Ultrasonic imaging apparatus and three-dimensional image display method using ultrasonic image

1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus, comprising:

an ultrasonic probe including a plurality of transducers arrayed in one direction;

an ultrasonic transmission/reception circuit configured to transmit/receive ultrasonic signals to/from an object to be examined via the ultrasonic probe;

an image constructor configured to construct an ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image of the object using the received ultrasonic signals;

a display configured to display the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image;

an inputter configured to receive an input from an operator;

an image memory configured to store the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image constructed by the image constructor;

a controller configured to control the image constructor and the display, the controller including:

a 3-dimensional image constructor configured to construct a 3-dimensional image using a plurality of ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic images obtained when the ultrasonic probe is moved in a direction orthogonal to the ultrasonic tomographic two-dimensional image;

wherein the inputter includes:

a switch configured to switch a line-of-sight direction of the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image displayed on the display,

an ultrasonic probe moving direction setter configured to set the ultrasonic probe moving direction of either a first direction from a front toward a back side of the display for the operator, or a second direction toward the front side of the display for the operator, after the operator confirms that the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image, displayed on the display, is in a desired direction for the operator;

wherein an order in which the plurality of ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic images stored in an image memory is a construction order of the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image constructed by the image constructor, and

wherein the 3-dimensional image constructer is further configured to change a reading order of the plurality of ultrasonic tomographic images from the image memory in accordance with the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe which is set by the ultrasonic probe moving direction setter in order that the 3-dimensional image displayed by the display, is displayed in a direction consistent with the direction of the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image displayed by the display.

2. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to causes the 3-dimensional image constructed in the 3-dimensional image constructor displayed on the display, and controls the direction of the 3-dimensional image to be displayed in accordance with a set moving direction of the ultrasonic probe.

3. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inputter is further configured to input the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe as the ultrasonic probe moving direction setter.

4. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

constructs the 3-dimensional image by storing in a 3-dimensional image space the plurality of tomographic images that are obtained along with the movement of the ultrasonic probe in a time-series sequence when the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe is the same as the line-of-sight direction with respect to the screen of the display, and

constructs the 3-dimensional image by storing in the 3-dimensional image space the plurality of tomographic images that are obtained along with the movement of the ultrasonic probe in an opposite order from the time-series sequence when the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe is opposite from the line-of-sight direction with respect to the screen of the display.

5. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light-of-sight direction is a direction for viewing a scan plane which is the ultrasonic 2-dimensional tomographic images either from an adverse side or from a back side.

6. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image displayed on the display, is in a desired direction for the operator, the desired direction comprising the beam scan surface viewed from the operator's side, is displayed on the display.

7. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the three dimensional image is displayed in a direction consistent with the direction of the ultrasonic two-dimensional tomographic image displayed by the display, and the ultrasonic two dimensional tomographic images are consistently arranged from the front of the line-of-sight direction toward the back in 3-dimensional image spaces that are constructed in the 3-dimensional image constructor.

8. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an image storage configured to store orientation images to be displayed on the display;

wherein the image storage includes a moving direction mark image that indicates the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe as an orientation image; and

wherein the controller is further configured to cause the moving direction mark image displayed along with the ultrasonic tomographic image which is displayed on the screen of the display.

9. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a positional sensor configured to detect positional information of the ultrasonic probe in a real space, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the position and orientation of the ultrasonic probe and the set ultrasonic probe moving direction displayed on the orientation image showing an examination target, based on the positional information from the positional sensor.

10. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause a movement mark indicating a range and/or the direction that the ultrasonic probe moved displayed on the orientation image, based on the positional information from the position sensor.

11. A 3-dimensional image display method, using an ultrasonic image, comprising:

transmitting/receiving ultrasonic signals to/from an object to be examined via an ultrasonic probe;

constructing an ultrasonic tomographic image of the object using the received ultrasonic signals;

displaying the ultrasonic image;

constructing a 3-dimensional image using a plurality of ultrasonic tomographic images obtained when the ultrasonic probe is moved in a direction orthogonal to the ultrasonic tomographic image;

setting the ultrasonic probe moving direction of either a first direction, on a basis of the tomographic image displayed on a screen, which is orthogonal to the tomographic image, or a second direction which is opposite from the first direction; and

controlling an arrangement order of the plurality of ultrasonic tomographic images in the constructed 3-dimensional image, in accordance with the set ultrasonic probe moving direction.

12. The 3-dimensional image display method of claim 11 , further comprising displaying the constructed 3-dimensional image and controlling the direction of the displayed 3-dimensional image in accordance with the set ultrasonic probe moving direction.

13. The 3-dimensional image display method of claim 11 , further comprising inputting the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe.

14. The 3-dimensional image display method of claim 11 , further comprising:

constructing a 3-dimensional image by storing in a 3-dimensional image space the plurality of ultrasonic tomographic images obtained along with the movement of the ultrasonic probe in a time-series sequence when the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe is same as a line-of-sight direction with respect to the screen of a display; and

constructing a 3-dimensional image by storing in the 3-dimensional image space the plurality of ultrasonic tomographic images obtained along with the movement of the ultrasonic probe in a reverse order of the time-series sequence when the moving direction is opposite to the line-of-sight direction with respect to the screen.

15. The 3-dimensional image display method of claim 11 , further comprising:

storing a moving direction mark image which indicates the moving direction of the ultrasonic probe as an orientation image; and

displaying the orientation image along with the ultrasonic image.

16. The 3-dimensional image display method of claim 15 , further comprising:

detecting positional information of the ultrasonic probe in a real space; and

displaying position and orientation of the ultrasonic probe and the set moving direction of the ultrasonic probe on the orientation image showing an examination object, on the basis of the positional information.

17. The 3-dimensional image display method of claim 16 , further comprising displaying on the orientation image a movement mark indicating a range and/or the direction that the ultrasonic probe moved, on the basis of the positional information.