JP4220892B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a conversion table for converting image information into a color display signal.

  In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a plurality of conversion tables (look-up tables and palette tables) are prepared for each display mode, and a specific conversion table selected by the user (or default selection) from these conversion tables is used. It is done. That is, image information is converted into a color display signal using the specific conversion table.

  For example, in the B mode, a color display signal (R value, G value, B value) is associated with each input signal value (echo value). As a conversion table, in addition to a table that performs only black and white conversion, a table that converts an input value to a luminance value of a blue color, a table that converts an input value to a luminance value of a flesh color color, and the like are prepared. By selecting the use conversion table according to the diagnosis purpose, user preference, measurement items in the display mode, etc., it is possible to select the color tone and expression method of the B-mode image.

  Also, for example, in the color flow mapping mode, in order to display the average velocity (and its positive / negative) and velocity dispersion as blood flow information at the same time, various conversion tables for expressing such information with hue and luminance are prepared. ing. The same applies to the power display mode, M mode, Doppler mode, 3D display mode, and the like.

  The conversion table as described above is preinstalled on the storage unit at the time of shipment of the device, can be installed externally to the device, and can be generated or modified by the user on the device. is there. Recently, a lot of conversion tables that can be used in each mode are stored on the ultrasonic diagnostic equipment against the background of the existence of various display modes, diversification of user preferences, diversification of ultrasonic diagnostic applications, etc. Yes.

  Incidentally, for the selected conversion table, a sample image (referred to as a gray scale bar, a color bar, a color mapping sample, etc.) representing the content is displayed on the display screen together with the ultrasonic image. The user can observe and evaluate the state of each part on the ultrasonic image from the luminance and hue using such a sample image as a reference. In addition, the contents of the conversion table currently used can be confirmed from such sample images.

  Conventionally, when a specific conversion table is selected and used from a plurality of conversion tables, the names of those conversion tables are displayed as a list, and by selecting a specific name from the list, A specific translation table was selected.

  The following Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a function capable of changing the contents of the conversion table. However, there is no disclosure of a technique for the convenience of the user when the user changes a specific conversion table, or a support technique for selecting a conversion table desired by the user without error.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-189958

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it easy for a user to easily select a desired conversion table when selecting one of a plurality of conversion tables.

(1) The present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that executes an ultrasound image display process using a specific conversion table selected from a plurality of conversion tables for converting image information into display signals. Sample image storage means for storing a plurality of sample images representing the contents of the conversion table; reference image display processing means for displaying a reference image having the plurality of sample images on a display screen when selecting the specific conversion table; And table setting means for setting, as the specific conversion table, a conversion table selected by a user who has referred to the reference image.

  According to the above configuration, the reference image is displayed when the conversion table is selected. The reference image includes a plurality of sample images representing the contents of a plurality of conversion tables. Therefore, since the user can observe or confirm the contents of each conversion table as a sample image, the conversion table can be selected easily and accurately. The reference image may be displayed on a display device on which an ultrasonic image is displayed, or may be displayed on a display device different from that. In the latter case, it is desirable to use a touch panel display. In this case, the conversion table can be selected by touching an icon corresponding to or including any sample image on the display screen. The sample image is preferably automatically generated when the conversion table is newly generated or registered and stored for later use, but may be generated when the reference image is displayed.

  Preferably, each conversion table is a color palette that generates a color display signal based on one or more source signals as the image information. The source signal may be a B-mode echo signal, a blood flow velocity signal, a velocity dispersion signal, or the like. The color display signal is composed of luminance values of the three primary colors R, G, and B. In the color flow mapping mode, when a black and white tomographic image and a color Doppler image are combined and displayed, display processing is performed using a separate conversion table for each image, and then the two images are combined. Alternatively, batch display processing may be performed using a single conversion table.

  Preferably, the reference image includes a plurality of icons with sample images corresponding to the plurality of sample images. If a sample image is embedded in a virtual operation button as an icon, a desired conversion table can be selected reliably and easily. The operation of the icon can be performed using a pointing device, or can be performed by directly touching the screen of a touch panel display.

