Ultrasonic image processing apparatus and ultrasonic image processing method

An ultrasonic image processing apparatus for processing an ultrasonic image including a plurality of pixels arranged in a direction of a first axis corresponding to a scanning direction of an ultrasonic wave transmitted to an object and a direction of a second axis corresponding to a distance direction in which the ultrasonic wave propagates, each of the plurality of pixels having coordinates based on a reflection position of the ultrasonic wave and a pixel value based on a strength of a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave, the apparatus comprising:

• a speckle pattern reduction processing section that sets a size of a filter according to a coordinate on the second axis of a pixel of interest included in the ultrasonic image and performs filter processing using the filter to reduce a speckle pattern in the pixel of interest;
• and
• an edge information calculation section that calculates edge information for the pixel of interest in which the speckle pattern has been reduced.