JP4041391B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for measuring and diagnosing motion of a target tissue using a three-dimensional ultrasonic image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is used for diagnosing abnormal motion of a target tissue, for example, abnormal motion in the expansion / contraction motion of the heart. In order to diagnose abnormal motion of the target tissue, it is desirable to use an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can accurately diagnose the motion of the target tissue. In order to achieve this object, a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus obtains an image in which a contour of a target tissue is clarified in a two-dimensional ultrasonic image for each frame, and obtains an image of a past frame and an image of a latest frame. A displacement history image obtained by sequentially combining displacement images corresponding to the differences over time was displayed (for example, see Patent Document 1). With a two-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having this function, it was possible to detect abnormal movement, abnormality occurrence position, etc. of the target tissue with extremely high sensitivity.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent No. 3045642
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
With the advancement of ultrasonic technology, diagnosis using a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can three-dimensionally express a target tissue in a three-dimensional space has become a reality. The superiority of the three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is also remarkable in cardiac ultrasonic diagnosis. In other words, by observing the expansion / contraction motion of the heart using a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, it is possible to perform a diagnosis based on a three-dimensional shape grasp that is difficult with a two-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The superiority of the three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is the same for the displacement history image in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described above. If a three-dimensional displacement history image can be formed, the abnormal motion of the heart can be performed with higher accuracy. Can be diagnosed.
[0005]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of accurately diagnosing abnormal motion of a target tissue.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
(1) In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from a three-dimensional space including the heart and transmits echo data in the three-dimensional space for each time phase. A transmitting / receiving means for acquiring, a reference point specifying means for specifying a ventricular center of gravity and an annulus center of gravity of the heart based on echo data in a three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase, and each time Using the ventricular center of gravity and the annulus center of gravity specified for each phase, the time between phases of the heart Of the whole heart due to the influence of other tissues An element image forming unit that forms a plurality of three-dimensional element images in time series order on the heart based on echo data in the three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase while correcting the movement amount; Multiple image forming means for forming a three-dimensional multiple image obtained by spatially multiplexing and combining a plurality of three-dimensional element images in sequence order, and two-dimensional forming a two-dimensional display image by projecting the three-dimensional multiple image onto a plane A display image forming unit and a display unit for displaying the two-dimensional display image are included.
[0007]
Preferably, the element image forming unit forms a three-dimensional change image representing an outer shape change of the target tissue between the time phases as the three-dimensional element image. In the above configuration, when expressing the change in the shape of the target tissue between time phases, the change in shape between each time phase may be expressed for all time phases, or only between any time phases for any time phase. It may represent an external change. For example, when the target tissue is a heart, it is preferable to extract an arbitrary time phase by using an electrocardiogram waveform that serves as an index of cardiac contraction and expansion.
[0008]
Preferably, the three-dimensional change image is a difference between the image of the target tissue in the latest three-dimensional ultrasonic image of the time phase and the image of the target tissue in the three-dimensional ultrasonic image of the past time phase.
[0009]
According to the above configuration, since the three-dimensional change image reflects the motion state of the target tissue, and the three-dimensional change image formed in time series order is displayed in a multiplexed manner, the motion state of the target tissue is displayed. It is suitable for grasping and has high utility value for diagnosis of abnormal movement of the target tissue.
[0010]
Preferably, the element image forming unit forms a three-dimensional contour image representing the contour of the target tissue for each three-dimensional ultrasonic image of each time phase as the three-dimensional element image.
[0011]
According to the above configuration, since the three-dimensional element image to be multiplexed and synthesized is a contour image of the target tissue, it is suitable for grasping the outer surface shape change of the target tissue and suitable for diagnosing an abnormal shape change of the target tissue. It is.
[0012]
Preferably, the three-dimensional contour image is a set of target tissue voxels having at least one non-target tissue voxel as an adjacent voxel among a plurality of voxels constituting the three-dimensional ultrasonic image of each time phase. .
[0013]
Desirably, it further has a cutting plane setting means for setting a cutting plane of the target tissue, and the two-dimensional display image includes a cutting plane image constituted by the cutting plane portion of the three-dimensional multiple image.
[0014]
In the above configuration, the cut surface can be set to a desired position by the user.
