ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS

Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is provided which easily recreates test conditions same as the past, comprising scanner, signal processor, display controller, storage, detector, collator, and controller. Scanner scans a subject with ultrasound waves through ultrasound probe. Storage previously stores first relevant information in which operation of the scanner, the signal processor, or the display controller in past test is related to a first relative position which is the relative position of ultrasound probe for the subject in the same past test. Detector detects a second relative position which is the present relative position of ultrasound probe for the subject. Collator collates the first relative position and the second relative position detected by the detector. Controller controls the scanner, the signal processor or the display controller based on the operation related to the first relative position, when the first relative position and the second relative position are matched in collation.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, it is described the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of the embodiments with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

Configuration

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the embodiment. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1comprises a scanner10, a signal processor11, a display controller12, a storage13, a detector14, a collator15, a controller16, a position index display17, a posture index display18, an informing unit150, a display2, and an operation unit3. The display2and the operation unit3are arranged either inside or outside of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1.

The scanner10scans a subject with ultrasound waves through an ultrasound probe100. For the ultrasound probe100, for example, a one-dimensional array probe in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers are arranged in a row in the scanning direction, or a two-dimensional array probe in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers are arranged two-dimensionally is used. A mechanical one-dimensional array probe in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers arranged in a row in the scanning direction is swung in the swinging direction orthogonal to the scanning direction may also be used. The ultrasound probe100transmits the ultrasound waves to the subject, and receives the reflected waves from the subject as echo signals.

The scanner10supplies electric signals to the ultrasound probe100, and causes the probe100to transmit beamformed (that is, transmission beamformed) ultrasound waves to a predetermined focus point. Further, the scanner10receives the echo signals the ultrasound probe100received. The scanner10implements delay processing on the echo signals to convert the analog echo signals into phased (that is, reception beamformed) digital data.

The scanner10comprises, for example, a not-shown preamplifier circuit, an A/D converter, a reception delay circuit, and an adder. For each reception channel, the preamplifier circuit amplifies the echo signals output from each of the ultrasound transducers of the ultrasound probe100. The A/D converter converts amplified echo signals into digital signals. The reception delay circuit gives delay time required for determining reception directivity to the echo signals which has been converted into the digital signals. The adder adds the echo signals to which the delay time has been given. The reflection component from the direction according to the reception directivity is emphasized by the addition.

The signal processor11implements signal processing on the signals from the scanner10. For example, the signal processor11comprises a B-mode processor. The B-mode processor receives the signals from the scanner10, and images the amplitude information of the signals. Specifically, the B-mode processor implements band pass filter processing on the signals, and then performs envelop detection of the signals to implements compression processing on the detected data by logarithmic conversion.

The signal processor11may comprise a CFM (Color Flow Mapping) processor. The CFM processor images blood flow information. The blood flow information includes information, such as velocity, distribution, and power, and is obtained as binarization information.

The signal processor11may comprise a Doppler processor. The Doppler processor performs phase detection on the signals to take out the Doppler shift frequency component therefrom, and implements FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) processing thereon to generate a Doppler frequency distribution representing the blood flow velocity.

The signal processor11generates ultrasound image data based on the signals which have been subjected to the signal processing (ultrasound raster data). The signal processor11, for example, comprises a DSC (Digital Scan Converter). The signal processor11converts the signals represented by a signal stream of the scanning line, on which the signal processing has been implemented, into image data represented by orthogonal coordinate system (scan conversion processing). For example, the signal processor11generates B-mode image data representing the tissue form of a subject P by implementing the scan conversion processing on the signals subjected to the signal processing by the B-mode processor. The signal processor11outputs the ultrasound image data to the display controller12. Further, the content of the signal processing performed by the signal processor may be designated by using predetermined analysis application software.

The display controller12causes the display2to display images based on the output from the signal processor11. That is, the display controller12receives the ultrasound image data from the signal processor11to cause the display2to display the ultrasound images based on the ultrasound image data. Further, the display controller12may display the signal processing result resulted by the signal processor11using predetermined analysis application software.

