Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is disclosed for improving the signal to noise ratio of a receiving system, and allowing demodulation processing of ultrasonic reflection signals at the transducer during the receive process. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe which transmits and receives ultrasound to and from a subject, a transmitting unit which supplies driving signals to the ultrasonic probe, and a receiving unit which processes signals to be output from the ultrasonic probe and calculates diagnostic information regarding the subject. The ultrasonic probe is equipped with a receiving transducer having sensitivity which changes according to the level of bias voltage to be applied. The receiving unit is equipped with a modulated bias amplification unit which applies signals of bias voltage with modulated amplitude to the receiving transducer.

Abstract: For realization of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of satisfactorily narrowing a beam width while suppressing an increase in the number of focus data, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is designed to include an ultrasonic probe 10 that transmits or receives ultrasonic waves to or from a subject, a transmission unit 12 that supplies a driving signal to the ultrasonic probe 10, a reception unit 16 that handles a received signal sent from the ultrasonic probe 10, a unit 18 that reconstructs an ultrasonic image on the basis of a signal sent from the reception unit 16, and a unit 20 that displays the ultrasonic image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further includes an element selection unit 22 that selects a plurality of driving oscillatory elements, which constitutes an aperture through which ultrasonic waves are transmitted or received, from among a plurality of oscillatory elements that constitutes the ultrasonic probe 10 and transforms ultrasonic waves into electric signals or vice versa.

Abstract: This is an image diagnosing support method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring a plurality of images obtained by imaging the same region of the same object with one or more medical imaging apparatuses and having positional information at the time each of the images was picked up; a selecting step of selecting a first image and a second image out of the plurality of images; a displaying step of displaying the first image and the second image; a step of designating one or more of first reference points on the first image; a step of figuring out second reference points, on the second image, each matching one or another of the first reference points; a first step of extracting for each of the first reference points a first region containing that point within it; and a second step of extracting for each of the second reference points a second region containing that point within it, characterized in that either one of the first step and the second step is performed earlier or both are at the same time.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is disclosed for transmitting ultrasonic waves and receiving echo signals. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe having transducers whose sensitivity can be controlled in accordance with bias voltage. Echo signals output from the ultrasonic probe are amplified so that an image can be constructed according to the amplified echo signals and displayed. A probe gain control device is used for controlling the bias voltage in accordance with the elapsed time from receiving the echo and matching the intensity of the echo signal output from the ultrasonic probe with the input range of a preamplifier. During a reception period while a strong echo signal is received from a superficial portion of body surface of an examinee, the reception sensitivity of the ultrasonic probe is controlled so that the echo signal level input to the preamplifier will not exceed the input range of the preamplifier.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus is disclosed that is capable of eliminating deterioration of the S/N of the ultrasonic image while suppressing enlargement of the circuit size. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe having a plurality of transducers arranged for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to/from an object to be examined. A transmission unit is provided for supplying a drive signal to each of the transducers, and a reception unit is provided for phasing/adding and receiving a reflected echo signal received by each transducer. The apparatus also includes an image processing unit for reconfiguring an ultrasonic image based on the reflected echo signal received. The transmission unit divides the plurality of transducers into a plurality of groups, supplies a common drive signal to the transducers belonging to the same group, and performs focus control by group units.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for recognition helpful to diagnosis by giving and displaying a score serving as an index of diagnosis. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a displacement measuring section (109) for measuring the displacement of an organism tissue of a subject (100) according to a reflection echo signal received correspondingly when an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from a probe (101) to the subject (100), an elastic image creating section for creating an elastic image after determining the distortion amount or the elastic modulus from the displacement, and an image display (107) for displaying the elastic image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further comprises scoring means for specifying the distorted state or elastic state according to the information on the elastic image outputted from the elastic image creating section.

