A tomographic image and a tissue characteristic image that are in
conformity with each other in terms of time-phase and positional
relationships can be displayed superimposedly, thereby providing an
excellent ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that enables an easy and
detailed observation of a relationship between a structure and a
characteristic of a subject tissue. During an operation of ultrasonic
wave transmission/reception (in a live mode), a control part (100) allows
a tomographic image to be renewed continuously, displayed on a monitor
(107), and stored in a tomographic image memory (110), while allowing an
elastic modulus image as a tissue characteristic image to be renewed per
heartbeat, displayed on the monitor, and stored in an
elastic-modulus-image memory (111) as a tissue characteristic image
memory. During a suspension of ultrasonic wave transmission/reception (in
a cine mode), the control part (100) allows the elastic modulus image to
be read out from the elastic-modulus-image memory and the tomographic
image that is in synchronization with the elastic modulus image to be
read out from the tomographic image memory, and allows these images to be
displayed on the monitor.