JP2007159643A - Image processing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for processing images for the diagnosis by efficiently combining the radiography and CT. <P>SOLUTION: Three-dimensional image data are received by a three-dimensional image input part 1, and are converted to two-dimensional image data by a projection processing part 3. The information on the diagnosis is extracted from the received three-dimensional image data by an information extraction part. The two-dimensional image data are received from a two-dimensional image input part 2, and the two-dimensional image data are created by a composition processing part 5 based on the received two-dimensional image data, converted two-dimensional image data and extracted information. By displaying the created two-dimensional image data in a display part 6, the diagnosis can be efficiently performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and method used when diagnosing a subject.

  Conventionally, screening for progressive diseases such as lung cancer has been regularly performed by chest X-ray imaging. Chest X-ray imaging has existed for a long time and has been widely used because it is a simple imaging method. However, since it is a method of projecting a three-dimensional structure onto a two-dimensional plane, there is a problem that it cannot be drawn unless it is a relatively large structure with little overlap with other anatomical structures.

  On the other hand, in recent years, with the development of CT (computed tomography), attempts have been made to use CT for screening based on low-dose conditions. It has been reported that CT screening achieves a significant detection rate compared to conventional chest X-ray imaging in the detection rate of lesions (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

However, on the other hand, since many false positives are discovered in CT screening as the detection rate improves, the number of repeated visits may increase for subsequent follow-up. Furthermore, there is a problem that the cost required for CT examination is high compared with conventional simple imaging, and the amount of exposure is still large compared with chest X-ray imaging.
JP 07-265300 A

  Therefore, it is effective to reduce the physical and economic burden on the examinee when CT examination is performed at the initial stage of CT examination and chest radiography is used in combination with follow-up observation. Though conceivable, conventionally, there has been no apparatus for efficiently interpreting images in such a method.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and method for performing diagnosis by efficiently combining X-ray imaging and CT.

  In addition, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of efficiently performing comparative interpretation when performing follow-up observation using X-ray imaging based on the diagnostic result of an image obtained using CT. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above problem, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a first image receiving unit that receives three-dimensional image data, a second image receiving unit that receives first two-dimensional image data, Conversion means for converting 3D image data into second 2D image data, first information extraction means for extracting first information relating to diagnosis from the 3D image data, and the second 2D image data And generating means for generating third two-dimensional image data based on the first two-dimensional image data and the first information, and output means for outputting the third two-dimensional image data. It is characterized by.

  An image processing method according to the present invention includes a first image receiving step for receiving three-dimensional image data, a second image receiving step for receiving first two-dimensional image data, and the three-dimensional image data as first A conversion process for converting into two 2-dimensional image data, a first information extraction process for extracting first information relating to diagnosis from the three-dimensional image data, the second two-dimensional image data, and the first 2 The method includes a generation step of generating third two-dimensional image data based on the three-dimensional image data and the first information, and an output step of outputting the third two-dimensional image data.

  According to the present invention, diagnosis can be performed by efficiently combining X-ray imaging and CT.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, a three-dimensional image input unit 1, a two-dimensional image input unit 2, a projection processing unit 3, an alignment unit 4, and a composition processing unit. 5, a display unit 6, an information extraction unit 7, and an accuracy evaluation unit 8. The operation of each unit in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  The 3D image input unit 1 inputs 3D image data of a subject from an imaging device or a file server (not shown) (step S100). Here, the three-dimensional image data is, for example, three-dimensional image data of a human body imaged by X-ray CT, and is chest CT image data in the present embodiment.

  The two-dimensional image input unit 2 inputs the two-dimensional image data of the subject from an imaging device (not shown) or a file server (step S200). In the present embodiment, the two-dimensional image data is chest X-ray image data obtained by photographing the same subject as the subject displayed in the chest CT image data input from the three-dimensional image input unit 1.

  In the present embodiment, the subject is the chest of the human body, but is not limited to this, and may be another subject, for example, a blood vessel that has undergone contrast imaging.

