Ultrasonic data processing system, transmission control device, processing device, transmission control program, and processing program

Abstract

The contents of the comprehensive data related to the same ultrasonic data stored in the transmission control device and the processing device are to be identical. Alternatively, even if there is processing that the transmission control device can perform but the processing device cannot, the processing device can obtain the same processing result as the processing result of the ultrasonic data performed by the transmission control device. [Solution] The transmission control unit 48 of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 12, which acts as a transmission control device, transmits comprehensive data 60, in which ultrasound data and processing-related data are associated with each other, to the image analysis apparatus 14, which acts as a processing device. If there are any changes to the comprehensive data 60 after the comprehensive data 60 has been transmitted, the transmission control unit 48 transmits the modified comprehensive data 60 to the image analysis apparatus 14. The request processing unit 80 of the image analysis apparatus 14 requests the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 12 to provide processing result data 68 indicating the result of the specific processing on the ultrasound data 62, if there is specific processing that the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 12 can perform but the image analysis apparatus 14 cannot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses improvements to an ultrasonic data processing system, a transmission control device, a processing device, a transmission control program, and a processing program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that forms ultrasonic data representing the inside of a subject based on a reflected wave from the subject when ultrasonic waves are transmitted to the subject is known. Also, conventionally, an ultrasonic image processing apparatus that processes ultrasonic data formed by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is known. Examples of the ultrasonic image processing apparatus include the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus itself or an image analysis apparatus that analyzes and manages ultrasonic data.

[0003] In particular, an ultrasonic image processing apparatus is known that includes various processing modules for performing various processes on ultrasonic data, selects a processing module to be used according to the purpose, and executes a process on the ultrasonic data by the selected processing module. In this specification, the processing module means a single hardware or a combination of hardware and software for exerting an integrated function.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a medical image processing apparatus that includes a template describing a procedure for processing medical image data including ultrasonic data and a processing module for processing the medical image data, and calls the processing module according to the procedure described in the template to process the medical image data.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Now, let's consider an ultrasound data processing system that includes multiple ultrasound image processing devices for processing ultrasound data.

[0007] In this specification, ultrasound data is a concept that includes data obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves to and from a subject, and includes received beam data before imaging, or ultrasound images formed based on the received beam data. Furthermore, ultrasound data may be 2D ultrasound data or 3D ultrasound data in which data indicating the signal intensity of reflected waves from the subject is arranged in 2D (dimensions) or 3D, and may also be 4D ultrasound data in which 3D ultrasound data is arranged in the time direction. In this specification, an ultrasound image processing device included in an ultrasound data processing system that transmits ultrasound data to another ultrasound image processing device is called a "transmission control device" (the first device to be covered by the present invention), and one or more ultrasound image processing devices that receive ultrasound data from the transmission control device and process the ultrasound data are called "processing devices" (the second device to be covered by the present invention).

[0008] It is conceivable to manage (store) processing-related data, which is data related to the processing of ultrasound data, in association with ultrasound data. Processing-related data includes, for example, processing parameters for processing the ultrasound data, or processing result data that shows the processing results for the ultrasound data. In this specification, the combination of ultrasound data and processing-related data is referred to as "comprehensive data." By transmitting comprehensive data from the transmission control device to the processing device, and storing comprehensive data related to the same ultrasound data in both the transmission control device and the processing device, various benefits can be provided to the user of the ultrasound data processing system. For example, the user of the ultrasound data processing system can perform the same processing on the ultrasound data using the same processing parameters in both the transmission control device and the processing device. In addition, the user of the ultrasound data processing system can confirm the same processing results for the same ultrasound data in both the transmission control device and the processing device.

[0009] Here, it is conceivable that the contents of the comprehensive data related to the same ultrasound data stored in the transmission control device and the processing device may differ from each other. For example, this could occur if the comprehensive data is modified in at least one of the transmission control device or the processing device after the transmission control device has transmitted the comprehensive data to the processing device. Modification of comprehensive data could take the form of, for example, the ultrasound data itself being changed (modified), processing parameters being updated, or processing result data being modified. In this way, if the contents of the comprehensive data related to the same ultrasound data stored in the transmission control device and the processing device differ from each other, the user of the ultrasound data processing system will not be able to obtain the aforementioned benefits.

[0010] Furthermore, the processing that the transmission control unit and the processing unit can perform on ultrasonic data may differ. Specifically, there may be processing that the transmission control unit can perform but the processing unit cannot. In this case, even if ultrasonic data is transmitted from the transmission control unit to the processing unit, the processing unit will not be able to perform the same processing on the ultrasonic data as the transmission control unit.

[0011] The objective of the ultrasonic data processing system disclosed herein is to ensure that the contents of the comprehensive data relating to the same ultrasonic data stored in the transmission control device and the processing device are not different from each other. Alternatively, the objective of the ultrasonic data processing system disclosed herein is to ensure that even if there is processing that can be performed by the transmission control device but not by the processing device, the processing device can obtain the same processing results as the processing results of the transmission control device for the ultrasonic data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The ultrasonic data processing system disclosed herein is an ultrasonic data processing system comprising a transmission control device having a first processor and a memory, and a processing device having a second processor, wherein the memory stores comprehensive data including ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject, and processing-related data which is data relating to processing the ultrasonic data; the first processor is capable of processing the ultrasonic data, transmits the comprehensive data to the processing device, and, after transmitting the comprehensive data to the processing device, transmits the modified comprehensive data to the processing device in response to any changes made to the comprehensive data in the transmission control device; and the second processor is capable of processing the ultrasonic data, identifies processing content that can be executed by the first processor and processing content that can be executed by the second processor, and requests processing result data indicating the result of the specific processing on the ultrasonic data from the transmission control device when there is specific processing that can be executed by the first processor but not by the second processor.

