Ophthalmic Ultrasound Diagnostic Equipment

Abstract

An ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device that is easy to operate when measuring an eye to be examined is provided. [Solution] The ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device includes a probe and a measuring instrument. The probe is configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to the subject's eye and receive reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves from the subject's eye. The measuring instrument is configured to output, as a measurement value, the length of a predetermined part of the subject's eye identified from the received signal when a signal received by the probe satisfies a plurality of predetermined conditions. The measuring instrument is configured to control the display device to display a waveform of the received signal and an indication image indicating the degree of satisfaction of the plurality of conditions, and to switch the display mode of the indication image depending on the number of satisfied conditions out of the plurality of conditions.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device. [Background technology]

[0002] As an ophthalmic device, a device for measuring the length of a subject's eye is known. Specifically, an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device for measuring the anterior chamber depth (ACD), crystalline lens thickness, and axial length of the subject's eye is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device, a probe is brought into contact with the eye to be examined directly or via an ultrasonic medium, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the probe to the eye to be examined, and the reflected waves are received by the probe. Based on the received signal obtained from the probe, the length of each part of the eye to be examined is measured.

[0004] When the subject's eye is measured via an ultrasonic medium, the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the probe are reflected by the cornea, the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, and the retina of the subject's eye. Therefore, the received signal has peaks corresponding to the reflected wave components from the cornea, the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, and the retina as signal waveforms. The ACD, crystalline lens thickness, and axial length described above are measured based on the elapsed time from the transmission of the ultrasonic waves to the reception of the reflected wave components corresponding to each peak and the propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-187022 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the above-mentioned ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device, the propagation path of the ultrasonic waves changes depending on the attitude of the probe, etc. Therefore, in order to accurately measure the subject's eye, it is necessary to perform an operation such as adjusting the attitude of the probe to the correct attitude with respect to the subject's eye. For example, in order to accurately measure the axial length, it is necessary to position the probe so that the ultrasonic waves propagate parallel to the axis of the eye. Even a slight tilt of the probe causes an error in the measurement of the axial length.

[0007] In order to suppress measurement errors caused by the probe posture, etc., an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device captures a measurement value based on a received signal by the probe only when the received signal satisfies a predetermined condition. Therefore, unless the probe operator performs tasks such as adjusting the probe to the correct posture with respect to the subject's eye so as to obtain a received waveform that satisfies the predetermined condition, the measurement value of the subject's eye cannot be obtained.

[0008] However, in the conventional device, even if the operator adjusts the attitude of the probe to measure the subject's eye, the only reaction is whether or not to execute the measurement. Therefore, in the conventional device, the operator may not correctly understand the situation when the measurement is not executed, and may feel very dissatisfied.

[0009] Therefore, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is desirable to provide an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus that is easy to operate when measuring a subject's eye. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including a probe and a measuring instrument, the probe being configured to transmit ultrasound to a subject's eye and receive a reflected wave of the ultrasound from the subject's eye.

[0011] The measuring instrument is configured to output, when a signal received by the probe satisfies a plurality of predetermined conditions, a length of a predetermined portion of the subject's eye identified from the received signal as a measurement value.

[0012] The measuring instrument is configured to control the display device to display the waveform of the received signal as well as an indication image indicating the degree of satisfaction of a plurality of conditions, and to switch the display mode of the indication image depending on the number of conditions that are satisfied among the plurality of conditions.

[0013] According to the ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device configured in this manner, the operator of the probe can more easily perform the task of obtaining a received signal that satisfies a predetermined condition by adjusting the attitude of the probe while looking at the instruction image, as compared to a case in which the instruction image is not provided. Therefore, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device that is excellent in operability when measuring the subject's eye.

[0014] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the instruction image may include a plurality of image elements, each of which may correspond to one of a plurality of conditions, and each of which may have a plurality of display modes having different display aspects.

[0015] In this case, the measuring instrument may be configured to cause the display device to display a plurality of image elements as an indication image, and when one or more of the plurality of conditions are satisfied, to cause the display device to display one or more of the plurality of image elements corresponding to the one or more satisfied conditions in a display mode different from the remaining image elements of the plurality of image elements excluding the one or more image elements. By this display, the measuring instrument can cause the display device to display the indication image so as to indicate the degree of satisfaction of the plurality of conditions.

[0016] According to the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus configured in this manner, it is possible to display to the user an instruction image that is useful for easily adjusting the attitude of the probe and for obtaining a received signal that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the plurality of display modes of each of the plurality of image elements may include a plurality of display modes having different display colors, and the measuring instrument may be configured to cause the display device to display the instruction image such that one or more image elements are displayed in a different color than the remaining image elements.

[0018] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the measuring instrument may be configured to determine whether the received signal satisfies a plurality of conditions by determining whether the received signal satisfies each of the plurality of conditions in a predetermined determination order. The measuring instrument may be configured to display, on a display device, an indication image in which a plurality of image elements corresponding to the plurality of conditions are arranged in the same order as the determination order.

[0019] According to the ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device configured in this manner, the instruction image can be displayed in a display mode corresponding to the degree of satisfaction of a plurality of conditions, for example, like a level meter, and therefore, according to this ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device, the instruction image can be displayed in a mode that allows the user to easily understand the situation.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the measuring instrument may be configured to repeatedly determine whether the received signal satisfies a plurality of conditions and update the indication image in response to the determination. With the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device configured in this manner, the indication image can be updated to follow the reception conditions. Therefore, an indication image that is useful for easily adjusting the attitude of the probe and obtaining a received signal that satisfies the predetermined conditions can be displayed to the user.

[0021] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the measuring instrument may be configured to output the measurement value through the display device by displaying the measurement value on the display device. With the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device configured in this manner, the operator of the probe can check the measurement value on the same display device while checking the waveform of the received signal and the indication image.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the measuring device may be configured to output one or more of anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness, and axial length of the subject's eye, which are identified from the received signal. With this configuration, it is possible to provide an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device that is easy to operate and capable of measuring ACD, lens thickness, and / or axial length.

[0023] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the multiple conditions may include at least one of a condition regarding the intensity of the reflected wave identified from the received signal, a condition regarding the shape of the reflected wave identified from the received signal, and a condition regarding the position of the reflected wave component identified from the received signal.

[0024] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the plurality of conditions may be different depending on the type of the subject's eye. The instruction image may be different depending on the type of the subject's eye. The measuring instrument may be configured to determine whether or not the received signal satisfies the plurality of conditions depending on the type of the subject's eye, and to cause the display device to display the instruction image depending on the type of the subject's eye.

