JPH0592001A - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of obtaining a true blood flow velocity and obtaining a blood flow image using the true blood flow velocity. .. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention comprises means for transmitting ultrasonic waves into a subject and receiving reflected waves reflected from a moving body for each of a plurality of receiving directions having a three-dimensional relationship with each other. D-mode processing systems 9a, 9b, 9 for extracting a Doppler component for each of the plurality of received signals obtained by the receiving means
c and 9d, and a vector calculator 11 that obtains movement information of the moving body based on the Doppler component and the reception direction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which collects movement information of a moving body (blood cells) in a subject by utilizing the Doppler effect of ultrasonic waves for diagnosis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, a color two-dimensional blood flow image and a tomographic image (B mode image) are obtained in real time by one ultrasonic probe by using the ultrasonic Doppler method and the pulse reflection method together. Ultrasonic blood that superimposes a three-dimensional blood flow image on a tomographic image and displays changes in blood flow velocity over time at a sample point (observation point) designated by the operator (display by the 1-point Doppler method) Flow imaging devices are used in clinical settings. The flow information of the blood flow for obtaining the color two-dimensional blood flow image and the blood flow velocity in such a device is obtained by utilizing the Doppler effect.

That is, when an ultrasonic pulse is transmitted to the blood flow flowing in the subject, the center frequency fc of this ultrasonic beam is scattered by the flowing blood cells and undergoes a Doppler shift to generate a frequency (Doppler shift). (Transition frequency) fd. Therefore, the reception frequency f can be expressed by the following equation (1). f = fc + fd (1)

In the color two-dimensional blood flow image, the Doppler shift frequency fd is obtained for many points in the scanning plane, and a hue is given to each point according to the polarity of the Doppler shift frequency fd.
Further, it is an image in which the brightness is given according to the level and the data of the hue and the brightness of each point are distributed on a two-dimensional plane. Here, the level of the Doppler shift frequency fd is determined by the velocity component related to the ultrasonic beam direction in the true blood velocity. Therefore, the color two-dimensional blood flow image is the direction of blood flow, that is, the blood flow that is distant from or toward the sound source (ultrasonic probe), or the velocity of the blood flow in the ultrasonic beam direction. Express the level of a component.

On the other hand, the 1-point Doppler method uses the Doppler shift frequency fd at the observation point and the angle between the ultrasonic beam direction and the blood flow direction to determine the true blood velocity at the observation point, that is, the absolute velocity. It is a method of seeking.

Here, the Doppler shift frequency fd has a relationship as shown in equation (2). However, the blood flow velocity is v, the angle between the ultrasonic beam direction and the blood flow direction is θ, and the sound velocity is C. fd = (2v · cos θ / C) · f (2) Therefore, the blood flow velocity v can be obtained by detecting the Doppler shift frequency fd and the angle θ between the ultrasonic beam direction and the blood flow direction. it can.

At present, various methods for measuring the angle θ formed by the ultrasonic beam direction and the blood flow direction and methods for correcting the angle θ component have been devised, and attempts have been made to obtain a true blood flow velocity. There is. For example, a marker (bar) for measuring an angle, that is, an angle marker is displayed on a color two-dimensional blood flow image or a tomographic image, and the blood flow direction or blood vessel wall where the observation point exists using the blood flow image or the tomographic image. Is a method of operating the angle marker direction along with, and measuring the angle θ based on the angle marker direction. This method has the drawback of being very laborious. Next, a method for automatically correcting the angle θ component will be described.

In this method, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received from two different points, two types of velocity components (Doppler shift frequency fd) in the beam direction of each ultrasonic beam are detected, and the velocity components are detected in accordance with the difference between the velocity components. This is a method of correction. In this case, a probe formed by arranging a plurality of transducers in parallel is used, the transducer array is divided into two groups, and ultrasonic beams are transmitted and received in units of each group.

