To provide an ultrasonic image processing apparatus and an ultrasonic image processing method capable of performing effective smoothing both in an edge region and a flat region in an ultrasonic image.A plurality of pixels are arranged in a direction of a second axis corresponding to a direction of a first axis corresponding to a scanning direction of an ultrasonic wave transmitted to an object and a distance direction in which the ultrasonic wave propagates, Is an ultrasonic image processing apparatus for processing an ultrasonic image having a coordinate based on a reflection position of the ultrasonic wave and a pixel value based on an intensity of a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave, A variance value calculation unit that calculates a variance value for the pixel of interest on the basis of pixel values of a plurality of pixels including a plurality of pixels included in the ultrasound image and an edge information calculation unit that calculates an edge intensity and a direction of the edge with respect to the pixel of interest included in the ultrasound image Setting a coefficient value of the filter based on the coordinate of the second axis of the pixel of interest, the variance value, the intensity of the edge, and the direction of the edge with respect to the pixel of interest smoothing And a smoothing processing unit that performs processing, ultrasonic imaging system.(FIG.【課題】超音波画像におけるエッジ領域にも平坦な領域にも効果的な平滑化を行うことが可能な超音波画像処理装置及び超音波画像処理方法を提供すること。【解決手段】対象物に送信された超音波の走査方向に対応する第1軸の方向及び前記超音波が伝搬する距離方向に対応する第2軸の方向に並ぶ複数の画素を含み、前記複数の画素の各々は、前記超音波の反射位置に基づく座標と前記超音波の反射波の強度に基づく画素値とを有する超音波画像を処理する超音波画像処理装置であって、前記着目画素を含む複数の画素の画素値に基づいて前記着目画素に対する分散値を算出する分散値算出部と、前記超音波画像に含まれる着目画素に対するエッジの強度及び前記エッジの方向を算出するエッジ情報算出部と、前記着目画素に対して、当該着目画素の前記第2軸の座標、前記分散値、前記エッジの強度及び前記エッジの方向に基づいてフィルターの係数値を設定し、前記フィルターを用いて平滑化処理を行う平滑化処理部と、を備える、超音波画像処理装置。【選択図】図7
