Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Makoto Yamakawa

Tsuyoshi Shiina

Kenichi Nagae

Katsuya Oikawa

Kengo Kondo

Viscoelastic characteristics in a subject are imaged by a simple method. A viscoelasticity measurement reference layer whose elastic modulus and viscosity coefficient are known is included between an ultrasonic wave transmitting/receiving probe and the subject and distributions of elastic modulus and viscosity coefficient inside the subject are calculated from a change over time of strain generated in the viscoelasticity measurement reference layer and the subject according to a pressure applied to the subject which changes over time and known elastic modulus and viscosity coefficient of the viscoelasticity measurement reference layer.

Subject information acquisition apparatus

To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasonic diagnostic method capable of conducting ultrasonic diagnosis using acoustic radiation pressure, without causing an increase in the temperature of an ultrasound-exposed portion. A push pulse transmitter outputs a coded pressurization pulse signal. A track pulse transmitter outputs a measurement pulse signal for measurement. An ultrasound probe outputs an ultrasonic wave for generating a shear wave in a target object on the basis of the pressurization pulse signal, and an ultrasonic wave for measurement on the basis of the measurement pulse signal. An echo receiver receives an echo of the ultrasonic wave for measurement, and outputs an electric signal. An elastic modulus estimator decodes the electric signal output by the echo receiver, and estimates an elastic modulus of the target object on the basis of the decoded signal.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic diagnostic method

The present invention relates to formation of an image indicating viscoelastic characteristics in a specimen by a simple method. Stepwise pressurization in which, after pressure is instantaneously increased to a certain pressure value, the certain pressure value is kept for a certain time period is performed to measure the variation with time of strain distribution in the specimen and to calculate a stress from strain distribution at a saturation measurement time when the effect of the viscosity of a viscoelasticity measurement reference layer is saturated, thereby evaluating the modulus of elasticity and the coefficient of viscosity of a body tissue.

Specimen information acquisition apparatus

Disclosed is an apparatus that transmits an elastic wave to an object and receives a reflected wave, this apparatus including: a transmitting and receiving unit having elements for converting an elastic wave to an electric signal, and being arranged at least in one direction; an element controlling unit that inputs an electric signal to the element and causes the element to transmit an elastic wave; and a detecting unit that detects a reflected wave to be received by the element, wherein the electric signal to be inputted to the element is an encoded pulse signal encoded among the elements, and the detecting unit decodes the reflected wave and executes at different time points aperture synthesis processing of synthesizing the decoded reflected wave with respect to the intersections of two axes at different time points.

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Kyoto, Japan

Makoto Yamakawa