JPH05111484A - Medical ultrasound image evaluation device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Modified) [Purpose] The relationship between many electrical or acoustic factors that determine the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image and the ultrasonic tomographic image is reproduced by reproducing the formation process of the ultrasonic tomographic image. Provided is a medical ultrasonic image evaluation device that elucidates and presents optimum design guidelines for an ultrasonic diagnostic device and accurate diagnostic information. [Structure] A piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit 11 for calculating response characteristics of a piezoelectric vibrator, a spatial response calculation unit 12 for calculating spatial response characteristics of one piezoelectric vibrator, and a phantom as an object An ultrasonic phantom generator 13 for calculating,
A one-element RF signal calculation unit 14 that calculates an RF signal for one element from the spatial response characteristics and ultrasonic phantom data
A probe RF signal calculation unit 15 for calculating an RF signal of the probe from 1-element RF signal data; a signal processing unit 16;
An image forming unit 17, an image evaluation unit 18 that analyzes and evaluates the formed image, and a recording device 20 that records the calculation results of each unit and creates a database are provided. The ultrasonic tomographic image can be observed or evaluated while changing each related parameter.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus for evaluating an ultrasonic tomographic image of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus used in the medical field.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, medical ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses have been used in a wide range of medical fields, and high resolution and high image quality of the apparatus itself have been attempted. Is determined by many acoustic and electrical factors such as the response characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer used in the ultrasonic probe, the acoustic characteristics of living tissue that is a propagation medium, and the signal processing method in the mainframe. To be done. Therefore, the relationship between these many different factors and the ultrasonic tomographic image that is the output of the device is clarified, the ultrasonic tomographic image is comprehensively evaluated, and the design guideline of the device and the material for medical judgment are provided. A medical image evaluation device provided is desired.

A conventional medical image evaluation apparatus will be described below. As a conventional medical image evaluation apparatus, for example, ""
Computer Simulations of Speckle in B-Scan Images, DR Foster et al., Ultrasonic Imaging, VOL5,1
983 "(" Computer Simulation
so of spectrum in B-scan image
ges ", DR Foster et., Ultra
Those described in Sonic Imaging, Vol 5, 1983) are known. FIG. 15 shows a conventional medical image evaluation apparatus. In FIG.
151 is an ultrasonic circular concave surface transducer, 152 is a random scatterer phantom, 153 is a transmitter, 154 is a receiver, 15
Reference numeral 5 is an A / D, 156 is a memory, and 157 is an image analysis unit.

The operation of the medical image device configured as described above will be described below. First, a drive waveform of the ultrasonic circular concave surface oscillator 152 is generated from the transmitter, the ultrasonic wave is radiated to the random scatterer phantom 152, and the reflected ultrasonic wave is received. The received RF signal is the receiver 1
The signal is amplified by 54, quantized by the A / D 155, recorded in the memory 156, and analyzed and evaluated by an image analysis unit such as a computer. The analysis data can be obtained by actually realizing the above system and using actual data, or by calculating the transmission waveform of the ultrasonic circular concave surface transducer or by using an approximate waveform.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional configuration, the shape of the ultrasonic transducer used in the actual ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the noise level which becomes a problem when the ultrasonic tomographic image is formed, and the biological tissue. There is a problem that it is not possible to elucidate the relationship between many different factors and ultrasonic tomographic images as outputs that interfere with each other without considering frequency dependent attenuation and the like.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. A medical image evaluation apparatus capable of comprehensive image evaluation by clarifying the relationship between various parameters that determine the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image and the image. The purpose is to provide.

[0007]

To achieve this object, the present invention provides a piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating the vibration form of an ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator and an ultrasonic array for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. A spatial response calculator that calculates the spatial response of one piezoelectric element to a sound field space from the shape of one piezoelectric element that is configured; an ultrasonic phantom generator that generates a random scatterer as an object; A one-element RF signal calculation section that calculates an RF signal of one element of the ultrasonic probe from the calculation results of the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation section, the spatial response calculation section, and the phantom generation section, and the one-element RF signal calculation Probe RF signal calculator for calculating the reflected ultrasonic signal of the ultrasonic probe for imaging from the calculation result of the probe, and the RF signal by processing the calculation result of the probe RF signal calculator. For ultrasonic tomographic image data A signal processing unit for converting, an image forming unit for forming an ultrasonic tomographic image from the output of the signal processing unit and converting it into a video signal, and an image display for displaying the ultrasonic tomographic image upon receiving the output from the image forming unit. A device, an image evaluation unit that performs various image analyzes and evaluations in response to the calculation results of the image forming unit, a recording device that records the calculation results of the above units into a database, and parameter generation that outputs calculation parameters to the above units. It has a configuration of a unit, an input device for inputting a calculation parameter to the parameter generation unit, and a central control unit for controlling each unit.

[0008]

According to the present invention, with the above configuration, medical ultrasonic tomographic images can be combined in the apparatus and the combined ultrasonic tomographic images can be evaluated. Further, the present invention is capable of synthesizing an image by changing various parameters that affect the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image, and determining the optimum value of various parameters while observing or evaluating the image. It is possible to obtain appropriate design guidelines.

[0009]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 11 is a piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit, 12 is a spatial response calculation unit, 13 is an ultrasonic phantom generation unit, 14 is a 1-element RF signal calculation unit, 15 is a probe RF signal calculation unit, and 16 is A signal processing unit, 17 is an image forming unit, 18 is an image evaluation unit, 19 is an image display device, 20
Is a recording device, 21 is a parameter generation unit, 22 is an input device, 23 is an output device, and 24 is a central control unit.

FIG. 2 relates to calculation of response characteristics of the piezoelectric vibrator. FIG. 2A is a sectional view of an ultrasonic probe including the piezoelectric vibrator, and FIG. 2B is a calculated piezoelectric vibrator response. Shows the characteristics. 2A, 25 is a backing layer, 26 is a piezoelectric vibrator, 27 is a first matching layer, and 28 is a second matching layer.
A matching layer, 29 is an acoustic lens, 30 is an electrode layer, 31 is an adhesive layer, 32 is a sound wave radiating surface, 33 is a drive waveform, and 34 is a response waveform.

