Ultrasonic image processing apparatus and method for processing ultrasonic image
View Patent ↗Obtains the position of each of points composing the contour of a specific tissue shown in ultrasonic image data having been acquired at each time phase by pattern matching for each time phase. Obtains motion information of each of parts composing the specific tissue based on the position of each of the points composing the contour. For each time phase, obtain the differential value of the motion information of each of the parts by differentiating the motion information of each of the parts by time, and normalizes the differential value of the motion information. Assigns a color corresponding to the magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information to each of the parts displays an ultrasonic image at each time phase and furthermore display each of the parts of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image of each time phase in the assign color.
1. An ultrasonic image processing apparatus, comprising:
a contour tracking part configured to receive ultrasonic image data acquired at each time phase by scanning a subject with ultrasonic waves, further receive designation of a contour of a specific tissue shown in an ultrasonic image based on ultrasonic image data acquired at an arbitrary time phase, and obtain a position of each of points composing the contour of the specific tissue in the ultrasonic image data acquired at the each time phase by pattern matching at each time phase based on the ultrasonic image data acquired at the each time phase;
a computing part configured to obtain motion information of each of parts composing the specific tissue at each time phase based on the position of each of the points composing the contour, obtain a differential value of the motion information of each of the parts at each time phase by differentiating the motion information of each of the parts with respect to time, divide the differential value of the motion information at each of the parts by a maximum value of an absolute value of the motion information at each of the parts to obtain a normalized differential value of the motion information at each of the parts at each time phase, and assign a color corresponding to a magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information to each of the parts; and
a display controller configured to control a display device to display an ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic image data acquired at the each time phase, and further control to display each of the parts of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image of the each time phase in a color assigned to each of the parts.
2. The ultrasonic image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the computing part compares the maximum value of the absolute value of the motion information at each of the parts with a preset threshold value, assigns a color corresponding to the magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information to a location where the maximum value is equal to or more than the threshold value, and assigns a specific color different from the color corresponding to the magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information to a location where the maximum value is less than the threshold value; and
the display controller controls to display each of the parts of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image in the color assigned to each of the parts in accordance with color assignment by the computing part.
3. The ultrasonic image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a marker generator configured to generate a marker indicating the contour of the specific tissue of the each time phase obtained by the contour tracking part, wherein:
the display controller controls the display device to display the ultrasonic image of the each time phase, and further controls the display device to display the marker of the each time phase in a superimposed state on the position of the contour of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image.
4. The ultrasonic image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the computing part obtains a strain of each of the parts composing the specific tissue at each time phase as the motion information based on the position of each of the points composing the contour, obtains a strain rate indicating a temporal change rate of the strain at each of the parts at each time phase by differentiating the strain of each of the parts with respect to time, divides the strain rate at each of the parts by a maximum value of an absolute value of the strain at each of the parts to obtain a normalized strain rate at each of the parts at each time phase, and assigns a color corresponding to a magnitude of the normalized strain rate to each of the parts.
5. A method for processing an ultrasonic image, comprising:
acquiring ultrasonic image data acquired at each time phase by scanning a subject with ultrasonic waves;
receiving designation of a contour of a specific tissue shown in an ultrasonic image based on ultrasonic image data acquired at an arbitrary time phase, and obtaining a position of each of points composing the contour of the specific tissue in the ultrasonic image data acquired at the each time phase by pattern matching at each time phase based on the ultrasonic image data acquired at the each time phase;
obtaining motion information of each of parts composing the specific tissue at each time phase based on the position of each of the points composing the contour;
obtaining a differential value of the motion information of each of the parts at each time phase by differentiating the motion information of each of the parts with respect to time;
dividing the differential value of the motion information at each of the parts by a maximum value of an absolute value of the motion information at each of the parts to obtain a normalized differential value of the motion information at each of the parts at each time phase;
assigning a color corresponding to a magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information to each of the parts;
displaying an ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic image data acquired at the each time phase; and
displaying each of the parts of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image of the each time phase in a color assigned to each of the parts.
6. The method for processing an ultrasonic image according to claim 5 , wherein:
in the color assignment, the maximum value of the absolute value of the motion information at each of the parts is compared with a preset threshold value, a color corresponding to the magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information is assigned to a location where the maximum value is equal to or more than the threshold value, and a specific color different from the color corresponding to the magnitude of the normalized differential value of the motion information is assigned to a location where the maximum value is less than the threshold value; and
each of the parts of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image is displayed in the color assigned to each of the parts in accordance with the color assignment.
7. The method for processing an ultrasonic image according to claim 5 , wherein:
a marker indicating the contour of the specific tissue of the each time phase is generated; and
the ultrasonic image of the each time phase is displayed, and further the marker of the each time phase is displayed in a superimposed state on the position of the contour of the specific tissue shown in the ultrasonic image.