JP5700464B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a configuration improved in its operation.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is configured to display various information related to diagnosis inside the subject including a tomographic image of the subject on a monitor (display device), and the various information is used in contact with the subject. It is created on the basis of an echo signal obtained via an ultrasonic probe.

  In diagnosis, there are cases where the display device arbitrarily displays the various information, or a case where a series of information is displayed at a stage before the information to be finally displayed. Each display is performed by operating a button (key operation) on an operation panel attached to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  Also, in recent years, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an auxiliary display such as a touch screen panel in addition to the operation panel. Button operation or touch operation can be performed on the display.

  The auxiliary display displays a setting input image in which a large number of switches are arranged, and functions associated with the switches are turned ON / OFF by a touch operation of these switches, for example. Such an auxiliary display functions to effectively expand a finite area of the operation panel.

JP 2002-2448099 A

  However, in any of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses described above, operations such as screen switching to be displayed on the display device must be performed by an operation panel or auxiliary display provided separately from the display device. It was a must.

  Therefore, in the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the operator operates the operation panel or the auxiliary display, confirms the display on the display, operates the operation panel or the auxiliary display, confirms the display on the display,. Each time, the line of sight must be transferred from the display device to the operation panel or touch panel.

  This hinders intensive diagnosis on the screen of the display device, and it has been desired that the ultrasonic diagnostic device can be operated while viewing the screen of the display device.

  The present invention has been made based on such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can be operated without shifting the line of sight from the display device.

  Of the inventions disclosed in this application, the outline of typical ones will be briefly described as follows.

(1) An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention is, for example, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including at least a display device and a pointing device,
Means for performing an operation associated with the switch when a pointer operated by the pointing device and displayed on the display device is positioned on a switch displayed on the display device and an operation of pressing the switch is performed. Is provided.

(2) The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, for example, on the premise of the configuration of (1) above, is displayed by superimposing another image having a smaller area than the one image on the one image, The brightness of the other image is displayed higher than the brightness of the one image.

(3) The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention is based on the configuration of (1), for example, and an ultrasonic image is displayed in a partial area of the image displayed on the display device. The other areas are displayed with luminance lower than that of the area where the ultrasonic image is displayed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the above structure, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the technical idea of this invention.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured as described above can be moved by an operation of a pointing device held by one hand while observing a pointer on an image displayed on the display device.

  The operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can be performed through an operation of pressing a switch (or button) displayed on the display device with the pointer, and there is no need to move the line of sight to anything other than the display device.

1 is a block diagram of a schematic configuration showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is the block diagram which showed one Example of the image displayed on a display apparatus with operation of the ultrasonic diagnosing device by this invention. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of an image displayed on a display device in accordance with a part of the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, when the pointer on the input setting combined image is positioned on the switch, it is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation flow performed by the control unit until the brightness of the switch is increased. . It is a block diagram which shows the other Example of the ultrasonic diagnosing device by this invention, and is the figure which showed one Example of the image displayed on a display apparatus according to operation of this ultrasonic diagnosing device. It is a figure which shows one Example of the operation | movement flow which the control part of an ultrasound diagnosing device performs in the structure shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of an image displayed on a display device in accordance with a part of the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of an image displayed on a display device in accordance with a part of the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of an image displayed on a display device in accordance with a part of the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of an image displayed on a display device in accordance with a part of the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

  Embodiments of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a schematic configuration showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, there is an ultrasonic probe 32 that is used in contact with a subject. The ultrasonic probe 32 transmits ultrasonic waves to the subject by an ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 33. ing. Further, the ultrasonic wave transmitted into the subject is reflected as an echo signal and input to the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit 33 via the ultrasonic probe 32.

  In this case, transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 33 are switched, and conditions of each aspect in the switching are set. The switching and setting of the conditions are controlled by a control unit 36 described later. It is made by a signal.

  A signal from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 33 is input to the signal processing unit 34, and an ultrasonic image is generated in the signal processing unit 34. As the ultrasonic image, for example, various images such as a B-mode image, an M-mode image, a color Doppler image, or a D-mode image are known. These images are necessary based on a command from the control unit 36 described later. It is to be created according to.

  The signal processing unit 34 also creates a graphic image to be displayed in another region different from the display region of the ultrasonic image, for example, together with the ultrasonic image. Various switches (or buttons) are also included.

  Information of the ultrasonic image and the graphic image created by the signal processing unit 34 is input to the display device 35, and the ultrasonic image and the graphic image are displayed on the display device 35.

