JP2012061075A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and control program of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of forming an elasticity image precisely reflecting elasticity of a subject.SOLUTION: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: a physical quantity data processing part 6 calculating physical quantity about elasticity in the respective parts of the subject; and an elasticity image data creating part creating the elasticity image of the subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity data processing part 6. The elasticity image data creating part creates the elasticity image based on the physical quantity by using a statistical characteristics of the physical quantity calculated excluding a liquid portion, wherein color doppler data created by a color doppler data processing part 5 exist, in the subject.

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that creates an elastic image representing the hardness or softness of a living tissue in a subject and a control program therefor.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that synthesizes and displays a normal B-mode image and an elastic image representing the hardness or softness of a living tissue in a subject. In this type of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the elasticity image is created as follows. First, a physical quantity related to the elasticity of the subject is calculated based on an echo signal obtained by transmitting ultrasonic waves to the subject. Based on this physical quantity, an elastic image having a color corresponding to the elasticity is created. In creating the elasticity image, for example, an average value is calculated as a statistical feature of the physical quantity related to the elasticity of each part in the subject, and color information is assigned based on the obtained average value. Incidentally, as a physical quantity related to the elasticity of the subject, for example, a strain of a living tissue is calculated.

JP 2007-282932 A

  Conventionally, in calculating the average value of the physical quantity, the average value is calculated using all data calculated in the area where the elastic image is displayed. However, in a liquid part such as a blood vessel or a cyst in a subject, the intensity of the echo signal is small, and thus the calculated physical quantity is smaller than the actual physical quantity. Therefore, if the average value of the physical quantity including the physical quantity calculated for the liquid portion of the subject is calculated and an elasticity image is created based on the average value, the elasticity of the actual subject is accurately determined. There is a possibility that a reflected elastic image cannot be obtained.

  The invention of the first aspect made to solve the above-described problem is a physical quantity calculation unit that calculates a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject, and the subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation unit. An elasticity image creation unit that creates an elasticity image of the physical quantity, and the elasticity image creation part creates an elasticity image based on the physical quantity using a statistical feature of the physical quantity calculated by removing a liquid portion in a subject. It is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized by performing.

  According to the invention of the second aspect, a physical quantity calculation unit that calculates a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject, and an elasticity image that creates an elasticity image of the subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation unit An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that the physical quantity calculation unit calculates the physical quantity for a part other than the liquid part in the subject.

  An invention according to a third aspect is the ultrasonic diagnosis according to the first or second aspect, further comprising a detection unit that detects the liquid portion based on an echo signal for the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the subject. Device.

  A fourth aspect of the invention is the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention, wherein the detection unit is a fluid information acquisition unit that acquires fluid information based on an echo signal.

  According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the fourth aspect of the invention, the fluid information is any one of color Doppler data acquired based on an echo signal, B flow data, or harmonic data included in the echo signal. There is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  The invention according to a sixth aspect is the invention according to any one of the third to fifth aspects, wherein transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves for obtaining an echo signal for creating the elastic image, and an echo signal for detecting the liquid portion An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a transmission / reception unit that performs transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves in common.

  The invention according to a seventh aspect is the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising an input unit that indicates the liquid portion in the displayed ultrasonic image. is there.

  The invention according to an eighth aspect is the invention according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the elastic image creation unit creates an elastic image by gradation of the physical quantity, and the physical quantity to be gradationized Is set by using the statistical feature.

  According to the ninth aspect of the invention, a physical quantity calculation function for calculating a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject and an elasticity for creating an elasticity image of the subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation function are stored in a computer. An elastic image creating function, and in the elastic image creating function, an elastic image based on the physical quantity is created using a statistical feature of the physical quantity calculated by removing the liquid portion in the subject. Is a control program for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  A tenth aspect of the invention is a physical quantity calculation function for calculating a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject, and an elasticity for creating an elasticity image of the subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation function. In the control program for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the physical quantity calculation function executes an image creation function, and the physical quantity calculation function calculates the physical quantity for a portion other than the liquid portion in the subject.

