Ultrasonic imaging method and system capable of displaying B-mode image and color flow mapping image over wide field

摘要

In ultrasonic imaging method/system, a deep interior portion of a biological body under medical examination can be scanned by blood- flow image scanning beams with a wide view field. The ultrasonic imaging system is arranged by a probe device having a probe plane for transmitting ultrasonic pulses to an interior portion of a biological body under medical examination, and for receiving ultrasonic echoes reflected from the interior portion of the biological body; a B-mode image scanning unit coupled to the probe means, for scanning the interior portion of the biological body by the ultrasonic pulses in a fan-shaped form as fan-shaped B-mode image scanning beams; a B-mode image producing unit for producing B-mode image data of the scanned interior portion from B-mode imaging echoes derived from the probe device, while scanning the interior portion by the fan-shaped B-mode image scanning beams; a blood- flow image scanning unit for scanning the interior portion by transmitting thereto the ultrasonic pulses as blood-flow image scanning beams from the probe plane at a predetermined inclined angle with respect to a normal line direction of the probe plane; a blood-flow image producing unit for producing blood-flow image data of the scanned interior portion from blood-flow imaging echoes derived from the probe means, while scanning the interior portion by the inclined blood-flow image scanning beams; and a dual-mode displaying unit for displaying both of a B-mode image of the scanned interior portion the a blood-flow image thereof in a dual mode by superimposing the blood-flow image data on the B-mode image data.