Patent ID: 8157741
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An image diagnostic system comprising: a probe positionable in a body cavity and configured to repeatedly transmit signals into the body cavity and receive reflected signals which are reflected by biotissue surrounding the body cavity; a rotational scanning unit connected to the probe and configured to rotate the probe to perform a rotational scan; an axial-moving unit connected to the probe to axially move the probe; and a control unit configured to produce data based on the reflected signals to construct a tomographic image of the body cavity and surrounding biotissue, the control unit comprising: a detection unit configured to detect an axial direction of movement of the probe; a rotational scan controller connected to the rotational scanning unit and configured to control the rotational scanning unit to rotate the probe at a rotational speed; the rotational scan controller controlling the rotational scanning unit to change the rotational speed of the probe upon an output from the detection unit; a determination unit configured to determine whether or not the rotational speed of the probe is to be changed upon detection of a movement of the probe toward a distal direction by the detection unit; and the determination unit making a determination to reduce the rotational speed of the probe when the detection unit detects movement of the probe toward the distal direction within the body cavity at a time when the rotational speed of the probe is higher than a predetermined value.