The length of an optical fiber from a portion aligned with the rear end of an insertion needle to a fixing portion is a length obtained by adding a predetermined extra length to a linear distance between the rear end of the insertion needle in a case where the insertion needle is located at a protruding position (insertion position) and an optical fiber fixing position of a grip portion. There is provided a fiber feeding adjustment mechanism that suspends the optical fiber with a first suspension portion and a second suspension portion so as to make a detour in a state in which there is no slack, and changes the detour length continuously according to the movement of the insertion needle in a case where the insertion needle moves between the retracted position and the protruding position, thereby maintaining a state in which the optical fiber is suspended without slack.

An apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first obtaining unit configured to obtain an ultrasound image generated by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object, a display control unit configured to control a display unit to display the ultrasound image, a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a photoacoustic signal generated by receiving photoacoustic waves generated from light irradiated to the object, and a saving control unit configured to obtain information representing a save instruction given when the ultrasound image is being displayed, and configured to save in a storage unit the ultrasound image corresponding to a time point of the save instruction and information derived from the photoacoustic signal based on the information representing the save instruction.

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate obtaining two dimensional (2D) ultrasound images, using two or more ultrasound imaging modes or modalities, to generate 2D multi-parametric ultrasound (mpUS) images and/or to generate a three-dimensional (3D) mpUS image. The different ultrasound imaging modes acquire images in a common frame of reference during a single procedure to facilitate their registration. The mpUS images (i.e., 2D or 3D) may be used for enhanced and/or automated detection of one or more suspicious regions. After identifying one or more suspicious regions, the mpUS images may be utilized with a real-time image to guide biopsy or therapy the region(s). All these processes may be performed in a single medical procedure.

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate obtaining two dimensional (2D) ultrasound images, using two or more ultrasound imaging modes or modalities, to generate 2D multi-parametric ultrasound (mpUS) images and/or to generate a three-dimensional (3D) mpUS image. The different ultrasound imaging modes acquire images in a common frame of reference during a single procedure to facilitate their registration. The mpUS images (i.e., 2D or 3D) may be used for enhanced and/or automated detection of one or more suspicious regions. After identifying one or more suspicious regions, the mpUS images may be utilized with a real-time image to guide biopsy or therapy the region(s). All these processes may be performed in a single medical procedure.

A system and method for tracking completeness of co-registered medical image data is disclosed herein. The system and method tracks the position of an anatomical reference marker positionable on a patient and an ultrasound probe during an imaging session and co-registers medical images based on positional data received from the anatomical reference marker and the ultrasound probe. Using the co-registered image data, the system and method generates a surface contour of a region of interest (ROI) of the patient, such as a breast. The surface contour is defined to represent an interface between a chest wall structure and tissue of the ROI in a plurality of co-registered medical images. A completeness map of the image data within the defined surface contour during the imaging session is generated and overlaid on a graphic representation of the ROI.

An ultrasound imaging system includes a processor programmed to generate an anatomy image and a number of needle frames at different transmit beam angles. The system analyzes the data in the needle frames and selects segments therein that are identified as likely representing an interventional instrument. Data from one or more needle frames are blended with the data for the anatomy image of the tissue to create a composite image of the tissue and the interventional instrument.

An ultrasound imaging system includes a processor programmed to generate an anatomy image and a number of needle frames at different transmit beam angles. The system analyzes the data in the needle frames and selects segments therein that are identified as likely representing an interventional instrument. Data from one or more needle frames are blended with the data for the anatomy image of the tissue to create a composite image of the tissue and the interventional instrument.

For parametric ultrasound imaging with an ultrasound scanner, the values for multiple parameters are determined for tissue of a patient using ultrasound. The determination may be in response to a single activation, avoiding the user having to reconfigure and activate separately for each parameter. To assist in diagnosis, one or more indicators of quality of the measurements of the parameters are calculated and displayed to the user. To further assist in diagnosis, the measurement values for the patient are displayed relative to published or population values.

Systems and methods for multi-level vascular imaging for construction and display of vasculature from large to small vessels and micro-vessels using a combination of varying resolution contrast enhanced ultrasound flow imaging modalities are disclosed. While one or more resolution flow imaging modes may be employed for imaging large to small vessels of a vascular tree within a large region of interest, a high resolution mode, such as super resolution imaging, constructed for delineation of the microvascular morphology and directional microcirculation is provided within one or more small ROIs placed in selected locations within the larger ROI.

A medical image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry configured to generate an output data set apparently expressing a second data set obtained by transmitting and receiving an ultrasound wave, for each scanning line, as many times as a second number that is larger than a first number, by inputting a first data set to a trained model that generates the output data set on a basis of the first data set obtained by transmitting and receiving an ultrasound wave as many times as the first number for each scanning line.