Information processing apparatus, ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and information processing method

An image processing apparatus for supporting imaging performed by an ultrasonic probe that acquires an ultrasonic image of a subject, the ultrasonic probe being physically moved by a user, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• an acquisition unit configured to acquire a three dimensional image of the subject;
• a specification unit configured to specify a position inside the subject in the three dimensional image acquired by the acquisition unit;
• a processor configured to identify a position on a body surface of the subject by calculating a smallest distance among distances from the specified position inside the subject to a plurality of positions along a shape of the body surface of the subject extracted from the three dimensional image;
• and
• a display controller configured to cause a display unit to display a position where the ultrasonic image acquired by the ultrasonic probe is captured and the identified position on the body surface of the subject superimposed on a body mark image indicating the shape of the body surface of the subject,
• wherein the position where the ultrasonic image is acquired by the ultrasonic probe is moved according to the physical moving of the ultrasonic probe, and
• wherein the position where the ultrasonic image is acquired by the ultrasonic probe and the identified position are displayed simultaneously.