Abstract: B1 distribution is calculated in a short time with a high degree of precision, and a high quality image is obtained. In the RF shimming for irradiating electromagnetic waves using an RF coil having multiple channels, the absolute values of subtraction images between multiple reconstructed images are used to calculate a transmitting sensitivity distribution which is necessary for calculating inter-channel phase difference and amplitude ratio of RF pulses provided to the respective channels. Those multiple reconstructed images are obtained by executing the imaging sequence after applying a prepulse at different flip angles respectively. Assuming an image obtained with a minimum flip angle as a reference image, for instance, the subtraction images are created between the reference image and the other respective images. It is also possible that multiple subtraction images being obtained are divided by one another, and the transmitting sensitivity distribution is created on the basis of the division result.

Abstract: There is provided a technique for securing a comfortable examination space in a tunnel type MRI apparatus without increasing the manufacturing cost of the MRI apparatus and sacrificing performance thereof. In an RF coil provided with a hollow-shaped outer conductive element and a strip-shaped conductive element disposed along the outer conductive element in the axial direction, meander lines constituting the strip-shaped conductive element are disposed at uneven distances from the outer conductive element to secure an internal space. In order to obtain uniform sensitivity at the center of the RF coil, the strip-shaped conductive element is constituted with N of connected meander lines, and length of the strip-shaped conductive element is adjusted so that, in the strip-shaped conductive element resonating at resonance frequency of the antenna, nodes are formed in a number of (M+1)×N?1, wherein M is 0 or a natural number of 1 or larger.

Abstract: There is provided a technique for improving quality of images obtained with an MRI apparatus by using the geometric structures of the conventional RF transmission coil and RF reception coil and without increasing burden on patients or MRI technicians. A conductor loop of an RF reception coil disposed between a subject and an RF transmission coil is used also as a loop for magnetic field adjustment in order to shield or enhance a rotating magnetic field B1 generated by the RF transmission coil. Further, the conductor loop operated as a conductor loop for magnetic field adjustment among the conductor loops constituting the RF reception coil is driven so that inhomogeneity of the rotating magnetic field B1 is reduced.

Abstract: To prevent image quality deterioration of an image due to a variable magnetic field generated by a fan motor provided in a position where a measuring magnetic field leaks, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus has a gantry including a static magnetic field generating magnet; a gradient magnetic field generating coil; and an irradiation coil, a table for placing the object, and an input/output device including a display device and is provided with at least a pair of cooling fan motors arranged almost symmetrically to the central axis that extends along the long-axis direction of the cylindrical space and is located in the center in the horizontal direction of the static magnetic field generating magnet or the vertical plane passing through the central axis.

Abstract: Provided is an image diagnostic device with which it is possible to correct location misalignment of an image capture subject, and to improve the reliability of the result of the correction, in time series image data. An image diagnostic device may include an input part (13) which receives image data input; a correction unit (14) which computes a correction vector which denotes location misalignment of an image capture subject, and selects image data used with an image correction unit; an image correction part (20) which carries out a correction process on the image data based on the correction vector and creates corrected image data; a control part (21) which controls the correction unit and the image correction part; a memory (22) which stores the corrected image data and measurement data as stored data; an output unit (23) which outputs the stored data externally; a display unit (24) which displays the stored data; and an external input device (30) where an operator makes an input operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus provided with: an ultrasonic probe which transmits/receives ultrasonic waves to/from an object while being in contact with the object; a transmission/reception unit which, in a process in which pressing force applied to the object by the ultrasonic probe is changed and the tomographic position at which the ultrasonic waves are transmitted/received to/from the object is moved in a short axis direction, periodically transmits/receives the ultrasonic waves to/from the object, performs reception processing on a reflection echo signal from the object, and measures RF signal frame data at the tomographic position; a displacement measurement unit which, on the basis of two pieces of RF signal frame data, between which the difference in measurement time falls within a set range, selected from among multiple pieces of RF signal frame data sequentially measured by the transmission/reception unit, finds the displacement of a living tissue at the tomographic position and se

