Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and image processing apparatus

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus for performing a Pulse Wave Doppler (PWD) method, the apparatus comprising:

• calculating circuitry configured to generate an averaged data string by averaging first data strings which are obtained for different positions on a scan line on which a range gate is set, and calculate a correlation matrix based on the averaged data string;
• filter coefficient acquiring circuitry configured to, based on a result of a principal component analysis using the correlation matrix, obtain a filter matrix including a filter coefficient that suppresses clutter components;
• deriving circuitry configured to
• obtain a target data string by adding the first data strings which are obtained for the different positions on the scan line on which the range gate is set,
• obtain a filtered data string by filtering the target data string using the filter matrix,
• select only a part of the filtered data string,
• store the selected part of the filtered data string in a memory,
• determine whether a suitable amount of data to perform a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) has been accumulated in the memory, and
• derive waveform information indicating temporal changes of a moving body in the range gate, by performing the FFT on a second data string consisting of the stored data when it is determined that the suitable amount of data has been accumulated in the memory;
• and
• control circuitry configured to generate a waveform information image based on the waveform information and cause a monitor to display the waveform information image,
• wherein the deriving circuitry is configured to determine a number of principal components to be suppressed in the principal component analysis based on a threshold that is changed in accordance with a magnitude of an eigenvalue of the correlation matrix.