FIG. 3 relates to spatial response calculation.
3A shows a conceptual diagram of spatial response calculation, and FIG. 3B shows the calculated spatial response. In FIG. 3, 32 is a sound wave emitting surface, 35 is a propagation medium, 36 is an observation point, 37 is an ultrasonic wave propagation path, and 38 is a spatial response characteristic.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of RF signal calculation.
(A) shows the concept of 1 element RF signal calculation, and (b) has shown the concept of probe RF signal calculation. 4, 40 is an ultrasonic transducer, 41 is an ultrasonic transducer array, 42 is a transmitting ultrasonic transducer, 43 is a receiving ultrasonic transducer, 44 is a random scatterer distributed in the sound field space, Reference numeral 45 is a propagation path from the simulated ultrasonic transducer for transmission to the ultrasonic transducer for examination through the scatterer, and 46 is the calculated one element R
F signal waveform, 47 is one element RF recorded in the recording device
A signal, 48 is a delay time, 49 is an adder, and 50 is a finally calculated probe RF signal.

The operation of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, the shape, size, matching layer characteristics, drive waveform, and the like of the vibrator are input from the input device 22. The input parameters are input to the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit 11 via the parameter generation unit 21 and the vibration mode of the piezoelectric vibrator is calculated. A vibration waveform of the sound wave emitting surface 32 when an arbitrary drive waveform 33 is applied to the electrode layers 30 at both ends of the piezoelectric vibrator 26 during transmission, and an electrode layer 3 when an impulse waveform is incident on the sound wave emitting surface 32 during reception.
The electrical response characteristic at 0 is calculated. The response characteristics of these piezoelectric vibrators can be accurately calculated using the Mason equivalent circuit or the finite element method. The calculated response characteristic of the piezoelectric vibrator is as shown in FIG. 2B and is recorded in the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic database in the recording device 20.

Next, the characteristics of the propagation medium to be calculated, such as attenuation parameters, are input from the input device 22. The parameters are sent via the parameter generation unit 21 to the spatial response calculation unit 1
2, the shape of the sound wave emitting surface 32 of one ultrasonic transducer 40 (one element) constituting the ultrasonic probe array 41,
The spatial response characteristic of one element is calculated in consideration of dimensions, acoustic impedance, and the like. In the process of this calculation, the acoustic characteristics of the propagation medium 35 are introduced, and the distribution of the ultrasonic propagation path 37 between the observation point 36 and the sound wave emission surface 32 and the propagation medium 3
The spatial response characteristic data of one element is calculated by executing the area on the sound wave emitting surface 32 in consideration of the acoustic characteristic of No. 5. These spatial response data are a kind of impulse response in an acoustically homogeneous medium, and their waveforms are as shown in FIG. 3 (b). The calculated spatial response characteristic is recorded in the spatial response database in the recording device 20.

Next, the size of the phantom, the density of the random scatterers, the information of the structure, etc. are inputted from the input device 22,
The input parameters are input to the ultrasonic phantom generator 13 via the parameter generator 21. The ultrasonic phantom generator 13 distributes random scatterers in the input scatterer density within the size of the input phantom. In addition, the random scatterers inside the structure are excluded from the data from the structure information, and the structure scatterers are newly distributed inside the structure. In some cases, data that considers the inhomogeneity of the medium is calculated during the calculation process. The calculated ultrasonic phantom data is recorded in the ultrasonic phantom database in the recording device 20.

Next, parameters such as an imaging range required for calculation of the RF signal are input from the input device 22, and the input parameters are passed through the parameter generator 21 to the one-element RF.
It is input to the signal calculator 14. The piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic data, the ultrasonic phantom data, and the spatial response data calculated in the previous stage and stored in the database are read from the respective databases in the recording device 20, and the one-element RF signal is calculated. The propagation time is calculated from the position information of the random scatterers, the position information of the structure scatterers, etc., and a pair of ultrasonic transducers 42 for transmission and reception are included in the ultrasonic transducers 40 of the ultrasonic probe array 41. Based on the position information of the scatterer 44 obtained from the random scatterer information read from the ultrasonic phantom database, the ultrasonic transducer 43 for transmission is assumed, and the ultrasonic wave for reception is transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer 42 for transmission through the scatterer 44. Bowl 43
The propagation path 45 of the ultrasonic wave reaching to is calculated, the applicable spatial response data is read from the spatial response database, and the round-trip response from each scatterer 44 is calculated. By superimposing the calculated round-trip responses in consideration of the propagation time of each propagation path 45, the round-trip responses to the assumed transmission ultrasonic transducer 42 and reception ultrasonic transducer 43 regarding all scatterers are calculated. To be done. Finally, the one-element RF signal data 46 is calculated by convolving the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic data. By performing this process for all combinations of transmission / reception of all the elements constituting the ultrasonic transducer array 41, one element RF signal data required to image the input imaging area is calculated. .. The calculated 1-element RF signal data is recorded in the RF signal database 47 in the recording device 20.

Next, the number of elements for dynamic focus, the delay characteristic for beam steering, the number of probe RF signals necessary for imaging, etc. are input from the input device 22, and the input parameters are used as the parameter generator. The probe RF signal calculation unit 15 is input via 21 and the probe RF signal data is calculated from the one-element RF signal data calculated in the previous stage. The corresponding one-element RF signal data in the one-element RF signal database 47 is selected from the input parameters, the delay time 48 corresponding to each element is given, and the prober RF signal 5 is added by the adder 49.
Calculate 0. By repeating this process for the number of input probe RF signals, it is possible to obtain the probe RF signals necessary for imaging. The calculated probe RF signal is recorded in the probe RF signal database in the recording device 20.

Next, the parameters necessary for processing the probe RF signal calculated in the previous step are input from the input device 22. The input parameters are input to the signal processing unit 16 via the parameter generation unit 21, and the dynamic range,
Parameters in signal processing such as noise level and various filter constants are determined. The probe RF signals required for imaging are sequentially read out from the probe RF signal database in the recording device 20 and processed into image signals. The calculated image signal is recorded in the image signal database in the recording device 20. The image signal recorded in the recording device 20 is
The image is read by the image forming unit 17, converted into a video signal, and displayed on the image display device 19. Image display device 19
Then, among the various calculation parameters input via the input device 22, necessary ones or all of them can be displayed together with the ultrasonic tomographic image. The recording device 20
The image signal data therein is read by the image evaluation unit 18, and various image evaluations such as frequency analysis and statistical analysis are performed according to an instruction input via the input device 22. The image evaluation result is sent to the image display device 1 via the image forming unit 17.
9 or recorded in the image evaluation database in the recording device 20 and output by the output device 23 when necessary.

