Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, medical image processing apparatus, and medical image processing method

• US 10,456,106 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Go, Sadamitsu, Kazutoshi, Kurita, Koichiro, Goto, Eiji, Kuga, Itsuki, Cha, Junho
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohammed, Shahdeep
• Application Number:
  US13/715,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20130102903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/085 for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0891 for diagnosis of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/466 adapted to display 3D data 3D imaging and stereoscopic displays in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S15/8993 and G01S7/52068, respectively; 3D image rendering G06T15/00; manipulating 3D models for computer graphics G06T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/523 for generating planar views from image data in a user selectable plane not corresponding to the acquisition plane
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5246 combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a position detection unit detects position information of an ultrasonic probe including ultrasonic transducers, with reference to a reference position. A transmission/reception unit supplies a driving signal to each transducer and generates a reception signal based on a reception echo signal generated by the transducer. Based on the reception signal, a three-dimensional data generation unit generates first three-dimensional data, in which a region corresponding to a living body tissue is specified by a specifying unit. A setting unit sets a first viewpoint based on the position information and specified region. An image generation unit generates a rendering image by rendering processing using the first viewpoint and first three-dimensional data.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for generating perspective projection images corresponding to viewpoints which are set in a lumen of an object accompanying a movement of an ultrasonic probe, and for displaying the perspective projection images corresponding to the viewpoints, comprising:

the ultrasonic probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers and configured to be in contact with a body surface of the object;

a position detection sensor configured to detect first and second positions and a moving direction of the ultrasonic probe with reference to a predetermined common reference position, the second position representing a position of the ultrasonic probe with reference to the predetermined common reference position after movement of the ultrasonic probe;

a transducer configured to supply a driving signal to each of the ultrasonic transducers and generate a reception signal based on each received echo signal; and

a computer

configured to generate first three-dimensional data based on the received echo signal at the first position of the ultrasonic probe and second three-dimensional data based on the received echo signal at the second position of the ultrasonic probe;

configured to specify, with reference to the predetermined common reference position, a first luminal region in an inside of the lumen to be viewed from a first view point in the first three-dimensional data, and a first line of sight;

configured to generate a first perspective projection image of the first luminal region by perspective projection using at least a set of the first view point, the first line of sight and the first three-dimensional data;

configured to specify, with reference to the predetermined common reference position, a second luminal region in the inside of the lumen to be viewed from a second view point in the second three-dimensional data, and a second line of sight, the second view point being determined based on the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe, wherein

the first line of sight determined based on a direction along a first central line at the first view point of branches of the lumen, the second line of sight determined based on a direction along a second central line at the second view point of branches of the lumen, all of which are presented with reference to the predetermined common reference position, where the lumen branches at a branching portion in the lumen and has at least two branches represented by the first central line and the second central line; and

configured to generate a second perspective projection image of the second luminal region by perspective projection using at least a set of the second view point, the second line of sight and the second three-dimensional data.

2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to set the second viewpoint based on the second position to coincide with the first viewpoint.

3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to set a viewpoint setting region for setting the first viewpoint in the first three-dimensional data, and to set the first viewpoint in an intersection region between the lumen and the view point setting region.

4. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a display monitor configured to display the perspective projection image,

wherein the computer is configured to set a lumen peripheral region having a predetermined thickness around a specified luminal region,

the position detection sensor is configured to detect the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe with reference to the predetermined common reference position,

the computer is configured to specify the lumen direction in the first luminal region in the first three-dimensional data, and to determine whether a plane perpendicular to the moving direction in the first three-dimensional data includes the lumen peripheral region, and

the display monitor is configured to display the lumen direction when the lumen peripheral region falls outside the perpendicular plane.

5. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to set the second viewpoint by calculating inner products of a first vector representing the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe and second vectors representing the lumen directions.

6. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to generate combined three-dimensional data by combining the first three-dimensional data with the second three-dimensional data.

7. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the computer is configured to set the second viewpoint in the combined three-dimensional data, and

the computer is configured to generate the second perspective projection image by the perspective projection using at least the second viewpoint and the combined three-dimensional data.

8. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to set the first three-dimensional data and the second three-dimensional data on a same coordinate system having the predetermined common reference position as an origin, and to set positions of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint with reference to the common reference position in the first luminal region and the second luminal region specified in the first three-dimensional data and the second three-dimensional data.

9. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the same coordinate system comprises an absolute coordinate system.

