JPH076226A - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a color Doppler function and a zero shift function, and continuously changes the color tone of blood flow from its minimum speed to its maximum speed in spite of movement of a baseline. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can be changed into a more detailed manner to examine the blood flow in a subject in more detail. [Configuration] Display 1 for displaying color Doppler
2, a probe 14, and a device body 16 that controls the display 12 according to the output of the probe 14, the device body 16 includes means 18 for calculating the velocity of blood flow from the output of the probe 14, and a color. Means 20 for moving the baseline along the flow velocity axis of the scale according to a user input instruction
And the blood flow in the displayed image using the calculation result of the flow velocity according to the characteristic that the color tone value continuously increases or decreases from the flow velocity lowest point after the movement of the blood flow velocity lowest point toward the tip on the color scale axis. Means 22 for controlling the color and tone of the.

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 having a color Doppler function and a zero shift function.

In this type of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the liquid flow toward the probe and the liquid flow away from the probe are displayed in different colors, and the chromaticity is controlled according to the speed of the liquid flow. Here, the liquid flow refers to human body blood or the like.

Therefore, it is possible to examine in detail the liquid flow (blood flow etc.) existing inside the subject (human body etc.) from high speed to low speed.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, which is a color display 50 (TV
The monitor) displays the blood flow in the subject 52 as an image, and the probe 54 transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in a posture oriented to the subject 52.

The device body 56 (color display 5
0 may be integrated) assigns different colors to the blood flow toward the probe 54 and the blood flow away from the probe 54 and changes the color tone of the blood flow with the flow velocity. According to the ultrasonic signal.

The apparatus main body 56 includes an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving section 58,
A / D conversion unit 60, color Doppler analysis unit 62, frame memory 64, LUT (lookup table) unit 66,
It has a D / A conversion unit 68, an operation panel unit 70, and a control unit 72.

Among them, the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving section 58 drives each ultrasonic transducer of the probe 54 to cause the probe 54 to transmit the ultrasonic wave toward the inside of the subject 52, and the subject 52
The ultrasonic signal reflected by each part inside and received by the probe 54 is input, and an analog signal indicating a difference in transmission / reception timing (delay amount) is output.

Further, the A / D conversion unit 60 converts the analog signal output from the ultrasonic wave transmission / reception unit 58 into a digital signal and outputs the digital signal, and the color Doppler analysis unit 62 outputs the A / D conversion unit 60.
A display image of blood flow is generated from the output of, and the velocity of blood flow is calculated.

Then, the color Doppler analysis unit 62 writes the generated display image and the calculated flow velocity in the frame memory 64, and at this time, the scanning direction of the display image is changed from that of the ultrasonic wave to that of the color display 50. Convert.

Further, the LUT unit 66 reads out the image whose scanning direction is converted to that of the color display 50 from the frame memory 64 and colorizes it, and the D / A conversion unit 68 analogizes (the signal of) the colorized image. It is converted into a signal and output to the color display 50.

The color display 50 displays the blood flow toward the probe 54 and the blood flow away from the probe 54 in red and blue, respectively, and increases the chromaticity of both with the speed of the blood flow.

Further, the color display 50 is shown in FIG.
The color scale of (A) is also displayed to express the direction and velocity of blood flow. In the same figure, red indicates going to the probe 54, blue indicates going away from the probe 54, and their color tones indicate the velocity of blood flow, respectively, and the velocity of blood flow at the baseline that is the boundary between red and blue. Is the lowest (= 0),
The blood flow velocity is highest at the upper and lower sides of the color scale (the low blood flow rate portion is dark and the high blood flow rate portion is bright).

When the actual blood flow exceeds the maximum speed that can be represented on the color scale, the user operates the operation panel unit 70 to give an instruction to the control unit 72 to move the baseline (zero shift). ).

For example, when the blood flow toward the probe 54 exceeds the velocity (Acm / s) corresponding to the maximum color tone of red, the baseline is a user input as shown in FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B). It is moved downward by an amount (αcm / s) according to the instruction.

