PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a blood vessel imaging apparatus capable of imaging highly accurate blood vessel images by coinciding a timing of an arrival of contrast medium to a region of interest with a timing of a start of X-ray CT in the blood vessel imaging apparatus which injects X-ray contrast agent subsequently to or simultaneously with the injection of ultrasonic contrast agent, measures it ultrasonically, detects the inflow of the contrast media to the region of interest and starts the blood vessel radiography of the region of interest by X-ray.SOLUTION: A sticking probe for transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from the region of interest is previously stuck to the surface of the region of interest. The X-ray contrast agent is injected into a subject subsequently to or simultaneously with the ultrasonic contrast agent, and the arrival of the ultrasonic contrast agent to the region of interest is detected based on the ultrasonic waves received by the stuck probe. When detecting the arrival, a trigger signal for starting the imaging of the contrast-enhanced image of the region of interest is output.COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT【課題】 超音波造影剤注入に引き続き又は同時にX線造影剤を注入して超音波計測し、関心領域へ造影剤が流入したことを検知してから、X線による関心領域の血管像撮影を開始する血管撮影装置に関し、造影剤の関心領域への到達とX線CT撮影開始のタイミングを一致させ、精度のよい血管像を撮影することのできる血管撮影装置を提供する。【解決手段】 予め関心領域に超音波を送受する貼着プローブを関心領域の表面に貼着しておく。超音波造影剤に引き続き又は同時にX線造影剤を前記被検体へ注入し、貼着プローブが受波した超音波に基づき超音波造影剤の関心領域への到達を検知する。到達が検知されると、関心領域の造影画像の撮影を開始するトリガ信号を出力する。【選択図】 図1