[0025] The above-mentioned multiple conditions can be changed depending on the type of the subject's eye. By displaying an instruction image corresponding to the type of the subject's eye on the display device, it is possible to provide an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device that is easy to operate when measuring each type of subject's eye. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a measurement screen. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing exemplary received signal waveforms. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining measurement of a subject's eye. [Diagram 5] 11 is a flowchart showing an operation reception process executed by a processor. [Figure 6] 11 is a flowchart showing a measurement-related process executed by a processor. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an import condition definition table. [Figure 8] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating changes in the display mode of an instruction image. [Figure 9] FIG. 9A is a diagram for explaining an instruction image for a hypermature cataract eye or an IOL eye, and FIG. 9B is a diagram for explaining an instruction image for an aphakic eye or a shallow anterior chamber eye. [Figure 10] 11 is a flowchart showing a strength condition determination process executed by a processor. [Figure 11] 11 is a flowchart showing a range condition determination process executed by a processor. [Figure 12] 11 is a flowchart showing a waveform condition determination process executed by a processor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 of this embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is configured to measure the anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and / or axial length of a test eye using ultrasonic waves. Hereinafter, the anterior chamber depth will be referred to as ACD, and the lens thickness will be referred to as lens thickness. Measurement of the ACD, lens thickness, and / or axial length of the test eye will be referred to as measurement of the test eye.

[0028] The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 includes a device main body 10 and an ultrasonic probe 50 connected via a cable to the device main body 10. Hereinafter, the ultrasonic probe 50 will be simply referred to as the probe 50.

[0029] The device main body 10 includes a controller 20, a transmission circuit 31, a reception circuit 35, an AD converter 37, a display 41, a touch panel 43, and a speaker 45. The transmission circuit 31 inputs a transmission signal to the probe 50 in accordance with a control signal from the controller 20. The transmission signal corresponds to a drive signal for the probe 50.

[0030] The probe 50 is configured to emit, i.e., transmit, an ultrasonic wave having a corresponding waveform (e.g., a pulse waveform) based on a transmission signal from the transmission circuit 31. The probe 50 includes a transducer (not shown) and converts the transmission signal as an electric signal into an ultrasonic wave and outputs it.

[0031] The probe 50 is configured to be able to receive reflected waves of the emitted ultrasound, converts the received ultrasound into an electrical signal, and outputs it as a received signal. The received signal is input to the receiving circuit 35. The received signal indicates the waveform of the ultrasound received by the probe 50, i.e., the change in signal strength over time, and includes a reflected wave component of the emitted ultrasound.

[0032] The receiving circuit 35 includes an amplifier and a filter, and amplifies the received signal and removes noise. The amplified and noise-removed received signal is converted into a digital signal by an AD converter 37 and input to the controller 20.

[0033] The controller 20 is configured to control the probe 50 by inputting a control signal to the transmission circuit 31, and further to perform measurement of the subject's eye based on a received signal input via the AD converter 37. The controller 20 functions as a controller and a measuring instrument.

[0034] The controller 20 is further configured to provide a graphic user interface for the operator of the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1 through the display 41, and to cause the speaker 45 to output notification sounds and the like according to the measurement status.

[0035] The controller 20 includes a processor 21 and a memory 23. The processor 21 executes processing related to measurement of the subject's eye in accordance with a computer program stored in the memory 23. The memory 23 may include a ROM, a RAM, and an NVRAM such as a flash memory. The memory 23 may include a storage such as a solid-state drive (SSD).

[0036] Although not shown, the controller 20 may further include a clock generation circuit and a counter circuit. The clock generation circuit is used to drive the probe 50. The counter circuit is used to measure the elapsed time from the emission of ultrasonic waves.

[0037] The display 41 is an example of a display device, and is controlled by the controller 20 to display various information to a user of the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1. The user may be an operator of the probe 50. The display 41 is, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0038] The touch panel 43 is configured to be integrated with the display 41, and is configured to receive a touch operation by the user on the screen of the display 41 and input the operation signal to the controller 20. The speaker 45 is configured to be controlled by the controller 20 and to output a notification sound based on a control signal from the controller 20.

[0039] 2 shows an exemplary configuration of a measurement screen G0 displayed on the display 41 under the control of the controller 20. The measurement screen G0 includes a type display area R1, a waveform display area R2, a measurement value display area R3, an instruction image display area R4, an operation button display area R5, and a other display area R6.

[0040] The type display area R1 is an area for displaying the measurement mode and the type of the subject's eye. According to the example shown in Fig. 2, the type display area R1 indicates that the measurement mode is the automatic measurement mode and that the type of the subject's eye is a phakic eye. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 of this embodiment is configured to be capable of measuring a plurality of types of subject's eyes including phakic eyes, hypermature cataract eyes, IOL (Intra Ocular Lens) eyes, aphakic eyes, and shallow anterior chamber eyes.

[0041] The waveform display area R2 is an area that displays the waveform of the signal received by the probe 50. According to the example shown in Fig. 2, in the waveform display area R2, the waveform of the received signal is displayed in a graph having a horizontal axis of time and a vertical axis of signal strength.

[0042] The measurement value display area R3 is an area for displaying the measurement values ​​of the subject's eye. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the measurement values ​​obtained by multiple measurements are listed together with the number indicating the measurement. The measurement values ​​of each measurement include the axial length, ACD, and lens thickness.

[0043] The symbol "S" displayed to the left of the number is placed at the beginning of the display line of the measurement value with the shortest axial length among the measurement values ​​displayed in the measurement value display area R3. The symbol "L" displayed to the left of the number is placed at the beginning of the display line of the measurement value with the longest axial length among the measurement values ​​displayed in the measurement value display area R3.

[0044] The measurement value display area R3 includes an area at the top that displays the average, standard deviation, and variation range of the axial length obtained from multiple measurements. The variation range corresponds to the data range of the axial length and is the difference between the maximum and minimum measurement values ​​of the axial length obtained from multiple measurements. The measurement value display area R3 includes an area at the bottom that displays the averages of the axial length, ACD, and lens thickness obtained from multiple measurements.

[0045] The indicator image display area R4 is an area for displaying an indicator image 70 indicating the degree to which the received signal satisfies the acquisition conditions for the measurement value. The acquisition conditions are composed of a set of multiple conditions. The degree to which the received signal satisfies the acquisition conditions for the measurement value, i.e., the degree of satisfaction, corresponds to the number or percentage of the multiple conditions that make up the acquisition conditions that the received signal satisfies.

[0046] The instruction image 70 includes a plurality of image objects. The image objects correspond to image elements that make up the instruction image 70. Hereinafter, each of the plurality of image objects will be referred to as a panel 80. Each of the plurality of panels 80 corresponds to one of a plurality of conditions that make up the capture conditions. Each of the plurality of panels 80 has a plurality of display modes with different display forms. The plurality of display modes include a first display mode and a second display mode with different display colors.