  Next, the information extraction unit 7 extracts a specific structure O displayed in the 3D image data output from the 3D image input unit 1 (step S300). In the present embodiment, the blood vessel structure is extracted from the chest CT image data and output.

  The extraction method of the information extraction unit 7 may be either manual extraction by a doctor or automatic extraction by the apparatus using the fact that the extraction target is a three-dimensional image. In particular, if an automatic extraction method is used, it is desirable to use an extraction method that effectively uses a three-dimensional image in consideration of performing the extraction processing in the present embodiment on three-dimensional image data.

  For example, detection of a pulmonary nodule-like shadow in a chest X-ray image, which is generally a two-dimensional image, includes a technique of performing two-dimensional shape feature amount analysis such as circularity, irregularity, and vertical and horizontal dimensions of a rectangle surrounding the shadow. For example, it is described in "Koji Shigeshita et al .: Removal of false positive shadows by shape feature analysis of lung nodule shadows in chest radiographs, Journal of Japanese Society of Radiological Technology 57 (7), 829-836, 2001". Yes. However, accuracy is limited because an extraction target that originally has a three-dimensional structure is handled on a chest X-ray image that is a two-dimensional image.

  In the extraction method of the information extraction unit 7 in the present embodiment, a method of removing a false positive shadow from a Nodule candidate shadow by a doctor's rule-based method using three-dimensional geometric and anatomical features is applied. . This method is described in “Mikako Hiura et al .: Development of nodular shadow extraction method in chest simple X-ray image, Medical Imaging Technology Vol. 23, No. 4, September, 2005”.

  The projection processing unit 3 receives the three-dimensional image data IM1 output from the three-dimensional image input unit 1 and the two-dimensional image data IM2 output from the two-dimensional image input unit 2, and uses IM1 as two-dimensional image data IM3 equivalent to IM2. (Step S400).

  The operation of the projection processing unit 3 will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.

The imaging conditions of the input 2D image data IM2 are acquired (step S401). Here, the imaging conditions are positional relationship information of the subject, the X-ray tube, and the sensor for obtaining the orientation and imaging region of the subject in IM2. In the coordinate system of the three-dimensional image data IM1 input using this information, a plane P is constructed with the focal point S (X _s , Y _s , Z _s ) at the X-ray tube position and the projection plane at the sensor position. . Here, the plane P has pixel information reflecting the number of pixels and the pixel pitch of the original sensor, and the pixel of interest (X _p , Y _p , Z _p ) on the plane P is a pixel with the original sensor. And one-to-one correspondence.

A straight line l connecting the focal point S (X _s , Y _s , Z _s ) and the target pixel (X _p , Y _p , Z _p ) on the projection plane P is calculated (step S402). This straight line l corresponds to an X-ray generated from the X-ray tube when photographing the two-dimensional image data IM2 toward a certain pixel on the sensor.

A pixel value of the pixel of interest (X _p , Y _p , Z _p ) on the projection plane P is obtained by multiplying the CT values of all the voxels on the three-dimensional image IM1 intersecting with the straight line l by the weight w = 1. (Step 403). This pixel value corresponds to an X-ray dose that is transmitted through a human body to a certain pixel on the sensor. In this embodiment, the weight w = 1, but other values may be used.

  Steps S402 and S403 are repeated for all target pixels on the projection plane P (step S404). Thereby, on the projection plane P, an image having a different value is drawn for each tissue through which the straight line l passes. In this embodiment, an image of the bones and lungs of the chest is generated.

The projection plane P is converted into final projection image data IM3 (step S405). First, the pixel value of the projection plane P is substituted into the pixel value on the sensor using the relationship that the target pixel (X _p , Y _p , Z _p ) on the projection plane P and the sensor pixel have a one-to-one correspondence.

  Subsequently, in the image drawn on the sensor and the image on the two-dimensional image data IM2, conversion processing is performed so that the same structure takes the same pixel value. For example, the pixel value representing the bone region on IM2 is substituted for the pixel value of the region representing the bone on the sensor. Specifically, the maximum pixel value (generally a bone region) and the minimum pixel value (generally an air region) in the image drawn on the sensor and the image of IM2 are associated with each other, and the pixel value therebetween , The pixel value on the sensor is scaled to the pixel value of IM2.

