ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20140066773A1
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2012
• 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: TAKIMOTO, Masao
• Application Number:
  US14/076,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066773A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/453
• 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 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8986 with measures taken for suppressing velocity ambiguities, i.e. anti-aliasing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8988 Colour Doppler imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52033 Gain control of receivers for seismic signals G01V1/245
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52066 Time-position or time-motion displays
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes a transmitting and receiving unit, an extracting unit, a generating unit, a brightness information controlling unit and a display unit. The transmitting and receiving unit transmits an ultrasonic wave to and receives an ultrasonic wave from a diagnosis part including a moving body in an object. The extracting unit extracts a Doppler signal based on a reception signal obtained by the transmitting and receiving unit. The generating unit executes a frequency analysis on the basis of the Doppler signal and generates a Doppler spectrum. The brightness information controlling unit controls brightness information on the Doppler spectrum on the basis of a brightness correction value appropriate for a frequency subjected to the frequency analysis. The display unit displays, on a display device, the Doppler spectrum on which the brightness information is controlled by the brightness information controlling unit.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, comprising:

a transmitting and receiving unit configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to and receive an ultrasonic wave from a diagnosis part including a moving body in an object;

an extracting unit configured to extract a Doppler signal based on a reception signal obtained by the transmitting and receiving unit;

a generating unit configured to execute a frequency analysis on the basis of the Doppler signal and generate a Doppler spectrum;

a brightness information controlling unit configured to control brightness information on the Doppler spectrum on the basis of a brightness correction value appropriate for a frequency subjected to the frequency analysis; and

a display unit configured to display, on a display device, the Doppler spectrum on which the brightness information is controlled by the brightness information controlling unit.

2. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the brightness information controlling unit determines the brightness correction value for each of a plurality of frequency domains resulting from division of a frequency band.

3. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the brightness information controlling unit determines an initial value of the brightness correction value for each diagnosis part.

4. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an interface configured to change the brightness correction value.

5. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the brightness information controlling unit determines a second brightness correction value appropriate for time in addition to the brightness correction value appropriate for the frequency and controls the brightness information on the Doppler spectrum based on the second brightness correction value.

6. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the brightness information controlling unit determines the second brightness correction value for each of a plurality of time domains resulting from division of a time period.

7. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

a touch panel provided on a display screen of the display device, and configured to be the user interface.

8. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a slider switch configured to be the user interface.

9. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the brightness information controlling unit controls the brightness information on the Doppler spectrum using at least any one of a gain control, a gamma curve control, a dynamic range control and a map control.

10. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a measuring unit configured to execute a measurement concerning the Doppler spectrum using the Doppler spectrum the brightness information on which is controlled by the brightness information controlling unit,

wherein the display unit displays the Doppler spectrum on which the brightness information is controlled by the brightness information controlling unit and a result of the measurement executed by the measuring unit.

11. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a brightness information controlling unit configured to control brightness information on a Doppler spectrum on the basis of a brightness correction value appropriate for a frequency subjected to a frequency analysis based on a Doppler signal; and

a display unit configured to display, on a display device, the Doppler spectrum on which the brightness information is controlled by the brightness information controlling unit.