Ultrasonic diagnosis device, program, and ultrasonic diagnosis method

Abstract

To provide an ultrasonic diagnosis device and the like which can print the required information even when a printable range on a display screen is limited.SOLUTION: An ultrasonic diagnosis device can display a report screen 200A having at least a first display region 210 and a second display region 250, and includes: an extraction part for extracting the information related to a patient selection part 260 related to a graph of a graph display part 240 displayed on the first display region 210 among the information displayed on the second display region 250; a generation part for generating a composite image in which legend information 242 corresponding to the subject selection part 260 extracted by the extraction part is added to the graph display part 240 of the first display region 210; and an output part for outputting the composite image generated by the generation part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a program, and an ultrasonic diagnostic method. [Background technology]

[0002] Ultrasound diagnostic equipment is equipped with a display unit for displaying ultrasound images obtained by scanning the subject. In recent years, general display devices have become larger, and accordingly, the display units installed in ultrasound diagnostic equipment have also become larger. The mainstream aspect ratio of display units has changed from 4:3 to 16:9.

[0003] On the other hand, roll paper or 4:3 paper is used for printing. Therefore, when the content displayed on a screen with an aspect ratio of 16:9 is printed on conventional 4:3 paper, the image may become small and visibility may be impaired. Therefore, when the aspect ratio of the display and the aspect ratio of the paper differ, it is necessary to devise a layout for the print area.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an ultrasound diagnostic device that allows the user to select whether to print the content displayed on a monitor screen on roll paper in portrait or landscape orientation. According to the ultrasound diagnostic device of Patent Document 1, printing the content on the screen in portrait orientation prevents the image printed on roll paper or the like from becoming small. However, this requires the use of a large amount of roll paper or the like, which is quickly consumed, and is therefore undesirable from both an economical and environmental perspective.

[0005] To reduce consumption during printing, for example, there is a technique for printing a portion of the display content displayed on the monitor onto paper. Another printing method is to reconstruct the content of the report screen into a format different from the display format of the report screen and print it in the reconstructed format. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-99121 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, conventional technologies have the following problems: When printing a portion of the content displayed on a monitor, the print range is limited, so necessary information may not be printed. When the content is reconstructed and printed in a format different from the monitor display, the appearance changes, which may cause unfamiliar users to worry about whether the content has been printed correctly.

[0008] Therefore, in order to solve the above problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound diagnostic device, a program, and an ultrasound diagnostic method that are capable of printing necessary information even when the printing range of the display screen is limited. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to the present invention comprises: An ultrasonic diagnostic device capable of displaying a display screen having at least a first display area and a second display area, a generating unit that generates a composite image in which second information, which is information to be displayed in the second display area and is related to the first information to be displayed in the first display area, is added to the first information in the first display area; an output unit that outputs the composite image generated by the generation unit; Equipped with.

[0010] The program according to the present invention comprises: a computer including an ultrasound diagnostic device capable of displaying a display screen having at least a first display area and a second display area; a generating unit that generates a composite image in which second information, which is information to be displayed in the second display area and is related to the first information to be displayed in the first display area, is added to the first information in the first display area; an output unit that outputs the composite image generated by the generation unit; Function as.

[0011] The ultrasonic diagnostic method according to the present invention comprises: An ultrasound diagnostic method capable of displaying a display screen having at least a first display area and a second display area, a generating step of generating a composite image in which second information, which is information to be displayed in the second display area and is related to the first information to be displayed in the first display area, is added to the first information in the first display area; an output step of outputting the generated composite image; It has. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the second information in the second display area is attached to the first information in the first display area, so that even if only the first display area is printed, the printed content can be accurately understood while improving visibility. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a report screen displayed on a display unit when limited area printing is performed according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a report screen displayed on a display unit when full-screen printing is performed according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus when printing a report screen according to the first embodiment on paper. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen displayed on a display unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a sheet on which a first display area of ​​a report screen is printed by limited area printing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a sheet on which the entire page of a report screen is printed by full-screen printing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a report screen displayed on a display unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a preview screen displayed on a display unit according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] [Example of schematic configuration of ultrasound diagnostic device 10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10 is a mobile cart type. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10 is used by users such as doctors and technicians in medical facilities such as hospitals. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10 comprises an apparatus main body 100, an operation unit 102, a display unit 120, and an ultrasound probe 150. The apparatus main body 100 incorporates a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, a control unit, an image processing unit, and the like, as will be described later. Casters are attached to the bottom of the apparatus main body 100.

