JP2012183203A - Medical information processing device, medical information processing method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a link among devices differing in a group of characters.SOLUTION: In modality, character information is added to the image data of a medical image as header information, and a DICOM image file is created (step S3). Next, first character information is extracted from the header information of the DICOM image file, and based on the first character information, pixel data for overlay is created (step S4). Then, second character information described by a group of characters that cannot be handled by an image server is deleted from the header information of the DICOM image file (step S5). Pixel data for overlay is written in the header information of the DICOM image file (step S6). The DICOM image file after edition is transmitted to the image server (step S7). At an image viewer terminal, the medical image is displayed and also the first character information is overlaid and displayed (step S10).

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical information processing apparatus, a medical information processing method, and a program.

  In recent years, devices in medical facilities are becoming multi-vendor, and a range of characters (character set) that can be used for each device is defined. A character set is a set of characters defined by international and industrial standards. The types of character sets are ISO_IR 6 (alphanumeric), ISO_IR 100 (Latin 1 (Western Europe)), ISO_IR 101 (Latin 2 (Eastern Europe)), ISO 2022 IR 87 (Hiragana, Katakana, First Level Kanji, First 2 level kanji), GB18030 (simplified Chinese and others), ISO_IR 192 (traditional Chinese and others), and the like.

  For global devices, it is ideal to support characters from each country, but most Western devices are only compatible with ISO_IR 6 and ISO_IR 100. In countries such as China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Thailand, medical devices depend on imports from Europe and the United States, and devices that do not support local characters must be used. Even in Japan, where medical devices are manufactured in their own country, there are many inadequate systems such as some Kanji characters that cannot be used.

  A DICOM image file conforming to the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard is a file in which image data of a medical image and header information including character information are combined. In many image viewer terminals, it is realized to interpret header information (character information) and display character information as an overlay on a medical image.

  For example, an image processing apparatus that outputs character information together with a photographed image has been proposed that calculates an enlargement / reduction ratio of an image according to an output destination and outputs character information with an optimal font size and font type (patent) Reference 1).

JP 2002-190937 A

However, in the case of a DICOM image file including character information that cannot be interpreted by the image viewer terminal, there are problems that image data in the file cannot be read or garbled characters occur.
In order to handle a DICOM image file regardless of the character set that can be supported by the image viewer terminal, if character information is narrowed down, such as limiting character information included in the DICOM image file to alphanumeric characters (ASCII), the DICOM image file The problem that the image information cannot be displayed because the character information cannot be interpreted is solved, but the character information originally possessed by the DICOM image file is lost.
In this way, between devices having different character sets, it is difficult to transmit all the information of one device to the other device, and it is difficult to coordinate information.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to achieve cooperation between devices having different character sets.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 extracts first predetermined character information from the header information of a DICOM image file including image data of medical images and header information, and Based on the extracted first character information, generation means for generating pixel data for overlay, and second character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by the transmission destination device is deleted from the header information. Deleting means; and control means for transmitting the pixel data for overlay to the destination device in association with the DICOM image file from which the second character information has been deleted from the header information. The character information is a medical information processing apparatus including at least a part of the second character information.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the medical information processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the first character information includes character information other than alphanumeric characters.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the medical information processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the control unit deletes the overlay pixel data and the second character information from the header information. By writing in the header information of the DICOM image file, the pixel data for overlay is associated with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the medical information processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the control unit is configured to delete the second character information from the pixel data for overlay and the header information. By generating a GSPS file including information for specifying a DICOM image file, the pixel data for overlay is associated with a DICOM image file from which the second character information has been deleted from the header information.