However, the true blood flow velocity cannot be sufficiently measured by either method. FIG. 14 shows a scanning plane Q when a color two-dimensional blood flow image or a tomographic image is obtained.
Shows a state in which the blood vessel B is inclined with respect to the traveling direction (blood flow direction), and in most cases, scanning is usually performed in this state. FIG. 15 shows the state shown in FIG.
It is the figure shown in Z space. Here, it is assumed that the XY plane of FIG. 15 is a plane including the scanning surface Q shown in FIG.
Now, transmit / receive the ultrasonic beam R1 from the transmitting / receiving point S1,
Consider the case where the blood flow velocity at the observation point R0 is obtained. At this time, the angle θ ′ obtained by operating the angle marker on the color two-dimensional blood flow image or the tomographic image is the ultrasonic beam R
Blood flow direction BD with respect to XY plane of 1 and true blood flow direction BD
It is an angle formed by ′ ′ and not the true angle θ, and therefore the blood flow velocity V ′ obtained using this angle θ ′ is the velocity component of the true blood flow velocity V on the XY plane, and of course the true blood velocity. It is not the flow velocity V.

Further, from the transmitting / receiving point S1 to the ultrasonic beam R1
Velocity component v1 in the direction of ultrasonic beam R1
And a blood flow velocity V obtained by transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic beam R2 from another transmitting / receiving point S2 on the XY plane and correcting the angle θ'by using the velocity component v2 in the direction of the ultrasonic beam R2.
Similarly, ′ is also a velocity component of the true blood flow velocity V on the XY plane, and is naturally not the true blood flow velocity V. As described above, it is difficult to say that the true blood flow velocity is sufficiently obtained by using the conventional device, and only the velocity component of the true blood flow velocity V on the XY plane is obtained.

Further, as described above, only the velocity component relating to the direction of the ultrasonic beam is obtained from the color two-dimensional blood flow image, and when observing the whole blood flow, the color 2 It is necessary to perform observation while always considering the positional relationship between the position of the ultrasonic probe (ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving point) and each point in the three-dimensional blood flow image. This is because in a blood vessel that travels in a complicated way, even blood flow inside the blood vessel has both a blood flow portion that is distant from the ultrasonic wave transmission / reception point and a portion that is heading toward it, so it is displayed in different hues. May be done.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of obtaining a true blood flow velocity and further obtaining a blood flow image using the true blood flow velocity. Is.

[0013]

Means for solving the problems: means for transmitting ultrasonic waves into a subject and receiving reflected waves reflected from a moving body for each of a plurality of receiving directions having a three-dimensional relationship with each other; An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: means for extracting a Doppler component for each of the plurality of received signals obtained; and means for obtaining movement information of the moving body based on the Doppler component and the reception direction.

[0014]

According to the present invention, a plurality of received signals obtained by receiving ultrasonic waves transmitted to the inside of a subject and reflected waves reflected from a moving body for each of a plurality of receiving directions having a three-dimensional relationship with each other are obtained. It is possible to extract the Doppler component for each, and obtain the movement information of the moving body based on the Doppler component and the reception direction.

[0015]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the D (Doppler) mode processing system shown in FIG. Yes, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a transducer array of the ultrasonic probe shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic probe 2 is a so-called two-dimensional array type ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements (vibrators) 1 ₁₁ to 1 _nn are arranged in a matrix. Is. By scanning the ultrasonic beam in a fan shape by changing the timing of the voltage applied to each transducer 1 ₁₁ to 1 _nn ,
It can be focused. In addition, the ultrasonic probe 2
The scanning method may be a sector electronic scanning method, a linear electronic scanning method, or a mechanical scanning method. Here, the sector electronic scanning method is used. The plurality of transducers ₁₁ 1 to 1 _nn are equally divided into a plurality of regions, here four regions A, B, C, and D as shown in FIG. , B, C, D for each echo signal.

The transmission delay circuit 4 receives the pulse supplied from the pulse generator 3 and provides the pulse with a delay time corresponding to the delay signal (transmission delay signal) for each transducer supplied from the delay controller 2. Then, a drive pulse is supplied to the ultrasonic probe 2 through the preamplifier to transmit an ultrasonic beam. By controlling the transmission delay signal, the delay controller 2 scans the ultrasonic beam in a fan shape and focuses at a large number of points, and also controls the four areas A,
The reception delay circuit 5a receives different reception delay signals for each of the four systems of reception delay circuits 5a to 5d provided corresponding to B, C and D.
.About.5d, and the transmission delay signal and the reception delay signal are supplied to the vector calculator 11.