  Preferably, each sample image is stored in the sample image storage unit while being associated with an operation mode, and the reference image is a current one of a plurality of sample images stored in the sample image storage unit. A plurality of sample images corresponding to a plurality of conversion tables usable in the operation mode are provided.

  According to the above configuration, only the sample images corresponding to the actually selectable conversion tables are displayed in the current situation, so that the operation can be facilitated. The operation mode serving as a determination criterion may be a display mode such as a B mode or a color flow mapping (CFM) mode, but may be a measurement mode (measurement item) that can be executed in each display mode. According to the latter, only the sample images corresponding to the conversion table used in each measurement mode are displayed, so that the selection can be made quickly, and the number of sample images displayed in the list can be reduced and the purpose can be reduced. Can be quickly identified.

  Note that sample images that do not fit on the display screen (or icons that include them) can be sequentially displayed by switching the display plane. Alternatively, all sample images to be displayed may be displayed simultaneously by dynamically changing the size of each sample image in accordance with the number of sample images to be displayed simultaneously. Further, each sample image may be displayed in the order of past selection frequencies by using a learning function.

  Preferably, the image processing device includes sample image creation means for newly generating a sample image from the generated conversion table or input from the outside and additionally registering the sample image in the sample image storage means. Preferably, the sample image generating means generates the sample image by generating color low-resolution data based on the generated or externally input conversion table.

  When the conversion table is configured as a color palette, color values (a combination of R value, G value, and B value) are stored in each cell (each coordinate) configuring the conversion table. Therefore, if each color value is mapped as a pixel value, the contents of the conversion table can be configured as an image. At that time, if conversion processing to low resolution is performed by processing such as pixel thinning, a sample image as a reduced image can be generated.

  Preferably, the sample image generation unit generates color low resolution data corrected in consideration of characteristics of a display on which the ultrasonic image is displayed. For example, when an ultrasonic image is displayed on the first display and a reference image is displayed on the second display, an ultrasonic image according to the sample image selected by the user is obtained due to the difference in characteristics of the two displays. It may not be possible. Therefore, in order to compensate for the difference in the characteristics, the color expression on the first display and the color expression on the second display are displayed on the second display so as to match as much as possible. This is to correct the color tone of the sample image.

  Preferably, a first display for displaying a sample image corresponding to the specific conversion table together with the ultrasonic image, a second display for displaying the reference image when selecting the specific conversion table, including. Preferably, the second display is a touch panel display.

(2) Further, the present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that executes an ultrasonic image display process using a specific conversion table selected from a plurality of conversion tables for converting image information into a display signal. Sample image storage means for storing a plurality of sample images representing the contents of the conversion table, a first display for displaying the ultrasonic image and a sample image corresponding to the specific conversion table, and the specific conversion When selecting a table, reference image display processing means for forming a reference image including a plurality of sample image-attached icons each having the plurality of sample images, the reference image being displayed, and the plurality of sample image-attached icons Touch that outputs a selection signal indicating the icon with a specific sample image selected by the user in A second indicator panel type, characterized in that it comprises a, a table setting means for setting a conversion table is specified as the specific conversion table by the selection signal.

  Preferably, each icon with a sample image includes an identifier for identifying the sample image included therein.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when any one conversion table is selected from a plurality of conversion tables, a desired conversion table can be easily selected for the convenience of the user.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration thereof.

  The probe 10 is an ultrasonic probe that is used in contact with the body surface or inserted into a body cavity. The transmission / reception unit 12 functions as a transmission beam former and a reception beam former. The reception signal output from the transmission / reception unit 12 is output to the luminance signal processing unit 14 and the Doppler processing unit 16.

  The luminance signal processing unit 14 is configured as a signal processing circuit such as a detector or a logarithmic converter, and in this embodiment, signal processing for forming a B-mode image is executed. The received signal (echo data) subjected to signal processing is output to a digital scan converter (DSC) 18. The DSC 18 has a coordinate conversion function and an interpolation processing function from a transmission / reception coordinate system to a display coordinate system. The echo data E after the coordinate conversion is output to the display processing unit 22.