[0013] The processing-related data may include at least one of the following: processing parameters used for processing the ultrasonic data, or processing result data indicating the results of processing the ultrasonic data.

[0014] The first processor is capable of executing a plurality of processes that are different in content, including the specific processing, and is preferably configured to execute the plurality of processes on the ultrasonic data prior to a request for processing result data from the second processor, include a plurality of processing result data showing the results of each process in the comprehensive data, and transmit the processing result data showing the results of the specific processing, which is included in the comprehensive data, to the processing device in response to a request for processing result data from the second processor.

[0015] The first processor is preferably configured to notify the processing unit of any changes to the comprehensive data.

[0016] The second processor may be configured to notify the user of the processing unit that there has been a change in the comprehensive data in response to a notification from the first processor.

[0017] The aforementioned ultrasound data is preferably four-dimensional ultrasound data that represents the change in ultrasound volume data over time.

[0018] Furthermore, the transmission control device disclosed herein comprises a first processor and a memory, the memory storing comprehensive data including ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject and processing-related data which is data relating to processing the ultrasonic data, the first processor is capable of processing the ultrasonic data, transmits the comprehensive data to a processing device capable of processing the ultrasonic data, and, after transmitting the comprehensive data to the processing device, transmits the modified comprehensive data to the processing device in accordance with any changes made to the comprehensive data in the device itself, characterized in that the transmission control device comprises a first processor and a memory, the memory storing comprehensive data which includes ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject and processing-related data which is data relating to processing the ultrasonic data, the first processor is capable of processing the ultrasonic data and transmits the comprehensive data which includes comprehensive data which includes data relating to processing the ultrasonic data, the first processor is capable of processing the ultrasonic data and transmits the modified comprehensive data to the processing device,

[0019] Furthermore, the processing apparatus disclosed herein is characterized in that it comprises a second processor, the second processor receives ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject from a transmission control device capable of processing the ultrasonic data, identifies processing content that can be executed by the transmission control device and processing content that can be executed by the second processor, and requests processing result data indicating the result of the specific processing on the ultrasonic data from the transmission control device if there is a specific processing that can be executed by the transmission control device but not by the second processor.

[0020] Furthermore, the transmission control program disclosed herein is characterized by causing a computer equipped with a memory for storing comprehensive data including ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject and processing-related data which is data relating to processing the ultrasonic data to be able to perform processing on the ultrasonic data, causing the comprehensive data to be transmitted to a processing device capable of performing processing on the ultrasonic data, and, after transmitting the comprehensive data to the processing device, causing the modified comprehensive data to be transmitted to the processing device in accordance with any changes made to the comprehensive data in the device itself.

[0021] Furthermore, the processing program disclosed herein is a processing program characterized in that it causes a computer to receive ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject from a transmission control device capable of processing the ultrasonic data, to enable processing of the ultrasonic data, to identify the processing content that the transmission control device can execute and the processing content that the device can execute, and, if there is a specific processing that the transmission control device can execute but the device cannot, to request processing result data indicating the result of the specific processing on the ultrasonic data from the transmission control device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] The ultrasonic data processing system disclosed herein ensures that the contents of the comprehensive data relating to the same ultrasonic data stored in the transmission control device and the processing device are not different from each other. Alternatively, the ultrasonic data processing system disclosed herein ensures that even if there is processing that can be performed by the transmission control device but not by the processing device, the processing device can obtain the same processing result as the processing result of the transmission control device for the ultrasonic data. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0023] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the ultrasonic data processing system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. [Figure 3] It is a conceptual diagram showing the content of the inclusion data. [Figure 4A] It is a diagram showing an example of the processing result data. [Figure 4B] It is a diagram showing an example of the processed result data after correction. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an image analysis apparatus. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the image analysis apparatus.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ultrasonic data processing system 10 according to the present embodiment. The ultrasonic data processing system 10 includes an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 12 as a transmission control device and an image analysis apparatus 14 as a processing device. In the example of FIG. 1, only one image analysis apparatus 14 is shown, but the ultrasonic data processing system 10 may have a plurality of image analysis apparatuses 14. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 12 and the image analysis apparatus 14 are communicably connected to each other via a communication line 16 such as a WAN (Wide Area Network) or a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0025] Although details will be described later, the outline of the processing performed by the ultrasonic data processing system 10 is as follows.

[0026] First, ultrasound data is formed in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. As described above, ultrasound data is a concept that includes received beam data and ultrasound images, and is a concept that includes 2D ultrasound data, 3D sound wave image data, and 4D ultrasound data. In this embodiment, the ultrasound data is assumed to be 4D ultrasound data that represents the change over time of 3D ultrasound image data (ultrasound volume data). Although not limited to this, in this embodiment, ultrasound is transmitted and received to the heart of the subject, and the 4D ultrasound data is assumed to represent the heart.

[0027] The ultrasound diagnostic device 12 has a first processing module that processes ultrasound data. The first processing module performs processing on the ultrasound data using processing parameters and acquires processing result data.

[0028] The ultrasound diagnostic device 12 stores ultrasound data and processing-related data relating to the processing of the ultrasound data in its memory. In other words, the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 stores comprehensive data in its memory. The processing-related data includes at least one of the processing parameters used for processing the ultrasound data and processing result data indicating the results of the processing of the ultrasound data. In this embodiment, the processing-related data includes processing parameters and processing result data. The ultrasound diagnostic device 12 then transmits the comprehensive data to the image analysis device 14.

[0029] The image analysis device 14 stores the comprehensive data received from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 in its memory. This allows the user of the image analysis device 14 to view the comprehensive data (e.g., processing result data). The image analysis device 14 also has a second processing module that can perform processing equivalent to that of the first processing module of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. The second processing module performs processing on the ultrasound data included in the comprehensive data using the processing parameters included in the comprehensive data and obtains processing result data.

