JP2004223095A - Ultrasonic diagnostic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate the setting of a sample gate when an ultrasonic wave image of the inside of the cranium is obtained. <P>SOLUTION: The subject device transmits an ultrasonic wave into the inside of the cranium from an ultrasonic search unit 16 located on the side of the cranium 10, and receives a reflected wave from the other side of the cranial bone 14. The distance (r) to the point is calculated by a distance calculation section 30. In a sample gate setting section 32, the depth of the sample gate G is set to the value equivalent to about a half of this distance (r). In addition, the direction θ of the sample gate is also set in the direction declined to the front side of the cranium from the center line C of the ultrasonic vibrator (search unit) 16. In this manner, the initial position of the sample gate G can be set to the point adjacent to the cranial artery 18, a little ahead of the center of the cranium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus that transmits and receives ultrasound to and from a living body, particularly to the skull, and acquires ultrasound information.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The blood flow in the intracranial artery is observed by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and the diagnosis is performed using this. Generally, in observation of blood flow, a pulse wave Doppler mode (hereinafter, referred to as PW mode) and a blood flow image mode (hereinafter, referred to as CFM mode) are used. The PW mode is a mode in which a change in blood flow over time at a predetermined depth (distance from an ultrasonic probe) of one ultrasonic beam can be observed. This observation position is called a sample gate. ing. The CFM mode can represent a blood flow in a predetermined tomographic plane at a certain point in time, and can be displayed by being superimposed on a B-mode tomographic image. In this mode, the scanning range of the ultrasonic probe is reduced in order to secure a frame rate. The observation range of the CFM mode is called a flow region.
[0003]
In the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the initial position of the sample gate in the PW mode and the flow region in the CFM mode when the mode is set is the center, and the same applies to the observation of the intracranial artery. A general technique for examining blood flow in an intracranial artery using an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is described in, for example, Non-Patent Document 1 below.
[0004]
[Non-patent document 1]
Edited by the editorial committee of the Japanese Society for Brain and Nerve Ultrasonography, “Transcranial Ultrasound Diagnostic TCD Manual”, First Edition, Chugai Medical Co., Ltd., June 10, 1996 [0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The region to be observed when the intracranial artery is observed is a portion slightly in front of the center of the head, that is, a portion in the back of the eyebrow. The incident position of the ultrasonic wave is also the thin part of the temple skull. As described above, since the position where the ultrasonic wave is incident, that is, the position where the ultrasonic probe is brought into contact and the region to be observed are limited, the sample gate and the flow region are also limited. However, the position of the observation target area viewed from the ultrasonic probe differs depending on the physical characteristics of the diagnosis target. However, in the conventional device, the position of the sample gate and the flow region at the time of observation is determined based on the device side, that is, the azimuth and depth with respect to the ultrasonic probe, and the characteristics of the diagnosis target are Was not taken into account.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to set a sample gate and a flow region set at the beginning of observation close to a region to be actually observed.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention, when performing observation by contacting the ultrasonic probe to the temporal region, based on the ultrasonic information reflected on the skull of the temporal region opposite the contacted side, the distance to this skull Calculate and set the sample gate based on this distance.
[0008]
Further, when performing another observation, for example, when the observation is performed by subsequently contacting the ultrasonic probe to the opposite temporal region, the position (depth) of the sample gate calculated on the one side is determined. It may be stored and initially set a sample gate at the stored depth.
[0009]
Further, the direction of the sample gate set at the beginning of the observation may be a direction inclined at a predetermined angle, preferably 30 °, forward of the head from the center direction of the scanning range of the ultrasonic probe. Further, the CFM mode flow region may be a range extending a predetermined angle to the left and right around the sample gate direction, preferably 30 ° to each of the left and right sides.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration block diagram of a human head 10 to be observed and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 12. The head 10 has a substantially horizontal cross section when the person stands, and the upper part in the figure is forward. The head 10 is almost entirely covered by a skull 14, but the skull of the so-called temple of the temporal region is relatively thin, and as described later, the ultrasonic probe 16 is brought into contact therewith. Transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from the inside of the head. There is an intracranial artery 18 such as the anterior cerebral artery and the middle cerebral artery slightly in front of the center of the head 10, that is, in the back of the eyebrows. Has been done.
[0011]
The ultrasonic probe 16 includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and a changeover switch for switching these ultrasonic transducers and connecting to the transmitting / receiving unit 20. The transmission / reception unit 20 drives the transducer of the ultrasonic probe 16, whereby the ultrasonic wave is transmitted from the probe 16 into the head. The ultrasonic probe 16 also receives a reflected wave of the transmitted ultrasonic wave reflected by a tissue or the like inside the head, and converts the reflected wave into an electric signal. This signal is sent to the transmission / reception unit 20. The signal received by the transmission / reception unit 20 is sent to the display processing unit 22, where processing for ultrasonic image formation is performed, and display is performed on the display unit 24 based on the processed image data. The operations of the transmission / reception unit 20 and the display processing unit 22 are controlled by the control unit 26.
[0012]
As described above, when observing the inside of the head 10, the position where ultrasonic waves are incident, that is, the position where the ultrasonic probe 16 abuts on the head, is limited to a thin portion of the skull. The region to be observed is a part slightly in front of the center of the head. Therefore, the relative positional relationship between the ultrasonic probe 16 abutted at a predetermined position for observation and the observation target position has a specific relationship. Specifically, the observation target position exists in a direction (azimuth θ) inclined about 30 ° forward of the head 10 from the center line C of the ultrasonic probe 16, and is located at a depth, that is, from the probe 16. Is almost the distance to the center of the head. In the present apparatus, the center line C indicates both the center line in terms of the shape of the probe and the center line of the scanning range of the ultrasonic wave. When these two center lines are different, the reference of the azimuth θ may take either center line.
[0013]
