Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and medical image diagnosis apparatus

1. An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, comprising:

an ultrasound probe configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves to and from a subject, the ultrasound probe including a first sensor;

a reference position member arranged on the ultrasound probe;

processing circuitry configured to

acquire position information of the first sensor and of a second sensor located in a position having a predetermined positional relationship to a puncture needle,

determine position information of the reference position member based on the acquired position information of the first sensor and a distance between the first sensor and the reference position member, and

determine a needle length indicating a length of the puncture needle, based on the position information of the reference position member and the second sensor at a time when a tip of the puncture needle is in contact with the reference position member; and

a display to display information to guide a puncture by the puncture needle based on the determined needle length.

2. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the reference position member is a sensitive element configured to react to the tip of the puncture needle when the tip approaches within a predetermined distance, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to acquire the needle length information in response to a reaction of the sensitive element to the tip of the puncture needle.

3. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a reference signal to a three-dimensional space, wherein

the first sensor is arranged on a support of the ultrasound probe,

the second sensor is arranged on the puncture needle,

the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to receive the reference signal from the transmitter,

the processing circuitry is further configured to calculate the length from the second sensor to the tip of the puncture needle as the needle length, based on three-dimensional spatial position information of the first sensor and the second sensor in response to the reaction of the sensitive element, and

the display further displays a medical image including a navigation image for navigating the puncture, based on the calculated needle length.

4. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sensitive element is a conductor, through which a current flows from the puncture needle when in contact with the puncture needle.

5. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sensitive element is a pressure-sensitive sensor configured to detect a contact with the puncture needle.

6. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sensitive element is a proximity sensor or a camera configured to detect an approach of the puncture needle.

7. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the second sensor is located at a first position of the puncture needle,

the ultrasound probe is provided with a second position and a third position, the third position having a predetermined positional relationship with the second position, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to

measure three-dimensional coordinates of the first position, three-dimensional coordinates of the second position, and a tilt angle of the ultrasound probe, when the tip of the puncture needle is located at the third position, and

obtain the needle length corresponding to a distance from the first position to the tip of the puncture needle, based on the measured three-dimensional coordinates of the first and second positions and the predetermined positional relationship, and display guide information for guiding the puncture needle.

8. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

obtain three-dimensional coordinates of the third position based on the three-dimensional coordinates of the second position and the tilt angle of the ultrasound probe with reference to the predetermined positional relationship, and

determine the needle length based on the three-dimensional coordinates of the first position and the three-dimensional coordinates of the third position.

9. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the tip of the puncture needle is located at the third position when brought in contact with the third position.

10. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 8 , wherein

the third position includes a plurality of third positions,

the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus further comprises a memory to store a corresponding relationship between each of the third positions and a tilt angle of the puncture needle in advance, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to

measure the tilt angle of the puncture needle when the tip of the puncture needle is aligned in the third position, and

detect one of the third positions in which the tip of the puncture needle is aligned based on the tilt angle of the puncture needle with reference to the corresponding relationship, and refer to a predetermined positional relationship between the second position and the one of the third positions to obtain the three-dimensional coordinates of the third position.

11. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 7 , wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to

measure a tilt of the puncture needle after obtaining the needle length,

obtain a position of the tip of the puncture needle based on the needle length and the tilt of the puncture needle,

generate the guide information based on the position of the tip of the puncture needle, and

match coordinates of the guide information with coordinates at which a medical image captured by scanning a target site of the subject and the puncture needle inserted in the target site is displayed, and

the display further displays the guide information superimposed on the medical image.

12. A medical image diagnosis apparatus, comprising:

an imager configured to capture a medical image by scanning a target site of a subject, the imager including a first sensor;

a reference position member arranged on the imager;

processing circuitry configured to

acquire position information of the first sensor and of a second sensor located in a position having a predetermined positional relationship to a puncture needle, and

acquire position information of the reference position member based on the acquired position information of the first sensor and a distance between the first sensor and the reference position member, and

determine a needle length indicating a length of the puncture needle, based on the position information of the reference position member and the second sensor, at a time when a tip of the puncture needle is in contact with the reference position member; and

a display to display information to guide a puncture by the puncture needle based on the acquired needle length.