On the contrary, when the blood flow toward the probe 54 exceeds the velocity (Acm / s) corresponding to the maximum value of the blue color tone, as shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D, the baseline is the user. It is moved upward by an amount (αcm / s) according to the input instruction.

However, in FIG. 6B, the blue region is shown in FIG.
In (D), the red region is contracted due to the movement of the baseline. Therefore, when one color region is expanded by the increase of the maximum flow velocity, the maximum flow velocity that can be expressed by the other color region is reduced by the increase.

FIG. 7 illustrates the conventional color tone control (zero shift function). In the normal state (initial state), the baseline is located at the center of the red and blue regions of the color scale. There is.

The blood flow velocity increases from the position of the baseline to the upper and lower sides of the color scale, and the value of the color tone is linearly increased, and the maximum flow velocity Acm / s.
Gives the best color tones.

This flow velocity-color tone characteristic is preset in the LUT 66. When the user operates the operation panel unit 70 to move the baseline downward by α cm / s as shown in FIG. The characteristic part having the maximum value or more is saturated by α cm / s.

[0020]

Therefore, in the prior art, even if the baseline of the color cursor is moved, the portion where the flow velocity exceeds the initial maximum value (Acm / s) is expressed with a constant color tone. Only the high flow velocity can be visually recognized, which is why the portion with high blood flow velocity (αc
It was not possible to examine m / s) in detail.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional circumstances, and an object thereof is an ultrasonic wave capable of expressing a blood flow velocity region (a portion of αcm / s) required by a user with a color tone. To provide a diagnostic device.

[0022]

In order to achieve the above object, the apparatus according to the present invention is configured as shown in FIG. 1, and the apparatus according to the first invention images blood flow in a subject 10. A color display 12 for displaying and a probe 14 for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a posture directed to the subject 10.
And different colors are assigned to the blood flow toward the probe 14 and the blood flow moving away from the probe 14, and the color tone of the blood flow changes with the flow speed. Display control of the display 12 is performed according to the ultrasonic signal received by the probe 14. And a device main body 16 for performing.

Then, the apparatus body 16 includes a color Doppler analysis means 18 for generating a display image of blood flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe 14 and calculating the velocity of blood flow, and the probe 1.
4, the zero-shift means 20 for moving the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis corresponding to the value obtained by summing the maximum velocity of the blood flow in the direction toward 4 and the direction away from the probe 14, and the maximum color tone. The value of the color tone continuously increases or decreases from the lowest point of the blood flow velocity after moving the lowest point of the blood flow velocity toward the tip of the color tone axis that extends from both ends of the flow velocity axis at a length corresponding to the value or the minimum value. Liquid flow display control means 22 for controlling the color and color tone of the blood flow in the display image using the calculation result of the flow velocity in accordance with the characteristic.

The device body 1 of the device according to the second invention
Reference numeral 6 denotes a color Doppler analysis unit 18 which generates a display image of blood flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe 14 and calculates the velocity of blood flow, a direction toward the probe 14, and a direction of the probe 14.
The zero shift means 20 for moving the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis corresponding to the value obtained by summing the maximum velocity of the blood flow in the direction away from and the maximum velocity of the blood flow, and the length corresponding to the maximum value of the color tone. From the both ends of the flow velocity axis to the tip of the color tone axis, which extends from the lowest point of the blood flow velocity toward the tip of the color tone axis. Liquid flow display control means 22 for controlling the color and color tone of blood flow.

Further, the probe 1 of the device according to the third invention
4 generates a display image of the blood flow from the ultrasonic signal received by 4 to calculate the blood flow velocity, and the maximum velocity of the blood flow in the direction toward the probe 14 and in the direction away from the probe 14. The zero shift means 20 for moving the flow velocity lowest point on the flow velocity axis corresponding to the above value according to the instruction of the user input, and the tip of the color tone axis extending from both ends of the flow velocity axis by the length corresponding to the maximum color tone value. The liquid flow display control means 2 for controlling the color and tone of the blood flow in the display image using the calculation result of the flow velocity in accordance with the curve characteristics in which the color tone values continuously increase from the lowest point of the flow velocity after moving toward
2 and color tone characteristic setting means 24 for setting an arbitrary curve characteristic indicated by user input.

