JPH11347033A - Ultrasound diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] By making the same selection of a recording target image and a real-time display image, there is no difference between a diagnostic image at the time of real-time diagnosis and a diagnostic image at the time of reproduction, and an ultrasonic wave capable of ensuring reproducibility of diagnosis. A diagnostic device is provided. SOLUTION: A diagnostic image signal received by an ultrasonic probe 10 and processed by a signal processing means 20 for performing processing for obtaining a diagnostic image is recorded on an uncompressed image by a selecting means 6b. Alternatively, any of the compressed and decompressed images processed by the compression encoding means 30 and the compression decoding means 40 can be selected. Similarly, as the object to be displayed in real time, either the non-compressed image or the image after compression and expansion can be selected by the selection means 6a.
By making the recording target image and the real-time display image the same selection, there is no difference between the diagnostic images at the time of real-time diagnosis and at the time of reproduction, and the reproducibility of the diagnosis can be ensured.

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 image recording means in the medical field, and more particularly, to a diagnostic image at the time of real-time diagnosis and at the time of reproduction by selecting an image to be recorded and a real-time display image. Are eliminated, and reproducibility of diagnosis can be ensured.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an image recording means is known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-308836.

FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The echo signal received by the ultrasound probe 1 that transmits and receives ultrasound to and from the subject is processed into a display diagnostic image by the signal processing unit 2. The processed diagnostic image for display is displayed in real time by the display means 6, and
The data is compressed by the compression encoding unit 3 and recorded in the recording unit 5.

At the time of reproduction, the compressed diagnostic image output from the recording means 5 is expanded by the compression / decoding means 4 and displayed on the display means 6.
Will be displayed. The control means 8 controls the entire apparatus in accordance with the operation instruction input via the input means 7.

[0005]

However, in the above conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the display target at the time of real-time diagnosis is an uncompressed image processed by the signal processing means 2, whereas the display image at the time of reproduction is displayed. Is an image after compression and decompression processed by the compression encoding means 3 and the compression decoding means 4. When the lossy compression method is adopted as the compression method, the real-time display image and the reproduced display image are not the same, There was a problem that reproducibility could not be secured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problem. By making it possible to select an image after compression and decompression as an object of real-time display, the real-time display image and the reproduced display image are made the same, and the reproducibility of diagnosis is improved. It is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of ensuring the above.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a method for displaying a non-compressed image or a compressed image as a target of a real-time display image displayed on a display unit and a diagnostic image recorded on a recording unit or reproduced and displayed from the recording unit. There is provided a selection means capable of selecting any of the images after the decoding processing. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can make the real-time display image and the reproduction display image the same and ensure the reproducibility of diagnosis.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object, and an echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe. Signal processing means for performing processing for obtaining a display image;
The compression encoding means for compression-encoding the diagnostic image generated by the signal processing means, the compression-decoding means for decoding (expanding) the diagnostic image after the compression encoding, and the control means of the control means to be described later. Selecting means for selecting a non-compressed image or an image after compression decoding processing as a target of a diagnostic image to be recorded on a real-time display image to be displayed on a display means and to be recorded or reproduced from the recording means to be described later;
Display selection means for selecting a real-time image or a reproduction display image as a display target signal of a display means described later by a control signal from a control means described later, and a display means for displaying a diagnostic image selected by the display selection means, Input means for processing an operation performed by an operator and outputting the processed signal to control means to be described later, and control means for generating a control signal to each means of the diagnostic apparatus in accordance with an input from the input means; a real-time display image; As an object of the diagnostic image to be recorded on the recording means or reproduced and displayed from the recording means, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that it is possible to select an uncompressed image or an image after compression / expansion processing,
As a target of the real-time display image and the diagnostic image to be recorded on the recording unit or reproduced and displayed from the recording unit, an uncompressed image or an image after the compression / expansion processing can be selected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the selecting means automatically selects the target of the recorded image so that the diagnostic image at the time of real-time display and the reproduced image at the time of recording / reproducing become the same. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a difference between diagnostic images at the time of real-time display and at the time of reproduction display can be eliminated, and reproducibility of diagnosis can be ensured. This has the effect of eliminating differences in diagnostic images and ensuring reproducibility of diagnosis.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows an ultrasonic probe 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Transmits / receives ultrasonic waves to / from the subject. Ultrasonic probe 10
The echo signal received at is processed by the signal processing means 20 into an image for display. The compression encoding unit 30 compression-encodes the diagnostic image generated by the signal processing unit 20. Compression decoding means 40
Decodes (expands) the compression-encoded diagnostic image.

The selecting means 60 includes a selecting means 6a for selecting uncompressed data from the signal processing means 20 or an output of the compression decoding means 40 as a target of the real-time display image, and a signal processing as a recording target image for the recording means. Selection means 6 for selecting between the uncompressed data from means 20 and the output of compression encoding means 30
b.

The reproduction selection means 110 is a means for selecting an image at the time of reproduction display, and selects an image from the recording means 50 or an output of the compression decoding means 40. The recording unit 50 records the image selected by the selecting unit 6b, or outputs the recorded image.

The display selecting means 70 selects a real-time image from the selecting means 6a or a reproduced image from the reproduction selecting means 110 as an image to be displayed on the display means. Display means 1
00 displays the image selected by the display selection means 70.

The input means 80 processes the operation performed by the operator and transmits it to the control circuit 90. The control means 90 generates a control signal to each circuit of the diagnostic device according to the input from the input means 80.

