Patent ID: 8038621

Claim:
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: plural ultrasonic transducers arrayed two-dimensionally for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object; a catheter signal detection unit configured to acquire a reception signal of a frequency modulated continuous wave from reception signals from at least three of said plural ultrasonic transducers, the frequency modulated continuous wave being transmitted from a catheter inserted in the object; a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the catheter based on the acquired reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave; a transmission-and-reception unit configured to transmit and receive pulse ultrasonic waves through said plural ultrasonic transducers, the pulse ultrasonic waves each having a frequency band different from that of the frequency modulated continuous wave; a signal separation unit configured to separate a first component resulting from the frequency modulated continuous wave from a second component resulting from the pulse ultrasonic waves, the first and second components being included in reception signals obtained by said transmission-and-reception unit; and an ultrasonic image generation unit configured to generate an ultrasonic image using the second component obtained by said signal separation unit.