Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising an image display control section for displaying a first image representing positions of first ultrasonic scan planes at certain intervals of time based on information on positions of the first scan planes at certain intervals of time stored in a storage section, and displaying, based on detected information from a movement detecting section, a second image representing positions of second scan planes at certain intervals of time formed by performing a second 3D ultrasonic scan on a subject by an operator moving the ultrasonic probe, the image display control section displaying the first and second images so that the first scan planes and second scan planes have mutually corresponding positional relationships.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging method using an ultrasonic probe for applying a first ultrasonic beam to a first region of three-dimensional region of a subject with a contrast agent administered thereto and acquiring three-dimensional tomographic image information for the first region, including the steps of: setting a second region for applying a second ultrasonic beam whose sound pressure is higher than that of the first ultrasonic beam for not destroying the contrast agent, in the three-dimensional region; and applying the second ultrasonic beam to exceed sound pressure for destroying the contrast agent only in the second region and performing the irradiation of the second ultrasonic beam by the ultrasonic probe in the course of acquisition of the three-dimensional tomographic image information in the first region by the first ultrasonic beam.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body unit includes: a main body wireless communication device for wireless communicating with separate operation units; and a main body control device which accepts operation instructions given from the plural operation units and activates the function of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in accordance with the operation instructions.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes: a probe section having a piezoelectric transducer array two-dimensionally arranged in rectangular form on a plane orthogonal to an emitting direction in which an ultrasonic wave is emitted; an image acquisition section which acquires B-mode image information having an imaging cross-section including a scanning direction corresponding to one arrangement direction of the two-dimensional arrangement and the emitting direction, using the probe section; an input unit which inputs an imaging condition for the B-mode image information to the image acquisition section; and a display unit which displays the B-mode image information thereon. The image acquisition section has thickness-direction aperture width switching means which switches an aperture width for performing said emitting in a thickness direction corresponding to another arrangement direction of the two-dimensional arrangement.