[0015]
According to the above configuration, the user can observe the three-dimensional multiple image related to the target tissue by cutting it from any direction.
[0016]
Preferably, the two-dimensional display image is formed by projecting the three-dimensional multiple image onto a plane using a volume rendering method.
[0017]
(2) In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes: Heart left ventricle Send and receive ultrasonic waves to and from a three-dimensional space containing Acquire echo data in 3D space for each time phase Transmission and reception means; Based on the echo data in the three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase, the ventricular center of gravity and the annulus center of gravity of the left ventricle are specified. A reference point identifying means; The three-dimensional obtained for each time phase while correcting the amount of movement between the time phases of the heart left ventricle by overlapping a straight line passing through the ventricular center of gravity and the annulus center of gravity over a plurality of time phases. Echo data in space Based on Heart left ventricle Image forming means for forming a plurality of three-dimensional element images in time-series order, and a multi-image forming means for spatially multiplexing and synthesizing the plurality of three-dimensional element images in time-series order to form a three-dimensional multiplexed image And two-dimensional display image forming means for projecting the three-dimensional multiplexed image onto a plane to form a two-dimensional display image, and display means for displaying the two-dimensional display image.
[0018]
According to the above configuration, the amount of movement between time phases of the entire target tissue is corrected, and an image that is preferably completely cancelled is formed. Even in the case of performing a motion in which the movement of the entire heart due to the influence of the heart is combined, a three-dimensional element image based only on the contraction and expansion motion of the heart itself can be acquired. For this reason, it is extremely suitable for diagnosis of a myocardial infarction site.
[0019]
Preferably, the three-dimensional element image is a difference between the image of the target tissue in the latest three-dimensional ultrasonic image of the time phase and the image of the target tissue in the three-dimensional ultrasonic image of the past time phase.
[0020]
(3) In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes: Heart left ventricle Send and receive ultrasonic waves to and from a three-dimensional space containing Acquire echo data in 3D space for each time phase Transmission and reception means; Based on the echo data in the three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase, the ventricular center of gravity and the annulus center of gravity of the left ventricle are specified. A reference point identifying means; Echo data in 3D space obtained for each time phase Based on Heart left ventricle Element image forming means for forming a plurality of three-dimensional element images in chronological order, While correcting the amount of movement between the phases of the left ventricle of the heart by overlapping a straight line passing through the ventricular center of gravity point and the annulus center of gravity point specified for each time phase on the straight line at the end of diastole, Multiple image forming means for spatially multiplexing and synthesizing a plurality of three-dimensional element images in time series to form a three-dimensional multiplexed image, and projecting the three-dimensional multiplexed image on a plane to form a two-dimensional display image And a display unit for displaying the two-dimensional display image.
[0021]
Preferably, the three-dimensional element image is a set of target tissue voxels having at least one non-target tissue voxel as a neighboring voxel among a plurality of voxels constituting a three-dimensional ultrasonic image of each time phase.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0023]
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 transmission / reception unit 12 transmits / receives an ultrasonic wave via the probe 10 in a space including the left ventricle as a target tissue. The echo data in the three-dimensional space including the left ventricle is acquired for each time phase volume and stored in the three-dimensional data memory 14. The inversion binarization processing unit 16 performs inversion processing and binarization processing on the echo value of the echo data of each voxel stored in the three-dimensional data memory 14. That is, a voxel corresponding to the heart chamber in the left ventricle having a relatively small echo value is set as a voxel having a high luminance value, and a voxel corresponding to another portion having a relatively large echo value is set as a voxel having a low luminance value. Each voxel having two kinds of high and low luminance values subjected to the inverse binarization processing is mainly intended to remove high-frequency noise components in the noise removal unit 18, the smoothing processing unit 20, the line correlation unit 22, and the frame correlation unit 24. The processed image processing is executed.
