JP4429458B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that displays an ultrasonic tomogram of a subject using a reflected echo signal transmitted and received from a probe into the subject and measures a target region, and more particularly, an ultrasonic wave The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that varies the moving speed of a measurement marker in accordance with the luminance of pixels of a tomographic image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in a subject, means for processing the received reflected echo signal to form an image signal, and processing the formed image signal. It comprises means for displaying as an ultrasonic tomographic image and means for measuring the target region based on the displayed ultrasonic tomographic image, and the means for measuring the target region is displayed on the screen of the display means. And a pointing device for operating the measured measurement marker. When measuring the target region of the subject using such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the measuring device on the screen is moved by operating the pointing device, and the two points on the ultrasonic tomographic image are adjusted. The length of the target part was measured from the moving distance.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the measurement marker is moved in this manner, the moving speed of the measurement marker depends only on the speed at which the trackball is rotated, for example, when a trackball is used as a pointing device. That is, if the speed at which the trackball is rotated is slow, the moving speed of the measuring marker is slow, and conversely, if the rotating speed is fast, the measuring marker moves fast. Therefore, in order to precisely adjust the measurement marker to the position of the target site on the tomographic image, the trackball must be slowly rotated to make fine adjustments, and conversely, the measurement marker is moved quickly over a long distance. Had to turn the trackball quickly. In addition, if the moving speed of the measurement marker is adjusted with respect to the speed at which the trackball is rotated and the moving speed is slowed down so that precise positioning of the measuring marker is possible, it takes time to move a long distance, and vice versa. In addition, if the moving speed is increased so that the measuring marker can be moved quickly, there is a problem that it is difficult to perform fine alignment.
[0004]
Therefore, the present invention addresses such a problem, and changes the moving speed of the measurement marker according to the luminance of the pixels of the ultrasonic tomographic image displayed on the screen of the display device, so that the target region of the subject An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of accurately and quickly measuring the above.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention forms an image signal by processing an ultrasonic transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving an ultrasonic wave into a subject with a probe and processing the received reflected echo signal. Image processing means, display means for displaying the image signal as an ultrasonic tomographic image, measuring means for displaying a measurement marker on the ultrasonic tomographic image, and measuring a target region based on the measurement marker, An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an operation means for moving the measurement marker, wherein when the measurement marker is located at a measurement portion, the moving speed of the measurement marker is decreased and the measurement marker is located at a position other than the measurement portion. In this case , means for changing the moving speed of the measuring marker according to the luminance of the pixels of the tomographic image is provided so as to increase the moving speed of the measuring marker. In addition, an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives ultrasonic waves in the subject with the probe, an image processing unit that processes the received reflected echo signal to form an image signal, and this image signal as an ultrasonic tomographic image Ultrasound diagnosis comprising: display means for displaying; measurement means for displaying a measurement marker on the ultrasonic tomographic image; measuring means for measuring a target region based on the measurement marker; and operating means for moving the measurement marker an apparatus, the measurement in the case of a movement signal of the measuring markers obtained from the operating means into a basic speed signal, the coordinates of the measuring markers obtained from the image processing means is positioned in the measurement part and the moving speed of the use marker control means when located other than the measurement portion for converting the coefficient luminance information of the pixels so that the moving speed of the measuring markers , And a integrator for integrating the coefficients to the basic speed signal, said measuring means are those based on the integrated value obtained by the integrating means changing the movement speed of the measurement markers.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus displays an ultrasonic image tomographic image of a subject using a reflected echo signal transmitted and received within the subject and measures a target region. The sound wave transmitting / receiving unit 2, the image processing unit 3, the display device 4, the console 5, and the control unit 6 are provided, and a storage device 7 is further provided.
[0007]
The probe 1 transmits an ultrasonic wave toward the target part of the subject and receives a reflected echo signal that is returned from the transmitted ultrasonic wave reflected by the target part, and converts it into a received signal. Although not shown in the figure, a transducer is provided inside the ultrasonic wave generation source and receives a reflected echo signal.
[0008]
The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 supplies a transmission signal to the probe 1 and amplifies a reception signal input from the probe 1 to form tomographic image information. It has a transmission circuit that forms a transmission signal, a reception amplifier that amplifies the input reception signal, and a control circuit that controls them using a transmission / reception control signal input from the control unit 6 described later.
[0009]
The image processing unit 3 processes the tomographic image information formed by the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 and marker coordinate information calculated by a marker coordinate calculation unit 9 described later to form an image signal and the screen of the display device 4. The luminance signal of the pixel at the coordinates of the measurement marker displayed on is sent to the control unit 6.