[0047] Each panel 80 is displayed in a first display mode if the received signal satisfies the corresponding condition, and is displayed in a second display mode if the received signal does not satisfy the corresponding condition.

[0048] That is, in the instruction image display area R4, one or more panels 80 corresponding to the conditions satisfied by the received signal are displayed in a first display mode, and the remaining panels 80 are displayed in a second display mode. For example, in the first display mode, the panels 80 are displayed in a bright color such as light green, and in the second display mode, the panels 80 are displayed in a dark color such as gray. Switching the display color in this manner produces the effect of turning on and off the panels 80.

[0049] However, the display colors in the first and second display modes may be reversed. That is, in the first display mode, the panels 80 may be displayed in a dark color, and in the second display mode, the panels 80 may be displayed in a light color. In this way, in the instruction image display area R4, the degree of satisfaction with the import conditions is displayed through color switching of the multiple panels 80, in other words, the lighting and extinguishing of the multiple panels 80 (see FIG. 8).

[0050] The operation button display area R5 is an area where a plurality of operation buttons (not shown) that can be pressed by a user through a touch operation are displayed as a graphical user interface. The other display areas R6 include an area for displaying information about the subject, an area for displaying the reception intensity of the ultrasound in the probe 50, and / or an area for displaying ultrasound information such as frequency.

[0051] 3A and 3B, a method for measuring the subject's eye will be described together with the waveforms of the received signals. When measuring the subject's eye, the user of the ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 operates the probe 50 and aligns the probe 50 with respect to the subject's eye.

[0052] The probe 50 is positioned so as to contact the corneal surface of the subject's eye. Alternatively, the probe 50 is positioned so as to contact the corneal surface of the subject's eye via an ultrasonic medium. The correct posture of the probe 50 is a posture in which ultrasonic waves propagate coaxially with the axis of the subject's eye. The positioning of the probe 50 is performed so that the probe 50 is in the correct posture.

[0053] When the probe 50 is in the correct position, the ultrasonic waves from the probe 50 propagate from the cornea to the retina of the subject's eye, passing through the central axis of the subject's eye. When the probe 50 contacts the corneal surface via an ultrasonic medium, the ultrasonic waves are reflected by the cornea, the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, and the retina of the subject's eye during this propagation process. The received signal includes reflected components of the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the probe 50, i.e., reflected wave components, which are a component reflected by the cornea, a component reflected by the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, a component reflected by the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, and a component reflected by the retina.

[0054] The method of measuring the subject's eye with the probe 50 in contact with the corneal surface via an ultrasonic medium is called a water immersion method. Fig. 3A shows the waveform of a received signal when the subject's eye is measured by the water immersion method.

[0055] As another example, a method of measuring the subject's eye by directly contacting the probe 50 with the corneal surface is called a contact type. In the contact type, ultrasonic waves are reflected by the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, and the retina. In this case, the received signal includes reflected components of the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the probe 50, i.e., reflected wave components, which are components reflected by the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, and the retina. Fig. 3B shows the waveform of the received signal when the subject's eye is measured by the contact type.

[0056] These reflected wave components show peaks of signal intensity in the received signal. Hereinafter, the reflected wave components that appear as a convex waveform having a peak in the received signal as the reflected wave is received will be referred to as an echo. The received signal further includes an initial echo P0 caused by the difference in acoustic impedance, which is affected by contact between the probe 50 and the subject's eye. This initial echo P0 can occur in both the water immersion type and the contact type.

[0057] Of the signal waveforms of the received signal shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the first echo P0 corresponds to the initial echo P0 resulting from the difference in acoustic impedance, the second echo P1 corresponds to the reflected wave component from the cornea, the third echo P2 corresponds to the reflected wave component from the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, the fourth echo P3 corresponds to the reflected wave component from the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, and the fifth echo P4 corresponds to the reflected wave component from the retina.

[0058] Each of the echoes P1, P2, P3, and P4 appears in the received signal separated in time according to the difference in the travel distance of the ultrasound due to the difference in the reflection point. The time difference D1 between the first echo P1 and the second echo P2 corresponds to the ACD. The time difference D2 between the echo P2 and the echo P3 corresponds to the lens thickness. The time difference D3 between the echo P1 and the echo P4 corresponds to the axial length. These time differences D1, D2, and D3 can be converted to distance by multiplying them by the propagation speed of the ultrasound.

[0059] 4, in this embodiment, the time elapsed from the emission of ultrasonic waves to the point at which the signal strength of the received signal exceeds a predetermined threshold TH1 is measured by the controller 20. In this way, the times L1, L2, L3, and L4 elapsed from the emission of ultrasonic waves to the reception of the reflected wave components corresponding to the echoes P1, P2, P3, and P4 are measured.

[0060] Based on the elapsed times L1, L2, L3, and L4 and the propagation speed of the ultrasound, the distance corresponding to the time difference D1=L2-L1 is determined as the ACD, the distance corresponding to the time difference D2=L3-L2 is determined as the lens thickness, and the distance corresponding to the time difference D3=L4-L1 is determined as the axial length.

[0061] Like the contact type, when the probe 50 contacts the corneal surface, the transmission point of the ultrasonic wave from the probe 50 approximately coincides with the corneal surface, so the time L1 converges to zero. In this case, the controller 20 can determine the distances corresponding to the time difference D1=L2, the time difference D2=L3-L2, and the time difference D3=L4 as the ACD, the lens thickness, and the axial length, respectively.

[0062] The controller 20 can detect echoes P1, P2, P3, and P4 on the condition that the signal strength of the received signal exceeds a threshold TH1, a threshold TH2 that is greater than the threshold TH1, and a threshold TH3 that is greater than the threshold TH2, in that order. However, the controller 20 may detect the corresponding signal strength peak as an echo even if the signal strength does not exceed the threshold TH3.

[0063] The controller 20 can further measure the time widths W1, W2, W3, and W4 from when the signal strength exceeds the threshold TH1 to when it reaches the threshold TH3 for each echo P1, P2, P3, and P4. The reciprocals 1 / W1, 1 / W2, 1 / W3, and 1 / W4 of the time widths W1, W2, W3, and W4 correspond to the rising slopes, i.e., the sharpness of the rising, of the corresponding echoes P1, P2, P3, and P4. Hereinafter, these time widths W1, W2, W3, and W4 are also referred to as rising times.

[0064] The controller 20 records the measurement values ​​(ACD, lens thickness, and axial length) identified from the received signal when the received signal satisfies predetermined acquisition conditions based on the signal strength, elapsed time L1, L2, L3, L4, and rise time W1, W2, W3, W4 of the received signal, and controls the display 41 so that the measurement values ​​are displayed in the measurement value display area R3.