The storage13previously stores first relevant information in which operation content of at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12in a past test is related to a first relative position which is the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the same past test . The first relative position represents the position of the ultrasound probe100for the characteristic point of the subject P. The operation content includes scanning conditions for the ultrasound waves from the scanner10, signal processing conditions for the signal processor11, and display conditions for the images to be displayed by the display controller12. For example, the scanning conditions may include conditions, such as depth of focus, a parallel-simultaneous reception number, and the like. Further, the signal processing conditions may include signal processing conditions corresponding to operating modes, such as B-mode, Doppler mode, and the like. Furthermore, the display conditions may include contrast and brightness of the image, ON/OFF of a freezing display function of the image, and the like. In addition, the storage13may previously store the first relevant information including test item information representing test items in the operation conditions.

Further, the first relative position in the first relevant information previously stored in the storage13includes the relative positions of plural parts of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P. For example, in the ultrasound probe100, the first relative position includes the relative positions of three parts including the tip end part (a part of the ultrasound transducer side), the base end part (the opposite side of the tip end part), and the side face part (may be any arbitrary part distinguishable from the tip end part and the base end part) for the subject P, as one pair. That is, in the first relevant information, operational information is related to one pair of relative positions of the plural parts of the ultrasound probe100. The relative positions of the plural parts represent an angle of the ultrasound probe100. Further, the storage13may store the form of the ultrasound probe100.

The storage13may also previously store posture information representing the posture of the subject P in the past test. At this time, the storage13stores the relative positions of the other characteristic points for a predetermined point among a plurality of characteristic points (for example, characteristic points such as neck region, pectoral region, abdominal region, right shoulder, and left shoulder) of the subject P, as the posture information. Further, the posture information may include contour information representing the contours of the body surface of the subject P.

The storage13may also previously store second relevant information in which order information representing the moving order of the ultrasound probe in the past test is related to the first relative position . For example, in a test performed while the ultrasound probe100is moved, the storage13may relate a plurality of positions representing the moving process (positions to scan the subject) with the order thereof to store.

The detector14detects a second relative position which is the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the present test. For example, the detector14may detect the second relative position by detecting predetermined parts of the subject P and the ultrasound probe100using a magnetic sensor. The detector14may also detect the second relative position by detecting the positions of the subject P and the ultrasound probe100using an optical sensor and triangulation. Further, the detector14may detect the relative positions of plural parts of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P as the second relative position. The relative positions for the plural parts represent an angle of the ultrasound probe100. The detector14may also detect the posture of the subject P. The posture is a physical posture and form of the subject P. The detector14may relate part information and/or the detection conditions (such as sensor resolution) representing the detected predetermined parts of the subject P and the ultrasound probe100with the second relative position to output.

The collator15collates the first relative position represented in the first relevant information previously stored in the storage13and the second relative position detected by the detector14. At this time, the collator15receives the first relative position from the storage13, and the second relative position, as a comparable object, from the detector14. The collator15outputs a collation result whether the first relative position and the second relative position are matched or not by the collation. In the collation, the collator15outputs the collation result such that the first relative position and the second relative position are matched, when the second relative position exists within a predetermined range from the first relative position. The predetermined range is, for example, previously stored in the collator15as corresponding information in which the test items and the detection conditions for the detector14correspond to the predetermined range. Also, the operator may designate a desired range as the predetermined range. When the first relative position and the second relative position are not matched, that is, the second relative position does not exist within the predetermined range from the first relative position, the collator15may output the direction and/or the distance from the second relative position to the first relative position included in the collation result. The collator15may also collate the first relative positions and the second relative positions for the plural parts of the ultrasound probe100.

When the first relative position and the second relative position are matched in the collation by the collator15, the controller16controls at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12, based on the operation content related to the first relative position. That is, during the test, when the ultrasound probe100is positioned at the same relative position as the first relative position, the operation content (that is, the operation content in the past test) related to the first relative position is recreated by the controller16. For example, the controller16may recreate at least one of the scanning conditions (frequency, depth of focus) of the ultrasound waves from the scanner10, the signal processing conditions (B-mode, Doppler mode, and analysis conditions for the analysis application software) for the signal processor11, and the display conditions (contrast of images, and display conditions for the analysis result by the analysis application software) for the display controller12. Further, when the first relative position and the second relative position are not matched, the controller16controls each part in accordance with the predetermined operation content, such as the idling operation prior to test, for example.