  According to the invention of the above aspect, the elasticity of the subject is accurately reflected by creating an elastic image based on the physical quantity using the statistical characteristics of the physical quantity calculated by removing the liquid portion in the subject. Elastic images can be created.

  According to the invention of the other aspect, the physical quantity is calculated for a part other than the liquid part in the subject, and the elasticity image that accurately reflects the elasticity of the subject is created by creating an elasticity image based on the physical quantity. Can be created.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating calculation of a physical quantity. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the display control part in the ultrasonic diagnosing device shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating transmission / reception of an ultrasonic wave. It is a figure for demonstrating creation of B mode data, color Doppler data, and physical quantity data. It is a figure for demonstrating creation of elasticity image data. It is a figure which shows an example of the ultrasonic image displayed on the display part. It is a figure for demonstrating the calculation of the distortion of the part in which color Doppler data does not exist. It is a figure which shows the other example of the ultrasonic image displayed on the display part. It is a figure which shows the other example of the ultrasonic image displayed on the display part. It is a figure which shows the other example of the ultrasonic image displayed on the display part.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 includes an ultrasonic probe 2, a transmission / reception unit 3, a B-mode data processing unit 4, a color Doppler data processing unit 5, a physical quantity data processing unit 6, a display control unit 7, a display unit 8, and an operation. A unit 9 and a control unit 10 are provided.

  The ultrasonic probe 2 transmits ultrasonic waves to the subject and receives echoes thereof. In a state where the ultrasonic wave transmission / reception surface of the ultrasonic probe 2 is in contact with the body surface, for example, compression and relaxation are repeated, or acoustic radiation pressure is applied from the ultrasonic probe 2, so that the biological tissue of the subject is measured. An echo signal is acquired by transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave while deforming.

  The transmission / reception unit 3 drives the ultrasonic probe 2 under a predetermined scanning condition to perform ultrasonic scanning for each sound ray. The transmitter / receiver 3 performs signal processing such as phasing addition processing on the echo received by the ultrasonic probe 2. The echo signal signal-processed by the transmission / reception unit 3 is output to the B-mode data processing unit 4, the color Doppler data processing unit 5, and the physical quantity data processing unit 6. The transmission / reception unit 3 is an example of an embodiment of the transmission / reception unit in the present invention.

  The B-mode data processing unit 4 performs B-mode processing such as logarithmic compression processing and envelope detection processing on the echo signal output from the transmission / reception unit 3 to create B-mode data.

  The color Doppler data processing unit 5 performs an orthogonal detection process, an MTI filter (Moving Target Indication Filter) process, and an autocorrelation calculation process on the echo signal output from the transmission / reception unit 3, and then an echo source (blood flow) ) To calculate color Doppler data. Therefore, this color Doppler data is flow velocity and dispersion data. However, the color Doppler data processing unit 5 may perform power processing of the echo source to create color Doppler data including the power. The color Doppler data is an example of an embodiment of fluid information in the present invention, and the color Doppler data processing unit 5 includes a fluid information acquisition unit that acquires fluid information and a detection unit that detects a liquid portion in the present invention. It is an example of an embodiment.

  The physical quantity data processing unit 6 calculates physical quantities related to the elasticity of each part in the subject based on the echo data output from the transmission / reception unit 3, and creates physical quantity data (physical quantity calculation function). The physical quantity data processing unit 5 sets a correlation window for echo data different in time on the same sound ray on one scanning plane as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-126079. The correlation calculation is performed to calculate the physical quantity related to the elasticity for each pixel, and the physical quantity data for one frame is created. The physical quantity data processing unit 5 calculates a strain St in this example as a physical quantity related to the elasticity. The physical quantity data processing unit 5 is an example of an embodiment of a physical quantity calculation unit in the present invention, and the physical quantity calculation function is an example of an embodiment of a physical quantity calculation function in the present invention.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the physical quantity data processing unit 6 sets a correlation window W1 for echo signals belonging to the frame (i) and sets a correlation window W2 for echo signals belonging to the frame (ii). . Then, the physical quantity data processing unit 6 calculates the distortion St by calculating the imaginary part of the complex correlation function between the correlation windows W1 and W2.