[0024]
The noise removing unit 18 determines voxels having different luminance values that are spatially isolated as noise and converts the luminance values. For example, when the luminance value of the target voxel and the luminance values of all 26 surrounding voxels spatially adjacent to the target voxel are different, the target voxel having a different luminance value is converted into the same luminance value as that of the surrounding voxels. The smoothing processing unit 20 calculates the average value of the luminance values of the target voxel and the surrounding 26 voxels adjacent to the voxel with respect to the luminance value of each voxel output from the noise removing unit 18, and calculates the calculation result. The brightness value of the target voxel is newly set. The line correlator 22 performs an averaging process between the lines in a two-dimensional frame constituting a certain time phase volume on the luminance value of each voxel output from the smoothing processor 20. In addition, the frame correlation unit 24 performs an averaging process between the two-dimensional frames constituting the volume of a certain time phase on the luminance value of each voxel. Each voxel converted into various luminance values in the smoothing processing unit 20, the line correlation unit 22, and the frame correlation unit 24 is output to the coordinate conversion unit 26. The coordinate conversion unit 26 converts the coordinate value of each voxel from the R, θ, φ coordinate system based on the probe to the X, Y, Z coordinate system based on the cube.
[0025]
The binarization circuit 30 is composed of a comparator and the like, binarizes an ultrasonic image composed of various luminance values output from the coordinate conversion unit 26 based on a predetermined threshold value, and performs a heart chamber in the left ventricle. A binary image composed of two types of voxels, a voxel corresponding to a part and a voxel corresponding to another part, is formed and output to the element image forming block 34. Note that the output of the binarization circuit 30 may be input to the element image forming block 34 via the translational rotation movement cancel processing unit 32. Details of the translational rotation movement canceling processing unit 32 will be described later with reference to FIG.
[0026]
The element image forming block 34 forms a plurality of element images in time-series order related to the heart chamber in the left ventricle based on the binarized image output from the binarization circuit 30. A memory 36 and a displacement image extraction unit 38 are included. The displacement image 3D memory 36 records the binarized image output from the binarization circuit 30 for each volume of each time phase. The displacement image extraction unit 38 includes a binarized image of the previous volume recorded in the displacement image 3D memory 36, and a binarized image of the latest time phase volume output from the binarization circuit 30. Are compared, and a displacement image which is a different portion of the binarized image between time phases is extracted as an element image. That is, an image of the displaced portion of the heart chamber during one time phase accompanying the left ventricular contraction / expansion motion is extracted. Note that the volume to be compared with the volume of the latest time phase may be a volume of the past time phase, and is not limited to the volume before the one time phase. A displacement image that is an element image formed for each time phase in the element image forming block 34 is output to the element history image forming block 40. Since another embodiment exists for the element image forming block 34, this will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.
[0027]
The element history image forming block 40 spatially multiplex-synthesizes the element images formed by the element image forming block 34, and includes a weighting circuit 42, an adder 44, a history 3D memory 46, and an initialization control unit 48. Composed. The weighting circuit 42 performs a coloring process corresponding to the time phase on the element image output for each time phase from the element image forming block 34 and outputs the result to the adder 44. That is, based on a table in which colors corresponding to each time phase are set in advance, a color corresponding to the time phase is selected and the element image is colored. The pasted element history image recorded in the history 3D memory 46 is added to the latest element image in the adder 44 to the element images of each time phase subjected to the coloring process. Then, it is stored in the history 3D memory 46 as a new element history image. In this way, the element history image in which the element images are synthesized with time is output to the image synthesis unit 50.
[0028]
The initialization control unit 48 controls the weight acquisition circuit 42 and the history 3D memory 46 to control the history acquisition period of the element history image. The initialization control unit 48 receives an electrocardiographic waveform for diagnosing cardiac myocardial motion, and synchronizes the history acquisition start time with the generation of an R wave in the electrocardiographic waveform. Since the R wave is generated at the end diastole of the left ventricle, the element history image based on the displacement from the end diastole of the left ventricle can always be formed by starting extraction of the element image in synchronization with the R wave. Since another embodiment exists for the element history image forming block 40, this will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.
[0029]
The image synthesis unit 50 forms a 3D image by synthesizing the 3D image output from the coordinate conversion unit 26 as it is and the element history image output from the element history image formation block 40.
