Patent ID: 7455640

Claim:
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising: ultrasonic wave transmission/reception means that transmits/receives an ultrasonic wave with respect to a subject; a tomographic image processing part that forms a tomographic image representing a structure of the subject based on a reception signal; a tissue characteristic image processing part that forms a tissue characteristic image representing a physical characteristic of a tissue of the subject through analysis of the reception signal of plural frames including at least one contraction and/or expansion period of the tissue; memory means that stores the tomographic image and the tissue characteristic image, respectively; an image composing part that combines at least the tomographic image and the tissue characteristic image; display means that displays at least the tomographic image and the tissue characteristic image; and control means for controlling an operation of the ultrasonic wave transmission/reception means, the tomographic image processing part, the tissue characteristic image processing part, the memory means, the image composing part and the display means, wherein during an operation of the ultrasonic wave transmission/reception means, the control means is configured to allow the tomographic image to be renewed in an arbitrary cycle, displayed by the display means, and stored in the memory means, while allowing the tissue characteristic image to be renewed in a cycle different from the cycle for the tomographic image and corresponding to at least one contraction and/or expansion period of the tissue, allowing the tissue characteristic image obtained for a period at least one cycle before to be displayed by the display means, and allowing the tissue characteristic image to be stored in the memory means, and during a suspension of the ultrasonic wave transmission/reception means, the control means is configured to allow an arbitrary one of the tissue characteristic images that have been acquired previously and one of the tomographic images that is in synchronization with the tissue characteristic image to be read out from the memory means, respectively and displayed by the display means.