Abstract: In an ultrasound receive beamformer signals from two or more aperture elements are multiplexed at the input of each beamformer channel, stored in different portions of a delay memory, delayed and apodized in a time-multiplexed fashion, demultiplexed at the output of the channel, and summed in different summation units running at an upsampled rate. The partial sums are then time-aligned, summed to produce the total upsampled beam sum, filtered and decimated in an interpolation filter to produce the beamformed signal.

Abstract: A transmission and reception unit controls probes to form an ultrasound beam which intersects a bone and obtains a reception signal. A beam evaluating unit evaluates an intersection state of the ultrasound beam with respect to the bone based on a shape of an envelope of the reception signal. More specifically, the beam evaluating unit determines a quality of the reception signal based on a height and a slope of a hill-like portion, included in the envelope, corresponding to the bone and evaluates the intersection state of the ultrasound beam.

Abstract: A ring buffer records image data output from an ultrasound diagnosis device in units of frames. A user identifies, on an image, occurrence of a target symptom while viewing a cross sectional image which is displayed in real time and inputs an end trigger immediately after the symptom occurs. When the end trigger is input, a system controller unit instructs a recording controller unit for recording of image data. The recording controller unit sets a recording start time from the time when the end trigger is input and extracts data corresponding to a period from the recording start time to the time when the end trigger is input from the ring buffer as data to be recorded. A data process is applied to the data to be recorded in a data processor unit and recorded on a recording medium.

Abstract: A flexure display is a display graph in which positions of a plurality of surface points and amounts of displacement are correlated. A slider provides a user interface for setting time. A time which is set through the slider is reflected on the flexure display or the like. The flexure display provides a graph showing an amount of displacement of each surface point at the time which is set through the slider. A load display shows a temporal change of an amount of load applied to the bone. A strain display shows a temporal change of an amount of strain of the bone. Time markers showing a predetermined time are displayed on the load display and strain display. The time markers are displayed according to the time which is set through the slider.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus capable of appropriately evaluating dynamic characteristics of a bone. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus obtains an interpolated line 52a representing a bone surface shape based on echo signals obtained from ultrasonic beams transmitted to a surface of the bone on which a load is applied. A user inputs an outer diameter ? of the bone which can be stored in a memory. The ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS calculates a distortion ? which represents an expansion/contraction rate in an axial direction on the bone surface to which the load is applied, based on the interpolated line 52a and the bone outer diameter ?. The distortion ? is equal to a ratio defined by x/(x+dx)=r/(r+dr)=r/(r+1/2?), wherein x represents a length of the bone surface in a measurement range (i.e., length of the interpolated line 52a) and x+dx represents a length of a neutral axis 52b of the bone.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which forms a three-dimensional bloodstream image by reference to volume data obtained from a three-dimensional space within a living organism. Binarization processing and three-dimensional labeling processing are applied to velocity volume data, to thereby generate three-dimensional mask data. At this time, because a bloodstream object has a larger volume size than a noise object, this difference in volume size is utilized to discriminate between a bloodstream portion and a noise portion. Bloodstream volume data are then generated from the velocity volume data and by reference to the three-dimensional mask data. Then, a three-dimensional bloodstream image is formed by reference to the bloodstream volume data.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which forms a three-dimensional bloodstream image by reference to volume data obtained from a three-dimensional space within a living organism. A modified maximum value detection method is applied along each ray. Search of a maximum value is sequentially executed from a search start point, and at a time point when a predetermined termination condition is satisfied, a maximum value which is being detected at this time point is regarded as a specific maximum value. The specific maximum value is then converted into a pixel value. The specific maximum value is a first peak and is specified even if a higher peak exists after the first peak. A three-dimensional bloodstream image is formed by a plurality of pixel values. In a portion of the three-dimensional bloodstream image in which two bloodstreams cross each other, a bloodstream located on the front side is preferentially displayed.

Abstract: A parameter calculating unit calculates a parameter value at each time through an interpolation process based on a parameter value at a telediastole stored in a telediastole memory and a parameter value at a telesystole stored in a telesystole memory. An interpolation coefficient memory stores an interpolation coefficient which is used for the interpolation process. When the parameter calculating unit calculates, for each parameter, parameter values of the times from telediastole to the telesystole, a region-of-interest setting unit sets, for each time, a three-dimensional region of interest in the three-dimensional data space based on the plurality of parameters. With this process, a three-dimensional region of interest which dynamically changes from the telediastole to the telesystole is set in the three-dimensional data space.

Abstract: A transmission wave corresponding to an FM continuous wave having been subjected to an FM modulation processing is transmitted from a transmitting transducer 10. A pre-amplifier 16 generates a reception RF signal and outputs the reception RF signal to a receiving mixer 30. The receiving mixer 30 applies orthogonal detection to the reception RF signal to generate a complex signal. A reference signal supplied to each mixer in the receiving mixer 30 is generated based on an FM continuous wave output from an FM modulator 20. The FM continuous wave output from the FM modulator 20 is delayed by a delay circuit 25, and one signal is directly supplied to a mixer 32 whereas the other signal is supplied to a mixer 34 via a ?/2 shift circuit 26. The delay circuit 25 applies a delay processing in accordance with a depth of a target position within a living organism to the FM continuous wave.

Abstract: In a transportable ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, a body to which a display unit on which an ultrasound image is displayed is integrated and an operation panel are connected by a connecting member. The body and the operation panel are supported by a body supporting stub and an operation panel supporting stub, which are separate supporting stubs, on the connecting member in a pivotable manner around center axes of the supporting stubs. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus is used in an open state in which the operation panel is pulled down to the front side. The operation panel is pivoted to close with the body, resulting in a storage state.

