Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus diagnosing by using a tomographic image of a subject, comprising: an image generator configured to generate the tomographic image based on data obtained from the subject; and a detector configured to perform a process to detect a lesion from the tomographic image, the detector being configured to: generate, using the tomographic image, a filter map for extracting a tissue lesion that is potentially abnormal from the tomographic image; and detect a lesion included in the tomographic image, using the tomographic image and the filter map, and output detection information including a detection result of the lesion.

Abstract: A three-dimensional reference image is displayed along with an ultrasound image (tomogram). The three-dimensional reference image has a first existing line representing a first puncture needle and a second prospective line indicating the prospective puncture path of a second puncture needle. The position and orientation of the probe are adjusted by the user with reference to the three-dimensional reference image so that the second prospective line has an appropriate position relative to the first existing line. After the adjustment, the second puncture needle is inserted into the body using a puncture adaptor provided on the probe. A second existing line is displayed in the three-dimensional reference image when the insertion of the second puncture needle is completed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional reference image is displayed along with an ultrasound image (tomogram). The three-dimensional reference image has a first existing line representing a first puncture needle and a second prospective line indicating the prospective puncture path of a second puncture needle. The position and orientation of the probe are adjusted by the user with reference to the three-dimensional reference image so that the second prospective line has an appropriate position relative to the first existing line. After the adjustment, the second puncture needle is inserted into the body using a puncture adaptor provided on the probe. A second existing line is displayed in the three-dimensional reference image when the insertion of the second puncture needle is completed.

Abstract: A method for generating a region of interest (ROI) wherein in setting ROIs in biological tissues to be compared, burden on a subject can be reduced and the reproducibility of elasticity measurement improved, including: setting candidate points in an arbitrary designated region in a notable tissue in a contrast image of an object designated by an input device; determining partial differential values of pixel values in a two-dimensional direction in the contrast image and thus detecting a tissue boundary; acquiring a shortest distance between the detected tissue boundary and each point, and setting a circle or polygonal region inscribed in the circle having the maximum shortest distance as a radius around the candidate point having the maximum shortest distance as a region of interest; and imaging the region of interest and superimposing it on the contrast image and displaying it on an image display unit.

Abstract: An ultrasound elasticity imaging apparatus includes an elastic data processing section which processes a received signal detected by an ultrasound probe and generates elastic frame data, a display evaluation section which evaluates a display value of the elastic frame data based on various data in the generation of the elastic frame data, a display processing section which performs image processing of the elastic frame data according to the evaluation result by the display evaluation section, and a display section which displays an elastic image based on the elastic frame data processed by the image processing section.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic probe (2) for receiving and transmitting ultrasonic waves from/to an object (1), ultrasound image structuring means (6) for generating an ultrasound image from a reflected echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe, elastic image structuring means (7) for obtaining a physical quantity of the elasticity of a region of the object corresponding to the ultrasound image from the reflected echo signal and generating a color elastic image, display means (9) for overlaying the ultrasound image to the color elastic image, or arranging the ultrasound image and the color elastic input means (17) for variably setting a corresponding relationship between a hue of the color elastic image and the level of the physical quantity displayed on the screen.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasound probe which transmits/receives an ultrasound wave with respect to a subject to be diagnosed, an ultrasound wave transmit section which transmits an ultrasound wave for driving the ultrasound probe, a pressing section which applies an external pressure to the subject, a displacement measuring section which obtains two tomographic image data different in time series from a reflected echo signal received from the ultrasound probe and measures a displacement of each part in the subject based on the two tomographic image data, an image generating section which generates an elastic image from elasticity information based on the displacement of each part measured by the displacement measuring section, and a display section which displays the generated elastic image. Further, a pressing decision section decides whether or not the pressing operation by the pressing section is proper.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a velocity measuring method and a velocity measuring device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe includes an ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface coming into contact with a contact surface of a subject, an ultrasound wave transmit/receive section which transmits an ultrasound wave to the subject via the ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface and the contact surface and receives an ultrasound wave reflected in the subject, and a pressing mechanism for performing a pressing operation for applying a pressure to the contact surface perpendicularly to the ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface via the ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a function of obtaining a tomographic image and an elastic image is adaptable to not only a close examination mode, but also a screening mode, and obtains an elastic image suitable for each examination purpose. Accordingly, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention comprises tomographic image acquisition means for transmitting an ultrasonic wave from a probe to a body being examined, and receiving a reflection echo signal corresponding to the transmission of the ultrasonic wave to obtain a tomographic image, elastic image acquisition means having a first acquisition mode for determining a tissue elasticity amount of a biomedical tissue of the body being examined on the basis of the reflection echo signal to obtain an elastic image, and display means for displaying at least the elastic image. The elastic image acquisition means has a second acquisition mode different from the first acquisition mode.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic probe (2) for receiving and transmitting ultrasonic waves from/to an object (1), ultrasound image structuring means (6) for generating an ultrasound image from a reflected echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe, elastic image structuring means (7) for obtaining a physical quantity of the elasticity of a region of the object corresponding to the ultrasound image from the reflected echo signal and generating a color elastic image, display means (9) for overlaying the ultrasound image to the color elastic image, or arranging the ultrasound image and the color elastic image and displaying the resultant image on a screen, and input means (17) for variably setting a corresponding relationship between a hue of the color elastic image and the level of the physical quantity displayed on the screen.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a velocity measuring method and a velocity measuring device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An ultrasound elasticity imaging apparatus includes an elastic data processing section which processes a received signal detected by an ultrasound probe and generates elastic frame data, a display evaluation section which evaluates a display value of the elastic frame data based on various data in the generation of the elastic frame data, a display processing section which performs image processing of the elastic frame data according to the evaluation result by the display evaluation section, and a display section which displays an elastic image based on the elastic frame data processed by the image processing section.