[0030]
The display image forming unit 52 includes a rendering unit 54 and a display processing unit 56. The rendering unit 54 performs a rendering operation based on the volume rendering method on the three-dimensional image output from the image synthesizing unit 50, thereby forming a two-dimensional display image that transparently displays the left interior of the target tissue. For the rendering operation based on the volume rendering method, for example, a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-33538 is suitable. The method described in the above publication is as follows. A plurality of rays (for example, coincident with the ultrasonic beam) are set for the three-dimensional space. Echo values are referred to in turn for each ray, and rendering operations are sequentially executed for each echo value. In parallel with this, accumulation of each opacity (opacity) is performed, and when this value becomes 1 or more, the rendering operation for the ray is finished. A rendering calculation result at this time is determined as a two-dimensional display pixel value corresponding to the ray. By determining the pixel value for each ray, a two-dimensional display image in which the interior of the left chamber is displayed as a set is formed.
[0031]
The display processing unit 56 sets a cut surface for the three-dimensional image output from the image synthesis unit 50 and forms a cut surface image of the left ventricle in the cut surface. The cut plane is set by the user as a plane including the center of gravity of the heart chamber in the left ventricle, for example. Since a three-dimensional element history image is synthesized with the three-dimensional image output from the image synthesis unit 50, the cutting plane cuts the element history image. That is, the cut surface image of the element history image is formed on the cut surface. The display image formed by the display image forming unit 52 is displayed on the display 58.
[0032]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an element history image of the heart chamber in the left ventricle obtained by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG. Element history images (displacement history images) for each time point from the end diastole time point are shown in the order of (A) to (D). (A) shows the displacement history image at the end diastole time point. Since the end diastole is the starting point, no displacement image is formed at this point, and the left ventricular heart chamber image (the inner wall of the left ventricle) output from the coordinate conversion unit (reference numeral 26 in FIG. 1). (Image) only. (B) shows the next volume at the end of diastole. The difference between the heart chamber image in the left ventricle in the end-diastolic volume and the heart chamber image in the left ventricle in the next volume in the end diastole, that is, an image in which the displacement portion due to the contraction of the left ventricle is colored is formed Has been. (C) and (D) show images formed when the time further elapses, and the different portions are subjected to different coloring processes. Any one of (A) to (D) is displayed on the display (reference numeral 58 in FIG. 1).
[0033]
The above-described initialization control unit (symbol 48 in FIG. 1) uses the end diastole time as the element image extraction start time. For example, if a displacement history image is formed using the end systole time as the start time, the expansion is started from the end systole time. The left ventricular expansion process up to the end point is displayed. The start time other than the end diastole or end systole may be set manually.
[0034]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another form of the element image forming block shown in FIG.
The element image forming block 34 in FIG. 3 performs processing for extracting the left indoor wall from the binarized image output from the binarization circuit (reference numeral 30 in FIG. 1), and includes two frame memories (1 ), (2), six line memories (1) to (6), a voxel data memory 70, and a surface extraction processing unit 72. The output from the binarization circuit 30 is output as a voxel data string in the order adjacent to each other on the image in units of echo values (voxel data) of voxels constituting each time phase volume. That is, the voxel data string that forms a volume has the voxel data arranged in the order from the first frame to the last frame that constitutes the volume, and in the order from the first line to the last line that constitutes the frame in the frame. It is out.
[0035]
The frame memory is a memory that outputs a voxel data string after storing it in frame units, and functions as a delay buffer for one frame. The line memory is a memory that outputs a voxel data string after storing it in line units, and functions as a delay buffer for one line. That is, the output of the frame memory (1) is voxel data one frame before the voxel data output from the binarization circuit 30, and the output of the frame memory (2) is output from the binarization circuit 30. It becomes voxel data two frames before the voxel data. In this way, the voxel data memory 70 receives the voxel data of the current frame, one frame before, and two frames before.
[0036]
Further, the output of the line memory (1) is voxel data one line before the voxel data output from the binarization circuit 30, and the output of the line memory (2) is output from the binarization circuit 30. It becomes voxel data two lines before the voxel data. The output of the line memory (3) is voxel data one line before the voxel data output from the frame memory (1), and the output of the line memory (4) is voxel data output from the frame memory (1). Voxel data two lines before. The output of the line memory (5) is voxel data one line before the voxel data output from the frame memory (2), and the output of the line memory (6) is voxel data output from the frame memory (2). Voxel data two lines before. In this way, the voxel data memory 70 is input with a total of 9 lines of voxel data of 3 adjacent lines in the current frame, 3 lines before 1 frame, and 3 lines before 2 frames. .