  The invention according to claim 5 generates the pixel data for overlay based on the acquisition means for acquiring the DICOM image file including the image data of the medical image and the header information, and the character information input from the input means. Generating means and control means for associating the pixel data for overlay with the DICOM image file and transmitting the data to the transmission destination device. Character information input from the input means is not supported by the transmission destination device. It is a medical information processing apparatus including character information described in a possible character set.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the medical information processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the character information input from the input means includes character information other than alphanumeric characters.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the medical information processing apparatus according to the fifth or sixth aspect, the control unit writes the overlay pixel data in header information of the DICOM image file, thereby performing the overlay processing. Are associated with the DICOM image file.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the medical information processing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control means includes pixel data for overlay and information for specifying the DICOM image file. By generating a GSPS file, the pixel data for overlay is associated with the DICOM image file.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, predetermined first character information is extracted from the header information of a DICOM image file including image data of medical images and header information, and the extracted first character information is extracted. Generating pixel data for overlay, deleting second character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by a destination device from the header information, and pixel data for overlay In association with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information, and the first character information includes at least the second character This is a medical information processing method including a part of information.

  The invention according to claim 10 is a step of obtaining a DICOM image file including image data of medical images and header information, and a step of generating pixel data for overlay based on the character information input from the input means. And transmitting the pixel data for overlay to the transmission destination device in association with the DICOM image file, and the character information input from the input means is a character that the transmission destination device cannot handle. This is a medical information processing method including character information described in a set.

  In the invention according to claim 11, the computer extracts predetermined first character information from the header information of the DICOM image file including the image data of the medical image and the header information, and the extracted first information Generating means for generating pixel data for overlay on the basis of the character information, deletion means for deleting second character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by the transmission destination device from the header information, and for the overlay Is a program for causing the pixel data to function as a control unit that transmits the pixel data in association with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information to the transmission destination device. The character information is a program including at least a part of the second character information.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the computer obtains the pixel data for overlay based on the character information input from the acquisition means and the input means for acquiring the DICOM image file including the image data of the medical image and the header information. A program for causing a generation unit to generate, a control unit to transmit pixel data for overlay to the DICOM image file in association with the DICOM image file, wherein the character information input from the input unit is: The program includes character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by the destination device.

  According to the present invention, cooperation between devices having different character sets can be achieved.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a medical image system. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of modality. (A) is a figure which shows the structure of a DICOM image file. (B) is a figure which shows the data structure of the DICOM image file after editing. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of an image server. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of an image viewer terminal. It is a ladder chart which shows the process in 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the header information of a DICOM image file. It is a figure which shows the correspondence of the content described in a DICOM tag (0008,0005) and the specific character set which it means. It is a figure which shows the example of the header information after the 2nd character information is deleted. (A) is an example of image data of a medical image. (B) is an example of pixel data for overlay. (C) is an example of a state in which character information is displayed as an overlay on a medical image. This is an example in which a DICOM image file and pixel data for overlay are associated with each other by a GSPS file. It is a ladder chart which shows the process in 2nd Embodiment. It is a ladder chart which shows the process in 3rd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of the medical image system 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the medical image system 100 includes an RIS (Radiological Information System) 10, a modality 20, an image server 30, an image viewer terminal 40, and other devices (not shown). Each device is connected via a communication network N so that data communication is possible.

In the first embodiment, the RIS 10 and modality 20 can handle Chinese, and the image server 30 and image viewer terminal 40 can handle only alphanumeric characters. This is an example where the character sets that can be handled by the image server 30 are different.
In the first embodiment, the modality 20 is a medical information processing apparatus according to the present invention. That is, the modality 20 generates pixel data for overlay.

  The RIS 10 performs information management such as medical appointment reservation, diagnosis result report, results management, and material inventory management in the radiology department. The RIS 10 includes a control unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit such as a hard disk, and a communication unit that performs data communication with an external device. The RIS 10 creates inspection request information for requesting inspection by the modality 20. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which a modality work list (Modality WorkList: MWL) compliant with the DICOM standard is created as inspection request information. When the RIS 10 receives a modality work list acquisition request (C-FIND request conforming to the DICOM standard) from the modality 20, the RIS 10 selects the modality work list corresponding to the AE title based on the AE title included in the acquisition request. Send to.