[0016] The operation unit 102 is attached to, for example, a support stand provided on the top surface of the device body 100. The operation unit 102 has an operation panel including a plurality of buttons and a trackball, and a touch panel including a pointing device combined with the display unit 120.

[0017] The display unit 120 is attached, for example, above the device main body 100 via an arm 180. The display unit 120 is, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. EL is an abbreviation for Electro Luminescence. The display unit 120 displays ultrasound images of the subject's tissues, organs, etc. detected by the ultrasound probe 150, a report screen based on the ultrasound images, etc.

[0018] The ultrasonic probe 150 is detachably attached to, for example, a holder 182 provided on the side of the operation unit 102. The ultrasonic probe 150 transmits ultrasonic waves (transmitted ultrasonic waves) to a subject such as a living patient, and receives received ultrasonic waves (echoes) reflected from the subject.

[0019] [Block configuration example of ultrasound diagnostic device 10] 2 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 includes a main body 100 and an ultrasonic probe 150 connected to the main body 100. The main body 100 is provided with an operation unit 102 and a display unit 120.

[0020] The device main body 100 is equipped with a transmitting unit 104, a receiving unit 106, an image generating unit 108, and an image processing unit 110. The device main body 100 is further equipped with a display control unit 112, a display unit 120, a control unit 130, a storage unit 140, a communication unit 160, and a printing unit 170. The operation unit 102 receives input instructions from various operations by the user, converts the received input instructions into electrical signals, and outputs the electrical signals to the control unit 130.

[0021] The transmitting unit 104 supplies a drive signal, which is an electrical signal, to the ultrasonic probe 150 under the control of the control unit 130. The transmitting unit 104 includes, for example, a clock generating circuit, a delay circuit, and a pulse generating circuit. The clock generating circuit generates a clock signal that determines the transmission timing and transmission frequency of the drive signal. The delay circuit sets a delay time for each path provided in each probe 153 (described later) and delays the transmission of the drive signal by the set delay time. The delay circuit focuses a transmission beam formed by ultrasonic waves. The pulse generating circuit generates a pulse signal as a drive signal at a predetermined period. The transmitting unit 104 generates ultrasonic waves, for example, by driving consecutive parts of the multiple probes 153. The transmitting unit 104 scans by shifting the driven probe 153 in the azimuth direction each time an ultrasonic wave is generated.

[0022] The receiving unit 106 receives a received signal, which is an electrical signal, from the ultrasound probe 150 under the control of the control unit 130. The receiving unit 106 has, for example, an amplifier, an A / D conversion circuit, and a phasing and summing circuit. The amplifier amplifies the received signal at a preset amplification factor for each path provided in each probe 153. The A / D conversion circuit performs analog / digital conversion on the amplified received signal. The phasing and summing circuit adjusts the time phase by providing a delay time to the A / D converted received signal for each path provided in each probe 153, and then adds them together. The phasing and summing circuit generates sound ray data (sound ray signal) by phasing and summing. The receiving unit 106 may also have an amplifier for amplifying the received signal.

[0023] The image generating unit 108 performs envelope detection processing, logarithmic compression, etc. on the sound ray data supplied from the receiving unit 106. The image generating unit 108 further adjusts at least one of the dynamic range and gain of the sound ray data to convert the brightness, thereby generating B-mode image data. B-mode image data represents the strength of the received signal by brightness, and is tomographic image information regarding the tissue within the subject. The image generating unit 108 is not limited to B-mode image data in B-mode. Other scan modes (image modes) include, for example, A-mode, M-mode, and scan modes using the Doppler method. Examples of the Doppler method include, for example, color Doppler mode and PWD. B-mode is an abbreviation for brightness mode. A-mode is an abbreviation for amplitude mode. M-mode is an abbreviation for motion mode. PWD is an abbreviation for pulsed wave Doppler.

[0024] The image processing unit 110 performs image processing on the B-mode image data output from the image generation unit 108. The image processing unit 110 performs image processing on the B-mode image data in accordance with various image parameters that are being set. The image processing unit 110 has an image memory unit 111 configured with a semiconductor memory such as a DRAM. DRAM is an abbreviation for Dynamic Random Access Memory. The image processing unit 110 stores the B-mode image data that has been subjected to image processing in the image memory unit 111 on a frame-by-frame basis under the control of the control unit 130. The image processing unit 110 outputs the image data generated as described above to the display control unit 112 in sequence under the control of the control unit 130.

[0025] The display control unit 112 generates an image signal for display by performing coordinate transformation and the like on the received image data in accordance with the control of the control unit 130. The display control unit 112 outputs the generated image signal for display to the display unit 120. The display unit 120 displays a still image or a moving image on the screen in accordance with the image signal for display output from the display control unit 112 in accordance with the control of the control unit 130.