Abstract: [Problem] To select a period suitable for acquiring an elastic image in accordance with variation of the displacement amount of a moving tissue when the elastic image of the moving tissue is acquired, thereby stably acquiring an elastic image of high image quality.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasound probe which transmits/receives an ultrasound wave with respect to a subject to be diagnosed, an ultrasound wave transmit section which transmits an ultrasound wave for driving the ultrasound probe, a pressing section which applies an external pressure to the subject, a displacement measuring section which obtains two tomographic image data different in time series from a reflected echo signal received from the ultrasound probe and measures a displacement of each part in the subject based on the two tomographic image data, an image generating section which generates an elastic image from elasticity information based on the displacement of each part measured by the displacement measuring section, and a display section which displays the generated elastic image. Further, a pressing decision section decides whether or not the pressing operation by the pressing section is proper.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a function of obtaining a tomographic image and an elastic image is adaptable to not only a close examination mode, but also a screening mode, and obtains an elastic image suitable for each examination purpose. Accordingly, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention comprises tomographic image acquisition means for transmitting an ultrasonic wave from a probe to a body being examined, and receiving a reflection echo signal corresponding to the transmission of the ultrasonic wave to obtain a tomographic image, elastic image acquisition means having a first acquisition mode for determining a tissue elasticity amount of a biomedical tissue of the body being examined on the basis of the reflection echo signal to obtain an elastic image, and display means for displaying at least the elastic image. The elastic image acquisition means has a second acquisition mode different from the first acquisition mode.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (ultrasonic elastograph) for measuring strain or elastic modulus of a tissue or an organ of a living body, creating a strain image or an elastic modulus image by assigning a hue to the measurement data corresponding to the measured value, combining these images with a black and white tomogram, displaying the synthetic image on a color monitor, and displaying the hue assigned to the measurement data with a color bar. Information on comparison between a measured value corresponding to the hue of the color bar displayed on the color monitor and the reference value of the measured value is displayed at a position adjacent to the color bar on the screen of the color monitor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic probe (2) for receiving and transmitting ultrasonic waves from/to an object (1), ultrasound image structuring means (6) for generating an ultrasound image from a reflected echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe, elastic image structuring means (7) for obtaining a physical quantity of the elasticity of a region of the object corresponding to the ultrasound image from the reflected echo signal and generating a color elastic image, display means (9) for overlaying the ultrasound image to the color elastic image, or arranging the ultrasound image and the color elastic input means (17) for variably setting a corresponding relationship between a hue of the color elastic image and the level of the physical quantity displayed on the screen.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe includes an ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface coming into contact with a contact surface of a subject, an ultrasound wave transmit/receive section which transmits an ultrasound wave to the subject via the ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface and the contact surface and receives an ultrasound wave reflected in the subject, and a pressing mechanism for performing a pressing operation for applying a pressure to the contact surface perpendicularly to the ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface via the ultrasound wave transmit/receive surface.