ULTRASOUND IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING ULTRASOUND IMAGE

• US 20090306511A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: YAMAGATA, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,155,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/447
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• 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: G01S 15/8925 the array being a two-dimensional transducer configuration, i.e. matrix or orthogonal linear arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52063 Sector scan display
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52074 Composite displays, e.g. split-screen displays; Combination of multiple images or of images and alphanumeric tabular information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52085 Details related to the ultrasound signal acquisition, e.g. scan sequences control of medical diagnostic ultrasound devices A61B8/54

Abstract

For a three-dimensional region including a treatment target site of a patient, a puncture needle scanning region R1 having a slice thickness d1 is set with reference to a cross section (a puncture cross section) including an insertion direction of a puncture needle. Subsequently, in the y-direction substantially perpendicular to the puncture cross section, two treatment target scanning regions R2 (R21 and R22) each being adjacent to the puncture needle scanning region R1 and having a slice thickness d2 are set. Then, based on volume data in the puncture needle scanning region R1 acquired by first three-dimensional scan with ultrasound waves and volume data in the treatment target scanning regions R2 acquired by second three-dimensional scan performed at a lower volume rate than the first three-dimensional scan, image data is generated for the purpose of supporting puncture.

Claims

1. An ultrasound imaging apparatus that generates image data based on volume data acquired by three-dimensional scan with ultrasound waves on a target site for examination or treatment using a puncture needle, the ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:

a scan controller configured to set a first three-dimensional scanning region including an insertion direction of the puncture needle into the target site and one or more second three-dimensional scanning regions adjacent to the first three-dimensional scanning region, and control three-dimensional scan on the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions;

a volume data generator configured to generate volume data based on received signals acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions by the three-dimensional scan;

an image data generator configured to generate image data by processing the volume data; and

a display configured to display the image data,

wherein the scan controller executes control for three-dimensionally scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher volume rate than the second three-dimensional scanning regions.

3. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the scan controller executes control for three-dimensionally scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher volume rate than the second three-dimensional scanning regions, and also executes control for scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher scanning-line density than the second three-dimensional scanning regions.

4. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the scan controller sets a puncture needle scanning region of a predetermined slice thickness with reference to a puncture cross section including the insertion direction of the puncture needle as the first three-dimensional scanning region, and sets treatment target scanning regions of predetermined slice thicknesses adjacent to the puncture needle scanning region in a normal direction of the puncture cross section as the second three-dimensional scanning regions.

5. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the image data generator processes volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region or volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions, thereby generating at least one of MPR image data, slab MPR image data, slab MIP image data and three-dimensional image data.

6. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the image data generator generates the slab MPR image data by calculating an average voxel value of the volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region in a normal direction of a puncture cross section including the insertion direction of the puncture needle.

7. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the image data generator generates the slab MIP image data by extracting a maximum voxel value of the volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region in a normal direction of a puncture cross section including the insertion direction of the puncture needle.

8. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the image data generator synthesizes volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and volume data acquired from the second three-dimensional scanning regions, and the image data generator generates the three-dimensional image data by rendering the synthesized volume data.

9. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the image data generator synthesizes volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and volume data acquired from the second three-dimensional scanning regions, and the image data generator generates the MPR image data by extracting a voxel value in a predetermined cross section of the synthesized volume data.

10. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display cross section setting part configured to set a display cross section for the volume data synthesized by using the slab MPR image data or the slab MIP image data,

wherein the image data generator generates the MPR image data by extracting a voxel value in the display cross section of the synthesized volume data.

11. The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the display cross section setting part sets one or more MPR cross sections orthogonal to a slab cross section including the insertion direction of the puncture needle.

2. An ultrasound imaging apparatus that generates image data based on volume data acquired by three-dimensional scan with ultrasound waves on a target site for examination or treatment using a puncture needle, the ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:

a scan controller configured to set a first three-dimensional scanning region including an insertion direction of the puncture needle into the target site and one or more second three-dimensional scanning regions adjacent to the first three-dimensional scanning region, and control three-dimensional scan on the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions;

a volume data generator configured to generate volume data based on received signals acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions by the three-dimensional scan;

an image data generator configured to generate image data by processing the volume data; and

a display configured to display the image data,

wherein the scan controller executes control for scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher scanning-line density than the second three-dimensional scanning regions.

12. A method for generating an ultrasound image in which image data is generated based on volume data acquired by three-dimensional scan with ultrasound waves on a target site for examination or treatment using a puncture needle, the method comprising:

setting a first three-dimensional scanning region including an insertion direction of the puncture needle into the target site and one or more second three-dimensional scanning regions adjacent to the first three-dimensional scanning region, controlling three-dimensional scan on the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions, and executing control for three-dimensionally scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher volume rate than the second three-dimensional scanning regions;

generating volume data based on received signals acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions by the three-dimensional scan;

generating image data by processing the volume data; and

displaying the image data.

14. The method for generating an ultrasound image according to claim 12, wherein:

control for three-dimensionally scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher volume rate than the second three-dimensional scanning regions is executed, and control for scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher scanning-line density than the second three-dimensional scanning regions is also executed.

15. The method for generating an ultrasound image according to claim 12, wherein:

a puncture needle scanning region of a predetermined slice thickness with reference to a puncture cross section including the insertion direction of the puncture needle is set as the first three-dimensional scanning region, and treatment target scanning regions of predetermined slice thicknesses adjacent to the puncture needle scanning region in a normal direction of the puncture cross section are set as the second three-dimensional scanning regions.

16. The method for generating an ultrasound image according to claim 12, wherein:

at least one of MPR image data, slab MPR image data, slab MIP image data and three-dimensional image data is generated by processing volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region or volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions.

17. The method for generating an ultrasound image according to claim 16, wherein:

the slab MPR image data is generated by calculating an average voxel value of the volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region, in a normal direction of a puncture cross section including the insertion direction of the puncture needle.

18. The method for generating an ultrasound image according to claim 16, wherein:

the slab MIP image data is generated by extracting a maximum voxel value of volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region in a normal direction of a puncture cross section including the insertion direction of the puncture needle.

19. The method for generating an ultrasound image according to claim 16, wherein:

volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and volume data acquired from the second three-dimensional scanning regions are synthesized, and the three-dimensional image data is generated by rendering the synthesized volume data.

20. The method for generating an ultrasound image according to claim 16. wherein:

volume data acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and volume data acquired from the second three-dimensional scanning regions are synthesized, and the MPR image data is generated by extracting a voxel value in a predetermined cross section of the synthesized volume data.

13. A method for generating an ultrasound image in which image data is generated based on volume data acquired by three-dimensional scan with ultrasound waves on a target site for examination or treatment using a puncture needle, the method comprising:

setting a first three-dimensional scanning region including an insertion direction of the puncture needle into the target site and one or more second three-dimensional scanning regions adjacent to the first three-dimensional scanning region, controlling three-dimensional scan on the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions, and executing control for scanning the first three-dimensional scanning region at a higher scanning-line density than the second three-dimensional scanning regions;

generating volume data based on received signals acquired from the first three-dimensional scanning region and the second three-dimensional scanning regions by the three-dimensional scan;

generating image data by processing the volume data; and

displaying the image data.