[0065] Next, details of the operation reception process executed by the processor 21 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The processor 21 repeatedly executes the operation reception process to receive an operation on the operation button display area R5 of the measurement screen G0 from the user, and executes a process corresponding to the operation. The user here is the operator of the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device 1, and corresponds to the operator of the probe 50.

[0066] When the operation reception process starts, processor 21 waits until an operation signal from the user is received through touch panel 43 (S110), and when an operation signal is received, processor 21 executes a process corresponding to the performed operation (S120 to S150).

[0067] When the performed operation is a setting operation of the type of the eye to be examined (Yes in S120), the processor 21 displays an eye type selection screen (S121). In the operation button display area R5, an operation button for accepting a setting operation of the type of the eye to be examined is provided.

[0068] Although not shown, the eye type selection screen may be a screen on which the user can select, via the touch panel 43, one type as the measurement target from a group of types of examinee's eyes that can be measured by the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1. The eye type selection screen may be a screen on which the user can select, as the measurement target, one of a phakic eye, a hypermature cataract eye, an IOL eye, an aphakic eye, and a shallow anterior chamber eye.

[0069] After displaying the eye type selection screen, the processor 21 accepts a selection operation of the type of the subject eye as the measurement target through the touch panel 43 (S123), and when a selection operation is performed, sets the acquisition conditions of the measurement values ​​corresponding to the selected type of the subject eye (S125). The ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device 1 can store in the memory 23 an acquisition condition definition table (see FIG. 7) that defines the acquisition conditions for each type of the subject eye.

[0070] After setting the capture conditions, the processor 21 closes the eye type selection screen and redisplays the measurement screen G0. At this time, the type display area R1 of the measurement screen G0 updates the measurement screen G0 so that the type of the selected eye to be examined is displayed (S127). After that, the processor 21 proceeds to S110 and waits until the next operation is performed.

[0071] If the operation is an operation other than the eye type setting operation and the measurement start operation (Yes in S130), the processor 21 executes a process corresponding to the operation (S135). After that, the processor 21 proceeds to S110 and waits until the next operation is performed.

[0072] If the performed operation is a measurement start operation (Yes in S140), the processor 21 starts the measurement-related process shown in Fig. 6 (S150). An operation button for accepting the measurement start operation is provided in the operation button display area R5. After starting the measurement-related process, the processor 21 ends the operation acceptance process.

[0073] Next, the details of the measurement-related process executed by the processor 21 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. When the measurement-related process starts, the processor 21 notifies the user that the measurement is to start (S210). The notification can be realized, for example, by displaying a message on the display 41 and / or by outputting a notification sound from the speaker 45.

[0074] In the next S220, the processor 21 sets a variable N for counting the number of measurements (hereinafter referred to as the measurement number N) to the value 1. The measurement number N corresponds to the number of measurements displayed in the measurement value display area R3 (see FIG. 2).

[0075] In the following S230, the processor 21 starts a measurement sequence. In the measurement sequence, the processor 21 executes a transmission-related process for causing the probe 50 to emit ultrasonic waves, and a reception-related process for analyzing a reception signal from the probe 50 that includes a reflected wave component of the ultrasonic waves.

[0076] The transmission-related process includes a process of inputting the above-mentioned control signal to the transmission circuit 31. The reception-related process includes a process of measuring the signal strength of the received signal, and a process of measuring the elapsed times L1, L2, L3, and L4, and the rise times W1, W2, W3, and W4.

[0077] For example, the processor 21 can execute, as a measurement sequence, transmission-related processing and reception-related processing related to emission, reception, and analysis of ultrasonic waves required for one measurement of the subject's eye.

[0078] In the next S240, the processor 21 sets a variable M to a value of 1. The variable M is a variable for controlling the conditions to be judged. In the next S250, the processor 21 sets the Mth condition, among a plurality of conditions constituting the preset capture conditions, as the judgment target. Here, the sum of the plurality of conditions constituting the capture conditions is expressed as ME.

[0079] As described above, the multiple conditions constituting the capture condition differ depending on the type of the test eye. When the type of the test eye is a phakic eye, the multiple conditions constituting the capture condition are as follows. The following capture conditions are applied when the test eye is measured by a contact method. - Intensity condition C1: The signal intensities of echoes P2, P3, and P4 of the anterior lens, posterior lens, and retina exceed a threshold value. -Contact condition C2: The width (for example, half-value width) of the initial echo P0 is equal to or smaller than the reference width. - Range condition C3: Each measurement value of ACD, lens thickness, and axial length determined from the received signal is within a predetermined range. - First waveform condition C4: The rise time W2 of the echo P2 from the anterior surface of the crystalline lens is equal to or shorter than the first reference value. Second waveform condition C5: The rise time W3 of the echo P3 of the posterior surface of the lens is equal to or shorter than the second reference value. -Third waveform condition C6: The rise time W4 of the retinal echo P4 is equal to or less than the third standard value. - Variation condition C7: The variation in the ACD and axial length values ​​is within a specified range.

[0080] The "variability of ACD and axial length values" described in the variation condition C7 corresponds to the variation of ACD and axial length values ​​based on multiple reception signals obtained by multiple transmissions and receptions of ultrasound including past measurement sequences. The magnitude of the variation can be evaluated by the fluctuation range.

[0081] When the type of the subject eye is a mature cataract eye or an IOL eye, the multiple conditions constituting the capture condition are as follows: The following capture conditions are applied when the subject eye is measured by the contact method. - Intensity condition C1a: The signal intensity of the anterior surface of the lens and the retina echoes P2 and P4 exceeds a threshold. -Contact condition C2: The width (e.g., half-value width) of the initial echo P0 is equal to or smaller than the reference width. - Range condition C3a: Each measurement value of ACD and axial length determined from the received signal is within a predetermined range. - First waveform condition C4: The rise time W2 of the echo P2 from the anterior surface of the crystalline lens is equal to or shorter than the first reference value. -Third waveform condition C6: The rise time W4 of the retinal echo P4 is equal to or less than the third standard value. - Variation condition C7: The variation in the ACD and axial length values ​​is within a specified range.

[0082] The suffix "a" added to the intensity condition C1a and the range condition C3a means that these conditions are modifications of the intensity condition C1 and the range condition C3. The modifications are based on the difference in the type of the test eye.

[0083] When the type of the subject's eye is an aphakic eye or a shallow anterior chamber eye, the multiple conditions constituting the capture condition are as follows: The following capture conditions are applied when the subject's eye is measured by the contact method. - Intensity condition C1b: The signal intensity of the retinal echo P4 exceeds a threshold value. -Contact condition C2: The width (e.g., half-value width) of the initial echo P0 is equal to or smaller than the reference width. - Range condition C3b: Each measurement value of the axial length determined from the received signal is within a predetermined range. -Third waveform condition C6: The rise time W4 of the retinal echo P4 is equal to or less than the third standard value. - Variation condition C7b: The variation in the axial length value is within a specified range.