[0026]

When the baseline (lowest point of the flow velocity) is moved as shown in FIG. 2A, the color tone is continuously changed with the flow velocity as shown in FIGS. Is performed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7 (D), the color tone also changes in the portion where the flow velocity exceeds the maximum value up to that point, so that the blood flow in that portion can be examined in detail as in the other portions. Becomes

In the second invention, the control characteristic is linear. Further, in the third invention, the control characteristic is a curve, and the user can arbitrarily set this.

[0029]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the first embodiment. When the probe 54 transmits ultrasonic waves to the subject 52 in a posture oriented toward the subject 52 and receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the respective parts in the subject 52. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 58 of the apparatus body 56 outputs an analog signal indicating a difference in timing of transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves.

When the analog signal output from the ultrasonic wave transmitter / receiver 58 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 60, the color Doppler analyzer 62 generates a display image (tomographic image) of the blood flow from this output. Calculate the velocity of blood flow.

Further, the color Doppler analysis unit 62 writes the display image generated by the color Doppler analysis unit 62 and the calculated flow velocity into the frame memory 64, and at that time, the scanning direction of the display image is the ultrasonic wave of the previous time. To the color display 50.

Further, the LUT unit 66 reads out the image whose scanning direction is converted to that of the color display 50 from the frame memory 64, and the internal LUTs (lookup tables) 67-1, 67-2 ... 67-n. Write to

These LUTs 67-1, 67-2 ...
67-n is provided corresponding to each point in the movement range of the baseline, and a linear shape that reaches the position of the highest flow velocity and color tone from the point of the corresponding baseline as shown in FIG. 2B. Or curved tone characteristics are preset.

The user operates the operation panel unit 70 to give an instruction to the control unit 72, for example, a curved color tone characteristic shown in FIG. 2C (upper chord shape with respect to the flow velocity axis along which the baseline moves). When the curve characteristic is set, the blood flow portion having the low flow velocity is examined in more detail, and when the curve characteristic having the lower chord shape is set, the blood flow portion having the high flow velocity is examined in more detail). -1,67-2 ... 67-
Multiple values can be set for n, and any one of these curve characteristics can be designated for color control and color tone control.

LUTs 67-1, 67-2 ... 67-n
Represents a color of its own image using the characteristics indicated by the user, and the LUT unit 66 digitally represents the image of the LUT 67-1, 67-2 ... 67-n corresponding to the current baseline position. Output a signal.

The D / A conversion unit 68 converts the digital signal of the colorized image output from the LUT unit 66 into an analog signal and outputs the analog signal to the color display 50. The color display 50 causes the blood flow toward the probe 54 and the probe 54.
The blood flow away from is divided into red and blue, respectively, and the chromaticity of both is increased with the speed of blood flow (a color scale is also displayed).

According to the first embodiment described above, the display control of the color Doppler in which the color tone continuously changes from the minimum flow velocity to the maximum flow velocity is performed even if the baseline of the color scale is changed. 7 (D), the color tone also changes in the portion where the flow velocity exceeds the maximum value up to that point, and therefore the blood flow in the same portion can be examined in detail as in the other portions.

In addition, the user can set a plurality of arbitrary curve characteristics, and the characteristic curve can emphasize a portion where the flow velocity is high and a portion where the flow velocity is low. Furthermore, the optimum one can be designated from these characteristics, and the baseline Since the optimum characteristic corresponding to the movement position is automatically selected, the blood flow inside the subject 52 can be examined in a very detailed and efficient manner.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the second embodiment. In this example, the color tone characteristics of FIGS. 2B and 2C are all written in the data storage unit 69 and correspond to the moving position of the baseline. Of the characteristics, only those specified by the user are transferred from the data storage unit 69 to the LUT unit 66 and held in the LUT unit 66.