Abstract: In a multi-source X-ray CT scanner having multiple X-ray sources, an imaging FOV size is fixed. In the X-ray CT scanner, a position of at least one of multiple X-ray generators is movable in the Z-axis direction (in the rotation axis direction). It is further possible to configure such that while shifting the X-ray generator, the rotation speed of the rotating plate is kept to be a predetermined value or less. Highly precise CT measurement is implemented as to various imaging FOV sizes, without exposing the test subject to ineffective radiation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transmitting/receiving circuit equipped with: a semiconductor circuit element which comprises at least three terminals including a first terminal connected to a plurality of transducer elements that constitute an ultrasonic probe, a second terminal connected to a transmission signal generating circuit, and a third terminal serving as an output terminal of an amplifier of a reception signal from the transducer element, and which has a function of amplifying a signal inputted from one terminal by the other terminal and outputting the amplified signal between at least two terminals among the above-said three terminals; and a control unit which performs control so as to cause the semiconductor circuit element to perform a first function of functioning as a switch for inputting a transmission signal to the transducer element and a second function of amplifying the reception signal received from the transducer element.

Abstract: To provide an image reconstruction device capable of creating an image with image quality matching the operator's request when a cross-sectional image is reconstructed through a repeated calculation, the image reconstruction device which performs a repeated calculation on the basis of a difference between calculated projection data and measured projection data, the calculated projection data being obtained by performing a forward projection calculation on a reconstructed image which is reconstructed based on the measured projection data, includes an input section to which an image quality parameter which is considered to be important by an operator is input, a weight calculation section that calculates a weighting coefficient on the basis of the image quality parameter, and a repeated calculation section that performs a repeated calculation on the basis of a value obtained by weighting and adding a pixel value obtained in the previous iteration to a pixel value obtained from now using the weighting coefficien

Abstract: When imaging for sensitivity distribution measurement is performed, a whole-body coil for both transmission and reception and a specified coil used for the present imaging are used as a reception coil, while being switched. The switching of the reception coil is performed by switching between the whole-body coil and the specified coil for each echo in the same encode step. An image created from the echo obtained by the specified coil is divided by an image created from the echo obtained by the whole-body coil to calculate the sensitivity distribution of the specified coil. The sets of data used for the calculation are almost simultaneously obtained, thus providing accurate sensitivity distribution with no influence derived from the movement of a subject. The sensitivity distribution is used to correct the image obtained by the present imaging. Alternatively, the sensitivity distribution is used for the folding operation of parallel imaging.

Abstract: A sectional image and a two-dimensional elasticity image on an arbitrary cross section are added at a first combination ratio received from an operator to produce an arbitrary cross-section combined image. A three-dimensional image and a three-dimensional elasticity image of a predetermined part are added at a second combination ratio received from the operator to produce a three-dimensional combined image. The arbitrary cross-section combined image and the three-dimensional combined image are displayed side by side in a display. This can provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of facilitating the grasp of the structure and the recognition of the hardness of the living organ within the object from the plurality of images.

Abstract: In order to acquire high resolution ultrasound images while maintaining an appropriate frame rate in ultrasound diagnostic devices, the disclosed method generates high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images captured along a time series and the magnitudes of positional shifts, or forms high resolution ultrasound images by performing image reconstruction on the basis of multiple ultrasound frame images acquired by controlling the ultrasound probe and varying scan orientation or scan focal length frame by frame.

