Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9226728-B2
Application number	US-10662508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2008
Priority date	Apr 23, 2007
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus generates volume data by performing three-dimensional scan of a three-dimensional region with an ultrasonic wave. An input unit sets or changes at least one of a plurality of correlated scan conditions for the three-dimensional scan. A determination unit determines the other scan conditions of the plurality of scan conditions on the basis of at least one scan condition that is set or changed. A display unit displays at least one of the set or changed scan condition and the determined scan conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:
an ultrasonic probe;
input circuitry implementing an input unit and configured to set or change a scan range, a density of scan lines, and a sub-volume number, wherein the scan range, the density of scan lines, and the sub-volume number are correlated to scan conditions for a three-dimensional trigger scan;
a display configured to display at least one of the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number; and
processing circuitry implementing an image acquisition unit, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the three-dimensional trigger scan to generate volume data according to the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number by:
controlling the ultrasonic probe to perform a three-dimensional scan for a plurality of sub-volumes constituting a three-dimensional region;
generating a plurality of sub-volume data items corresponding to a predetermined range from raw data obtained from the three-dimensional scan; and
connecting the acquired sub-volume data items based on a predetermined trigger to generate the volume data regarding the three-dimensional region according to the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number, wherein

the processing circuitry further implements the image acquisition unit by being configured to acquire a prescan image regarding at least one section crossing the three-dimensional region by controlling the ultrasonic probe to perform a prescan in a stage before the three-dimensional trigger scan, the prescan being a scan other than the three-dimensional trigger scan,
the display is further configured to display the acquired prescan image, and
the input circuitry further implements the input unit by being configured to set or change the scan range and the sub-volume number on the displayed prescan image, wherein the set or changed sub-volume number is indicated as a total number of sub-volumes included in the displayed prescan image.

2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display is further configured to display at least one of a determined volume rate, the set or changed scan range, the set or changed density of scan lines, together with the prescan image.

3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry further implements the image acquisition unit by being configured to acquire a bi-plane image as the prescan image.

4. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry further implements a section setting unit and is configured to set at least one section on the prescan image, and
wherein the display is configured to display a position of at least one set section on the prescan image.

5. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the processing circuitry further implements the section setting unit by being configured to set a plane, which is not parallel to transmission and reception directions of ultrasonic waves, as at least one section.

6. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the processing circuitry further implements the image acquisition unit by being configured to acquire a sectional image regarding at least one set section by the three-dimensional trigger scan, and
the display is configured to display at least one acquired sectional image.

7. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the processing circuitry further implements a changing unit and is configured to change at least one of position and slope of the section on the prescan image,
the processing circuitry further implements the image acquisition unit by being configured to acquire a sectional image after the change regarding the section by the three-dimensional trigger scan, and
the display is configured to display the acquired sectional image after the change.

8. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the display is configured to display a model, which schematically expresses the scan range, together with the prescan image.

9. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the processing circuitry further implements a matching unit and is configured to match spatial positions of the model and the prescan image, and
wherein the display is configured to move the prescan image in conjunction with the model on a basis of the spatial positions matching when an instruction of movement of the model has been made.

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry further implements the image acquisition unit by being configured to acquire the prescan image in order to simulate the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number and a determined volume rate.

11. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry further implements the image acquisition unit by being configured to acquire the prescan image by performing the prescan on a basis of the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number and a determined volume rate.

12. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry further implements a determination unit and is configured to determine a volume rate on a basis of the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number, and
wherein the processing circuitry further performs the three-dimensional trigger scan according to the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number and the determined volume rate.

13. A control method of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the control method comprising:
setting or changing a scan range, a density of scan lines, and a sub-volume number, wherein the scan range, the density of scan lines, and the sub-volume number are correlated scan conditions for three-dimensional trigger scan;
displaying at least one of the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number;
performing the three-dimensional trigger scan, using processing circuitry, according to the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number to generate volume data, the performing of the three-dimensional trigger scan comprising of controlling an ultrasonic probe to perform a three-dimensional scan for a plurality of sub-volumes constituting a three-dimensional region, generating a plurality of sub-volume data items corresponding to a predetermined range from raw data obtained from the three-dimensional scan, and connecting the acquired sub-volume data items based on a predetermined trigger to generate the volume data regarding the three-dimensional region according to the set or changed scan range, density of scan lines, and sub-volume number;
wherein the method further comprises:
acquiring a prescan image regarding at least one section crossing the three-dimensional region by performing a prescan using the ultrasonic probe in a stage before the three-dimensional trigger scan, the prescan being a scan other than the three-dimensional trigger scan;
displaying the acquired prescan image; and
setting or changing the sub-volume number on the displayed prescan image, wherein the set or changed sub-volume number is indicated as a total number of sub-volumes included in the displayed prescan image.

Assignees

• Hashimoto Shinichi
• Kawagishi Tetsuya
• Sasaki Takuya
• Toshiba Kk
• Toshiba Medical Sys Corp

Inventors

• Hashimoto Shinichi
• Kawagishi Tetsuya
• Sasaki Takuya

Classifications

• A61B8/483

  involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data · CPC title

• A61B8/543

  involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal · CPC title

• G01S7/52084

  related to particular user interfaces (special user input means for ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/467) · CPC title

• A61B8/145

  characterised by scanning multiple planes · CPC title

• A61B8/08 Primary

  Clinical applications (A61B8/02, A61B8/04, A61B8/06 take precedence) · CPC title