  Here, in FIG. 2, the frames (i) and (ii) are composed of echo signals acquired on a plurality of sound rays. In FIG. 2, five sound lines L1a, L1b, L1c, L1d, and L1e are shown as a part of the plurality of sound lines in the frame (i), and the sound lines L1a to L1e in the frame (ii) are shown. As sound lines corresponding to L1e, sound lines L2a, L2b, L2c, L2d, and L2e are shown. That is, the sound ray L1a and the sound ray L2a, the sound ray L1b and the sound ray L2b, the sound ray L1c and the sound ray L2c, the sound ray L1d and the sound ray L2d, the sound ray L1e and the sound ray. L2e corresponds to the same sound ray belonging to two different frames. In FIG. 2, R (i) and R (ii) indicate regions corresponding to a region of interest R in which an elastic image is displayed as will be described later.

  For example, it is assumed that a correlation window W1c is set as the correlation window W1 in the echo signal on the sound ray L1c, and a correlation window W2c is set as the correlation window W2 in the echo signal on the sound ray L2c. The physical quantity data processing unit 6 performs a correlation calculation between the correlation windows W1c and W2c, and calculates a distortion St. The physical quantity data processing unit 6 sequentially sets correlation windows W1c and W2c from the upper end 100 to the lower end 101 of the regions R (i) and R (ii) on the sound rays L1c and L2c, and calculates the distortion St. . The physical quantity data processing unit 6 calculates the distortion St in the same manner for the other sound rays in the regions R (i) and R (ii). Thereby, physical quantity data for one frame composed of distortion St data is obtained.

  The display control unit 7 is input with B-mode data from the B-mode data processing unit 4, color Doppler data from the color Doppler data processing unit 5, and physical quantity data from the physical quantity data processing unit 6. It has become. As shown in FIG. 3, the display control unit 7 includes a B-mode image data creation unit 71, a color Doppler image data creation unit 72, an elastic image data creation unit 73, and a synthesis unit 74.

  The B-mode image data creation unit 71 performs scan conversion on the B-mode data by a scan converter, and converts the B-mode image data into B-mode image data having luminance information corresponding to the signal intensity of the echo. The B-mode image data has luminance information of 256 gradations, for example.

  The color Doppler image data creation unit 72 performs color conversion on the color Doppler data by a scan converter to create color Doppler image data. The color Doppler image is, for example, a flow velocity distribution image (CFM (Color Flow Mapping) image) in which blood flow velocity and dispersion are combined, or a power Doppler image using power.

  The elastic image data creation unit 73 performs scan conversion by a scan converter to convert the physical quantity data into color elastic image data having color information corresponding to the strain St (elastic image data creation function). The color elastic image data has color information of, for example, 256 gradations. The elastic image data creation unit 73 gradations the physical quantity data and creates color elastic image data including color information assigned to each gradation. Details will be described later. The elasticity image data creation unit 62 is an example of an embodiment of the elasticity image creation unit in the present invention, and the elasticity image data creation function is an example of an embodiment of the elasticity image creation function in the present invention.

  The synthesizing unit 74 synthesizes the B-mode image data, the color Doppler image data, and the color elastic image data, and creates image data of an ultrasonic image to be displayed on the display unit 8. This image data is displayed on the display unit 8 as an ultrasonic image in which a B-mode image, a color Doppler image, and an elastic image are combined. Incidentally, in this example, as described later, the color Doppler image creation region for creating the color Doppler image and the elastic image creation region for creating the elastic image are the region of interest R (see FIG. 7), and the color Doppler image The elasticity image is displayed in the region of interest R. Details will be described later.

