JP4530694B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that generates a three-dimensional image by three-dimensionally swinging an array transducer that transmits and receives echo signals two-dimensionally by driving a motor.

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a transmission / reception control unit 501 that controls transmission / reception of echoes of an array transducer (not shown) in a three-dimensional probe 500, and a motor that swings the array transducer in a three-dimensional direction. Swing control for notifying the three-dimensional calculation unit 507 of the position angle of the array transducer detected by a detection unit (not shown) that is controlled by driving and detects the position and angle of the array transducer (hereinafter also referred to as position angle). Unit 504, an image processing unit 502 and a DSC (Digital Scan Converter) unit 503 that convert a two-dimensional echo signal received by the transmission / reception control unit 501 via the array transducer into a two-dimensional image, a display unit 508 that displays an image, and a DSC Memory 505 for storing later two-dimensional image and corresponding position angle information, three-dimensional operation unit 507 for reading out two-dimensional image from memory 505 and constructing three-dimensional image, system The system control unit 506 controls the entire system, and the three-dimensional calculation unit 507 constructs a three-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional image stored in the memory 505 and the position angle information corresponding to the two-dimensional image. Such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-360666 (FIG. 1)

  However, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the array transducer is swung in the three-dimensional direction while electronically scanning the two-dimensional direction and transmitting and receiving two-dimensional echoes, it is captured. However, the two-dimensional echo is not uniform at the position of the added array transducer, and the difference in position occurs between the start and end of electronic scanning, so it was constructed without considering the difference in position. There is a problem that the three-dimensional image is slightly distorted.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and an object thereof is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of constructing a three-dimensional image with little distortion.

According to the present invention, an array transducer that transmits and receives echo signals in a two-dimensional manner is oscillated in a three-dimensional space around a predetermined axis in the two-dimensional plane by driving a motor, On the basis of the two-dimensional image obtained by converting the two-dimensional echo signal obtained in this manner and the position of the array transducer when the two-dimensional echo signal converted into the two-dimensional image is received by the array transducer. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for generating a three-dimensional image, based on a first predetermined reference, the oscillation of the array transducer is stopped in the three-dimensional space and is moved to a predetermined position within a swing angle range. Simultaneously with the first rocking by the step rocking means for controlling the movement and the step rocking means when the generation of the three-dimensional image is started, the echo signal is two-dimensionally applied to the array transducer. To send and receive At least via the array transducer that has started transmission / reception of the echo signal two-dimensionally based on the instruction signal during the stop of the swing controlled by the step swing means. A transmitter / receiver for receiving the two-dimensional echo signal having a capacity necessary for generating one screen of the two-dimensional image, and a DSC conversion based on the two-dimensional echo signal received by the transmitter / receiver. In addition, when it is determined that one of the two-dimensional images has been subjected to the swing process, the two-dimensional image having the same position angle information is read out, and the read-out two-dimensional image that is the second predetermined reference 2D images based on the 2D echo signal received second in time are selected, and the first and third and subsequent 2D images are invalidated in time. And, also, a selection means for selecting the two-dimensional image based on the second predetermined reference to invalid two-dimensional image is not having the information of the same position angle is controlled by the step moving means Based on the detection means for detecting the position of the array transducer while the oscillation is stopped, the two-dimensional image selected by the selection means, and the position of the array transducer detected by the detection means There is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a three-dimensional image generation means for generating the three-dimensional image. With this configuration, it is possible to construct a three-dimensional image with little distortion without the need for synchronous control of swing and stop.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention has the above configuration and can construct a three-dimensional image with little distortion.

<First Embodiment>
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation flow in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  First, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention includes a three-dimensional probe 100, a transmission / reception control unit 101, an image processing unit 102, a DSC unit 103, a step swing control unit 104, a memory 105, a system control unit 106, A three-dimensional calculation unit 107 and a display unit 108 are included. The three-dimensional probe 100 includes an array transducer (not shown) and has a position / angle detector 109 that detects the position and angle of the array transducer (hereinafter also referred to as a position angle). Based on an instruction from the system control unit 106, the transmission / reception control unit 101 performs array vibration on the array transducer of the three-dimensional probe 100 while the step oscillation control unit 104 stops swinging the array transducer. An instruction signal for transmitting and receiving an echo is transmitted by electronically scanning the child two-dimensionally, and a two-dimensional echo signal is received via an array transducer that has started two-dimensionally transmitting and receiving an echo based on the transmitted instruction signal. To do. In addition, the transmission / reception control unit 101 transmits to the image processing unit 102 the step swing control unit 104 added the position angle detected by the position angle detection unit 109 to the two-dimensional echo signal.

