Abstract: Provided herein is a phantom capable of mimicking both a dense breast and a fatty breast. A phantom for ultrasound measurement includes: a first member that mimics an object of interest for measurement; and a second member having provided therein the first member. The second member has the property to decrease its sound speed with a temperature increase brought by external temperature control. The sound speed of the second member at a predetermined temperature is equal to the sound speed of a third member surrounding the second member. The first member and the second member are immiscible with each other.

Abstract: A sinogram is corrected in a form that can use a straight-ray type reconstruction method while considering trajectory of refracted waves. Specifically, based on the sequentially estimated path information of the virtual waves, an arrival time difference sinogram is corrected by a difference or a ratio between “shortest arrival time of wave” and “arrival time of the wave through the shortest path” to each detection element.

Abstract: Information relevant to a state of a tissue in a subject (state information) is provided with technology reducing the amount of memory and computation necessary at the time of extracting the information. An ultrasonic wave is transmitted towards a subject, a transmission wave transmitted through the subject or a reflection wave reflected on the subject is received. A reception signal is generated on the basis of the transmission wave or the reflection wave. A tissue region candidate, of a region indicating a tissue of the subject, is set on the basis of the reception signal. State information, which is information relevant to a state of the tissue in the tissue region candidate, is calculated on the basis of the reception signal and the tissue region candidate. An ultrasonic image reflecting the state information is generated on the basis of the state information and displayed.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a clear transmitted wave image of a boundary of tissues is generated in a short time. An ultrasonic imaging device of the present invention includes a transducer array in which a plurality of transducers transmitting and receiving an ultrasound wave are arrayed; a transmission unit which delivers an electric signal to at least one of the plurality of transducers, such that the delivered electric signal is converted into an ultrasound wave, and transmits the ultrasound wave to a target; a reception unit which receives a received signal that is an electric signal output by each of the plurality of transducers having received a reflected wave and a transmitted wave of the ultrasound wave of the target; and an image generation unit which individually generates a reflected wave image of a cross section of the target using a received signal of the reflected wave and a transmitted wave image of the cross section of the target using a received signal of the transmitted wave.

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: A change of X-ray radiation quality due to a material existing between an X-ray source and a detection element is estimated and corrected. Accordingly, deterioration of material discrimination ability in a dual energy imaging method can be prevented. An X-ray imaging apparatus is provided with an inherent filtration calculator configured to use measured data obtained by imaging air at two or more types of different tube voltages to calculate a deviation from a reference radiation quality, as a transmission length (inherent filtration) of a predetermined reference material. A reference-material transmission-length conversion is applied to the measured data according to the dual energy imaging method, thereby calculating the reference material transmission length (inherent filtration). When a subject is imaged, the dual energy imaging is performed by adding the inherent filtration calculated as to each detection element, and this produces an image with the change of radiation quality having been corrected.

Abstract: An error in a physical property value due to refraction of an ultrasonic wave is reduced, and thus the physical property value is calculated with high accuracy. A transducer of a transducer array transmits an ultrasonic beam to a subject placed in a predetermined imaging space, the transducer receives a transmission of the ultrasonic beam transmitted through the subject, and an image generating unit generates a transmission image based on the reception signal. The controller includes a focal length adjusting unit that adjusts a length between a focal position of the ultrasonic beam and the center of an imaging space to adjust a divergence angle of the ultrasonic beam.

Abstract: There is provided an ultrasonic signal processing apparatus in which the amount of an ultrasonic propagation material in a measurement unit that stores a transducer array is reduced while the transducer array and a target are separated from each other, and thus maintenance of the ultrasonic propagation material is easily managed. The ultrasonic signal processing apparatus includes a water tank having an opening portion, a measurement unit, and a moving unit. The measurement unit which is disposed on an outside of the water tank, includes a transducer array that transmits and receives an ultrasonic signal, and a space which is filled with a material for propagating the ultrasonic signal, and measures the ultrasonic signal. The moving unit is connected to the measurement unit, and moves the measurement unit between the opening portion and the bottom portion of the water tank, along a side wall thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a technique in an X-ray imaging apparatus for implementing data interpolation approximating an ideal point response trajectory interpolation, along with reducing calculation load. A method is provided to perform interpolation at high speed, in a direction along the point response trajectory. Sinograms are interpolated in advance from measured data, as to representative angles (e.g., 0°, ±30°, ±60°, and 90°) only. When a pixel targeted for back projection is determined at the time of reconstruction, a slope of the point response trajectory is determined as to each view. According to the slope of the trajectory, each representative sinogram is added with weight, whereby interpolation data in association with any angle can be obtained.

Abstract: Noise of a CT image is reduced with good accuracy by using noise information obtained from the CT image. An X-ray CT apparatus comprises a successive approximate reconstruction part that reconstructs a CT image for a reconstruction area of an imaging object from measured projection data obtained by an X-ray detection part of the X-ray CT apparatus, and successively corrects the CT image so that calculated projection data obtained by forward projection of the CT image performed by calculation and the measured projection data detected by the X-ray detection part become equal to each other. The successive approximate reconstruction part comprises a noise measurement part that calculates noise intensity in the CT image at least for a predetermined region of interest, and successively corrects the CT image of the region of interest by using the calculated noise intensity.

