# US 10,121,272 B2 · Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and medical image processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,121,272 B2 - Document ID: US10121272B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/447,773 - Filed: 2017-03-02 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-03 - Assignees: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation - Applicants: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation - Inventors: Tomio Nabatame; Yutaka Kobayashi; Hiroyuki Ohuchi; Takashi Koyakumaru; Katsuyuki Takamatsu; Taku Muramatsu; Asuka Tanigawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121272B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0486: Drag-and-drop - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G06T 11/60: Creating or editing images; Combining images with text - G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - G06T 2200/24: involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] - G06T 2207/10132: Ultrasound image - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract According to one embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes a storing unit and processing circuitry. The storing unit is configured to store a plurality of images usable as a reference image to be referred to at the time of scanning, the plurality of images includes images corresponding to a plurality of cross sections. The processing circuitry is configured to read, when a cross section that needs to be scanned is switched in accordance with a workflow, from the storing unit one or more images registered for each of the plurality of cross sections in advance, the workflow defining a flow of procedures including scanning the plurality of cross sections. The processing circuitry is configured to display the read image as the reference image on a display. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a storing unit configured to store a plurality of images usable as a reference image to be referred to at the time of scanning, the plurality of images includes images corresponding to a plurality of cross sections; and processing circuitry configured to: read, when a cross section that needs to be scanned is switched in accordance with a workflow, from the storing unit one or more images registered for each of the plurality of cross sections in advance, the workflow defining a flow of procedures including scanning the plurality of cross sections; and display the read image as the reference image on a display. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry searches the storing unit using a disease name to extract an image related to the disease name, and registers the reference image using the extracted image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry searches the storing unit using past examination information of a same patient to extract at least one of an image scanned for a same area to be examined of the same patient and a reference image used in a past examination, and registers the reference image using the extracted image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry searches the storing unit using at least one of patient information and an area to be examined which are input when performing the workflow to extract an image, and registers the reference image using the extracted image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of images stored in the storing unit include images used as a good example when scanning each of the cross sections. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of images stored in the storing unit further include images used as a bad example when scanning each of the cross sections. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry simultaneously displays the reference image and a current image which is currently being scanned, adjusting display formats of the reference image and the current image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry calculates similarity or dissimilarity between the reference image and a current image which is currently being scanned to determine whether the current image is appropriate or not based on the similarity or the dissimilarity, and outputs a result of the determination in a predetermined format. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the determination indicates that the current image is appropriate, the processing circuitry stores the current image in the storing unit, and when the determination indicates that the current image is inappropriate, the processing circuitry does not store the current image in the storing unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry stores the reference image along with a current image which is currently being scanned in a predetermined format. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to register in the storing unit a new image usable as the reference image. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer readable medium storing thereon an ultrasonic image processing program that, when executed by processing circuitry of a computer, causes the computer to, store, in a storing unit, a plurality of images usable as a reference image to be referred to at the time of scanning, the plurality of images includes images corresponding to a plurality of cross sections; read, when a cross section that needs to be scanned is switched in accordance with a workflow, from the storing unit one or more images registered for each of the plurality of cross sections in advance, the workflow defining a flow of procedures including scanning the plurality of cross sections; and display the read image as the reference image on a display. ### Claim 13 An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to: display a first image and a second image on a display, being arranged side by side, the first image being superimposed with first additional information; and store the first additional information in a storing unit, associating the first additional information with the second image as additional information of the second image, in response to an operation by an operator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first image is an image usable as a reference image to be referred to at the time of scanning. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first additional information includes layout information and at least one of a related annotation and a body mark for the first image, and the processing circuitry displays the at least one of the annotation and the body mark for the first image, being superimposed on the second image, based on the layout information included in the first additional information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first additional information includes at least one of an annotation and a body mark for the first image, and the processing circuitry displays the at least one of the annotation and the body mark at a predetermined location in the second image in accordance with a drag-and-drop operation from the first image to the second image. ### Claim 17 A medical image processing apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to: display a first image and a second image on a display, being arranged side by side, the first image being superimposed with first additional information; and store the first additional information in a storing unit, associating the first additional information with the second image as additional information of the second image, in accordance with a drag-and-drop operation from the first image to the second image. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer readable medium storing thereon an medical image processing program that, when executed by processing circuitry of a computer, causes the computer to, display a first image and a second image on a display, being arranged side by side, the first image being superimposed with first additional information; and store the first additional information in a storing unit, associating the first additional information with the second image as additional information of the second image, in accordance with a drag-and-drop operation from the first image to the second image.