Abstract: A image processing device includes a nozzle ejection rate determination unit that determines a first nozzle ejection rate for each nozzle, a nozzle pattern determination unit that determines a nozzle pattern indicating by which of the plurality of nozzles individual pixels are to be recorded, a conversion unit that converts gradation values reflecting the first nozzle ejection rate on the gradation values of the individual pixels, and a halftone processing unit that performs halftone processing to an image converted by the conversion unit. The halftone processing unit performs the halftone processing using a second dither mask generated by threshold conversion reflecting a second nozzle ejection rate on a threshold of a first dither mask.

Abstract: A needle direction estimation unit estimates a needle direction L based on needle information generated by a needle information generation unit, and outputs the position information of the needle direction L. A search region setting unit sets the needle direction L in a tissue image based on the position information of the needle direction L, and sets a search region F that extends to both sides with a predetermined width r. A needle tip search unit calculates the brightness distribution of the tissue image, determines a maximum brightness point B in the search region F to be the needle tip, and outputs the position information of the needle tip. A needle tip visualizing unit visualizes a needle tip N, which is a predetermined point image, in the tissue image from the position information of the needle tip.

Abstract: There are provided an ultrasonic diagnostic device and an ultrasonic image generation method in which the direction of a beam formed in a subject is not changed even if at least one of set sound speeds used in transmission focusing processing and reception focusing processing is changed. When at least one of the set sound speeds used in the transmission focusing processing and the reception focusing processing has been changed by a set sound speed changing unit, a focusing processing correction unit corrects a delay of at least one of the transmission focusing processing and the reception focusing processing based on the changed set sound speed such that the direction of the beam formed in the subject is not changed.

Abstract: The dither mask generation method includes: a nozzle ejection rate determination process of determining a nozzle ejection rate of each nozzle in a recording head; a corresponding nozzle specifying process of specifying the nozzle corresponding to individual pixels of a dither mask by making at least one nozzle in charge of recording at each pixel position correspond to the individual pixels of the dither mask; a nozzle ejection rate reflecting processing process of performing processing of reflecting the nozzle ejection rate on an evaluation index when individual thresholds of the dither mask are set; and a threshold setting process of setting the thresholds to the individual pixels of the dither mask on the basis of the evaluation index.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic device includes: a probe including a plurality of elements that generate and transmit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic waves reflected from a subject; a transmission unit that transmits ultrasonic beams toward the subject from the plurality of elements of the probe; an image generation unit that generates an ultrasonic image by performing reception focusing for reception signals obtained by receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from the subject in the plurality of elements of the probe; and a control unit that, when performing reception focusing in a direction different from a normal direction of each of the elements that form a reception opening of the probe, controls the image generation unit to generate an ultrasonic image in a direction different from the normal direction using only a signal having a predetermined low frequency band among the reception signals.

Abstract: An ultrasound beam is transmitted to an inspection target by determining an opening of a positive phase and an opening of a negative phase corresponding to the opening of the positive phase in advance and inverting the phases with a group of a predetermined number of elements of a probe as each opening, and an ultrasound echo signal generated by interaction between the ultrasound beam and the inspection target is received through the plural elements of the probe. Then, two or more pieces of element data including receiving time information in each element, which are generated by receiving ultrasound echo signals generated for at least two or more overlapping target regions, are stored, and an acoustic ray signal in one scanning line is generated by overlapping the stored element data based on the receiving time information in each element.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a first image generation unit which generates a first image obtained by applying a first low-pass filter to an input image, a second image generation unit which generates a second image obtained by applying a second low-pass filter to a halftone image, a third image generation unit which generates a third image representing a difference between the first image and the second image, a focused dot setting unit which sets a focused dot, a dot placement pixel determination unit which compares pixel values in the third image and determining a dot placement pixel for improving the uniformity of the gradation distribution in the third image, and a dot displacing unit which displaces the focused dot to the dot placement pixel and updates the halftone image.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device includes: a probe including plural elements that generate and transmit ultrasound waves and receive ultrasound waves reflected from an inspection target; a transmission unit that transmits ultrasound waves from the plural elements so as to transmit an ultrasound beam by forming a transmission focus in a first direction set in advance; and a second reception focusing unit that performs reception focusing for each reception signal received by each element of the probe according to reflection on a path in a second direction other than the first direction, among transmission wave paths of the ultrasound beam transmitted into the inspection target by the transmission unit.

Abstract: Transmitting an ultrasonic wave focused on a predetermined transmit focus position by driving each of the elements of the ultrasonic probe based on a predetermined transmit delay time, and determining a true focal position of the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the transmit focus position or a focal point valid region that includes the true focal position based on a receive signal received by each element according to a reflection wave reflected by the transmission of the ultrasonic wave to the transmit focus position.

Abstract: To obtain ambient sound velocity of a subject with high accuracy in a ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus. In an ambient sound velocity obtaining method that transmits ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic probe, receives reflected waves reflected by a subject to obtain received signals, performs a receive focusing process on the received signals using receive delay times based on a plurality of sound velocity settings to obtain in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, and obtains an ambient sound velocity of the subject based on the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting, the in-phase sum signals with respect to each sound velocity setting is separated into an in-phase sum signal corresponding to a boundary portion in the subject and an in-phase sum signal corresponding to portions other than the boundary portion, an index is obtained based on at least either one of the in-phase sum signals, and the ambient sound velocity is obtained based on the index.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe; region-of-interest setting means for setting the depth position of a region of interest in a subject; reflection point setting means for setting a plurality of points in a region, which is deeper than the depth position of the region of interest, as reflection points of ultrasound waves transmitted from the ultrasound probe; and sound speed value deriving means for deriving a sound speed value in a region between each of the plurality of reflection points and the ultrasound probe, for each of the plurality of reflection points, based on a reception signal generated when the ultrasound probe receives an ultrasound wave reflected at each of the plurality of reflection points.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasound probe including a plurality of ultrasound transducers; a device for determining optimum sound speed values at a lattice point set in a shallower region than a region of interest (ROI) and in the ROI on the basis of an ultrasound detection signal outputted by the ultrasound probe; a device for arithmetically operating a received wave received from the ROI on the basis of the optimum sound speed value; a device for setting an assumed sound speed in the region of interest, obtaining a received wave received from each lattice point on the basis of the assumed sound speed and the optimum sound speed value at the lattice point, and synthesizing received waves at lattice points to obtain a resultant received wave; and a device for determining a local sound speed value in the ROI on the basis of the received wave and the resultant received wave.