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to move the first viewpoint to the second luminal region in the second three-dimensional data at a velocity corresponding to a moving velocity of the ultrasonic probe.

11. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computer is configured to control a timing to supply the driving signal to each of the ultrasonic transducers,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the transducer to supply the driving signal to each of the ultrasonic transducers, in response to the first viewpoint entering a predetermined region near an end portion of the first three-dimensional data.

12. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to change ultrasonic transmission conditions based on a position of the first viewpoint in the predetermined region.

13. A medical image processing apparatus for generating perspective projection images corresponding to viewpoints which are set in a lumen of an object accompanying a movement of an ultrasonic probe, and for displaying the generated perspective projection images, comprising:

a storage configured to store a first three-dimension data acquired at a first position of the ultrasonic probe with reference to a predetermined common reference position as detected by a position detection sensor,

Wherein the storage further configured to store a second three-dimension data acquired at a second position of the ultrasonic probe with reference to the predetermined common reference position as detected by the position detection sensor, wherein the ultrasonic probe contacts a body surface of the object; and

a computer;

configured to specify, with reference to the predetermined common reference position, a first luminal region in an inside of the lumen to be viewed from a first view point in the first three-dimensional data, and a first line of sight

configured to generate a first perspective projection image of the first luminal region by perspective projection using at least a set of the first view point, the first line of sight and the first three-dimensional data;

configured to specify, with reference to the predetermined common reference position, a second luminal region in the inside of the lumen to be viewed from a second view point in the second three-dimensional data, and a second line of sight, the second view point being determined based on a moving direction of the ultrasonic probe, wherein

the first line of sight determined based on a direction along a first central line at the first view point of branches of the lumen, the second line of sight determined based on a direction along a second central line at the second view point of branches of the lumen, all of which are presented with reference to the predetermined common reference position, where the lumen branches at a branching portion in the lumen and has at least two branches represented by the first central line and the second central line; and

configured to generate a second perspective projection image of the second luminal region by perspective projection using at least a set of the second view point, the second line of sight and the second three-dimensional data.

14. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer is configured to set the second viewpoint by calculating inner products of a first vector representing the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe and second vectors representing the lumen directions.

15. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer is configured to set the first three-dimensional data and the second three-dimensional data on a same coordinate system having the predetermined common reference position as an origin, and to set positions of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint with reference to the common reference position in the first luminal region and the second luminal region specified in the first three-dimensional data and the second three-dimensional data, respectively.

16. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the same coordinate system comprises an absolute coordinate system.

17. A medical image processing method for generating perspective projection images corresponding to viewpoints which are set in a lumen of an object accompanying a movement of an ultrasonic probe, and for displaying the generated perspective projection images, comprising a computer to perform the steps of:

generating a first three-dimensional data based on received echo signal at a first position of the ultrasonic probe and second three-dimensional data based on received echo signal at a second position of the ultrasound probe;

specifying, with reference to a predetermined common reference position, a first luminal region in an inside the lumen to be viewed from a first view point in the first three-dimensional data, and a first line of sight;

generating a first perspective projection image of the first luminal region by perspective projection using at least a set of the first view point, the first line of sight and the first three-dimensional data;

specifying, with reference to the predetermined common reference position, a second luminal region in the inside of the lumen to be viewed from a second view point in the second three-dimensional data, and a second line of sight, the second view point being determined based on a moving direction of the ultrasonic probe, wherein

the first line of sight determined based on a direction along a first central line at the first view point of branches of the lumen, the second line of sight determined based on a direction along a second central line at the second view point of branches of the lumen, all of which are presented with reference to the predetermined common reference position, where the lumen branches at a branching portion in the lumen and has at least two branches represented by the first central line and the second central line; and

generating a second perspective projection image of the second luminal region by perspective projection using at least a set of the second view point, the second line of sight and the second three-dimensional data.

18. The medical image processing method of claim 17, wherein the second viewpoint is calculated by inner products of a first vector representing the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe and second vectors representing the lumen directions.

19. The medical image processing method of claim 17, further comprising setting the first three-dimensional data and the second three-dimensional data on a same coordinate system having the predetermined common reference position as an origin, and setting positions of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint with reference to the common reference position in the first luminal region and the second luminal region specified in the first three-dimensional data and the second three-dimensional data, respectively.

20. The medical image processing method of claim 19, wherein the same coordinate system comprises an absolute coordinate system.