In the second embodiment, most of the elements constituting the conventional apparatus are used as they are while the subject 5
2 It becomes possible to examine the blood flow inside the blood vessel in a very detailed and efficient manner.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the baseline of the color scale is moved, the color tone of the blood flow continuously changes from its minimum speed to its maximum speed. It is possible to make a more accurate diagnosis by examining the blood flow of the mouse in more detail.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of color tone characteristics in the example.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a zero shift function.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of conventional color tone control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 50 Color Display 52 Subject 54 Probe 56 Device Main Body 58 Ultrasonic Transceiver 60 A / D Converter 62 Color Doppler Analysis 64 Frame Memory 66 LUT 67-1 67-2 67-n LUT 68 D / A conversion unit 69 Data storage unit 70 Operation panel unit 72 Control unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication location G09G 5/02 D 8121-5G (72) Inventor Yuichiro Ishii 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Within Fujitsu Limited

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A color display (12) for displaying a liquid flow in a subject (10), a probe (14) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a posture directed to the subject (10), and a probe. The probe (14) receives the display control of the display (12) in which different colors are assigned to the liquid flow toward (14) and the liquid flow away from the probe (14), and the color tone of the liquid flow changes with the flow velocity. An apparatus main body (16) that performs in response to a sound wave signal, and the apparatus main body (16) generates a display image of the liquid flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe (14) and calculates the speed of the liquid flow. The color Doppler analysis means (18) and the user of the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis of a length corresponding to the sum of the maximum velocity of the liquid flow in the direction toward the probe (14) and the direction away from the probe (14). Entering The zero shift means (20) that moves according to the force instruction, and the value of the color tone is continuous from the lowest point of the flow velocity after moving toward the tip of the color tone shaft that extends from both ends of the flow velocity axis with a length corresponding to the maximum value of the color tone. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a liquid flow display control unit (22) for controlling the color and color tone of the liquid flow in the display image using the calculation result of the flow velocity in accordance with the characteristic that increases. 2. A color display (12) for displaying a liquid flow in the subject (10), a probe (14) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a posture directed to the subject (10), and a probe. The probe (14) receives the display control of the display (12) in which different colors are assigned to the liquid flow toward (14) and the liquid flow away from the probe (14), and the color tone of the liquid flow changes with the flow velocity. An apparatus main body (16) that performs in response to a sound wave signal, and the apparatus main body (16) generates a display image of the liquid flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe (14) and calculates the speed of the liquid flow. The color Doppler analysis means (18) and the user of the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis having a length corresponding to the sum of the maximum velocity of the liquid flow in the direction toward the probe (14) and the direction away from the probe (14). Entering The zero shift means (20) that moves according to the force instruction, and the value of the color tone is continuous from the lowest point of the flow velocity after moving toward the tip of the color tone axis that extends from both ends of the flow rate axis with the length corresponding to the maximum value of the color tone. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a liquid flow display control means (22) for controlling the color and color tone of the liquid flow in the display image by using the calculation result of the flow velocity according to the linear characteristic that increases. 3. A color display (12) for displaying a liquid flow in the subject (10), a probe (14) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a posture directed to the subject (10), and a probe. The probe (14) receives the display control of the display (12) in which different colors are assigned to the liquid flow toward (14) and the liquid flow away from the probe (14), and the color tone of the liquid flow changes with the flow velocity. An apparatus main body (16) that performs in response to a sound wave signal, and the apparatus main body (16) generates a display image of the liquid flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe (14) and calculates the speed of the liquid flow. The color Doppler analysis means (18) and the user of the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis of a length corresponding to the sum of the maximum velocity of the liquid flow in the direction toward the probe (14) and the direction away from the probe (14). Entering The zero shift means (20) that moves according to the force instruction, and the value of the color tone is continuous from the lowest point of the flow velocity after moving toward the tip of the color tone shaft that extends from both ends of the flow velocity axis with a length corresponding to the maximum value of the color tone. The liquid flow display control means (22) for controlling the color and color tone of the liquid flow in the display image using the calculation result of the flow velocity according to the increasing curve characteristic, and the color tone for setting the arbitrary curve characteristic indicated by the user input. