JP5489154B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and control program therefor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that images an echo signal from a contrast medium in a subject and a control program thereof.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus contacts an ultrasonic probe with the body surface of the subject, transmits ultrasonic waves into the subject, and creates an image based on the obtained echo signal. In such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that transmits an ultrasonic wave by injecting a contrast medium into a blood vessel and displays an image created based on the echo signal.

JP 2009-142474 A

  By the way, when observing an image of an organ in which a contrast medium is widely distributed, such as the liver, especially when the concentration of the contrast medium is increased, the transmitted ultrasonic wave is attenuated and scattered by the contrast medium. As a result, the image quality of the image in the deep part (the part far from the body surface) in the subject may deteriorate, and the observation may be hindered.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of obtaining an image having a good image quality over a wide range in the depth direction from a shallow part to a deep part in a subject into which a contrast medium has been injected, and a control program therefor Is to provide.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. The invention of the first aspect includes a destructive ultrasonic wave that destroys a contrast agent in living tissue and a non-destructive ultrasonic wave that does not destroy the contrast agent. A transmitting unit for transmitting, a first image data generating unit for generating first image data based on an echo signal for the non-destructive ultrasonic wave transmitted before the destructive ultrasonic wave is transmitted, and the destructive ultrasonic wave A second image data creation unit that creates second image data based on an echo signal for the non-destructive ultrasound transmitted after being transmitted, and the first image data and the second image data are combined and combined An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a composite image data creation unit that creates image data.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the composite image data creation unit includes partial first image data of a portion of the first image data closer to the body surface in the subject, In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the combined image data is generated by combining the second image data with partial second image data of a portion far from the body surface in the subject.

  According to a third aspect of the invention, in the second aspect of the invention, in the composite image data, the partial first image data and the partial second image data have a region overlapping in the depth direction of the subject. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is characterized in that they are in contact with each other at the boundary portion.

  According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the second aspect of the invention, in the composite image data, the partial first image data and the partial second image data have a region where they overlap each other in the depth direction of the subject. This is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  The invention of the fifth aspect is the invention of any one of the second to fourth aspects, wherein the range in the depth direction of the partial first image data and the partial second image data is after the transmission of the destructive ultrasound The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is determined based on the brightness of the image data created based on the echo signal obtained in the above.

  The invention of the sixth aspect is the invention of the fifth aspect, wherein the range in the depth direction of the partial first image data and the partial second image data has a maximum luminance on each sound ray in the image data. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized by being determined on the basis of a portion.

  According to a seventh aspect of the invention, in the fifth aspect of the invention, the range in the depth direction of the partial first image data and the partial second image data is greater than a predetermined luminance on each sound ray in the image data. This is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus determined on the basis of the heightened portion.

  According to an eighth aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the composite image creation unit creates the composite image data by combining the entire first image data and the entire second image data. This is a characteristic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  The invention according to a ninth aspect is the invention according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the first image data and the second image data are raw data before an echo signal is scan-converted or after scan-conversion. This is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that the data is any one of the following data.

  The invention of the tenth aspect is characterized in that a computer transmits a destructive ultrasonic wave that destroys a contrast agent in a living tissue and a non-destructive ultrasonic wave that does not destroy the contrast agent, and the destructive ultrasonic wave is transmitted. A first image data creation function for creating first image data based on an echo signal for the non-destructive ultrasonic wave transmitted before the destructive ultrasonic wave, and for the non-destructive ultrasonic wave transmitted after the destructive ultrasonic wave is transmitted A second image data creation function for creating second image data based on an echo signal; and a composite image data creation function for creating composite image data by synthesizing the first image data and the second image data. A control program for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that is executed.

