Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, positional information acquiring method, and computer program product

Abstract

The analysis image generating unit generates section images from volume analysis data that is collected by sending an ultrasound wave down to a region under the ribs. The right/left identifying unit identifies the right or left breast from cyclic motion components in the section images. The extending direction detecting unit analyzes plane-A images or plane-B images generated from the same volume analysis data, or a plane-C thickness-added MIP image, and detects the rib extending direction. The extending direction detecting unit also determines the position of the ultrasound probe based on the relative displacement of the extending direction. The body mark generating unit generates a body mark from the analysis results obtained by the right/left identifying unit and the extending direction detecting unit. The image synthesizing unit integrates the display image generated by the display image generating unit and the body mark, and displays it on the monitor.

1 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
 an ultrasound wave control unit that performs control in such a manner that a depth of an ultrasonic wave emitted from an ultrasound probe is set to a value deeper than an observation region of a subject;   an image generating unit that generates a plurality of ultrasonic images in chronological order based on a reflection wave of the ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasound probe in accordance with the control performed by the ultrasound wave control unit;   a positional information acquiring unit that acquires motion information from the ultrasonic images generated by the image generating unit in chronological order, identifies a left organ or a right organ that is being scanned by the ultrasound probe based on an intensity ratio of heartbeat-related motion components and respiration-related motion components in the motion information that is acquired, and acquires an identification result as positional information; and   a display control unit that performs control in such a manner than the positional information acquired by the positional information acquiring unit on a predetermined displaying unit.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display control unit performs the control in such a manner that the positional information acquired by the positional information acquiring unit is displayed on the predetermined displaying unit together with an ultrasonic image generated by the image generating unit based on a reflection wave in the observation region. 
     
     
         3 . A positional information acquiring method, including:
 performing control by an ultrasound wave control unit in such a manner that a depth of an ultrasound wave emitted by an ultrasound probe is set to a value deeper than an observation region of a subject;   generating ultrasonic images in chronological order by an image generating unit based on a reflection wave of the ultrasound wave emitted by the ultrasound probe in accordance with the control of the ultrasound wave control unit;   acquiring motion information from the ultrasonic images generated by the image generating unit in chronological order, identifying a left organ or a right organ that is being scanned by the ultrasound probe based on an intensity ratio of heartbeat-related motion components and respiration-related motion components in the motion information that is acquired, and acquiring an identification result as positional information by a positional information acquiring unit; and   performing control by a display control unit in such a manner that the positional information acquired by the positional information acquiring unit is displayed on a predetermined displaying unit.   
     
     
         4 . A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable recording medium including a plurality of computer executable instructions to execute image processing, wherein the instructions cause a computer to:
 performing control in such a manner that a depth of an ultrasound wave emitted by an ultrasound probe is set to a value deeper than an observation region of a subject;   generating a plurality of ultrasonic images in chronological order based on a reflection wave of the ultrasound wave emitted by the ultrasound probe;   acquiring motion information from the ultrasonic images generated in chronological order, identifying a left organ or a right organ that is being scanned by the ultrasound probe based on an intensity ratio of heartbeat-related motion components and respiration-related motion components in the motion information that is acquired, and acquiring an identification result as positional information; and   performing control in such a manner that the positional information that is acquired is displayed on a predetermined displaying unit.