ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20100137715A1
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: KAKEE, Akihiro
• Application Number:
  US12/615,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20100137715A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8981 Discriminating between fixed and moving objects or between objects moving at different speeds, e.g. wall clutter filter
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52077 with means for elimination of unwanted signals, e.g. noise or interference
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52087 using synchronization techniques control of medical diagnostic ultrasound devices involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal A61B8/543

Abstract

A scanning part ultrasonically scans a cross section of a subject corresponding to a frame period. The filter processor uses time-series received signals that are obtained from the scanning part corresponding to a plurality of frames to attenuate low-frequency components from the received signals of a plurality of locations within the cross section. The amplitude-comparator compares the amplitudes of the received signals with the amplitudes of the signals for which the low-frequency components have been attenuated, and the signals with smaller amplitudes are output. The image-generator generates morphological images of the subject based on the output signals from the amplitude-comparator.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

a scanning part configured to ultrasonically scan a cross section of a subject corresponding to a frame period;

a filter-processor configured to use time-series received signals that are obtained corresponding to a plurality of frames from said scanning part to attenuate low-frequency components from the received signals of a plurality of locations within said cross section;

an amplitude-comparator configured to compare the amplitudes of said received signals with the amplitudes of signals for which said low-frequency components have been attenuated to output signals in which said amplitudes are smaller; and

an image-generator configured to generate morphological images of said subject based on output signals from said amplitude-comparator.

2. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said image-generator further comprises a wave detector configured to perform wave detection for signals that are input from said amplitude-comparator;

said filter-processor and said amplitude-comparator are placed between said scanning part and said wave detector; and

output signals from said filter-processor are input to said wave detector.

3. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a wave detector configured to perform wave detection for said received signals from said scanning part, wherein:

said filter-processor and said amplitude-comparator are placed between said wave detector and said image-generator;

said filter-processor is configured to attenuate low-frequency components of the received signals that are input from said wave detector after wave detection; and

said amplitude-comparator is configured to compare the amplitudes of said received signals after wave detection with the amplitudes of signals for which said low-frequency components have been attenuated to output signals in which said amplitudes are smaller to said image-generator.

4. A control method for an ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

ultrasonically scanning a cross section of a subject corresponding to a frame period;

using time-series received signals that are obtained corresponding to a plurality of frames at said scanning to attenuate low-frequency components from the received signals of a plurality of locations within said cross section;

comparing the amplitudes of said received signals with the amplitudes of signals for which said low-frequency components have been attenuated to output signals in which said amplitudes are smaller; and

generating morphological images of said subject based on the signals output as the result of said comparison.