Abstract: The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, ultrasound image generation apparatus and method transmit ultrasound waves to a subject into which a puncture tool is inserted, receive reflected waves reflected from the subject and the puncture tool, and generate echo signals of time-sequential frames based on the received reflected waves, and generate an ultrasound image of the subject based on the generated echo signals. These apparatus and method generate a differential echo signal between time-sequential frames from the echo signals, perform a tip detection process based on the differential echo signal to thereby detect at least one tip candidate including a tip end of the puncture tool, highlight a tip candidate of the puncture tool detected to thereby generate a tip image, and display the tip image of the highlighted puncture tool so as to be superimposed on the generated ultrasound image.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes plural ultrasound transducers which perform transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves toward a target site of a subject containing a puncture needle. A method of transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave uses the ultrasound transducers. The apparatus and the method form an ultrasonic beam to be transmitted from a transmit aperture set on the ultrasound transducers, acquire information relating to a specular-reflective component of the ultrasonic beam in the puncture needle, set a first receive aperture different from the transmit aperture set on the ultrasound transducers on the basis of the information relating to the specular-reflective component of the ultrasonic beam, and process an ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasound transducers using the first receive aperture.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes plural ultrasound transducers which perform transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves toward a target site of a subject containing a puncture needle. A method of transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave uses the ultrasound transducers. The apparatus and the method form an ultrasonic beam to be transmitted from a transmit aperture set on the ultrasound transducers, acquire information relating to a specular-reflective component of the ultrasonic beam in the puncture needle, set a first receive aperture different from the transmit aperture set on the ultrasound transducers on the basis of the information relating to the specular-reflective component of the ultrasonic beam, and process an ultrasonic echo signal received by the ultrasound transducers using the first receive aperture.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus capable of shortening the time required for measurement and calculation of an optimal sound velocity and obtaining an ultrasound image having excellent image quality at a tissue or lesion the operator desires to observe. There are provided an element data memory storing element data; a region-of-interest setter setting a region of interest; an optimal sound velocity calculator calculating an optimal sound velocity at the region of interest using the element data corresponding to the region of interest; a reconstruction region setter setting a reconstruction region that contains the region of interest and is larger than the region of interest; and an image reconstructor generating a reconstructed image by reconstructing the ultrasound image in the reconstruction region based on the optimal sound velocity.

Abstract: An estimated value of sound velocity of a subject interior is derived more stably and with higher accuracy. A phasing processing section provides, to each of received signals that were generated by piezoelectric elements respectively, respective delay times that were computed on the basis of each of plural set sound velocities, and phases the received signals per set sound velocity. A degree of similarity deriving section derives, for each of the set sound velocities, a degree of mutual similarity among received signals that were phased by the phasing processing section. An optimal set sound velocity deriving section derives, as an optimal set sound velocity, an estimated value of sound velocity of the subject interior on the basis of the degree of mutual similarity among the received signals of each of the set sound velocities.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device includes an ultrasound probe including plural ultrasound transducers that transmit ultrasound toward an imaging subject, receive ultrasound reflected from the imaging subject, and output ultrasound detection signals; an alteration unit that alters transmission frequencies of the ultrasound transmitted from the ultrasound probe or reception frequencies of the ultrasound received by the ultrasound probe; and a calculation unit that calculates an index for diagnosing a tissue characteristic based on a relationship between reception signals of at least two different ultrasound transducers for at least two different frequencies of the transmission frequencies or reception frequencies altered by the alteration unit.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic device includes an ultrasound probe including ultrasound transducers that transmit ultrasound toward an imaging subject, receive ultrasound reflected from the imaging subject, and output ultrasound detection signals; an alteration unit that alters a transmission frequency of the transmitted ultrasound or a reception frequency of the received ultrasound, from a frequency for converting amplitudes, of the ultrasound detection signals outputted from the ultrasound probe, into an intensity distribution of brightnesses and displaying the distribution, to a frequency for carrying out diagnosis of tissue characteristics; and a calculation unit that calculates an index for diagnosing tissue characteristics, based on a relationship between received signals, at a time when the transmission frequency or the reception frequency is altered to a frequency at which diagnosis of tissue characteristics is carried out, at two or more different ultrasound transducers at the ultrasound probe.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe which includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which transmit ultrasonic waves to an object, receive the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object, and output ultrasonic detection signals; a reception time calculating device which calculates at least one of a reception time and a reception wave at each of elements corresponding to lattice points set in a shallower region than a region of interest in the object; an image generating device which generates an image at a lattice point in the region of interest, based on a hypothetical sound velocity set in the region of interest and the calculated one of the reception time and the reception wave; an image analyzing device which analyzes the generated image; and a local sound velocity calculating device which calculates a local sound velocity in the region of interest, based on a result of the image analysis.