  The display unit 8 includes, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). The operation unit 9 includes a keyboard and a pointing device (not shown) for an operator to input instructions and information.

  The control unit 10 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), reads a control program stored in a storage unit (not shown), and includes the physical quantity calculation function and the elastic image data creation function. The function in each part is executed.

  Now, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 of this example will be described. First, the transmitting / receiving unit 3 transmits an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic probe 2 to the subject while deforming a living tissue, and acquires an echo signal thereof.

  The transmission / reception unit 3 performs transmission / reception a plurality of times on a single sound ray. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, four transmissions / receptions of the first transmission / reception s1, the second transmission / reception s2, the third transmission / reception s3, and the fourth transmission / reception s4 are performed on the sound line l. However, it is not limited to four times.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the B-mode data processing unit 4 creates B-mode data based on the echo data e1 obtained in the first transmission / reception s1. The color Doppler data processing unit 5 creates color Doppler data based on the echo data e1 to e4 obtained in the first transmission / reception s1 to the fourth transmission / reception s4. Further, the physical quantity data processing unit 6 creates physical quantity data based on the echo data e1 obtained by the first transmission / reception s1 and the echo data e4 obtained by the fourth transmission / reception s4. As described above, the transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves for obtaining echo data for generating B-mode data, color Doppler data, and physical quantity data are performed in common without separately performing the frame rate.

  Here, the physical quantity data is created using echo data obtained by performing two transmissions / receptions on the same sound ray, but when the transmission / reception time interval is too short, the elasticity of the subject is accurately reflected. Physical quantity data cannot be obtained. Therefore, even when the echo data is shared as described above, physical quantity data is created using the echo data e1 obtained by the first transmission / reception s1 and the echo data e4 obtained by the fourth transmission / reception s4. Thus, an appropriate time interval can be ensured. However, the physical quantity data is not limited to the case where the echo data e1 and e4 are used.

  When the B-mode data, the color Doppler data, and the physical quantity data are obtained, the B-mode image data creation unit 71 creates B-mode image data, and the color Doppler image data creation unit 72 and the elastic image data creation unit 73 creates color Doppler image data and elasticity image data in the region of interest R (see FIG. 7).

The creation of the elastic image data will be described in detail. The elastic image data is data obtained by gradationing the physical quantity data, and the elastic image data creation unit 73 uses a statistical characteristic of the calculated strain St to calculate the range of strain to be gradation. Set and create elastic image data. Specifically, the elastic image data creation unit 73 first calculates the average value St _AV in the strain distribution D in the region of interest R based on the physical quantity data as the statistical feature, as shown in FIG. calculate. Next, the elastic image data creation unit 73 sets a predetermined range X in the strain distribution D with reference to the average value St _AV , and gradations the predetermined range X to, for example, 256 gradations. . Different color information is assigned to each gradation, and the elastic image data creation unit 73 creates elastic image data including color information corresponding to the strain St in the physical quantity data based on the color information.

Here, the distortion distribution D used for calculating the average value St _AV is a distribution excluding the distortion St calculated in a portion where color Doppler data including data such as the flow velocity, dispersion, and power of the echo source exists. Since the portion where the color Doppler data is present is a fluid portion where the fluid such as blood flow exists (the liquid portion in the present invention), the average value St _AV is the mother of the strain St calculated in the fluid portion is excluded. The average value of the group. Since the color information in the elastic image is determined based on such an average value St _AV , an elastic image reflecting the elasticity of the subject more accurately is created.

  However, in order to eliminate the influence of noise, the distribution excluding the distortion St calculated in a portion where the flow rate is a predetermined flow rate or higher in the color Doppler data or a portion where the power is a predetermined power or higher is excluded. The distribution D may be used.

Incidentally, the elastic image data creation unit 73 sets the range of distortion to be gradation using the average value St _AV of the distortion as an example of the statistical characteristic of the distortion St. It is not limited to the average value. For example, the elastic image data creation unit 73 may use a minimum value and a maximum value in the strain distribution D as the statistical feature. That is, the elastic image data creation unit 73 may set the range of the minimum value and the maximum value in the strain distribution D as a range to be gradation.

