Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic image processing apparatus

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:

• a memory configured to store a first three-dimensional ultrasonic image and a second three-dimensional ultrasonic image obtained from ultrasonic scans of an object using an ultrasound probe, wherein each of the first and second three-dimensional ultrasonic images includes an overlap region indicating an identical three-dimensional region of the object;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to
• extract a first block including a plurality of voxels with respect to each position in the overlap region of the first three-dimensional ultrasonic image;
• extract a second block including a plurality of voxels with respect to each position in the overlap region of the second three-dimensional ultrasonic image;
• calculate a covariance by using values of voxels constructing each of the first and second blocks with respect to each position;
• and
• generate a synthesized three-dimensional ultrasonic image by using the first and second three-dimensional ultrasonic images so that a signal level is suppressed in accordance with the calculated covariance.

An ultrasonic image processing apparatus, comprising:

• a memory configured to store a first ultrasonic image and a second ultrasonic image obtained from ultrasonic scans of an object using an ultrasound probe, wherein each of the first and second ultrasonic images includes an overlap region indicating an identical region of the object;
• and
• circuitry configured to
• extract a first block including a plurality of pixels with respect to each position in the overlap region of the first ultrasonic image;
• extract a second block including a plurality of pixels with respect to each position in the overlap region of the second ultrasonic image;
• calculate a covariance by using values of pixels constructing each of the first and second blocks with respect to each position;
• and
• generate a synthesized image by using the first and second ultrasonic images so that a signal level is suppressed in accordance with the calculated covariance.

An ultrasonic image processing apparatus, comprising:

• a memory configured to store a first three-dimensional ultrasonic image and a second three-dimensional ultrasonic image obtained from ultrasonic scans of an object using an ultrasound probe, wherein each of the first and second three-dimensional ultrasonic images includes an overlap region indicating an identical three-dimensional region of the object;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to
• extract a first block including a plurality of voxels with respect to each position in the overlap region of the first three-dimensional ultrasonic image;
• extract a second block including a plurality of voxels with respect to each position in the overlap region of the second three-dimensional ultrasonic image;
• calculate a covariance by using values of voxels constructing each of the first and second blocks with respect to each position;
• and
• generate a synthesized three-dimensional ultrasonic image by using the first and second three-dimensional ultrasonic images so that a signal level is suppressed in accordance with the calculated covariance.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:

• a memory configured to store a first ultrasonic image and a second ultrasonic image obtained from ultrasonic scans of an object using an ultrasound probe;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to
• extract a block including of a plurality of pixels with respect to each position in the overlap region of each of the ultrasonic images;
• calculate a covariance by using values of pixels constructing each of the blocks with respect to each position;
• and
• generate a synthesized image by using the ultrasonic images so that a signal level is suppressed in accordance with the calculated covariance.