Fujitsu Corporation

Miyuki Iizuka

Akira Shiba

Isamu Yamada

Takaki Shimura

An ROI (region of interest) is drawn according to common and shape variables. The common variables are common to ROIs irrespectively of the shape thereof. Expressions defining relations between the common and shape variables are determined and stored for each ROI in advance. When an instruction is issued to replace a first ROI with a second ROI having a different shape, shape variables for the second ROI are calculated from the common variables of the first ROI according to the expressions, and the second ROI defined by the calculated shape variables is displayed.

Method of and apparatus for replacing region of interest

An ultrasonic diagnostic system incorporates therein a technique of extracting an outline of the tissue within the subject. The ultrasonic diagnostic system is functionally capable of objectively extracting the outline of the tissue without a manual work, or with only a simple manual work. A gradient on each point of a tomographic image is evaluated, a scalar quantity representative of the magnitude of the gradient is evaluated, a maximal point of the scalar quantity is evaluated, and the outline of the tissue is extracted on the basis of the maximal point thus evaluated. When the outline is extracted, an arithmetic effective domain is determined beforehand so that the outline is extracted only within the determined arithmetic effective domain. Further, a movement of the subject, which extends through a plurality of frames, is detected to vary the outline on the basis of the movement detected.

Ultrasonic diagnostic system

There is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic system wherein received signals are generated in such a manner that ultrasonic pulse beams are transmitted within a subject and reflecting ultrasonic waves from an inside of the subject are received, and a tomographic image is obtained on the basis of the received signals. The ultrasonic diagnostic system is capable of detecting a velocity or a velocity gradient as to the tissue within the subject. Two digital complex signals [R.sub.i (t)+j I.sub.i (t)] and [R.sub.i (t+.DELTA..tau.)+j I.sub.i (t+.DELTA..tau.)], which are apart from each other by .DELTA..tau., are obtained from a complex signal (quadrature detection signal) [h.sub.ci (t)+j h.sub.si (t)] outputted from a complex signal conversion circuit. A phase difference .DELTA..theta..sub.i,i+1 (t) is determined from a complex correlation value C.sub.i,i (t,.DELTA..tau.) of these two complex signals. Further, the phase difference .DELTA..theta..sub.i,i+1 (t) is determined from a complex correlation value C.sub.i,i+1 (t) of signal-to-signal during repetition of transmission of ultrasonic pulse beams. Using these phase differences, time difference .DELTA. t corresponding to a movement quantity within the subject is calculated on the basis of equation:

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic echographic diagnostic apparatus which is capable of displaying the characteristics and properties of tissue, such as the maximum displacement of tissue, the hardness of tissue, the velocity of propagation of vibrations through tissue, and the magnitude and direction of movement of tissue, in various display modes. The apparatus is capable of detecting and displaying the displacement of tissue caused by heartbeat or external pressure in a real-time mode by calculating the minute displacement of tissue or the differential of the same, calculating a temporal local maximum of the minute displacement varying with time, time corresponding to the temporal local maximum, the gradient of the time and the absolute magnitude of the gradient, and displaying the results of the calculations. In another aspect of the invention, the apparatus specifies a desired point or points and a desired direction or directions in a tomogram, determines calculating data passing a desired point and extending along a desired direction, for a plurality of tomograms obtained at different times, respectively, by interpolating the data signals, determines the displacement of the desired point in the desired direction or the rate of change of the displacement on the basis of the calculating data, and displays the information calculated on the basis of the displacement or the rate of change of the displacement.

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Kawasaki, Japan

Miyuki Iizuka