Ultrasonic image boundary extracting method, ultrasonic image boundary extracting apparatus, and ultrasonic imaging apparatus

• US 20060079777A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Karasawa, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,887,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography

Abstract

An ultrasonic image boundary extracting apparatus capable of accurately extracting outlines of tissues based on reception signals respectively output from ultrasonic transducers by receiving ultrasonic echoes. The ultrasonic image boundary extracting apparatus includes: an analysis unit for obtaining an interrelationship among plural reception signals with respect to a region within an object to be inspected from among reception signals obtained by transmitting ultrasonic waves toward the object from plural ultrasonic transducers and receiving ultrasonic waves reflected from the object; and a boundary detection unit for detecting a boundary between plural different tissues within the object based on the interrelationship to thereby generate information on a tissue boundary.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining an interrelationship among plural reception signals with respect to a region within an object to be inspected from among reception signals obtained by transmitting ultrasonic waves toward the object from plural ultrasonic transducers and receiving ultrasonic waves reflected from the object; and

(b) detecting a boundary between plural different tissues within the object based on said interrelationship to thereby generate information on a tissue boundary.

2. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) includes obtaining as said interrelationship one of a spatial intensity distribution of said plural reception signals and statistical property among said plural reception signals.

3. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting method according to claim 2, wherein step (a) includes obtaining the statistical property among said plural reception signals by utilizing a beta distribution.

4. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

obtaining a tissue boundary angle relative to the ultrasonic waves transmitted from said plural ultrasonic transducers based on said interrelationship.

5. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting apparatus comprising:

analysis means for obtaining an interrelationship among plural reception signals with respect to a region within an object to be inspected from among reception signals obtained by transmitting ultrasonic waves toward the object from plural ultrasonic transducers and receiving ultrasonic waves reflected from the object; and

boundary detecting means for detecting a boundary between plural different tissues within the object based on said interrelationship to thereby generate information on a tissue boundary.

6. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said analysis means obtains as said interrelationship one of a spatial intensity distribution of said plural reception signals and statistical property among said plural reception signals.

7. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said analysis means obtains the statistical property among said plural reception signals by utilizing a beta distribution.

8. An ultrasonic image boundary extracting apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

boundary angle detecting means for obtaining a tissue boundary angle relative to the ultrasonic waves transmitted from said plural ultrasonic transducers based on said interrelationship.

9. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

an ultrasonic probe including plural ultrasonic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic waves toward an object to be inspected and receiving ultrasonic waves reflected from the object to output reception signals;

analysis means for obtaining an interrelationship among plural reception signals with respect to a region within the object from among the reception signals respectively output from said plural ultrasonic transducers;

boundary detecting means for detecting a boundary between plural different tissues within the object based on said interrelationship to thereby generate information on a tissue boundary;

boundary image data generating means for generating image data representing the detected boundary based on said information on the tissue boundary; and

B-mode image data generating means for performing phase matching on the reception signals respectively output from said plural ultrasonic transducers to generate B-mode image data.

10. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said analysis means obtains as said interrelationship one of a spatial intensity distribution of said plural reception signals and statistical property among said plural reception signals.

11. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said analysis means obtains the statistical property among said plural reception signals by utilizing a beta distribution.

12. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

boundary angle detecting means for obtaining a tissue boundary angle relative to the ultrasonic waves transmitted from said plural ultrasonic transducers based on the interrelationship obtained by said analysis means.

13. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

intensity correction means for correcting signal intensity represented by the B-mode image data generated by said B-mode image data generating means based on the tissue boundary angle obtained by said boundary angle detecting means.

14. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

intra-pixel pattern generating means for generating an intra-pixel pattern to be used within pixels corresponding to the boundary detected by said boundary detecting means based on the tissue boundary angle obtained by said boundary angle detecting means.

15. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for performing connecting processing on the boundary detected by said boundary detecting means based on the tissue boundary angle obtained by said boundary angle detecting means.

16. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

boundary position information storage means for storing at least information representing a position of the boundary from among said information on the tissue boundary.