Abstract: A medical imaging diagnosis apparatus for measuring the composite thickness of the tunica intima and the tunica media of a blood vessel of a subject by acquiring image data on the blood vessel. In order to improve the accuracy of the IMT measurement of the composite thickness, the medical imaging diagnosis apparatus has extracting means for extracting the tunica intima and the tunica externa of the blood vessel on the basis of the brightness information of the image data to measure the composite thickness of the tunica intima and the tunica externa of the vessel in reference to the two extracted regions.

Abstract: An ultrasonographic apparatus in which the S/N ratio of a compound image is improved operates by combining a plurality of reception beam signals from probes arranged at different positions relative to a sample, converting the combined ultrasonic beam into a luminance signal, and displaying the luminance signal.

Abstract: Encoded transmission and reception which reduces time side lobe are realized while suppressing increase of circuit scale. Transmission signals corresponding to a composite modulation code sequence composed from two or more modulation code sequences are outputted as transmission signals. A reception means demodulates reception signals stepwise by two or more demodulators. The demodulator can be thereby divided into two or more stages, and therefore with a circuit scale corresponding to the sum of the operation circuit numbers of two or more demodulators, time side lobe reduction effect can be obtained at a level equivalent to that obtainable with a circuit scale corresponding to the product of the operation circuit numbers of two or more demodulators.

Abstract: For realization of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of satisfactorily narrowing a beam width while suppressing an increase in the number of focus data, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is designed to include an ultrasonic probe 10 that transmits or receives ultrasonic waves to or from a subject, a transmission unit 12 that supplies a driving signal to the ultrasonic probe 10, a reception unit 16 that handles a received signal sent from the ultrasonic probe 10, a unit 18 that reconstructs an ultrasonic image on the basis of a signal sent from the reception unit 16, and a unit 20 that displays the ultrasonic image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further includes an element selection unit 22 that selects a plurality of driving oscillatory elements, which constitutes an aperture through which ultrasonic waves are transmitted or received, from among a plurality of oscillatory elements that constitutes the ultrasonic probe 10 and transforms ultrasonic waves into electric signals or vice versa.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasound probe having two-dimensionally arranged transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to an object, a transducer element selector for selecting transducer elements used in transmission and reception, a signal processing unit for applying a delay to a signal received by a selected transducer element, an image processing unit for generating an image based on the output signal of the signal processing unit, and an image display unit. The image processing unit stores a first ultrasound image obtained by a scan of a first transducer arrangement selected by the transducer element selector and a second ultrasound image obtained by a scan of a second transducer arrangement selected by the transducer element selector so as to irradiate an ultrasound beam in a different direction than the beam direction of the first transducer arrangement, and combines the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image.

Abstract: It is possible to realize an ultrasonic imaging apparatus capable of eliminating deterioration of the S/N of the ultrasonic image while suppressing enlargement of the circuit size. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes: an ultrasonic probe having a plurality of transducers arranged for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to/from an object to be examined; transmission means for supplying a drive signal to each of the transducers; reception means for phasing/adding and receiving a reflected echo signal received by each transducer; and an image processing unit for reconfiguring an ultrasonic image based on the reflected echo signal received. The transmission means divides the plurality of transducers into a plurality of groups, supplies a common drive signal to the transducers belonging to the same group, and performs focus control by group units.

Abstract: Encoded transmission and reception which reduces time side lobe are realized while suppressing increase of circuit scale. Transmission signals corresponding to a composite modulation code sequence composed from two or more modulation code sequences are outputted as transmission signals. A reception means demodulates reception signals stepwise by two or more demodulators. The demodulator can be thereby divided into two or more stages, and therefore with a circuit scale corresponding to the sum of the operation circuit numbers of two or more demodulators, time side lobe reduction effect can be obtained at a level equivalent to that obtainable with a circuit scale corresponding to the product of the operation circuit numbers of two or more demodulators.