[0084] The suffix "b" added to the intensity condition C1b, the range condition C3b, and the variation condition C7b means that these conditions are modifications of the intensity condition C1, the range condition C3, and the variation condition C7. The modifications are based on differences in the types of the test eyes.

[0085] The above-mentioned capture condition definition table, which defines the capture conditions for each type of subject eye, defines the capture conditions and the judgment order of the multiple conditions constituting the capture conditions for each of the first, second, and third categories, as shown in Fig. 7. Here, phakic eyes belong to the first category. Hypermature cataract eyes and IOL eyes belong to the second category. Aphakic eyes and shallow anterior chamber eyes belong to the third category.

[0086] When the test eye is in the first category (phakic eye), the first condition is an intensity condition C1. The second condition is a contact condition C2. The third condition is a range condition C3. The fourth condition is a first waveform condition C4. The fifth condition is a second waveform condition C5. The sixth condition is a third waveform condition C6. The seventh condition is a variability condition C7. The ordinal numbers assigned to the first to seventh conditions correspond to the order of judgment.

[0087] When the test eye is in the second category (mature cataract eye or IOL eye), the first condition is the intensity condition C1a. The second condition is the contact condition C2. The third condition is the range condition C3a. The fourth condition is the first waveform condition C4. The fifth condition is the third waveform condition C6. The sixth condition is the variation condition C7.

[0088] When the subject's eye is in the third category (aphakic eye or shallow anterior chamber eye), the first condition is the intensity condition C1b. The second condition is the contact condition C2. The third condition is the range condition C3b. The fourth condition is the third waveform condition C6. The fifth condition is the variation condition C7b.

[0089] In the next S260 (see FIG. 6), the processor 21 judges whether or not the received signal satisfies the Mth condition to be judged. If it is judged that the Mth condition is not satisfied (No in S270), the processor 21 executes the process of S230. That is, it re-executes the measurement sequence. Furthermore, the processor 21 repeats the judgment of whether or not the capture condition is satisfied, starting from the first condition (S240, S250, S260).

[0090] On the other hand, when the processor 21 determines that the received signal satisfies the Mth condition (Yes in S270), it updates the display mode of the instruction image 70 displayed in the instruction image display area R4 to one that corresponds to the number and proportion of conditions that the received signal satisfies among the multiple conditions (S280).

[0091] That is, processor 21 updates instruction image 70 so that panels 80 corresponding to the first through Mth conditions are displayed in the first display mode, and panels 80 corresponding to the (M+1)th through MEth conditions are displayed in the second display mode. This updates instruction image 70 to a display mode according to the degree of satisfaction of a plurality of conditions corresponding to the import conditions (S280).

[0092] The instruction image 70 displayed on the measurement screen G0 has a number of panels 80 corresponding to the type of subject's eye to be measured (see FIG. 2). The instruction image 70 has a number of panels 80 corresponding to the total ME of the multiple conditions to indicate the degree of satisfaction of the multiple conditions constituting the capture conditions corresponding to the type of subject's eye. Each panel 80 is a waveform image illustrating the corresponding condition.

[0093] The instruction image 70a displayed on the measurement screen G0 when a phakic eye is the measurement target has a first panel 81a corresponding to the first condition, a second panel 82a corresponding to the second condition, a third panel 83a corresponding to the third condition, a fourth panel 84a corresponding to the fourth condition, a fifth panel 85a corresponding to the fifth condition, a sixth panel 86a corresponding to the sixth condition, and a seventh panel 87a corresponding to the seventh condition, as shown in Fig. 8. Here, the suffix "a" is added to the reference numerals of the instruction image 70a for a phakic eye and the first to seventh panels 81a to 87a. The instruction image 70a is a specific example of the instruction image 70 when the type of the subject eye is specified as a phakic eye. The first to seventh panels 81a to 87a correspond to the plurality of panels 80 included in the instruction image 70 described above.

[0094] FIG. 8 illustrates that as the number of conditions that are satisfied among the multiple conditions increases, the number of panels 80 displayed in the first display mode, specifically the number of lit panels 80, increases, and conversely, the number of panels 80 displayed in the second display mode, specifically the number of unlit panels 80, decreases.

[0095] The instruction image 70a shown first from the left in Fig. 8 shows a state in which the first panel 81a corresponding to the first condition is lit, and the second to seventh panels 82a to 87a corresponding to the second to seventh conditions are unlit. The instruction image 70a shown second from the left in Fig. 8 shows a state in which the first panel 81a and the second panel 82a corresponding to the first and second conditions are lit, and the third to seventh panels 83a to 87a corresponding to the third to seventh conditions are unlit.

[0096] The instruction image 70a shown third from the left in Fig. 8 shows a state in which the first to third panels 81a to 83a corresponding to the first to third conditions are lit, and the fourth to seventh panels 84a to 87a corresponding to the fourth to seventh conditions are unlit. The instruction image 70a shown fourth from the left (in other words, first from the right) in Fig. 8 shows a state in which the first to seventh panels 81a to 87a corresponding to the first to seventh conditions are lit.

[0097] When the measurement screen G0 is updated in S127, the instruction image 70 on the measurement screen G0 is switched to an instruction image 70 having panels 80 the number of which corresponds to the type of the examinee's eye selected as the measurement target immediately before.

[0098] The instruction image 70b displayed on the measurement screen G0 when the measurement target is a hypermature cataract eye or an IOL eye has a first panel 81b corresponding to the first condition, a second panel 82b corresponding to the second condition, a third panel 83b corresponding to the third condition, a fourth panel 84b corresponding to the fourth condition, a fifth panel 85b corresponding to the fifth condition, and a sixth panel 86b corresponding to the sixth condition, as shown in FIG. 9A. Here, the suffix "b" is added to the reference symbols of the instruction image 70b for the hypermature cataract eye and the IOL eye and the first to sixth panels 81b to 86b. The instruction image 70b is a specific example of the instruction image 70 when the type of the eye to be examined is specified as a hypermature cataract eye or an IOL eye. The first to sixth panels 81b to 86b correspond to the multiple panels 80 included in the instruction image 70.

[0099] The instruction image 70 displayed on the measurement screen G0 when an aphakic eye or a shallow anterior chamber eye is the measurement target has a first panel 81c corresponding to the first condition, a second panel 82c corresponding to the second condition, a third panel 83c corresponding to the third condition, a fourth panel 84c corresponding to the fourth condition, and a fifth panel 85c corresponding to the fifth condition, as shown in FIG. 9B. Here, the suffix "c" is added to the reference symbols of the instruction image 70c for the aphakic eye and the shallow anterior chamber eye and the first to fifth panels 81c to 85c. The instruction image 70c is a specific example of the instruction image 70 when the type of the eye to be examined is specified as an aphakic eye or a shallow anterior chamber eye. The first to fifth panels 81c to 85c correspond to the multiple panels 80 included in the instruction image 70.