Abstract: The present invention is capable of distinguishing four types or more of substances such as air, water (soft tissues), contrast medium, and bones (calcification) to diagnose progress of atherosclerotic sites using dual energy imaging. A subject is imaged with two types of different tube voltages and an image obtained by image reconstruction is binarized to carry out a reprojection process; thereby, the distance of penetration of air is estimated, the contribution of air in measurement projection data is determined, and the amount of reduction by the air is deducted from the projection data so as to enable distinction between four or more substances such as air, water (soft tissues), contrast medium, and bones (calcification).

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to reduce statistical errors in material decomposition images. In order to achieve this purpose, the present invention is characterized by having: a scatter plot generation unit (414) that generates a scatter plot in which the axes represent the concentrations of base materials used in base material decomposition and pixels of a material decomposition image output as a result of the base material decomposition are plotted against the corresponding concentrations of the base materials of the base material decomposition; an angle processing unit (415) that rotates the scatter plot to minimize the statistical errors of plot points plotted thereon; and a pixel conversion unit (416) that converts the pixels of the material decomposition image on the basis of the pixels in the scatter plot where the statistical errors are minimized by the error minimization unit.

Abstract: The present invention prevents aliasing of the X-ray detector from lowering the spatial resolution and enhances the precision of measurement in an X-ray CT device. This has the effect of making it possible to measure finer structures, such as blood vessels, and enhance the diagnostic capability, without having to increase the subject's exposure in, for example, medical CT.

Abstract: An X-ray CT device which improves resolution in a peripheral region distant from a rotation center. According to an FFS method of moving an X-ray focal point, a gap width of projection positions on an X-ray detector of a first X-ray trajectory from the X-ray focal point of a first view and a second X-ray trajectory from the X-ray focal point of a second view is obtained. A position of the X-ray focal point of the first and second views is set so that a gap width 15 of the projection positions on the X-ray detector of the first X-ray trajectory and the second X-ray trajectory which pass through a point within a predetermined first region close to the X-ray focal point from the rotation center is closer to (N?½) times (N=any one of 1, 2, 3, . . . ) of a width of a channel of the X-ray detector.

Abstract: Provided is a technique in an X-ray imaging apparatus for implementing data interpolation approximating an ideal point response trajectory interpolation, along with reducing calculation load. A method is provided to perform interpolation at high speed, in a direction along the point response trajectory. Sinograms are interpolated in advance from measured data, as to representative angles (e.g., 0°, ±30°, ±60°, and 90°) only. When a pixel targeted for back projection is determined at the time of reconstruction, a slope of the point response trajectory is determined as to each view. According to the slope of the trajectory, each representative sinogram is added with weight, whereby interpolation data in association with any angle can be obtained.

Abstract: Difference of resolution depending on imaging position in one reconstructed image generated in the FFS method is reduced to improve measurement accuracy. The X-ray CT device interpolates missing data of the projection data obtained by the FFS method with view direction interpolation processing using real data of the projection data lining up along the angular direction of the rotational movement, and channel direction interpolation processing using real data of the projection data lining up along the channel direction, and generates a reconstructed image, in which contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing differ according to position of pixel in the reconstructed image.

Abstract: An X-ray CT apparatus includes: an X-ray generating unit configured to generate an X ray; an X-ray detecting unit including a plurality of X-ray detectors, each configured to detect the X ray generated from the X-ray generating unit and transmitted through an object; and an image generating unit configured to correct and reconstruct signals acquired by the X-ray detecting unit. While crosstalk correction of a plurality of the X-ray detectors is performed at the image generating unit, correction of a locally attenuating component is previously performed and correction of a whole component of the crosstalk is performed when the image is reconstructed.

Abstract: A change of X-ray radiation quality due to a material existing between an X-ray source and a detection element is estimated and corrected. Accordingly, deterioration of material discrimination ability in a dual energy imaging method can be prevented. An X-ray imaging apparatus is provided with an inherent filtration calculator configured to use measured data obtained by imaging air at two or more types of different tube voltages to calculate a deviation from a reference radiation quality, as a transmission length (inherent filtration) of a predetermined reference material. A reference-material transmission-length conversion is applied to the measured data according to the dual energy imaging method, thereby calculating the reference material transmission length (inherent filtration). When a subject is imaged, the dual energy imaging is performed by adding the inherent filtration calculated as to each detection element, and this produces an image with the change of radiation quality having been corrected.

Abstract: In order to suppress reduction in sensitivity when acquiring high-resolution data, an X-ray CT device is provided with an X-ray source that irradiates a patient with X-rays, and an X-ray detector that detects the X-rays. The X-ray detector includes a plurality of detection elements (scintillators and photodiodes) arrayed in a first direction, and a plurality of separators that separate the detection elements arrayed in the first direction respectively from each other. The separators each have a first-direction width which is a width in the first direction, first-direction widths of some separators each arrayed every predetermined number of separators being different from first-direction widths of the other separators.

Abstract: Noise of a CT image is reduced with good accuracy by using noise information obtained from the CT image. An X-ray CT apparatus comprises a successive approximate reconstruction part that reconstructs a CT image for a reconstruction area of an imaging object from measured projection data obtained by an X-ray detection part of the X-ray CT apparatus, and successively corrects the CT image so that calculated projection data obtained by forward projection of the CT image performed by calculation and the measured projection data detected by the X-ray detection part become equal to each other. The successive approximate reconstruction part comprises a noise measurement part that calculates noise intensity in the CT image at least for a predetermined region of interest, and successively corrects the CT image of the region of interest by using the calculated noise intensity.