PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for displaying Doppler images, that ensures the display of blood flow components only, while removing all clutter components.SOLUTION: After ultrasound waves are sent toward a subject from a probe 11, an ultrasonic echo signal is obtained from the received ultrasound waves reflected by the subject, based on which a Doppler signal is generated. Then, the Doppler signal undergoes highpass filtering processing so that clutter components can be removed and blood flow components can be extracted. Based upon the highpass-filtered Doppler signal, a display means 14 displays an image showing blood flow components. In such a Doppler image display method as described above, pulsed light is delivered to the subject from a light source 13, and then acoustic waves emitted from the subject after receiving the pulsed light are detected by detection means 11 and 22 to obtain an optoacoustic signal. Based upon the frequency range of the blood flow components indicated by the optoacoustic signal, filter bandwidth control means 40 and 42 determines cutoff frequency for highpass filtering processing.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】クラッタ成分を残すことなく、確実に血流成分のみを表示することができるドプラ画像表示方法を得る。【解決手段】被検体に向けてプローブ11から超音波を送信し、被検体で反射した反射超音波を受信して得た超音波エコー信号からドプラ信号を生成し、このドプラ信号をハイパスフィルタリング処理にかけて、クラッタ成分を除去する一方血流成分を抽出し、このハイパスフィルタリング処理後のドプラ信号に基づいて、血流成分を示す画像を表示手段14に表示するドプラ画像表示方法において、光源13から被検体にパルス光を照射し、このパルス光を受けて被検体から発せられた音響波を検出手段11,22により検出して光音響信号を得、フィルタ帯域制御手段40,42により、この光音響信号が示す血流成分の周波数帯域に基づいてハイパスフィルタリング処理の遮断周波数を決定する。【選択図】図1
