Ultrasonic Imaging Apparatus Surface Site Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic imaging techniques face difficulties in grasping the positional relationship between the surface of a subject's body and a region of interest (ROI), as they either exclude the surface or internal structures, making it challenging to accurately determine which site has been scanned, especially in regions like the mammary gland where internal structures are similar.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus that includes an imaging part to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, a specifying part to identify surface sites within the volume data, a synthesizer to match and couple the volume data, and an image generator to produce morphology and surface image data, allowing for the display of both the surface and internal structures' positional relationship.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the surface of the subject is excluded from the ROI, then only the internal structure is displayed, but the positional relationship between the surface and the ROI cannot be grasped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display into separate surface image and morphology image regions, with the surface image showing the surface site and the morphology image showing the internal structure. This segmentation allows both surface and internal information to be displayed simultaneously without confusion, resolving the contradiction between displaying internal structures and maintaining surface reference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reference marker that serves as an intermediary element between the surface image and morphology image. This marker helps establish the positional relationship between the surface site and the internal structure, making it easier for operators to grasp the spatial relationship without requiring the entire surface to be visible in the morphology image.
2Loss of information
If the surface of the subject is included in the ROI, then the surface is displayed, but the internal structure cannot be displayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display into distinct surface image and morphology image areas. The surface image displays the surface site while the morphology image displays the internal structure. This segmentation enables both surface and internal structure information to be displayed simultaneously, preventing loss of either type of information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single 2D image display to a multi-dimensional display arrangement where the surface image and morphology image are presented in different spatial dimensions or panels. This dimensional separation allows both surface and internal structure information to coexist without overlapping or obscuring each other.
3Productivity
If volume data is coupled without position matching, then processing is simplified, but the positional relationship between scanned sites cannot be determined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs position matching as a preliminary step before coupling the volume data. By establishing the positional relationship between different scanned sites through position matching, the system ensures that the coupled volume data maintains accurate spatial orientation. This preliminary action prevents loss of positional information while enabling efficient subsequent processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy grasping of the relative positional relationship between the morphology image and the surface of the subject, preventing examination omissions and improving accuracy in re-examinations by simultaneously displaying 3-dimensional images and surface images.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging part configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to a subject and receive reflected waves from the subject
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging part transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject and receives reflected waves from the subject, thereby acquiring plural volume data of the subject. A specifying part specifies a surface site included in a face corresponding to the surface of the subject, in each of the plural volume data. A synthesizer executes position matching of the subject shown in each of the plural volume data. The synthesizer couples the plural volume data after position matching, and couples the respective surface sites specified in the respective volume data, thereby generating synthesized volume data. Based on the synthesized volume data, an image generator generates morphology image data showing the morphology of the subject and surface image data showing the coupled surface sites. A display controller controls a display to display a morphology image based on the morphology image data and a surface image based on the surface image data.