The position index display17displays a position index representing the first relative position, based on the first relevant information previously stored in the storage13.FIG. 2is a schematic view illustrating a display example of a position index IP, and represents a scene that the operator visually recognizes the subject P through the position index display. The position index display17implements position alignment of the characteristic points of the subject P stored in the storage13and the characteristic points of the subject P detected by the detector14. The position index display17then displays the position index IP based on the position-aligned characteristic points and the first relevant information stored in the storage13.

Further, the position index display17may have a configuration such that the display17has a transparent medium, displays the position index IP on a part of the medium, and is wearable by the operator. At this time, the position index display17may be configured as in a form of an eyewear shape, for example.

Furthermore, the position index display17may display a plurality of position index IPs based on the first relevant information and the second relevant information.FIG. 3is a schematic view illustrating an example that a plurality of position index IPs are displayed. The plurality of position index IPs illustrated inFIG. 3are position index IPi (i=1 to n; n is a number of the position index IP displayed). The position index display17also displays one of the plurality of position index IPs in a display mode different from the others, for example. The position index IP in the different display mode may be configured to indicate a position at which the ultrasound probe100to be positioned at first among the plurality of position index IPs, for example. It may be configured that the display of the position index IP of which the ultrasound probe100is positioned among the plurality of position index IPs is sequentially terminated.

The posture index display18displays the posture index imitating the posture of the subject P in the past test, based on the posture information stored in the storage13. The posture index display18may also display characteristic points of the subject P during a test in response to the detection result from the detector14. Further, the posture index display18may have a configuration such that the display18has a transparent medium, displays the posture index on a part of the medium, and is wearable by the operator. The posture index display18may also be configured with the position index display17as a whole.

The informing unit150informs the collation result from the collator15. For example, as the result of the collation, when the first relative position and the second relative position are matched, the collator15informs the matching by, for example, beep sound, changing the color of the position index IP, or the like. When the first relative position and the second relative position are not matched, the collator15, for example, calculates the difference between the first relative position and the second relative position, and outputs the information representing the distance and/or direction from the second relative position to the first relative position.

The display2displays ultrasound images. The display2may be configured with a display device, such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), or the like. The display2does not necessarily need to be integrally arranged with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1, but may be configured such that the display2is controlled by the display controller12via a general interface, and displays ultrasound images.

In response to an operation by the operator, the operation unit3inputs the signals and the information according to the content of the operation to each part of the apparatus. The operation unit3may be configured with a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, and the like. Further, the operation unit3does not necessarily need to be integrally arranged with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1, but may be configured such that the operation unit3inputs the signals and the information to each part of the apparatus via a general interface.

Operation

It is described operation of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of the embodiment.FIG. 4is a flowchart representing the operation of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1.

The posture index display18displays the posture index imitating the posture of the subject P in the past test, based on the posture information stored in the storage13. The operator makes the posture of the subject P be matched with the posture index.

The position index display17displays the position index representing the first relative position, based on the first relevant information previously stored in the storage13.

The detector14detects the second relative position which is the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the present test.

The collator15collates the first relative position represented in the first relevant information with the second relative position detected by the detector14. At this time, the collator15receives the first relative position from the storage13, and receives the second relative position from the detector14. In the collation, the collator15outputs whether the first relative position and the second relative position are matched or not as the collation result.

As the result of the collation by the collator15, when the first relative position and the second relative position are not matched, the position index display17displays the direction and/or distance from the second relative position to the first relative position, in response to the collation result. The process is then returned to the process of step S03.

As the result of the collation by the collator15, when the first relative position and the second relative position are matched, the controller16controls at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12, based on the operation content related to the first relative position.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1performs a test based on the operation content.

When there is a need to perform a test by positioning the ultrasound probe100at the other positions, such as a case when the test is performed by sequentially positioning the ultrasound probe at a plurality of positions, the process is returned to the process of step S02. When there is no need to position the ultrasound probe100at the other positions to test, the test is terminated. As stated above, the operation illustrated inFIG. 4is completed.

