PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic method and apparatus for determining the properties of a tissue utilizing differences in amplitude and phase change characteristics of a microscopic structure, a continuous surface and a linear object when a supposed sound velocity in generating an image is varied.SOLUTION: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic wave probe in which a plurality of elements are arrayed to transmit ultrasonic waves to a subject and also output a received signal by receiving an ultrasonic wave signal reflected from the subject a means for varying a supposed sound velocity preset to an actual sound velocity of the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the subject and a property determining means for determining the properties of a tissue in the subject from an amplitude change of a signal focused from the received signal with a delay based on the supposed sound velocity when the supposed sound velocity is varied or a phase change of a signal focused from the received signal with a delay based on the supposed sound velocity when the supposed sound velocity is varied.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】画像生成時の仮定音速を変化させた時の微小構造物、連続面、線状物及びスペックルの振幅・位相変化特性の違いを利用して組織性状を判定する超音波診断装置及び方法を提供する。【解決手段】被検者に向けて超音波を送信すると共に、被検者から反射された超音波信号を受信することにより受信信号を出力する複数の素子が配列された超音波プローブと、被検者に向けて送信する超音波の実音速に対して予め設定された仮定音速を変化させる手段と、仮定音速を変化させたときの、受信信号から仮定音速に基づく遅延でフォーカスした信号の振幅変化、又は仮定音速を変化させたときの、受信信号から仮定音速に基づく遅延でフォーカスした信号の位相変化から、被検者内の組織性状を判定する性状判定手段と、を有することを特徴とする超音波診断装置を提供する。【選択図】 図1
