Patent ID: 7604597

Claim:
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for obtaining volume data made of voxel values for voxels forming a three-dimensional space by transmitting and receiving ultrasound to and from the three-dimensional space containing a target tissue and for applying a data process with respect to the volume data, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an isolated group extractor for extracting a plurality of isolated groups corresponding to the target tissues in the volume data; a specific isolated group extractor for extracting an isolated group having a maximum volume from among the plurality of isolated groups as a specific isolated group in the volume data; a basis axis setter for setting a basis axis in the specific isolated group based on a shape of the specific isolated group included in the plurality of isolated groups in the volume data; a reference cross section setter for setting a plurality of reference cross sections each having a different rotational angle from each other, with the basis axis as an axis of rotation, in the volume data; a basis cross section selector for selecting a basis cross section from among the plurality of reference cross sections based on a size of a cross sectional area of the target tissue in each of the reference cross sections set in the volume data; a cross sectional image former for forming a cross sectional image of the target tissue based on the volume data, the cross sectional image corresponding to one of the plurality of reference cross sections set with the basis cross section as a reference and the basis cross section; and a means for displaying said cross sectional image.