  The image processing unit 102 and the DSC unit 103 generate a two-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional echo signal to which the position angle received from the transmission / reception control unit 101 is added, and the generated two-dimensional image is information on the corresponding position angle. And stored in the memory 105. The step swing control unit 104 controls the stop and swing of the array transducer according to a specified interval from the system control unit 106, and is centered on a predetermined axis in a two-dimensional plane that transmits and receives two-dimensional echo signals. The array transducer is driven in a three-dimensional space. For example, the step swing control unit 104 assumes that the stop time of the array transducer is t seconds, and when the swing time is 10 times to acquire two-dimensional echo signals for 10 sheets by one way swing. The array transducer is driven in a three-dimensional direction as one time out of 10 times the swing time. A time corresponding to one of the stop time t seconds and the time of one one-way swing is equally divided into the designated intervals. Further, when the above-described rocking time is obtained by acquiring 10 two-dimensional echo signals by one one-way rocking, the position angle of one one-way rocking is divided into ten equal parts. It may be a position angle. In this case, the array transducer is oscillated during a position angle corresponding to one of the 10 equal parts. The “specified interval” corresponds to the above-described predetermined reference and the first predetermined reference.

  As described above, the system control unit 106 controls each element such as the transmission / reception control unit 101 as a whole. The three-dimensional calculation unit 107 reads out the two-dimensional image and the corresponding position angle stored in the memory 105, performs a three-dimensional calculation, and generates a three-dimensional image. The display unit 108 displays a 2D image when not in the 3D display mode, and displays the 3D image generated by the 3D calculation unit 107 when in the 3D display mode. Here, the transmission / reception control unit 101, the image processing unit 102, the DSC unit 103, the step swing control unit 104, the system control unit 106, the three-dimensional calculation unit 107, and the position angle detection unit 109 correspond to, for example, a CPU and a memory 105 Corresponds to, for example, an HDD, a ROM, or a RAM. The display unit 108 corresponds to, for example, a display.

  Next, an operation flow in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the step swing control unit 104 swings the array transducer of the three-dimensional probe 100 by the motor to the first two-dimensional echo transmission / reception position angle designated by the system control unit 106, and stops it. After that, the transmission / reception control unit 101 is notified by synchronous control (step S201). The transmission / reception control unit 101 instructs the array transducer to transmit and receive echoes two-dimensionally, and receives and receives at least one two-dimensional echo signal of a two-dimensional image via the array transducer. A two-dimensional echo signal is transmitted to the image processing unit 102 (step S202).

  At this time, the position angle of the array transducer detected by the position angle detection unit 109 is also transmitted in association with the two-dimensional echo signal. The image processing unit 102 and the DSC unit 103 perform image processing based on the received two-dimensional echo signal, and store the two-dimensional image and the corresponding position angle information in the memory 105 (step S203). Here, when the image display mode is the two-dimensional mode, the two-dimensional image stored in the memory 105 is displayed on the display unit 108. On the other hand, when the image display mode is the three-dimensional mode, the image is displayed on the display unit 108 by performing steps described later.

  The system control unit 106 determines whether or not one swing process has been completed (step S204). Here, one swing process refers to a swing process on one side of the forward path or the return path, for example. When the system control unit 106 determines that one swing process has been completed, the three-dimensional calculation unit 107 reads the two-dimensional image stored in the memory 105 and the corresponding position angle, performs three-dimensional calculation, and 3 A dimensional image is generated (step S205). The display unit 108 displays the three-dimensional image generated by the three-dimensional calculation unit 107 (step S206). When the system control unit 106 determines that one swing process has not been completed, the step swing control unit 104 moves the array transducer of the three-dimensional probe 100 to the next at a specified interval from the system control unit 106. The motor is swung to the transmission / reception position angle of the two-dimensional echo and stopped, and then notified to the transmission / reception control unit 101 by synchronous control (step S207). Similarly, step swing is repeated until the swing process on one side of the forward path or the return path is completed.

  In this way, the oscillation is stopped every time two-dimensional echo is transmitted / received, and the two-dimensional echo is transmitted / received in synchronization with the oscillation, so that a difference in position angle is not generated between the start and end of electronic scanning. Therefore, the same three-dimensional image can be generated on the forward and return paths. In the above description, the three-dimensional image is generated after one swing process is completed. However, the number of two-dimensional images necessary for generating the three-dimensional image is stored in the memory 105 even during the swing. Then, the same can be implemented by generating a three-dimensional image.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation flow in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a three-dimensional probe 300 including an array transducer (not shown) and a position angle detection unit 310, a transmission / reception control unit 301, an image processing unit 302, a DSC unit 303, and step swing control. A unit 304, a memory 305, a system control unit 306, a three-dimensional calculation unit 307, a display unit 308, and a selection unit 309. The selection unit 309 corresponds to, for example, a CPU. Other constituent elements are the same as those in the first embodiment, and are therefore omitted.

  Next, an operation flow in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the system control unit 306 instructs the step swing control unit 304 to start swinging the array transducer of the three-dimensional probe 300 and simultaneously transmits / receives the array vibration of the three-dimensional probe 300 to the transmission / reception control unit 301. The child is instructed to start transmission / reception of a two-dimensional echo (step S401). Based on an instruction from the system control unit 306, the step swing control unit 304 starts swinging the array transducer of the three-dimensional probe 300 by the motor to the transmission / reception position angle of the first two-dimensional echo, and the transmission / reception control unit 301. Transmits a two-dimensional echo transmission / reception instruction signal to the array transducer to start transmission / reception of the two-dimensional echo (step S402).