The reception delay circuits 5a to 5d input the echo signals received by the ultrasonic probe 2 and amplified by the preamplifier to a predetermined level, and based on the reception delay signals supplied from the delay controller 2. A delay time is given to the echo signal, and reception directivity is given to the echo signal. Here, the reception directivity is a characteristic of receiving only reflected waves in a desired direction among reflected waves emitted in multiple directions, and by changing the reception directivity, echo signals received from various directions can be obtained. Only the received signal from the desired direction can be extracted from the inside. The reception delay circuit 5a is provided so as to correspond to the area A of the ultrasonic probe 2, and is mainly provided in the area A.
A delay time is given to the echo signal received in step 3 to give reception directivity for obtaining only the echo signal traveling from the observation point (reflection point) to the center point Sa of the area A. Reception delay circuit 5
b is provided so as to correspond to the area B of the ultrasonic probe 2, and mainly gives a delay time to the echo signal received in the area B, and the center of the area B from the observation point (reflection point). Point Sb
The reception directivity is provided to obtain only the echo signal directed to the. The reception delay circuit 5c is provided so as to correspond to the area C of the ultrasonic probe 2, and mainly gives a delay time to the echo signal received in the area C so that the area from the observation point (reflection point) may be changed. A reception directivity for obtaining only an echo signal directed to the center point Sc of C is given. The reception delay circuit 5d is provided so as to correspond to the area D of the ultrasonic probe 2, and mainly gives a delay time to the echo signal received in the area D so that the area from the observation point (reflection point) is changed. The reception directivity for obtaining only the echo signal directed to the center point Sd of D is given. In this way, by giving different reception directivities to the regions A, B, C, D, the regions A, B, C, among the reflected waves reflected from the same reflector in the other direction (three-dimensional direction) It is possible to simultaneously receive the echo signals heading in the directions of the center points Sa, Sb, Sc and Sd of D.

The adders 6a to 6d have reception delay circuits 5a to 6d, respectively.
5d is provided corresponding to each, and the echo signals of the transducers output from the reception delay circuits 5a to 5d are added and combined.

The B mode processing system 10 includes adders 6a to 6d.
In either case, the output of the adder 6a is received, the intensity (luminance) of the echo signal is detected, and the detected signal is output as a B-mode image (tomographic image). As shown, the B-mode processing system 10 includes a logarithmic amplifier 10a, an envelope detection circuit 10b, and an A / D.
A converter 10c is provided, a logarithmic amplifier 10a logarithmically amplifies the combined echo signal received from the adder 6a, an envelope detection circuit 10b detects an envelope, and the A / D converter 1
Convert to digital signal at 0c.

The oscillator 7 supplies the oscillation pulse signal to the D (Doppler) mode processing systems 9a to 9d, and the 90-degree phase shifter 8 is provided.
Supplies the D-mode processing systems 9a-9d with the phase of the oscillation pulse signal output from the oscillator 7 shifted by 90 degrees.

The D mode processing systems 9a to 9d are provided with an adder 6a.
6d, the D mode processing system 9a is provided for each of the phase detection circuits 9a1 and 9a as shown in FIG.
a5, low-pass filter (LPF) 9a2, 9a6, A /
The D converters 9a3 and 9a7, moving target injector filters (MTI filters) 9a4 and 9a8, and an autocorrelator 9a9 are provided. The other D mode processing systems 9b to 9d have the same configuration. Here, the D-mode processing system 9a includes two units each except the autocorrelator 9a9, that is, two systems,
The reason why the output of the adder 6a is divided into two channels and processed is to detect the output of the D-mode processing system 9a, that is, the positive / negative (the blood flow direction) of the Doppler shift frequency.
The phase detection circuits 9a1 and 9a5 detect the quadrature phase of the echo signal of the adder 6a by using pulse signals input from the oscillator 7 and the 90-degree phase shifter 8 whose phases are different from each other by 90 degrees. Removes high frequency components from the outputs of the phase detection circuits 9a1 and 9a5,
The / D converters 9a3, 9a7 convert the outputs of the low-pass filters 9a2, 9a6 into digital signals, and the moving target injector filters 9a4, 9a8 respectively convert the signals of only the blood cell components in the digital signals, that is, the Doppler shift signals. The autocorrelator 9b9 receives the outputs of the moving target injector filters 9a4 and 9a8 and outputs the autocorrelation coefficient to the vector calculator 11. This Doppler shift signal is a signal corresponding to the reception directivity of the area A, that is, the velocity component in the true blood flow velocity in the A direction (direction from the observation point to the center point Sa of the area A) (hereinafter referred to as " This is referred to as "A-direction velocity component"). Here, the moving target injector (Moving-Tar
get-Indicator) is a technique used in radar and is a method of detecting only moving targets using the Doppler effect. Similarly, the other D-mode processing systems 9b to 9d also have Doppler shift signals corresponding to the reception directivities of the regions B, C, and D, that is, the direction B in the true blood velocity (the center of the region B from the observation point). Velocity component related to point Sb) (hereinafter referred to as “B direction velocity component”), C in true blood flow velocity
Velocity component in the direction (direction from observation point to center point Sc of region C) (hereinafter referred to as "C direction velocity component"), D direction in true blood flow velocity (center point Sd of observation region to region D)
Velocity component (hereinafter “D direction velocity component”)
(Referred to as “” is extracted and output to the vector calculator 11.
In addition, after the autocorrelator 9a9, the Doppler shift signal is used to obtain average velocity data, variance data, and power data through an arithmetic unit that performs average velocity calculation, variance calculation, and power calculation, and outputs the data to the vector calculator 11. You may do so.

