Ultrasonic diagnostic device, image processing device, and image processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10420534-B2
Application number	US-201514634177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Aug 30, 2012
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic device includes a first rendering unit, a second rendering unit, a superimposition processing unit, a display control unit. The first rendering unit generates a first rendering image according to a first rendering method based on volume data collected by three-dimensionally scanning a subject with ultrasonic waves. The second rendering unit generates a second rendering image according to a second rendering method that is different from the first rendering method, based on the volume data. The superimposition processing unit generates a superimposed image in which at least a part of the first rendering image and a part of the second rendering image are superimposed on each other. The display control unit causes a display device to display the superimposed image. The superimposition processing unit adjusts a superimposition ratio of the first and second rendering images in the superimposed image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic device, comprising:
an ultrasonic probe configured to collect volume data by three-dimensionally scanning a subject with ultrasonic waves; and
processing circuitry configured to
generate a first rendering image based on the volume data collected by the ultrasonic probe, by using a first rendering method, the first rendering method including rendering the volume data by global illumination;
generate a second rendering image based on the volume data, by using a second rendering method that is different from the first rendering method;
generate a superimposed image in which at least a part of the first rendering image and a part of the second rendering image are superimposed on each other;
cause a display to display the superimposed image;
determine whether the superimposed image is suitable for observation based on a luminance value of the superimposed image; and

adjust so as to increase a superimposition ratio of the first rendering image or the second rendering image in the superimposed image, when it is determined that the superimposed image is not suitable for observation.

2. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate a shaded rendering image as the first rendering image.

3. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to adjust the superimposition ratio based on at least one of the first rendering image and the superimposed image.

4. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to
receive an operation to change the superimposition ratio from an operator, and
adjust the superimposition ratio according to the received operation.

5. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to superimpose the first rendering image and the second rendering image in a predetermined area of the superimposed image.

6. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to divide the superimposed image into a plurality of sections, and set a superimposition ratio for each of the sections.

7. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether the superimposed image is suitable for observation based on a mean value or a variance value of the luminance value of the superimposed image.

8. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is further configured to monitor a positional relation among an observing point used for rendering of the first rendering image and rendering of the second rendering image, a virtual light source used for rendering of the first rendering image, and a structure included in the volume data, and
when the virtual light source moves behind the structure, the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the superimposed image is not suitable for observation.

9. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the superimposed image by superimposing a two-dimensional image generated as a result of rendering of the first rendering image and a two-dimensional image generated as a result of rendering of the second rendering image on each other.

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate the superimposed image by superimposing three-dimensional data generated before rendering of the first rendering image is performed and three-dimensional data generated before rendering of the second rendering image is performed on each other.

11. An image processing device, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
acquire volume data collected by an ultrasonic probe configured to collect the volume data by three-dimensionally scanning a subject with ultrasonic waves;
generate a first rendering image based on the volume data by using a first rendering method, the first rendering method including rendering the volume data by global illumination;
generate a second rendering image based on the volume data by using a second rendering method that is different from the first rendering method;
generate a superimposed image in which at least a part of the first rendering image and a part of the second rendering image are superimposed on each other;
cause a display to display the superimposed image,
determine whether the superimposed image is suitable for observation based on a luminance value of the superimposed image, and
adjust so as to increase a superimposition ratio of the first rendering image or the second rendering image in the superimposed image, when it is determined that the superimposed image is not suitable for observation.

12. An image processing method, comprising:
acquiring volume data collected by an ultrasonic probe configured to collect volume data by three-dimensionally scanning a subject with ultrasonic waves;
generating a first rendering image based on the volume data by using a first rendering method, the first rendering method including rendering the volume data by global illumination;
generating a second rendering image based on the volume data by using a second rendering method that is different from the first rendering method;
generating a superimposed image in which at least a part of the first rendering image and a part of the second rendering image are superimposed on each other; and
causing a display to display the superimposed image,
determining whether the superimposed image is suitable for observation based on a luminance value of the superimposed image, and
adjusting so as to increase a superimposition ratio of the first rendering image or the second rendering image in the superimposed image when it is determined that the superimposed image is not suitable for observation.

Assignees

• Toshiba Medical Sys Corp
• Canon Medical Systems Corp

Inventors

• Kuga Itsuki
• Wahrenberg Magnus

Classifications

• A61B8/5246

  combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode · CPC title

• A61B8/466 Primary

  adapted to display 3D data · CPC title

• A61B8/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title

• G06T15/08

  Volume rendering · CPC title

• A61B8/5207

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image · CPC title