PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, ultrasonic image processing apparatus, and ultrasonic image processing program capable of accurately evaluating a wall thickness change ratio for each of a cardiac endocardium and epicardium.SOLUTION: In the case where a tracking process of a moving tissue performing a contraction movement and an expansion movement and represented by a cardiac wall is performed for one heartbeat from an End-Diastole ED1 to an End-Diastole ED2, a contour position (tracking point) initially set at an End-Systole ES is tracked until the End-Diastole ED1 in accordance with movement information, the tracking point is rearranged at the End-Diastole ED, the rearranged tracking point is tracked in accordance with the movement information already obtained, and then the tracking point is further tracked in the normal direction until the ED2. Additionally, an initial reverse tracking process is performed from the ES to the ED1 by using plural middle layer path candidates, and a path passing through the tracking point on the contours of inner and outer layers or middle layer rearranged at the ED1 is searched, thereby accurately creating and evaluating movement information of each of an endocardium and an epicardium of a cardiac wall.COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT【課題】心臓の内外膜を分離した壁厚変化率をより正確に評価することができる超音波診断装置、超音波画像処理装置、超音波画像処理プログラムを提供すること。【解決手段】心臓壁に代表される収縮、拡張運動を行う運動組織についてED1~ED2の一心周期において追跡処理を行う場合に、収縮末期ESにおいて初期設定した輪郭位置(追跡点)を拡張末期ED1まで動き情報に従って追跡した後、当該拡張末期EDにおいて再配置し、再配置された追跡点を既に求めた動き情報に従って追跡した後、更にはED2まで順行追跡する。また、ESからED1への最初の逆行追跡処理を複数の中層経路候補にて実施して、ED1で再配置した内外膜輪郭や中層上の追跡点を通る経路を探索することで、内外分離した心壁の運動情報を正確に生成し評価可能とする。【選択図】図3
