Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and elasticity image display method

Abstract

Disclosed is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus provided with: an ultrasonic probe which transmits/receives ultrasonic waves to/from an object while being in contact with the object; a transmission/reception unit which, in a process in which pressing force applied to the object by the ultrasonic probe is changed and the tomographic position at which the ultrasonic waves are transmitted/received to/from the object is moved in a short axis direction, periodically transmits/receives the ultrasonic waves to/from the object, performs reception processing on a reflection echo signal from the object, and measures RF signal frame data at the tomographic position; a displacement measurement unit which, on the basis of two pieces of RF signal frame data, between which the difference in measurement time falls within a set range, selected from among multiple pieces of RF signal frame data sequentially measured by the transmission/reception unit, finds the displacement of a living tissue at the tomographic position and sequentially generates displacement frame data; an elasticity information calculation unit which on the basis of the displacement frame data sequentially generated by the displacement measurement unit, finds elasticity information relating to the living tissue at the tomographic position, and sequentially generates elasticity frame data; and an elasticity image construction unit which on the basis of the elasticity frame data sequentially generated by the elasticity information calculation unit, sequentially constructs elasticity images.