These processes are comprehensively controlled by the central controller 24. The calculation process may be sequential as described above, or it is also possible to provide a distributed control device in each part and perform an independent process via a database in the recording device 20 as long as each part does not interfere. is there. In addition, various parameters can be input each time when the calculation process starts, during the calculation, or each time, or can be input to the database in the recording device 20 and read out the database to input the parameters. .. Note that this calculation process is performed even in the case of an electronic scanning linear probe or an electronic scanning convex probe in which the aperture itself moves, or a fixed aperture is used to steer the ultrasonic beam by electrical delay scanning. It can be applied to the case of the electronic scanning sector probe.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating the response characteristics of the ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator and the single piezoelectric element forming the ultrasonic array for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. A spatial response calculator that calculates the spatial response of one piezoelectric element to the sound field space from the shape of the element, an ultrasonic phantom generator that generates a random scatterer as an object, and the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic A one-element RF signal calculation section for calculating an RF signal of one element from the calculation results of the calculation section, the spatial response calculation section, and the ultrasonic phantom generation section;
A probe RF signal calculation unit that receives the calculation result of the one-element RF signal calculation unit and calculates the reflected ultrasonic signal of the ultrasonic probe, and processes the calculation result of the probe RF signal calculation unit. R
A signal processing unit for converting the F signal into ultrasonic tomographic image data, an image forming unit for forming an ultrasonic tomographic image from the calculation result of the signal processing unit and converting it into a video signal, and an output from the image forming unit. An image display device that receives and displays an ultrasonic tomographic image, an image evaluation unit that performs various image analyzes and evaluations based on the calculation results of the image forming unit, and a recording device that records and outputs the output of each unit as a database. , A parameter generator for outputting the calculation parameters to the respective units, an input device for inputting the calculation parameters to the parameter generator, an output device for outputting the calculation parameters and image evaluation results of the respective units, and controlling the respective units By providing the central control unit for performing the above, it is possible to combine the medical ultrasonic tomographic images in the apparatus and evaluate the combined ultrasonic tomographic images.

Further, according to the present invention, images can be synthesized by changing various parameters that affect the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image,
Optimal values of various parameters can be determined while observing or evaluating images, and appropriate design guidelines for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a spatial response calculation unit which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus of FIG.

In FIG. 5, 51 is a position information generator, 52 is a one-element surface mesh divider, 53 is an amplitude / phase corrector, 5
Reference numeral 4 is a frequency dependent attenuation corrector, and 55 is an integrator.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of the three-dimensional mesh division of the space for calculating the spatial response characteristic of one element in the second embodiment. In FIG. 6, 32 is a sound wave emitting surface, 35 is a propagation medium, 36 is a propagation path of ultrasonic waves, 61 is a three-dimensional mesh dividing the calculation target space, and 62 is a mesh point.

In the configuration as described above, the position information generator 51 receives parameters such as mesh intervals and calculation target space size from the parameter generation unit 21, divides the calculation target space into a three-dimensional mesh 61, and divides each mesh. Three-dimensional discrete position information of the mesh point 62 is sequentially output to the one-element surface mesh divider 52 with the point 62 as a calculation point. In the 1-element surface mesh divider 52, the 1-element surface mesh divider 52 is used to execute the area required on the sound wave emitting surface 32 for calculating the spatial response.
The sound wave emitting surface 32 of the element is divided into a two-dimensional mesh. At this time, the positions of the mesh points 62 of the three-dimensional mesh 61, which are the spatial response calculation points, and the two points on the sound wave emitting surfaces 32 adjacent to each other.
The amplitude and phase corrector is determined by determining the mesh width and the division number of the two-dimensional mesh on the sound wave emitting surface 32 so that the path difference of the propagation path connecting the mesh points of the three-dimensional mesh becomes 1/10 or less of the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave used. The position information of each two-dimensional mesh is output to 53. In the amplitude / phase corrector 53, the sound wave emitting surface 3
The distance attenuation and the phase shift due to the propagation path length from the two-dimensional mesh point on 2 to the three-dimensional mesh point 62 which is the spatial response calculation point are corrected. The frequency dependent attenuation compensator 54 corrects the phase shift and the amplitude change of the spatial response due to the frequency dependent propagation attenuation as the acoustic characteristics of the propagation medium 35,
An integrand for the area on the sound wave emitting surface 32 is calculated and output to the integrator 55. The integrator 55 receives parameters such as the number of divisions of the two-dimensional mesh from the one-element surface mesh divider 52 and the output of the integrand from the frequency-dependent attenuation corrector 54, and adds weights resulting from the number of divisions to the integrand. Performs calculation of spatial response characteristics.

In this case, the mesh interval of the three-dimensional mesh 61 for the spatial response calculation is the depth direction, the scanning direction,
It is possible to set each slice direction independently, but with respect to the scan direction, the same interval as the scan direction pitch of the piezoelectric transducer element of the ultrasonic probe to be calculated, or a fraction or an integer thereof. The double setting is convenient for later one-element RF signal calculation and the like. Further, the depth direction and the slice direction may be set at intervals such that the calculated waveform change of the spatial response does not change significantly between adjacent meshes. The embodiment shown here is an electronic scanning linear probe or an electronic scanning sector probe, and the three-dimensional mesh 61 is divided by the xyz coordinate system. R for tentacles
The same calculation can be performed by dividing by the θz coordinate system.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the spatial response calculation unit divides the sound field space into a three-dimensional mesh and generates a position information generator and a sound wave emitting surface of one element. A one-element surface mesh divider that divides into a two-dimensional mesh and generates information for the area, and the output of the position information generator and the one-element surface mesh divider receives the phase and amplitude of the spatial response from the propagation path length. An amplitude / phase corrector that corrects the frequency, a frequency-dependent attenuation corrector that receives the output of the amplitude-phase corrector and calculates a propagation attenuation value from a frequency-dependent attenuation parameter, the position information generator, and the one-element surface mesh divider. The frequency-dependent attenuation of the propagation medium is considered from the parameters such as the shape of the sound wave emitting surface of one element by configuring the integrator that calculates and outputs the spatial response from the output of the frequency-dependent attenuation corrector. It is possible to obtain the spatial response.

(Embodiment 3) A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator, which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus of FIG. In FIG. 7, 71 is a scatterer position generator, 72 is a scatterer remover in a structure, 73 is a rearranger, 74 is a data compressor, 75 is a scatterer generator in a structure, and 76 is a rearranger, Reference numeral 77 is a data compressor.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generated by the ultrasonic phantom generating section in the third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 8, 81 is an ultrasonic phantom, 82 is a phantom three-dimensional mesh dividing the phantom, 83 is a cylindrical structure as a structure, and 84 is a string as a structure.

