Apparatus, method and program for displaying ultrasound image and photoacoustic image

An apparatus comprising:

• a first obtaining unit configured to obtain an ultrasound image generated by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object;
• a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a photoacoustic image generated based on photoacoustic waves generated from light irradiated to the object;
• a display control unit configured to control to display a moving image of the ultrasound image on a first display area in a display unit and displays a moving image of a superimposition image of the ultrasound image and the photoacoustic image on a second display area different from the first display area in the display unit,
• wherein the display control unit controls to
• based on information representing a display instruction given when a moving image of the ultrasound image is being displayed, display a still image of a superimposition image of the ultrasound image and the photoacoustic image corresponding to a time point of the display instruction on the second display area and, on the other hand, continue the display of the moving image of the ultrasound image on the first display area.

An apparatus comprising:

• a first obtaining unit configured to obtain an ultrasound image generated by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object;
• a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a photoacoustic image generated based on photoacoustic waves generated from light irradiated to the object;
• a display control unit configured to control to display a moving image of the ultrasound image on a first display area in a display unit;
• wherein the display control unit controls to
• based on information representing a display instruction given when the moving image of the ultrasound image is being displayed, display a still image of a superimposition image of the ultrasound image and the photoacoustic image corresponding to a time point of the display instruction on the first display area for a predetermined period of time;
• and
• after a lapse of the predetermined period of time from the display instruction, display a still image of the superimposition image on a second display area different from the first display area in the display unit and on the other hand, restarts the display of the moving image on the ultrasound image on the first display area.