The reproduction selecting means 110 is a means for selecting an image at the time of reproduction display. If the recorded image is not compressed, the image from the recording means 50 is compressed. If the recorded image is compression-coded, the image is compressed. The control means 90 controls the output of the decoding means 40 to be selected.

The operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured as described above will be described below. At the time of real-time diagnosis, the switch of the display selection means 70 is controlled by the control means 90 so that the a side is selected. Whether an uncompressed image output from the signal processing means 20 is selected on the display means 100 or whether the compressed / decompressed image processed by the compression / encoding means 30 and the compression / decoding means 40 is used by an operator who actually makes a diagnosis. Is determined by

The compression methods are roughly classified into lossless compression and irreversible compression. If the operator determines that there is no difference in the result of the diagnosis even if the image after compression and decompression by the irreversible compression method is used, At the time of real-time diagnosis, an image after compression and expansion can be selected.

The switch of the selection means 6a is controlled by the control means 90 so as to be connected to the side b when the operator selects an uncompressed image and to the side a when the operator selects an image after compression and expansion. .

The image to be recorded in the recording means 50 is determined by the operator in the same manner as the real-time display image. When an uncompressed image output from the signal processing means 20 is selected, the switch of the selection means 6b is connected to the b side, and when an image compressed and encoded by the compression encoding means 30 is selected, the switch is connected to the a side. Is controlled by the control means 90.

Whether the operator selects a non-compressed image or an image after compression and expansion as a real-time display image and a recorded image, and whether the operator selects a non-compressed image or a compressed image as a recorded image is shown in FIG. The operator may be able to make a selection before diagnosis in a menu format as shown in the example, or may be made to be able to make a selection in real time so as to be able to make a selection while looking at an image actually displayed. When the image displayed in real time is an image after compression and decompression by the irreversible compression method and when the reproduced image is an image after compression and decompression by the irreversible compression method, as shown in the example of FIG. On the same screen to display a message to clarify its characteristics.

As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, by providing the selection circuit 60, whether an image to be recorded on the recording means is an uncompressed image or a compression-encoded image is displayed in real time. Whether the target image is an uncompressed image or an image after compression decoding can be freely selected by the operator.

Therefore, if the operator selects the same method, there is no difference between the real-time display image and the reproduction image, and it is possible to prevent a mismatch between the real-time diagnosis and the reproduction diagnosis result due to the difference between the two images. Can be.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the switches of the selecting means 6a and the selecting means 6b constituting the selecting means 60 in FIG. 1 are interlocked. The operation in this case will be described below. The display means 100 selects an uncompressed image which is the output of the signal processing means 20 or the compression encoding means 30 and the compression decoding means 40
To select the post-compression / expansion image processed by the operator is determined by the operator who actually performs the diagnosis, as in the first embodiment.

When the operator selects an uncompressed image, the switch of the selecting means 6a is connected to the b side, and the switch of the selecting means 6b is also connected to the b side. Is automatically selected. When the operator selects an image after compression / expansion, the switch of the selection means 6a is connected to the a side and
The switch b is also connected to the side a, and a compression-encoded image is automatically selected as an image to be recorded in the recording means 50.

As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the selection means 6a and the selection means 6b constituting the selection circuit 60 are linked to each other so that the real-time display image and the reproduced display image can be displayed. It can be made the same, and it is possible to prevent inconsistency in the diagnosis result due to the difference between the real-time display image and the reproduced image without the operator being conscious.

[0027]

As can be seen from the above description of the embodiment, according to the present invention, means for selecting a non-compressed image or an image after compression and expansion as an object of a real-time display image,
By providing means for selecting an uncompressed image or an image after compression encoding as a target of a recorded image, a real-time display image and a reproduced display image can be made the same, and a discrepancy in diagnosis results due to a difference between the two images can be obtained. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an example of a real-time display and a selection menu of a recording object,

FIG. 3 shows an example of a message indicating characteristics of an image;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Ultrasonic probe 20 Signal processing means 30 Compression encoding means 40 Compression decoding means 50 Recording means 60 Selection means 70 Display selection means 80 Input means 90 Control means 100 Display means 110 Reproduction selection means

Claims (2)

[Claims] An ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from a subject; a signal processing unit that performs processing for obtaining a display image from an echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe; The compression encoding means for compression-encoding the diagnostic image generated by the signal processing means, the compression-decoding means for decoding (expanding) the diagnostic image after the compression encoding, and the control means of the control means to be described later. Selecting means for selecting an uncompressed image or an image after compression decoding processing as a target of a real-time display image to be displayed on the display means and a diagnostic image to be recorded on or reproduced from the recording means to be described later, and a control means to be described later Display selection means for selecting a real-time image or a reproduced display image as a display target signal of a display means to be described later, based on a control signal from Display means for displaying a diagnostic image; input means for processing an operation performed by the operator and outputting the result to control means to be described later; and control means for generating a control signal to each means of the diagnostic apparatus in accordance with an input from the input means With
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein an uncompressed image or an image after compression / expansion processing can be selected as a target of a real-time display image and a diagnostic image recorded on the recording unit or reproduced and displayed from the recording unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit automatically selects a target of the recorded image so that a diagnostic image at the time of real-time display is the same as a reproduced image at the time of recording and reproducing. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein differences in diagnostic images can be eliminated and reproducibility of diagnosis can be ensured.