  By the above processing, the projection processing imitating the photographing means of the two-dimensional image data IM2 can be added to the three-dimensional image data IM1 and converted into the projection image data IM3 that is two-dimensional image data. In the present embodiment, the three-dimensional image IM1 is chest CT image data, and the two-dimensional image data IM2 is chest image data of the same subject, and the chest CT image data is converted into chest image data by projection processing.

  The registration unit 4 performs registration between the two-dimensional image data IM2 output from the two-dimensional image input unit 2 and the two-dimensional image data IM3 output from the projection processing unit 3, and results in an image after registration. IM2 ′ is output to the composition processing unit 5 and the accuracy evaluation unit 8 (step S500). In the present embodiment, alignment of the thoracic bone region with little deformation even in the time-lapse image is performed, and a rigid registration is used as a technique.

  Rigid body registration assumes that the target object is a rigid body that changes its orientation and position but does not change its shape and size, such as bone, and performs translation and rotation to align the object. I do.

  Note that rigid registration cannot deal with misalignment caused by forward / backward tilt / rotation around the body axis between subjects in a pair of target images. Non-rigid registration may be used when results are not obtained.

  Non-rigid registration is a registration technique in which an object is assumed to be a deforming non-rigid body and the image is deformed so that the similarity between a pair of images is high. The rigid registration is mainly for only objects such as bones that do not take into account deformation, whereas the non-rigid registration is for soft tissues that need to take into account deformation such as organs. The details of the rigid registration and the non-rigid registration are described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-078176, and the details thereof are omitted.

  The accuracy evaluation unit 8 evaluates the alignment result. In the present embodiment, the image similarity is calculated using the density of the chest rib region, and if it is equal to or less than a certain threshold T, it is determined that sufficient accuracy is not obtained. The position of the projection plane P is finely adjusted, and the projection process is performed again. The threshold T used for evaluation is obtained experimentally. In addition, a threshold value T may be determined by a doctor who is a user while visually confirming the alignment result.

  By repeating this series of processes in which the output of the alignment unit 4 is fed back to the projection processing unit 3 via the accuracy evaluation unit 8, the conversion process from the three-dimensional image data IM1 to the two-dimensional image data IM3 is performed. Increases accuracy.

  The composition processing unit 5 synthesizes the two-dimensional image data IM2 ′ after alignment output from the alignment unit 4 and the specific structure data O output from the information extraction unit 7, and outputs a composite image IM4 ( Step S600). In the present embodiment, the blood vessel structure data output from the information extraction unit 7 and the chest image data output from the alignment unit 4 are combined.

  The composite image IM4 is obtained by converting the structure data O having position information into a position on the two-dimensional image data IM3, and simply superimposing it on IM2 ′ aligned with IM3 to output the three-dimensional image. The notable structure O extracted in advance by IM1 is mapped and displayed on the two-dimensional image IM2. Here, the structure data O may be colored and displayed for easy viewing, or the transmittance may be set high so that an object behind the structure can be visually recognized. Priorities may be given to the target of interest and displayed in different colors. This synthesis method may be any method as long as it effectively presents information required by the doctor.

  The display unit 6 displays the synthesized image output from the synthesis processing unit 5 (step S700). For example, a CRT monitor, a liquid crystal display, or the like is suitable as the device of the display unit 6 in the present embodiment. However, an object of the present invention is to input a plurality of images efficiently for comparative interpretation. Two-dimensional image data IM1, IM3 obtained by converting IM1 into two-dimensional image data, IM2 aligned with IM3, and composite image IM4 output from the composition processing unit 5 can be selectively displayed and interpreted, or the above It is desirable that a plurality of images can be simultaneously displayed and interpreted, and any output device may be used as long as this purpose can be realized.