[0100] After updating the instruction image 70 in S280, the processor 21 judges whether the variable M is a value ME corresponding to the sum of the multiple conditions constituting the capture condition (S290). This judgment corresponds to judging whether the received signal satisfies all of the multiple conditions constituting the capture condition corresponding to the type of the subject eye.

[0101] When it is determined in S290 that the variable M is not the value ME, the processor 21 updates the variable M to a value incremented by 1 from the current value (S300), and proceeds to S250. In S250, the processor 21 sets the Mth condition corresponding to the updated variable M as the determination target.

[0102] Thereafter, the processor 21 determines whether the Mth condition is satisfied (S260), and if satisfied (Yes in S270), updates the instruction image 70 (S280). The update is performed, for example, so that the number of lighted panels 80 increases. If the Mth condition is not satisfied, the processor 21 proceeds to S230, resets the variable M to 1 (S240), and determines again whether the multiple conditions are satisfied.

[0103] When the processor 21 determines in S290 that the variable M is the value ME (Yes in S290), it displays the measurement values ​​(ACD, lens thickness, and / or axial length) identified from the received signal in the measurement sequence of S230 in the measurement value display area R3 (S310). Specifically, the processor 21 updates the measurement screen G0 displayed on the display 41 so that the measurement value is displayed in the Nth row of the measurement value display area R3 in association with the number N as the Nth measurement result (S310). As a result, the processor 21 outputs the measurement value through the display 41.

[0104] Thereafter, the processor 21 updates the measurement number N to a value incremented by 1 from the current value (S320). The processor 21 determines whether the measurement number N exceeds the maximum number NE of displayable measurement values ​​(S330). In the example shown in FIG. 2, the maximum number NE=10.

[0105] When the processor 21 determines that the measurement number N is equal to or less than the maximum number NE (No in S330), the process returns to S230 and starts the measurement of the subject's eye in the Nth measurement (S230 to S300).

[0106] When the processor 21 determines that the measurement number N exceeds the maximum number NE (Yes in S330), it notifies the user of the end of measurement by outputting a sound from the speaker 45 and through the measurement screen G0 (S340), and then ends the measurement-related process. The processor 21 can end the measurement-related process while maintaining the state in which the measurement value display area R3 of the measurement screen G0 displays the measurement results up to the maximum number NE.

[0107] The details of the measurement-related process have been described above, but a method for determining the strength conditions C1, C1a, and C1b constituting the capture conditions will be specifically described as an example with reference to Fig. 10. When the Mth condition to be determined is the strength condition C1, C1a, or C1b, the processor 21 can execute the strength condition determination process shown in Fig. 10 in S260.

[0108] When the processor 21 starts the intensity condition determination process, it determines whether the measurement object is in the third category (aphakic eye or shallow anterior chamber eye) (S410), and if the measurement object is in the third category (Yes in S410), it skips the processes of S420, S430, and S440 and executes the process of S450.

[0109] On the other hand, when the processor 21 determines that the measurement subject is a phakic eye, a mature cataract eye, or an IOL eye other than the third classification (S410 No), it determines whether the signal intensity of echo P2 from the anterior surface of the lens exceeds a threshold value (S420).

[0110] Here, when it is determined that the signal intensity of the echo P2 from the anterior surface of the crystalline lens is equal to or less than the threshold value (No in S420), the processor 21 determines that the received signal does not satisfy the intensity condition (S470). Determining that the received signal does not satisfy the intensity condition corresponds to determining in S260 that the received signal does not satisfy the Mth condition.

[0111] When the processor 21 determines that the signal intensity of the echo P2 from the anterior surface of the crystalline lens exceeds the threshold (Yes in S420), it executes the process of S430. In S430, the processor 21 determines whether the measurement object is the first category (phakic eye), and when the measurement object is not the first category (No in S430), it skips the process of S440 and executes the process of S450. When the measurement object is the first category (Yes in S430), the processor 21 determines whether the signal intensity of the echo P3 from the posterior surface of the crystalline lens exceeds the threshold (S440).

[0112] If the signal strength of the echo P3 of the posterior surface of the crystalline lens is equal to or less than the threshold (No in S440), the processor 21 determines that the received signal does not satisfy the strength condition (S470). If the signal strength of the echo P3 of the posterior surface of the crystalline lens is greater than the threshold (Yes in S440), the processor 21 executes the process of S450.

[0113] In S450, the processor 21 determines whether the signal strength of the retina echo P4 exceeds the threshold. If the processor 21 determines that the signal strength of the retina echo P4 exceeds the threshold (Yes in S450), the processor 21 determines that the received signal satisfies the intensity condition (S460). Determining that the received signal satisfies the intensity condition corresponds to determining that the received signal satisfies the Mth condition in S260.

[0114] On the other hand, if the processor 21 determines that the signal intensity of the retina echo P4 is equal to or lower than the threshold (No in S450), it determines that the received signal does not satisfy the intensity condition (S470).

[0115] By executing such intensity condition determination processing, the processor 21 can determine whether or not the received signal satisfies the intensity conditions C1, C1a, and C1b. The threshold value used for the determinations in S420, S440, and S450 may be the threshold value TH1 shown in Fig. 4. The threshold value may be different values ​​in S420, S440, and S450.

[0116] Next, a method for determining range conditions C3, C3a, and C3b constituting the capture condition will be described with reference to Fig. 11. When the Mth condition to be determined is range condition C3, C3a, or C3b, processor 21 can execute the range condition determination process shown in Fig. 11 in S260. Range conditions C3, C3a, and C3b are conditions related to the position of the reflected wave component included in the received signal.

[0117] When processor 21 starts the range condition determination process, it determines whether the measurement object is in the third category (S510), and if the measurement object is in the third category (Yes in S510), it skips the processes of S520, S530, and S540 and executes the process of S550.

[0118] On the other hand, when the measurement target is other than the third category (S510 No), processor 21 determines whether the ACD determined based on the difference between elapsed times L1 and L2 is within a predetermined appropriate range (S520).

[0119] Here, if it is determined that the ACD is not within the appropriate range (No in S520), the processor 21 determines that the received signal does not satisfy the range condition (S570). Determining that the received signal does not satisfy the range condition corresponds to determining in S260 that the received signal does not satisfy the Mth condition.

