Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises a reception data memory that sequentially stores therein pieces of reception data; a beam forming unit that has a cache memory and that divides the pieces of reception data stored in the reception data memory into plural groups, sequentially transfers the plural groups to the cache memory, and performs stepwise phasing addition on the plural groups transferred to the cache memory; and a digital beam forming controller that obtains in advance a total amount of reception data to be used in the phasing addition according to the imaging condition, and controls the beam forming unit in accordance with the total amount of reception data and the cache memory capacity such that the beam forming unit divides the pieces of reception data into the plural groups so as to each fit into the cache memory capacity.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an operating unit which sets multistage focus positions through operation by an operator, and a multistage focus position correction unit which, when an inter-focus position distance at the multistage focus positions set through the operating unit exceeds an allowable range set in advance for each measurement depth, automatically corrects the multistage focus positions so as to be within the allowable range.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of quantitatively obtaining a blood flow velocity unaffected by angle dependence.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises a reception data memory that sequentially stores therein pieces of reception data; a beam forming unit that has a cache memory and that divides the pieces of reception data stored in the reception data memory into plural groups, sequentially transfers the plural groups to the cache memory, and performs stepwise phasing addition on the plural groups transferred to the cache memory; and a digital beam forming controller that obtains in advance a total amount of reception data to be used in the phasing addition according to the imaging condition, and controls the beam forming unit in accordance with the total amount of reception data and the cache memory capacity such that the beam forming unit divides the pieces of reception data into the plural groups so as to each fit into the cache memory capacity.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an operating unit which sets multistage focus positions through operation by an operator, and a multistage focus position correction unit which, when an inter-focus position distance at the multistage focus positions set through the operating unit exceeds an allowable range set in advance for each measurement depth, automatically corrects the multistage focus positions so as to be within the allowable range.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus by which highly quantitative IMT (intima media thickness) measurement with little variations depending on examiners can be performed. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic probe for transmitting ultrasonic waves to an object to be inspected and receiving ultrasonic echoes generated by reflection of the ultrasonic waves in the object to output reception signals; a signal processing unit for performing at least envelope detection processing on the reception signals outputted from the ultrasonic probe to generate envelope data; a boundary detecting unit for detecting two boundaries representing intima media of a blood vessel based on difference or differential of values of the envelope data and amounts of change in the values of the envelope data; and an IMT calculating unit for calculating an IMT of the blood vessel based on the two boundaries detected by the boundary detecting unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of quantitatively obtaining a blood flow velocity unaffected by angle dependence.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus by which highly quantitative IMT (intima media thickness) measurement with little variations depending on examiners can be performed. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic probe for transmitting ultrasonic waves to an object to be inspected and receiving ultrasonic echoes generated by reflection of the ultrasonic waves in the object to output reception signals; a signal processing unit for performing at least envelope detection processing on the reception signals outputted from the ultrasonic probe to generate envelope data; a boundary detecting unit for detecting two boundaries representing intima media of a blood vessel based on difference or differential of values of the envelope data and amounts of change in the values of the envelope data; and an IMT calculating unit for calculating an IMT of the blood vessel based on the two boundaries detected by the boundary detecting unit.