It is described operation and effect of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of the embodiment.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the embodiment comprises the scanner10, the signal processor11, the display controller12, the storage13, the detector14, the collator15, and the controller16. The scanner10scans the subject P with the ultrasound waves through the ultrasound probe100. The signal processor11implements the signal processing on the signals from the scanner10. The display controller12causes the display2to display images based on the output from the signal processor11. The storage13previously stores the first relevant information in which the operation content of at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12in the past test is related to the first relative position which is the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the same past test. The detector14detects the second relative position which is the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the present test. The collator15collates the first relative position represented in the first relevant information and the second relative position detected by the detector. When the first relative position and the second relative position are matched in collation by the collator15, the controller16controls at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12, based on the operation content related to the first relative position. Further, the storage13may previously store the first relevant information including at least one of the scanning conditions of the ultrasound waves from the scanner10, the signal processing conditions for the signal processor11, and the display conditions of the images for the display controller12, as the operation content. Furthermore, in the first relevant information previously stored in the storage13, the first relative position may include the relative positions of the plural parts of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P, the detector14may detect the relative positions of the plural parts of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P as the second relative position, and the collator15may collate the first relative position and the second relative position for the plural parts of the ultrasound probe100. In this way, when the ultrasound probe100is positioned at the same position as the one in the past test, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1can recreate the operation content of the past test to test. It is thereby possible to provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can easily recreate the same test conditions as the one in the past.

Also, based on the first relevant information, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1may further comprise the position index display17which displays the position index IP representing the first relative position. Further, the position index display17may have a configuration such that the display17has a transparent medium, and displays the position index IP on a part of the medium, and is wearable by the operator. In this way, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1is configured such that the subject P, the ultrasound probe100, and the position index IP are visible during the test. It is therefore possible to provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can easily position the ultrasound probe100at the same position as the one in the past test.

Further, the storage13may previously store the second relevant information in which the order information representing the moving order of the ultrasound probe100in the past test is related to the first relative position, and the position index display17may display a plurality of position index IPs based on the first relevant information and the second relevant information. In this way, by displaying the plurality of the position index IPs, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1can represent the moving procedure of the ultrasound probe100even in a test performed during movement of the ultrasound probe100. Thereby, it is possible to provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can easily recreate the same test conditions as the one in the past, even in a test performed during movement the ultrasound probe100.

Furthermore, the storage13may previously store posture information representing the posture of the subject P in the past test, and further comprise a posture index display18representing the posture index imitating the posture of the subject P in the past test, based on the posture information. Also, the posture index display18may have a configuration such that the display18has a transparent medium, displays the posture index on a part of the medium, and is wearable by the operator. The posture information may also include the contour information representing the contours of the body surface of the subject P. In this way, the operator can easily recreate the posture of the subject P in the past test based on the posture index. Thereby, it is possible to provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can easily recreate the same posture of the subject P as the one in the past, and further easily recreate the same test conditions as the one in the past.

The informing unit150informs the collation result resulted from the collator. Thereby, the operator can easily recognize that the first relative position and the second relative position are matched. Further, when the first relative position and the second relative position are not matched, the operator can change the second relative position by referring to the information representing the distance and/or direction from the second relative position to the first relative position represented by the informing unit150. It is therefore possible to provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can easily recreate the same test conditions as the one in the past, and easily inform that the test conditions have been recreated.

Second Embodiment

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of a second embodiment is an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can test a subject whose somatotype (body shape) is different from the subject in the past test, based on the operation content corresponding to the past test.

Configuration

FIG. 5is a block diagram representing the configuration of an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the second embodiment. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the embodiment comprises the storage13, the detector14, the collator15, and the controller16, each forming the different configuration from the ones in the first embodiment. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the embodiment further comprises a relevant information creator19in addition to what the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprises in the first embodiment. The other configuration of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the embodiment is the same as the one in the first embodiment.

The storage13previously stores first somatotype information representing the somatotype of the subject P in the past test. The storage13, for example, stores a plurality of position information of characteristic points of the abdominal girth of the subject P in the past test. Also, the first somatotype information may include the contour information representing the contours of the body surface of the subject P in the past test.

The detector14detects second somatotype information representing the somatotype of the subject P. The detector14, for example, detects the plurality of position information of characteristic points of the abdominal girth of the subject P. The second somatotype information may also include the contour information representing the contours of the body surface of the subject P. The detector14may detects the positional information of the characteristic points using the same technique used in the first embodiment.

The collator15collates the first somatotype information with the second somatotype information. The collator15, for example, detects the characteristic points corresponding to the characteristic points represented in the first somatotype information from the second somatotype information, and calculates the positional difference (distance and direction) between the characteristic points represented in the first somatotype information and the detected characteristic points in the second somatotype information.