  Here, each unit shown in FIG. 1 may be configured by dedicated hardware, but is configured by software in the present embodiment. In this case, the image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 can be configured by a computer such as a general PC (personal computer) or WS (workstation).

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a computer applied as an image processing apparatus and its peripheral devices. As shown in the figure, a computer 1000 is connected to an imaging apparatus 2000 and a file server 3000 via a network 4000, and has a configuration capable of data communication with each other.

  First, the computer 1000 will be described. A CPU 1010 controls the entire computer 1000 using programs and data stored in the RAM 1020 and the ROM 1030, and executes each process performed by the image processing apparatus according to the present invention to which the computer 1000 is applied.

  Reference numeral 1020 denotes a RAM which has an area for temporarily storing programs and data loaded from the magneto-optical disk 1060 and the hard disk 1050. Further, the RAM 1020 includes an area for temporarily storing image data downloaded from the imaging device 2000 or the file server 3000 via the network 4000. The RAM 1020 also includes a work area used when the CPU 1000 executes various processes.

  Reference numeral 1030 denotes a ROM that stores setting data of the computer 1000, a boot program, and the like.

  Reference numeral 1050 denotes a hard disk, which holds an OS (Operating System) and programs and data for causing the CPU 1000 to execute the above-described processes performed by each unit illustrated in FIG. These are appropriately loaded into the RAM 1020 in accordance with the control by the CPU 1000 and are processed by the CPU 1000. The moving image data may be stored in the hard disk 1050.

  Reference numeral 1060 denotes a magneto-optical disk, which is an example of an information storage medium. A part or all of programs and data stored in the hard disk 1050 may be stored in the magneto-optical disk 1060.

  Reference numerals 1070 and 1080 denote a mouse and a keyboard, respectively. By operating the computer 1000, various instructions can be input to the CPU 1010.

  Reference numeral 1090 denotes a printer, which is an example of an output destination by the display unit 6.

  A display device 1100 includes a CRT, a liquid crystal screen, and the like, and displays a processing result by the CPU 1000 using images, characters, and the like. For example, an image processed by each unit shown in FIG. 1 and finally output from the display unit 6 is displayed.

  Reference numeral 1040 denotes a bus connecting the above-described units.

  Next, the imaging apparatus 2000 will be described. The imaging apparatus 2000 captures an X-ray medical image such as an X-ray CT apparatus, an MRI apparatus, a flat panel, or a laser scanner, and the captured image data is supplied to the computer 1000 via the network 4000. . Note that a plurality of image data may be collectively supplied to the computer 1000, or may be sequentially supplied each time an image is taken.

  Next, the file server 3000 will be described. Various information including image data can be stored in the file server 3000. In the case of the present embodiment, images obtained by the above-described processes performed by the respective units shown in FIG. 1 can be stored. Accordingly, when the computer 1000 performs processing by each unit illustrated in FIG. 1, the computer 1000 transfers the processed image to the file server 3000 via the network 4000. As a result, image data processed by the computer 1000 can be registered in the file server 3000.

  Next, the network 4000 will be described. The network 4000 is configured by a network such as a LAN or the Internet. The network 4000 may be configured by either wireless or wired, and may be partially combined.

<Second Embodiment>
In the first embodiment described above, the information extraction unit 7 extracts the blood vessel structure from the chest CT image data. In the present embodiment, the extraction unit 7 extracts a plurality of lesion candidates as diagnostic information, and the synthesis processing unit 5 outputs synthesized image data IM4 obtained by synthesizing the lesion candidates with the two-dimensional image data IM2. By using the composite image data IM4, it is possible to narrow down the interpretation site in the temporal image diagnosis.

<Third Embodiment>
In the first embodiment described above, the composite image of the specific structure data O and the two-dimensional image data IM3 is superimposed and displayed as it is. However, using the fact that this specific structure data is extracted from the 3D image data as information about the anatomical structure and the diagnosis result, further enhancement processing is added to the composite image to emphasize the specific structure. It may be output as an image.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The three-dimensional image input unit 1, the two-dimensional image input unit 2, the projection processing unit 3, the alignment unit 4, and the composition processing unit 5 are illustrated. , An information extraction unit 7, an emphasis processing unit 9, and a display unit 6.