In the configuration as described above, the scatterer position generator 71 uses parameters such as the size of the phantom and the scatterer density input from the input device 22 to the parameter generation unit 21.
The position information of the random scatterer, which is input through the phantom and is set, is generated. The generated random scatterer position data is output to the intra-structure scatterer remover 72. The intra-structure scatterer remover 72 removes random scatterers existing in the structure based on the structure information in the phantom input from the input device 22 and input through the parameter generation unit 21. The random scatterer data that has not been removed is input to the rearranger 73. In the rearranger 73, the three phantoms input from the input device 22 are input.
Parameters such as the mesh spacing of the three-dimensional mesh are input through the parameter generation unit 21, and the input random scatterer position data is assigned to each three-dimensional mesh so that the subsequent calculation process can be simplified and arranged in the order of the meshes. Replace.

In this case, the density of the random scatterer, which is an ultrasonic wave reflector, is sufficient to generate a speckle pattern as seen in an ordinary ultrasonic tomographic image of a living tissue in the subsequent RF signal calculation process. 1 in the ultrasonic transmission pulse
It is desirable to set such that there are zero or more. Since a considerably large recording capacity is required to record position information for all random scatterers, the data compressor 7
Random scatterer position information is coded via 4 and compressed to save the recording capacity. The compressed data is recorded in the phantom database in the recording device 20.

On the other hand, the information about the structure inside the phantom input from the input device 22 is input to the intra-structure scatterer generator 75 through the parameter generation unit 21, and the random scatter of the surroundings inside the scatterer. Scatterer position information is generated in order to distribute scatterers having different characteristics from the body. The scatterer position information inside the structure generated here is, for example, a scatterer group having a reflectance different from that of the random scatterers around the inside of the cylindrical structure 83 in FIG. Is like scatterers densely arranged on a straight line. In-structure scatterer generator 75
The scatterer position information generated in 1. is assigned to each three-dimensional mesh by the rearrangement unit 76, rearranged in the order of the meshes, coded by the data compressor 77, and recorded as in the case of the random scatterer. It is recorded in the phantom database in the device 20.

It is convenient to set the mesh interval of the three-dimensional mesh of the phantom in the depth direction, the scan direction, and the slice direction to be the same as the pitch at the time of calculating the spatial response data, which is the basic data for calculation, or an integral multiple thereof.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the ultrasonic phantom generator receives the output of the scatterer position generator and the scatterer position generator for distributing the random scatterers within the size of the phantom. Receiving the output of the scatterer remover in the structure that erases the random scatterer data in the structure and the scatterer remover in the structure, the phantom is divided into a three-dimensional mesh and the random scatterer data corresponds to the mesh structure. And a data rearranger for rearranging in order, a data compressor for receiving the output of the rearranger, encoding the random scatterer position data, compressing it, and outputting it to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device, structure The in-structure scatterer generator in which another kind of scatterer is newly arranged in the object, and the phantom is divided into a three-dimensional mesh by receiving the output of the in-structure scatterer generator. A data rearranger that rearranges the object scatterer data in order corresponding to the mesh structure, and receives the output of the rearranger, encodes the scatterer position data in the structure, compresses it, and stores it in the structure in the recording device. By providing a data compressor that outputs to the scatterer database, such as having some structure inside the random scatterer group,
Phantom data simulating an actual ultrasonic phantom can be generated.

(Embodiment 4) A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a one-element RF signal calculation unit which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus of FIG. In FIG. 9, 91 is a position information generator, 92 is a spatial response selector, 93 is a spatial response database in the recording device 20, 94 is a phantom data selector, 95 is a phantom database in the recording device 20, and 96 is amplitude correction. vessel,
97 is a scatterer position generator, 98 is a propagation time generator, 99
Is a convolutional integrator, 100 is a one-element RF signal selector, 1
Reference numeral 01 is an adder, and 102 is a one-element RF signal database in the recording device 20.

In the configuration described above, the position information generator 91 receives parameters such as mesh spacing, calculation target space size, and probe channel pitch from the input device 22 via the parameter generator 21 and the phantom space. Is divided into three-dimensional meshes, and the discrete position information of each mesh point and the transmitting / receiving channel position information of the probe are sequentially output. The spatial response selector 92 selects, from the spatial response database 93, transmission / reception spatial response data at positions that match the mesh points that are calculation points and the transmission / reception channels, and outputs each to the transmission and reception amplitude correctors 96. .. Further, the phantom data selector 94 receives the output of the position information generator 91, selects random scatterer data or structure scatterer data in the vicinity of the mesh point to be calculated from the phantom database 95, and outputs it to the scatterer position generator 97. ..
The scatterer position generator 97 decodes the position information of each scatterer and outputs it to the amplitude corrector 96 and the propagation time generator 98.
The amplitude corrector 96 converts the displacement of the calculation target mesh point and the position of the scatterer, and corrects the amplitude corresponding to the displacement of the position and the amplitude caused by the reflectance of the scatterer to the spatial response data. The amplitude-corrected spatial response data is the propagation time generator 9
8, the output time of the scatterer position generator 97 is used to calculate the propagation time of the forward and return paths from the RF signal extraction position to the scatterer, and the propagation time of the spatial response data is corrected. The spatial response data whose propagation time at the time of transmission and reception is corrected by the propagation time generator 98 is the convolutional integrator 9
9. The piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic data which is input to 9 and read from the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic database in the recording device 20 and the spatial response data at the time of transmission / reception are convoluted and converted into reflected ultrasonic signals from the scatterer to be calculated. Adder 101
Is output to. The one-element RF signal selector 100 calculates the extraction position of the RF signal to be recorded from the output from the position information generator 91, and the corresponding RF signal is selected from the one-element RF signal database 102 and read by the adder 101. , Is added to the ultrasonic reflection signal from the scatterer calculated in the adder 101, and is again output to the one-element RF signal database 102.

In this case, the mesh interval of the three-dimensional mesh of the phantom for the one-element RF signal data calculation is the same as the pitch at the time of spatial response data calculation which is the basic data for calculation in the depth direction, the scan direction and the slice direction. , Or an integer multiple thereof is convenient. For amplitude correction in the amplitude corrector 96, a correction coefficient may be calculated in advance from spatial response data corresponding to the three-dimensional mesh of adjacent phantoms. If the coefficient is obtained using a spline function or the like, the coefficient can be calculated accurately. You can make corrections.