[0030] The above is an overview of the processing performed by the ultrasound data processing system 10. In this embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 controls the system so that the content of the comprehensive data related to a given ultrasound data stored in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and the content of the comprehensive data related to the same ultrasound data stored in the image analysis device 14 do not differ from each other. Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if there is processing that can be performed by the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 but cannot be performed by the image analysis device 14, the system assists the image analysis device 14 so that it can obtain processing results similar to those obtained by the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 for the ultrasound data.

[0031] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. The ultrasound diagnostic device 12 is a medical device installed in medical institutions such as hospitals.

[0032] The ultrasonic probe 20 is a device that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to a subject. The ultrasonic probe 20 has a vibrating element array consisting of multiple vibrating elements that scan an ultrasonic beam around the subject. The ultrasonic probe 20 may be a 1D probe in which multiple vibrating elements are arranged in a single row, or a 2D probe in which multiple vibrating elements are arranged in two dimensions. A transmission signal is supplied to each vibrating element from the transmitting / receiving unit 24 (described later), causing each vibrating element to generate an ultrasonic beam that scans the ultrasonic scanning surface. Each vibrating element then receives the reflected wave of the transmitted ultrasonic beam from the subject. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 20 transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to the subject's heart.

[0033] The electrocardiograph 22 detects electrocardiogram data that shows the pattern of the subject's heartbeat. For example, the electrocardiograph 22 has electrodes, and by attaching these electrodes near the subject's heart, it measures the subject's electromotive force and forms electrocardiogram data based on the measured electromotive force. The electrocardiogram data detected by the electrocardiograph 22 is transmitted to the image forming unit 28.

[0034] The transmitting / receiving unit 24 transmits a transmission signal to the ultrasonic probe 20 (specifically, each vibrating element in the vibrating element array) under control from the processor 42, which will be described later. The transmitting / receiving unit 24 also receives a received signal from each vibrating element that receives reflected waves from the subject. The transmitting / receiving unit 24 has an adder and a plurality of delays corresponding to each vibrating element, and performs phase-aligned addition processing by using the adder and the plurality of delays to align the phases of the received signals from each vibrating element and add them together. As a result, received beam data is formed in which information indicating the signal intensity of the reflected waves from the subject is aligned in the depth direction of the subject.

[0035] The signal processing unit 26 performs various signal processing on the received beam data from the transmitting / receiving unit 24, including filtering and detection processing, which involves applying a bandpass filter. This yields ultrasonic data. If the ultrasonic probe 20 is a 1D probe, 2D received beam data (corresponding to one ultrasonic tomographic image) is formed, which consists of multiple received beam data corresponding to the ultrasonic scanning plane. The signal processing unit 26 can then form 3D received beam data (ultrasonic volume data) based on the multiple 2D received beam data arranged perpendicular to the ultrasonic scanning plane. Furthermore, the signal processing unit 26 can form 4D received beam data (4D ultrasonic volume data) based on the multiple ultrasonic volume data formed over time. If the ultrasonic probe 20 is a 2D probe, the transmitting / receiving unit 24 forms three-dimensional received beam data, and the signal processing unit 26 can form ultrasonic volume data and 4D ultrasonic volume data by performing various signal processing on this received beam data. As described above, in this embodiment, the ultrasonic data is 4D ultrasonic data, so the signal processing unit 26 forms 4D ultrasonic volume data as 4D ultrasonic data.

[0036] The image forming unit 28 forms an ultrasound image based on the received beam data processed by the signal processing unit 26. For example, the image forming unit 28 can form a 2D ultrasound image (ultrasound tomography) showing a cross-section of the subject (particularly the ultrasound transmitting and receiving wavefronts corresponding to the 2D received beam data) based on the 2D received beam data. The image forming unit 28 also forms an electrocardiogram waveform based on the electrocardiogram data received from the electrocardiograph 22. The electrocardiogram waveform is a graphical representation of the electrical activity of the heart.

[0037] The display control unit 30 controls the display 32 to display various images, including the ultrasound tomographic image formed by the image forming unit 28. The display control unit 30 also displays the processing results of the ultrasound data from the first processing module 46, described later, on the display 32. In particular, in this embodiment, since the ultrasound data is 4D ultrasound data, the display control unit 30 may display the electrocardiogram waveform along with the processing results of the 4D ultrasound data (for example, the reconstructed ultrasound image obtained by rendering), and display the phase of the heartbeat corresponding to the processing results.

[0038] The display 32 is a display device composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display.

[0039] The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 12 comprises a transmitting / receiving unit 24, a signal processing unit 26, an image forming unit 28, and a display control unit 30, all of which are composed of a processor (which may be the processor 42 described later, or a different processor).

[0040] The communication interface 34 is composed of, for example, a network adapter. The communication interface 34 performs the function of communicating with the image analysis device 14 via the communication line 16. In particular, the communication interface 34 transmits comprehensive data and the like to the image analysis device 14 under the control of the transmission control unit 48, which will be described later.

[0041] The input interface 36 consists of, for example, buttons, a trackball, a touch panel, etc. The input interface 36 is used to input commands from an operator using the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 to the ultrasound diagnostic device 12.