  On the other hand, the Doppler processing unit 16 includes, for example, an orthogonal detector, an autocorrelation calculator, and the like, and calculates blood flow information, specifically velocity information and velocity dispersion information, based on Doppler information included in the received signal. Circuit. These pieces of information are input to the DSC 20 and, like the DSC 18, processing such as coordinate conversion is performed on the input information. The processed information is output to the display processing unit 22. In the present embodiment, the speed information V and the distribution information D are output to the display processing unit 22.

  Of course, each of the above-described configurations operates in accordance with the display mode designated by the user. For example, when the B mode is selected, the configuration for forming the B-mode image operates. On the other hand, when the color flow mapping mode is selected, each component shown in FIG. 1 operates so that a color blood flow image is synthesized with the B-mode image.

  The display processing unit 22 is a unit that processes image data output to the main display 28, and in the present embodiment, includes a table storage unit 24 and a composition processing unit 26.

  The table storage unit 24 is configured as a memory that stores a conversion table stored by the operation of the control unit 30 described later. The conversion table is configured as a lookup table or a color palette, and generates a color display signal corresponding to input information (source signal). In this case, in the color flow mapping mode, there are a conversion table for performing color display processing on the echo data E and a conversion table for performing color display processing on blood flow information, that is, velocity information V and dispersion information D. Both of them may be stored in the table storage unit 24, and each piece of information may be processed separately.

  A color display signal is generated by the table storage unit 24. Specifically, the color display signal is composed of an R value, a G value, and a B value. Such a color display signal is output to the composition processing unit 26.

  The synthesis processing unit 26 synthesizes the ultrasonic image represented by the color display signal and the graphic image output from the control unit 30, and outputs the ultrasonic image data obtained by synthesizing the graphic image to the main display 28. . The graphic image includes a sample image described later.

  The main display 28 is constituted by a CRT in this embodiment, and the ultrasonic image 28A and the sample image 28B described above are displayed on the display screen. The sample image 28 is conventionally called a color bar or a scale bar, and expresses the contents of the conversion table stored in the table storage unit 24 in black and white or color as a reduced image. A specific example of this will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The control unit 30 is constituted by a CPU and an operation program. In FIG. 1, the functions of the control unit 30 are shown as blocks. In this embodiment, the control unit 30 includes a table selection unit 32, a table setting unit 34, a table creation unit 36, a sample image creation unit 38, a UI (user interface) image creation unit 40, a graphic image creation unit 42, and the like. .

  A sub display 44 configured as a touch panel is connected to the control unit 30. That is, the sub display unit 44 has both a touch panel and a display screen. In the present embodiment, a reference image can be displayed on the touch panel 44. The reference image has a plurality of icons as indicated by reference numeral 45 in the figure, and each icon has a sample image representing the contents of the conversion table. This will be described in detail later.

  A storage device 46 is connected to the control unit 30. The storage device 46 stores a conversion table group 48 and a sample image group 50. The conversion table group 48 includes a plurality of conversion tables 48A, and the sample image group 50 includes a plurality of sample images 50A. A sample image 50A is associated with one conversion table 48A as its reference image.

  The conversion table 48A corresponds to a storage of color pixel values in each cell included therein, that is, an image can be constructed from the contents of the conversion table. By performing low resolution conversion on the image and generating a reduced image, a sample image can be generated.

  In the present embodiment, each conversion table and each sample image are associated with an operation mode in which it can be used. That is, when a certain operation mode is specified, one or a plurality of conversion tables usable in the operation mode can be specified, and at the same time, one or a plurality of sample images corresponding to the conversion table can be specified.

  An operation panel 31 having a trackball and a keyboard is connected to the control unit 30. The control unit 30 is connected to a signal line 33 for receiving the contents of the conversion table from an external storage medium or a network.

  The function which the control part 30 has is demonstrated. In this embodiment, the table selection unit 32 is a unit that selects a conversion table corresponding to a specific sample image selected by the user using the touch panel 44. In this embodiment, the conversion table is selected by selecting an icon on the touch panel 44. Of course, an icon or a button corresponding thereto is displayed on the main display 28 using a trackball or the like of the operation panel 31. By selecting, the conversion table to be used may be selected.