As described above, according to this embodiment, one element R
An F signal calculation unit divides the phantom space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information of the mesh, and a position information generator that generates a transmission / reception channel position, and an output of the position information generator. Spatial response selector for selecting transmitted / received spatial response data from the spatial response database of the above, and partial data of the phantom corresponding to the calculation target three-dimensional mesh from the phantom database in the recording device which receives the output from the position information generator. A phantom data selector, a scatterer position generator that converts the phantom data selected by the phantom data selector into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and an output of the scatterer position generator, An amplitude corrector for correcting the amplitude of the spatial response data selected by the spatial response selector, and the scatter position A propagation time generator that receives the output of the generator and the output of the amplitude corrector, determines the propagation time of transmission and reception and gives a delay time to the spatial response data, the spatial response data from the propagation time generator, and reads it from the recording device. The convolution integrator that calculates the ultrasonic reflection signal by the scatterer by convolving the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic data, and the 1-element RF signal of the 1-element RF signal database in the recording device that receives the output of the position information generator All scatterers are configured by a 1-element RF signal selector for selecting data and an adder for adding the output of the convolutional integrator to the 1-element RF data selected by the 1-element RF signal selector. For displaying an image, without calculating the spatial response with respect to the data, the highly accurate and high-speed one element RF signal data is calculated from the spatial response data calculated discretely. Basic data can be obtained.

(Embodiment 5) Hereinafter, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator, which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus of FIG. In FIG. 10, 71 is a scatterer position generator, 7
2 is a scatterer remover in the structure, 73 is a rearranger, 74 is a data compressor, 75 is a scatterer generator in the structure, 76 is a rearranger, 77 is a data compressor, 103 is structure attenuation data A generator, 104 is a data compressor.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of generation of attenuation correction data in a structure. In FIG. 11, reference numeral 111 is an RF signal extraction position, 112 is a calculation target phantom mesh point, 113 is a cylindrical structure as a structure, 114 is a propagation path connecting the mesh point and the RF signal extraction position, 115
Is a propagation path length that gives attenuation correction data, and 116 is a phantom. In the above configuration, the scatterer position generator 71, the intra-structure scatterer remover 72, the rearranger 73, the data compressor 74, the intra-structure scatterer generator 7
5, the rearranger 76, and the data compressor 77 operate in the same manner as in the third embodiment, and output the respective scatterer information to the phantom database in the recording device 20.

On the other hand, the structure attenuation data generator 103
Is the propagation attenuation information inside the structure, RF from the input device 22.
Parameters such as the signal extraction position and the phantom three-dimensional mesh interval are input via the parameter generation unit 21, and the attenuation characteristics inside the structure are the same for all combinations of the RF extraction position and mesh points to be calculated. Compensation data for the deviation of the propagation attenuation due to the difference from the medium is calculated.

In the process of calculating the attenuation correction amount, first, a propagation path 114 connecting the phantom three-dimensional mesh point 112 to be calculated and the RF signal extraction position 111 is assumed, and the propagation path 114 is, for example, the surrounding medium of the phantom 116. If it intersects with the cylindrical structure 113 given different propagation attenuation characteristics, it is assumed that the attenuation correction amount corresponding to the distance 115 that the propagation path 114 passes through the cylindrical structure 113 is given, and the propagation attenuation coefficient and the propagation inside the cylindrical structure 113 Attenuation correction data is calculated in the form of a product of path length 115.

The calculated attenuation correction data is used as the extraction position 111 for all RF signals that affect the subsequent RF signal calculation.
Since the calculation is performed on the combination of the calculation target mesh points 112, the data is compressed and encoded through the data compressor 104 to reduce the recording capacity. The attenuation correction amount calculated here depends on the frequency in consideration of the attenuation characteristic of the living tissue.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the ultrasonic phantom generator receives the output of the scatterer position generator and the scatterer position generator for distributing the random scatterers within the size of the phantom. Receiving the output of the scatterer remover in the structure that erases the random scatterer data in the structure and the scatterer remover in the structure, the phantom is divided into a three-dimensional mesh and the random scatterer data corresponds to the mesh structure. Then, the data rearranger that rearranges the data in order, the data compressor that codes and compresses the random scatterer position data and outputs it to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device, and newly scatters other types in the structure. The structure scatterer generator in which the body is arranged and the output of the scatterer generator in the structure are divided into a three-dimensional mesh, and the structure scatterer data is meshed. The data rearranger that rearranges the data in order, the data compressor that codes and compresses the scatterer position data in the structure and outputs it to the scatterer database in the structure in the recording device, and the attenuation inside the structure A structure attenuation data generator that calculates the propagation attenuation inside the structure from the characteristics and the propagation path length for all combinations of meshes and all RF signal extraction positions, and generates attenuation correction data inside the structure; It consists of a data compressor that encodes and compresses the data of the structure attenuation data generator and outputs it to the attenuation correction database in the recording device, and considers the inhomogeneity of the propagation attenuation as the acoustic characteristics of the propagation medium in the phantom. Phantom data closer to the ultrasonic phantom actually used can be generated.

(Sixth Embodiment) A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of a one-element RF signal calculation unit which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus of FIG. In FIG. 12, 91 is a position information generator, 92 is a spatial response selector, 93 is a spatial response database in the recording device 20, 94 is a phantom data selector, 95 is a phantom database in the recording device 20, and 96 is amplitude correction. , 97 is a scatterer position generator, 98 is a propagation time generator,
99 is a convolutional integrator, 100 is a one-element RF signal selector, 101 is an adder, 102 is an RF signal database in the recording device 20, 121 is an attenuation correction data selector, 122
Is a propagation attenuation corrector.

In the above configuration, the position information generator 91, the spatial response selector 92, the spatial response database 9
3, phantom data selector 94, phantom database 95, amplitude corrector 96, scatterer position generator 97, propagation time generator 98, convolution integrator 99, 1-element RF signal selector 100, adder 101, 1-element RF The signal database 102 operates similarly to the fourth embodiment described above.

The attenuation correction data selector 121 receives the output from the position information generator 91 and selects from the phantom database 95 in the recording device 20 the propagation attenuation correction data due to the structure in the phantom. The selected propagation attenuation correction data is output from the phantom database 95 to the propagation attenuation corrector 121, is decoded in the propagation attenuation corrector 121, and is propagated by correcting the amplitude and phase of the spatial response data output from the amplitude corrector 96. Output to the time generator 98.