[0042] The memory 38 is composed of components such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), eMMC (embedded Multi Media Card), ROM (Read Only Memory), or RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 38 stores a transmission control program for operating each part of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. The transmission control program can also be stored on a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or CD-ROM. The ultrasound diagnostic device 12 can read and execute the transmission control program from such a storage medium.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a comprehensive data DB (Data Base) 40 is stored in the memory 38. The comprehensive data DB 40 stores ultrasound data (4D ultrasound volume data in this embodiment) formed by the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and processing-related data, which is data related to processing the ultrasound data, in association with each other. As described above, in this embodiment, as processing-related data, processing parameters for processing the ultrasound data and processing result data showing the results of processing the ultrasound data using the processing parameters are stored in association with the ultrasound data. In this embodiment, the processing parameters to be attached to the ultrasound data are attached (associated) with the ultrasound data by the processing parameter attachment unit 44 described later, but processing parameters may be attached to the ultrasound data by other methods. For example, processing parameters may be attached to the ultrasound data by a device other than the ultrasound diagnostic device 12.

[0044] The processor 42, acting as the first processor, performs its functions as a processing parameter assignment unit 44, a first processing module 46, a transmission control unit 48, and a first notification processing unit 50, according to the transmission control program stored in the memory 38. The details of the functions of each part performed by the processor 42 will be described below.

[0045] The processing parameter assignment unit 44 assigns one or more processing parameters to the ultrasound data. The processing parameters assigned to the ultrasound data may be pre-prepared and stored in the memory 38, or the processing parameter assignment unit 44 may calculate the processing parameters or select them from a pre-prepared group of processing parameters and assign them to the ultrasound data according to the content of the ultrasound data.

[0046] The processing parameters may include various parameters necessary for the first processing module 46 (and the second processing module 76 of the image analysis device 14, described later) to perform processing on the ultrasound data. In particular, since the ultrasound data in this embodiment is 4D ultrasound data, the processing parameters may include processing parameters for processing 4D ultrasound data. For example, consider the case where the first processing module 46 performs rendering processing on the 4D ultrasound data to form a reconstructed ultrasound image and displays the reconstructed ultrasound image on the display 32. In this case, specific processing parameters for processing 4D ultrasound data include position information of lines indicating the position of the cross-sections of the MPR (Multi Planar Reconstruction) image and position information of cross-sections obtained by cropping the rendered image.

[0047] Several methods can be considered for assigning processing parameters to ultrasound data. For example, if the ultrasound data conforms to the format defined by DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine), an international standard for medical images, the processing parameter assignment unit 44 can record the processing parameters within the data structure defined by DICOM. In the data structure defined by DICOM, each medical data is recorded with a tag number. Since there are standardized tags (basic information such as patient name and examination time) and freely defined private tags, the processing parameter assignment unit 44 can record processing parameters in the private tags. Alternatively, the ultrasound data and processing parameters may be in separate data files. In this case, the ultrasound data and processing parameters can be associated using a different method. For example, the ultrasound data and processing parameter data files can be associated by giving them the same name (but different extensions).

[0048] The first processing module 46 performs processing on ultrasound data using processing parameters assigned to the ultrasound data. In this embodiment, the first processing module 46 consists of a GUI module 46a that performs processing related to the GUI (Graphical User Interface) provided to the operator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, a rendering module 46b that performs rendering processing on 3D or 4D ultrasound data to form a reconstructed ultrasound image, which is a 2D ultrasound tomographic image, a cross-sectional extraction module 46c that extracts a target cross-section from the ultrasound data, a trace module 46d that detects feature points (feature regions) in the ultrasound data, a tracking module 46e that tracks the change in the position of the detected feature points over time, and a measurement module 46f that performs various measurements using the ultrasound data. Thus, the first processing module 46 can perform multiple processes with different contents. However, the processes that the first processing module 46 can perform are not limited to these.

[0049] The first processing module 46 may be developed by an external developer other than the administrator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 (e.g., the manufacturer). Furthermore, the first processing module 46 may be customized for the administrator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 at the request of that administrator.

[0050] Based on instructions from the operator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, the first processing module 46 performs processing on the ultrasound data stored in the comprehensive data DB 40 using the processing parameters assigned to the ultrasound data. As a result, the first processing module 46 obtains processing result data.

[0051] The processing result data may show the results of each processing module included in the first processing module 46 sequentially processing a given ultrasonic data.

[0052] Furthermore, as in this embodiment, if multiple processing modules included in the first processing module 46 are capable of performing multiple different types of processing on the ultrasonic data, it is preferable to include multiple processing result data showing the results of each processing module on the ultrasonic data in the comprehensive data.

[0053] For example, if multiple processing modules included in the first processing module 46 perform a series of processes, the first processing module 46 may perform the processes up to a certain point in the series of processes and obtain processing result data for those processes. For example, processing result data showing the result of processing by the rendering module 46b on ultrasonic data, processing result data showing the result of processing by the rendering module 46b and the cross-section extraction module 46c on ultrasonic data, processing result data showing the result of processing by the rendering module 46b, the cross-section extraction module 46c, and the trace module 46d on ultrasonic data, and so on.

[0054] Furthermore, if multiple processing modules included in the first processing module 46 can process the unprocessed ultrasound data individually, multiple processing result data showing the processing results of each processing module included in the first processing module 46 for the unprocessed ultrasound data may be obtained.

[0055] Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of the comprehensive data 60. As described above, the comprehensive data 60 is data associated with ultrasound data 62 and processing-related data 64, which is data related to processing the ultrasound data 62. In this embodiment, the processing-related data 64 includes one or more processing parameters 66 for processing the ultrasound data 62 and processing result data 68, which is the result of processing the ultrasound data 62 using the processing parameters 66.

[0056] As described above, the processing parameter assignment unit 44 already associates the ultrasonic data 62 with the processing parameters 66. The first processing module 46 associates the ultrasonic data 62 with the processing result data 68 obtained by its own processing. For example, the ultrasonic data 62 and the processing result data 68 can be associated by giving the data file for the ultrasonic data 62 and the data file for the processing result data 68 the same name (but with different extensions). In the example in Figure 3, multiple processing result data 68 are shown. This data shows the results of all and part of a series of processes performed on the ultrasonic data 62 by multiple processing modules included in the first processing module 46. For example, processing result data 68a shows the result of the rendering module 46b's processing of the ultrasonic data 62, processing result data 68b shows the result of the rendering module 46b and the cross-section extraction module 46c's processing of the ultrasonic data 62, and processing result data 68w shows the result of the entire processing of the first processing module 46 on the ultrasonic data 62.