Abstract: In order to eliminate a global phase change caused by static magnetic field inhomogeneity included in a nuclear magnetic resonance signal, focusing on that phase components generated in a nuclear magnetic resonance signal caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is in a predetermined frequency band (low-frequency band), phase components in the frequency band caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is eliminated from an image generated from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal in main imaging. The predetermined frequency band of the phase components caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is calculated from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal obtained in preliminary imaging.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that is capable of displaying an elastic image, enabling an accurate and easy identification of tissue characteristics of a diagnostic part. Elasticity data regarding a test object is obtained based on a received signal of an ultrasonic probe, and an elastic image representing a distribution of the elasticity data of the test object is generated. A display mode setting means sets a display mode of the elastic image in such a manner that a different tissue can be identified based on a value of the elasticity data. In this case, the display mode is differentiated by the value of the elasticity data within one tissue. With this configuration, the tissue characteristics of the diagnostic part are identified by the elasticity data, and displayed in a different display mode, thereby displaying an elastic image identifiable accurately and easily.

Abstract: In order to provide an ultrasonic probe capable of suppressing the influence of multiple reflections occurring on the interface of a transducer with a CMUT chip and a backing layer, an ultrasonic probe of the present invention has a structure where an acoustic lens 14, transducers 11-1 to 11-m, and a backing layer 12 are laminated. Each of the transducers 11-1 to 11-m has a CMUT chip, and the backing layer 12 is formed of a material with a value of substantially the same acoustic impedance as the acoustic lens 14.

Abstract: The biological optical measurement instrument is provided with a mobile position sensor that can move in a 3-dimensional space and that detects spatial position in the 3-dimensional space, a head-surface image creating unit that creates a head-surface image of an object and a head-surface point creating unit that creates, on the head-surface image, a head-surface point corresponding to the spatial position of the mobile position sensor.

Abstract: An image display device such as a medical image display device is provided for supporting that information necessary for diagnosis is sufficiently displayed and the diagnosis without any error is conducted in a short period of time. The medical image display device 1 performs a region of interest setting process for setting a region of an observation site in volume data and a lesion candidate region relating to the observation site, a display image generating process for generating a display image that allows a size of the lesion candidate region to be distinguishable, being adjacent to the observation site on a projection line of interest, when a pixel having a reference pixel value on the projection line of interest corresponds to a pixel of the region of the observation site, and an image displaying process for displaying the display image being generated.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic device and image display method display an inflow time map representing relative differences in blood flow dynamics such as inflow of a contrast agent, including extracting a vessel and constructing a noise-less inflow time map, and, in the comparison of differences in color between the constructed inflow time map and the past inflow time map, unifying the color of regions as a base. A TIC analysis unit calculates a parameter (t?) indicating an inflow starting time of a contrast agent and a difference of brightness ?I due to the contrast agent using image data in a range designated by an image detection unit. A first pixel selection unit extracts a pixel and removes a non-contrast-enhanced region. An image construction unit constructs an inflow time map colored according to t?, and a second pixel selection unit extracts a vessel using a histogram based on ?I.

Abstract: A mobile X-ray apparatus that performs a stable operation even if a sudden voltage drop or momentary power interruption occurs during operation of a commercial AC power source. The mobile X-ray apparatus includes a plug for connection to a commercial AC power source, a battery charged from the commercial AC power source through the plug, a unit that operates by being supplied with electricity from the commercial AC power source connected through the plug, and a second circuit including a rectifier that supplies electricity to the unit from the battery if a voltage from the commercial AC power source falls to or below a regulated value while the unit is being operated by the electricity supply from the commercial AC power source.

Abstract: There is provided an X-ray CT apparatus capable of correcting the unevenness of the contrast concentration due to discontinuities in time between slices in contrast imaging using a Prospective Triggering method. In an X-ray CT apparatus 1, projection data in a specific phase of the heart is obtained by performing a scan by emitting X-rays after a predetermined time from the detection of the R wave of electrocardiogram information at each position of the heart in the body axis direction. An image processing device 4 reconstructs a tomographic image on the basis of collected projection data, calculates the projection data collection time in each scan from electrocardiogram information collected from an electrocardiograph 5, calculates the time between scans on the basis of the calculated projection data collection time, and corrects a concentration difference so as to change smoothly for an image of a position in the body axis direction in a range according to the time between scans.