Ultrasonic ct apparatus, ultrasonic image generation method, and ultrasonic image generation apparatus

An ultrasonic image generation method comprising:

• transmitting a sound wave to a subject from one or more transducers in an transducer array in which a plurality of transducers are arranged;
• receiving a measured sound pressure measured by a plurality of transducers for the sound wave transmitted through an imaging region of the subject;
• processing the measured sound pressure to generate a transmitted wave image in the imaging region;
• causing a simulated sound source to generate a simulated sound wave having a sound pressure changing with time, obtaining by calculation the sound pressure when the simulated sound wave is transmitted through the imaging region and reaches a plurality of simulated detectors, as a calculated sound pressure;
• using the calculated sound pressure to bring a waveform of the simulated sound wave generated by the simulated sound source closer to a waveform of the sound wave transmitted by the transducers;
• and
• using the calculated sound pressure of the simulated sound wave that has been brought close to the waveform of the sound wave to sequentially correct the transmitted wave image with the transmitted wave image as an initial image.

An ultrasonic image generation apparatus comprising:

• an image reconstructor that transmits a sound wave to a subject from one or more transducers in an transducer array in which a plurality of transducers are arranged, receives a measured sound pressure measured by a plurality of transducers for the sound wave transmitted through an imaging region of the subject, and processes the measured sound pressure to generate a transmitted wave image in the imaging region;
• and
• a sequential updater that causes a simulated sound source to generate a simulated sound wave having a sound pressure changing with time, obtains by calculation the sound pressure when the simulated sound wave is transmitted through the imaging region and reaches a plurality of simulated detectors, as a calculated sound pressure, and sequentially corrects the transmitted wave image using the calculated sound pressure with the transmitted wave image as an initial image, wherein
• the sequential updater uses the calculated sound pressure to perform arithmetic processing that brings a waveform of the simulated sound wave generated by the simulated sound source closer to a waveform of the sound wave transmitted by the transducers.