[0057] The comprehensive data 60 is stored in the comprehensive data DB40.

[0058] Based on a request for transmission of comprehensive data 60 received from the image analysis device 14, the transmission control unit 48 transmits the comprehensive data 60 stored in the comprehensive data DB 40 to the image analysis device 14. As a result, the same comprehensive data 60 is stored in both the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and the image analysis device 14.

[0059] After the comprehensive data 60 is transmitted to the image analysis device 14, the comprehensive data 60 may be modified in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. For example, the ultrasound data 62 included in the comprehensive data may be changed (modified) by operator instructions or automatic calculations. In addition, the processing parameters 66 included in the comprehensive data may be changed. Furthermore, if the ultrasound data 62 or processing parameters 66 included in the comprehensive data are changed, the processing result data 68 may also be changed.

[0060] Alternatively, the processing result data 68 may be modified by instructions from the operator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. Figure 4A shows the processing result data 68, in particular the trace TR of the cardiac chambers, which is the processing result of the trace module 46d. The trace TR shown in Figure 4A has an error called shadow SD. Shadow SD does not represent the true cardiac chambers. The trace module 46d modifies the trace TR to eliminate the shadow SD according to the operator's instructions input from the input interface 36. Figure 4B shows the trace TR of the cardiac chambers, which is the processing result data 68 after modification.

[0061] Thus, if the comprehensive data 60 is modified in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 after it has been transmitted to the image analysis device 14, the comprehensive data 60 stored in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and the comprehensive data 60 stored in the image analysis device 14 will become different from each other.

[0062] Therefore, after the transmission control unit 48 transmits the comprehensive data 60 to the image analysis device 14, if there are any changes to the comprehensive data 60 in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, it automatically transmits the modified comprehensive data 60 to the image analysis device 14, that is, without instructions from the operator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. This ensures that even if the comprehensive data 60 is modified in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 after it has been transmitted to the image analysis device 14, the contents of the comprehensive data 60 stored in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and the comprehensive data 60 stored in the image analysis device 14 will not differ from each other.

[0063] The first notification processing unit 50 notifies the image analysis device 14 of the change in comprehensive data 60 stored in the comprehensive data DB 40. This is to notify the user of the image analysis device 14 that the comprehensive data 60 has been changed in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. It is preferable that the notification also includes information to identify the changed comprehensive data 60 (for example, the file name of the comprehensive data (or the ultrasound data 62 included in the comprehensive data 60)).

[0064] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the image analysis device 14. The image analysis device 14 is a device that provides image analysis services to users, such as analyzing or managing ultrasound data. The image analysis device 14 may be, for example, a server computer. In this embodiment, the administrator of the image analysis device 14 is assumed to be the same as the administrator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. However, the administrator of the image analysis device 14 and the administrator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 may be different people, as long as ultrasound data is shared with the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and processing of the ultrasound data is permitted to be equivalent to that of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12.

[0065] For example, the image analysis device 14 is a server computer managed by the administrator of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, and is a server computer for providing the administrator's image analysis service. This image analysis service can also analyze or manage medical image data acquired from various modalities (for example, CT (Computed Tomography) devices and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) devices) in addition to ultrasound data.

[0066] The communication interface 70 consists of, for example, a network adapter. The communication interface 70 performs the function of communicating with the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and user terminals used by users of the image analysis service via the communication line 16. In particular, the communication interface 70 receives comprehensive data 60 from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. The communication interface 70 also transmits a request for processing result data 68 (details described later) to the ultrasound diagnostic device 12.

[0067] The memory 72 is composed of an HDD, SSD, eMMC, ROM, or RAM. The memory 72 stores processing programs for operating each part of the image analysis device 14. The processing programs can also be stored on a computer-readable non-temporary storage medium, such as a USB memory stick or CD-ROM. The image analysis device 14 can read and execute processing programs from such storage media.

[0068] Furthermore, the memory 72 stores the comprehensive data 60 received from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. In addition, the memory 72 stores various medical data (including the comprehensive data 60) managed by the image analysis service, and processing result data showing the results of processing these data by the image analysis device 14. In this specification, in order to distinguish it from the processing result data 68 showing the processing results of the ultrasound data 62 by the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 (particularly the first processing module 46), the processing result data showing the processing results of the ultrasound data 62 by the image analysis device 14 (particularly the second processing module 76 described later) is referred to as "processing device side processing result data".

[0069] The processor 74, acting as the second processor, performs its functions as the second processing module 76, the processing content identification unit 78, the request processing unit 80, and the second notification processing unit 82, according to the processing program stored in the memory 72. The details of the functions of each part performed by the processor 74 will be described below.

[0070] The second processing module 76, like the first processing module 46 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, performs processing on the ultrasound data 62 using processing parameters 66 assigned to the ultrasound data 62. In this embodiment, the second processing module 76 consists of a GUI module 76a, a cross-sectional extraction module 76c, a trace module 76d, a tracking module 76e, and a measurement module 76f. The second processing module 76 is also capable of performing multiple processes with different contents. The processes performed by the GUI module 76a, the cross-sectional extraction module 76c, the trace module 76d, the tracking module 76e, and the measurement module 76f are the same as the processes performed by the GUI module 46a, the cross-sectional extraction module 46c, the trace module 46d, the tracking module 46e, and the measurement module 46f included in the first processing module 46. In other words, the second processing module 76 can perform processing equivalent to that of the first processing module 46, at least in part.

