Patents Assigned to Hitachi Medical Corporation
  • Patent number: 9259176
    Abstract: A biological optical measurement instrument includes a single temperature sensor that detects a radiation temperature from a plurality of light emitting elements that emit light of a predetermined wavelength, and an absorption coefficient correcting unit that corrects an absorption coefficient value of a notable substance inside the object on the basis of the radiation temperature detected by the temperature sensor, referring to data indicating a correspondence relationship between a temperature obtained in advance for each emitted light of the plurality of light emitting elements and an absorption coefficient value that varies according to the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiromichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9259205
    Abstract: Provided is a technology which quantitatively measures blood flow in the vicinity of circulatory organs. An ultrasound image capture device according to the present invention removes an image portion corresponding to an organ shape by taking the difference of a multi-frame ultrasound image, and thereafter computes a measured value of a blood flow velocity vector on the basis of a plurality of images at different timings (as per FIG. 3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiko Tanaka, Takashi Azuma, Kunio Hashiba
  • Patent number: 9254107
    Abstract: In order to provide a technique of obtaining an image having high diagnosability without degrading the operability in an X-ray CT apparatus that suppresses the amount of exposure of an object by controlling the amount of radiation by setting a target image SD and determining the imaging conditions (tube current) satisfying the target image SD, there is provided an X-ray CT apparatus that controls the amount of radiation according to the size of an object in consideration of the contrast by simply inputting one image quality level as a reference of the image quality level that the operator desires. The input image quality level is set as a target image SD when scanning an object having a standard size with a standard tube voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Sugaya, Taiga Goto, Koichi Hirokawa
  • Patent number: 9251560
    Abstract: In order to provide a medical image diagnosis apparatus and a phase determination method using a medical image diagnosis apparatus that can determine an appropriate movement phase when obtaining a tomographic image corresponding to a specific movement phase, there are provided a storage unit that stores material distribution information, which is acquired from an object including a target organ that moves periodically, and movement information, which is measured together with the material distribution information, an image reconstruction unit that reconstructs a plurality of tomographic images of different movement phases using the material distribution information and the movement information, a superimposed image creation unit that creates a superimposed image by superimposing the plurality of tomographic images, a specific position calculation unit that calculates a specific position of the target organ based on the superimposed image, and a specific phase determination unit that determines a specific phas
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sunao Ishii, Takayuki Kadomura, Hirohisa Izumo
  • Patent number: 9247914
    Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus including: X-ray generation means that irradiates X-rays from the focus and that has a first portion changing so as to have a first change component and a second portion changing so as to have a second change component, which is different from the first change component; focus position detection means that detects a focus position when the X-rays are irradiated; focus position change amount estimation means that estimates the amount of change in the focus position at an arbitrary point of time with respect to the reference position of the focus using a first amount of change, which changes so as to have the first change component, and a second amount of change, which changes so as to have the second change component; and correction means that corrects the positions of the irradiation region of the X-rays so as to cancel the amount of change in the focus position estimated by the focus position change amount estimation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutaka Konno, Takashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9247922
    Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured to appropriately display a region of interest that is intended to be observed in a 3-dimensional elastic image, and also provided is an ultrasonic image display method. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an elastic opacity table creating section for creating, on the basis of the elasticity values, an elastic opacity table used for setting an opacity in the volume rendering of the elastic volume data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takehiro Tsujita
  • Patent number: 9248067
    Abstract: Provided is a narrow docking mechanism that enables a bed and an apparatus main body to be coupled together with sufficient holding force during docking and that does not hinder access by an examiner to an object. A coupling mechanism on a bed 3 side includes a coupling plate 7 having one end fixed to the bed 3, and a coupling mechanism 50 on the main apparatus side includes a plurality of rollers 12 arranged side by side along the shape of both sides of the coupling plate 7. As the plurality of rollers 12 sandwiches and holds the coupling plate 7 from both sides, the coupling plate 7 can attach to and detach from the bed 3 by coupling the bed to the apparatus main body so as to be inserted between the arranged rollers 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Izumi Sunazuka, Satoshi Iizuka