  According to the present invention, the first image data is created based on an echo signal for non-destructive ultrasound transmitted before the destructive ultrasound is transmitted. Therefore, the first image data includes image data based on an echo signal from a contrast agent on the side close to the body surface of the subject (shallow part in the subject). The second image data is created based on an echo signal for non-destructive ultrasound transmitted after the destructive ultrasound is transmitted. Therefore, since the contrast agent in the shallow part in the subject is destroyed by the destructive ultrasound, the transmitted ultrasound is not scattered or attenuated by the contrast agent in the shallow part in the subject, and the contrast agent It reaches deeper than the destroyed area. Thereby, the second image data includes image data based on an echo signal from the contrast agent on the side far from the body surface (the deep portion in the subject). As described above, the image displayed based on the synthesized image data obtained by synthesizing the first image data and the second image data has good image quality over a wide range in the depth direction from the shallow part to the deep part in the subject. Can be obtained.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the detail of the image process part in the ultrasonic diagnosing device shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the effect | action of the ultrasonic diagnosing device of 1st embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram which shows synthetic | combination image data. It is a graph which shows the brightness | luminance of the specific sound ray of the image data at the time of destruction. (A) is a conceptual diagram which shows 1st image data, (B) is a conceptual diagram which shows 2nd image data. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the composite image data produced after transmitting a destructive ultrasonic wave again after the composite image was once acquired. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the part which has the largest brightness | luminance in the image data at the time of destruction. (A) is a conceptual diagram showing the second image data obtained after transmission of the destructive ultrasound of the first loop, (B) is the second image data obtained after transmission of the destructive ultrasound of the second loop. FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the composite image data in a 1st modification. It is a graph which shows the brightness | luminance of the specific sound ray of the image data at the time of destruction in a 1st modification. In a 2nd modification, it is a graph which shows the brightness | luminance of the specific sound ray of 2nd image data. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the composite image data in a 3rd modification.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an ultrasonic probe 2, a transmission / reception unit 3, an echo signal processing unit 4, an image processing unit 5, a display unit 6, a control unit 7, and an operation unit 8.

  The ultrasonic probe 2 transmits an ultrasonic wave to the subject and receives an echo signal thereof. In addition, the transmission / reception unit 3 drives the ultrasonic probe 2 with a predetermined scan parameter, and scans the scan surface in an acoustic ray sequence with an ultrasonic beam. The transmission / reception unit 3 transmits the ultrasonic probe 2 so as to transmit a high acoustic pressure destructive ultrasonic wave Bu that destroys the contrast medium in the subject and a low sound pressure nondestructive ultrasonic wave NBu that does not destroy the contrast medium. A drive signal is output to The ultrasonic probe 2 and the transmission / reception unit 3 are an example of an embodiment of a transmission unit in the present invention, and the transmission function of the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu and the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu is a transmission function in the present invention. It is an example of an embodiment.

  Incidentally, the nondestructive ultrasonic wave NBu is transmitted before and after the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted, as will be described later. The nondestructive ultrasonic wave NBu transmitted before the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted is defined as a nondestructive ultrasonic wave NBu1, and the nondestructive ultrasonic wave NBu transmitted after the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted is a nondestructive ultrasonic wave. NBu2.

  Further, the transmission / reception unit 3 performs signal processing such as phasing addition processing on the echo signal obtained by the ultrasonic probe 2 and outputs the echo signal after the signal processing to the echo signal processing unit 4.

  The echo signal processing unit 4 performs signal processing such as logarithmic compression processing and envelope detection processing on the echo signal output from the transmission / reception unit 3 to create image data for each sound ray. In the echo signal processing unit 4, for example, when harmonics are imaged, the logarithmic compression processing described above may be performed, and signal processing for extracting the harmonics included in the echo signal may be performed. However, the echo signal processing unit 4 may perform other known signal processing for imaging the echo signal from the contrast agent.

  The echo signal processing unit 4 creates first image data G1d as the image data based on an echo signal for the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu1 transmitted before the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted (first image). Data creation function). The echo signal processing unit 4 creates second image data G2d as the image data based on an echo signal for the nondestructive ultrasonic wave NBu2 transmitted after the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted (second image data). Image data creation function). The echo signal processing unit 4 is an example of an embodiment of a first image data creation unit and a second image data creation unit in the present invention.

  Further, the echo signal processing unit 4 creates destruction-time image data GBd as the image data based on an echo signal for the destruction ultrasonic wave Bu.

  The image processing unit 5 includes a DSC (Digital Scan Converter), and the first image data G1d, the second image data G2d, and the image data GBd at the time of destruction generated by the echo signal processing unit 4, Scan conversion is performed to data of the first image G1, the second image G2, and the destruction time image GB displayed on the display unit 6. Further, the image processing unit 5 converts composite image data GCd described later into data of a composite image GC displayed on the display unit 6.

  The image processing unit 5 includes a memory 51 and a composite image data creation unit 52, as shown in FIG. The memory 51 stores the image data G1d, G2d, GBd. Here, each of the image data G1d, G2d, GBd stored in the memory 51 is data for each sound ray, and is data before being subjected to scan conversion by the DSC, that is, raw data (Raw Data). In the present invention, low data refers to data before an echo signal obtained by the ultrasonic probe 2 is scan-converted by the DSC.