Abstract: An oscillation arm moves in a seesaw fashion about an oscillation axis which is supported by a support rod and which serves as a fulcrum. A rotation arm and a pressurizer are provided on one end of the oscillation arm. One end of the rotation arm is rotatably attached to the oscillation arm, and a load weight is placed on the other end of the rotation arm. By rotating the rotation arm, the magnitude of a force to be applied by the load weight to the pressurizer is adjusted. More specifically, by displacing the load weight to a predetermined position by rotation and then causing the load weight to stop at this position, a static load corresponding to the rotation angle can be applied to the pressurizer. Further, by causing the load weight to perform rotational motion, the magnitude of the force to be applied to the pressurizer is periodically varied, so that a load which varies periodically can be applied to hard tissue.

Abstract: The maximum frequency in a Doppler spectrum is obtained and used as an aliasing detector. When aliasing occurs, frequencies greater than a frequency limit change from one frequency region to another. When aliasing is detected, a zero frequency baseline is shifted to prevent future aliasing.

Abstract: Blood flow information is used to reduce noise manifest in blood vessel ultrasound B-mode images. A blood flow signal is obtained by a flow detector. After wall filtering, only the flow signal power in the blood vessel lumen remains, while signal power from stationary tissue region is suppressed. The flow signal component is used to calculate a flow component parameter that is used to generate a gain control signal ? that reduces noise in a B-mode image.

Abstract: When a heating process is performed in a state where a thermal transfer sheet is superimposed on a scintillator plate, a film of the thermal transfer sheet is separated from the thermal transfer sheet and adhered onto the scintillator plate. The film includes a protective layer, an aluminum layer, and an adhesive layer. The aluminum layer is protected by the protective layer. Because the scintillator plate by itself functions as a rear surface support substrate with respect to the protective layer and the aluminum layer, a film which is highly resistive against an external effect can be formed. A plurality of films can be layered on the scintillator plate. A pressure transfer method can also be used for formation of the film. A scintillator member in which the film has been formed is disposed in a radiation measuring device.

Abstract: A method for image processing comprising the steps of processing an image comprising a plurality of pixels each having an intensity to produce an image processed image comprising a plurality of pixels, applying a preservation filter to the image to produce at least one preservation value corresponding to at least one of the plurality of pixels of the image, computing a weight coefficient ?, for each of the at least one preservation values, and using each of the at least one weight coefficients to mix the image with the image processed image to produce an output image comprising a plurality of pixels.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus capable of extracting an object tissue within a living body with high precision is provided. A row of reference cross sections is set with regard to volume data. The row of reference cross sections includes a plurality of manual tracing reference cross sections and the remaining sections, i.e. a plurality of automatic tracing reference cross sections. With regard to the manual tracing reference cross sections, manual tracing processing and automatic correction processing is applied. With regard to the automatic tracing reference cross sections, automatic generation processing and automatic correction processing for interpolation tracing lines is applied. Finally, the object tissue is extracted or the volume thereof is calculated based on a plurality of tracing lines. When the similarity between shapes of adjacent manual tracing lines is small, one or a plurality of manual tracing lines may be additionally provided between these tracing lines.

Abstract: In an improvement of a nozzle tip for a pipetting apparatus which is adapted to be removably attached to a nozzle base of the pipetting apparatus, the nozzle tip includes a head portion having an opening adapted to fit onto the nozzle base, a cylindrical portion extending downward from the head portion, a tip portion provided on the lower side of the cylindrical portion and having a tip opening for aspirating and dispensing a liquid, the tip portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical portion, and a step portion formed between the cylindrical portion and the tip portion. A plurality of fins are integrally formed from the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion to the peripheral surface of the tip portion through the step portion with the same spacing in a circumferential direction for making the insertion of the nozzle tip into an upper opening of a target container smoothly and for structurally reinforcing the step portion.

Abstract: An angle calculating unit calculates a bending angle of a bone based on a plurality of surface points. A characteristic data calculating unit determines an indication value which reflects a load applied on the bone, a bone length of the bone, and a position of a fractured part. The characteristic data calculating unit calculates, as characteristic data reflecting a mechanical characteristic of the bone, a proportionality constant indicating a ratio between the indication value and the bending angle of the bone.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus having a display supported by an arm mechanism is provided. The arm mechanism has a first arm member and a second arm member. A turning mechanism is provided at a base end portion of the first arm member and a turning mechanism is provided at a working end portion of the second arm member. An upper end portion of the first arm member and a lower end portion of the second arm member form a connection section, and an intermediate turning mechanism is provided inside the connection section. Because the arm mechanism is gently curved over its entire structure, no excessive load is applied to the cable passing inside the arm mechanism. The cable extends in the connection section along an outer route having a gentle radius of curvature.

Abstract: In an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, a plurality of sub arrays are defined on a 2D array transducer. The sub array shape pattern of each sub array is adaptively changed in accordance with the beam scanning direction. Each sub array is composed of a plurality of groups, each of which is composed of a plurality of transducer elements. With the change of sub array shape pattern in accordance with a beam scanning direction, the group shape pattern of each group also changes. The sub array shape changes for each sub array, and a variable region is determined by the largest outer edge of the shape changed. The variable regions partially overlap with each other among a plurality of sub arrays. On a 2D array transducer, a plurality of sub arrays are always closely coupled with each other even when each sub array shape is changed.