Patent ID: 8641626

Claim:
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which obtains a diagnostic image by scanning with an ultrasonic wave on a predetermined scan plane of a subject to whom contrast agent bubbles have been given, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe configured to be brought into contact with the subject; a transmitting and receiving section which transmits and receives, via the ultrasonic probe, on the predetermined scan plane, a first ultrasonic wave having a first sound pressure that does not substantially destroy the contrast agent bubbles and that is used for obtaining a bloodstream circulating image, and which transmits, via the ultrasonic probe, to a first area on the predetermined scan plane, a second ultrasonic wave having a second sound pressure that destroys the contrast agent bubbles; a doppler scanner configured to execute a doppler scan; a control section which controls the transmitting and receiving section to execute the transmission of the second ultrasonic wave to the first area a first plurality of times for a first period to destroy the contrast agent bubbles in the first area, stop the transmission of the second ultrasonic wave for a second period no longer than the first period to cause the contrast agent bubbles to flow into a second area downstream of the first area, execute the transmission of the second ultrasonic wave to only the first area a second plurality of times for a third period after the second period to form a blob bubble in the second area, execute the transmission of the first ultrasonic wave to the predetermined scan plane after the third period, and change a period in which the transmission of the second ultrasonic wave is stopped according to a measured doppler velocity from the doppler scan; an image generating section which generates first images on the basis of a plurality of received signals obtained by the transmission and reception of the first ultrasonic wave, the first images being images in which the blob bubble is visualized; and a display section which displays the first images.