The vector calculator 11 includes a D mode processing system 9
a to 9d A, B, C, and D direction velocity components of the true blood flow velocity are input, and the delay controller 2 receives a transmission delay signal and a reception delay corresponding to each of the A, B, C, and D direction velocity components. The signals (A, B, C, D directions) are input and true blood flow information (velocity and direction) V is calculated. In this calculation process, the azimuth information is given to the A, B, C, and D direction velocity components, and the velocity vectors Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd are calculated by the vector function F to obtain the true velocity vector (blood flow information). ). V = F (Va, Vb, Vc, Vd)

The azimuth information of the velocity components in the A, B, C and D directions is the position of the observation point (focus point) specified by the transmission delay signal and the area A specified by the reception delay signal.
It can be obtained based on the relationship with the positions of the central points (reception points) Sa, Sb, Sc, Sd of B, C, D. This true velocity vector (blood flow information) is calculated for all points on the scanning surface and output to the display processing unit 12.

The display processing unit 12 creates various images using the velocity vectors of the many points. For example, by giving a hue to the true blood flow direction included in the velocity vector (blood flow information) and providing luminance (brightness) according to the true blood flow velocity level, the true blood flow is the same as the conventional one. A color two-dimensional blood flow image based on information, a vector image as shown in FIG. 8, and an animation image as used currently showing the movement of particles as shown in FIG. 10 are obtained. Here, in the vector image as shown in FIG. 8, a predetermined number, for example, 20 among the many points for which the velocity vector is obtained is associated with one particle, and the velocity vector of the particle (the velocity vector of the predetermined number of points is Is added to the particle with an arrow (vector) having "length" and "direction" according to the velocity level of the in-plane component of the display vector) and its direction, and the size of the particle is defined as the velocity vector of the particle. The image is set according to the display surface and the velocity level of the vertical component, and the temporal change in velocity can be observed by continuously displaying the particle images. As an example of the method for creating the animation image shown in FIG. 10, particles as shown in FIG. 8 are set, and as shown in FIG. 9, according to the time interval for obtaining the second image from the first image. Then, an animation image is created so that the particles move according to the velocity level of the in-plane component of the velocity vector and its direction. Similarly, for the second and third sheets, the motion of particles can be displayed by continuously creating and displaying animation images. If it is performed for a plurality of particles, the movement of the entire blood flow can be observed by the movement of the particles. In addition, a desired point is designated on the obtained color two-dimensional blood flow image and the blood flow velocity at the designated point is numerically displayed, and the blood flow velocity change at the designated point is displayed as an image by the conventional 1-point Doppler method. Similarly, it is various images such as images plotted on the time axis.

The image memory 13 is a so-called digital scan converter, and the image supplied from the display processing unit 12 or the B supplied from the B mode processing system 10.
The mode image (tomographic image) is converted into an analog signal and output according to the scanning method of the monitor 14, and the monitor 14 displays the image output from the image memory 13. Next, the operation of the apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a B-mode image obtained by the apparatus of this embodiment, a raster direction of an ultrasonic beam, and a large number of points for which blood flow information on the raster is obtained.
Is the B mode data and D in the raster R1 direction shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the timing of collecting mode data, and FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the reception directivities of regions A, B, C, and D related to one observation point P0 among the many points shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating vector function calculation in vector calculation.