[0026] The control unit 130 includes a processor such as a CPU and a memory such as a RAM. CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. The CPU reads out various programs 141 stored in the storage unit 140, expands them in the RAM, and executes various processes related to ultrasound examinations in cooperation with the programs. The CPU may be configured with a single processor or multiple processors.

[0027] The storage unit 140 includes at least one storage module selected from, for example, HDD, SSD, ROM, and RAM. HDD is an abbreviation for Hard Disk Drive. SSD is an abbreviation for Solid State Drive. ROM is an abbreviation for Read Only Memory. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. The storage unit 140 stores, for example, system programs, application programs, and various data received by the communication unit 160. The storage unit 140 stores a program 141 for executing processes related to ultrasound examinations, output processes for ultrasound image data and report data, etc.

[0028] The communication unit 160 includes, for example, a NIC, a LAN adapter, or a communication module including a receiver and a transmitter. NIC is an abbreviation for Network Interface Card. The communication unit 160 communicates various data, information, and the like with external devices such as a medical image management system via a network.

[0029] The printing unit 170 is attached, for example, integrally to the device main body 100, and prints display screens such as report screens based on image data output from the image processing unit 110, etc., onto paper. In this embodiment, when printing, for example, a report screen, two printing modes are provided: full screen printing, which prints the entire report screen, and limited area printing, which prints only a portion of the report screen. The user can select the printing mode using a setting screen, etc., before starting or during the ultrasound examination. Note that the printing unit 170 may be a printer provided in a location separate from the device main body 100.

[0030] The ultrasonic probe 150 includes a head unit 152, a cable 154, and a connector 156. The head unit 152 is a part that is pressed against the surface of the subject's body. The head unit 152 is provided with a plurality of probes 153 made of piezoelectric elements. The probes 153 transmit ultrasonic waves to the subject based on a drive signal transmitted from the device main body 100, and receive waves reflected by the subject. The probes 153 may be arranged, for example, in a one-dimensional array in the scanning direction, or in a two-dimensional array (matrix). The number of probes 153 can be set arbitrarily. The scanning method of the ultrasonic probe 150 may be a linear scanning method, a convex scanning method, a sector scanning method, or the like.

[0031] One end of the cable 154 is electrically connected to the head unit 152, and the other end is electrically connected to a connector 156. The connector 156 is connected to the device main body 100. Note that communication between the device main body 100 and the ultrasonic probe 150 is not limited to wired communication using the cable 154. The communication method between the device main body 100 and the ultrasonic probe 150 may be wireless communication using UWB or the like. UWB is an abbreviation for Ultra Wide Band.

[0032] [Example of report screen 200A configuration when limited area printing is performed] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a report screen 200A displayed on the display unit 120 when performing limited area printing according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the aspect ratio of the display screen of the display unit 120 is 16:9. The report screen 200A has at least a first display area 210 and a second display area 250. The first display area 210 is an area for displaying information of higher importance than that of the second display area 250. Examples of information of higher importance include patient ID, patient name, expected delivery date, number of weeks of pregnancy, examination date and time, measurement values, graphs, and graph legends. Examples of information of lower priority include past images, buttons for operating the report screen, and descriptions of those buttons. The layout of the first display area 210 and the second display area 250 on the report screen 200A may be set before shipment or may be arbitrarily set by the user after shipment.

[0033] First, the second display area 250 will be described. When limited area printing is set, the second display area 250 is an area that is not printed on paper when printing the report screen 200A. This is because the first display area 210, which includes information with high priority, is printed in a large size on paper. The second display area 250 is a vertically long display area, and is arranged at the left edge of the report screen 200A. In the second display area 250, operation items such as a patient selection section 260 and an output setting section 270 are provided as information of low importance. Information of low importance is also arranged in the header section of the second display area 250.

[0034] The patient selection section 260 is a button for selecting a patient (fetus) for a graph to be displayed in the graph display section 240, which will be described later. For example, the patient selection section 260 is composed of a patient A button 261, a patient B button 262, a patient C button 263, and a patient D button 264. The patient A button 261 displays the letter "A" representing patient A and a "cross mark" representing patient A, arranged vertically. The patient B button 262 displays the letter "B" representing patient B and a "square mark" representing patient B, arranged vertically. The patient C button 263 displays the letter "C" representing patient C and a "circle mark" representing patient C, arranged vertically. The patient D button 264 displays the letter "D" representing patient D and a "diamond mark" representing patient D, arranged vertically. The output setting section 270 is configured with, for example, a screen print button, a screen save button, a report output button, a report save button, an inspection screen button, and the like.