  The table setting unit 34 is a unit that reads the conversion table selected as described above from the storage device 46 and stores it in the table storage unit 24.

  The table creation unit 36 is a unit that creates a new conversion table by user input or by modifying a conversion table that has already been created.

  The sample image creation unit 38 executes the above-described reduced image generation processing by low resolution conversion based on the contents of the conversion table, thereby generating a sample image. Normally, a sample image is automatically generated at the time when the conversion table is registered in the storage unit 46, but it is of course possible to generate the sample image when necessary.

  The UI image creation unit 40 is a unit that creates a UI image to be displayed on the touch panel 44 in the present embodiment. A specific example of this UI image will be described later with reference to FIG. 3. The UI image functions as a reference image, and the image includes a plurality of icons with sample images. The user can directly refer to the sample image in each icon and select a target conversion table quickly and without error by operating one of the icons.

  The graphic image creation unit 42 is a unit that generates a graphic image to be output to the synthesis processing unit 26. Such graphic images include the above-described sample images in addition to text data and the like. The sample image is associated with the conversion table used in the color display processing of the ultrasonic image. The user can evaluate the ultrasonic image by referring to such a sample image.

  FIG. 2 shows some examples of sample images. (A) shows an image conventionally referred to as a gray scale or a scale bar. The vertical axis in the sample image corresponds to the magnitude of the echo, that is, the luminance associated with the magnitude of the echo is expressed in the form of a gradient. Conventionally, a bar for observing a B-mode image as shown in (A) as a simple black-and-white image has been configured. However, in recent years, a B-mode image is displayed using a blue color or a skin color. In this embodiment, such various conversion tables are also provided, and sample images are generated for the respective conversion tables.

  The sample image shown in FIG. 2B shows a color bar when only the blood flow velocity is expressed using red and blue in the Doppler mode. The vertical axis corresponds to speed, with the upper side corresponding to the positive direction and the lower side corresponding to the negative direction. In the positive direction, the speed is represented by red luminance, and in the negative direction, the speed is represented by blue luminance. However, a color Doppler image with improved visibility may be configured by slightly changing the hue in such speed display, and such a conversion table is also provided in the apparatus of this embodiment. Yes.

  The sample image shown in FIG. 2C is a color bar 64 for simultaneously displaying both speed and dispersion information in the color Doppler mode. The vertical axis corresponds to the velocity axis, and the horizontal axis corresponds to the dispersion axis. In the vertical axis direction, the magnitude of the speed is represented by luminance in both the positive direction and the negative direction, and in the axial direction of dispersion, the magnitude of dispersion is represented by a hue change. Although such an expression form itself is known, in this embodiment, various conversion tables, that is, color bars 64 are provided corresponding to various measurements.

  FIG. 3 shows a specific example of the reference image 100 displayed on the touch panel in the present embodiment. The reference image 100 includes a measurement item list 102 and an icon list 104. The measurement item list 102 is displayed when, for example, a display mode such as the B mode is selected, and measurement items that can be executed in the display mode are represented as icons 103, respectively. For example, when a specific icon is selected, an icon list 104 for specifying a plurality of conversion tables that can be used when executing the measurement item is displayed. The icon list 104 includes a plurality of icons 106 as illustrated, and each icon has a sample image therein. Each icon is associated with a conversion table. That is, when any icon is selected, a conversion table associated with the icon is selected.

  In FIG. 4, the content of one icon 106 displayed in the icon list 104 is shown as an enlarged view. As described above, the icon 106 has the sample image 108 representing the contents of the conversion table associated therewith, and further has an identifier 110 representing the name of the conversion table. In this way, since each icon 106 has a sample image 108 representing the contents of the conversion table, even if the user does not recognize the name or identifier of the conversion table, the conversion that the user wants to select from visual observation of the sample image 108. The table can be quickly and easily specified.

  In the present embodiment, a reference image as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the touch panel 44, and when any icon is selected, a selection signal representing it is output to the control unit 30. The control unit 30 selects a conversion table in accordance with such a selection signal, reads it from the storage device 46 and sets it in the table storage unit 24. Thereby, the conversion table acts on the information input to the table storage unit 24, and as a result, a color display signal is generated. As described above, the reference image may be displayed on the main display 28. Then, any icon, that is, a thumbnail image may be selected using a pointing device, and thereby the conversion table may be specified.