  The composite image data creation unit 52 reads and synthesizes the image data G1d and G2d stored in the memory 51 to create composite image data GCd (composite image data creation function). The composite image data creation unit 52 is an example of an embodiment of the composite image data creation unit in the present invention.

  Incidentally, the composite image data GCd is composed of a part of the first image data G1d and a part of the second image data G2d as described later (see FIG. 4).

  The control unit 7 includes a CPU (CentRal Processing Unit), reads a control program stored in a storage unit (not shown), and transmits the transmission function, the first image data generation function, the second image data generation function, and the Functions in each part of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 including a composite image data creation function are executed. The operation unit 8 includes a keyboard and a pointing device (not shown) for the operator to input instructions and information.

  Now, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 of this example will be described. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, first, in step S1, the transmitting / receiving unit 3 transmits the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu1 from the ultrasonic probe 2, and the echo signal processing unit 4 executes the first signal based on the echo signal. Image data G1d is created. The first image data G1d is stored in the memory 51 and displayed on the display unit 6 as the first image G1.

  Incidentally, the transmission of the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu1 may be a transmission for one frame or a transmission for a plurality of frames.

  Here, the first image data G1d is created based on an echo signal for the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu1 transmitted before the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted. The image data based on the echo signal from the contrast agent in the (shallow part in the subject) is included. Therefore, the first image G1 has a good image quality in the shallow part in the subject. On the other hand, the first image G1 may not be able to obtain a good image quality due to the influence of the contrast medium on the side far from the body surface (the deep part in the subject).

  Next, in step 2, the transmission / reception unit 3 causes the ultrasonic probe 2 to transmit the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu, and the echo signal processing unit 4 creates the destructive image data GBd based on the echo signal. . The destruction-time image data GBd is also stored in the memory 51 and displayed on the display unit 6 as a destruction-time image GB.

  The destructive ultrasonic wave Bu may be transmitted for one frame, but it is preferable to transmit a plurality of frames in order to reliably destroy the contrast agent.

  Next, in step S3, the transmission / reception unit 3 transmits the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu2 from the ultrasonic probe 2, and the echo signal processing unit 4 creates the second image data G2d based on the echo signal. To do. The second image data G2d is stored in the memory 51 and displayed on the display unit 6 as the second image G2.

  Incidentally, the transmission of the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu2 may be a transmission for one frame or a transmission for a plurality of frames.

  Here, the second image data G2d is created based on an echo signal for the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu2 transmitted after the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted. Therefore, the shallow contrast agent in the subject is destroyed by the destructive ultrasound Bu, and thus the non-destructive ultrasound NBu2 is contrasted without being scattered or attenuated by the shallow contrast agent in the subject. It reaches deeper than the area where the agent is destroyed. As a result, the second image data G2d includes image data based on echo signals from a contrast agent in a deep part in the subject. Therefore, the second image G2 has a good image quality in the deep part in the subject.

  Incidentally, at the time of transmitting the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu2, the contrast agent in the shallow part in the subject is destroyed, so the echo signal for the non-destructive ultrasonic wave NBu2 is the echo signal from the contrast agent. Contains little image data based on it. Therefore, the second image G2 may not be able to obtain a good image quality in a shallow portion within the subject.

  Next, in step S4, the composite image data creation unit 52 creates the composite image data GCd and displays the composite image GC based on the composite image data GCd.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the composite image data GCd includes a shallow partial first image data g1d in the subject in the first image data G1d and a deep portion in the subject in the second image data G2d. Of the second partial image data g2d.

  Incidentally, FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram for explanation. Actually, the composite image data GCd, the first image data G1d, and the second image data G2d are data for each sound ray.

The creation of the composite image data GCd will be described in detail. First, the composite image data creation unit 52 has a range in the depth direction of the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d used to create the composite image data GCd based on the luminance of the destruction-time image data GBd. To decide. Specifically, in the image data GBd at the time of destruction, the portion having the maximum luminance is the portion in which the destruction of the most contrast agent is in progress, and the contrast agent is destroyed in a shallower portion than this portion. The contrast agent remains in the deep part. The composite image data creation unit 52 first identifies a portion br _MAX having the maximum luminance in the data for each sound ray constituting the destruction-time image data GBd. For example, when data in a certain sound ray has luminance as shown in FIG. 5, the portion x is a portion br _MAX having the maximum luminance. The composite image data creation unit 52 sets the portion corresponding to the portion br _MAX in the first image data G1d to the lower end L1D of the partial first image data g1d as shown in FIG. A portion corresponding to the portion br _MAX in the second image data G2d is set as an upper end L2U of the partial second image data g2d as shown in FIG. 6B. Thereby, the range of the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d used as the composite image data GCd is specified.