  When the B-mode image data, the color Doppler image data, and the elasticity image data are created, the synthesis unit 74 creates image data obtained by synthesizing them, and an ultrasonic image G based on the image data is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. The ultrasonic image G is an image in which a color Doppler image DG and an elastic image EG are displayed in the region of interest R set on the B-mode image BG. The color Doppler image DG is superimposed on the B-mode image BG and the elastic image EG, and is displayed with priority over the B-mode image BG and the elastic image EG. The elastic image EG is displayed in a translucent state through which the background B-mode image BG is added by being added to the B-mode image BG.

According to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 described above, a distortion range for gradation processing is set using a statistical feature such as the average value St _AV calculated excluding a portion where color Doppler data exists. Since the elasticity image is created, an elasticity image that accurately reflects the elasticity of the subject can be created.

  Further, the portion where the color Doppler image DG is displayed is a portion removed from the distribution D, and the operator grasps the portion removed from the distribution D by displaying the color Doppler image DG. can do.

Further, since the portion where the color Doppler data exists is excluded when calculating the average value St _AV, the amount of calculation in calculating the average value can be reduced.

Next, a modification of the first embodiment will be described. First, the first modification will be described. In the above description, the distortion distribution D is a distribution excluding the distortion St calculated in the portion where the color Doppler data exists, but is not limited thereto. For example, the operator uses the pointing device of the operation unit 9 to indicate the liquid portion of the subject as a portion not included in the distortion distribution D in the ultrasonic image displayed on the display unit 8. Also good. In this case, the elastic image data generating unit 73 performs the creation of the elastic image data and calculates the average value St _AV distribution D excluding distortions St calculated in the indicated parts by the operation portion 9. The operation unit 9 is an example of an embodiment of an input unit in the present invention.

For example, the operator instructs the blood flow portion or the cyst portion by the operation unit 9 while viewing the B-mode image or the color Doppler image. As a result, since the average value St _AV of the distribution D from which the strain St calculated in the liquid portion of the subject is excluded is calculated, the elasticity image created using this average value St _AV is the elasticity of the subject. It becomes an elastic image that accurately reflects.

Next, a second modification will be described. The distortion distribution D may be a distribution in which the distortion St calculated in a portion where color Doppler data exists and the distortion St calculated in a portion designated by the operator using the operation unit 9 are excluded. For example, although color Doppler data can specify a fluid portion such as a blood flow, a cyst portion without a flow cannot be specified by color Doppler data. Accordingly, the average value St _{AV of} the distribution D excluding the strain St calculated in the cyst portion instructed by looking at the B-mode image or the like and the strain St calculated in the fluid portion specified by the color Doppler data. The elastic image data may be created by calculating.

  Incidentally, in the first and second modified examples, in the ultrasonic image, an image representing a portion instructed by the operation unit 9 is displayed, such as displaying a portion instructed by the operation unit 9 in color. May be.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. However, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. Items different from those in the first embodiment will be described.

  The physical quantity data processing unit 6 may not calculate the distortion St in a portion where the color Doppler data exists. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when there are portions dd1 and dd2 where color Doppler data exists on one sound ray l, the distortion St is calculated for the portions lp1, lp2, and lp3 excluding these dd1 and dd2. Do. Then, the physical quantity data processing unit 6 calculates the distortion St of the portion where no color Doppler data exists for each sound ray, and creates physical quantity data for one frame. Therefore, the physical quantity data obtained is physical quantity data that does not have distortion data in a portion where color Doppler data exists.

Then, the elastic image data creation unit 73 calculates, for example, an average value St _AV ′ in the distribution D of all strain data constituting the physical quantity data as the statistical characteristic of the calculated strain St, and this average value St Elastic image data is created using _AV '.

