storing outer shape information imitating
Means for generating a body mark image of the object,
Means for displaying a sound wave image and the body mark image
In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the storage unit imitates a three-dimensional image of the outer shape of the test object.
Means for storing three-dimensional outer shape information,
The image generating means is a three-dimensional image imitating the outer shape of the test object.
In the same direction as the ultrasonic image displayed by coordinate transformation for
Means for outputting a visual body mark image to the display means.
An ultrasonic tomography apparatus characterized by the following.