  • Patent number: 9245323
    Abstract: A medical diagnostic device is characterized in that an image processing unit (22) includes an image noise removal part (211, 211?) which removes the noise in the generated image of a person to be examined, a signal component enhancement processing part (212, 212?) which generates an enhanced-signal component image by performing signal component enhancement processing of the image from which the noise is removed by the image noise removal part, and an image combining part (213, 213?) which generates a combined image by combining the image of the person to be examined, the image from which the noise is removed by the image noise removal part, and an enhanced-signal component image subjected to signal component enhancement processing by the signal component enhancement processing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jie Bai, Kenji Nakahira, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9241685
    Abstract: The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of the present invention is provided with a 3-dimensional image construction unit configured to construct a 3-dimensional image using plural ultrasonic tomographic images obtained when the ultrasonic probe is moved in a direction intersecting the direction of the ultrasonic tomographic images; and an ultrasonic probe moving direction setting unit configured to set the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe, using an ultrasonic tomographic image displayed on the screen of the display unit as a reference, in either a first direction which intersects with the direction of the tomographic image or a second direction of opposite orientation to the first direction; wherein the control unit controls the arrangement order of the plural ultrasonic tomographic images in the 3-dimensional image constructed in the 3-dimensional image construction unit according to the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe set by the moving direction setting unit of the ultrasonic probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventor: Naoko Ajiki
  • Patent number: 9241684
    Abstract: Previously captured three-dimensional image data of a subject from which a reference image is extracted are provided in the form of time-series volume data 14, 15 composed of two-dimensional image data groups which are recorded over at least one period of a periodically moving organ of the subject, with time-phase information of a biological signal of the subject added thereto. Two-dimensional image data whose time-phase information is identical with the time-phase information of the biological signal of the subject at the time when an ultrasonic image is captured are extracted from the three-dimensional image data so as to provide the reference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Masa Yamamoto, Naoko Ajiki, Tetsuo Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20160015334
    Abstract: An X-ray detector and an X-ray CT apparatus that facilitate collimator plate arrangement are characterized by comprising radiation detection element arrays in which a plurality of radiation detection elements detecting a radiation generated from a radiation source are arranged in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, collimator plates that are arranged along the first direction on the radiation source side of the radiation detection element arrays to remove scattered radiations, and collimator plate support members that have grooves supporting the collimator plate and are arranged along the second direction between the radiation detection elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9237881
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a bio-signal analyzing section sequentially acquiring a bio-signal from a bio-signal acquiring section over a plurality of cycles to evaluate stability of a heart function in one cycle between particular signal waveforms of the bio-signal and one cycle between particular signal waveforms adjacent to the one cycle between the particular signal waveforms, selecting the one cycle between the particular signal waveforms and one cycle between the particular signal waveforms adjacent to the one cycle between the particular signal waveforms as a test period for the heart function based on the content of the evaluation, and associating the selected test period with a time phase of the bio-signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Chono, Osamu Mori, Syunya Fukunaga
  • Publication number: 20160007936
    Abstract: Reference part selection objects indicating the position and direction of the reference part of an object are displayed at a plurality of positions together with a body position setting image 3A showing the positional relationship between a scanning unit 10 and the object. Then, when a reference part selection object at an arbitrary position is selected, a body position corresponding to the selected object is set as a scanning condition. In addition, the display is switched to a body position setting image corresponding to the selected object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro TAKAHASHI, Hirohisa IZUMO
  • Publication number: 20160007939