  In the icon 106 shown in FIG. 4, the background color of the sample image 108 and the identifier 110 is switched from, for example, green to orange when the icon is selected. On the other hand, in order to allow the sample image 108 to be observed under conditions close to the actual image observation state, the background color can be black. Then, when an icon is selected, the brightness of the background color may be slightly raised and highlighted. Alternatively, the entire icon may be expressed larger as a sample image, and an identifier may be overwritten and combined with the sample image as necessary. According to such a configuration, the sample image can be greatly expressed using the entire area or the main part of the icon, and thus there is an advantage that visibility can be improved.

1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows various sample images. It is explanatory drawing which shows the specific example of a reference image. It is an enlarged view which shows the specific example of the icon with a sample image.

Explanation of symbols

  10 probe, 22 display processing unit, 24 table storage unit, 26 synthesis processing unit, 28 main display unit, 30 control unit, 32 table selection unit, 34 table setting unit, 36 table creation unit, 38 sample image creation unit, 40 UI Image creation unit, 42 Graphic image creation unit, 44 Touch panel (sub-display), 46 Storage device.

Claims (8)

In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that executes display processing of an ultrasonic image using a specific conversion table selected from a plurality of conversion tables that convert image information into a display signal,
Sample image storage means for storing a plurality of sample images representing the contents of the plurality of conversion tables;
When selecting the specific conversion table , a reference image display that displays on the display screen a reference image having an item list including a plurality of items indicating executable operations and an icon list including a plurality of icons with sample images Processing means;
Table setting means for setting a conversion table selected by the user who referred to the reference image as the specific conversion table;
Including
Each conversion table is a color palette that generates a color display signal based on one or more source signals as the image information,
Each sample image, Ri image der representing a plurality of color pixel values constituting the color palette as a reduced image,
When a specific item is selected from the item list, the reference image display processing unit has a plurality of conversion tables corresponding to a plurality of conversion tables that can be used when the specific item is executed as the icon list. The specific conversion table is selected by displaying an icon with a sample image and selecting an icon with a specific sample image from among them.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The apparatus of claim 1.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a sample image creating means for newly generating a sample image from a generated or externally inputted conversion table and additionally registering the sample image in the sample image storage means. The apparatus of claim 2 .
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the sample image creating means generates the sample image by generating color low resolution data based on the generated or externally input conversion table. The apparatus of claim 3 .
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the sample image generation means generates color low-resolution data corrected in consideration of characteristics of a display on which the ultrasonic image is displayed. The apparatus of claim 1.
A first display for displaying a sample image corresponding to the specific conversion table together with the ultrasonic image;
A second display for displaying the reference image when selecting the specific conversion table;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the second display is configured by a touch panel display. In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that executes display processing of an ultrasonic image using a specific conversion table selected from a plurality of conversion tables that convert image information into a display signal,
Sample image storage means for storing a plurality of sample images representing the contents of the plurality of conversion tables;
A first display for displaying the ultrasonic image and a sample image corresponding to the specific conversion table;
When selecting the specific conversion table, a reference that forms a reference image including a measurement item list including a plurality of items indicating executable operations and a list of icons with a plurality of sample images each having a plurality of sample images Image display processing means;
A touch-panel-type second display that displays the reference image and outputs a selection signal indicating a user-selected icon with a sample image among the plurality of icons with a sample image;
Table setting means for setting a conversion table specified by the selection signal as the specific conversion table;
Including
Each conversion table is a color palette that generates a color display signal based on one or more source signals as the image information,
Each sample image, Ri image der representing a plurality of color pixel values constituting the color palette as a reduced image,
The reference image display processing unit corresponds to a plurality of conversion tables that can be used when the specific item is executed as the icon list when a specific item is selected from the measurement item list. The specific conversion table is selected by displaying a plurality of icons with sample images and selecting a specific sample image icon from among them.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The apparatus of claim 7 .
Each of the icons with a sample image includes an identifier for identifying a sample image included therein.

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