  6A and 6B are conceptual diagrams for explanation, and actually, the first image data G1d and the second image data G2d are data for each sound ray.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the composite image data creation unit 52 composes the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d to create composite image data GCd. In the composite image data GCd, the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d are in contact with each other at the boundary portion L without having an overlapping region in the depth direction of the subject. The composite image data GCd is scan-converted by DSC and displayed on the display unit 6 as a composite image GC (not shown).

  After the composite image is displayed on the display unit 6 in step S4, in step S5, when the operator inputs an instruction to redisplay the composite image in the operation unit 8 (YES in step S5), the process proceeds to step S2. Returning to the process, the processes in steps S2 to S4 are repeated again. For example, when the contrast agent is not sufficiently destroyed and the image quality of the composite image GC at a portion far from the body surface is not good, the operator inputs a re-display instruction. On the other hand, if the input for redisplaying the composite image is not made in step S5 (NO in step S5), the process ends.

  Here, returning to the process of step S2, the case where the processes of steps S2 to S4 are repeated again (referred to as steps S2 ′, S3 ′, S4 ′) will be described in detail. The destruction ultrasonic wave transmitted in step S2 ′ of the second loop is the destruction ultrasonic wave Bu ′, the obtained destruction image data is the destruction image data GBd ′, and the obtained destruction image is the destruction image GB ′. To do. Further, the nondestructive ultrasonic wave transmitted in step S3 ′ of the second loop is set as nondestructive ultrasonic wave NBu2 ′, the obtained second image data is set as second image data G2d ′, and the obtained second image is set as the second image data. Image G2 '. Further, the composite image data obtained in step S4 ′ of the second loop is referred to as composite image data GCd ′, and the resultant composite image is referred to as composite image GC ′.

  The composite image data GCd ′ includes partial first image data g1d, partial second image data g2d, and partial second image data g2d ′ as shown in FIG. The partial second image data g2d ′ is a part of the second image data G2d ′. The composite image data GCd ′ has a narrower range of the partial second image data g2d than the composite image data GCd, and a part of the partial second image data g2d in the composite image data GCd is the partial second image data GCd ′. Two image data g2d 'is replaced.

The creation of the composite image data GCd ′ will be described in detail. The composite image data creation unit 52 specifies a portion br _MAX ′ having the maximum luminance in the data for each sound ray constituting the destruction-time image data GBd ′. Here, when the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu is transmitted in step S2 ′, the contrast agent in the deeper portion is destroyed than in the previous transmission, and therefore, as shown in FIG. The portion br _MAX ′ having the brightness of is moved deeper than the portion br _MAX having the maximum brightness in the destruction-time image data GBd obtained in step S2 of the first loop.

The composite image data creation unit 52 converts the portion corresponding to the portion br _MAX ′ in the second image data G2d obtained in the first loop into the partial second image data g2d as shown in FIG. In addition to the lower end L2D, a portion corresponding to the portion br _MAX ′ in the second image data G2d ′ is set as an upper end L2U ′ of the partial second image data g2d ′ as shown in FIG. 9B. The upper end L2U of the partial second image data g2d is used as it is. Thereby, the range of the partial second image data g2d and the partial second image data g2d ′ used as the composite image data GCd is specified.

  Incidentally, FIGS. 9A and 9B are also conceptual diagrams for explanation. Actually, the second image data G2d and the second image data G2d ′ are data for each sound ray.

  In the composite image data GCd ′, the partial first image data g1d uses the same range as the composite image data GCd.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the composite image data creation unit 52 synthesizes the partial first image data g1d, the partial second image data g2d, and the partial second image data g2d ′ to generate composite image data GCd. Create ′. In the composite image data GCd ′, the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d are similar to the composite image data GCd without mutual overlapping areas in the depth direction of the subject. It touches at part L. The partial second image data g2d and the partial second image data g2d ′ are in contact with each other at the boundary portion L ′ without having an overlapping region in the depth direction of the subject. The composite image data GCd ′ is scan-converted by DSC and displayed on the display unit 6 as a composite image GC ′.