  Here, the control unit 36 is provided with an operation panel 37. Conventionally, the operation unit 37 is operated by a button operation (key operation) of the operation panel 37 based on a function associated with the button. The control part 36 act | operated and the said ultrasonic transmission / reception part 33 and the signal processing part 34 were controlled.

  However, in this embodiment, the operation panel 37 is mainly used, and a screen operation control unit 38 is provided as an alternative to the operation panel 37. The screen operation control unit 38 is specifically operated by a pointing device incorporated in a mouse or the like.

  Further, the display device 35 has a plurality of designed images arranged in parallel, for example, in an image that contributes to diagnosis like the above-described ultrasonic image and in another region different from the display region of such an ultrasonic image. An image having a graphic image having a switch (or button) (hereinafter referred to as an input setting combined image in this specification) is displayed. In addition, an image that contributes to diagnosis like an ultrasound image is not displayed, and is an image composed of a graphic image mainly having a plurality of designed switches arranged in parallel (hereinafter referred to as an input setting image in this specification). ) Can also be displayed.

  By displaying such an input setting image and an input setting combined image on the display device 35, it is possible to input operation commands and setting information through the switches (or buttons) displayed on the input setting image and the operation panel 37. It can have the same function as the operation of.

  The input setting image or the input setting combined image is displayed with a pointer when the input setting image is displayed on the display device 25, and the pointer is displayed by the movement operation of the pointing device by the operator. It is positioned on the switch (or button), and an operation of pressing the switch (or button) by a button operation is possible.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an image displayed on the display device 35 in a series of operations of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, an input setting combined image is displayed on the display screen 35 a of the display device 35. As described above, the input setting combined image is a plurality of designed images arranged in parallel, for example, in an image that contributes to diagnosis, such as an ultrasound image, and in another region different from the display region of such an ultrasound image. It is configured as a composite image with a graphic image having a switch (or button).

  As shown in FIG. 2, an ultrasonic image 21 is displayed at substantially the center of the display screen 35a. The ultrasonic image 21 shown in FIG. 2 becomes an ultrasonic image by the application 3 selected from the ultrasonic image display modes from the application 1 to the application 8, for example, as shown in the upper column 22 in the figure. Yes.

  In the left column 23 of the ultrasonic image 21 displayed in this way, switches SW1 to SW5 that can perform various measurements, for example, based on the ultrasonic image 21 are designed and displayed. Yes. Here, the switch SW1 is a switch for displaying an arrow on the ultrasonic image and is displayed as an arrow icon. The switch SW2 is a switch for measuring the distance between two points on the ultrasonic image and is displayed as a caliper icon. The switch SW3 is a switch for measuring the area surrounded by two points on the ultrasonic image and is displayed as a trace area icon. The switch SW4 is a switch for rotating the image when a three-dimensional ultrasonic image is displayed, and is displayed as an image rotation icon. The switch SW5 is a switch for inputting and displaying a comment and is displayed as an annotation icon.

  When one of the switches SW1 to SW5 displayed in this field 23 is operated, the pointer 24 displayed on the display screen 35a is overlapped with the switch by the operation of moving the pointing device by the operator. It can also be achieved by moving the switch and pressing the switch with the pointer 24 by the button operation of the pointing device by the operator.

  When the image shown in FIG. 2 is displayed, the pointer 24 is not displayed over any of the switches displayed on the screen, and is a position where each switch is not displayed. And is displayed at a predetermined position. This is because after the display of the image, one of the switches is arbitrarily selected at the will of the operator.

  In addition, switches SW6 to SW13 are displayed side by side in the lower column 25 of the ultrasonic image 21 displayed as described above. Here, the switch SW6 is a switch for freezing the ultrasonic image and is displayed as a freeze icon. The switch SW2 is a switch for printing an ultrasonic image and is displayed as a print icon. Switches SW8 and SW9 are switches for adjusting the focus of the ultrasonic wave and are displayed as a focus depth icon. Switches SW10 and SW11 are switches for adjusting the surface depth of the ultrasonic image and are displayed as surface depth icons. The switch SW12 is a switch for executing automatic adjustment of various parameters and is displayed as a high support icon. The switch SW13 is a switch for switching to a two-dimensional ultrasonic image when a three-dimensional ultrasonic image is being displayed.

  Even when one of the switches displayed in this column 25 is operated, the pointer 24 displayed on the display surface 35a is overlapped with the switch by the movement operation of the pointing device by the operator, as described above. This can be achieved by the operation of pushing the switch with the pointer 24 by the button operation of the pointing device by the operator.

