Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and ultrasound diagnostic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9498185-B2
Application number	US-201113636835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2011
Priority date	Nov 12, 2010
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

An ultrasound probe ( 3 ) of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus ( 1 ) includes an acceleration sensor ( 5 ) provided for outputting acceleration information for use in obtaining an angle of the ultrasound probe at the time of diagnosing a subject. The acceleration information is converted into angle information of the ultrasound probe by an angle conversion section ( 11 ). The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus ( 1 ) includes a monitor ( 4 ) for displaying a diagnosing image of the subject obtained with the ultrasound probe ( 3 ), and a body mark ( 16 ) corresponding to the diagnostic mode selected at the time of diagnosing and a probe icon ( 15 ) placed at an angle corresponding to the angle information with respect to the body mark ( 16 ) are displayed on the monitor ( 4 ). This makes it possible to provide an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which can display an angle of the ultrasound probe at the time of diagnosing the subject.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
an ultrasound probe;
a sensor provided on the ultrasound probe which outputs sensor information for use in obtaining an angle of the ultrasound probe relative to a gravity direction at a time of diagnosing a subject;
a memory comprising a plurality of storage areas corresponding to a plurality of diagnostic modes, respectively; and
a processor which is configured to perform control to:
convert the sensor information output by the sensor provided on the ultrasound probe into angle information of the ultrasound probe;
associate, when a diagnostic mode for diagnosing the subject with the ultrasound probe shifts to a subsequent diagnostic mode in accordance with an operation by an operator, image data of a diagnosing image obtained in the diagnostic mode prior to mode shift with the angle information, and store the associated image data and angle information in the memory in the storage area corresponding to the diagnostic mode in which the image data was obtained; and
generate a probe image indicating the ultrasound probe as a schematic graphic and a subject image indicating the subject as a schematic graphic, display the subject image, and display the probe image at an angle corresponding to the angle information in a region including the subject image on a display, wherein the probe image and the subject image correspond to a specific diagnostic mode and are generated so as to have display features which are specific to the corresponding diagnostic mode;
wherein the processor is further configured to perform control to:
display the subject image corresponding to the diagnostic mode after the mode shift, the subject image having the display features which are specific to the corresponding diagnostic mode;
when past angle information is stored in the memory in the storage area corresponding to the diagnostic mode after the mode shift, display a reference probe image at an angle corresponding to the past angle information which is read from the storage area in the memory corresponding to the diagnostic mode after the mode shift; and
when the past angle information is not stored in the memory in the storage area corresponding to the diagnostic mode after the mode shift, display the reference probe image at a preset angle corresponding to the diagnostic mode after the mode shift, wherein the preset angle is an angle which has been determined in advance to be appropriate for the corresponding diagnostic mode;
wherein the processor is further configured to perform control to display, on the display, a plurality of buttons corresponding to the plurality of the diagnostic modes, respectively;
wherein the plurality of buttons are operable by the operator to select one of the diagnostic modes; and
wherein when the diagnostic mode is shifted in accordance with operation of one of the buttons, the processor associates the image data of the diagnosing image obtained in the diagnostic mode prior to mode shift with the angle information, and stores the associated image data and the angle information in the memory in the storage area corresponding to the diagnostic mode in which the image data was obtained.

2. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform control to set the region over the subject image and display the probe image as if in contact with the subject image on the display.

3. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is an acceleration sensor which outputs acceleration information of the ultrasound probe as information for use in obtaining the angle of the ultrasound probe, and
the processor is configured to perform control to convert the acceleration information into angle information of the ultrasound probe.

4. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform control to display, on the display, a button image whose button name is changed in sequence in accordance with procedures performed on the subject.

5. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein once a diagnostic procedure indicated by the button name is completed, the processor is configured to perform control to display, on the display, a button image representing a subsequent diagnostic procedure in a blinking state.

6. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a monitor which is operable to select the diagnostic mode.

7. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the processor is further configured to perform control to display, on the display, a guide image indicating a direction to incline the ultrasound probe in the diagnostic mode,
when the past angle information is stored in the memory, the guide image is generated based on the past angle information read from the memory and present angle information converted from the sensor information, and
when the past angle information is not stored in the memory, the guide image is generated based on the preset angle corresponding to the diagnostic mode and the present angle information converted from the sensor information.

8. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the processor is further configured to perform control to display, on the display, an animation picture for guiding a diagnostic procedure of the subject in the diagnostic mode, and once the diagnostic procedure guided with the animation picture is completed, to display an animation picture for guiding a subsequent diagnostic procedure.

9. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when displaying a past diagnosing image stored in the memory, the processor is configured to perform control to display, on the display, past angle information stored in association with the past diagnosing image.

10. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform image analysis of the diagnosing image of the subject to determine a diagnostic mode in which the diagnosing image was obtained.

11. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein:
the processor is configured to distribute and store the image data of the diagnosing image and the angle information in the storage area corresponding to the determined diagnostic mode.

12. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a touch panel, and selection of the diagnostic mode is achieved by a touch operation performed on the touch panel.

13. An ultrasound diagnostic system, comprising:
a server which has a memory comprising a plurality of storage areas corresponding to a plurality of diagnostic modes, respectively; and
an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which is capable of communicating with the server via a network,
wherein the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes:
an ultrasound probe;
a sensor provided on the ultrasound probe which outputs sensor information for use in obtaining an angle of the ultrasound probe at a time of diagnosing a subject; and
a processor which is configured to perform control to:
convert the sensor information output by the sensor provided on the ultrasound probe into angle information of the ultrasound probe;
associate, when a diagnostic mode for diagnosing the subject with the ultrasound probe shifts to a subsequent diagnostic mode in accordance with an operation by an operator, image data of a diagnosing image obtained in the diagnostic mode prior to mode shift with the angle information, and store the associat

Assignees

• Kimoto Takashi
• Satake Katsumi
• Fukai Seiichi
• Uchikawa Satoru
• Hirasawa Hajime
• Kimura Masao
• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Kimoto Takashi
• Satake Katsumi
• Fukai Seiichi
• Uchikawa Satoru
• Hirasawa Hajime
• Kimura Masao

Classifications

• A61B8/463

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

• A61B8/0891

  for diagnosis of blood vessels · CPC title

• A61B8/4254 Primary

  using sensors mounted on the probe · CPC title

• A61B8/5292

  using additional data, e.g. patient information, image labeling, acquisition parameters · CPC title

• A61B8/465

  adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus · CPC title