  Incidentally, FIG. 7 is also a conceptual diagram for explanation. Actually, the first image data G1d, the second image data G2d, and the composite image data GCd are data for each sound ray.

  As described above, by performing the processing in steps S2 'to S4', the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu 'is transmitted again in step S2', and the contrast agent in the deeper portion is further destroyed, so that the image quality of the composite image GC 'is improved. There is a case.

  According to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 of this example described above, the partial first image data g1d, the partial second image data g2d, and the partial second image data g2d ′ are based on echo signals from a contrast agent. Contains image data. Accordingly, since a portion where a good image quality is obtained is synthesized, the synthesized images GC and GC ′ displayed based on the synthesized image data GCd and GCd ′ are deep from the shallow part to the deep part in the subject. Good image quality can be obtained over a wide range in the vertical direction.

  Next, a modification of the embodiment will be described. First, the first modification will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, in the composite image data GCd, the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d may have a region O overlapping with each other in the depth direction of the subject.

In the first modified example, in the above-described step S4, the composite image data creation unit 52 determines a predetermined amount from the portion br _MAX having the maximum luminance in the data for each sound ray constituting the destruction-time image data GBd. The portion corresponding to the deeper portion is the lower end L1D of the partial first image data g1d, and the portion corresponding to the portion shallower than the portion br _MAX by a predetermined amount is the upper end L2U of the partial second image data g2d. To do. For example, when data in a certain sound ray has luminance as shown in FIG. 11, assuming that the portion x is the portion br _MAX having the maximum luminance, the portion x1 deeper than the portion br _MAX by a predetermined amount d1 is the portion The lower end L1D of the first image data g1d is set, and the portion x2 shallower by a predetermined amount d2 than the portion br _{MAX is} set as the upper end L2U of the partial second image data g2d. That is, on the sound ray shown in FIG. 11, the range from the portion x1 to the portion x2 is a region O where the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d overlap. Then, the composite image data creation unit 52 composes the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d whose range is specified in this way, and creates the composite image data GCd.

  Incidentally, the predetermined amounts d1 and d2 may be the same amount or different. Further, an operator may be able to input at the operation unit 8.

  In the first modified example, in the step S4 ′ of the second loop, the partial second image data g2d and the partial second image data g2d ′ have the regions overlapping each other in the same manner as described above. Composite image data GCd ′ (not shown) may be created.

  In the first modification, the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d may be averaged in the region O of the composite image data GCd. Similarly, in the composite image data GCd ′ (not shown), in addition to the region where the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d overlap, the partial second image data g2d and the partial second image data In the region where the image data g2d 'overlaps, the overlapping data may be averaged.

Next, a second modification will be described. In the above description, in determining the ranges of the partial first image data g1d, the partial second image data g2d, and the partial second image data g2d ′, the portion having the maximum luminance on a certain sound ray is used as a reference. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the second image data G2d, since the contrast agent is destroyed in the shallow portion in the subject, the luminance is low. Therefore, in the second modification, the composite image data creation unit 52 has a predetermined threshold value for the luminance in the second image data G2d from the shallow side to the deep side in the subject for each sound ray. The part br _TH that has become _TH may be specified, and the range of the partial first image data g1d and the partial second image data g2d may be determined based on the part br _TH . For example, in the second image data G2d, when the data on a certain sound ray has luminance as shown in FIG. 12, the luminance is lower than the threshold value TH at a portion shallower than the portion x, and the threshold value at the portion x. It becomes TH, and the luminance is greater than or equal to the threshold value TH at a deeper portion than this. Therefore, in such a case, in the direction from the shallow part to the deep part, the part corresponding to the part x where the luminance becomes the threshold value TH is set as the lower end L1D of the partial first image data g1d in step S4, and the part The upper end L2U of the second image data g2d is set.

In step S4 ′, in the second image data G2d ′ after the transmission of the destructive ultrasonic wave Bu ′ in the second loop, a portion br _TH ′ in which the luminance becomes a predetermined threshold TH is specified in the same manner as described above. Based on this, the range of the partial second image data g2d and the partial second image data g2d ′ is determined.

