DISPOSITIF D'OBSERVATION ULTRASONORE, PROCÉDÉ DE FONCTIONNEMENT POUR DISPOSITIF D'OBSERVATION ULTRASONORE, ET PROGRAMME DE FONCTIONNEMENT POUR DISPOSITIF D'OBSERVATION ULTRASONORE
An ultrasound observation apparatus includes: an ultrasound image generator that generates data of an ultrasound image based on an ultrasound wave signal; a region of interest setting unit that sets a first region of interest set in advance within the ultrasound image and a plurality of second regions of interest including at least the first region of interest, when receiving an input of a freeze instruction signal that sets a display on a display device as a still image; a reference value calculating unit that calculates reference values according to ultrasound wave signals of the first region of interest and the plurality of second regions of interest, respectively; and an elastic image generator that sets a display region of interest in which the reference value of the first region of interest and the reference values of the second regions of interest have a predetermined correlation and the second regions of interest are maximized, and generates data of an elastic image having a display mode according to hardness of the display region of interest. As a result, in ultrasound elastography, an ultrasound observation apparatus capable of expanding a colored area of the elastic image while suppressing the influence on a color tone of the elastic image within the region of interest set by a user is provided.