PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasound image producing method capable of efficiently obtaining data for producing a B mode image and data for measuring the sound speed to achieve production of both a B mode image and a sound speed map.SOLUTION: A plurality of lattice points are set on sound rays S3-S5 passing inside a region of interest R and in the region of interest R, points F located at a given depth L1 are set on sound rays S1, S2, S6, and S7 passing outside the region of interest R, lattice points E2 located at the deepest depth have a depth closest to the given depth L1 among the lattice points set inside the region of interest R, these lattice points serve as transmission focuses for both the production of the B mode image and the measurement of the sound speed, and the other lattice points E1 serve as transmission focuses used exclusively for the measurement of the sound speed. A B mode image signal is produced based on the reception data obtained by forming the transmission focus at the points F outside the region of interest R and the lattice points E2 inside the region of interest R. The reception data obtained by forming the transmission focuses at the lattice points E1, E2 in the region of interest R is used to calculate local sound speeds, and a sound speed map is produced.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】Bモード画像生成用のデータと音速測定用のデータを効率よく取得してBモード画像の生成と音速マップの生成の双方を行うことができる超音波診断装置を提供する。【解決手段】関心領域Rの内部を通る音線S3~S5上で且つ関心領域R内に複数の格子点が設定されると共に関心領域Rの外部を通る音線S1、S2、S6およびS7の上で所定の深度L1に位置する点Fが設定され、関心領域R内の格子点のうち所定の深度L1に最も近い深度の格子点E2が、Bモード画像の生成と音速測定の双方に利用される送信焦点となり、残りの格子点E1が、音速の測定専用に用いられる送信焦点となる。関心領域R外の点Fと関心領域R内の格子点E2に送信焦点を形成して取得された受信データを用いてBモード画像信号が生成され、関心領域R内の格子点E1およびE2に送信焦点を形成して取得された受信データを用いて各格子点における局所音速値が演算され、音速マップが生成される。【選択図】図3