When the observation of the head is started, when the reflection position of the ultrasonic wave for acquiring the sample gate or the like in the PW mode is set as the initial value in accordance with the observation region, the position of the sample gate is changed in the subsequent observation. This is preferable because the number of operations is reduced. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 12 measures the distance r to the temporal region opposite to the side where the ultrasonic probe 16 is in contact, and obtains 1/3 of this value in order to obtain the distance to the center of the head. A distance of １ ／, more preferably ２, is calculated, and this is set as the depth of the sample gate G. In this process, the distance (depth) is calculated by the distance calculation unit 30 of the setting unit 28 based on the data processed by the display processing unit 22, and the sample gate position is set by the sample gate setting unit 32 based on the depth. Then, the control unit 26 controls the transmission / reception unit 20 based on the sample gate position. The setting of the flow region in the CFM mode is limited to a predetermined range around the azimuth θ. Preferably, the azimuth is set within a range of ± 30 °.
[0014]
When the observation of one head side is completed and the observation from the opposite side is performed, the setting of the sample gate G is performed by using the depth of the sample gate calculated based on the distance r to the skull on the opposite side. can do.
[0015]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of observing the blood flow of the head by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10. When the operator specifies from the operation unit of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 that head observation is to be performed (S100), the control unit 26 sets the transmission / reception unit 20 in a mode for obtaining an ultrasonic tomographic image (hereinafter, referred to as a B mode). And the display processing unit 22 is controlled (S102). The operator brings the ultrasonic probe 16 into contact with the subject's head, and further specifies the superimposed display (B + CFM) of the B mode display and the CFM mode display (S104). The designation of this display is a trigger for measuring the distance r to the skull on the side opposite to the side on which the ultrasonic probe 16 is in contact (S106). Further, when the two-screen display including the PW mode is designated (S108), the depth of the sample gate in the PW mode is calculated based on the measured distance r (S110). This depth can be, for example, の of the distance r. The value to be multiplied by the distance r should be set to a value smaller than 1/2 so as to be slightly closer to the probe than the center of the head. You can also.
[0016]
The position of the sample gate is set based on the calculated depth of the sample gate and the predetermined orientation θ (S112). The azimuth θ is a direction directed forward by a predetermined angle from the center line C of the ultrasonic probe 16 as described above. The forward determination becomes unnecessary by determining the side on which the ultrasonic probe 16 is first applied. In other words, if it is determined that the observation is to be started from the right side of the subject, the direction of the sample gate is the direction touched to the right from the center line C of the ultrasonic probe 16. The azimuth θ can be fixed at a predetermined value, for example, 30 °, but may be changeable by setting. Further, a flow area in the CFM mode is also set (S112). The flow region can be set to a predetermined range around the azimuth θ of the sample gate, for example, ± 30 °. This range is narrower than the entire scanning range of the ultrasonic transducer 16 to improve the CFM mode frame rate.
[0017]
By determining the position of the sample gate in this way, the sample gate position set at the beginning of the observation becomes the actual position of the observation target or its vicinity. From this position, the operator corrects the position of the sample gate to a desired position by manual operation using a pointing device such as a trackball on the operation panel. When the position of the sample gate is properly set, a freeze operation is performed (S116), measurement is performed (S118), and an ultrasonic image at that time is displayed on the display unit 24. Further, recording is performed on a predetermined recording medium (S118). The observation is terminated by an instruction to terminate the head observation from the operator (S120). When the end of the head observation is not instructed, the freeze is released by the operator's freeze release instruction (S122), and the process returns to the B-mode control (S124).
[0018]
The operator moves the part in contact with the ultrasonic probe 16 to the opposite temporal region, and, as in step S108, displays two screens in which the B mode and the CFM mode are superimposed and the PW mode is displayed. The display mode is instructed (S126). In accordance with this command, the flow shifts to step S112. At this time, the depth of the sample gate is set based on the distance r measured in step S106. That is, if the distance r is measured once, the distance need not be measured from the next time. By setting the direction of the sample gate to the direction (−θ) on the opposite side of the center line C of the ultrasonic probe from the above, the sample gate is directed slightly forward from the center of the head.
[0019]
When the distance r is to be measured again, the head observation may be temporarily terminated (S120), and the head observation may be designated again (S100). When the ultrasonic probe 16 is moved so as not to be turned upside down in observing the left and right temporal regions, the positive and negative of the azimuth θ are determined as described above. However, if the ultrasonic probe 16 is turned upside down in left and right observations, it is not necessary to reverse the direction θ. The operator can determine how to move the ultrasonic probe 16 from the right head to the left head, and can make settings in accordance with the determination.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
In observation of the inside of the head, setting of the sample gate position is simplified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a head to be observed and a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a chart showing a control flow in observing the inside of the head.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 head, 12 ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, 14 skull, 16 ultrasonic probe, 18 arteries, 20 transmitting / receiving section, 22 display processing section, 24 display section, 26 control section, 28 setting section, 30 distance calculating section, 32 Sample gate setting section.

Claims (4)

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that acquires ultrasonic information of a head,
An ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves,
Based on transmission / reception data of the ultrasonic probe abutted on the temporal region, a distance calculation unit that calculates the distance to the skull on the opposite side,
A sample gate setting unit that sets a sample gate based on the calculated distance,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the depth set by the sample gate setting unit is stored in the observation from one side of the head, and the initial depth is set in the other observation. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment to set the sample gate depth. 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction of the set sample gate is a direction inclined at a predetermined angle toward a frontal side from a center of a scanning range of the ultrasonic probe. 4. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment. 4. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a flow region, which is a region to be obtained with respect to a blood flow tomographic image, is a range extending a predetermined angle left and right with respect to the direction of the sample gate. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment.

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