Information processing apparatus, ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and information processing method

Abstract

An ultrasonic imaging support apparatus for supporting imaging performed by an ultrasonic probe that acquires an ultrasonic image of a subject includes a specification unit configured to specify a position inside the subject in a three dimensional image, an identification unit configured to identify a position on a body surface of the subject based on the specified position, and a display control unit configured to display a position where the ultrasonic image acquired by the ultrasonic probe is captured and the identified position on a display unit.

1 . An ultrasonic imaging support apparatus for supporting imaging performed by an ultrasonic probe that acquires an ultrasonic image of a subject, the ultrasonic imaging support apparatus comprising:
 a specification unit configured to specify a position inside the subject in a three dimensional image;   an identification unit configured to identify a position on a body surface of the subject based on the specified position; and   a display control unit configured to display a position where the ultrasonic image acquired by the ultrasonic probe is captured and the identified position on a display unit.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a decision unit configured to decide a direction in which the ultrasonic probe needs to be moved along the body surface to change the position where the ultrasonic probe captures the image to the identified position based on the difference between the position, measured by a measurement unit, where the ultrasonic probe captures the image and the identified position on the body surface, wherein
 the display control unit displays the decided direction along with the position where the ultrasonic probe captures the image and the identified position on the body surface.   
     
     
         3 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the decision unit acquires information about a predetermined area of a subject stored with the information associated with at least any of a captured portion or patient information to decide a direction in which the ultrasonic probe needs to be moved to detour the predetermined area. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the identification unit further identifies a orientation of the ultrasonic probe so that the specified position falls within an area where the ultrasonic probe captures an image, and
 the decision unit decides a direction in which the ultrasonic probe needs to be moved to change the orientation of the ultrasonic probe to the identified orientation.   
     
     
         5 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether the distance between the measured position where the ultrasonic probe captures the image and the identified position on the body surface becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined distance, wherein
 the display control unit displays a direction in which the ultrasonic probe is moved to change the orientation according to the results of the determination.   
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the display control unit displays a direction in which the ultrasonic probe is moved along the body surface and sequentially displays the ultrasonic image of the subject captured in a predetermined frame rate by the ultrasonic probe. 
     
     
         7 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification unit acquires information about a predetermined area of a subject stored with the information associated with at least any of a captured portion or patient information and identifies the position on the body surface so that the position on the body surface of the subject identified by the identification unit is not included in the predetermined area. 
     
     
         8 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein one of the captured portions is a breast and the predetermined area corresponding to the breast is an area based on a nipple. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification unit identifies a position on the body surface based on the specified position and the position or the orientation of the ultrasonic probe measured by the measurement unit. 
     
     
         10 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the identification unit identifies a target contact-position between the ultrasonic probe and the body surface such that the specified position falls within the imaging range of the ultrasonic probe with the measured orientation of the ultrasonic probe kept maintained. 
     
     
         11 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification unit selects and identifies the position on the body surface of the subject from a plurality of candidate positions based on the specified position and the state of the ultrasonic probe. 
     
     
         12 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification unit acquires a plurality of candidate positions on the body surface corresponding to the specified position and identifies the position nearest to the position of the ultrasonic probe out of the candidate positions as the position of the body surface to be displayed. 
     
     
         13 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the identification unit identifies the position where a distance to the specified position is smaller than a threshold out of a plurality of positions on the body surface where the specified position is substantially in the normal direction of the body surface as a candidate position of position of the body surface to be displayed by the display unit. 
     
     
         14 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the identification unit decides a direction from the identified position to the specified position based on the relationship between the specified position and the identified position, and
 the display control unit displays the position where the ultrasonic probe captures the image, the identified position, and the decided direction.   
     
     
         15 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display control unit superimposes the position where the ultrasonic image is captured and the identified position of the body surface of the subject on at least any of the body mark image of a subject or an image acquired by capturing a subject, and display the positions. 
     
     
         16 . The ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising an acquisition unit configured to acquire either a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image or a computed tomography (CT) image of the subject as an image acquired by capturing the subject. 
     
     
         17 . An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
 the ultrasonic imaging support apparatus according to  claim 1 ;   the ultrasonic probe;   a measurement unit configured to measure a position and an orientation of the ultrasonic probe; and   the display unit.   
     
     
         18 . An information processing method for supporting imaging performed by an ultrasonic probe which acquires an ultrasonic image of a subject, the information processing method comprising:
 specifying a position inside the subject;   identifying the position on a body surface of the subject based on the position inside the subject; and   displaying a position where the ultrasonic image acquired by the ultrasonic probe is captured and the identified position on a display unit.