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a characteristic setting means (24). 4. A color display (12) for displaying a liquid flow in the subject (10), a probe (14) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a posture directed to the subject (10), and a probe. The probe (14) receives the display control of the display (12) in which different colors are assigned to the liquid flow toward (14) and the liquid flow away from the probe (14), and the color tone of the liquid flow changes with the flow velocity. An apparatus main body (16) that performs in response to a sound wave signal, and the apparatus main body (16) generates a display image of the liquid flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe (14) and calculates the speed of the liquid flow. The color Doppler analysis means (18) and the user of the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis of a length corresponding to the sum of the maximum velocity of the liquid flow in the direction toward the probe (14) and the direction away from the probe (14). Entering The zero shift means (20) that moves according to the force instruction, and the value of the color tone is continuous from the lowest point of the flow velocity after moving toward the tip of the color tone shaft that extends from both ends of the flow velocity axis with a length corresponding to the maximum value of the color tone. The liquid flow display control means (22) for controlling the color and color tone of the liquid flow in the display image using the calculation result of the flow velocity in accordance with the increasing curve property, and one of the plurality of previously prepared curve properties. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a characteristic selection unit that selects a display color and a color tone according to a user input instruction. 5. A color display (12) for displaying the liquid flow in the subject (10), a probe (14) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a posture directed to the subject (10), and a probe. The probe (14) receives the display control of the display (12) in which different colors are assigned to the liquid flow toward (14) and the liquid flow away from the probe (14), and the color tone of the liquid flow changes with the flow velocity. An apparatus main body (16) that performs in response to a sound wave signal, and the apparatus main body (16) generates a display image of the liquid flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe (14) and calculates the speed of the liquid flow. The color Doppler analysis means (18) and the user of the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis of a length corresponding to the sum of the maximum velocity of the liquid flow in the direction toward the probe (14) and the direction away from the probe (14). Entering The zero shift means (20) that moves according to the force instruction, and the value of the color tone is continuous from the lowest point of the flow velocity after moving toward the tip of the color tone shaft that extends from both ends of the flow velocity axis with a length corresponding to the maximum value of the color tone. A liquid flow display control means (22) for controlling the color and color tone of the liquid flow in the display image using the calculation result of the flow velocity in accordance with the increasing curve characteristic, and different curve properties for each point on the flow velocity axis are stored. A plurality of curve storage means, and a characteristic selection means for selecting one of the stored curve characteristics corresponding to the lowest point of the flow velocity after movement for controlling the liquid flow display color and color tone. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. 6. A color display (12) for displaying an image of a liquid flow in a subject (10), a probe (14) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves in a posture directed to the subject (10), and a probe. The probe (14) receives the display control of the display (12) in which different colors are assigned to the liquid flow toward (14) and the liquid flow away from the probe (14), and the color tone of the liquid flow changes with the flow velocity. An apparatus main body (16) that performs in response to a sound wave signal, and the apparatus main body (16) generates a display image of the liquid flow from the ultrasonic signal received by the probe (14) and calculates the speed of the liquid flow. The color Doppler analysis means (18) and the user of the flow velocity minimum point on the flow velocity axis of a length corresponding to the sum of the maximum velocity of the liquid flow in the direction toward the probe (14) and the direction away from the probe (14). Entering The zero shift means (20) that moves according to the force instruction, and the value of the color tone is continuous from the lowest point of the flow velocity after moving toward the tip of the color tone shaft that extends from both ends of the flow velocity axis with a length corresponding to the maximum value of the color tone. A liquid flow display control means (22) for controlling the color and color tone of the liquid flow in the display image using the calculation result of the flow velocity in accordance with the increasing curve characteristic, and a curve characteristic for controlling the liquid flow display color and color tone. The curve characteristic holding means for holding, a plurality of curve storage means for storing different curve characteristics for each point on the flow velocity axis, and one of the stored curve characteristics corresponding to the lowest point of the flow velocity after movement Selective curve characteristic holding means (28)
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising: a characteristic transfer unit that transfers the characteristic to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.