Ultrasound imaging device, ultrasound imaging system, ultrasound imaging method and ultrasound imaging program

An ultrasound imaging method, comprising:

• receiving ultrasound waves transmitted from a surface of an analyte towards an inside of the analyte and reflected therein, and generating an ultrasound image of the inside of the analyte;
• directing a portion of the analyte included in the ultrasound image in a predetermined direction by adjusting a rotation angle of the ultrasound image based on a line symmetrical region in the ultrasound image, where the line symmetrical region has a shape of line symmetry with respect to a digital line that is a central axis;
• setting a reference point in the rotation angle adjusted ultrasound image by matching a template image of the ultrasound image including the reference point while superimposing the template image on the ultrasound image, wherein, the reference point is included in a linea alba existing between a pair of right and left rectus abdominis muscles of an abdomen;
• searching first and second pathways between the reference point as a search start point and a line crossing from a front side to a rear side of the rectus abdominis muscle by a Dijkstra method, such that the first pathway is from the search start point to an end point at the front side and the second pathway is from the search start point to an end point at the rear side;
• imparting one or more muscle seed points to a muscle region between the first and second searched pathways as a muscle;
• and
• demarcating a seed region to which a seed point belongs, and dividing an image region of the analyte included in the ultrasound image into a plurality of regions according to a type of tissue.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program causing a processor of an ultrasound imaging apparatus to execute processing, the processor configured to control operation of the ultrasound imaging apparatus, the processing comprising:

• receiving ultrasound waves transmitted from a surface of an analyte towards an inside of the analyte and reflected therein, and generating an ultrasound image of the inside of the analyte;
• directing a portion of the analyte included in the ultrasound image in a predetermined direction by adjusting a rotation angle of the ultrasound image based on a line symmetrical region in the ultrasound image, where the line symmetrical region has a shape of line symmetry with respect to a digital line that is a central axis;
• setting a reference point in the rotation angle adjusted ultrasound image by matching a template image of the ultrasound image including the reference point while superimposing the template image on the ultrasound image, wherein, the reference point is included in a linea alba existing between a pair of right and left rectus abdominis muscles of an abdomen;
• searching first and second pathways between the reference point as a search start point and a line crossing from a front side to a rear side of the rectus abdominis muscle by a Dijkstra method, such that the first pathway is from the search start point to an end point at the front side and the second pathway is from the search start point to an end point at the rear side;
• imparting one or more muscle seed points to a muscle region between the first and second searched pathways as a muscle;
• and
• demarcating a seed region to which a seed point belongs, and dividing an image region of the analyte included in the ultrasound image into a plurality of regions according to a type of tissue.