Also in this example, since the average value St _AV ′ of the strain distribution D is the average value of the population excluding the strain St calculated in the fluid portion, the subject is the same as in the first embodiment. It is possible to create an elasticity image that more accurately reflects the elasticity of. Further, in this example, since the calculation of the strain St in the fluid portion is not performed, the amount of calculation can be reduced.

  Incidentally, also in this example, as in the first modification of the first embodiment, the operator uses the operation unit 9 to indicate the liquid portion of the subject in the ultrasonic image, and other than the indicated portion. The distortion St of the part may be calculated. Further, as in the second modification of the first embodiment, the identification of the part where the calculation of the distortion St is not performed is specified by the operator instructing the ultrasonic image using the operation unit 9, and the color Doppler. You may make it carry out by the specification by data.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated by each said embodiment, of course, this invention can be variously implemented in the range which does not change the main point. For example, instead of the color Doppler data, the fluid information may be B flow data or harmonic data contained in an echo signal from a contrast medium.

  Further, the display unit 8 displays an ultrasonic image G ′ obtained by synthesizing the B-mode image BG and the elastic image EG as shown in FIG. 9, and is designated by the portion having color Doppler data or the operation unit. A color other than the color used in the elastic image EG may be displayed on the part P which is a part. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, in the ultrasonic image G ′, the elastic image EG may not be displayed on the portion P, and only the background B-mode image BG may be displayed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the display unit 8 includes an ultrasonic image G1 obtained by combining the B-mode image BG, the color Doppler image DG, and the elastic image EG, and the same cross section as the ultrasonic image G1. The ultrasonic image G0 consisting only of the B-mode image BG may be displayed. Thus, by displaying also the ultrasonic image G0 consisting only of the B-mode image BG, the tissue shape can be observed more favorably.

  Further, the physical quantity data processing unit 6 may calculate a displacement due to deformation of the biological tissue in the subject, an elastic modulus, or the like, instead of strain, as a physical quantity related to the elasticity of the subject.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 3 Transmission / reception part 5 Color doppler data processing part (detection part, fluid information acquisition part)
6 Physical quantity data processor (physical quantity calculator)
9 Operation part (input part)
73 Elastic Image Data Creation Unit (Elastic Image Creation Unit)

Claims (10)

A physical quantity calculation unit for calculating a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject;
An elastic image creation unit that creates an elastic image of the subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation unit;
The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, wherein the elastic image creation unit creates an elastic image based on the physical quantity using a statistical feature of the physical quantity calculated by removing a liquid portion in a subject. A physical quantity calculation unit for calculating a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject;
An elastic image creation unit that creates an elastic image of the subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation unit;
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the physical quantity calculation unit calculates the physical quantity for a part other than the liquid part in the subject.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect the liquid portion based on an echo signal with respect to the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the subject.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the detection unit is a fluid information acquisition unit that acquires fluid information based on an echo signal.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fluid information is any of color Doppler data, B flow data acquired based on an echo signal, or harmonic data included in the echo signal. .   A transmission / reception unit that performs transmission / reception of an ultrasonic wave for obtaining an echo signal for creating the elastic image and transmission / reception of an ultrasonic wave for obtaining an echo signal for detecting the liquid portion in common is provided. Item 6. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of Items 3 to 5.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit that indicates the liquid portion in the displayed ultrasonic image.   The elastic image creation unit is configured to create an elastic image by gradation of the physical quantity, and a range of the physical quantity to be gradation is set using the statistical feature. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to any one of 7. On the computer,
A physical quantity calculation function for calculating a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject;
An elasticity image creation function for creating an elasticity image of a subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation function;
In the elastic image creation function, an elastic image is created based on the physical quantity using a statistical feature of the physical quantity calculated by removing a liquid portion in a subject. Control program. On the computer,
A physical quantity calculation function for calculating a physical quantity related to elasticity in each part of the subject;
An elasticity image creation function for creating an elasticity image of a subject based on the physical quantity calculated by the physical quantity calculation function;
In the physical quantity calculating function, the physical quantity is calculated for a part other than the liquid part in the subject.

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