[0071] In addition, the first processing module 46 and the second processing module 76 may be customized individually. In such cases, the processing module of the first processing module 46 (e.g., cross-sectional extraction module 46c) and the corresponding processing module of the second processing module 76 (e.g., cross-sectional extraction module 76c) may not perform exactly the same processing, but since the base is the same, both processing modules will perform similar processing. In this specification, even when similar processing is performed, it will be expressed as performing equivalent processing. In general, when processing ultrasound data 62, the first processing module 46 often yields better results (higher performance, higher accuracy, etc.) than the second processing module 76.

[0072] Furthermore, comparing the second processing module 76 with the first processing module 46, there are processing modules that the first processing module 46 has that the second processing module 76 does not. In the examples in Figures 2 and 5, this is the rendering module 46b. In other words, there are processes that the first processing module 46 can execute but the second processing module 76 cannot. In this specification, such processes are referred to as "specific processes".

[0073] Even though the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 has received comprehensive data 60 including processing result data 68, the second processing module 76 performs processing again on the ultrasound data 62 included in the comprehensive data 60 using the processing parameters 66 included in the comprehensive data 60 because, as described above, the first processing module 46 and the second processing module 76 do not necessarily obtain exactly the same processing results. Conversely to the specific processing described above, there may also be cases where the first processing module 46 cannot perform processing, but the second processing module 76 can. In such cases, it is meaningful for the second processing module 76 to perform processing again on the ultrasound data 62.

[0074] The processing content identification unit 78 identifies the processing content that the processor 42 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 can execute and the processing content that the processor 74 of the image analysis device 14 can execute. In other words, the processing content identification unit 78 identifies the type of processing module that the first processing module 46 has and the type of processing module that the second processing module 76 has. Since the second processing module 76 is a function performed by the processor 74 itself, the processing content identification unit 78 can naturally identify the type of processing module that the second processing module 76 has. On the other hand, the type of processing module that the first processing module 46 has can be identified in various ways. For example, information indicating the type of processing module that the first processing module 46 has can be received from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 in advance and stored in the memory 72, and the processing content identification unit 78 can identify the type of processing module that the first processing module 46 has by referring to this information. Alternatively, the processing content identification unit 78 may request information indicating the type of processing module that the first processing module 46 has from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12.

[0075] The request processing unit 80 refers to the results of the processing content identification unit 78's identification of processing content that can be executed by the processor 42 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and processing content that can be executed by the processor 74 of the image analysis device 14, and if there is processing that can be executed by the processor 42 but cannot be executed by the processor 74 (i.e., specific processing), it requests the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 to provide processing result data 68 that indicates the result of specific processing on the ultrasound data 62 included in the comprehensive data 60 already received from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12.

[0076] In the examples shown in Figures 2 and 5, since the processing performed by the rendering module 46b of the first processing module 46 is specific processing, the request processing unit 80 requests processing result data 68b, which shows the result of the processing performed by the rendering module 46b on the ultrasound data 62 included in the comprehensive data 60 received from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. In this embodiment, when multiple processing modules included in the first processing module 46 perform a series of processes on the ultrasound data 62, it is preferable to request processing result data 68, which shows the result of the processing up to the specific processing.

[0077] Upon receiving the request, the first processing module 46 of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 12 transmits processing result data 68, which is included in the comprehensive data 60 containing the requested ultrasound data 62 and indicates the result of specific processing applied to the ultrasound data, to the image analysis apparatus 14. Alternatively, the first processing module 46 may perform specific processing on the requested ultrasound data 62 after receiving the request from the request processing unit 80, and then transmit the processing result data 68 indicating the result to the image analysis apparatus 14.

[0078] Upon receiving the processing result data 68 from the specific processing, the second processing module 76 of the image analysis device 14 performs processing on the ultrasound data 62 after the specific processing. As a result, even if the second processing module 76 is unable to perform the specific processing, the image analysis device 14 can utilize the processing result of the specific processing, and thus obtain the same processing result as the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 for the ultrasound data 62.

[0079] It is possible that after comprehensive data 60 is transmitted from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 to the image analysis device 14, the comprehensive data may be deleted from the comprehensive data DB 40 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. In this case, the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 may not have the ultrasound data 62 requested by the request processing unit 80. In this case, the processor 42 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 sends a request for the ultrasound data 62 to the image analysis device 14. The processor 74 of the image analysis device 14 receives the request and sends the ultrasound data 62 stored in memory 72 to the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. The first processing module 46 performs specific processing on the received ultrasound data 62 and sends processing result data 68 indicating the result to the image analysis device 14.

[0080] Furthermore, if it is desirable to perform as much processing as possible on the second processing module 76 for the ultrasound data 62, the second processing module 76 may perform the processing up to the point before the specific processing in the series of processing in the first processing module 46 or the second processing module 76, and the request processing unit 80 may transmit the processing result data obtained therefrom from the processing unit side to the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, and also request processing result data 68 indicating the result of the specific processing from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. Upon receiving the processing result data from the processing unit side and the request, the first processing module 46 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 performs specific processing on the ultrasound data based on the processing result indicated by the processing result data from the processing unit side, and transmits processing result data 68 indicating the result to the image analysis device 14.

[0081] The second notification processing unit 82, in response to a notification from the first notification processing unit 50 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, notifies the user of the image analysis device 14 that there has been a change in the comprehensive data 60 stored in the comprehensive data DB 40. The second notification processing unit 82 notifies the user, for example, by displaying a message on the display of the user terminal used by the user of the image analysis service. This makes it easy for the user of the image analysis device 14 to understand that there has been a change in the comprehensive data 60 stored in the comprehensive data DB 40.