  The operation of each unit in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Since the processes of Step S100 and Step 200 that receive the three-dimensional image data IM1 and the two-dimensional image data IM2 are the same as those in the first embodiment, a description thereof is omitted.

  The information extraction unit 7 extracts specific structure data O displayed in the three-dimensional image data IM1 output from the three-dimensional image input unit 1 (step S300). The specific structure data O to be output is information relating to the anatomical structure and diagnosis result of the subject, and is, for example, a lesion portion discovered by interpretation of the two-dimensional image data IM2. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the structure data further has three-dimensional position information.

  The processing operations until the composite image data IM4 is output in step S500 and step S600 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and will not be described.

  The enhancement processing unit 9 receives the synthesized image data IM4 output from the synthesis processing unit 5, and receives the enhanced image data IM5 obtained by emphasizing the specific structure data O synthesized with the two-dimensional image data in the synthesis processing unit 5. Output (step S800). In the present embodiment, the structure data O has three-dimensional position information. Considering this, the structure data N that is three-dimensionally overlapped with the structure data O is obtained in the two-dimensional image data IM3. By subtracting the structure data N from the two-dimensional image data IM2, the structure N overlapping the structure data O to be noticed is removed, and the structure data O to be noticed on IM2 is emphasized (see FIG. 9).

  The display unit 6 displays the enhanced image IM5 output from the enhancement processing unit 9 (step S900). For example, a CRT monitor or a liquid crystal display is suitable as the device of the display unit 6 in the present embodiment. However, in order to efficiently compare and interpret a plurality of images, input three-dimensional image data IM1 and IM1 are used. IM3 converted to two-dimensional image data, IM2 aligned with IM3, composite image data IM4, emphasized image IM5 output from the emphasis processing unit 9 can be selectively displayed and interpreted, or a plurality of the above images It is desirable to be able to display and interpret at the same time, and any output means may be used as long as this purpose can be realized.

<Fourth embodiment>
In the third embodiment described above, the anatomical structure of the specific structure data O is used as information, and the structure that overlaps when converted into a two-dimensional image by the position information is removed.

  In the present embodiment, an anatomical structure is used as information, and an optimum emphasis process is performed on the site (see FIG. 10).

  As a general enhancement process, there is a sharpening process using a difference process between an unsharp mask image and a smoothed image. However, when this process is applied to a wide area such as a lung field area, it is difficult to set appropriate parameters, and even if a good sharpening process result is obtained in a part of the process area, However, there are cases where only insufficient results can be obtained.

  In this embodiment, using the anatomical information of the region to be emphasized that has been extracted in advance, locally appropriate parameters are set according to the site. As a result, it is possible to perform good emphasis processing for all the attention areas, and further, no processing is performed for unnecessary areas, leading to a reduction in calculation time.

  In addition to this, the emphasis process may be any emphasis method as long as it can present useful information for the doctor.

<Fifth embodiment>
In the embodiments described so far, the enhancement processing unit has described the information enhancement processing by image processing, but the information presented in the present invention is not limited to information by images. For example, the structure data O extracted by the information extraction unit 7 includes, as anatomical information, position data, a nearby tissue name, size, etc., as diagnosis information, a disease name, a risk, a diagnosis priority, a diagnosis date, It is also conceivable to store the history or the like as text data or numerical data.

  The display unit 6 may output the text data and numerical data as the detailed data by pointing a specific part with a mouse pointer, for example.

  As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, after the initial inspection is performed by CT, it is possible to perform temporal observation with reduced exposure dose by using a simple X-ray image, and to perform three-dimensional observation. Efficient comparative interpretation using information effectively can be performed.

<Other embodiments>
Although the embodiment has been described in detail above, the present invention can take an embodiment as a system, apparatus, method, program, storage medium (recording medium), or the like. Specifically, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, an imaging device, a web application, etc.), or may be applied to a device composed of a single device. good.