  The modality work list includes a specific character set, AE (Application Entity) title, modality type, imaging condition information (part, direction, left and right, tube voltage, tube current, equipment, etc.), inspection information (inspection instance UID, inspection date, Examination description, examination comment, etc.), patient information (patient ID, patient name, date of birth, sex, patient comment, etc.) and the like.

  The modality 20 is an image photographing device that photographs a patient. As the modality 20, a CR (Computed Radiography) apparatus, a CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) apparatus, or the like is used.

  FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of the modality 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the modality 20 includes a control unit 21, an operation unit 22, a display unit 23, a communication unit 24, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 25, a storage unit 26, and a photographing unit 27. They are connected by a bus 28.

  The control unit 21 includes a CPU, a RAM, and the like, and comprehensively controls processing operations of each unit of the modality 20. Specifically, the CPU reads various processing programs stored in the ROM 25 in response to an operation signal input from the operation unit 22 or an instruction signal received by the communication unit 24, and a work piece formed in the RAM. Expand to the area and perform various processes in cooperation with the program.

  The operation unit 22 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, character input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse, and controls operation signals input by keyboard operations or mouse operations. To 21.

  The display unit 23 is configured by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays various screens based on display data input from the control unit 21.

  The communication unit 24 includes a LAN (Local Area Network) adapter, a router, a TA (Terminal Adapter), and the like, and transmits and receives data to and from external devices such as the RIS 10 and the image server 30 connected via the communication network N. Do.

  The ROM 25 is configured by a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or the like, and stores various processing programs, parameters and files necessary for executing the programs.

  The storage unit 26 is a storage device including a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, and the like. The storage unit 26 stores a modality work list acquired from the RIS 10, a DICOM image file, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3A, the DICOM image file has header information attached to image data of a medical image (hereinafter referred to as medical image data).

  The header information includes patient information, examination information, series information, and image information. Patient information is information about a patient, such as patient ID, patient name, sex, date of birth, age, height, and weight. The examination information is information relating to the examination such as an examination instance UID that identifies the examination, examination date, examination time, reception number, doctor name in charge. The series information is information about a series of medical images (series) for each modality generated in one examination, such as a series instance UID that identifies the series, a modality name (examination type), an examination part, and a series number. It is. The image information is information related to a medical image such as an SOP instance UID that identifies an image and an image number.

In addition, the storage unit 26 stores extracted items (items extracted as first character information) to be overlaid out of the character information included in the header information of the DICOM image file.
The storage unit 26 stores character sets that can be handled by the image server 30.

  The imaging unit 27 performs imaging using a patient's diagnosis target region as a subject, and digitally converts the captured image to generate medical image data.

  Based on the AE title of the modality 20, the control unit 21 transmits a request for acquiring a modality work list (C-FIND request conforming to the DICOM standard) for the examination performed in the modality 20 to the RIS 10 via the communication unit 24. To do. The control unit 21 acquires a modality work list from the RIS 10 via the communication unit 24.

  Based on the acquired modality work list, the control unit 21 controls the imaging unit 27 to perform imaging of a diagnosis target part of a patient, and acquires medical image data obtained by imaging. Based on the modality work list, the control unit 21 attaches header information to the medical image data in accordance with the DICOM standard, and generates a DICOM image file.

  The control unit 21 extracts predetermined first character information (patient name, patient comment, examination description, etc.) from the header information of the DICOM image file based on the extraction items stored in the storage unit 26, Based on the extracted first character information, pixel data for overlay (hereinafter referred to as overlay data) is generated. The overlay data is expressed as a monochrome or RGB color bitmap. The first character information includes at least a part of character information (second character information) described in a character set that cannot be handled by the transmission destination device (image server 30). Further, the first character information includes character information other than alphanumeric characters (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc., but described in a character set that can be handled by the modality 20).

