US-12616452-B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic system and control method of ultrasound diagnostic system

Abstract

Provided are an ultrasound diagnostic system and a control method of an ultrasound diagnostic system capable of performing proper diagnoses on a plurality of subjects at once by using a single diagnostic apparatus. There is provided an ultrasound diagnostic system including: a plurality of image acquisition apparatuses each having an ultrasound probe and a portable terminal; a diagnostic apparatus wirelessly connected to the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses; and a diagnostic apparatus side monitor, in which the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses each wirelessly transmit an ultrasound image acquired by using the ultrasound probe to the diagnostic apparatus in association with position information of the ultrasound probe acquired by a position information acquisition module of the ultrasound probe, the diagnostic apparatus displays a plurality of ultrasound images of a plurality of subjects on one screen of the diagnostic apparatus side monitor, and the diagnostic apparatus displays a plurality of identification marks corresponding to a plurality of pieces of the position information associated with the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects on the diagnostic apparatus side monitor in correspondence with the plurality of ultrasound images.

Inventors

• Hidetoshi Takayama

Assignees

• FUJIFILM CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240221

Priority Date

20230327

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An ultrasound diagnostic system comprising: a plurality of image acquisition apparatuses disposed in a vicinity of a plurality of subjects in correspondence with the plurality of subjects, each having an ultrasound probe and a portable terminal that displays an ultrasound image of the corresponding subject acquired by using the ultrasound probe; a diagnostic apparatus wirelessly connected to the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses; and a diagnostic apparatus side monitor connected to the diagnostic apparatus, wherein the diagnostic apparatus and the diagnostic apparatus side monitor are in a location different from the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses, the ultrasound probes of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses each include a position information acquisition module that acquires position information of the ultrasound probe, the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses each wirelessly transmit the ultrasound image acquired by using the ultrasound probe to the diagnostic apparatus in association with the position information of the ultrasound probe acquired by the position information acquisition module, the diagnostic apparatus displays ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects acquired by the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses together on one screen of the diagnostic apparatus side monitor, the diagnostic apparatus displays a plurality of identification marks corresponding to a plurality of pieces of the position information associated with the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects together on the one screen of the diagnostic apparatus side monitor in correspondence with the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects, and the diagnostic apparatus performs diagnoses on the plurality of subjects at once based on the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects displayed at once on the one screen of the diagnostic apparatus side monitor.
2. 2 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic apparatus has a diagnostic apparatus side processor that generates the plurality of identification marks.
3. 3 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein the position information acquisition module is an azimuthal angle detection module that detects an azimuthal angle of the ultrasound probe with respect to the diagnostic apparatus as the position information.
4. 4 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 3 , wherein the identification mark is a mark representing a direction from the diagnostic apparatus toward the ultrasound probe based on the azimuthal angle detected as the position information.
5. 5 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 2 , wherein the position information acquisition module is an azimuthal angle detection module that detects an azimuthal angle of the ultrasound probe with respect to the diagnostic apparatus as the position information.
6. 6 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 5 , wherein the identification mark is a mark representing a direction from the diagnostic apparatus toward the ultrasound probe based on the azimuthal angle detected as the position information.
7. 7 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound probe of each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a light emitting unit that selectively emits rays of light of a plurality of colors, and the identification mark has a color corresponding to the color of the light emitted from the light emitting unit.
8. 8 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 2 , wherein the ultrasound probe of each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a light emitting unit that selectively emits rays of light of a plurality of colors, and the identification mark has a color corresponding to the color of the light emitted from the light emitting unit.
9. 9 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound probe of each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a probe side monitor that displays a probe side mark, and the identification mark has a shape corresponding to the probe side mark.
10. 10 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 2 , wherein the ultrasound probe of each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a probe side monitor that displays a probe side mark, and the identification mark has a shape corresponding to the probe side mark.
11. 11 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a processor provided in at least one of the ultrasound probe or the portable terminal, and in a case in which any of the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects displayed on the diagnostic apparatus side monitor is designated by a user, a notification is made by the processor of the respective image acquisition apparatus having the ultrasound probe corresponding to the position information associated with the designated ultrasound image.
12. 12 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 4 , wherein each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a processor provided in at least one of the ultrasound probe or the portable terminal, and in a case in which any of the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects displayed on the diagnostic apparatus side monitor is designated by a user, a notification is made by the processor of the respective image acquisition apparatus having the ultrasound probe corresponding to the position information associated with the designated ultrasound image.
13. 13 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 7 , wherein each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a processor provided in at least one of the ultrasound probe or the portable terminal, and in a case in which any of the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects displayed on the diagnostic apparatus side monitor is designated by a user, a notification is made by the processor of the respective image acquisition apparatus having the ultrasound probe corresponding to the position information associated with the designated ultrasound image.
