ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND MEDICAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a present embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to extract a cardiac valve from three-dimensional images of frames generated by controlling an ultrasonic probe to perform transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves. The processing circuitry is configured to calculate, as a prolapse gap, a gap between valve leaflets of the cardiac valve in a three-dimensional image of a specific frame among the frames. The processing circuitry is configured to display the prolapse gap on a display.
1 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
extract a cardiac valve from three-dimensional images of frames generated by controlling an ultrasonic probe to perform transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves,
calculate, as a prolapse gap, a gap between valve leaflets of the cardiac valve in a three-dimensional image of a specific frame among the frames, and
display the prolapse gap on a display.
2 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to define a frame corresponding to an end-systole as the specific frame.
3 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to determine the end-systole based on an electrocardiogram signal.
4 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to
calculate prolapse gaps between the valve leaflets of the cardiac valve with respect to the three-dimensional images of the frames, and
determine, as the end-systole, a frame having a maximum prolapse gap among the prolapse gaps relating to the frames.
5 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to calculate, as the prolapse gap, one gap between the valve leaflets of the cardiac valve in the three-dimensional image of the specific frame.
6 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to
calculate gaps of gap positions each between the valve leaflets of the cardiac valve in the three-dimensional image of the specific frame, and
calculate, as the prolapse gap, a maximum prolapse gap among the gaps.
7 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to extract the cardiac valve in the three-dimensional image of the specific frame by tracking an edge of the cardiac valve.
8 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to
calculate, as prolapse gap elements, gaps each between the valve leaflets of the cardiac valve in the three-dimensional image of the specific frame, the gaps each relating to a heartbeat, and
collect the prolapse gap elements each relating to the heartbeat to calculate the prolapse gap.
9 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to adopt, as the prolapse gap relating to the heartbeats, a representative value of the prolapse gap elements.
10 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to adopt the representative value as a maximum value.
11 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to
calculate gaps each between the valve leaflets of the cardiac valve in the three-dimensional image of the specific frame, the gaps each relating to a heartbeat and a gap position,
average the gaps with respect to each gap position, and
adopt, as the prolapse gap, a representative value of the averaged gaps of the corresponding gap positions.
12 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to adopt the representative value as a maximum value.
13 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the cardiac valve is a mitral valve.
14 . A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
obtain three-dimensional images of frames from a storage unit,
extract a cardiac valve from the three-dimensional images of the frames,
calculate, as a prolapse gap, a gap between valve leaflets of the cardiac valve in a three-dimensional image of a specific frame among the frames, and
display the prolapse gap on a display.