  Next, a third modification will be described. In the third modified example, not the first image data G1d, the second image data G2d, and a part of the second image data G2d ′, but data of the entire imaging region obtained based on an echo signal is used. The composite image data GCd and GCd ′ may be created. For example, the composite image creation unit 52 may create the composite image data GCd by combining the entire first image data G1d and the entire second image data G2d as shown in FIG. In this case, the composite image data GCd may be created by simply adding the first image data G1d and the second image data G2d, but the first image data G1d and the second image data G2d May be added and averaged to create the composite image data GCd.

  Incidentally, although not shown in particular, in this third modification, the composite image data GCd ′ is a composite of the entire first image data G1d, the entire second image data G2d, and the entire second image data G2d ′. Create.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated by each said embodiment, of course, this invention can be variously implemented in the range which does not change the main point. For example, an operator who has viewed the destruction-time image GB, the second image G2, or the second image G2 ′ displayed on the display unit 6 can perform the destruction-time image GB, the second image G2, or the first image. Based on the portion designated by the pointing device of the operation unit 8 on the second image G2 ′, the range of the partial first image data g1d, the partial second image data g2d, and the partial second image data g2d ′ is determined. Also good. For example, the operator designates a portion having the maximum luminance on the image GB at the time of destruction with the pointing device of the operation unit 8, and designates a portion corresponding to the designated portion as the lower end of the partial first image data g1d. L1d may be used as the upper end L1U of the partial second image data g2d.

  In the above description, the composite image data GCd and GCd ′ are the first partial image data g1d, the second partial image data g2d, the second partial image data g2d ′, and the first image which are raw data. It is created using the data G1d, the second image data G2d, and the second image data G2d ′, but it may be created based on the data after scanning conversion by DSC.

1 Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment 2 Ultrasonic probe (transmitter)
3 Transmitter / receiver (transmitter)
4 Echo signal processing unit (first image data creation unit, second image data creation unit)
52 Composite image data creation unit Bu Destructive ultrasound NBu Non-destructive ultrasound G1 First image G1d First image data g1d Partial first image data G2, G2 ′ Second image G2d, G2d ′ Second image data g2d, g2d ′ Partial Second image data GC, GC ′ composite image GCd composite image data L, L ′ boundary portion O overlapping region

Claims (10)

A transmitting unit that transmits a destructive ultrasonic wave that destroys the contrast agent in the living tissue and a non-destructive ultrasonic wave that does not destroy the contrast agent;
A first image data creation unit for creating first image data based on an echo signal from the contrast agent for the non-destructive ultrasound transmitted before the destructive ultrasound is transmitted;
A second image data creation unit that creates second image data based on an echo signal from the contrast agent for the non-destructive ultrasound transmitted after the destructive ultrasound is transmitted;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising: a composite image data creation unit that creates composite image data by combining the first image data and the second image data.   The composite image data creation unit includes a partial first image data of a portion of the first image data closer to the body surface in the subject, and a side of the second image data farther from the body surface in the subject. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combined image data is generated by combining the partial second image data of the portion.   2. The composite image data, wherein the partial first image data and the partial second image data are in contact with each other without having an area overlapping in a depth direction of the subject. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to 2.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the composite image data, the partial first image data and the partial second image data have a region where they overlap each other in the depth direction of the subject.   The range in the depth direction of the partial first image data and the partial second image data is determined based on the brightness of the image data created based on the echo signal obtained after the transmission of the destructive ultrasound. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein:   The range in the depth direction of the partial first image data and the partial second image data is determined based on a portion having the maximum luminance on each sound ray in the image data. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to 1.   The range in the depth direction of the partial first image data and the partial second image data is determined on the basis of a portion that is higher than a predetermined luminance on each sound ray in the image data. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synthesized image creating unit creates the synthesized image data by synthesizing the entire first image data and the entire second image data.   9. The first image data and the second image data are either raw data before an echo signal is scan-converted or data after scan-conversion. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to 1. On the computer,
A transmission function for transmitting a destructive ultrasonic wave that destroys the contrast agent in the living tissue and a non-destructive ultrasonic wave that does not destroy the contrast agent;
A first image data creation function for creating first image data based on an echo signal from the contrast agent for the non-destructive ultrasound transmitted before the destructive ultrasound is transmitted;
A second image data creation function for creating second image data based on an echo signal from the contrast agent for the non-destructive ultrasound transmitted after the destructive ultrasound is transmitted;
A control program for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein a composite image data creation function for creating composite image data by combining the first image data and the second image data is executed.

Images