[0010]
The display device 4 inputs the image signal formed by the image processing unit 3 and displays it on the screen as an ultrasonic tomographic image of the target site and a measurement marker, and is composed of, for example, a CRT.
[0011]
The console 5 is an input device for operating the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and includes a pointing device 8. The pointing device 8 is used to move a measurement marker displayed on the display device 4 and includes, for example, a trackball, a mouse, a joystick, and the like. The pointing device 8 generates a movement signal corresponding to the amount to be operated, and the movement signal is sent to the control unit 6.
[0012]
The control unit 6 sends a transmission / reception control signal to the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 in order to control each component of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and inputs the luminance signal of the pixel at the coordinates of the measurement marker from the image processing unit 3. Then, a movement signal is inputted from the pointing device 8 and converted into a basic speed signal V0, and marker coordinate information is calculated from the basic speed signal V0 and sent to the image processing unit 3 inside. A marker coordinate calculation unit 9 is provided. The console 5 and the control unit 6 constitute means for measuring a target region.
[0013]
Here, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, the storage device 7 and the integrator 10 are provided as means for changing the moving speed of the measurement marker according to the luminance of the pixels of the tomographic image. The storage device 7 stores data of a conversion table for taking a pixel luminance signal from the control unit 6 and converting it into a moving speed coefficient K. For example, a conversion table 11 as shown in FIG. 2 is stored. ing. The accumulator 10 accumulates the moving speed coefficient K on the basic speed signal V0 obtained by converting the moving signal from the pointing device 8 to form a marker moving speed signal Vm. Depending on the value of the marker movement speed signal Vm, the movement speed of the measurement marker changes.
[0014]
An operation of displaying an ultrasonic tomogram of a subject and measuring a target site using the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured as described above will be described below. First, referring to FIG. 1, the probe 1 receives a transmission signal from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 and transmits an ultrasonic wave toward a target site of the subject, and the transmitted ultrasonic wave is transmitted from the target site. The reflected echo signal that has been reflected and returned is received, the received reflected echo signal is converted into a received signal, and sent to the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving unit 2. Here, transmission / reception of transmission signals and reception signals in the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 is controlled by a transmission / reception control signal transmitted from the control unit 6. The received signal is amplified by the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 and sent to the image processing unit 3 as tomographic image information of the target region of the subject. This tomographic image information is processed by the image processing unit 3 together with marker coordinate information sent from a marker calculation unit 9 described later, and converted into an image signal. This image signal is displayed on the display device 4 as a measurement marker that moves on the tomographic image together with the ultrasonic tomographic image of the target region of the subject.
[0015]
Here, the measurement marker displayed on the screen of the display device 4 is moved by operating the pointing device 8 provided on the console 5. At this time, the moving speed of the measurement marker changes according to the luminance of the pixel at the coordinates of the measurement marker displayed on the screen. For example, the measurement marker moves slowly in a bright portion with high brightness on the ultrasonic tomogram, and conversely, the measurement marker moves quickly in a dark portion with low brightness on the ultrasonic tomogram.
[0016]
Next, a state in which the moving speed of the measurement marker changes in accordance with the luminance of the pixel at the coordinates located on the ultrasonic tomographic image will be described. Here, it is assumed that a trackball is used as the pointing device 8 for moving the measurement marker. When the operator rotates the trackball, a signal indicating the number of rotations is sent to the control unit 6. The signal of the rotational speed of the trackball is converted into a basic speed signal V0 by the control unit 6 and sent to the accumulator 10. On the other hand, the luminance signal of the pixel at the coordinates of the measurement marker on the ultrasonic tomographic image is sent from the image processing unit 3 to the control unit 6, and this luminance signal is converted into the conversion table 11 (see FIG. 2) is converted into a movement speed coefficient K and sent to the integrator 10. Then, the accumulator 10 obtains the marker moving speed signal Vm using the basic speed signal V0 and the moving speed coefficient K. This marker moving speed signal Vm is a signal that finally determines the moving speed of the measurement marker, and is calculated by the following equation (1).
Vm = K × V0 (1)
[0017]
In the above equation (1), since the moving speed coefficient K is determined according to the luminance signal of the pixel, the marker moving speed signal Vm corresponds to the luminance signal of the pixel at the coordinates of the measurement marker on the ultrasonic tomogram. Change. In the marker coordinate calculation unit 9, marker coordinate information is calculated from the marker movement speed signal Vm. The marker coordinate information is processed by the image processing unit 3 and displayed on the display device 4 as a measurement marker.