  Based on the character set that can be supported by the image server 30 stored in the storage unit 26, the control unit 21 describes the character set that the transmission destination device (image server 30) cannot handle from the header information of the DICOM image file. The second character information is deleted.

  The control unit 21 transmits the overlay data to the transmission destination device (image server 30) in association with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information. Specifically, the control unit 21 writes the overlay data into the header information of the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information, so that the overlay data is changed from the header information to the second character information. Correspond to the deleted DICOM image file. Then, the control unit 21 transmits the DICOM image file (edited DICOM image file) in which the overlay data is written in the header information to the image server 30 via the communication unit 24. FIG. 3B shows the data structure of the edited DICOM image file. The medical image data is accompanied by character information such as patient information and examination information and overlay data as header information. Note that the second character information is deleted from the header information of the edited DICOM image file.

  The image server 30 is configured by PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System), and stores and manages DICOM image files and the like transmitted from the modality 20. When the image server 30 receives a DICOM image file acquisition request from an external device, the image server 30 transmits a DICOM image file corresponding to the acquisition request to the external device.

  FIG. 4 shows a functional configuration of the image server 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the image server 30 includes a control unit 31, an operation unit 32, a display unit 33, a communication unit 34, a ROM 35, and a storage unit 36, and each unit is connected by a bus 37.

  The control unit 31 includes a CPU, a RAM, and the like, and comprehensively controls the processing operation of each unit of the image server 30. Specifically, the CPU reads various processing programs stored in the ROM 35 in accordance with an operation signal input from the operation unit 32 or an instruction signal received by the communication unit 34, and a work piece formed in the RAM. Expand to the area and perform various processes in cooperation with the program.

  The operation unit 32 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, character input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse. The control unit 32 controls operation signals input by key operations or mouse operations on the keyboard. To 31.

  The display unit 33 is configured by an LCD, and displays various screens based on display data input from the control unit 31.

  The communication unit 34 includes a LAN adapter, a router, a TA, and the like, and exchanges data with external devices such as the modality 20 and the image viewer terminal 40 connected via the communication network N.

  The ROM 35 is configured by a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or the like, and stores various processing programs, parameters and files necessary for executing the programs.

  The storage unit 36 is a storage device including a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, and the like. The storage unit 36 stores a DICOM image file acquired from the modality 20 and the like.

  The image viewer terminal 40 is configured by a PC (Personal Computer), transmits a DICOM image file acquisition request to the image server 30, and acquires a DICOM image file corresponding to the acquisition request. Then, the image viewer terminal 40 displays a medical image or the like based on the acquired DICOM image file.

  FIG. 5 shows a functional configuration of the image viewer terminal 40. As shown in FIG. 5, the image viewer terminal 40 includes a control unit 41, an operation unit 42, a display unit 43, a communication unit 44, a ROM 45, and a storage unit 46, and each unit is connected by a bus 47.

  The control unit 41 includes a CPU, a RAM, and the like, and comprehensively controls processing operations of the respective units of the image viewer terminal 40. Specifically, the CPU reads various processing programs stored in the ROM 45 in response to an operation signal input from the operation unit 42 or an instruction signal received by the communication unit 44, and a work piece formed in the RAM. Expand to the area and perform various processes in cooperation with the program.

  The operation unit 42 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, character input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse. The control unit 42 controls operation signals input by keyboard operations or mouse operations. 41 is output.

  The display unit 43 is configured by an LCD, and displays various screens based on display data input from the control unit 41.

  The communication unit 44 includes a LAN adapter, a router, a TA, and the like, and performs data transmission / reception with an external device such as the image server 30 connected via the communication network N.

  The ROM 45 is composed of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or the like, and stores various processing programs, parameters and files necessary for executing the programs.

  The storage unit 46 is a storage device including a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, and the like.

Next, the operation of each device of the medical image system 100 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a ladder chart showing processing executed in the RIS 10, the modality 20, the image server 30, and the image viewer terminal 40. The processing in the modality 20 is realized by software processing through cooperation between the control unit 21 and a program stored in the ROM 25.