[0035] The first display area 210 is an area that is printed on paper when full-screen printing is set. The first display area 210 is an area configured with an aspect ratio close to 4:3 and is located approximately in the center of the report screen 200A. Note that the aspect ratio of the first display area 210 is not limited to 4:3. As described above, the first display area 210 displays information of higher importance than the second display area 250. Specifically, the header section (upper part) of the first display area 210 displays patient ID information 220, patient name information 222, expected delivery date information 224, gestational age information 226, and examination date and time information 228. Approximately to the left of the center of the first display area 210, measurement value information 230 for each measurement item for each patient is displayed. When the subject of examination is a fetus, the measurement value information 230 includes, for example, estimated fetal weight (EFW), fetal head diameter (BPD), abdominal circumference (AC), and the like.

[0036] A graph display section 240 is displayed approximately to the right of the center of the first display area 210. The graph display section 240 displays, for example, a graph that visualizes the measurement results of a patient selected in the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250. Legend information 242 is displayed below the graph display section 240. The legend information 242 is information that replaces the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250 and includes information for identifying each patient in the patient selection section 260. Specifically, the legend information 242 is composed of a cross mark indicating patient A, a square mark indicating patient B, a circle mark indicating patient C, and a diamond mark indicating patient D. This makes it possible to identify the patient of the graph displayed in the graph display section 240 using the legend information 242, even if the information in the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250 is not printed.

[0037] [Example of report screen 200B configuration when printing full screen] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a report screen 200B displayed on the display unit 120 when full-screen printing according to the first embodiment is performed. Note that the configuration of the report screen 200B is common to the configuration of the report screen 200A described above, with some exceptions. Therefore, the following description will focus on the parts that are different from the report screen 200A.

[0038] The report screen 200B has a first display area 210 and a second display area 250. The first display area 210 is an area for displaying information of higher importance than that displayed in the second display area 250. The first display area 210 displays patient ID information 220, patient name information 222, expected delivery date information 224, gestational age information 226, examination date and time information 228, measurement value information 230, a graph display section 240, and the like. The second display area 250 is provided with operation items such as a patient selection section 260 and an output setting section 270. In the report screen 200B, the entire screen is the print range, and the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250 is also printed on paper. Therefore, legend information 242 is not added to the graph display section 240 of the first display area 210.

[0039] When performing full-screen printing, the entire screen of the report screen 200B is printed, so there is no need to classify information into high and low priority information as in the report screen 200A. However, by arranging high priority information in the first display area 210, it is possible to print high priority information in approximately the center of the paper. This allows the report screen 200B to provide high priority information in an easy-to-read layout. Therefore, similar to the report screen 200B, it is preferable to divide the display screen into the first display area 210 and the second display area 250 according to priority.

[0040] [Example of functions of the control unit 130] The control unit 130 according to the first embodiment functions as at least a generating unit and an output unit. A processor, such as a CPU, of the control unit 130 executes a program 141 stored in a storage unit 140 or the like to realize various functions, such as the generating unit and the output unit. The generating unit generates a composite image by adding second information, which is information to be displayed in the second display area 250 and is related to the first information displayed in the first display area 210, to the first information in the first display area 210. The first information in the first display area 210 is, for example, a graph that visualizes the measurement results of each patient displayed in the graph display unit 240. The second information in the second display area 250 is, for example, a patient selection unit 260 including legend information that identifies the patient in the graph displayed in the graph display unit 240. The legend information includes a mark for identifying each patient. Specifically, the generating unit acquires legend information 242, which is prepared in advance as second information corresponding to the patient selection unit 260 in the second display area 250. The generation unit generates a composite image by attaching the acquired legend information 242 below the graph display portion 240 in the first display area 210. The composite image may include information displayed in the first display area 210 in addition to the graph display portion 240 and the legend information 242. The output unit outputs image data of the composite image generated by the generation unit to the printing unit 170. The printing unit 170 prints the composite image on paper based on the acquired image data.

[0041] [Example of operation of ultrasound diagnostic device 10] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10 when printing a report screen according to the first embodiment on paper. The control unit 130 executes a program stored in the storage unit 140 to realize the processing shown in the figure, including a generation step, an output step, etc.

[0042] The control unit 130 acquires printing information regarding the printing range (step S10). The printing information is full-screen printing information that prints the entire report screen, or limited-area printing information that prints only a portion of the report screen. The user can set the printing information on the setting screen 300 displayed on the display unit 120, for example, before starting the ultrasound examination.