  On the left side of the display screen 35a shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of images 26a to 26c that are similar to the ultrasound image 21 and are displayed smaller than the ultrasound image 21 are displayed as reference images. Has been. These reference images can be displayed by switching between an ultrasonic image acquired in the past and an ultrasonic image acquired in real time in a tab format. In FIG. 2, ultrasonic images acquired in real time are displayed, and a moving image icon (26a), a still image icon (26b), and a three-dimensional image icon (26c) are displayed sequentially from the top in the figure. That is, the pointer 24 displayed on the display surface 35a is moved so as to overlap one of the image icons by the movement operation of the pointing device by the operator, and the pointing by the operator is also performed. By pressing the switch (icon) with the pointer 24 by operating the button of the device, the image is displayed as the ultrasonic image 21 at substantially the center of the display screen 35a.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of an image displayed on the display device 35 in a series of operations of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 3, an input setting image 32 indicated by a thick frame in the drawing is displayed on the display screen 35a of the display device 35 so as to be superimposed on the input setting combined image. As described above, the input setting image 32 does not include an image contributing to diagnosis like an ultrasound image, and is configured as a graphic image mainly including a plurality of designed switches arranged in parallel.

  The input setting image 32 is referred to as a probe selection image, for example, and a probe to be selected can be specified through the switches SW13 to SW15 which are displayed in the input setting image 32 as a design. Here, the switch SW13 is a switch for selecting a linear type ultrasonic probe, the switch SW14 is a switch for selecting a sector type ultrasonic probe, and the switch SW15 is a switch for selecting a convex type ultrasonic probe. Yes.

  In the same way as described above, the selection is performed by moving the pointer 33 displayed on the input setting image 32 so as to overlap the switch by the operation of moving the pointing device by the operator. This can be achieved by pressing the switch with the pointer 33 by operating a button.

  In FIG. 3, it is shown that the switch SW13 is selected and pressed, and the selection of the switch SW13 is selected in a tab form so as to be clear in relation to the other switches SW14 and SW15. It is like that. Then, in accordance with the selection of the switch SW1, an application selection image 36 that can be performed by selecting one of various applications for the next necessary operation is displayed. In the application selection image 36, each switch SW17 to SW26 corresponding to each application is displayed in a stylized manner.

  Here, for example, the switch SW17 is a switch indicating the adult abdomen. When this switch SW17 is selected, the ultrasonic wave in the probe 32 is obtained so that an ultrasonic image capable of optimally imaging the abdomen of the subject who is an adult is obtained. The focus depth, frequency, gain, and the like of the sound wave are controlled by the control unit 36. The switch SW18 is a switch indicating the liver. When this switch SW18 is selected, the ultrasonic focus depth, frequency, and so on in the probe 32 are obtained so that an ultrasonic image that can optimally salt the liver of the subject is obtained. Gain and the like are controlled by the control unit 36.

  When selecting an application using the application selection image 36, as described above, the pointer 33 displayed on the display screen 35a is overlapped with the switch by the movement operation of the pointing device by the operator. This can also be achieved by pushing the switch with the pointer 33 by the button operation of the pointing device by the operator.

  As shown in FIG. 2, at least the input setting combined image is displayed on the display device 35, and each of the switches displayed on the input setting combined image is the input setting combined image. Is displayed with a reduced brightness, and when the operator positions the pointer on an arbitrary switch by operating the pointing device, the brightness within the frame of the selected switch is displayed. Is displayed higher.

  In this way, for example, when the input setting combined image is displayed, an ultrasonic image (indicated by reference numeral 21 in FIG. 2) displayed on the input setting combined image is displayed on each switch SW1. It becomes possible to concentrate and observe without being confused by the display of .about.SW13. This is because the switch is displayed with low brightness. Therefore, it is desirable that the brightness of the switch in this state is set lower than the brightness of the ultrasonic image 21.

  Then, when the pointer is positioned on the switch by the operator's movement operation of the pointing device, the brightness of the switch is displayed to be high. The proper selection of the switch can be fully confirmed.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of operations performed by the control unit 36 after the input setting combined image is displayed on the display device 35 until the brightness of the switch on which the pointer is positioned is increased.

  First, in step ST1, an input setting combined image is displayed. As described above, each of the input setting combined images is an image having one or more designed switches.

  In step ST2, the brightness of all the switches is lowered and displayed. Thereby, the operator can concentrate and observe the ultrasonic image displayed on the input setting combined image without being confused by the switch.

  In step ST3, the pointer 24 is displayed in an area other than the area where the switches are displayed. This pointer can be moved at any position on the image plane by the operator's movement operation of the pointing device.

