Patent ID: 8265358

Claim:
An ultrasonic image processing apparatus comprising: a contour detector configured to receive ultrasonic image data acquired for each time phase by scanning a subject with ultrasonic waves, and detect a contour of a specific tissue based on the ultrasonic image data acquired in a predetermined time phase; a contour tracking part configured to obtain a position of each of points composing the detected contour in the ultrasonic image data acquired for the each time phase, by pattern matching for the each time phase; a computing part configured to obtain motion information indicating a motion state of the specific tissue in the each time phase, based on the position of each of the points composing the contour in the each time phase; a display controller configured to control a display to display an ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic image data acquired in the each time phase, for the each time phase, and moreover control the display to display the motion information in the each time phase obtained by the computing part, on each occasion of the each time phase; a setting part configured to set a timing of correction and to periodically output the set timing; and a correcting part configured to obtain a new contour of a tissue to become a tracking object for the contour tracking part, in response to the periodical timing output by the setting part, wherein the contour tracking part obtains a position of each of points composing the new contour of the tissue in the each time phase, by pattern matching for the each time phase.