[0082] The above is an overview of the ultrasonic data processing system 10 according to this embodiment. The processing flow of the ultrasonic diagnostic device 12 will now be explained according to the flowchart shown in Figure 6.

[0083] In step S10, the signal processing unit 26 forms ultrasonic data 62 based on the received signal obtained by the ultrasonic probe 20 transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from the subject.

[0084] In step S12, the processing parameter assignment unit 44 assigns processing parameters 66 to the ultrasonic data formed in step S10.

[0085] In step S14, the first processing module 46 performs processing on the ultrasonic data 62 formed in step S10 using the processing parameters 66 assigned in step S12. As a result, the first processing module 46 obtains processing result data 68. The ultrasonic data 62, processing parameters 66, and processing result data 68 are stored in the comprehensive data DB 40 as comprehensive data 60 associated with each other.

[0086] In step S16, the transmission control unit 48 transmits the comprehensive data 60 formed in step S14 to the image analysis device 14. The comprehensive data 60 is stored in the memory 72 of the image analysis device 14.

[0087] In step S18, the transmission control unit 48 determines whether or not there have been any changes in the comprehensive data 60 formed in step S14 in the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. If there are no changes, the process ends; if there are changes, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0088] In step S20, the transmission control unit 48 transmits the modified comprehensive data 60 to the image analysis device 14.

[0089] The following describes the processing flow of the image analysis device 14 according to the flowchart shown in Figure 7. At the start of the flowchart in Figure 7, it is assumed that the image analysis device 14 has already received comprehensive data 60 from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 and that the comprehensive data 60 is stored in the memory 72.

[0090] In step S30, the image analysis device 14 receives an instruction from a user of the image analysis service provided by the image analysis device 14 to perform processing on the ultrasound data 62.

[0091] In step S32, the processing content identification unit 78 determines whether the second processing module 76 can execute the processing related to the execution instruction received in step S30. If it can execute, the process proceeds to step S34, in which step S34 the second processing module 76 executes the processing related to the execution instruction on the ultrasonic data 62 and obtains the processing result data from the processing device side.

[0092] If the second processing module 76 is unable to execute the process related to the execution instruction received in step S30, the process proceeds to step S36. In step S36, the processing content identification unit 78 determines whether the first processing module 46 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 is able to execute the process related to the execution instruction received in step S30. If the first processing module 46 is unable to execute the process related to the execution instruction received in step S30, that is, if neither the first processing module 46 nor the second processing module 76 is able to execute it, the process proceeds to step S38.

[0093] In step S38, the second notification processing unit 82 displays an error message on the display of the user terminal used by the user of the image analysis service. This error message indicates that the ultrasonic data processing system 10 cannot execute the process requested by the user.

[0094] If the first processing module 46 is capable of executing the execution instruction received in step S30, that is, if the first processing module 46 is capable of executing its own processing, the process proceeds from step S36 to step S40. In step S40, the request processing unit 80 requests the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 to provide processing result data 68 indicating the result of the unique processing on the ultrasound data 62 related to the execution instruction received in step S30.

[0095] In step S42, the request processing unit 80 determines whether the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 has stored the ultrasound data 62 related to the request. As described above, if the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 does not have the ultrasound data 62 related to the request stored, the processor 42 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 sends a request for the ultrasound data 62 to the image analysis device 14. Upon receiving the request for the ultrasound data 62 from the ultrasound diagnostic device 12, the request processing unit 80 can determine that the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 does not have the ultrasound data 62 related to the request stored. If the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 does not have the ultrasound data 62 related to the request stored, the process proceeds to step S44; otherwise, step S44 is bypassed and the process proceeds to step S46.

[0096] In step S44, the processor 74 of the image analysis device 14 receives the request and transmits the ultrasound data 62 stored in the memory 72 to the ultrasound diagnostic device 12. The first processing module 46 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 performs specific processing on the received ultrasound data 62 and obtains the processing result data.

[0097] In step S46, the transmission control unit 48 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 12 transmits the processing result data 68 related to the request in step S40 to the image analysis device 14. The image analysis device 14 receives the processing result data 68.

[0098] In step S48, the processor 74 of the image analysis device 14 displays the received processing result data 68 on the display of the user terminal used by the user of the image analysis service. Alternatively, the second processing module 76 may perform further processing on the ultrasound data 62 based on the received processing result data 68 and display the processing result data from the processing device side on the display of the user terminal.

[0099] The ultrasonic data processing control device described herein has been explained above, but the ultrasonic data processing control device described herein is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the invention.

[0100] For example, in the above embodiment, the transmission control device was an ultrasound diagnostic device 12, but the transmission control device can be any computer as long as it has a comprehensive data DB 40 that stores comprehensive data 60, a first processing module 46, and a transmission control unit 48. Furthermore, the functions performed by the transmission control device may be performed by the cooperation of multiple devices. In this case, the multiple devices correspond to the transmission control device. Similarly, in the above embodiment, the processing device was an image analysis device 14, but the processing device can be any computer as long as it receives comprehensive data 60 from the transmission control device and has a second processing module 76, a processing content identification unit 78, and a request processing unit 80. Furthermore, the functions performed by the processing device may be performed by the cooperation of multiple devices. In this case, the multiple devices correspond to the processing device.