  In the present invention, a software program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied directly or remotely to a system or apparatus, and the computer of the system or apparatus reads and executes the supplied program code. Is also achieved. The program in this case is a program corresponding to the flowchart shown in the drawing in the embodiment.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, or the like.

  Recording media for supplying the program include the following media. For example, flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), etc. is there.

  As a program supply method, the following method is also possible. That is, the browser of the client computer is connected to a homepage on the Internet, and the computer program itself (or a compressed file including an automatic installation function) of the present invention is downloaded to a recording medium such as a hard disk. It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. It is also possible to make it. That is, the user can execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install it on the computer.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the computer executing the read program. Furthermore, based on the instructions of the program, an OS or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by the processing.

  Further, the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, and then executed, so that the program of the above-described embodiment can be realized. Function is realized. That is, based on the instructions of the program, the CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit can perform part or all of the actual processing.

It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement flowchart of the image processing apparatus in 1st Embodiment. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a computer system that implements an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of 1st invention. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement flowchart of a projection process part. It is explanatory drawing of a projection processing method. It is a figure which shows the function structure of the image processing apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement flowchart of the image processing apparatus in 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the emphasis process in 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the emphasis process in 4th Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 3D image input part 2 2D image input part 3 Projection processing part 4 Positioning part 5 Composition processing part 6 Display part 7 Information extraction part 8 Accuracy evaluation part 9 Enhancement processing part

Claims (15)

First image receiving means for receiving three-dimensional image data;
Second image receiving means for receiving the first two-dimensional image data;
Conversion means for converting the three-dimensional image data into second two-dimensional image data;
First information extraction means for extracting first information relating to diagnosis from the three-dimensional image data;
Generating means for generating third two-dimensional image data based on the second two-dimensional image data, the first two-dimensional image data, and the first information;
An image processing apparatus comprising: output means for outputting the third two-dimensional image data.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional image data and the first two-dimensional image data are image data of the same patient taken at different time points.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit converts the three-dimensional image data based on a condition of the photographing apparatus when the first two-dimensional image data is generated.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information is information related to an anatomical structure of a subject or a diagnosis result of the subject. Alignment means for aligning the first two-dimensional image data and the second two-dimensional image data;
An evaluation means for evaluating the alignment result by the alignment means;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit performs conversion based on an evaluation result of the evaluation unit.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display device selectively displays the three-dimensional image data and the first to third two-dimensional image data. A second information extracting means for extracting second information relating to diagnosis from the third two-dimensional image data generated by the generating means;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates the third two-dimensional image data emphasized based on the second information.   The second information is obtained by converting the first information based on a condition when the three-dimensional image data is converted into second two-dimensional image data by the conversion means. Item 8. The image processing device according to Item 7.   When the second information is a specific structure that should be the target of attention, the structure that overlaps with the specific structure that should be the target of attention is removed using the anatomical position information. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a particular structure to be emphasized is emphasized.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second information is an anatomical structure of a subject, and the second information is emphasized based on first information relating to a diagnosis result of the subject.   The output means outputs the second information as text data or numerical data in addition to the three-dimensional image data and the first to third two-dimensional image data. Image processing apparatus. First image generation means for generating three-dimensional image data;
A second image generation means for generating two-dimensional image data;
The first image receiving unit receives the three-dimensional image data generated by the first image generating unit, and the second image receiving unit is configured to receive the three-dimensional image data generated by the second image generating unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus receives two-dimensional image data. A first image receiving step for receiving three-dimensional image data;
A second image receiving step for receiving the first two-dimensional image data;
A conversion step of converting the three-dimensional image data into second two-dimensional image data;
A first information extraction step of extracting first information relating to diagnosis from the three-dimensional image data;
A generating step of generating third two-dimensional image data based on the second two-dimensional image data, the first two-dimensional image data, and the first information;
An image processing method comprising: an output step of outputting the third two-dimensional image data.   A computer program for causing a computer to implement the image processing method according to claim 13.   The recording medium which recorded the computer program of Claim 14.

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