[0037]
The voxel data memory 70 has 27 latches, three for each of the nine lines. Three latches corresponding to each line extract three consecutive voxel data on the line.
[0038]
As described above, the voxel data output from the latch (14) is set as a target voxel, and 27 voxel data groups obtained by adding 26 adjacent voxel data to the periphery are output to the surface extraction processing unit 72. .
[0039]
The surface extraction processing unit 72 has voxel data corresponding to the heart cavity portion as the data of the target voxel, and one of the 26 voxel data adjacent to the periphery of the target voxel data corresponds to other regions. If data exists, this target voxel is determined as a surface voxel of the heart chamber. By making this determination with all voxels in each time phase volume as the target voxel, a group of voxels forming the surface of the heart chamber in each volume, that is, a heart chamber surface image (an outline image of the ventricular wall). can get. The heart cavity surface image formed for each volume is output to the element history image forming block 40 as an element image, subjected to predetermined processing, and displayed on a display (reference numeral 58 in FIG. 1).
[0040]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an element history image with the left ventricle as a target tissue obtained by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using the element image forming block of FIG. Element history images (surface history images) for each time point from the end diastole time point are shown in the order of (A) to (D). (A) has shown the surface image in the end diastole time point. (B) shows the next volume at the end of diastole. The left ventricular heart chamber surface image in the end diastole volume and the left ventricular heart chamber surface image in the next volume in the end diastole are respectively spatially multiplexed after being subjected to a predetermined coloring process. (C) and (D) show images formed when further time elapses. The heart cavity surface images at each time point are spatially multiplexed with different coloring processes. Yes. One of the latest images (A) to (D) is displayed on the display (reference numeral 58 in FIG. 1).
[0041]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another form of the element history image forming block shown in FIG. The element history image forming block 40 in FIG. 5 includes a luminance value setting unit 80, an adder 82, a history 3D memory 84, and a weighting circuit 86. The luminance value setting unit 80 sets a luminance value for the element image output for each time phase from the element image forming block (reference numeral 34 in FIG. 1). The element image in which the luminance value is set is output to the adder 82, where it is added to the past element image recorded in the history 3D memory 84. The weighting circuit 86 performs weighting (that is, subtraction) so that the luminance value of the past element image recorded in the history 3D memory 84 is smaller than the luminance value of the latest element image output from the luminance value setting unit 80. ) And outputs this to the adder 82. Therefore, the past element image from which the luminance value has been subtracted and the latest element image are added by the adder 82, whereby an element history image in which the latest element image is brightly emphasized is formed. The formed element history image is output to the image composition unit (reference numeral 50 in FIG. 1). The weighting circuit 86 may perform a coloring process in which colors are sequentially changed with respect to past element images in accordance with an externally set value. Further, the element history image may be configured to arbitrarily set the time from when an element image appears until it disappears.
[0042]
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the translational rotation movement cancellation processing unit illustrated in FIG. 1. A ventricular ROI (region of interest) generator 90 generates coordinates of an ROI that forms the outer edge of the target heart ventricle. The ventricular ROI has, for example, an elliptical shape, and the user can set initial values such as the major axis and minor axis length of the ellipse, the position of the center point, and the inclination of the ellipse in the ROI while viewing the ultrasound image. Set to fit the image. At this time, the user observes the motion for one heartbeat while viewing the ultrasonic image, and then determines the initial value by operating the trackball or the like so that the ROI includes the left ventricle in all frames. The setting of the ROI is not limited to the manual setting by the user, and the device setting may be performed according to the movement of the ventricle.