[0043] 6 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen 300 displayed on the display unit 120 according to the first embodiment. The system-wide setting items on the setting screen 300 include a setting section 310 for setting the print range on the report screen. The setting section 310 has a full screen button 312 for printing the entire report screen, and a limited area button 314 for printing a limited area that is part of the examination screen. The limited area is the first display area 210 on the report screen 200A shown in FIG. 3. The full screen button 312 and the limited area button 314 are configured, for example, by radio buttons.

[0044] A user such as a doctor selects either the full screen button 312 or the limited area button 314 on the setting screen 300. When the full screen button 312 is selected on the setting screen 300, the control unit 130 acquires full screen printing information as the printing information. When the limited area button 314 is selected on the setting screen 300, the control unit 130 acquires limited area printing information as the printing information. Note that full screen printing may be set as the default setting, for example.

[0045] Once the print information has been set, the ultrasound examination begins (step S11). The control unit 130 activates an examination screen on the display unit 120 that can display ultrasound images. The user begins examination of the desired diagnostic region by pressing the ultrasound probe 150 against the body surface of the subject. The user freezes a predetermined expected image in the ultrasound image displayed on the examination screen. When the control unit 130 receives an instruction corresponding to the user's freeze operation, it freezes the ultrasound image displayed on the examination screen. The user performs measurements of predetermined measurement items on the frozen ultrasound image. For example, when performing a fetal examination in obstetrics, measurements of measurement items such as the estimated fetal weight, fetal head diameter, and abdominal circumference are performed. The control unit 130 associates the frozen ultrasound image with the measurement values ​​of each measurement item and stores them in the memory unit 140. Such an ultrasound examination is performed for each patient, and the ultrasound image and measurement values ​​of each measurement item for each patient are stored in the memory unit 140.

[0046] The control unit 130 determines whether or not a display instruction for a report screen has been received from the user (step S12). If the control unit 130 determines that a display instruction for a report screen has been received from the user, the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if the control unit 130 determines that a display instruction for a report screen has not been received from the user, the control unit 130 continues to check for input of a display instruction or the like.

[0047] The control unit 130 determines whether the print information acquired in step S10 is full-screen print information or limited area print information (step S13). If the control unit 130 determines that limited area print information has been acquired in step S10, the process proceeds to step S14.

[0048] The control unit 130 causes the display unit 120 to display a report screen 200A corresponding to the limited area printing shown in FIG. 3 (step S14). In this case, the control unit 130 generates a composite image in which legend information 242 corresponding to the patient selection section 260 in the second display area 250 and related to the graph display section 240 displayed in the first display area 210 is added to the graph display section 240 in the first display area 210. The control unit 130 causes the display unit 120 to display the report screen 200A based on the image data including the generated composite image. The legend information 242 is displayed below the graph display section 240 in the first display area 210. The legend information 242 includes identification information assigned to each patient in the patient selection section 260 and is composed of a cross mark indicating patient A, a square mark indicating patient B, a circle mark indicating patient C, and a diamond mark indicating patient D. The control unit 130 may change the font size, character color, character brightness, etc. of each piece of information displayed on the report screen 200A corresponding to limited area printing.

[0049] On the other hand, if the control unit 130 has acquired full-screen printing information in step S10, the control unit 130 proceeds to step S15. The control unit 130 causes the display unit 120 to display the report screen 200B corresponding to full-screen printing shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the control unit 130 generates image data including the first display area 210 and the second display area 250, and causes the display unit 120 to display the report screen 200B based on the generated image data. The legend information 242 is not displayed below the graph display area 240 of the report screen 200B. This is because, in the case of full-screen printing, the graph display area 240 of the first display area 210 and the patient selection area 260 of the second display area 250 are printed on paper. The control unit 130 may change the font size, character color, character brightness, etc. of each piece of information displayed on the report screen 200B corresponding to full-screen printing.

[0050] The control unit 130 determines whether a print instruction has been received from a user such as a doctor (step S16). If the control unit 130 determines that a print instruction has been received from a user such as a doctor, the process proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, if the control unit 130 determines that a print instruction has not been received from a user such as a doctor, the control unit 130 continues to check for input of a print instruction or the like.

[0051] The control unit 130 determines whether the print information acquired in step S10 is full-screen print information or limited area print information (step S17). If the control unit 130 determines in step S10 that limited area print information has been acquired, the process proceeds to step S18.