  The transmission / reception control unit 301 has a two-dimensional echo having a capacity necessary for generating at least one screen of a two-dimensional image via the array transducer while the swing is stopped by the step swing control unit 304. The signal is received and transmitted to the image processing unit 302 (step S403). The image processing unit 302 and the DSC unit 303 perform image processing based on the received two-dimensional echo signal, and store the two-dimensional image and the corresponding position angle information in the memory 305 (step S404). Here, the position angle information is detected by the position angle detection unit 310 as in the first embodiment. The system control unit 306 determines whether or not one swing process has been completed (step S405).

  When the system control unit 306 determines that one swing process has been completed, the selection unit 309 reads a two-dimensional image having the same position angle information stored in the memory 305, and out of the read two-dimensional images. The second received in time, that is, the two-dimensional image based on the second two-dimensional echo signal is selected, and the first and third first and third two-dimensional images are selected. Invalid. In addition, a two-dimensional image having no information on the same position angle is also invalidated (step S406). Here, the criterion for selecting the two-dimensional image in step S406 corresponds to the second predetermined criterion described above. The three-dimensional calculation unit 307 performs a three-dimensional calculation based on the two-dimensional image selected by the selection unit 309 and generates a three-dimensional image (step S407). The display unit 308 displays the three-dimensional image generated by the three-dimensional calculation unit 307 (step S408). On the other hand, when the system control unit 306 determines that one swing process has not been completed, the step swing control unit 304 moves the array transducer of the three-dimensional probe 300 at a specified interval from the system control unit 306. The motor swings to the next two-dimensional echo transmission / reception position angle and stops (step S409). Similarly, step swing is repeated until the swing process on one side of the forward path or the return path is completed.

  In the above description, the second image is valid for images having the same position angle information, that is, two-dimensional images in which the oscillation of the array transducer is stopped. This is because the oscillation and the transmission / reception of the two-dimensional echo by the array transducer are asynchronous, so the first two-dimensional image often starts halfway, and the last two-dimensional image ends halfway. This is because there are many cases. Therefore, even if any one of the first two-dimensional image and the two-dimensional image excluding the last two-dimensional image is validated, the same can be implemented. In the above description, the three-dimensional image is generated after one swing process is completed. However, if the number of two-dimensional images necessary for generating the three-dimensional image is stored even during the swing, the three-dimensional image is stored. It can be similarly implemented even if it is generated.

  Since the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention can construct a three-dimensional image with little distortion, a three-dimensional image is obtained by three-dimensionally swinging an array transducer that transmits and receives echoes two-dimensionally by driving a motor. It is useful for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that generates

The figure which shows the structure of the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the operation | movement flow in the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the operation | movement flow in the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus

Explanation of symbols

100, 300, 500 Three-dimensional probe (detection means)
101, 301, 501 Transmission / reception control unit (transmission / reception means)
102, 302, 502 Image processing unit 103, 303, 503 DSC unit 104, 304 Step swing control unit (step swing means)
105, 305, 505 Memory 106, 306, 506 System control unit 107, 307, 507 Three-dimensional operation unit (three-dimensional image generation means)
108, 308, 508 Display unit 109, 310 Position angle detection unit (detection means)
309 Selection unit (selection means)
504 Oscillation control unit

Claims (1)

A two-dimensional array obtained through the array transducer by oscillating an array transducer that transmits and receives echo signals two-dimensionally in a three-dimensional space around a predetermined axis in the two-dimensional plane by driving a motor. A three-dimensional image is generated based on the two-dimensional image obtained by converting the echo signal and the position of the array transducer when the two-dimensional echo signal converted into the two-dimensional image is received by the array transducer. In ultrasonic diagnostic equipment,
Step swinging means for controlling the stop of swinging of the array transducer and swinging to a predetermined position within a swing angle range in the three-dimensional space based on a first predetermined reference;
Simultaneously with the first swing by the step swing means when starting the generation of the three-dimensional image, an instruction signal for instructing the array transducer to transmit and receive the echo signal in two dimensions is transmitted. Then, during the stop of the swing controlled by the step swing means, at least the two-dimensional image of the two-dimensional image is transmitted through the array transducer that has started transmission and reception of the echo signal two-dimensionally based on the instruction signal. Transmitting / receiving means for receiving the two-dimensional echo signal having a capacity necessary for generating one screen;
In the two-dimensional image generated by DSC conversion based on the two-dimensional echo signal received by the transmission / reception means, when it is determined that one swing process has been completed, the same position angle information is included. A two-dimensional image is read out, and a second predetermined reference, a two-dimensional image based on a two-dimensional echo signal received second in time among the read out two-dimensional images, is selected. Based on the second predetermined criterion that invalidates the first and third two-dimensional images after the third, and invalidates the two-dimensional images having no information of the same position angle. Selecting means for selecting the two-dimensional image;
Detecting means for detecting the position of the array transducer during the stop of the swing controlled by the step swinging means;
Three-dimensional image generation means for generating the three-dimensional image based on the two-dimensional image selected by the selection means and the position of the array transducer detected by the detection means;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:

Images