Ultrasonic blood flow imaging method and apparatus

Claim 2

In an ultrasonic blood flow imaging method for displaying the spatial velocity distribution of blood flow within a body under examination, the improvement comprising the steps of: displaying a first function of the spatial velocity distribution of blood flow as a color picture wherein said first function direction is represented by one color when positive and by another different color when negative; mixing at least one further color in accordance with a second function of the spatial velocity distribution of blood flow representative of a deviation from said first function in proportion to the magnitude of said second function with said at least one further color selected depending on whether the blood flow is positive or negative, whereby the said second function is represented by a change in color in said color picture; and representing the magnitude of said first function by varying the brightness of the color displayed in said color picture.

Claim 3

An ultrasonic blood flow imaging method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying stationary portions in the vicinity of the blood flow in white as superposed on the color picture of said first function of spatial velocity distribution.

Claim 4

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for imaging blood flow and tomographic signals comprising an ultrasonic transmitter/receiver means for outputting a tomographic image signal produced by sending an ultrasonic beam into a specific region of a body under examination and electrically detecting the reflected echo from said region, and including pulse doppler means for selectively detecting a signal representative of a first function of the spatial velocity distribution of blood flow and a second signal representative of a second function of spatial velocity distribution of blood flow and of a deviation from said first function, said signals corresponding to the velocity of movement of blood flow within said region; a plurality of frame memory means coupled to said transmitter/receiver for storing each of said signals; a color processor means coupled to said frame memory means for producing a color video signal from said signals stored in said frame memory means; and a color display means responsive to said color video signal from said color processor means for displaying a tomographic image of said region in white, for displaying the direction of said first function within said region in one color when positive and in another different color when negative, and for displaying the magnitude of said first function by varying the brightness of the color displayed, and further for displaying said tomographic image and said first and second functions superposed one on the other, said color processor means further comprising means for mixing at least one further color with the color displayed depending on the magnitude of said second function.

Claim 5

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for imaging blood flow and tomographic signals comprising an ultrasonic transmitter/receiver means for outputting a tomographic image signal produced by sending an ultrasonic beam into a specific region of a body under examination and electrically detecting the reflected echo from said region, and including pulse doppler means for selectively detecting a signal representative of a first function of the spatial velocity distribution of blood flow and a second signal representative of a second function of spatial velocity distribution of blood flow and of a deviation from said first function, said signals corresponding to the velocity of movement of blood flow within said region; a plurality of frame memory means coupled to said transmitter/receiver for storing each of said signals; a color processor means coupled to said frame memory means for producing a color video signal from said signals stored in said frame memory means; and a color display means responsive to said color video signal from said color processor means for displaying a tomographic image of said region in white, for displaying the direction of said first function within said region in one color when positive and in another different color when negative, and for displaying the magnitude of said first function by varying the brightness of the color displayed, and further for displaying said tomographic image and said first and second functions superposed one on the other, said color processor means further comprising means for mixing at least one further color with the color displayed depending on the magnitude of said second function.