Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe which includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which transmit ultrasonic waves to an object, receive the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object, and output ultrasonic detection signals; a reception time calculating device which calculates at least one of a reception time and a reception wave at each of elements corresponding to lattice points set in a shallower region than a region of interest in the object; an image generating device which generates an image at a lattice point in the region of interest, based on a hypothetical sound velocity set in the region of interest and the calculated one of the reception time and the reception wave; an image analyzing device which analyzes the generated image; and a local sound velocity calculating device which calculates a local sound velocity in the region of interest, based on a result of the image analysis.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is intended to correctly determine an ambient sound velocity at each level of pixels or line images constituting an ultrasound image, and construct a high-precision ultrasound image. A region-of-interest setting unit sets a region of interest on an ultrasound image. A transmission focus control unit gives a transmission focus instruction, so that a transmitting circuit performs transmission focusing on the region of interest. A set sound velocity specification unit specifies a set sound velocity used to perform reception focusing on RF data. A focus index calculation unit performs reception focusing on the RF data for each of a plurality of set sound velocities to calculate the focus index of the RF data. An ambient sound velocity determination unit determines the ambient sound velocity of the region of interest on the basis of the focus index for each of the plurality of set sound velocities.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is intended to correctly determine an ambient sound velocity at each level of pixels or line images constituting an ultrasound image, and construct a high-precision ultrasound image. A region-of-interest setting unit sets a region of interest on an ultrasound image. A transmission focus control unit gives a transmission focus instruction, so that a transmitting circuit performs transmission focusing on the region of interest. A set sound velocity specification unit specifies a set sound velocity used to perform reception focusing on RF data. A focus index calculation unit performs reception focusing on the RF data for each of a plurality of set sound velocities to calculate the focus index of the RF data. An ambient sound velocity determination unit determines the ambient sound velocity of the region of interest on the basis of the focus index for each of the plurality of set sound velocities.

Abstract: This ultrasound image generating device comprises an ultrasound probe which transmits ultrasound into a subject, receives reflected sound, and outputs an ultrasound detection signal, said ultrasound image generating device generating a topographical image which represents a shape. The ultrasound image generating device further comprises: a sound speed value computation unit which computes a sound speed value in a region of interest in the topographical image; and a degree of reliability information generation unit which generates degree of reliability information of the sound speed value on the basis of the sound speed value corresponding to the region of interest.

Abstract: In an ultrasound diagnosis, the inventor has found a characteristic that coincidence of RF data after matching addition or amplitude image data at the small opening are different between those of an isolated point (minute structure), a continuous surface, and a speckle. On the basis of the characteristic, an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and method which can distinguish and extract the isolated point, the continuous surface, and the speckle and determine a tissue property are provided.

Abstract: Transmitting an ultrasonic wave focused on a predetermined transmit focus position by driving each of the elements of the ultrasonic probe based on a predetermined transmit delay time, and determining a true focal position of the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the transmit focus position or a focal point valid region that includes the true focal position based on a receive signal received by each element according to a reflection wave reflected by the transmission of the ultrasonic wave to the transmit focus position.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers; a device for determining optimum sound speed values at a lattice point set in a shallower region than a region of interest (ROI) and in the ROI on the basis of an ultrasound detection signal outputted by the ultrasound probe; a device for arithmetically operating a received wave received from the ROI on the basis of the optimum sound speed value; a device for setting an assumed sound speed in the region of interest, obtaining a received wave received from each lattice point on the basis of the assumed sound speed and the optimum sound speed value at the lattice point, and synthesizing received waves at lattice points to obtain a resultant received wave; and a device for determining a local sound speed value in the ROI on the basis of the received wave and the resultant received wave.

Abstract: To obtain ambient sound velocity of a subject with high accuracy in a ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus. In an ambient sound velocity obtaining method that transmits ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic probe, receives reflected waves reflected by a subject to obtain received signals, performs a receive focusing process on the received signals using receive delay times based on a plurality of sound velocity settings to obtain in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, and obtains an ambient sound velocity of the subject based on the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting is separated into an in-phase sum signal corresponding to a boundary portion in the subject and an in-phase sum signal corresponding to portions other than the boundary portion, an index is obtained based on at least either one of the in-phase sum signals, and the ambient sound velocity is obtained based on the index.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasound image producing method and an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus that can quickly decide the presence or the absence of influence of refraction, can shorten the time taken for measurement or calculation, can perform measurement or calculation with a small error, and can calculate accurate local sound velocity values. A lattice is set in a region-of-interest, environmental sound velocity values of two or more lattice points located at different positions in a scanning direction of ultrasonic waves are measured as preliminary sound velocity measurement, and main sound velocity measurement that calculates local sound velocity values in lattice points is performed when the difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the measured environmental sound velocity values is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes plural ultrasound transducers which perform transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves toward a target site of a subject containing a puncture needle. A method of transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave uses the ultrasound transducers. The apparatus and the method form an ultrasonic beam to be transmitted from a transmit aperture set on the ultrasound transducers, acquire information relating to a specular-reflective component of the ultrasonic beam in the puncture needle, set a first receive aperture different from the transmit aperture set on the ultrasound transducers on the basis of the information relating to the specular-reflective component of the ultrasonic beam, and process an ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasound transducers using the first receive aperture.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: a controller for controlling a transmission circuit and a reception circuit to obtain reception data for measuring a sound speed and to obtain first reception data for producing a B mode image; a sound speed map producer for producing a sound speed map for the inside of the region of interest based on the reception data for measuring a sound speed; and an image producer for producing a B mode image based on the first reception data for producing a B mode image and second reception data for producing a B mode image, the second reception data for producing a B mode image being reception data for measuring a sound speed obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic beams with forming transmission focuses at points having a depth closest to the given depth on sound rays passing inside the region of interest.