As described above, according to this embodiment, one element R
An F signal calculation unit divides the phantom space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information, and a position information generator that generates a transmission / reception channel position, and an output of the position information generator to receive an output of the recording device. A spatial response selector for selecting transmitted / received spatial response data from the spatial response database and a partial data of the phantom corresponding to the calculation target three-dimensional mesh from the phantom database in the recording device which receives the output from the position information generator. Phantom data selector, scatterer position generator for converting phantom data selected by the phantom data selector into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and recording device for receiving output from the position information generator The data for the propagation attenuation correction in the structure corresponding to the three-dimensional mesh to be calculated from the phantom database in the An attenuation correction data selector for selecting, and an amplitude corrector for receiving the output of the scatterer position generator and correcting the amplitude of the spatial response data selected by the spatial response selector, and the attenuation correction data selector. A propagation attenuation corrector for decoding the selected structure propagation attenuation correction data and correcting the amplitude and phase of the output of the amplitude corrector,
From the propagation time generator, which receives the output of the scatterer position generator and the output of the propagation attenuation corrector, calculates the propagation time at the time of transmission and gives the delay time to each spatial response data, and the propagation time generator By convolving the spatial response data of and the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic data read from the recording device,
A convolutional integrator for calculating an ultrasonic reflection signal by the scatterer, a one-element RF signal selector for receiving the output of the position information generator and selecting one-element RF signal data in a one-element RF signal database in the recording device, It has an adder that adds the output of the convolutional integrator to the 1-element RF data selected by the 1-element RF signal selector, and has a uniform attenuation characteristic over the entire phantom, and an inhomogeneity as seen in living tissue. A more realistic form of RF considering propagation attenuation characteristics
Can calculate signals.

(Embodiment 7) Hereinafter, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a probe RF signal calculation unit which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus of FIG. In FIG. 13, 131 is one element R in the recording device 20.
F signal database, 132 is a channel information generator,
133 is a one-element RF signal selector, 134 is a weight generator,
135 is a multiplier, 136 is a delay time controller, 137 is a variable delay device, 138 is an adder, and 139 is a data line.

In the above configuration, the channel information generator 132 receives parameters such as the imaging range, the probe channel pitch, and the RF signal calculation interval from the parameter generator 21 and is necessary for imaging. The information of various elements is sequentially output. The one-element RF signal selector 133 receives the output from the channel information generator 132 and selects the required number of one-element RF signal data required for the probe RF signal calculation. The selected 1-element RF signal data is read from the 1-element RF signal characteristic database 131 in the recording device 20 via the data line 139. The weight generator 134 outputs from the channel information generator 132,
The weight value added to each element is calculated from the information on the weight from the parameter generation unit 21, and is output to the multiplier 135 on the data line 139. The multiplier 135 outputs the one-element RF signal data on the data line 139. Is weighted. The delay time controller 136 calculates the total delay time of transmission and reception for each element from the output from the channel information generator 132 and the delay characteristic information from the parameter generation unit 21, and the variable delay device 137 on the data line 139.
And the delay time is given to the one-element RF signal data on each data line 139. In this case, it is possible to set the quantization time of the delay time and the delay time error in the delay time controller 136, and estimate the relationship between the delay time accuracy and the finally calculated ultrasonic tomographic image. can do. Finally, one element R on each data line 139
The F signal data is added by the adder 138 to calculate probe RF signal data for one aperture, and recorded in the probe RF signal database in the recording device 20.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the probe R
An F signal calculation unit receives a channel information generator for generating element information necessary for calculation of a probe RF signal and a 1 element RF signal from a 1 element RF signal database in a recording device which receives an output of the channel information generator. A one-element RF signal selector that selects data by the set number of elements, an output of the channel information generator, and a weight to be applied to each selected one-element RF signal that receives the output of the channel information generator are calculated. Weight generator, each one element RF selected by receiving the output of the one element RF signal selector and the output of the weight generator
A multiplier for weighting the signal, a delay time controller for receiving the output of the channel information generator and giving a delay time for each element data, and a probe for adding the element data by receiving the output of the delay time controller By being composed of an adder that outputs child RF signal data, it is possible to calculate an RF signal for image formation corresponding to the case of an actual ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

(Embodiment 8) An eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a signal processing unit which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus of FIG. In FIG. 14, reference numeral 141 is a preamplifier unit, 142 is a depth gain controller (DGC) unit, 143 is a dynamic filter unit, 144 is a logarithmic amplifier, 145 is a detector, and 14 is a detector.
6 is a Nyquist filter and 147 is an arbitrary level noise generator.

With the above-described structure, the recording device 20
The RF signals are sequentially read out from the probe RF signal database inside and input to the preamplifier unit 141. The RF signal data that has been amplified to some extent by the preamplifier unit 141 is added to the noise component generated by the arbitrary level noise generator 147, and then input to the DGC unit 142 for compensating for the propagation attenuation. The DGC unit performs attenuation compensation according to the distance of the RF signal, and the dynamic filter unit 1 for band limitation
At 43, filtering according to distance is performed,
It is logarithmically amplified by a logarithmic amplifier 144 for level compression. The logarithmically compressed RF signal data is the detector 1
Envelope data is detected by 45 and band-limited by the Nyquist filter unit 146 to become an image signal. The calculated image signal is output to the image signal database in the recording device, and is output to the image forming unit 17 or the image evaluation unit 18 via the image signal database.

In this process, the parameters relating to the processing of each processing unit may be input before the processing, or the processing results of each unit may be interactively input while displaying the processing result on the image display device 19. It is also possible to observe changes in processing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the signal processing unit includes the preamplifier unit, the DGC unit, the dynamic filter unit, the logarithmic amplifier, the detector, the Nyquist filter unit, and the arbitrary level noise generator. By being configured, the RF signal data can be converted into image signal data, and the process of processing each RF signal by each processing unit can be observed to clarify the influence of each unit on the imaging signal as an output. It is also possible to derive the optimum design specifications of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[0064]