[0052] If the control unit 130 has acquired the limited area printing information, it prints the first display area 210, which is a part of the report screen 200A shown in FIG. 3, onto a sheet of paper (step S18). FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sheet of paper P on which the first display area 210 of the report screen 200A is printed by limited area printing according to the first embodiment. The control unit 130 extracts the first display area 210 of the report screen 200A and outputs image data of the extracted first display area 210 to the printing unit 170. As shown in FIG. 3, the graph display section 240 of the first display area 210 is accompanied by legend information 242 corresponding to the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250. The printing unit 170 prints the report screen 200A onto a sheet of paper P based on the image data. The first display area 210 of the report screen 200A is printed on the sheet of paper P in landscape orientation. In other words, the first display area 210 with an aspect ratio of approximately 4:3 is printed on the sheet of paper P. The second display area 250 is not printed on the paper P.

[0053] On the other hand, if the control unit 130 has acquired full-screen printing information, it prints the entire screen of the report screen 200B on paper (step S19). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a paper P on which the entire screen of the report screen 200B has been printed by full-screen printing according to the first embodiment. The control unit 130 extracts the first display area 210 and the second display area 250, which are the entire screen of the report screen 200B, and outputs image data of the extracted first display area 210 and second display area 250 to the printing unit 170. The printing unit 170 prints the report screen 200B on paper P based on the image data. The entire screen of the report screen 200B is printed on paper P in landscape orientation. In other words, the report screen 200B with an aspect ratio of 16:9 is printed on paper P.

[0054] According to the first embodiment, when the limited area printing print mode is executed, the first display area 210 in which high-priority information from the report screen 200A is arranged is printed on the paper P. This prevents the image of the report screen 200A from being printed small, even when the report screen 200A with an aspect ratio of 16:9 is printed on paper P such as roll paper or recording paper with an aspect ratio of 4:3. This improves the visibility of the report screen 200A printed on the paper P. Therefore, it is possible to realize both a layout that prioritizes displaying the report screen 200A on the display unit 120 and a layout that prioritizes printing the report screen 200A.

[0055] According to the first embodiment, when the limited area printing print mode is executed, the first display area 210, in which high-priority information from the report screen 200A is arranged, is printed on the paper P. In this case, legend information 242 corresponding to the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250 is added to the graph display section 240. Therefore, even when the second display area 250 is set as a non-printing range by limited area printing, it is possible to accurately determine which patient the graph displayed in the graph display section 240 belongs to by visually checking the legend information 242. Furthermore, because the first display area 210, which includes high-priority information, is printed, information necessary for understanding the report can be printed on the paper P.

[0056] According to the first embodiment, when limited area printing is performed, the control unit 130 prints the content of the first display area 210 on the report screen 200A onto the paper P without changing its appearance. This allows the user to view the report screen 200A displayed on the display unit 120 in its original state, eliminating any concerns about whether the report screen 200A has been printed correctly.

[0057] Second Embodiment In the second embodiment, the print range of the report screen, etc. is set when the report screen is displayed. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and components that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and the description of the common parts will be omitted or simplified.

[0058] [Example of functions of the control unit 130] The control unit 130 according to the second embodiment functions as an extraction unit, a generation unit, and an output unit. A processor such as a CPU of the control unit 130 executes a program 141 stored in a storage unit 140 or the like to realize various functions such as the extraction unit, generation unit, and output unit. The extraction unit extracts a patient selection unit 260 associated with each graph in the graph display unit 240 displayed in the first display area 210 from the information displayed in the second display area 250 of the report screen 200C (described later). The generation unit generates legend information 242 corresponding to the extracted patient selection unit 260. The generation unit further generates a composite image by attaching the generated legend information 242 to the graph display unit 240 in the first display area 210. The output unit outputs image data of the composite image generated by the generation unit to the printing unit 170. The printing unit 170 prints the composite image on paper based on the acquired image data.

[0059] [Example of operation of ultrasound diagnostic device 10] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment. The control unit 130 executes a program stored in the storage unit 140 to realize the processing shown in the figure, which includes an extraction step, a generation step, an output step, and the like.

[0060] The user begins the examination of the desired diagnostic region by pressing the ultrasound probe 150 against the body surface of the subject (step S20). The user freezes a predetermined expected image in the ultrasound image displayed on the examination screen. The user performs measurements for predetermined measurement items on the frozen ultrasound image. The control unit 130 associates the frozen ultrasound image with the measurement values ​​for each measurement item and stores them in the memory unit 140. Such an ultrasound examination is performed for each patient, and the ultrasound image and measurement values ​​for each measurement item for each patient are stored in the memory unit 140.

