Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and catheter tip part detection method

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:

plural ultrasonic transducers arrayed two-dimensionally for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object;

a catheter signal detection unit configured to acquire a reception signal of a frequency modulated continuous wave from reception signals from at least three of said plural ultrasonic transducers, the frequency modulated continuous wave being transmitted from a catheter inserted in the object;

a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the catheter based on the acquired reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave;

a transmission-and-reception unit configured to transmit and receive pulse ultrasonic waves through said plural ultrasonic transducers, the pulse ultrasonic waves each having a frequency band different from that of the frequency modulated continuous wave;

a signal separation unit configured to separate a first component resulting from the frequency modulated continuous wave from a second component resulting from the pulse ultrasonic waves, the first and second components being included in reception signals obtained by said transmission-and-reception unit; and

an ultrasonic image generation unit configured to generate an ultrasonic image using the second component obtained by said signal separation unit.

2. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said position detection unit is configured to measure a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave to detect the position of the catheter based on the obtained beat frequency.

3. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said catheter signal detection unit is configured to acquire the first component obtained by said signal separation unit as the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave.

4. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a transducer group selection unit configured to select at least three ultrasonic transducers from said plural ultrasonic transducers, the three ultrasonic transducers being for acquiring the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave.

5. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a transducer group selection unit configured to select plural transducer groups each having at least three ultrasonic transducers from said plural ultrasonic transducers, the three ultrasonic transducers being for acquiring the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave,

wherein said position detection unit is configured to measure a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave, calculate respective distances between the catheter and the three ultrasonic transducers of each of the plural transducer groups based on the obtained beat frequency, and perform average processing to positions of the catheter respectively obtained for the plural transducer groups based on the calculated respective distances.

6. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a transducer group selection unit configured to select at least three discrete ultrasonic transducers from said plural ultrasonic transducers, the three ultrasonic transducers being for acquiring the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave.

7. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein said transmission-and-reception unit is configured to transmit and receive the pulse ultrasonic waves having a center frequency higher than that of the frequency modulated continuous wave.

8. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein said transmission-and-reception unit is configured to transmit and receive the pulse ultrasonic waves so as to make a center frequency of the frequency modulated continuous wave outside a signal band of the pulse ultrasonic waves.

9. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said catheter signal detection unit is configured to acquire the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave from reception signals from plural transducer groups each having at least three ultrasonic transducers, and

said position detection unit includes:

a beat frequency measuring unit configured to measure a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave;

a distance calculation unit configured to calculate respective distances between the catheter and the three ultrasonic transducers of each of the plural transducer groups based on the beat frequency measured by said beat frequency measuring unit;

a first position calculation unit configured to calculate respective positions of the catheter corresponding to the plural transducer groups based on the respective distances; and

a second position calculation unit configured to calculate a relative position of the catheter to an ultrasonic probe having said plural ultrasonic transducers by average processing to the respective positions of the catheter corresponding to the plural transducer groups.

10. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said position detection unit is configured to measure a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave by zero cross count to detect the position of the catheter based on the obtained beat frequency.

11. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said catheter signal detection unit is configured to acquire reception signals of frequency modulated continuous waves respectively transmitted from plural ultrasonic transducers provided with the catheter.

12. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said catheter signal detection unit is configured to acquire reception signals of frequency modulated continuous waves respectively transmitted from plural ultrasonic transducers provided with the catheter, and

said position detection unit is configured to detect the position of the catheter based on the reception signals of the frequency modulated continuous waves.

13. A catheter tip part detection method comprising:

acquiring a reception signal of a frequency modulated continuous wave from reception signals from at least three of two-dimensionally arrayed plural ultrasonic transducers, the frequency modulated continuous wave being transmitted from a catheter inserted in an object;

detecting a position of the catheter based on the acquired reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave;

transmitting and receiving pulse ultrasonic waves through the plural ultrasonic transducers, the pulse ultrasonic waves each having a frequency band different from that of the frequency modulated continuous wave;

separating a first component resulting from the frequency modulated continuous wave from a second component resulting from the pulse ultrasonic waves, the first and second components being included in reception signals obtained by the plural ultrasonic transducers; and

generating an ultrasonic image using the separated second component.

14. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 ,

wherein a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave is measured to detect the position of the catheter.

15. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 ,

wherein the separated first component is acquired as the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave.

16. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 , further comprising:

selecting at least three ultrasonic transducers from the plural ultrasonic transducers, the three ultrasonic transducers being for acquiring the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave.

17. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 , further comprising:

selecting plural transducer groups each having at least three ultrasonic transducers from the plural ultrasonic transducers, the three ultrasonic transducers being for acquiring the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave,

wherein a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave is measured, respective distances between the catheter and the three ultrasonic transducers of each of the plural transducer groups are calculated based on the obtained beat frequency, and average processing is performed to positions of the catheter respectively obtained for the plural transducer groups based on the calculated respective distances.

18. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 , further comprising:

selecting at least three discrete ultrasonic transducers from the plural ultrasonic transducers, the three ultrasonic transducers being for acquiring the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave.

19. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 15 ,

wherein the pulse ultrasonic waves having a center frequency higher than that of the frequency modulated continuous wave are transmitted and received.

20. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 15 ,

wherein the pulse ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received so as to make a center frequency of the frequency modulated continuous wave outside a signal band of the pulse ultrasonic waves.

21. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 ,

wherein the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave is acquired from reception signals from plural transducer groups each having at least three ultrasonic transducers, and

detecting the position of the catheter includes:

measuring a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave;

calculating respective distances between the catheter and the three ultrasonic transducers of each of the plural transducer groups based on the measured beat frequency;

calculating respective positions of the catheter corresponding to the plural transducer groups based on the respective distances; and

calculating a relative position of the catheter to an ultrasonic probe having the plural ultrasonic transducers by average processing to the respective positions of the catheter corresponding to the plural transducer groups.

22. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 ,

wherein a beat frequency of the reception signal of the frequency modulated continuous wave is measured by zero cross count to detect the position of the catheter.

23. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 ,

wherein reception signals of frequency modulated continuous waves respectively transmitted from plural ultrasonic transducers provided with the catheter are acquired.

24. A catheter tip part detection method of claim 13 ,

wherein reception signals of frequency modulated continuous waves respectively transmitted from plural ultrasonic transducers provided with the catheter are acquired, and

the position of the catheter is detected based on the reception signals of the frequency modulated continuous waves.