Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus control method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is configured to execute an imaging mode of alternately executing a continuous wave Doppler mode of acquiring time-series Doppler data by performing continuous wave transmission/reception with respect to an object and a B mode of acquiring tomogram data represented by luminance by transmitting and receiving a pulse wave to and from the object, the apparatus includes a data acquisition unit configured to acquire continuous wave Doppler data and the tomogram data by alternately executing the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode while switching the modes, and a display unit configured to simultaneously display Doppler spectrum information generated based on the continuous wave Doppler data and a tomogram generated based on the tomogram data.

1 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which is configured to execute an imaging mode of alternately executing a continuous wave Doppler mode of acquiring time-series Doppler data by performing continuous wave transmission/reception with respect to an object and a B mode of acquiring tomogram data represented by luminance by transmitting and receiving a pulse wave to and from the object, the apparatus comprising:
 a data acquisition unit configured to acquire continuous wave Doppler data and the tomogram data by alternately executing the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode while switching the modes; and   a display unit configured to simultaneously display Doppler spectrum information generated based on the continuous wave Doppler data and a tomogram generated based on the tomogram data.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a calculation unit configured to calculate a transient response component generated due to switching between the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode;   a subtraction unit configured to subtract the calculated transient response component from the continuous wave Doppler data; and   a generation unit configured to generate the Doppler spectrum information by using the continuous wave Doppler data from which the transient response component is subtracted.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit identifies a system by a parametric model using a biological signal of the object as an external input, and estimates Doppler data lost due to switching between the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode by using the identified system, and
 interpolates the continuous wave Doppler data by using the estimated Doppler data.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the calculation unit estimates the lost Doppler data by multiplying a predicted spectrum from temporal past of the lost Doppler data and a predicted spectrum from temporal future of the lost Doppler data by a temporally changing weighting function and adding the spectra. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the temporally changing weighting function is a cosine function. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates a transient response component generated at a preceding stage portion relative to a wall filter of the data acquisition unit. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates a transient response component generated in a wall filter and frequency analysis unit of the data acquisition unit. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the transient response component from a spectrum having a power dimension by executing positive-negative symmetric post filter processing, and
 the subtraction unit subtracts the transmission component after the post filter processing from the continuous wave Doppler data having a power dimension.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the transient response component as a time axis waveform by changing a magnitude of the transient response component based on a preset step response waveform table, and
 the subtraction unit subtracts the transient response component as the time axis waveform from the continuous wave Doppler data of the time axis waveform.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the transient response component by using an output from an A/D converter of the data acquisition unit. 
     
     
         11 . A control method for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which is configured to execute an imaging mode of alternately executing a continuous wave Doppler mode of acquiring time-series Doppler data by performing continuous wave transmission/reception with respect to an object and a B mode of acquiring tomogram data represented by luminance by transmitting and receiving a pulse wave to and from the object, the method comprising:
 acquiring continuous wave Doppler data and the tomogram data by alternately executing the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode while switching the modes; and   simultaneously displaying Doppler spectrum information generated based on the continuous wave Doppler data and a tomogram generated based on the tomogram data.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 calculating a transient response component generated due to switching between the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode;   subtracting the calculated transient response component from the continuous wave Doppler data; and   generating the Doppler spectrum information by using the continuous wave Doppler data from which the transient response component is subtracted.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein calculating comprises identifying a system by a parametric model using a biological signal of the object as an external input, and estimating Doppler data lost due to switching between the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode by using the identified system, and
 interpolating the continuous wave Doppler data by using the estimated Doppler data.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein calculating comprises estimating the lost Doppler data by multiplying a predicted spectrum from temporal past of the lost Doppler data and a predicted spectrum from temporal future of the lost Doppler data by a temporally changing weighting function and adding the spectra. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the temporally changing weighting function is a cosine function. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein calculating comprises calculating a transient response component generated at a preceding stage portion relative to a wall filter of a data acquisition unit. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein calculating comprises calculating a transient response component generated in a wall filter and frequency analysis unit of the data acquisition unit. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein calculating comprises calculating the transient response component from a spectrum having a power dimension by executing positive-negative symmetric post filter processing, and
 subtracting comprises subtracting the transmission component after the post filter processing from the continuous wave Doppler data having a power dimension.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein calculating comprises calculating the transient response component as a time axis waveform by changing a magnitude of the transient response component based on a preset step response waveform table, and
 subtracting comprises subtracting the transient response component as the time axis waveform from the continuous wave Doppler data of the time axis waveform.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein calculating comprises calculating the transient response component by using an output from an A/D converter of a data acquisition unit.