[0043]
The ventricular gate circuit 92 is a circuit that allows only echo data in the ventricular ROI to pass therethrough. That is, the coordinates of the ROI output from the ventricular ROI generator 90 are input to one input terminal of the ventricular gate circuit 92 and belong to the ventricular ROI in the binarized image input to the other input terminal. Only the coordinate echo data is extracted and output to the heart chamber extraction unit 94. The heart chamber extraction unit 94 extracts a heart chamber image inside the ventricle from the binarized image in the ROI. The ventricular center-of-gravity calculation unit 96 calculates the coordinates of the center of gravity in the intraventricular image output from the heart chamber extraction unit 94 for each frame. The calculated coordinates of the ventricular barycentric point are output to the read address generator 112 and the ventricular barycentric point memory 98.
[0044]
An annulus ROI (region of interest) generator 100 generates coordinates of the ROI that forms the outer edge of the annulus located at the end of the ventricle. The annulus ROI has, for example, an elliptical shape, and the user can set initial values such as the major and minor axis lengths of the ellipse, the position of the center point, and the inclination of the ellipse in the ROI while viewing the ultrasound image. Set so that the image of the annulus is contained. At this time, the user observes the motion for one heartbeat while viewing the ultrasonic image, and then determines the initial value by operating the trackball or the like so that the ROI includes the annulus in all frames. The setting of the ROI is not limited to the manual setting by the user, and the apparatus setting may be performed according to the movement of the annulus.
[0045]
The valve part gate circuit 102 is a circuit that allows only echo data in the valve part ROI to pass therethrough. That is, the coordinates of the ROI output from the valve annulus ROI generator 100 are input to one input terminal of the valve circuit for the valve annulus 102, and the annulus in the binarized image input to the other input terminal. Only the echo data of the coordinates belonging to the part ROI is extracted and output to the annulus part extraction unit 104. The annulus extraction unit 104 extracts an annulus image from the binarized image in the ROI. The annulus centroid operation unit 106 calculates the coordinates of the centroid point of the annulus for each annulus image output from the annulus extraction unit 104 for each frame. The calculated coordinates of the annulus centroid point are output to the read address generator 112 and the annulus centroid memory 108.
[0046]
The ventricular center of gravity memory 98 stores the coordinates of the ventricular center of gravity at the end of diastole. An R wave of an electrocardiographic waveform is used as a trigger for informing the end diastole. That is, using the R wave obtained at the end diastole as a trigger, the coordinates of the ventricular center of gravity point output from the ventricular center of gravity calculating unit 96 are stored as the coordinates of the ventricular center of gravity point at the end of diastole. Similarly, the coordinates of the center of gravity of the valve annulus at the end diastole using the R wave as a trigger are stored in the valve center of gravity memory 108 from the valve center centroid calculation unit 106.
[0047]
The read control unit 110 includes a read address generator 112 and a memory control unit 114, and a binarization circuit (in order to form an ultrasound image in which the translational amount and rotational amount of the ventricle between volumes are canceled) The echo data is read from the reference numeral 30) in FIG. That is, the read address generator 112 obtains the coordinates of the ventricular center of gravity at the end diastole from the ventricular center of gravity memory 98, and also obtains the coordinates of the annulus center of gravity at the end of diastole from the annulus center of gravity memory 108. get. Further, the coordinates of the ventricular center of gravity point in the current volume are acquired from the ventricular center of gravity calculator 96, and the coordinates of the annulus center of gravity in the current volume are acquired from the annulus center of gravity calculator 106.
[0048]
The read address generator 112 is arranged so that the ventricular center of gravity of the current volume overlaps the ventricular center of gravity at the end diastole, and a straight line passing through the ventricular center of gravity of the current volume and the annulus center of gravity is the ventricle at the end diastole. A readout address that overlaps a straight line passing through the center of gravity and the center of gravity of the annulus is calculated.
[0049]
The echo data output from the binarization circuit 30 is copied to the volume memory 116 for each volume with the address of the original image, and the memory control unit 114 reads the volume memory according to the read address calculated by the read address generator 112. The echo data is read from 116 and output to the element image forming block 34. As a result, the echo data output from the volume memory 116 is output as an image in which the translational movement amount and the rotational movement amount are canceled.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a three-dimensional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of accurately diagnosing abnormal motion of a target tissue.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an element history image of the heart chamber in the left ventricle obtained by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another form of an element image forming block.