  In step ST4, it is determined whether or not the pointer 24 is positioned on any switch by an operation of moving the pointing device by the operator.

  If it is determined that the pointer 24 is positioned on any switch, the brightness of the switch on which the pointer 24 is positioned is increased in step ST5. Further, when it is determined that the pointer 24 is not positioned on the switch, it is further determined whether or not the pointer is positioned on the switch.

  In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the operation required by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is performed only by the screen operation control unit 38 without using the operation panel 37 provided conventionally. It is a thing.

  As a background for such operations, all images displayed on the display device 35 are created as input setting images and input setting combined images, and the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is performed through these input setting images and input setting combined images. Because it was.

  However, as an image to be displayed on the display device 35, there may be a case where other images other than the input setting image and the input setting combined image are displayed.

  Note that, as described above, the ultrasonic image 21 is focused so as not to be confused by each switch and can be observed with a large image. For example, the ultrasonic measurement is started after the apparatus is turned on. Until then, only the graphic image consisting only of the arrangement of the respective switches is displayed from the beginning with its brightness kept unchanged and the ultrasonic image 21 obtained by starting the ultrasonic measurement is displayed on the display surface. When displaying on the image 35a, the ultrasonic image 21 is enlarged in a region so that the switch image is positioned behind the enlarged ultrasonic image 21, and the switch image is the ultrasonic image. The display may be blocked by 21. Since the switch displayed with high brightness is not viewed, the observation of the ultrasonic image 21 can be concentrated. In the case of operating the switch, for example, an operation of reducing the ultrasonic image 21 is performed by operating a button of a pointing device, for example, a right button of a mouse, and the ultrasonic image 21 is shown in FIG. The switch may be displayed at the position shown, and the switch may be exposed from the ultrasonic image 21.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 5, for example, the current ultrasound image 21 c is displayed on the display screen 35 a of the display device 35, and the ultrasound of the same subject as the subject of the ultrasound image is displayed on the ultrasound image 21 c, for example. A reference image 21b captured in the past, which is a sound wave image, is displayed in a partially superimposed manner. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the reference image 21b is displayed by switching the reference image displayed on the left side of the display screen 35a to an ultrasonic image or the like acquired in the past by selection based on the tab format. This is done by selecting one of the image icon (26a), the still image icon (26b), and the three-dimensional image icon (26c).

  In this case, when the reference image 21b is displayed on the display screen 35a in this way, various conditions (for example, ultrasonic energy, focal length, depth, etc.) when the reference image 21b is created are satisfied. The information recorded in association with the reference image 21b is extracted, and the information is stored in a storage device provided in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  When the ultrasound image is created for the subject, information stored in the storage device is used as the condition. That is, it is intended that the conditions for creating the past reference image 21b are made as common as possible, and that the current diagnosis is effectively performed through the past diagnosis. Can be effectively used in the diagnosis.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of operations performed by the control unit 36 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in the configuration shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, first, in step ST11, a reference image (indicated by reference numeral 21b in FIG. 5) is read. In this case, the reference image is read by the operator selecting the reference image by operating the icon in the reference image frame 26b shown in FIG. Next, in step ST12, information corresponding to each condition of the read reference image is extracted and stored in a storage device provided in the control unit 36, for example.

  Next, in step ST13, information on each condition used to create the currently executed ultrasound image (indicated by reference numeral 21c in FIG. 5) and each information stored in the storage device of the reference image Compare Further, in step ST14, information on each condition used for creating the currently executed ultrasonic image is changed according to each information stored in the storage device of the reference image. Thereafter, an ultrasonic image is created in accordance with the changed condition information.

  In the above-described embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the input setting image 32 whose area is set smaller than the input setting combined image is displayed superimposed on the input setting combined image. As shown in FIG. 7 drawn corresponding to FIG. 3, an area outside the periphery of the input setting image 32 and displaying the input setting combined image exposed (see FIG. 7). In other words, the brightness may be displayed lower than the brightness of the input setting image 32 over the entire area of the display screen 35a shown in FIG. By doing in this way, on the screen of the display device 35, the input setting image 32 can be clearly seen without being confused by the input setting combined image displayed in the vicinity of the input setting image 32. Gaze can be made possible.

  In this case, not only when the input setting image 32 is superimposed on the input setting combined image, but also when another image having a smaller area than the one image is superimposed on one image. The brightness of an area outside the periphery of the one image where the other image is exposed and displayed may be lower than the brightness of the one image.

  Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, when an input setting combined image is displayed, as shown in FIG. 8 drawn corresponding to FIG. 2, an ultrasonic image 21 of the input setting combined image is displayed. In an area where a plurality of switches SW1 to SW13 are arranged in the vicinity (indicated by reference numeral 50 in the figure), the brightness may be displayed lower than the brightness of the ultrasonic image 21. . By doing in this way, the ultrasonic image 21 can be clearly seen without being confused by the area where the peripheral switch group is displayed, and the ultrasonic image 21 can be watched.

  Further, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the degree of decrease in the brightness of the region 50 may be changed between when the pointer 24 is not displayed and when it is displayed. That is, when the pointer 24 is not displayed yet (when not displayed), for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the decrease in the luminance of the region 50 is displayed relatively large (for example, 50% luminance), and the When the pointer 24 is displayed (during display), as shown in FIG. 9 drawn corresponding to FIG. 8, the decrease in the luminance of the area 50 is relatively small (for example, 75% luminance). You may make it display with a brightness | luminance higher than the time of 24 non-display. In this way, it is possible to easily determine whether or not one of the switches displayed in the area 50 can be selected by changing the luminance of the area 50. Become. When one of the switches is selected by the pointer 24, the brightness of the selected switch is made higher than that of the other remaining switches (for example, 100% brightness). Same as the case.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of an image displayed on the display device 35 as part of a series of operations of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. It is a corresponding figure.

  In FIG. 10, when the ultrasound image 21 is displayed in a partial area on the display screen 35 a of the display device 35, the brightness of all the areas except the ultrasound image 21 is represented by the brightness of the ultrasound image 21. It is controlled by the control unit 36 so as to be set lower and displayed. This is because the ultrasonic image 21 can be concentrated and observed without being confused by all the surrounding images.

  For this reason, the ultrasonic image 21 displayed at a higher brightness than the brightness of all the surrounding images includes a tomographic image (B mode image) created by a reflected echo signal from the subject, and the like. For example, when images of other modes of the M mode image are displayed, those images are also included, and further, physical quantities necessary for analysis of these images, their units, and other displays are also included. It is a concept. In short, the ultrasonic image 21 is grasped as a concept including not only an image created by a reflected echo signal from a subject but also a display directly related to diagnosis in connection with observation of the image itself. .

  Then, as other images in the entire area around the ultrasonic image 21 having such a concept, as will become clear from the description of each display portion in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic image 21 currently displayed is applied. Or an icon for obtaining some result based on the ultrasonic image 21 and a portion similar to the icon or the like.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, the brightness of all the areas except the ultrasonic image 21 is controlled to be changed when the pointer 4 is not displayed and when the pointer 4 is displayed. Also good.

  Each of the embodiments described above may be used alone or in combination. This is because the effects of the respective embodiments can be achieved independently or synergistically.

21 ... Ultrasound image, 21c ... Ultrasound image (current), 21b, 26a, 26b, 26c ... Reference image, 24, 33 ... Pointer, 32 ... Ultrasound probe, 33 ... Ultra Sonic wave transmission / reception unit 34... Signal processing unit 35... Display device 36... Control unit 37 37 operation panel 38.

Claims (4)

A signal processing unit for generating a graphic image including an ultrasonic image and a stylized switch, a display device for displaying an image generated by the signal processing unit, and a pointing for operating a switch included in the graphic image An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a device,
The display device has a function of superimposing and displaying another image having a smaller area than the one image on the one image,
The one image is a composite image obtained by combining an ultrasonic image and a graphic image,
When the other image is a graphic image, the luminance of the graphic image of the composite image is displayed lower than the luminance of the other image,
The graphic image of the one image includes a reference ultrasound image icon;
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus , wherein the display device displays the reference ultrasonic image superimposed on the one image when the icon is operated by the pointing device . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1,
The reference ultrasound image is an image of the same subject as the ultrasound image included in the one image, and the reference ultrasound image is created when the reference ultrasound image is displayed. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus , wherein conditions are read out and conditions used for producing an ultrasound image included in the one image are changed using the conditions . An ultrasonic transmission / reception unit; a signal processing unit that creates an ultrasonic image based on a signal from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit; a display device that displays the ultrasonic image; and a screen operation control unit that operates by a pointing device. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:
The display device displays a composite image of an image that contributes to diagnosis and a graphic image including a switch, and the luminance of an area of the composite image that is associated with the switch on the graphic image before the pointer by the pointing device is displayed on the screen, when the pointer is on the screen, and when the switch is positioned is the pointer to the region associated with, in the order of, varying from small to large An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized by the above. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the display device displays the synthesized image with a luminance of the graphic image lower than that of an image contributing to the diagnosis.