As described above, according to the present invention, the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating the vibration form of the ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator,
A spatial response calculator that calculates the spatial response of one piezoelectric element to a sound field space from the shape of one piezoelectric element that constitutes an ultrasonic array that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and a random scatterer as a subject. An ultrasonic phantom generator, a piezoelectric element response characteristic calculator, a spatial response calculator, and a one-element RF signal calculator that calculates an RF signal of one element from the calculation results of the ultrasonic phantom generator. , Above 1
A probe RF signal calculator that receives a calculation result of the element RF signal calculator and calculates a reflected ultrasonic signal of the probe for imaging, and processes the calculation result of the probe RF signal calculator. A signal processing unit for converting an RF signal into ultrasonic tomographic image data, an image forming unit for forming an ultrasonic tomographic image from the calculation result of the signal processing unit and converting it into a video signal, and an output from the image forming unit An image display device that receives an ultrasonic tomographic image in response to the received image, an image evaluation unit that performs various image analyzes and evaluations based on the calculation results of the image forming unit, and a recording device that records the calculation results of the above units into a database. A parameter generation unit that outputs the calculation parameters to the respective units, an input device for inputting the calculation parameters to the parameter generation unit, and an output device that outputs the calculation parameters and the image evaluation results of the respective units, By providing Bei the central control unit for controlling the serial each unit, synthesized in the device a medical ultrasonic tomographic image can be evaluated the combined ultrasonic tomographic image. Further, the present invention is applicable to array type probes such as an electronic scanning linear probe, an electronic scanning convex probe, and an electronic scanning sector probe, and affects the image quality of an ultrasonic tomographic image. An excellent medical image that can synthesize various images by changing the given parameters, determine the optimum values of various parameters while observing or evaluating the images, and obtain appropriate design guidelines for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The evaluation device can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall block connection diagram of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of an ultrasonic probe including a piezoelectric vibrator of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a response characteristic diagram of the piezoelectric vibrator.

FIG. 3A is a conceptual diagram of a spatial response calculation of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus in the same embodiment. FIG. 3B is a characteristic diagram of spatial response of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus in the same embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a conceptual diagram of one-element RF signal calculation of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus in the same embodiment. FIG. 4B is a conceptual diagram of probe RF signal calculation of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus in the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block connection diagram of a spatial response calculation unit, which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of three-dimensional mesh division of a calculation target space which is a main part of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block connection diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator, which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram of an ultrasonic phantom, which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a one-element RF signal calculation unit, which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic phantom generator, which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of attenuation correction data generation of the medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus in the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block connection diagram of a one-element RF signal calculation unit, which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block connection diagram of a probe RF signal calculation unit, which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a block connection diagram of a signal processing unit which is a main part of a medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an overall block diagram of a conventional medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit 12 Spatial response calculation unit 13 Ultrasonic phantom generation unit 14 1-element RF signal calculation unit 15 Probe RF signal calculation unit 16 Signal processing unit 17 Image forming unit 18 Image evaluation unit 19 Image display device 20 recording device 21 parameter generation unit 22 input device 23 output device 24 central control unit 25 backing layer 26 piezoelectric vibrator 27 first matching layer 28 second matching layer 29 acoustic lens 30 electrode layer 31 adhesive layer 32 sound wave emitting surface 33 drive waveform 34 Response Waveform 35 Propagation Medium 36 Observation Point 37 Ultrasonic Wave Propagation Path 38 Spatial Response Characteristic 40 Ultrasonic Transducer 41 Ultrasonic Transducer Array 42 Transmitting Ultrasonic Transducer 43 Receiving Ultrasonic Transducer 44 Scatterer 45 Propagation Path 46 1-element RF signal 47 1-element RF signal database 48 Delay time 49 Adder 50 Tactile RF signal 51 Position information generator 52 1-element surface mesh divider 53 Amplitude / phase corrector 54 Frequency dependent attenuation corrector 55 Integrator 61 Three-dimensional mesh 62 Mesh point 71 Scatterer position generator 72 Scatterer removal in structure Device 73 Sorter 74 Data compressor 75 Scatterer generator in structure 76 Sorter 77 Data compressor 81 Ultrasonic phantom 82 Phantom three-dimensional mesh 83 Cylindrical structure 84 String 91 Position information generator 92 Spatial response selector 93 Spatial response database 94 Phantom data selector 95 Phantom database 96 Amplitude corrector 97 Scatterer position generator 98 Propagation time generator 99 Convolutional integrator 100 1 element RF signal selector 101 Adder 102 1 element RF signal database 103 Brew brew attenuation Data generator 104 Data Compressor 111 RF Signal Extraction Position 112 Mesh Point 113 Cylindrical Structure 114 Propagation Path 115 Propagation Path Length 116 Phantom 121 Attenuation Correction Data Selector 122 Propagation Attenuation Corrector 131 1 Element RF Signal Database 132 Channel Information Generator 133 1 Element RF signal selector 134 Weight generator 135 Multiplier 136 Delay time controller 137 Variable delay device 138 Adder 139 Data line 141 Preamplifier section 142 DGC section 143 Dynamic filter section 144 Logarithmic amplifier 145 Detector 146 Nyquist filter section 147 Arbitrary level noise Generator 151 Ultrasonic circular concave surface transducer 152 Random scatterer phantom 153 Transmitter 154 Receiver 155 A / D 156 Memory 157 Image analysis unit