4 is a diagram showing an element history image of a heart chamber portion in the left ventricle obtained by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using the element image forming block of FIG. 3; FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another form of an element history image forming block.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a translational rotation movement canceling processing unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
34 element image formation block, 36 displacement image 3D memory, 38 displacement image extraction unit, 40 element history image formation block, 42 weighting circuit, 44 adder, 46 history 3D memory, 50 image composition unit, 54 rendering unit, 56 Display processing unit, 72 Surface extraction processing unit, 96 Ventricular center of gravity calculation unit, 106 Annulus center of gravity calculation unit, 112 Read address generator, 114 Memory control unit.

Claims (11)

A transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves to / from a three-dimensional space including the heart and acquiring echo data in the three-dimensional space for each time phase;
Based on echo data in a three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase, reference point specifying means for specifying the ventricular center of gravity and annulus center of gravity of the heart,
While correcting the amount of movement of the entire heart due to the influence of other tissues between the time phases of the heart using the ventricular center of gravity point and the annulus center of gravity point specified for each time phase, for each time phase Element image forming means for forming a plurality of three-dimensional element images in time-series order on the heart based on echo data in the obtained three-dimensional space;
Multiple image forming means for forming a three-dimensional multiple image obtained by spatially multiplexing and synthesizing a plurality of three-dimensional element images in chronological order;
2D display image forming means for projecting the 3D multiple image onto a plane to form a 2D display image;
Display means for displaying the two-dimensional display image;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the element image forming unit forms a three-dimensional change image representing an outer shape change of the heart chamber between the time phases as the three-dimensional element image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2,
2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional change image is a difference between a latest time phase heart chamber image and a past time phase heart chamber image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that the element image forming means forms a three-dimensional contour image representing the contour of the heart chamber of the heart at each time phase as the three-dimensional element image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4,
The three-dimensional contour image is a set of heart chamber voxels having at least one non-cardiac chamber voxel as an adjacent voxel among a plurality of voxels corresponding to the three-dimensional space. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A cutting plane setting means for setting the cutting plane of the heart;
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the two-dimensional display image includes a cut surface image formed by the cut surface portion of the three-dimensional multiplexed image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the two-dimensional display image is formed by projecting the three-dimensional multiplexed image onto a plane using a volume rendering method. Wave transmitting / receiving means for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from the three-dimensional space including the left ventricle and acquiring echo data in the three-dimensional space for each time phase;
Based on echo data in a three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase, a reference point specifying means for specifying a ventricular center of gravity and an annulus center of gravity of the left ventricle,
Three-dimensional obtained for each time phase while correcting the amount of movement between the time phases of the left ventricle by overlapping a straight line passing through the ventricular center of gravity and the annulus center of gravity over a plurality of time phases. Element image forming means for forming a plurality of three-dimensional element images in time-series order for the left ventricle based on echo data in space;
Multiple image forming means for spatially multiplexing and synthesizing a plurality of three-dimensional element images in chronological order to form a three-dimensional multiple image;
2D display image forming means for projecting the 3D multiple image onto a plane to form a 2D display image;
Display means for displaying the two-dimensional display image;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the three-dimensional element image is a difference between the latest temporal phase left ventricular image and a past temporal phase left ventricular image. Wave transmitting / receiving means for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from the three-dimensional space including the left ventricle and acquiring echo data in the three-dimensional space for each time phase;
Based on echo data in a three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase, a reference point specifying means for specifying a ventricular center of gravity and an annulus center of gravity of the left ventricle,
Element image forming means for forming a plurality of three-dimensional element images in time-series order with respect to the left ventricle based on echo data in a three-dimensional space obtained for each time phase;
While correcting the amount of movement between the time phases for the left ventricle by superimposing a straight line passing through the ventricular center of gravity point and the annulus center of gravity point specified for each time phase on the straight line at the end of diastole, the time series Multiple image forming means for spatially multiplexing and synthesizing a plurality of sequential three-dimensional element images to form a three-dimensional multiple image;
2D display image forming means for projecting the 3D multiple image onto a plane to form a 2D display image;
Display means for displaying the two-dimensional display image;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
The three-dimensional element image is a set of heart chamber voxels having at least one non-cardiac chamber voxel as an adjacent voxel among a plurality of voxels corresponding to the three-dimensional space. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment.

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