[0120] On the other hand, when the processor 21 determines that the ACD is within the appropriate range (Yes in S520), it executes the process of S530. In S530, the processor 21 determines whether the measurement target is the first category or not, and when the measurement target is not the first category (No in S530), it skips the process of S540 and executes the process of S550. When the measurement target is the first category (Yes in S530), the processor 21 executes the process of S540.

[0121] In S540, the processor 21 determines whether the lens thickness determined based on the difference between the elapsed times L2 and L3 is within a predetermined appropriate range. If the processor 21 determines that the lens thickness is not within the predetermined appropriate range (No in S540), the processor 21 determines that the received signal does not satisfy the range condition (S570). On the other hand, if the processor 21 determines that the lens thickness is within the appropriate range (Yes in S540), the processor 21 executes the process of S550.

[0122] In S550, the processor 21 determines whether the axial length determined based on the difference between the elapsed times L1 and L4 is within a predetermined appropriate range. If the processor 21 determines that the axial length is within the predetermined appropriate range (Yes in S550), the processor 21 determines that the received signal satisfies the range condition (S560). Determining that the received signal satisfies the range condition corresponds to determining that the received signal satisfies the Mth condition in S260.

[0123] On the other hand, if the processor 21 determines that the axial length is not within the predetermined appropriate range, it determines that the received signal does not satisfy the range condition (S570). By executing such range condition determination processing, the processor 21 can determine whether or not the received signal satisfies the range conditions C3, C3a, and C3b.

[0124] Next, a method for determining the first waveform condition C4, the second waveform condition C5, and the third waveform condition C6 constituting the acquisition condition will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Here, the first waveform condition C4, the second waveform condition C5, and the third waveform condition C6 are collectively referred to as waveform conditions C4, C5, and C6. The waveform conditions C4, C5, and C6 are conditions related to the shape of the reflected wave contained in the received signal. When the Mth condition to be determined is waveform condition C4, C5, or C6, the processor 21 can execute the waveform condition determination process shown in Fig. 12 in S260.

[0125] When the waveform condition determination process is started, the processor 21 acquires the time width W of the received signal in the process in which the signal strength of the received signal rises between the threshold value TH1 and the threshold value TH3 (S610). When the determination target is the first waveform condition C4, the acquired time width W is the rise time W2 of the echo P2 of the anterior surface of the crystalline lens. When the determination target is the second waveform condition C5, the acquired time width W is the rise time W3 of the echo P3 of the posterior surface of the crystalline lens. When the determination target is the third waveform condition C6, the acquired time width W is the rise time W4 of the echo P4 of the retina.

[0126] Thereafter, the processor 21 judges whether the acquired time width W is equal to or less than a reference value (S620). The reference value is determined taking into consideration the propagation speed of ultrasonic waves. The reference value is an individual value according to the waveform conditions C4, C5, and C6 to be judged. That is, the reference value when the judgment subject is the first waveform condition C4 is the above-mentioned first reference value, the reference value when the judgment subject is the second waveform condition C5 is the second reference value, and the reference value when the judgment subject is the third waveform condition C6 is the third reference value.

[0127] When the time width W is equal to or less than the reference value (Yes in S620), the processor 21 determines that the received signal satisfies the waveform condition (S630). On the other hand, when the time width W exceeds the reference value (No in S620), the processor 21 determines that the received signal does not satisfy the waveform condition (S640).

[0128] By executing the waveform condition determination process in this manner, the processor 21 can determine whether the received signal satisfies the waveform conditions C4, C5, and C6. Determining that the received signal satisfies the waveform conditions corresponds to determining in S260 that the received signal satisfies the Mth condition. Determining that the received signal does not satisfy the waveform conditions corresponds to determining in S260 that the received signal does not satisfy the Mth condition.

[0129] According to the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1 of the present embodiment described above, a measurement value is captured and displayed in the measurement value display area R3 only when the capture condition determined according to the type of the subject's eye is satisfied. The capture condition is made up of a plurality of conditions, and the instruction image display area R4 displays an instruction image 70 in a display mode according to the number and / or proportion of the plurality of conditions constituting the capture condition that are satisfied by the received signal. The instruction image 70 has image elements (panels 80) corresponding to each condition.

[0130] The indicator image 70 turns on and off the panels 80 like a level meter according to the number and / or percentage of conditions satisfied by the received signal. Moreover, each panel 80 expresses the corresponding condition with a visual symbol or illustration instead of with letters. The display mode of the indicator image 70 changes substantially in real time in response to changes in the received signal.

[0131] Therefore, the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1 of this embodiment can assist the user in operating the probe 50 through the instruction image 70 until the user adjusts the posture of the probe 50 so as to satisfy the conditions for acquiring measurement values.

[0132] By adjusting the attitude of the probe 50 while looking at the instruction image 70, the user, i.e., the operator of the probe 50, can more easily adjust the attitude of the probe 50 toward the correct attitude than if the instruction image 70 were not present.

[0133] In this embodiment, the display of the panel 80 is switched by color as described above, so that the satisfaction level of the import conditions can be visually understood by the user. According to this embodiment, the arrangement order of the panels 80 constituting the instruction image 70 corresponds to the order of the condition determination by the processor 21, so that the display mode of the panel 80 can be switched like a level meter according to the satisfaction level of the import conditions.

[0134] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the number and arrangement of panels of the instruction image 70 displayed on the measurement screen G0 are switched in conjunction with the switching of the capture conditions according to the type of the subject's eye. In this way, the instruction image 70 of this embodiment is displayed in a manner according to the type of the subject's eye, and has excellent visibility of the satisfaction of the capture conditions. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to effectively support the adjustment of the attitude of the probe 50 in a direction that satisfies the capture conditions.

[0135] In addition, the instruction image 70 is displayed together with the waveform of the received signal and the measurement value on the measurement screen G0. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide an ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic device 1 that is easy to operate when measuring the subject's eye.

[0136] [Other embodiments] The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and may adopt various aspects. In the above embodiment, the number of panels in the instruction image 70 is changed depending on the type of the subject's eye.

[0137] However, the measurement screen G0 may display an instruction image 70 having a uniform number of panels regardless of the type of the subject's eye. In this case, the instruction image 70 may be configured to have a number of panels 80 corresponding to the maximum number of conditions according to the type of the subject's eye having the largest number ME of conditions constituting the capture conditions. The panels 80 corresponding to conditions that do not need to be satisfied may be displayed in a grayed-out state. This may indicate to the user that the conditions corresponding to the panels 80 do not need to be satisfied. Instead of graying out, the display mode (number of panels) of the instruction image 70 may be switched according to the type of the subject's eye by a method of not displaying unnecessary panels 80.