The ultrasonic probe 1 is brought into contact with a desired position on the surface of the subject, and the ultrasonic beam is sector-scanned. At this time, the ultrasonic beam for one raster is repeatedly transmitted a predetermined number of times, and here it is repeatedly transmitted 9 times as shown in FIG. The B mode data is collected by one ultrasonic beam in the nine times of repeated transmission, and the D mode data is received by the other eight ultrasonic beams.

The reflected waves reflected and scattered in multiple directions at the boundary of the acoustic impedance in the scanning plane are received by each transducer of the ultrasonic probe 1. Here, the operation of obtaining blood flow information regarding the observation point P0 on the raster R1 will be described.

First, the ultrasonic probe 1 is driven by a drive pulse signal according to the transmission delay signal output from the delay controller 2, and the ultrasonic beam is transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 1 in the raster R1 direction. The reflected wave reflected by the blood cell at the observation point P0 is received by each transducer of the ultrasonic probe 1 and converted into an echo signal according to its intensity. The echo signal is amplified by the preamplifier and sent to the reception delay circuits 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d. Of the echo signals input to the reception delay circuit 5a, only the echo signals from the observation point P0 to the center point Sa of the area A are extracted based on the reception delay signal supplied from the delay controller 2. The apparent receiving point at this time is
The center point Sa is specified by the delay time of each transducer due to the reception delay signal. The reception delay signal that specifies the center point Sa will be used to specify the vector direction during vector calculation. Another reception delay circuit 5b,
Similarly, in 5c and 5d, different reception delay signals are supplied from the delay controller 2 and the observation point P0 to the area B,
Only the echo signals toward the center points Sb, Sc, Sd of C and D are extracted.

Then, those echo signals are added to the adder 6
Via a, 6b, 6c, 6d, D mode processing systems 9a, 9b, 9c,
It is sent to 9d and becomes the A direction velocity component, the B direction velocity component, the C direction velocity component, and the D direction velocity component of the true blood flow velocity of the blood cells flowing at the observation point P0.

These A-direction velocity component, B-direction velocity component,
The C-direction velocity component and the D-direction velocity component are calculated by the vector calculator 1.
1, each direction information is given, and the velocity vector V
a, Vb, Vc, Vd. Velocity vector V
a, Vb, Vc, and Vd are calculated by a predetermined vector function formula to obtain the velocity vector V regarding the blood cell at the observation point P0. As shown in FIG. 7, considering the XYZ coordinate system, the position of the observation point P0 and the respective center points Sa, Sb, Sc,
The position of Sd can be calculated from the transmission / reception delay signal, and the vector lengths of the velocity vectors Va, Vb, Vc, and Vd are A direction velocity component, B direction velocity component, C direction velocity component, and D direction velocity component. is there. This velocity vector Va,
Since Vb, Vc, and Vd are vectors related to the A direction, B direction, C direction, and D direction of the velocity vector V,
The velocity vector V can be calculated.