    Abstract: A medical image scanning system includes a top plate on which an object is placed, a drive screw shaft, and a fall prevention unit. The fall prevention unit includes a load support nut that is threadedly engaged with the drive screw shaft and to which the load of the top plate is applied; a fall prevention nut that is arranged below the load support nut and is threadedly engaged with the drive screw shaft; a rotation prevention mechanism that prevents the rotation of the load support nut; and a detent mechanism that performs the turning stop of the fall prevention nut and releases the turning stop of the fall prevention nut when the threaded engagement between the drive screw shaft and the load support nut is disconnected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuta INOUE, Mikio MOCHITATE, Kenya SAKANAKA
  • Publication number: 20160012569
    Abstract: In order to reduce errors in assessment of a structure caused by noise and remove the noise superimposed in an image without causing artificiality in the result image after the removal while retaining significant information, a similarity is calculated by comparing a reference image generated from a plurality of original images with each original image and set as an index of noise determination. The respective original images are smoothed and synthesized using the said index to acquire a final image after the noise removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventor: Hikaru HANADA
  • Patent number: 9208582
    Abstract: An image analysis system that analyzes an image of an object's organ having an anatomically symmetric shape includes: an image data read means that reads image data of the organ, a memory means that is connected to the image data read means, and stores the read image data, a display means that is connected to the memory means, and displays the image data as an image, a centerline setting means that is connected to the memory means, and sets a centerline of the organ in the image displayed on the display means, a region-of-interest setting means that is connected to the memory means, and uses the centerline to set a plurality of or at least one pair of regions of interest at anatomically symmetric opposite positions in the image of the organ, and an input means that is connected to the region-of-interest setting means, and inputs conditions for setting of the regions of interest in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Omi, Ryo Takagi, Osamu Miyazaki, Yoshiaki Sugaya
  • Publication number: 20150346297
    Abstract: A gradient magnetic field coil device has a main coil arrangement formed by embedding into first resin multiple main coils for generating a gradient magnetic field and a leakage magnetic field, and a shield coil arrangement formed by embedding into second resin multiple shield coils for suppressing the leakage magnetic field, wherein the shield coil arrangement includes a facing area that faces the main coil arrangement and is fixed to the main coil arrangement, and a protruding area that protrudes beyond the main coil arrangement, wherein insulated reinforcing members are embedded into the second resin in the protruding area. Multiple reinforcing members are arranged in a circumferential direction of the shield coil arrangement, and the second resin is preferably filled between the adjacent-to-each-other reinforcing members. The reinforcing members are preferably arranged toward the main coil arrangement with respect to the shield coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro NAKA, Akira KUROME
  • Patent number: 9198598
    Abstract: Desired imaging is performed within the SAR restriction without changing the imaging conditions set in advance when SAR exceeds an upper limit. In order to do so, in imaging of an object performed by combination of a plurality of pulse sequences, a SAR graph showing a temporal change in the predicted SAR value of each pulse sequence is displayed. When the predicted SAR value of the pulse sequence is the same as or exceeds the upper SAR limit, the exchange of such pulse sequences or the insertion of a waiting time is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Miyuki Kawamura, Kosuke Ito, Hisako Nagao
  • Patent number: 9198599
    Abstract: Image processing techniques which enable various contrast control, by quantitatively handling a degree of phase enhancement in a contrast control as a post-processing of the image reconstruction. A complex operation is performed on each pixel value of a complex image obtained by an MRI, thereby generating an image with desired contrast. Intensity is controlled by increasing or decreasing the argument of the pixel value of each pixel by a constant amount, and the degree of phase enhancement is controlled by multiplying the phase (argument) of each pixel by a constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yo Taniguchi, Yoshitaka Bito, Tetsuhiko Takahashi, Takenori Murase
  • Patent number: 9198624
    Abstract: The present invention is capable of separating/removing the influence of skin blood flow contained in near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signals and extracting a brain- or brain cortex-origin signal. Moreover, the present invention enables versatile separation of brain-origin and skin-origin signals in view of differences among individuals. A biological photometric device, wherein light transmitters and light receivers are located in such a manner that measurement can be conducted at a plurality of source-detector (SD) distances and light received by the individual light-receivers can pass through the gray matter to thereby separate a brain-origin signal and a skin-origin signal. Individual component analysis (ICA) is conducted on data obtained at the individual measurement points. Then, it is determined whether each individual component originates in the brain or in the skin with the use of the SD distance-dependency of the weighted value of each of the separated components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsukasa Funane, Hirokazu Atsumori, Takusige Katura, Masashi Kiguchi, Tsuyoshi Takatera, Michiyuki Fujiwara