Three-dimensional ultrasound image processing apparatus and coordinate transformation method used in the apparatus

摘要

A three-dimensional ultrasound image processing apparatus includes three-dimensional probe for forming scanning planes successively by ultrasound beam scanning to acquire three-dimensional data specified by the depth r in the ultrasound beam direction, the angle &thgr; of the ultrasound beam with respect to a scanning start position in the respective scanning plane and the displacement angle &PHgr; of the scanning plane; two-dimensional coordinate transformation section for transforming the depth r and the angle &thgr; for the respective scanning plane to two-dimensional coordinates (x, y); two two-dimensional memories for sequentially storing the two-dimensional data for the respective scanning planes with each scanning plane as a unit, in which the two-dimensional data is written into an address specified by the two-dimensional coordinates (x, y) determined by the two-dimensional coordinate transformation section; three-dimensional coordinate transformation section for calculating three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) by transforming the displacement angle &PHgr; of the scanning plane and the two-dimensional coordinates (x, y), wherein the two-dimensional coordinate x is made to correspond to the three-dimensional coordinate X; a three-dimensional memory for storing the three-dimensional data for each scanning plane, in which the two-dimensional coordinates (x, y) and the displacement angle &PHgr; are respectively written into addresses specified by the three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) determined by the three-dimensional coordinate transformation section; and a display for producing a three-dimensional ultrasound image based on the three-dimensional data outputted from the three-dimensional memory.