Ultrasound image capture device, ultrasound image capture method, ultrasound image capture program

• US 9,259,205 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tomohiko, Azuma, Takashi, Hashiba, Kunio
• Primary Examiner(s): Lamprecht, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/990,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20130289408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0891 for diagnosis of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5246 combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode

Abstract

Provided is a technology which quantitatively measures blood flow in the vicinity of circulatory organs. An ultrasound image capture device according to the present invention removes an image portion corresponding to an organ shape by taking the difference of a multi-frame ultrasound image, and thereafter computes a measured value of a blood flow velocity vector on the basis of a plurality of images at different timings (as per FIG. 3).

Claims

1. An ultrasound imaging device that images an ultrasound image, comprising:

an ultrasound transceiver configured to irradiates an ultrasound wave to a subject and receives a reflected signal;

a blood flow detection unit configured to detects a blood flow velocity in the subject using the reflected signal; and

a shape recognition unit configured to recognize a tissue shape of the subject using the reflected signal;

wherein the blood flow detection unit is configured to;

remove an image portion indicating a tissue shape of the subject based on a plurality of ultrasound images of the subject created by using the reflected signal at different times,

calculate a blood flow velocity vector in the subject based on a plurality of images at different times in which the image portion indicating the tissue shape of the subject is removed,

identify a boundary surface between a tissue of the subject and a blood flow based on a recognition result of the shape recognition unit, and

calculate or correct the blood flow velocity by applying a consistent condition under a fluid mechanics on the boundary surface.

2. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 1, wherein the blood flow detection unit is further configured to calculate the blood flow velocity vector in the subject by performing a pattern matching between the plurality of ultrasound images.

3. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 1, wherein the blood flow detection unit is further configured to:

assume that the blood flow velocity at the boundary surface between the tissue of the subject and the blood flow is 0, and

calculate or correct the blood flow velocity at other portions.

4. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 1, wherein the blood flow detection unit is further configured to:

obtain a measured value of the blood flow velocity, and

interpolate a blood flow velocity at a portion in which the measured value is not obtained by approximating a blood vessel shape of the subject as a cylinder to calculate the blood flow velocity in the cylinder.

5. The ultrasound imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the blood flow detection unit is further configured to:

obtain a measured value of the blood flow velocity, and

interpolate a blood flow velocity at a portion in which the measured value is not obtained by approximating a shape of the cylinder on a two-dimensional plane under an assumption that the blood vessel of the subject has a plane-symmetrical structure to calculate the blood flow velocity using a law of conservation of mass on the two-dimensional plane.

6. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 4, wherein the blood flow detection unit is further configured to calculate, using a stream function, a blood flow velocity component in a direction in which the measured value is not obtained.

7. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a mutual interaction calculation unit configured to:

calculate a physical quantity of a blood flow of the subject that provides an effect on a tissue of the subject, and

calculate, as the physical quantity, one or more of a pressure distribution caused by the blood flow in the subject, a shear stress caused by the blood flow on a blood vessel inner wall of the subject, a power of the blood flow, and a flow volume of the blood flow.

8. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to displays at least one of a spatial distribution or a temporal distribution for one or more of a pressure distribution caused by a blood flow in the subject, a shear stress caused by the blood flow on a blood vessel inner wall of the subject, a power of the blood flow, a flow volume of the blood flow, and a velocity distribution of the blood flow.

9. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 8, wherein the display unit is further configured to display one or more of numerical values of a maximum value, a minimum value, an average value, an integral value, or a proportion of these values for at least one of the spatial distribution or the temporal distribution.

10. The ultrasound imaging device of claim 8, wherein the display unit is further configured to display a process in which the blood flow detection unit calculates a blood flow velocity of the subject.

11. An ultrasound imaging method for imaging an ultrasound image, comprising:

irradiating an ultrasound wave to a subject and receiving a reflected signal; and

detecting a blood flow velocity in the subject using the reflected signal; and

recognizing a tissue shape of the subject using the reflected signal;

wherein the detecting the blood flow includes;

removing an image portion indicating a tissue shape of the subject based on a plurality of ultrasound images of the subject created by using the reflected signal at different times,

calculating a blood flow velocity vector in the subject based on a plurality of images at different times in which the image portion indicating the tissue shape of the subject is removed,

identifying a boundary surface between a tissue of the subject and a blood flow based on a recognition result of the shape recognition unit, and

calculating or correcting the blood flow velocity by applying a consistent condition under a fluid mechanics on the boundary surface.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

irradiating an ultrasound wave to a subject and receiving a reflected signal;

detecting a blood flow velocity in the subject using the reflected signal; and

recognizing a tissue shape of the subject using the reflected signal;

wherein the detecting the blood flow includes;

removing an image portion indicating a tissue shape of the subject based on a plurality of ultrasound images of the subject created by using the reflected signal at different times,

calculating a blood flow velocity vector in the subject based on a plurality of images at different times in which the image portion indicating the tissue shape of the subject is removed,

identifying a boundary surface between a tissue of the subject and a blood flow based on a recognition result of the shape recognition unit, and

calculating or correcting the blood flow velocity by applying a consistent condition under a fluid mechanics on the boundary surface.