[0061] When the control unit 130 receives a report screen output instruction from the user, it causes the display unit 120 to display a report screen summarizing the measurement results for each patient (step S21). FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a report screen 200C displayed on the display unit 120 according to the second embodiment. With some exceptions, the configuration of the report screen 200C is substantially the same as the report screen 200B that supports full-screen printing and is described in the first embodiment. Therefore, the following description will focus on the differences from the report screen 200B.

[0062] The report screen 200C has a first display area 210 and a second display area 250. The first display area 210 is an area for displaying information of higher importance than that in the second display area 250. The output setting section 270 of the second display area 250 is provided with a full screen print button 272 for selecting full screen printing and a limited area print button 274 for selecting limited area printing. According to the second embodiment, the print range can be set while the report screen 200C is being displayed. Legend information 242 is not displayed below the graph display section 240 in the first display area 210.

[0063] The control unit 130 determines whether the limited area print button 274 is selected on the report screen 200C (step S22). If the limited area print button 274 is selected on the report screen 200C, the control unit 130 proceeds to step S23. Based on the instruction to print the limited area, the control unit 130 prints a portion of the report screen 200C on paper P (step S23). Specifically, the control unit 130 extracts the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250 and generates legend information 242 corresponding to the patient selection section 260. The control unit 130 outputs image data of the first display area 210, including a composite image with the legend information 242 attached below the graph display section 240 of the first display area 210, to the printing unit 170. The printing unit 170 prints the report screen 200C on paper P based on the image data. 7, the first display area 210 of the report screen 200C is printed in landscape orientation on the paper P. In other words, the report screen 200C with an aspect ratio of approximately 4:3 is printed on the paper P. Below the graph display area 240 of the first display area 210, legend information 242 corresponding to the patient selection area 260 of the second display area 250 is printed.

[0064] On the other hand, if the control unit 130 determines that the limited area print button 274 has not been selected on the report screen 200C, the process proceeds to step S24. The control unit 130 determines whether the full screen print button 272 has been selected on the report screen 200C (step S24). If the control unit 130 determines that the full screen print button 272 has been selected on the report screen 200C, the process proceeds to step S25. On the other hand, if the control unit 130 determines that the full screen print button 272 has not been selected, the control unit 130 continues to check for input for other processes.

[0065] Based on the instruction to print the entire screen, the control unit 130 prints the entire screen of the report screen 200C on paper P (step S25). Specifically, the control unit 130 extracts the first display area 210 and the second display area 250, and outputs image data of the extracted first display area 210 and second display area 250 to the printing unit 170. The printing unit 170 prints a report screen corresponding to the output image data on paper P. As shown in FIG. 8, the entire screen of the report screen 200C is printed on paper P in landscape orientation. In other words, the report screen 200C with an aspect ratio of 16:9 is printed on paper P.

[0066] In the above example, when the full screen print button 272 or limited area print button 274 is selected, the process immediately proceeds to printing, but this is not limiting. When the full screen print button 272 or limited area print button 274 is selected, a preview screen may be displayed, and the process may proceed to printing after the user has confirmed the preview screen. Specifically, this is as follows.

[0067] When the limited area print button 274 is selected, the control unit 130 causes the display unit 120 to display a preview screen showing an image of the image to be printed on the paper P. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a preview screen 400 displayed on the display unit 120 according to the second embodiment. The preview screen 400 is an image obtained by extracting the first display area 210 from the report screen 200C (described later). The control unit 130 extracts the patient selection section 260 associated with each graph in the graph display section 240 displayed in the first display area 210 from the information displayed in the second display area 250 of the report screen 200C (described later). The control unit 130 generates legend information 242 corresponding to the extracted patient selection section 260 and generates a composite image in which the legend information 242 is attached to the graph display section 240. The control unit 130 extracts the first display area 210 including the generated composite image and causes the display unit 120 to display a preview screen 400 of the first display area 210 based on image data of the extracted area. Below the graph display section 240 in the first display area 210, legend information 242 corresponding to the patient selection section 260 in the second display area 250 is added.

[0068] A dialog box 280 for selecting whether to execute printing is superimposed and displayed below the center of the preview screen 400. The dialog box 280 is provided with a print button 282 for starting printing of the preview screen 400 and a cancel button 284 for canceling printing of the preview screen 400. After the user confirms the contents of the preview screen 400, when the print button 282 of the dialog box 280 is selected, the control unit 130 performs a printing process for the preview screen 400. The printing unit 170 prints a report screen 200C corresponding to the preview screen 400 on paper P. As shown in FIG. 7 , the first display area 210 of the report screen 200C is printed on the paper P in landscape orientation. In other words, the report screen 200C with an aspect ratio of approximately 4:3 is printed on the paper P.