This velocity vector V is a velocity vector at the observation point P0, and the velocity vectors of the other points are calculated in the same manner, and the velocity vector of the many points is used to obtain a color two-dimensional blood flow image or Various images such as the vector image shown in FIG. 8 and the animation image shown in FIG. 10 are obtained and displayed.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
The true blood flow velocity and blood flow direction of blood cells can be obtained from echo signals received in multiple directions, that is, three-dimensional directions, and those directions, and blood flow using the true blood flow velocity and blood flow direction can be obtained. Images can be obtained.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a blood flow rate calculation part, which is a characteristic part of the apparatus of this embodiment. The area designation unit 20 includes a marker moving means such as a trackball or a joystick, and as shown in FIG. 12, the area range and the blood vessel running direction on the B-mode image or blood flow image displayed on the monitor 14. Is operated to supply the region information specified by the marker M and the blood vessel traveling direction information to the blood flow rate calculation unit 21. The blood flow rate calculation unit 21 is connected to the vector calculation unit 11, and among the blood flow velocities of all the velocity vectors existing in the region range MB by the marker M input from the region designation unit 20 as shown in FIG. The velocity component in the traveling direction is added to calculate the blood flow in the region, and the image memory 1
Output to 3. It should be noted that instead of adding all the speed vectors existing in the area range MB, only a predetermined number of speed vectors in all the speed vectors are used, and the whole blood of the area range MB is interpolated from the predetermined number of speed vectors. The flow rate may be calculated. Further, the blood flow velocity becomes maximum near the center of the blood vessel, and by utilizing the fact that the flow velocity profile from the center of the blood vessel to the blood vessel wall is parabolic, the maximum velocity vector and the flow velocity profile of the area range MB are used. The total blood flow may be calculated. As described above, according to this embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the blood flow rate in the desired region can be calculated.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above-described embodiment, four types of directional velocity components are obtained with four types of reception directivities, but the number of types of directional velocity components may be at least three, and a plurality of directional velocity components of five or more types. May be obtained. More accurate blood flow information can be obtained by a plurality of directional velocity components. This case can be dealt with by increasing the number of reception delay circuits, adders, and D-mode processing systems.

Further, an A / D converter for converting the output of the reception delay circuit into a digital signal before inputting it to the adder may be provided. In this case, the circuit scale can be reduced. Furthermore, although the two-dimensional array type ultrasonic probe is used in the above-described embodiment, another ultrasonic probe may be used. For example, the mechanical scanning probe may be divided into three or more pieces, or the mechanical scanning probe divided into concentric circles and capable of electronic focusing in the depth direction may be divided into three or more pieces. They may be used, or three or more small mechanical scanning type probes may be used in combination.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of reflected waves that transmit ultrasonic waves into a subject and are reflected from a moving body in three-dimensional directions are received. It is possible to obtain a plurality of reflection signals including a Doppler component, obtain true movement information of the moving body based on the Doppler components extracted from the reflection signals and the three-dimensional direction, and use the true movement information. Blood flow images can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a D mode processing system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing transducer arrays and region divisions of the two-dimensional array type ultrasonic probe shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a raster direction of an ultrasonic beam on a B-mode image and a large number of points for which blood flow information on the raster is obtained.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a collection timing of B mode data and D mode data in one raster.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining reception directivities of regions A, B, C, and D related to one observation point P0 among the many points shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a vector function operation in the vector operation unit shown in FIG.

8 is a diagram showing an example of a vector image by the display processing unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a method of creating an animation image.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a temporary image of an animation image obtained by the creating method shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a blood flow rate calculation part, which is a characteristic part of the second embodiment device.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing marker designation by the region designation section shown in FIG. 11.

13 is a diagram showing a calculation operation of blood flow in the area of the marker shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state where a defect has occurred in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a problem caused by the state shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Two-dimensional array type ultrasonic probe, 2 ... Delay controller, 3 ... Pulse generator, 4 ... Transmission delay circuit, 5a ... 1st
Reception delay circuit, 5b ... Second reception delay circuit, 5c ... Third reception delay circuit, 5d ... Fourth reception delay circuit, 6a ... First adder, 6b ... Second adder, 6c ... Third adder, 6d … Fourth
Adder, 7 ... Oscillator, 8 ... 90 degree phase shifter, 9a ... 1D
Mode processing system, 9b ... 2D mode processing system, 9c ... Third
D mode processing system, 9d ... 4th D mode processing system, 10 ... B
Mode processing system, 10a ... Logarithmic amplifier, 10b ... Envelope detection circuit, 10c ... A / D converter, 11 ... Vector computing section, 12 ... Display processing section, 13 ... Image memory, 14 ... Monitor.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Ryoichi Kanda 1385-1 Shimoishigami, Otawara-shi, Tochigi Stock company Toshiba Nasu factory (72) Inventor Satoshi Tezuka 1385-1, Shimoishigami, Otawara, Tochigi Inside Toshiba Nasu factory

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for transmitting ultrasonic waves into a subject and receiving reflected waves reflected from a moving body for each of a plurality of receiving directions having a three-dimensional relationship with each other, and the plurality of means obtained by the receiving means. 2. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a unit that extracts a Doppler component for each reception signal of 1; and a unit that obtains movement information of the moving body based on the Doppler component and the reception direction.