  First, in the RIS 10, a patient to be examined is selected from a patient list by a user operation, and a modality work list including patient information, imaging condition information, and the like is created (step S1).

  In the modality 20, the control unit 21 transmits a request for acquiring a modality work list for the examination performed in the modality 20 to the RIS 10 via the communication unit 24 based on the AE title of the modality 20. The control unit 21 acquires a modality work list from the RIS 10 via the communication unit 24 (step S2).

  Next, the imaging unit 27 is controlled by the control unit 21 based on the acquired modality work list, imaging of the diagnosis target part of the patient is performed, and medical image data is acquired. Then, the control unit 21 attaches the character information included in the modality work list to the medical image data as header information, and generates a DICOM image file (step S3).

FIG. 7 shows an example of the header information 50 of the DICOM image file generated in step S3.
FIG. 8 shows the correspondence between the contents (ISO_IR 100, etc.) described in the DICOM tag (0008, 0005) and the specific character set (Latin 1 (Western Europe), etc.) that means it.
As described in the DICOM tag (0008, 0005) shown in FIG. 7, since the specific character set 51 is “GB18030”, it can be seen that the header information 50 is described in “Simplified Chinese and others”. .

Next, the control unit 21 extracts the first character information from the header information of the DICOM image file based on the extracted items stored in the storage unit 26, and based on the extracted first character information, Overlay data is generated (step S4).
For example, from the header information 50 shown in FIG. 7, a Kanji character notation portion 52, a patient comment 53, and an examination description 54 of the patient name are extracted, and overlay data is generated based on the extracted character information (FIG. 10B). )reference). The patient comment 53 means “There is a suspicion of infectious disease”, and the examination description 54 means “Please take a picture of the chest”.

Next, based on the character set that can be supported by the image server 30 stored in the storage unit 26, the control unit 21 is described in the character set that cannot be supported by the image server 30 from the header information of the DICOM image file. The second character information is deleted (step S5).
For example, when the character set that can be supported by the image server 30 is “blank (alphanumeric)”, the kanji notation portion 52, patient comment 53, and examination description 54 of the patient name are deleted from the header information 50 shown in FIG. Is done. FIG. 9 shows the header information 60 after the second character information is deleted. In the header information 60, the specific character set 61 is changed to “blank (alphanumeric)” which is a character set that the image server 30 can handle. Also, in the header information 60, the Kanji description part 62, the patient comment 63, and the examination description 64 of the patient name, which are described in a character set that cannot be handled by the image server 30, are deleted (nulled).

Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the control unit 21 writes the overlay data into the header information of the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information (step S6).
Next, the control unit 21 transmits the DICOM image file (edited DICOM image file) in which the overlay data is written in the header information to the image server 30 via the communication unit 24 (step S7). In this way, the overlay data is transmitted to the image server 30 in association with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information.

In the image server 30, the control unit 31 acquires the edited DICOM image file from the modality 20 via the communication unit 34, and stores the acquired edited DICOM image file in the storage unit 36 (step S <b> 8). .
Next, when a DICOM image file acquisition request is transmitted from the image viewer terminal 40 to the image server 30, the control unit 31 of the image server 30 converts the edited DICOM image file via the communication unit 34 into the image viewer terminal 40. (Step S9).

  In the image viewer terminal 40, the edited DICOM image file is acquired from the image server 30 by the control unit 41 via the communication unit 44. Based on the acquired medical image data included in the edited DICOM image file, the control unit 41 displays the medical image on the display unit 43 and adds the overlay data included in the edited DICOM image file to the overlay data. Based on this, the first character information is displayed as an overlay (as an image) (step S10). That is, overlay data (another pixel data) is displayed on top of medical image data (pixel data).

