Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

An information processing method for performing processing on an ultrasound image, which is generated by transmitting ultrasound beams from a transducer array toward the inside of a living body and receiving ultrasound echoes generated in the living body, the method comprising:

• detecting, by image analysis, a blood vessel region including a blood vessel from the ultrasound image;
• detecting, by image analysis, a structure other than a blood vessel from the ultrasound image;
• using the structure as a landmark, determining whether the blood vessel included in the blood vessel region is an artery or a vein based on a relative positional relationship between the landmark and the blood vessel region;
• comparing reliability of artery/vein determination based on the blood vessel region with reliability of artery/vein determination based on a relative positional relationship between the blood vessel region and the structure, and select a determination result having higher reliability;
• and
• displaying the blood vessel region in the ultrasound image displayed on a display device such that the blood vessel included in the blood vessel region is identified as an artery or a vein.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for performing processing on an ultrasound image, which is generated by transmitting ultrasound beams from a transducer array toward the inside of a living body and receiving ultrasound echoes generated in the living body, the process comprising:

• detecting, by image analysis, a blood vessel region including a blood vessel from the ultrasound image;
• detecting, by image analysis, a structure other than a blood vessel from the ultrasound image;
• using the structure as a landmark, determining whether the blood vessel included in the blood vessel region is an artery or a vein based on a relative positional relationship between the landmark and the blood vessel region;
• comparing reliability of artery/vein determination based on the blood vessel region with reliability of artery/vein determination based on a relative positional relationship between the blood vessel region and the structure, and select a determination result having higher reliability;
• and
• displaying the blood vessel region in the ultrasound image displayed on a display device such that the blood vessel included in the blood vessel region is identified as an artery or a vein.