[0138] In addition, the ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device 1 may be configured so that the capture conditions can be changed by the user. In this case, a button for changing the capture conditions can be provided in the operation button display area R5 of the measurement screen G0. The processor 21 can be configured to accept an operation for inserting and deleting the panel 80 in the instruction image display area R4 when the button for changing the capture conditions is pressed. This allows the processor 21 to accept a change operation regarding the arrangement of the panel 80 in the instruction image display area R4 and to change the existing capture conditions to capture conditions corresponding to the arrangement of the panel 80. Such a function for changing the capture conditions is convenient for a user who desires quick measurement rather than the accuracy of the measurement value.

[0139] Alternatively, the panel 80 for each condition in the instruction image 70 may be configured to explain the corresponding condition using characters instead of symbols or illustrations.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the capture conditions for the contact type have been described in detail, but these capture conditions may also be applied to the water immersion type. When the type of the subject eye is a phakic eye, the capture conditions for the water immersion type may be the capture conditions for the contact type described above, with the following interval condition added: - Spacing condition: The spacing between the initial echo P0 and the corneal echo P1 must be within a specified range.

[0141] The function of one component in the above embodiment may be distributed among multiple components. The functions of multiple components may be integrated into one component. Some of the configurations of the above embodiment may be omitted. All aspects included in the technical idea specified by the wording of the claims are embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0142] [Technical idea disclosed in this specification] It can be understood that the present specification discloses the following technical ideas. [Item 1] A probe configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to a subject's eye and receive reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves from the subject's eye; a measuring device configured to output, as a measurement value, a length of a predetermined portion of the subject's eye, the length being identified from the received signal when the received signal by the probe satisfies a plurality of predetermined conditions; Equipped with The measuring instrument controls a display device to display a waveform of the received signal as well as an indication image indicating the degree of satisfaction of the plurality of conditions, and to switch the display mode of the indication image depending on the number of satisfied conditions among the plurality of conditions. [Item 2] Item 1. An ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising: the instruction image includes a plurality of image elements; each of the plurality of image elements corresponds to one of the plurality of conditions; each of the plurality of image elements has a plurality of display modes having different display aspects; The measuring instrument causes the display device to display the multiple image elements as the indication image, and when one or more of the multiple conditions are satisfied, causes the display device to display one or more image elements among the multiple image elements which correspond to the one or more conditions that have been satisfied, in a display mode different from the remaining image elements among the multiple image elements excluding the one or more image elements, thereby causing the display device to display the indication image so as to indicate the degree of satisfaction of the multiple conditions. [Item 3] Item 2. An ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising: the plurality of display modes include a plurality of display modes with different display colors, The measuring instrument is an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device that causes the display device to display the instruction image so that the one or more image elements are displayed in a color different from that of the remaining image elements. [Item 4] The ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to item 2 or 3, The measuring instrument determines whether the received signal satisfies each of the multiple conditions in a predetermined determination order, and displays on the display device the instruction image in which the multiple image elements corresponding to the multiple conditions are arranged in the same order as the determination order. [Item 5] An ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 4, The ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device is configured such that the measuring instrument repeatedly determines whether the received signal satisfies the plurality of conditions, and updates the indication image in response to the determination. [Item 6] An ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 5, The measuring instrument is configured to display the measurement value on the display device, thereby outputting the measurement value through the display device. [Item 7] An ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 6, The measuring instrument is an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device configured to output one or more of the anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness, and axial length of the test eye identified from the received signal as the measurement value. [Item 8] An ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 7, The plurality of conditions include at least one of a condition regarding the intensity of the reflected wave identified from the received signal, a condition regarding the shape of the reflected wave identified from the received signal, and a condition regarding the position of the reflected wave component identified from the received signal. [Item 9] An ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 8, the plurality of conditions differ depending on the type of the subject's eye, the instruction image varies depending on the type of the subject's eye, The measuring instrument is configured to determine whether the received signal satisfies the plurality of conditions corresponding to the type of the test eye, and to cause the display device to display the instruction image corresponding to the type of the test eye. [Explanation of symbols]

[0143] 1...ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device, 10...device main body, 20...controller, 21...processor, 23...memory, 31...transmitting circuit, 35...receiving circuit, 37...AD converter, 41...display, 43...touch panel, 45...speaker, 50...ultrasonic probe, 70...indication image, 80...panel, G0...measurement screen, R1...type display area, R2...waveform display area, R3...measurement value display area, R4...indication image display area, R5...operation button display area.

Claims

1. A probe configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to a subject's eye and receive reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves from the subject's eye; a measuring device configured to output, as a measurement value, a length of a predetermined portion of the subject's eye, which is identified from the received signal when the received signal by the probe satisfies a plurality of predetermined conditions; Equipped with The measuring instrument controls a display device to display a waveform of the received signal and an indication image indicating the degree of satisfaction of the plurality of conditions, and to switch the display mode of the indication image depending on the number of satisfied conditions among the plurality of conditions.

2. 2. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, the instruction image includes a plurality of image elements; each of the plurality of image elements corresponds to one of the plurality of conditions; each of the plurality of image elements has a plurality of display modes having different display aspects; The measuring instrument causes the display device to display the multiple image elements as the indication image, and when one or more of the multiple conditions are satisfied, causes the display device to display one or more image elements among the multiple image elements which correspond to the one or more conditions that have been satisfied, in a display mode different from the remaining image elements among the multiple image elements excluding the one or more image elements, thereby causing the display device to display the indication image so as to indicate the degree of satisfaction of the multiple conditions.

3. 3. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, the plurality of display modes include a plurality of display modes with different display colors, The measuring instrument is an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device that causes the display device to display the instruction image so that the one or more image elements are displayed in a color different from that of the remaining image elements.

4. 3. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, The measuring instrument determines whether the received signal satisfies each of the multiple conditions in a predetermined determination order, and displays on the display device the instruction image in which the multiple image elements corresponding to the multiple conditions are arranged in the same order as the determination order.

5. 2. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, The ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device is configured such that the measuring instrument repeatedly determines whether the received signal satisfies the plurality of conditions, and updates the indication image in response to the determination.

6. 2. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, The measuring instrument is configured to display the measurement value on the display device, thereby outputting the measurement value through the display device.

7. 2. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, The measuring instrument is an ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic device configured to output one or more of anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness, and axial length of the test eye identified from the received signal as the measurement value.

8. 2. The ophthalmic ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, The plurality of conditions include at least one of a condition regarding the intensity of the reflected wave identified from the received signal, a condition regarding the shape of the reflected wave identified from the received signal, and a condition regarding the position of the reflected wave component identified from the received signal.

9. The ophthalmic ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the plurality of conditions differ depending on the type of the subject's eye, the instruction image varies depending on the type of the subject's eye, The measuring instrument is configured to determine whether the received signal satisfies the plurality of conditions corresponding to the type of the test eye, and to cause the display device to display the instruction image corresponding to the type of the test eye.

Images