ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND ELASTICITY IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
- an ultrasonic probe which transmits/receives ultrasonic waves to/from an object while being in contact with the object;
a transmission/reception unit which, in a process in which pressing force applied to the object by the ultrasonic probe is changed and a cross-sectional position for transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from the object is moved in a short axis direction, periodically transmits/receives ultrasonic waves to/from the object, performs reception processing on a reflection echo signal from the object, and measures RF signal frame data at the cross-sectional position;
a displacement measurement unit which obtains a displacement of a living tissue at the cross-sectional position and sequentially generates displacement frame data on the basis of two pieces of RF signal frame data within a set time range, selected from among a plurality of pieces of RF signal frame data sequentially measured by the transmission/reception unit;
an elasticity information calculation unit which obtains elasticity information of the living tissue at the cross-sectional position and sequentially generates elasticity frame data on the basis of the displacement frame data sequentially generated by the displacement measurement unit; and
an elasticity image construction unit which sequentially constructs elasticity images on the basis of the elasticity frame data sequentially generated by the elasticity information calculation unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus provided with: an ultrasonic probe which transmits/receives ultrasonic waves to/from an object while being in contact with the object; a transmission/reception unit which, in a process in which pressing force applied to the object by the ultrasonic probe is changed and the tomographic position at which the ultrasonic waves are transmitted/received to/from the object is moved in a short axis direction, periodically transmits/receives the ultrasonic waves to/from the object, performs reception processing on a reflection echo signal from the object, and measures RF signal frame data at the tomographic position; a displacement measurement unit which, on the basis of two pieces of RF signal frame data, between which the difference in measurement time falls within a set range, selected from among multiple pieces of RF signal frame data sequentially measured by the transmission/reception unit, finds the displacement of a living tissue at the tomographic position and sequentially generates displacement frame data; an elasticity information calculation unit which on the basis of the displacement frame data sequentially generated by the displacement measurement unit, finds elasticity information relating to the living tissue at the tomographic position, and sequentially generates elasticity frame data; and an elasticity image construction unit which on the basis of the elasticity frame data sequentially generated by the elasticity information calculation unit, sequentially constructs elasticity images.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
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an ultrasonic probe which transmits/receives ultrasonic waves to/from an object while being in contact with the object; a transmission/reception unit which, in a process in which pressing force applied to the object by the ultrasonic probe is changed and a cross-sectional position for transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from the object is moved in a short axis direction, periodically transmits/receives ultrasonic waves to/from the object, performs reception processing on a reflection echo signal from the object, and measures RF signal frame data at the cross-sectional position; a displacement measurement unit which obtains a displacement of a living tissue at the cross-sectional position and sequentially generates displacement frame data on the basis of two pieces of RF signal frame data within a set time range, selected from among a plurality of pieces of RF signal frame data sequentially measured by the transmission/reception unit; an elasticity information calculation unit which obtains elasticity information of the living tissue at the cross-sectional position and sequentially generates elasticity frame data on the basis of the displacement frame data sequentially generated by the displacement measurement unit; and an elasticity image construction unit which sequentially constructs elasticity images on the basis of the elasticity frame data sequentially generated by the elasticity information calculation unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An elasticity image display method, comprising:
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a first step of, in a process in which pressing force applied to an object by an ultrasonic probe is changed and a cross-sectional position for transmission/reception of ultrasonic waves is moved in a short axis direction, periodically transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from the object and capturing a measured reflection echo signal by the ultrasonic probe; a second step of performing reception processing on the reflection echo signal captured in the first step and periodically measuring RF signal frame data; a third step of, on the basis of two pieces of RF signal frame data, between which a difference in measurement time falls within a set range, selected from among a plurality of pieces of RF signal frame data periodically measured in the second step, obtaining displacements of a living tissue at a plurality of the cross-sectional positions and sequentially generating pieces of displacement frame data; a fourth step of, on the basis of a plurality of the pieces of displacement frame data obtained in the third step, calculating elasticity information of the living tissue at the plurality of cross-sectional positions and sequentially generating elasticity frame data and a fifth step of, on the basis of the elasticity frame data sequentially generated in the fourth step, sequentially constructing elasticity images.
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Specification