Abstract: The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, ultrasound image generation apparatus and method transmit ultrasound waves to a subject into which a puncture tool is inserted, receive reflected waves reflected from the subject and the puncture tool, and generate echo signals of time-sequential frames based on the received reflected waves, and generate an ultrasound image of the subject based on the generated echo signals. These apparatus and method generate a differential echo signal between time-sequential frames from the echo signals, perform a tip detection process based on the differential echo signal to thereby detect at least one tip candidate including a tip end of the puncture tool, highlight a tip candidate of the puncture tool detected to thereby generate a tip image, and display the tip image of the highlighted puncture tool so as to be superimposed on the generated ultrasound image.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe which includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which transmit ultrasonic waves to an object, receive the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object, and output ultrasonic detection signals; a reception time calculating device which calculates at least one of a reception time and a reception wave at each of elements corresponding to lattice points set in a shallower region than a region of interest in the object; an image generating device which generates an image at a lattice point in the region of interest, based on a hypothetical sound velocity set in the region of interest and the calculated one of the reception time and the reception wave; an image analyzing device which analyzes the generated image; and a local sound velocity calculating device which calculates a local sound velocity in the region of interest, based on a result of the image analysis.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis method of one aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter: transmitting ultrasonic waves to an object through an ultrasonic probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and outputting ultrasonic detection signals after receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object; calculating at least one of a reception time and a reception wave at each of respective elements corresponding to two or more lattice points at different depths in the object with respect to the ultrasonic probe; and calculating a local sound velocity which is a sound velocity in a local region, using calculated one of the reception time and the reception wave.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is intended to correctly determine an ambient sound velocity at each level of pixels or line images constituting an ultrasound image, and construct a high-precision ultrasound image. A region-of-interest setting unit sets a region of interest on an ultrasound image. A transmission focus control unit gives a transmission focus instruction, so that a transmitting circuit performs transmission focusing on the region of interest. A set sound velocity specification unit specifies a set sound velocity used to perform reception focusing on RF data. A focus index calculation unit performs reception focusing on the RF data for each of a plurality of set sound velocities to calculate the focus index of the RF data. An ambient sound velocity determination unit determines the ambient sound velocity of the region of interest on the basis of the focus index for each of the plurality of set sound velocities.

Abstract: A region-of-interest and grid point setting unit is configured to set a region of interest (ROI) within an object and grid points to be measured within the ROI in the depth direction. An intra-region-of-interest sound velocity calculation unit is configured to calculate ambient sound velocities at the grid points at respective depths of the ROI. A local sound velocity determination unit is configured to compare the values of an ambient sound-velocity distribution table for each plurality of assumed local sound velocities with the values of the ambient sound velocities calculated by the intra-region-of-interest sound velocity calculation unit, extract an ambient sound-velocity distribution table for assumed local sound velocities having the smallest error, and determine the assumed local sound velocities of the extracted ambient sound-velocity distribution table as local sound velocities in the ROI.

Abstract: The invention provides a dither matrix generating method. This method generates a dither matrix for determining a status of dot formation on each of print pixels of a print image to be formed on a print medium in response to input image data.

Abstract: In one example, there is designed a system for calculating an evaluation index for sample ink amount data from a color difference evaluation index and an image quality evaluation index, and creating a profile based on a highly rated sample. In this system, the printer driver is designed to use different indexes to create plural profiles, and to perform color conversion using these plural profiles. These plural profiles may be selected appropriately according to user needs, printing conditions, type of image targeted for printing, and the like.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, since an attenuation factor of ultrasound inside a subject is derived from changes in the phase of an ultrasound echo in a depth direction of the subject, the attenuation factor can be determined simply and conveniently. Accordingly, a plurality of band-pass filters that have different center frequencies, and a signal processing circuit that performs individual detection and logarithmic compression for each band and the like are not required.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers; a device for determining optimum sound speed values at a lattice point set in a shallower region than a region of interest (ROI) and in the ROI on the basis of an ultrasound detection signal outputted by the ultrasound probe; a device for arithmetically operating a received wave received from the ROI on the basis of the optimum sound speed value; a device for setting an assumed sound speed in the region of interest, obtaining a received wave received from each lattice point on the basis of the assumed sound speed and the optimum sound speed value at the lattice point, and synthesizing received waves at lattice points to obtain a resultant received wave; and a device for determining a local sound speed value in the ROI on the basis of the received wave and the resultant received wave.