  10A is an example of medical image data included in the DICOM image file, FIG. 10B is an example of overlay data included in the edited DICOM image file, and FIG. This is an example of a state in which the first character information is displayed as an overlay on the medical image. Since the overlay data can be hidden, the image can be diagnosed in the image viewer terminal 40 without displaying the first character information in an overlay display.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the modality 20 extracts the first character information from the header information of the DICOM image file to generate overlay data, and generates the overlay data from the header information of the DICOM image file. 2 character information can be deleted, and overlay data can be written in the header information of the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information. Therefore, when displaying a medical image based on the edited DICOM image file later, even in an apparatus that cannot interpret the first character information as a character, the overlay data is displayed so as to be superimposed on the medical image data. The first character information can be provided. Therefore, cooperation between devices having different character sets can be achieved.

Further, since the modality 20 does not embed the first character information directly in the medical image data but generates it as overlay data, it can be hidden as necessary. That is, when overlay display is not applied, only lower-layer medical image data can be displayed.
Further, since the modality 20 deletes the second character information from the header information of the DICOM image file, it is possible to prevent an error from occurring in the image server 30 and the image viewer terminal 40.

[Modification]
In the first embodiment, the overlay data is written into the header information of the DICOM image file from which the second character information is deleted from the header information, so that the overlay data is deleted from the header information. Although the case of associating with a DICOM image file has been described, GSPS (Grayscale Softcopy Presentation State) of DICOM standard can also be used.

The process of generating overlay data based on the first character information and the process of deleting the second character information from the header information of the DICOM image file are the same as steps S4 and S5 in FIG.
The control unit 21 of the modality 20 generates overlay data and header data by generating a GSPS file including information for specifying the DICOM image file from which the second character information is deleted from the header information. Corresponding to the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the information.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the GSPS file includes overlay data and information (patient information, examination information, reference image information, etc.) for specifying the corresponding DICOM image file, and is included in the corresponding DICOM image file. It is set to be displayed over the medical image data to be displayed.

  The control unit 21 of the modality 20 transmits a DICOM image file and a GSPS file associated with common patient information, examination information, and the like to the image server 30 via the communication unit 24.

In the image server 30, a DICOM image file and a GSPS file associated with common patient information, examination information, and the like are stored in the storage unit 36.
When referring to a medical image in the image viewer terminal 40, a DICOM image file and a GSPS file associated with common patient information, examination information, and the like are acquired from the image server 30. Then, the control unit 41 displays the medical image on the display unit 43 based on the medical image data included in the DICOM image file, and the first character information based on the overlay data included in the GSPS file ( Overlaid as an image.

  When overlay data is saved by a GSPS file, a plurality of GSPS files can be generated for one DICOM image file. For example, the contents described by different character sets are associated with the same DICOM image file as different overlay data, and the overlay data to be displayed superimposed on the medical image is switched so that the contents are described by different character sets. Character information can be displayed. In addition, display contents can be switched by generating a plurality of overlay data by changing items to be displayed (patient name, patient comment, examination description, etc.).

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described.
The medical image system according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the medical image system 100 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. The illustration and description are omitted. Hereinafter, a configuration and processing characteristic of the second embodiment will be described.

In the second embodiment, the RIS 10, the modality 20, and the image server 30 can handle Chinese, and the image viewer terminal 40 can handle only alphanumeric characters. This is an example where the set and the character set that the image viewer terminal 40 can handle are different.
In the second embodiment, the image server 30 is a medical information processing apparatus according to the present invention. That is, overlay data is generated in the image server 30. Therefore, the modality 20 does not edit the DICOM image file shown in steps S4 to S6 in FIG.

The storage unit 36 of the image server 30 stores extracted items (items extracted as first character information) to be overlaid out of the character information included in the header information of the DICOM image file.
The storage unit 36 stores character sets that can be supported by the image viewer terminal 40.

  The control unit 31 of the image server 30 acquires the DICOM image file from the modality 20 via the communication unit 34 and stores the acquired DICOM image file in the storage unit 36.