14. 14 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 9 , wherein each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses has a processor provided in at least one of the ultrasound probe or the portable terminal, and in a case in which any of the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects displayed on the diagnostic apparatus side monitor is designated by a user, a notification is made by the processor of the respective image acquisition apparatus having the ultrasound probe corresponding to the position information associated with the designated ultrasound image.
15. 15 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 11 , wherein the processor issues the notification by using at least one of sound, vibration, or light.
16. 16 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 12 , wherein the processor issues the notification by using at least one of sound, vibration, or light.
17. 17 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 13 , wherein the processor issues the notification by using at least one of sound, vibration, or light.
18. 18 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound probe of each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses is wirelessly connected to the diagnostic apparatus.
19. 19 . The ultrasound diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein the portable terminal of each respective image acquisition apparatus of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses is wirelessly connected to the diagnostic apparatus.
20. 20 . A control method of an ultrasound diagnostic system, comprising: acquiring, in a plurality of image acquisition apparatuses disposed in a vicinity of a plurality of subjects in correspondence with the plurality of subjects, each having an ultrasound probe and a portable terminal that displays an ultrasound image of the corresponding subject acquired by using the ultrasound probe, position information of the ultrasound probe; wirelessly transmitting the ultrasound image acquired by using the ultrasound probe in the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses to a diagnostic apparatus in association with the position information of the ultrasound probe; displaying ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects acquired by the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses together on one screen of a diagnostic apparatus side monitor, the diagnostic apparatus and the diagnostic apparatus side monitor being in a location different from the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses; displaying a plurality of identification marks corresponding to a plurality of pieces of the position information associated with the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects together on the one screen of the diagnostic apparatus side monitor in correspondence with the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects; and performing diagnoses on the plurality of subjects at once based on the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects displayed at once on the one screen of the diagnostic apparatus side monitor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-050212, filed on Mar. 27, 2023. The above application is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasound diagnostic system and a control method of an ultrasound diagnostic system for performing diagnoses on a plurality of subjects at once by using a single diagnostic apparatus. 2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, in the medical field, an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus using ultrasound images has been put into practical use. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus typically comprises an ultrasound probe incorporating a transducer array, and an apparatus body connected to the ultrasound probe, and transmits an ultrasound beam from the ultrasound probe toward a subject, receives an ultrasound echo from the subject through the ultrasound probe, and electrically processes a reception signal thereof to generate an ultrasound image. In addition, as disclosed in JP2022-545355A and JP2018-014076A, a portable ultrasound diagnostic apparatus that establishes a wireless connection between an ultrasound probe and an apparatus body through wireless communication has been developed to improve operability and mobility of the ultrasound probe. The ultrasound image acquired by the ultrasound probe is displayed on a monitor of the apparatus body. Such a wireless ultrasound probe, which is excellent in operability and mobility, is particularly useful in, for example, situations where emergency rescue is required. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, only displaying ultrasound images acquired from individual subjects on the monitor makes it difficult to quickly advance the diagnosis in a case in which it is desirable to diagnose a plurality of subjects at once by using a single diagnostic apparatus, for example, in situations such as disasters or traffic accidents. Even in a case in which a plurality of ultrasound images respectively acquired from the plurality of subjects are simultaneously displayed on one screen of the monitor, which ultrasound image is acquired from which subject should be accurately specified; otherwise, there is a concern about performing incorrect diagnosis. The present invention has been made in order to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound diagnostic system and a control method of an ultrasound diagnostic system capable of performing proper diagnoses on a plurality of subjects at once by using a single diagnostic apparatus. According to the following configuration, the above-described object can be achieved. [1] An ultrasound diagnostic system comprising: a plurality of image acquisition apparatuses each having an ultrasound probe and a portable terminal that displays an ultrasound image acquired by using the ultrasound probe;a diagnostic apparatus wirelessly connected to the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses; anda diagnostic apparatus side monitor connected to the diagnostic apparatus,in which the ultrasound probes of the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses each include a position information acquisition module that acquires position information of the ultrasound probe,the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses each wirelessly transmit the ultrasound image acquired by using the ultrasound probe to the diagnostic apparatus in association with the position information of the ultrasound probe acquired by the position information acquisition module,the diagnostic apparatus displays ultrasound images of a plurality of subjects acquired by the plurality of image acquisition apparatuses on one screen of the diagnostic apparatus side monitor, andthe diagnostic apparatus displays a plurality of identification marks corresponding to a plurality of pieces of the position information associated with the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects on the diagnostic apparatus side monitor in correspondence with the ultrasound images of the plurality of subjects. [2] The ultrasound diagnostic system according to [1], in which the diagnostic apparatus has an identification mark generation unit that generates the plurality of identification marks. [3] The ultrasound diagnostic system according to [1] or [2], in which the position information acquisition module is an azimuthal angle detection module that detects an azimuthal angle of the ultrasound probe with respect to the diagnostic apparatus as the position information. [4] The ultrasound diagnostic system according to [3], in which the identification mark is a mark representing a direction from the diagnostic apparatus toward the ultrasound probe based on the azimuthal angle detected as the position information. [5] The ultrasound di