Ultrasonic imaging apparatus

• US 8,128,567 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kato, Sei, Saito, Takanori
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US12/342,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/458
• US Class Current: 600/458
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply

Abstract

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes an image obtaining unit for irradiating an imaging region and obtaining tomographic image information that draws the imaging region, an input unit for inputting scan parameter value information and a target sound pressure parameter value as an index of an estimated sound pressure in the subject, an estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value calculating device for calculating an estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value in the subject on the basis of the scan parameter value information and maximum drive voltage information of a piezoelectric transducer group for generating an ultrasonic wave, and a maximum drive voltage optimization device for comparing the estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value and the target sound pressure parameter value and optimizing the maximum drive voltage value of the maximum drive voltage information.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

an image obtaining unit configured to irradiate an imaging region in a subject into which a contrast agent is injected with an ultrasonic wave, and to obtain tomographic image information that draws the imaging region;

an input unit configured to input scan parameter value information which is set in said image obtaining unit and a target sound pressure parameter value of a sound pressure parameter as an index of an estimated sound pressure in the subject;

an estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value calculating device configured to calculate, at the time of performing the irradiation, an estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value in the subject based on the scan parameter value information and maximum drive voltage information of a piezoelectric transducer group configured to generate the ultrasonic wave, wherein the maximum drive voltage information includes a first maximum drive voltage value at which the estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value exceeds the target sound pressure parameter value and a second maximum drive voltage value smaller than the first maximum drive voltage value; and

a maximum drive voltage optimization device configured to compare, each time the scan parameter value information is changed, the estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value and the target sound pressure parameter value with each other and to optimize a maximum drive voltage value of the maximum drive voltage information, wherein said maximum drive voltage optimization device comprises a voltage value repetitive setting device configured to set, when a second estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value calculated by using the second maximum drive voltage value exceeds the target sound pressure parameter value, the second maximum drive voltage value to the first maximum drive voltage value, and to set a value of half of the second maximum drive voltage value to the second maximum drive voltage value.

2. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a second estimated maximum soound pressure parameter value calculated by using the second maximum drive voltage value is equal to or less than the target sound pressure parameter value, said voltage value repetitive setting device newly is configured to set an average value of the first and second maximum drive voltage values to the first maximum drive voltage value.

3. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when a second estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value calculated by using the second maximum drive voltage value is equal to or less than the target sound pressure parameter value and a difference between the target sound pressure parameter value and the second estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value does not exceed a target sound pressure parameter threshold, said maximum drive voltage optimization device is configured to set the second maximum drive voltage value as an optimized maximum drive voltage value.

4. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said input unit comprises a target sound pressure parameter threshold setting device configured to input the target sound pressure parameter threshold.

5. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

an image obtaining unit configured to irradiate an imaging region in a subject into which a contrast agent is injected with an ultrasonic wave, and to obtain tomographic image information that draws the imaging region;

an input unit configured to input scan parameter value information which is set in said image obtaining unit and a target MI value in the subject;

an estimated maximum MI value calculating device configured to calculate, at the time of performing the irradiation, an estimated maximum MI value in the subject based on the scan parameter value information and maximum drive voltage information of a piezoelectric transducer group for configured to generate the ultrasonic wave; and

a maximum drive voltage optimization device configured to compare, each time the scan parameter value information is changed, the estimated maximum MI value and the target MI value with each other and to optimize a maximum drive voltage value of the maximum drive voltage information, wherein the maximum drive voltage optimization device includes a voltage value monotonous decreasing device configured to gradually decrease a drive voltage value of the piezoelectric transducer group from an overvoltage value at which the estimated maximum MI value exceeds the target MI value at a predetermined voltage interval.

6. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said input unit comprises a voltage interval setting device configured to set the voltage interval.

7. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said maximum drive voltage optimization device is configured to set an initial maximum drive voltage value at which the estimated maximum MI value becomes equal to or less than the target MI value to an optimized maximum drive voltage value.

8. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at the time of obtaining the tomographic image information by using a plurality of imaging modes having different scan parameter value information, said maximum drive voltage optimization device is configured to optimize the maximum drive voltage value in each of the imaging modes.

9. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said input unit is configured to input target MI value information for each of the imaging modes.

10. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the imaging modes include a contrast agent imaging mode and a B-mode.

11. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said input unit is configured to input, as a target MI value in the B-mode, a safety factor of a value equal to or less than 1 and exceeding 0, with which a target MI value in the contrast agent imaging mode is multiplied.

12. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said input unit is configured to input, as a target MI value in the B-mode, a predetermined value to be subtracted from a target MI value in the contrast agent imaging mode.

13. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said maximum drive voltage optimization device comprises a target MI value calculating device configured to automatically calculate a calculated target MI value for each of the imaging modes based on the target MI value.

14. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the imaging modes include a contrast agent imaging mode and a B-mode.

15. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein when the target MI value is for the contrast agent imaging mode, said target MI value calculating device is configured to calculate a calculated target MI value in the B-mode by multiplying the target MI value with a safety factor of a value equal to or less than 1 and exceeding 0.

16. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein when the target MI value is for the contrast agent imaging mode, said target MI value calculating device is configured to calculate a calculated target MI value in the B-mode by subtracting a predetermined value from the target MI value.