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A sound field space based on a piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation unit for calculating a vibration form of an ultrasonic piezoelectric vibrator and a shape of one piezoelectric element constituting an ultrasonic vibrator array for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. Spatial response calculation section for calculating the spatial response of one piezoelectric element to the, an ultrasonic phantom generation section for generating a random scatterer as an object, the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic calculation section, and the spatial response calculation 1-element RF signal calculation section for calculating a reflected ultrasonic signal from a 1-element random scatterer group forming an ultrasonic transducer array from the calculation results of the ultrasonic phantom generation section and the 1-element RF signal calculation section A probe RF signal calculation unit that calculates a received ultrasonic signal as a probe by applying a delay or weight to each element based on the calculation result of the unit, and processes the calculation results of the probe RF signal calculation unit. RF signal is super sound A signal processing unit for converting tomographic image data, an image forming unit for forming an ultrasonic tomographic image from the calculation result of the signal processing unit and converting it into a video signal, and a superimposing unit for receiving a video output from the image forming unit. An image display device for displaying an acoustic tomographic image, an image evaluation unit for performing various image analyzes and evaluations on the calculation result of the image forming unit or the calculation result of the signal processing unit, and the calculation result of each unit is recorded in a database. Recording apparatus, a parameter generation unit that outputs calculation parameters to each unit, an input device for inputting calculation parameters to the parameter generation unit, and a medical ultrasonic image evaluation including a central control unit that controls each unit apparatus. 2. A spatial response calculation unit divides a sound field space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information, and a sound wave emitting surface of one element into a two-dimensional mesh to divide an area into areas. A one-element surface mesh divider that generates information for
An amplitude / phase corrector that receives the outputs of the position information generator and the one-element surface mesh divider to correct the phase and amplitude of the spatial response from the propagation path length, and a frequency-dependent attenuation parameter that receives the outputs of the amplitude / phase corrector. A frequency dependent attenuation corrector for calculating a propagation attenuation value from the position information generator, the one-element surface mesh divider, and an integrator for calculating and outputting a spatial response from the output of the frequency dependent attenuation corrector. The medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1. 3. An ultrasonic phantom generator generates a scatterer position generator for distributing random scatterers within the size of the phantom, and outputs scatterer position generator output random scatterer data in a content structure. A data rearrangement that receives the outputs of the scatterer remover in the structure to be erased and the scatterer remover in the structure, divides the phantom into a three-dimensional mesh, and rearranges the random scatterer data in order corresponding to the mesh structure. And a data compressor that receives the output of the rearranger, encodes and compresses random scatterer position data and outputs it to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device, and a scatterer of another type newly added to the structure. In-structure scatterer generator for arranging, and the output of the above-mentioned structure scatterer generator, the phantom is divided into a three-dimensional mesh, and the structure scatterer data is converted into a mesh structure. A data rearranger that rearranges correspondingly in order, and a data compressor that receives the output of the rearranger and encodes and compresses the scatterer position data in structure and outputs it to the scatterer database in structure in the recording device. The medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. An ultrasonic phantom generator generates a scatterer position generator that distributes random scatterers within the dimensions of the phantom, and outputs scatterer position generator output random scatterer data in a content structure. A data rearrangement that receives the outputs of the scatterer remover in the structure to be erased and the scatterer remover in the structure, divides the phantom into a three-dimensional mesh, and rearranges the random scatterer data in order corresponding to the mesh structure. Device, a data compressor that encodes and compresses random scatterer position data and outputs it to the random scatterer phantom database in the recording device, and a scatterer in a structure that newly arranges other kinds of scatterers in the structure A phantom is divided into a three-dimensional mesh by receiving the output of the generator and the scatterer generation unit in the structure, and the structure scatterer data is rearranged in order corresponding to the mesh structure. Data rearrangement device, data compressor that encodes and scatters the position data of scatterers in the structure and outputs it to the scatterer database in the structure in the recording device, structure based on attenuation characteristics inside the structure and propagation path length A structure attenuation data generator that calculates propagation attenuation inside a structure for all mesh and all RF signal extraction positions and generates attenuation correction data inside the structure, and the above structure attenuation data generation The medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a data compressor that encodes the data of the vessel and outputs the encoded data to an attenuation correction database in the recording apparatus. 5. A one-element RF signal calculation unit divides a phantom space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information, and a spatial response in a recording device that receives an output of the position information generator. A spatial response selector that selects spatial response data at the time of transmission and reception from the database, and partial data of the phantom corresponding to the calculation target three-dimensional mesh from the phantom database in the recording device that receives the output from the position information generator. A phantom data selector for selecting, a scatterer position generator for converting the phantom data selected by the phantom data selector into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and an output of the scatterer position generator , Two amplitude correctors for correcting the amplitude of the spatial response data at the time of transmission and at the time of reception selected by the spatial response selector; It receives the outputs of the random body position generator and the amplitude corrector, receives the propagation time of transmission and reception and gives two delay times to the spatial response data, and the respective outputs of the propagation time generator. A convolutional integrator that performs convolutional integration with the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic data, a one-element RF signal selector that selects one-element RF signal data in a one-element RF signal database in the recording device, and the one-element RF signal The medical ultrasonic image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adder that adds the output of the convolutional integrator to the one-element RF data selected by the selector. 6. A one-element RF signal calculation unit divides a phantom space into a three-dimensional mesh to generate discrete position information, and a spatial response in a recording device that receives an output of the position information generator. A spatial response selector that selects spatial response data at the time of transmission and reception from the database, and partial data of the phantom corresponding to the calculation target three-dimensional mesh from the phantom database in the recording device that receives the output from the position information generator. A phantom data selector for selecting, a scatterer position generator for converting the phantom data selected by the phantom data selector into three-dimensional position information of each random scatterer, and an output from the position information generator. From the phantom database in the recorder, select the propagation attenuation correction data in the structure that corresponds to the three-dimensional mesh to be calculated. An attenuation correction data selector, and two amplitude correctors for receiving the output of the scatterer position generator and correcting the amplitude of the spatial response data at the time of transmission and at the time of reception selected by the spatial response selector. Output of the scatterer position generator, and two propagation attenuation correctors for decoding the structure propagation attenuation correction data selected by the attenuation correction data selector to correct the amplitude and phase of the output of the amplitude corrector And the output of the above-mentioned propagation attenuation corrector to obtain the propagation time of transmission and reception, and two propagation time generators for giving a delay time to the spatial response data, and the respective outputs of the above propagation time generator, and the piezoelectric vibrator response characteristic A convolutional integrator for performing convolutional integration with data, a 1-element RF signal selector for selecting 1-element RF signal data in a 1-element RF signal database in the recording device, and selection of the RF signal selector Medical ultrasound image evaluation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adder for adding the output of the convolution integrator RF data. 7. A probe RF signal calculation unit, a channel information generator for generating element information for calculating a probe RF signal, and an element RF in a recording device for receiving an output of the channel information generator. A one-element RF signal selector for selecting one-element RF signal data from the signal database by the set number of elements, and a weight for calculating a weight to be applied to each selected one-element RF signal received from the channel information generator A generator, a multiplier for receiving the output of the one-element RF signal selector and the output of the weight generator for weighting each selected one-element RF signal, and an element data for receiving the output of the channel information generator 2. A delay time controller for giving a delay time to the signal and an adder for receiving the output of the delay time controller and adding each element data to output probe RF signal data. Medical ultrasound image evaluation system. 8. A signal processing unit for a preamplifier unit for amplifying an RF signal, an arbitrary level noise generator for adding a noise component signal to the output of the preamplifier unit, and an output of the arbitrary level noise generator. Depth / gain controller for compensating propagation attenuation according to distance, dynamic filter for giving band limitation according to distance to the output of the depth / gain controller, and output level of the dynamic filter The medical ultrasonic wave according to claim 1, further comprising: a logarithmic amplifier that performs compression, a detection unit that detects the output of the logarithmic amplifier, and a Nyquist filter unit that applies a band limitation to the output of the detection unit to generate an image signal. Image evaluation device.