| CPC A61B 8/5269 (2013.01) [A61B 8/5207 (2013.01); G01S 7/52077 (2013.01); G01S 7/52085 (2013.01)] | 10 Claims |
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1. An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:
a transmission unit connected to one or more ultrasound elements and configured to switch between a pilot signal for causing the ultrasound element to generate a pilot ultrasound signal for detecting a feature of a subject and an imaging signal for causing the ultrasound element to generate an imaging ultrasound signal and transmit the pilot signal and the imaging signal;
a reception unit connected to the one or more ultrasound elements and configured to receive a reception signal that is output by the ultrasound element receiving an ultrasound wave from the subject;
a signal and image processing unit configured to perform signal processing on the reception signal based on the imaging ultrasound signal using a predetermined parameter to generate an image, and perform image processing on the generated image using a predetermined parameter;
a switch;
a feature value detection unit; and
a parameter determination unit, wherein
the switch is disposed between the reception unit and the feature value detection unit and the signal and image processing unit, and transmits the reception signal received by the reception unit to the feature value detection unit when the reception signal is a reception signal based on the pilot ultrasound signal,
the feature value detection unit calculates a feature value, which is a value representing a mode of distribution in a depth direction of the subject of energy of the pilot ultrasound signal or an energy value at a specific depth of energy of the pilot ultrasound signal, based on the reception signal received from the switch, and
the parameter determination unit determines, based on the feature value, one or more parameter values among parameters used for processing performed by the signal and image processing unit, and wherein
the transmission unit divides an imaging area into a plurality of areas and generates the pilot signal such that one pilot ultrasound signal is transmitted for each of the divided areas,
the feature value detection unit calculates, for each of the divided areas, the feature value from the reception signal based on the pilot ultrasound signal transmitted to the area,
the parameter determination unit determines the parameter value for each of the divided areas from the feature value for each of the divided areas, and
the signal and image processing unit processes a reception signal of the imaging ultrasound signal using the parameter determined for each of the divided areas, and generates an image for each of the divided areas.
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