Ultrasonic diagnostic device and ultrasonic image generation method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016174932-A1
Application number	US-201615055143-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 26, 2016
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A needle direction estimation unit estimates a needle direction L based on needle information generated by a needle information generation unit, and outputs the position information of the needle direction L. A search region setting unit sets the needle direction L in a tissue image based on the position information of the needle direction L, and sets a search region F that extends to both sides with a predetermined width r. A needle tip search unit calculates the brightness distribution of the tissue image, determines a maximum brightness point B in the search region F to be the needle tip, and outputs the position information of the needle tip. A needle tip visualizing unit visualizes a needle tip N, which is a predetermined point image, in the tissue image from the position information of the needle tip.

First claim

1 . An ultrasonic diagnostic device that transmits an ultrasonic wave toward a subject from an ultrasonic probe and generates an ultrasonic image based on obtained reception data, the device comprising:
a tissue image generation unit that generates a tissue image of the subject by transmitting a transmission wave from the ultrasonic probe and receiving a reception wave from the subject; a needle information generation unit that generates needle information of a needle inserted into the subject by steering at least one of the transmission wave and the reception wave; a needle direction estimation unit that estimates a direction of the needle based on the needle information generated by the needle information generation unit; a search region setting unit that sets a search region of a needle tip in the tissue image based on the needle direction estimated by the needle direction estimation unit; a needle tip search unit that searches for the needle tip in the search region set by the search region setting unit; and a needle tip visualizing unit that visualizes the needle tip on the tissue image based on the needle tip found by the needle tip search unit.

2 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the needle information generation unit generates a plurality of pieces of the needle information with different steering directions by changing a steering direction to steer at least one of the transmission wave and the reception wave, and the needle direction estimation unit estimates the needle direction based on the plurality of pieces of needle information with different steering directions.

3 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the needle information generated by the needle information generation unit is needle image data.

4 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the needle direction estimation unit estimates the needle direction by Hough conversion.

5 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the search region setting unit sets the search region that extends to both sides of the needle direction estimated by the needle direction estimation unit with a predetermined width.

6 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the needle tip search unit searches for a point, at which a brightness value is a maximum, in the search region as the needle tip.

7 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the needle tip search unit includes a needle tip pattern of the needle tip, and searches for a point, at which a correlation with the needle tip pattern is a maximum, in the search region as the needle tip.

8 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the needle tip visualizing unit visualizes a point image having a predetermined size at a position of the needle tip.

9 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the needle tip visualizing unit visualizes a frame of a predetermined range from a position of the needle tip.

10 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 9 ,
wherein the needle tip visualizing unit changes a brightness value or a color of the tissue image inside or outside the frame.

11 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 9 ,
wherein the needle tip visualizing unit applies a translucent mask onto the tissue image inside or outside the frame.

12 . The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when generating a series of a plurality of tissue images with movement of the needle tip, the needle tip search unit compares a tissue image before movement of the needle tip with a tissue image after movement of the needle tip, and searches for the needle tip based on a change between the tissue images.

13 . An ultrasonic image generation method of transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward a subject from an ultrasonic probe and generating an ultrasonic image based on obtained reception data, the method comprising:
generating a tissue image of the subject by transmitting a transmission wave from the ultrasonic probe and receiving a reception wave from the subject; generating needle information of a needle inserted into the subject by steering at least one of the transmission wave and the reception wave; estimating a needle direction indicating a direction of the needle based on the needle information; setting a search region of a needle tip in the tissue image based on the estimated needle direction; searching for the needle tip in the set search region; and visualizing the needle tip on the tissue image based on the found needle tip.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Corp

Inventors

• Katsuyama Kimito

Classifications

• G16H50/30

  for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment · CPC title

• A61B8/461

  Displaying means of special interest · CPC title

• A61B8/0841 Primary

  for locating instruments · CPC title

• G01S15/8915

  using a transducer array · CPC title

• A61B8/5207

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