Abstract: A highly sensitive ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided by improving the signal to noise ratio of the receiving system. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises an ultrasonic probe 10, which transmits and receives ultrasound to and from a subject, a transmitting unit 20, which supplies driving signals to the ultrasonic probe, and a receiving unit 60, which processes signals to be outputted from the ultrasonic probe 10 and calculates diagnostic information regarding the subject. The ultrasonic probe 10 is equipped with a receiving probe (transducer) 10B, the receiving sensitivity of which changes according to the level of bias voltage to be applied. The receiving unit 60 is equipped with a modulated bias amplification unit 24, which applies signals of bias voltage with modulated amplitude to the receiving probe (transducer) 10B.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic probe formed by having transducers whose sensitivity can be controlled in accordance with bias voltage; a preamplifier for amplifying an echo signal outputted from the ultrasonic probe; image processing means for constructing an image according to the echo signal amplified; display means for displaying the constructed image; and probe gain control means for controlling the bias voltage in accordance with the elapse of the reception time when receiving the echo and matching the intensity of the echo signal outputted from the ultrasonic probe with the input range of the preamplifier. During a reception period while a strong echo signal is received from a superficial portion of body surface of an examinee, the reception sensitivity of the ultrasonic probe is controlled by the probe gain control means so that the echo signal level inputted to the preamplifier will not exceed the input range of the preamplifier.

Abstract: This is an image diagnosing support method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring a plurality of images obtained by imaging the same region of the same object with one or more medical imaging apparatuses and having positional information at the time each of the images was picked up; a selecting step of selecting a first image and a second image out of the plurality of images; a displaying step of displaying the first image and the second image; a step of designating one or more of first reference points on the first image; a step of figuring out second reference points, on the second image, each matching one or another of the first reference points; a first step of extracting for each of the first reference points a first region containing that point within it; and a second step of extracting for each of the second reference points a second region containing that point within it, characterized in that either one of the first step and the second step is performed earlier or both are at the same time.

Abstract: A medical imaging diagnosis apparatus for measuring the composite thickness of the tunica intima (42) and the tunica media (44) of a blood vessel of a subject by acquiring image data on the blood vessel. In order to improve the accuracy of the IMT measurement of the composite thickness, the medical imaging diagnosis apparatus has extracting means for extracting the tunica intima (42) and the tunica exterma (46) of the blood vessel on the basis of the brightness information of the image data to measure the composite thickness of the tunica intima and the tunica exterma of the vessel in reference to the two extracted regions.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for recognition helpful to diagnosis by giving and displaying a score serving as an index of diagnosis. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a displacement measuring section (109) for measuring the displacement of an organism tissue of a subject (100) according to a reflection echo signal received correspondingly when an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from a probe (101) to the subject (100), an elastic image creating section for creating an elastic image after determining the distortion amount or the elastic modulus from the displacement, and an image display (107) for displaying the elastic image. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further comprises scoring means for specifying the distorted state or elastic state according to the information on the elastic image outputted from the elastic image creating section.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe 10 is formed by arranging a plurality of transducers 26a to 26m for converting drive signals into ultrasonic waves to transmit the waves to an object to be inspected, and receiving ultrasonic waves generated from the object to convert the waves into electrical signals. Each of the transducers 26a to 26m has a plurality of oscillation elements 34-1 to 34-30, and each of the oscillation elements 34-1 to 34-30 has a characteristic in which the electromechanical coupling coefficient changes in accordance with the strength of the direct-current bias applied by being superposed on the drive signals. Electrodes 35, 36, and 37 of each of the oscillation elements 34-1 to 34-30 are connected to terminals 49-1 and 49-2 to which the drive signals are applied.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasonic beam into an object to be examined using a multi-ring arrangement formed with transducer elements arrayed two-dimensionally in concentric rings and receives an echo so as to create a tomogram or a three-dimensional image of the object. To correct for focusing error due to the difference in length of ultrasound propagating paths, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus groups the transducer elements so as to form a multi-ring arrangement, transmits/receives ultrasonic beams with a delay to each ring of the multi-ring arrangement and scans the ultrasonic beam so as to create an ultrasonic image, measures delay error due to presence of a sound speed non-uniformity portion of the object and changes either the coupling of the multi-ring or the delay time based on the measurement error.