Patent ID: 8128567

Claim:
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising: an image obtaining unit configured to irradiate an imaging region in a subject into which a contrast agent is injected with an ultrasonic wave, and to obtain tomographic image information that draws the imaging region; an input unit configured to input scan parameter value information which is set in said image obtaining unit and a target sound pressure parameter value of a sound pressure parameter as an index of an estimated sound pressure in the subject; an estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value calculating device configured to calculate, at the time of performing the irradiation, an estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value in the subject based on the scan parameter value information and maximum drive voltage information of a piezoelectric transducer group configured to generate the ultrasonic wave, wherein the maximum drive voltage information includes a first maximum drive voltage value at which the estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value exceeds the target sound pressure parameter value and a second maximum drive voltage value smaller than the first maximum drive voltage value; and a maximum drive voltage optimization device configured to compare, each time the scan parameter value information is changed, the estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value and the target sound pressure parameter value with each other and to optimize a maximum drive voltage value of the maximum drive voltage information, wherein said maximum drive voltage optimization device comprises a voltage value repetitive setting device configured to set, when a second estimated maximum sound pressure parameter value calculated by using the second maximum drive voltage value exceeds the target sound pressure parameter value, the second maximum drive voltage value to the first maximum drive voltage value, and to set a value of half of the second maximum drive voltage value to the second maximum drive voltage value.