[0069] On the other hand, when the full screen print button 272 is selected, the control unit 130 causes the display unit 120 to display a preview screen (not shown) showing an image of the image to be printed on the paper P. The control unit 130 extracts the first display area 210 and the second display area 250 of the report screen 200C, and causes the display unit 120 to display a preview screen 400 of the first display area 210 based on the image data of the extracted area. The entire report screen 200C is displayed on the preview screen. In other words, the entire screen of the report screen 200C, including the first display area 210 and the second display area 250, is displayed on the preview screen. In this case, the legend information 242 of the second display area 250 is not displayed below the graph display portion 240 of the first display area 210. A dialog box 280 for selecting whether to execute printing is superimposed on the preview screen.

[0070] After the user checks the preview screen, if the print button 282 in the dialog 280 is selected, the control unit 130 prints the preview screen. The control unit 130 outputs image data of the first display area 210 and the second display area 250 to the printing unit 170. The printing unit 170 prints the report screen 200C on paper P based on the image data. As shown in FIG. 8, the entire report screen 200C is printed on the paper P in landscape orientation. In other words, the report screen 200C with an aspect ratio of 16:9 is printed on the paper P.

[0071] The second embodiment can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment. That is, when limited area printing is performed, the first display area 210 of the report screen 200A is printed on paper P, so that visibility of the report screen 200A can be ensured even when paper P such as roll paper is used. In this case, legend information 242 corresponding to the patient selection section 260 of the second display area 250 is added to the graph display section 240, so that it is possible to accurately determine which patient the graph displayed on the graph display section 240 belongs to.

[0072] While the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. Furthermore, various modifications and improvements will naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure, provided that they are within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims of those skilled in the art.

[0073] For example, the report screen 200A etc. may be provided with an image selection section that displays candidate images for selecting a schematic image or ultrasound image in the second display area 250. In this case, a predetermined schematic image etc. may be selected in the image selection section of the second display area 250, and the schematic image etc. selected in the image selection section may be displayed in the first display area 210. This allows important schematic images and ultrasound images with high priority to be displayed in the first display area 210. Furthermore, important schematic images with high priority can be printed on the paper P in limited area printing.

[0074] In the above-described embodiment, printing processes such as limited area printing are performed using the operation unit 102 and display unit 120 of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 10, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, ultrasound images, report data, etc. may be stored in a PACS or the like, and printing processes such as limited area printing may be performed using the operation unit and display unit of a client terminal connected to the PACS or the like. Specifically, the report screen 200A or the like may be displayed on the display unit of the client terminal, and a print instruction for limited area printing or the like may be input by operating the operation unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10 Ultrasound diagnostic equipment 120 Display section 130 control unit (extraction unit, generation unit, output unit) 200A, 200B, 200C Report Screen 210 1st display area 240 Graph display section (first information) 242 Legend information (second information) 250 2nd display area 260 Patient Selection Section (Second Information) 270 Output setting section (selection section) 300 Setting screen (selection section) 400 Preview Screen

Claims

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of displaying a display screen having at least a first display area and a second display area, a generating unit that generates a composite image in which second information, which is information to be displayed in the second display area and is related to the first information to be displayed in the first display area, is added to the first information to be displayed in the first display area; an output unit that outputs the composite image generated by the generation unit; An ultrasound diagnostic device comprising:

2. a graph based on a measurement result of an ultrasound image is displayed as the first information in the first display area; the second information is information related to the graph displayed in the first display area; The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The first display area is a print area, and the second display area is a non-print area. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 .

4. The first display area displays information that is more important than the second display area. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 .

5. a selection unit for selecting whether to set a display screen including the first display area as a printing range or a display screen including the first display area and the second display area as a printing range; The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. an extractor configured to extract second information related to the first information displayed in the first display area from the information displayed in the second display area; the generation unit attaches the second information extracted by the extraction unit to the first information in the first display area. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 .

7. a computer including an ultrasound diagnostic device capable of displaying a display screen having at least a first display area and a second display area; a generating unit that generates a composite image in which second information, which is information to be displayed in the second display area and is related to the first information to be displayed in the first display area, is added to the first information in the first display area; an output unit that outputs the composite image generated by the generation unit; A program to function as a

8. An ultrasound diagnostic method capable of displaying a display screen having at least a first display area and a second display area, comprising: a generating step of generating a composite image in which second information, which is information to be displayed in the second display area and is related to the first information to be displayed in the first display area, is added to the first information to be displayed in the first display area; an output step of outputting the generated composite image; An ultrasound diagnostic method comprising:

Images