Abstract: In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of forming a three-dimensional ultrasonic image, an entire cavity portion of an organ can be displayed without any part being invisible. Three-dimensional ultrasonic image data obtained based on an ultrasonic wave transmitted and received with respect to an object organ is stored in a memory 20. With regard to the stored data, a brightness value of each voxel is binarized in a binarization processing section 24 using a predetermined threshold value. Then, the binarized brightness value is further inverted in a brightness value inverting section 26. Consequently, the cavity portion of the organ which has low brightness before inversion has high brightness, and the wall portion of the organ which has high brightness before inversion and which obstruct observation of the inner cavity portion has now low brightness. Thus, solid representation of the cavity portion to be observed can be obtained, thereby facilitating observation.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image data memory stores three-dimensional image data including that of a imaging target. A digitization processor unit applies a digitizing process to the three-dimensional image data using a first threshold value to extract data corresponding to the target. A user sets a two-dimensional region of interest surrounding a portion in which the extraction of data using the first threshold value is inaccurate and a 3D region-of-interest generator unit generates a three-dimensional region of interest from the two-dimensional region of interest which is set. The digitization processor unit applies a digitizing process using a second threshold value to the three-dimensional image data within the three-dimensional region of interest.

Abstract: An ellipsoidal axes setting unit sets major and minor axis of an ellipsoid based on cross sectional position information and ellipsoidal parameters input by a user while viewing a display. A major axis end detector unit, a front view minor axis end detector unit, and a side view minor axis end detector unit detect ends of the major and minor axes based on the major and minor axes set at the ellipsoidal axes setting unit and a target tissue surface image for each time phase output from an edge extractor unit. A major/minor axes setting unit selects appropriate lengths of the major and minor axes from the input ends of the major and minor axes and outputs the selected lengths to a region-of-interest generator unit where a three-dimensional region of interest is generated.

Abstract: A specific cavity extractor extracts an isolated group corresponding to a left ventricle from among a plurality of isolated groups to which numbers are attached in a labeling section. A major axis slope calculator section sets, as a left ventricle major axis, a straight line passing through a center of mass calculated in a center-of-mass detector section and a major-axis end point detected in a major-axis end detector section. A cavity cross sectional area calculator section calculates a cross sectional area of four cavities for each of a plurality of cutting planes including the left ventricle major-axis. An optimum cross section setter sets, as a four-cavity cross section, a cutting plane in which the cross sectional area of the four cavities becomes maximum.

Abstract: An ellipsoidal axes setting unit sets major and minor axis of an ellipsoid based on cross sectional position information and ellipsoidal parameters input by a user while viewing a display. A major axis end detector unit, a front view minor axis end detector unit, and a side view minor axis end detector unit detect ends of the major and minor axes based on the major and minor axes set at the ellipsoidal axes setting unit and a target tissue surface image for each time phase output from an edge extractor unit. A major/minor axes setting unit selects appropriate lengths of the major and minor axes from the input ends of the major and minor axes and outputs the selected lengths to a region-of-interest generator unit where a three-dimensional region of interest is generated.

Abstract: An edge detector executes a process to extract a surface of an inner wall of a left ventricle from a binarized image output from a binarization circuit. A telediastolic edge memory stores an intracardial surface image at the end of ventricular diastole from among intracardial surface images for time phases output from the edge detector. A displacement detector unit detects the amount of displacement for each site of the intracardial surface between time phases from the intracardial surface image at the telediastolic which is output from the telediastolic edge memory, a current intracardial surface image which is output from the edge detector, and a center-of-mass coordinate of the intracardial section at the telediastolic point which is stored in a telediastolic center-of-mass memory. A coloring processor unit applies a coloring process to each site of the surface of the current intracardial surface image based on the amount of displacement and outputs the result to an image synthesizer unit.

Abstract: In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of forming a three-dimensional ultrasonic image, an entire cavity portion of an organ can be displayed without any part being invisible. Three-dimensional ultrasonic image data obtained based on an ultrasonic wave transmitted and received with respect to an object organ is stored in a memory 20. With regard to the stored data, a brightness value of each voxel is binarized in a binarization processing section 24 using a predetermined threshold value. Then, the binarized brightness value is further inverted in a brightness value inverting section 26. Consequently, the cavity portion of the organ which has low brightness before inversion has high brightness, and the wall portion of the organ which has high brightness before inversion and which obstruct observation of the inner cavity portion has now low brightness. Thus, solid representation of the cavity portion to be observed can be obtained, thereby facilitating observation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which displays a two-dimensional sectional image of, for example, the left ventricle of the heart by sending and receiving ultrasonic waves. A reference point is set in the left ventricle, and an outline of the left ventricle is identified using this point. The left ventricle is radially divided from the reference point into plural division regions, e.g. four regions. The area of each division region is calculated at each point in time, and an area variation rate is computed from the ratio of the area and a reference area. The area variation rate for each division region is continuously displayed as a graph. On this graph, a part with dull motion (diseased part) can easily be identified.

Abstract: A diagnostic ultrasound apparatus includes an ultrasound probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasound beams to and from an object to be observed; a frame memory for storing B-mode ultrasound image data of the object obtained from the ultrasound beams received by the ultrasound probe; a monitor for displaying at least a B-mode ultrasound image of the object formed on the basis of the B-mode ultrasound image data stored in the frame memory; a sampling line setting circuit for freely setting a desired course and range of at least one data sampling line for the B-mode image displayed on the monitor; and a read-out circuit for selectively reading out, from the ultrasound image data stored in the frame memory, ultrasound image data corresponding to the data sampling line. The ultrasound image data which has been read out by the read-out circuit is displayed on the monitor as an M-mode image.

Abstract: A diagnostic ultrasound apparatus includes a displacement image data frame memory for storing, frame by frame, two-dimensional ultrasound image data of a living body to be observed; displacement image data sampling section for sampling displacement image data which is obtained by comparing two-dimensional ultrasound image data of a newest frame with the two-dimensional ultrasound image data of any one of the previous frames stored in the displacement image data frame memory, the displacement image data representing displacement in the living body between the compared frames; displacement hysteresis image forming section for forming displacement hysteresis image data which represents changes between the thus-formed plural displacement image data by sequentially combining the plural displacement image data with the lapse of time; and a display monitor for displaying a displacement hysteresis image on the basis of thus-produced displacement hysteresis image data.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from a body to be examined and a control section for automatically determining the optimum image conditions on the basis of the echo signals obtained by the ultrasonic transducer. The control section comprises circuits for controlling the amplification factor of the echo signals, the amplification factors of the echo signals for the respective visual field depths and the adjustment of image contrast, on the basis of the echo signals obtained by the ultrasonic transducer.