Abstract: Provided is a technique capable of preventing a deterioration of a frame rate or a temporal resolution and estimating a blood flow velocity in a wide velocity range. A method is based on an unequal interval transmission method, and calculates a blood flow velocity by using a temporally adjacent received signal set and a temporally discontinuous received signal set, among a plurality of received signals obtained via a plurality of times of transmission in one transmission direction. When a number of the adjacent received signal set and a number of the temporally discontinuous received signal set are the same, an expansion of the velocity range similar to an unequal interval transmission in related art can be realized and the frame rate can be improved.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging device according to the present invention includes: a container provided with an opening for inserting a target region of a subject; and a transmission/reception unit that transmits ultrasound to the target region inserted into the container filled with a liquid and receives the ultrasound that penetrates the target region or is reflected from the target region. The container has a pressure reducing unit that holds the target region in the container by reducing a pressure in the container of which the opening is covered with the target region. According to the present invention, since it is possible to maintain a shape close to a predetermined shape when the target region of a breast or the like is inserted into a container filled with the liquid, it is possible to measure the target region with high accuracy by transmitting and receiving ultrasound.

Abstract: Provided is a technique capable of preventing a deterioration of a frame rate or a temporal resolution and estimating a blood flow velocity in a wide velocity range. A method is based on an unequal interval transmission method, and calculates a blood flow velocity by using a temporally adjacent received signal set and a temporally discontinuous received signal set, among a plurality of received signals obtained via a plurality of times of transmission in one transmission direction. When a number of the adjacent received signal set and a number of the temporally discontinuous received signal set are the same, an expansion of the velocity range similar to an unequal interval transmission in related art can be realized and the frame rate can be improved.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic imaging device that has a function of setting an optimal velocity range and baseline as initial settings for a target blood flow at the start of spectral Doppler. A control unit that controls transmission and reception of an ultrasonic imaging device performs a first blood flow measurement for acquiring a two-dimensional distribution of blood flow information, and a second blood flow measurement for acquiring a spectrum of a blood flow velocity. A calculation unit that performs Doppler calculation includes: a blood flow velocity estimation unit that estimates a blood flow velocity causing no aliasing, and a measurement condition calculation unit that calculates a measurement condition of the second blood flow measurement by using the blood flow velocity causing no aliasing. The control unit starts the second blood flow measurement under the measurement condition calculated by the measurement condition calculation unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging device according to the present invention includes: a container provided with an opening for inserting a target region of a subject; and a transmission/reception unit that transmits ultrasound to the target region inserted into the container filled with a liquid and receives the ultrasound that penetrates the target region or is reflected from the target region. The container has a pressure reducing unit that holds the target region in the container by reducing a pressure in the container of which the opening is covered with the target region. According to the present invention, since it is possible to maintain a shape close to a predetermined shape when the target region of a breast or the like is inserted into a container filled with the liquid, it is possible to measure the target region with high accuracy by transmitting and receiving ultrasound.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of measuring hardness information of a subject with high time resolution and spatial resolution. The apparatus is provided with a ultrasonic probe 1 and a displacement generation unit 10 configured to displace an inside of a subject and is configured to transmit an ultrasonic beam for displacement detection to a plurality of detection positions of the subject from the ultrasonic probe 1, and to detect a shear wave velocity based on the displacement at the plurality of detection positions in a control unit 3 by using a reflection signal detected in a detection unit 20, thereby outputting hardness information of the subject. The ultrasonic beam for displacement detection is transmitted to one of the plurality of detection positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique capable of reducing deterioration of measurement accuracy and reproducibility due to a long measurement time and acquiring an ultrasound image with high diagnostic performance in measurement of a shear wave velocity of radiation pressure elastography. In the radiation pressure elastography, information relating to a motion (fluctuation) in a measurement region is extracted while detecting a shear wave from echo signals due to irradiation of tracking pulses, and is provided to a user as reliability information indicating the reliability of a measurement result. Further, a factor of the fluctuation is specified from the extracted information, and is presented to the user. Furthermore, when arithmetically averaging plural times of measurement results, weighting is performed using the reliability information.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound diagnostic and treatment device for tumors which is used in combination with a phase-shift ultrasound contrast agent. By using a phase-shift ultrasound contrast agent, irradiating phase-shift ultrasonic waves from a phase-shift ultrasonic wave transmitter (18), irradiating ultrasonic waves for holding microbubbles from an ultrasonic wave transmitter (29) for holding microbubbles, and using a phase-shift detecting ultrasonic wave transceiver (19) to observe the phase shift, the ultrasound diagnostic and treatment device generates and holds the microbubbles in advance on the entire site (16) requiring treatment, and irradiates ultrasonic waves for treatment having a moderate intensity of 1 kW/cm2 or lower on the entire site (16) requiring treatment with the microbubbles as the target from a ultrasonic wave transmitter (20) for treatment.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic treatment device that is minimally-invasive and that achieves embolization treatment having a high blood flow blocking effect. To this end, the ultrasonic treatment device is provided with a function to transmit to a target area of a subject both a bubble generation pulse that vaporizes a contrast agent, and a bubble generation pulse that causes the diameter of the formed bubble to increase.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of measuring hardness information of a subject with high time resolution and spatial resolution. The apparatus is provided with a ultrasonic probe 1 and a displacement generation unit 10 configured to displace an inside of a subject and is configured to transmit an ultrasonic beam for displacement detection to a plurality of detection positions of the subject from the ultrasonic probe 1, and to detect a shear wave velocity based on the displacement at the plurality of detection positions in a control unit 3 by using a reflection signal detected in a detection unit 20, thereby outputting hardness information of the subject. The ultrasonic beam for displacement detection is transmitted to one of the plurality of detection positions.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured to perform speed measurement while lessening the influence of the wave surface feature and scattering resulting from the shear wave propagation, which transmits burst wave as first ultrasonic wave to the subject from the probe 11 and ultrasonic transmission-reception section 13 to apply radiation pressure. The track pulse wave as the second ultrasonic wave is transmitted to and received from the subject to detect displacement of medium in the subject resulting from the shear wave propagation in the subject at the radiation pressure. The elasticity evaluation section 17 of the controller 12 measures the first arrival time at the first depth and the second arrival time at the second depth of the shear wave with the single track pulse wave at the predetermined angle ?(?0) to the subject depth direction using the data received from the ultrasonic transmission-reception section 13.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus provided with an elasticity evaluation technology that an error caused by a tissue structure has been reduced. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that measures a velocity of a shear wave that propagates in a test object by utilizing an ultrasonic wave to evaluate elasticity of the aforementioned test object transmits and receives a first ultrasonic wave to the test object to detect a position and a size of the tissue structure of the test object and to automatically decide a measurement region except the tissue structure, transmits a second ultrasonic wave to the measurement region to make it generate the shear wave, and transmits and receives a third ultrasonic wave to the measurement region to measure an amount of displacement in association with propagation of the shear wave and to calculate the shear wave velocity by utilizing this displacement amount.

Abstract: Provided are a preparation process of a diagnostic or therapeutic agent having a step of adding, to a first fine emulsion having a particle size of 0.5 ?m or less prepared by applying a predetermined pressure to a first mixture containing a first hydrophobic compound, an emulsifying agent, and an aqueous phase, a second hydrophobic compound compatible with the first hydrophobic compound, thereby preparing a second mixture; and a step of stirring and shaking the second mixture in a hermetically sealed state, thereby embedding the second hydrophobic compound in the first fine emulsion to prepare a second fine emulsion having a particle size of 0.5 ?m or less; a diagnostic or therapeutic agent prepared by the process; and an apparatus for carrying out the process.

Abstract: A tissue mimicking phantom for ultrasonic treatment and a calibration device of an ultrasonic treatment device using the phantom are aimed to be provided. In order to dissolve the above-mentioned problems, the tissue mimicking phantom in accordance with the present invention is characterized by including an indicator agent which is denatured by an increase in temperature and which simulates an ultrasonic treatment effect, and a denaturation sensitivity controlling agent which is a different component from that of the indicator agent, which serves as a nucleus of cavitation at the time of ultrasonic irradiation, and which supports the increase in temperature and the denaturation of the indicator agent. The configuration makes it possible to obtain an tissue mimicking phantom which resolves the shortage of sensitivity, and which has excellent stability.

Abstract: A device and an agent for performing imaging in a deep part with high sensitivity and high resolution are to be provided. A photoacoustic measurement device (photoacoustic imaging device) performs light irradiation on an inspection area of a subject to which a photoacoustic agent generating an acoustic signal by causing phase change from a solid phase or a liquid phase to a gas phase by the light irradiation is administered, while the irradiated energy amount is increased, and detects the acoustic signal generated in the inspection area due to the light irradiation to form an imaged image of the inspection area based on the detected acoustic signal.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasound diagnostic and treatment device for tumors which is used in combination with a phase-shift ultrasound contrast agent. By using a phase-shift ultrasound contrast agent, irradiating phase-shift ultrasonic waves from a phase-shift ultrasonic wave transmitter (18), irradiating ultrasonic waves for holding microbubbles from an ultrasonic wave transmitter (29) for holding microbubbles, and using a phase-shift detecting ultrasonic wave transceiver (19) to observe the phase shift, the ultrasound diagnostic and treatment device generates and holds the microbubbles in advance on the entire site (16) requiring treatment, and irradiates ultrasonic waves for treatment having a moderate intensity of 1 kW/cm2 or lower on the entire site (16) requiring treatment with the microbubbles as the target from a ultrasonic wave transmitter (20) for treatment.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic treatment device that is minimally-invasive and that achieves embolization treatment having a high blood flow blocking effect. To this end, the ultrasonic treatment device is provided with a function to transmit to a target area of a subject both a bubble generation pulse that vaporizes a contrast agent, and a bubble generation pulse that causes the diameter of the formed bubble to increase.

Abstract: Provided are a preparation process of a diagnostic or therapeutic agent having a step of adding, to a first fine emulsion having a particle size of 0.5 ?m or less prepared by applying a predetermined pressure to a first mixture containing a first hydrophobic compound, an emulsifying agent, and an aqueous phase, a second hydrophobic compound compatible with the first hydrophobic compound, thereby preparing a second mixture; and a step of stirring and shaking the second mixture in a hermetically sealed state, thereby embedding the second hydrophobic compound in the first fine emulsion to prepare a second fine emulsion having a particle size of 0.5 ?m or less; a diagnostic or therapeutic agent prepared by the process; and an apparatus for carrying out the process.