[0018]
Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a specific example of an operation for changing the moving speed of the measurement marker 12 according to the luminance of the pixel of the ultrasonic tomographic image will be described. FIG. 3 is an ultrasonic tomographic image of, for example, a fetal head displayed on the display device 4 shown in FIG. In general obstetric measurement, the lateral meridian and anteroposterior diameter of the skull are measured to diagnose the growth stage of the fetus. For this purpose, accurate and rapid measurement of the target region of the subject is desired. In the ultrasonic tomographic image of the fetal head shown in FIG. 3, the portion of the skull 13 indicated by the thick line has a high luminance, and the luminance of the other portions is low.
[0019]
The change in the moving speed of the measurement marker 12 in such a case will be described with reference to the above equation (1) and FIG. For example, if the measurement marker 12 is located away from the fetal skull 13 and the luminance signal of the pixel at that coordinate is 0, the moving speed coefficient K at that time is 1, so the above equation (1) Accordingly, the measurement marker moving speed signal Vm has the same value as the basic speed signal V0. That is, the measurement marker moves by the amount of rotation of the trackball. Conversely, if the measurement marker 12 is located near the fetal skull 13 and the luminance of the pixel at that coordinate is 15, the moving speed coefficient at that time is 1/16. Accordingly, the measurement marker moving speed Vm becomes a value of 1/16 of the basic speed signal V0. That is, the measurement marker moves at a speed that is 1/16 of the rotational speed of the trackball.
[0020]
In the conversion table 11 shown in FIG. 2, the moving speed coefficient K is smaller as the pixel brightness is higher, and the moving speed coefficient K is larger as the pixel brightness is lower. Accordingly, the measurement marker 12 operates slowly in the vicinity of the skull 13, that is, in a bright portion where the luminance of the pixel is high and conversely moves quickly in a portion where the coordinate is low and the luminance of the pixel away from the skull 13. Since the moving speed of the measurement marker 12 changes in accordance with the luminance of the pixels of the tomographic image as described above, it is easy to move the trackball according to the tomographic image according to the conventional method, without causing the trackball to be moved or rotated quickly. Positioning becomes possible, and the measurement of the target part of the subject can be performed accurately and quickly. In this example, the range of the luminance signal of the pixel is set to 0 to 15, and a linear conversion table is used to convert the luminance signal of the pixel to the moving speed coefficient K. However, the conversion table to be used is Depending on the target site to be measured, the target site of the subject can be measured more accurately and quickly by using a wider range or non-linear one. The marker coordinate calculation unit 9 and the integration unit 10 can be realized by software.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, when measuring the target region of the subject, the moving speed of the measurement marker is determined according to the luminance of the pixels of the ultrasonic tomographic image displayed on the screen of the display device. The moving speed of the measuring part that is variable and precisely aligns the position of the measuring marker is slow, and the moving speed is fast except for the measuring part, so that the target part of the subject can be measured accurately and quickly. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a conversion table of moving speed coefficients stored in a storage device of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen display when a target region is measured by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Probe 2 ... Ultrasonic transmission / reception part 3 ... Image processing part 4 ... Display apparatus 5 ... Console 6 ... Control part 7 ... Storage device 8 ... Pointing device 9 ... Marker coordinate calculation part 10 ... Accumulator 11 ... Conversion table 12 ... Marker for measurement 13 ... Skull

Claims (2)

Ultrasonic transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves into the subject with the probe, image processing means for processing the received reflected echo signal to form an image signal, and displaying the image signal as an ultrasonic tomographic image An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: display means; measurement means for displaying a measurement marker on the ultrasonic tomographic image; measuring means for measuring a target region based on the measurement marker; and operating means for moving the measurement marker. When the measurement marker is located at the measurement portion, the movement speed of the measurement marker is slowed down, and when the measurement marker is located at a position other than the measurement portion, the movement speed of the measurement marker is fastened. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising means for changing the moving speed of the measurement marker according to the luminance of a pixel of a tomographic image. Ultrasonic transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves into the subject with the probe, image processing means for processing the received reflected echo signal to form an image signal, and displaying the image signal as an ultrasonic tomographic image An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: display means; measurement means for displaying a measurement marker on the ultrasonic tomographic image; measuring means for measuring a target region based on the measurement marker; and operating means for moving the measurement marker. When the movement signal of the measurement marker obtained from the operation means is converted into a basic speed signal, and the coordinates of the measurement marker obtained from the image processing means are located in the measurement portion, the measurement marker of the moving speed is slow, and a control unit when located other than the measurement portion for converting the coefficient luminance information of the pixels so that the moving speed of the measuring markers on An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an integrating unit that integrates the coefficient with a basic speed signal; and the measuring unit changes a moving speed of the measuring marker based on the integrated value obtained by the integrating unit. .

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