ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING ULTRASOUND IMAGE
First Claim
1. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:
- an ultrasound probe which has a one-dimensional array-type transducer array and an array moving unit moving the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array;
a transmission and reception circuit which electronically scans with the transducer array, and transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data;
an image producer which produces a three-dimensional ultrasound image using two-dimensional image data acquired by the transmission and reception circuit while mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array by the array moving unit;
a region of interest setter which sets a region of interest in an imaging region;
a temperature sensor which detects an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe; and
a controller which, when the internal temperature of the ultrasound probe detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first set value, controls the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than the region of interest set by the region of interest setter is paused.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe which has a one-dimensional array-type transducer array and an array moving unit moving the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array; a transmission and reception circuit which electronically scans the transducer array, and transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data; and a controller which, when the internal temperature of the ultrasound probe is equal to or higher than a first set value, controls the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than a region of interest is paused.
51 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasound probe which has a one-dimensional array-type transducer array and an array moving unit moving the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array; a transmission and reception circuit which electronically scans with the transducer array, and transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data; an image producer which produces a three-dimensional ultrasound image using two-dimensional image data acquired by the transmission and reception circuit while mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array by the array moving unit; a region of interest setter which sets a region of interest in an imaging region; a temperature sensor which detects an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe; and a controller which, when the internal temperature of the ultrasound probe detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first set value, controls the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than the region of interest set by the region of interest setter is paused. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasound probe which has a one-dimensional array-type transducer array and an array moving unit moving the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array; a transmission and reception circuit which electronically scans with the transducer array, and transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data; an image producer which produces a three-dimensional ultrasound image using two-dimensional image data acquired by the transmission and reception circuit while mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array by the array moving unit; a region of interest setter which sets a region of interest in an imaging region; a temperature sensor which detects an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe; and a controller which, when the internal temperature of the ultrasound probe detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first set value, controls the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than the region of interest set by the region of interest setter is intermittently performed. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasound probe which has a one-dimensional array-type transducer array and an array moving unit moving the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array; a transmission and reception circuit which electronically scans with the transducer array, and transmits and receives an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data; an image producer which produces a three-dimensional ultrasound image using two-dimensional image data acquired by the transmission and reception circuit while mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array by the array moving unit; a region of interest setter which sets a region of interest in an imaging region; a temperature sensor which detects an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe; and a controller which, when the internal temperature of the ultrasound probe detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a first set value, controls the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than the region of interest set by the region of interest setter is performed with decreased spatial resolution. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of producing an ultrasound image, the method comprising the steps of:
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electronically scanning with a one-dimensional array-type transducer array of an ultrasound probe by a transmission and reception circuit and transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data, and mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array to acquire a plurality of pieces of two-dimensional image data; producing a three-dimensional ultrasound image using a plurality of pieces of acquired two-dimensional image data; setting a region of interest in an imaging region; detecting an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe; and when the detected internal temperature of the ultrasound probe is equal to or higher than a first set value, controlling the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than the region of interest is paused.
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28. A method of producing an ultrasound image, the method comprising the steps of:
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electronically scanning with a one-dimensional array-type transducer array of an ultrasound probe by a transmission and reception circuit and transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data, and mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array to acquire a plurality of pieces of two-dimensional image data; producing a three-dimensional ultrasound image using a plurality of pieces of acquired two-dimensional image data; setting a region of interest in an imaging region; detecting an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe; and when the detected internal temperature of the ultrasound probe is equal to or higher than a first set value, controlling the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than the region of interest is intermittently performed.
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29. A method of producing an ultrasound image, the method comprising the steps of:
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electronically scanning with a one-dimensional array-type transducer array of an ultrasound probe by a transmission and reception circuit and transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic beam toward a subject to acquire two-dimensional image data, and mechanically scanning with the transducer array in a direction substantially orthogonal to the array direction of the transducer array to acquire a plurality of pieces of two-dimensional image data; producing a three-dimensional ultrasound image using a plurality of pieces of acquired two-dimensional image data; setting a region of interest in an imaging region; detecting an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe; and when the detected internal temperature of the ultrasound probe is equal to or higher than a first set value, controlling the transmission and reception circuit such that the transmission and reception or the reception of an ultrasonic beam for at least a part of a region other than the region of interest is performed with decreased spatial resolution.
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Specification