The relevant information creator19creates third relevant information in which a third relative position corresponding to the first relative position for the second somatotype information is related to the operation content, based on the collation result resulted from the collator15and the first relevant information. The relevant information creator19calculates the third relative position which should be related to the operation content represented in the first relevant information in the first embodiment, based on the difference calculated by the collator15and the first relative position. The relevant information creator19relates the calculated third relative position with the operation content represented in the first relevant information to create the third relevant information.

In the collation by the collator15, when the second relative position detected by the detector14and the third relative position are matched, the controller16controls at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12, based on the operation content related to the third relative position.

Effect

Effect of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the embodiment is described.

In the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1of the embodiment, the storage13previously stores the first somatotype information representing the somatotype of the subject P in the past test. The detector14detects the second somatotype information representing the somatotype of the subject P. The collator15collates the first somatotype information with the second somatotype information. The relevant information creator19creates the third relevant information in which the third relative position corresponding to the first relative position for the second somatotype information is related to the operation content, based on the collation result resulted from the collator15and the first relevant information. When the second relative position and the third relative position are matched in the collation by the collator15, the controller16controls at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12, based on the operation content related to the third relative position. In this way, even when testing the subject P whose somatotype is different from what he was like in the past test, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1can test the subject P according to the same operation content as the one in the past test. Thereby, even when testing the subject P whose somatotype is different from what he was like in the past test, it is possible to provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can easily and precisely recreate the same test conditions as the one in the past.

Third Embodiment

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of a third embodiment is an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can read out the operation content in the past tests from an external storage, and test according to the same operation content.

Configuration

FIG. 6is a block diagram representing the configuration of an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1a of the third embodiment. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus la of the embodiment reads out the relative position and the operation content in the past test from a storage13aexternally arranged in the apparatus. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1aand the storage13amay be connected through a general communication interface. Hereinafter, the descriptions of the same items as in the first embodiment may be omitted.

The storage13arelates the operation content of at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12in a past test to the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the past test to store in advance. The storage13amay also store the posture information representing the posture of the subject P in the past test. The past test includes the past test performed by the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1a,or the past test performed by an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus different from the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1a,or both of those.

The scanner10scans the subject P with ultrasound waves through the ultrasound probe100. The signal processor11implements the signal processing on the signals from the scanner10. The display controller12causes the display2to display images based on the output from the signal processor11. The detector14detects the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the present test.

The collator15collates the relative position detected by the detector14with the relative position in the past test. At this time, the collator15receives the relative position in the present test from the detector14, and reads out the relative position in the past test from the storage13a.In this collation, the collator15outputs whether the relative position in the present test is matched with the relative position in the past test or not as the collation result. Further, when the relative position in the present test and the relative position in the past test are matched, the collator15reads out the operation content related to the relative position in the past test from the storage13ato output the content to the controller16.

The controller16controls at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12, based on the operation content of the relative position in the past test, when the relative position detected by the detector14is matched with the relative position in the past test in the collation by the collator15. That is, during the test, when the ultrasound probe100is positioned at the same relative position as the one in the past test, the operation content related to the relative position (that is, the operation content in the past test) is recreated by the controller16.

Based on the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the past test previously stored in the storage13a,the position index display17displays the position index representing the relative position. The posture index display18displays the posture index imitating the posture of the subject P in the past test, based on the posture information stored in the storage13a.

Effect

Effect of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1aof the embodiment is described.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus1aof the present embodiment comprises the scanner10, the signal processor11, the display controller12, the detector14, the collator15, and the controller16. The scanner10scans the subject P with ultrasound waves through the ultrasound probe100. The signal processor11implements the signal processing on the output from the scanner10. The display controller12causes the display2to display images based on the output from the signal processor11. The detector14detects the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the present test. The collator15collates the relative position detected by the detector14with the relative position in the past test. In the collation by the collator15, when the relative position detected by the detector14is matched with the relative position in the past test, the controller16controls at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12, based on the operation content of the relative position in the past test. Further, the storage13ais externally arranged in the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus la, and relates the operation content of at least one of the scanner10, the signal processor11, and the display controller12in the past test with the relative position of the ultrasound probe100for the subject P in the same past test to store in advance. In this way, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus la can test by recreating the operation content of the past test, when the ultrasound probe100is positioned at the same position as the one in the past test. Thereby, it is possible to provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus which can easily recreate the same test conditions as in the past.

EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS