Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic wave diagnosis instrument. The ultrasonic wave Doppler diagnosis instrument transmits an ultrasonic continuous wave in a range direction and receives a reflective wave of the ultrasonic continuous wave. The ultrasonic wave Doppler diagnosis instrument includes: a modulation unit that subjects the ultrasonic continuous wave to frequency modulation such that a phase is varied in accordance with the distance of the range direction; a demodulation unit that demodulates the reflective wave for each range of the range direction while interlocking with the frequency modulation, and generates a reception signal in the range in a separated state; and a presentation unit that presents information by using a signal of a Doppler component based on the reception signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of measuring a three-dimensional motion of a biological tissue in a short time. An image processor creates volume data based on image data of a B-mode image of a biological tissue and creates image data of a series of tomographic images in time series for the respective two or more sectional positions based on the volume data. A controller displays one tomographic image for each sectional position on a display part. A user operates an operation part to designate a measurement image region on the displayed tomographic image. A displacement calculating part calculates a displacement in time series of the designated measurement image region for each sectional position. A motion information calculating part calculates motion information of the biological tissue based on the displacement of the measurement image region calculated for each sectional position.

Abstract: A contour specifying part receives volume data representing a subject acquired by transmission of ultrasonic waves to the subject, and specifies a 3-dimensional contour of a myocardium based on the volume data. A forming part sets a reference point on the contour of the myocardium, and forms an image generation plane including a plane substantially orthogonal to the contour of the myocardium at the reference point. An image generator generates image data on the image generation plane based on the volume data. A display controller controls a display to display an image based on the image data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a motion information generating unit and a control unit. The motion information generating unit generates first motion information on cardiac wall motion of at least one of a left ventricle and a left atrium and second motion information on cardiac wall motion of at least one of a right ventricle and a right atrium, on the basis of a first volume data group and a second volume data group; generates first correction information and second correction information by correcting the first motion information and the second motion information such that the first motion information and the second motion information are substantially synchronized with each other, and generates a motion information image in which the first correction information and the second correction information are arranged along the time axis. The control unit controls to display the motion image information.

Abstract: A motion function of a biological tissue is efficiently evaluated on the basis of image data collected from different medical image diagnostic apparatuses. In terms of a common analysis algorithm applied to subject's time-series image data supplied from a separate medical image diagnostic apparatus, a setting part sets a plurality of interest points on a myocardial tissue of a reference image data extracted from the image data, and a tracking process part measures a motion parameter on the basis of displacement information of the myocardial tissue at the interest points obtained by a tracking process between the reference image data and subsequent image data thereof. Meanwhile, a data creating unit creates parameter image data showing two-dimension distribution of the motion parameter or parameter time-series data showing a variation in time of the motion parameter as parameter data on the basis of the measurement result, and displays the parameter data.

Abstract: A motion parameter measuring unit two-dimensionally measures a motion parameter of a myocardial tissue by a tracking process on time-series ultrasonic image data acquired from a sample. A time phase setting unit adds a diastolic heartbeat time phase, which is set on the basis of a systole end specified by a time phase where a cardiac cavity area of the ultrasonic image data is the smallest and a diastole end specified by an R wave in an electrocardiographic waveform of the sample, relative to the systole end to time-series parameter image data generated by a parameter image data generating unit on the basis of the motion parameter. An image data extracting unit extracts parameter image data to which the diastolic heartbeat time phase closest to a desired diastolic heartbeat time phase set by an input unit is added and displays the extracted parameter image data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a data acquisition unit configured to scan a region which includes at least part of a heart of an object and acquire ultrasonic data associated with the region, a curve acquisition unit configured to acquire temporal change curves of a wall motion parameter associated with a plurality of regions of the heart by using the ultrasonic data associated with the region to be scanned and a value acquisition unit configured to acquire an index value associated with cardiac wall motion by calculating a difference value of the wall motion parameter of two arbitrary regions, of the plurality of regions of the heart, at each phase in an analysis period by using temporal change curves associated with the two arbitrary regions, calculating a total sum of the difference values in the analysis period, and normalizing the total sum with a predetermined value.

Abstract: Obtains the position of each of points composing the contour of a specific tissue shown in ultrasonic image data having been acquired at each time phase by pattern matching for each time phase. Obtains motion information of each of parts composing the specific tissue based on the position of each of the points composing the contour. For each time phase, obtain the differential value of the motion information of each of the parts by differentiating the motion information of each of the parts by time, and normalizes the differential value of the motion information. Assigns a color corresponding to the magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information to each of the parts displays an ultrasonic image at each time phase and furthermore display each of the parts of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image of each time phase in the assign color.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasonic probe, an image-processing part, a received signal intensity-adjusting part, and a display part. The ultrasonic probe three-dimensionally transmits/receives ultrasonic waves. The image-processing part generates a first ultrasonic image along a plane intersecting the scanning lines of ultrasonic waves, based on the signals obtained by transmitting/receiving of the ultrasonic waves. The signal intensity-adjusting part changes the intensity of the signals on the scanning lines passing through a brightness adjustment range for brightness adjustment set on the first ultrasonic image. The image-processing part generates a second ultrasonic image, based on the signal changed by the signal intensity-adjusting part. The display part displays the second ultrasonic image.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a storage unit, setting unit, associating unit, and registering unit. The storage unit stores 2D or 3D first time series image data and second time series image data over a predetermined period. The setting unit sets a first ROI on the first image data and a second ROI on the second image data for each of a plurality of phases in the predetermined period in accordance with a user instruction or by image processing. The associating unit associates the set first ROI with the set second ROI for each of the plurality of phases. The registering unit registers the first image data and the second image data for each of the plurality of phases based on a relative positional relationship between the first ROI and the second ROI which are associated with each other.

Abstract: In general, according to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an image generating unit configured to generate medical images from a multislice which covers an area including the heart of an object. Each slice is almost perpendicular to the long axis of the heart. Each medical image is a short-axis image of the heart. A series of medical images captured at different times correspond to each slice. The embodiment generates a polar map associated with myocardial motion indices from a plurality of medical images. A polar map is segmented into segments. The embodiment calculates the average value of motion indices for each segment. The utility of an average value depends on the range covered by each segment. This embodiment matches the boundary of a segment with the position of a vein. This prevents a deterioration in the utility of average values due to the influences of veins.

Abstract: The difference frequency component between a first fundamental wave of frequency f and a second fundamental wave of frequency f2 is caused to interact with a second harmonic wave, thereby to attain the enhancement of a second harmonic signal, etc., whereby a reflected wave component to be imaged is extracted at a high S/N ratio. By way of example, in a case where the difference frequency component is to appear on the lower frequency side of the second harmonic wave of the first fundamental wave so as to be superposed on this second harmonic wave, the frequencies are set at f2=2.8f or so. Besides, in a case where the difference frequency component is to appear on the higher frequency side of the second harmonic wave of the first fundamental wave so as to be superposed on this second harmonic wave, the frequencies are set at f2=3.2f or so.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes a display unit to display an ultrasonic image, a comparison unit to compare the signal/echo intensity of a cardiac chamber portion of an ultrasonic image with the signal/echo intensity of a myocardial portion of the image, and an indication generating unit to generate a specific indication at a time point when the signal/echo intensity of the cardiac chamber portion changes from a higher value to a lower value than the signal/echo intensity of the myocardial portion or at another time point with reference to the time point.

Abstract: Motion information of a tissue at a plurality of positions in a subject to be examined which is obtained by transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is acquired. This information includes, for example, a quantitative value associated with the strain of the tissue in the subject or a quantitative value associated with a displacement in the subject. A predetermined motion timing of the subject is calculated on the basis of the motion information of the tissue. A first image for indicating the motion timings of the tissue at a plurality of positions in the subject is generated.

Abstract: Based on medical image data acquired in each time phase included in a one-cycle interval, first tracking part tracks the position of a first region of interest set in a first time phase in each time phase and tracks the position of a second region of interest set in a second time phase in each time phase. Based on position information of the first region of interest and the second region of interest in each time phase, position correction part obtains position information of a region of interest in each time phase so that it passes through the position of the first region of interest in the first time phase and the position of the second region of interest in the second time phase. Motion-information calculator obtains motion information of a tissue based on the obtained position information.

Abstract: In the case where a tracking process of a moving tissue performing a contraction movement and an expansion movement and represented by a cardiac wall is performed for one heartbeat from the ED1 to the ED2, a contour position (tracking point) initially set at the ES (End-Systole) is tracked until ED1 in accordance with movement information, the tracking point is rearranged and a position of a middle layer is set at the ED (End-Diastole), the rearranged tracking point including the position of the middle layer is tracked in accordance with the movement information already obtained, and then the tracking point is further tracked in the normal direction until the ED2.

Abstract: Position coordinate information of each point three-dimensionally forming a tissue corresponding to a diagnosis target at each time phase is obtained, a quantitative value for evaluating the movement of the tissue corresponding to the diagnosis target is calculated by using the position information, and the result is output in a predetermined form. Accordingly, since the quantitative value for evaluating the movement is calculated by using the three-dimensional position coordinate information without converting wall movement information obtained by a three-dimensional tracking process into two-dimensional information, it is possible to provide medical information with a higher degree of precision.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and method wherein both imaging of a contrast effect and imaging of a tissue appearance before and after inflow of a contrast medium can be realized on condition that low-power transmission and a high frame rate are maintained. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a transmission/reception unit for transmitting subject ultrasonic waves with a band substantially centered at a fundamental frequency and generating a received signal based on an ultrasonic echo from the subject, a harmonic unit for extracting a signal of a harmonic component of the fundamental frequency included in the received signal and extracting a signal of the fundamental component with the band substantially centered the fundamental frequency included in the received signal, and a display unit for generating a display image based on the extracted harmonic and fundamental components.

Abstract: When a two-dimensional tomogram is to be displayed, motion information associated with a direction orthogonal to the tomogram is colored and mapped on the tomogram to be visualized by using the volume data of a TSI image. For example, a mapping image is generated by color-mapping shortening information at each point on a cardiac tissue on a short axis view by using the volume data of the TSI image. Superimposing and displaying the mapping image on the original short axis view makes it possible to simultaneously observe the shortening information even while a short axis view is obtained and observed.

Abstract: A motion function of a biological tissue is efficiently evaluated on the basis of image data collected from different medical image diagnostic apparatuses. In terms of a common analysis algorithm applied to subject's time-series image data supplied from a separate medical image diagnostic apparatus, a setting part sets a plurality of interest points on a myocardial tissue of a reference image data extracted from the image data, and a tracking process part measures a motion parameter on the basis of displacement information of the myocardial tissue at the interest points obtained by a tracking process between the reference image data and subsequent image data thereof. Meanwhile, a data creating unit creates parameter image data showing two-dimension distribution of the motion parameter or parameter time-series data showing a variation in time of the motion parameter as parameter data on the basis of the measurement result, and displays the parameter data.