[0101] In this embodiment, each process is executed on any computer. Furthermore, any computer may execute these processes using a processor as hardware, a program as software, or a combination thereof. In that case, the processor is configured to work in cooperation with the program to execute the various processes in this embodiment, and can function as a unit or means in this embodiment. Also, the execution order of the processes by the processor is not limited to the order described and may be changed as appropriate. Any computer may be a general-purpose computer, a computer designed for a specific purpose, a workstation, or any other system capable of executing each process. A processor may consist of one or more hardware components, and the type of hardware is not limited. For example, a processor may consist of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a programmable logic device such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a dedicated circuit for executing a specific process such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), or an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). Furthermore, the type of hardware may be a combination of different types of hardware. When multiple hardware components are configured to execute one or more processes of a given processor, these components may reside in physically separate devices or in the same device. Also, in any embodiment, the order of each process performed by the processor is not limited to the order described above and may be changed as appropriate. Hardware is composed of electrical circuits (circuitry) that combine circuit elements such as semiconductor elements. Furthermore, the program may be firmware or software such as microcode. Alternatively, the program may be, for example, a set of program modules, each function of which may be implemented by a processor configured to perform its respective function. The program may be program code or multiple code segments stored on one or more non-temporary computer-readable media (e.g., storage media or other storage). The program may be divided and stored on multiple non-temporary computer-readable media located on physically separate devices. Program code or code segments may represent any combination of procedures, functions, subprograms, routines, subroutines, modules, software packages, classes, or instructions, data structures, or program statements. Program code or code segments may be connected to other code segments or hardware circuits by sending and receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents.

[0102] This invention can also be applied to programs and program products. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 10 Ultrasound data processing system, 12 Ultrasound diagnostic device, 14 Image analysis device, 20 Ultrasound probe, 24 Transmit / receive unit, 26 Signal processing unit, 28 Image forming unit, 30 Display control unit, 32 Display, 34, 70 Communication interface, 36 Input interface, 38, 72 Memory, 40 Comprehensive data DB, 42, 74 Processor, 44 Processing parameter assignment unit, 46 First processing module, 48 Transmission control unit, 50 First notification processing unit, 60 Comprehensive data, 62 Ultrasound data, 64 Processing-related data, 66 Processing parameters, 68 Processing result data, 76 Second processing module, 78 Processing content identification unit, 80 Request processing unit, 82 Second notification processing unit.

Claims

1. A transmission control device having a first processor and memory, A processing unit having a second processor, An ultrasonic data processing system including, The memory stores comprehensive data including ultrasound data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves to a subject, and processing-related data which is data relating to the processing of the ultrasound data. The first processor is, Processing can be performed on the aforementioned ultrasonic data. The comprehensive data is transmitted to the processing device, After transmitting the comprehensive data to the processing device, the transmission control device transmits the modified comprehensive data to the processing device in response to any changes made to the comprehensive data. It is configured in such a way, The second processor is, Processing can be performed on the aforementioned ultrasonic data. The processing content that the first processor can execute and the processing content that the second processor can execute are identified. If there is a specific process that the first processor can execute but the second processor cannot, the transmission control device is requested to provide processing result data indicating the result of the specific process on the ultrasonic data. It is structured in such a way. An ultrasonic data processing system characterized by the following features.

2. The processing-related data includes at least one of processing parameters used for processing the ultrasonic data, or processing result data indicating the results of processing the ultrasonic data. The ultrasonic data processing system according to feature 1.

3. The first processor is, It is possible to execute multiple processes, each with different content, including the aforementioned specific processing. Prior to receiving a request for the processing result data from the second processor, the plurality of processes on the ultrasonic data are performed, and the plurality of processing result data showing the results of each process are included in the comprehensive data. In response to a request for the processing result data from the second processor, the processing result data, which is included in the comprehensive data and indicates the result of the specific processing, is transmitted to the processing device. It is structured in such a way. The ultrasonic data processing system according to feature 1.

4. The first processor is configured to notify the processing unit of the change in the comprehensive data when the comprehensive data has been changed. The ultrasonic data processing system according to feature 1.

5. The second processor is configured to notify the user of the processing device that there has been a change in the comprehensive data in response to a notification from the first processor. The ultrasonic data processing system according to feature 4.

6. The aforementioned ultrasound data is four-dimensional ultrasound data representing the temporal changes in ultrasound volume data. The ultrasonic data processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A first processor and memory are provided. The memory stores comprehensive data including ultrasound data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves to a subject, and processing-related data which is data relating to the processing of the ultrasound data. The first processor is, Processing can be performed on the aforementioned ultrasonic data. The comprehensive data is transmitted to a processing device capable of performing processing on the ultrasonic data. After transmitting the comprehensive data to the processing device, if any changes have been made to the comprehensive data within the device, the modified comprehensive data is transmitted to the processing device. It is structured in such a way. A transmission control device characterized by the following:

8. Equipped with a second processor, The second processor is, Ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject is received from a transmission control device capable of processing the ultrasonic data. Processing can be performed on the aforementioned ultrasonic data. The transmission control device identifies the processing content that it can execute, and the second processor identifies the processing content that it can execute. If there is a specific process that the transmission control device can execute but the second processor cannot, the transmission control device is requested to provide processing result data indicating the result of the specific process on the ultrasonic data. It is structured in such a way. A processing apparatus characterized by the following:

9. A computer equipped with a memory that stores comprehensive data including ultrasound data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves to a subject, and processing-related data which is data related to processing the ultrasound data, The ultrasonic data is made capable of being processed. The comprehensive data is transmitted to a processing device capable of performing processing on the ultrasonic data. After transmitting the comprehensive data to the processing device, if any changes are made to the comprehensive data within the device, the device will cause the modified comprehensive data to be transmitted to the processing device. A transmission control program characterized by the following:

10. On the computer, Ultrasonic data acquired by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to a subject is received by a transmission control device capable of processing the ultrasonic data. The ultrasonic data is made capable of being processed. The transmission control device identifies the processing content it can perform and the processing content it can perform. If there is a specific process that the transmission control device can perform but the device itself cannot, the device requests processing result data indicating the result of the specific process on the ultrasonic data from the transmission control device. A processing program characterized by the following:

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