  The control unit 31 extracts predetermined first character information (patient name, patient comment, examination description, etc.) from the header information of the DICOM image file based on the extraction items stored in the storage unit 36, Overlay data is generated based on the extracted first character information. The first character information includes at least a part of character information (second character information) described in a character set that cannot be handled by the transmission destination device (image viewer terminal 40). The first character information includes character information other than alphanumeric characters (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc., but described in a character set that can be supported by the image server 30).

  Based on the character set that can be supported by the image viewer terminal 40 that is stored in the storage unit 36, the control unit 31 determines from the header information of the DICOM image file that the character set that the transmission destination device (image viewer terminal 40) cannot handle. The second character information described in (1) is deleted.

  The control unit 31 transmits the overlay data to the transmission destination device (image viewer terminal 40) in association with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information. Specifically, the control unit 31 writes the overlay data into the header information of the DICOM image file from which the second character information is deleted from the header information, so that the overlay data is changed from the header information to the second character information. Correspond to the deleted DICOM image file. Then, the control unit 31 transmits the DICOM image file (edited DICOM image file) in which the overlay data is written in the header information to the image viewer terminal 40 via the communication unit 34.

Next, the operation of each device of the medical image system in the second embodiment will be described.
FIG. 12 is a ladder chart showing processing executed in the RIS 10, the modality 20, the image server 30, and the image viewer terminal 40. The processing in the image server 30 is realized by software processing in cooperation with the control unit 31 and a program stored in the ROM 35.

Since the process of step S11-S13 is the same as the process of step S1-S3 of FIG. 6, description is abbreviate | omitted.
Next, in the modality 20, the control unit 21 transmits the DICOM image file to the image server 30 via the communication unit 24 (step S14).

  In the image server 30, the control unit 31 acquires a DICOM image file from the modality 20 via the communication unit 34, and the acquired DICOM image file is stored in the storage unit 36 (step S15).

  Next, the control unit 31 extracts the first character information from the header information of the DICOM image file based on the extracted items stored in the storage unit 36, and based on the extracted first character information, Overlay data is generated (step S16).

Next, the control unit 31 describes the character set that cannot be supported by the image viewer terminal 40 from the header information of the DICOM image file based on the character set that can be supported by the image viewer terminal 40 stored in the storage unit 36. The performed second character information is deleted (step S17).
For example, when the character set that the image server 30 can handle is “GB18030 (simplified Chinese, etc.)” and the character set that the image viewer terminal 40 can handle is “blank (alphanumeric)”, FIG. 9 is deleted from the header information 50 shown in FIG. 9 as the second character information, the patient comment 53, and the examination description 54 are changed to header information 60 as shown in FIG.

  Next, the overlay data is written by the control unit 31 into the header information of the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information (step S18). Then, the control unit 31 stores the DICOM image file (edited DICOM image file) in which the overlay data is written in the header information in the storage unit 36 (step S19). The edited DICOM image file is stored as a file different from the unedited DICOM image file stored in step S15.

  Next, when a DICOM image file acquisition request is transmitted from the image viewer terminal 40 to the image server 30, the control unit 31 of the image server 30 converts the edited DICOM image file via the communication unit 34 into the image viewer terminal 40. (Step S20).

  In the image viewer terminal 40, the edited DICOM image file is acquired from the image server 30 by the control unit 41 via the communication unit 44. Based on the acquired medical image data included in the edited DICOM image file, the control unit 41 displays the medical image on the display unit 43 and adds the overlay data included in the edited DICOM image file to the overlay data. Based on this, the first character information is displayed as an overlay (as an image) (step S21).

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the image server 30 extracts the first character information from the header information of the DICOM image file to generate overlay data, and uses the header information of the DICOM image file. The second character information can be deleted, and the overlay data can be written to the header information of the DICOM image file from which the second character information has been deleted from the header information. Therefore, when displaying a medical image based on the edited DICOM image file later, even in an apparatus that cannot interpret the first character information as a character, the overlay data is displayed so as to be superimposed on the medical image data. The first character information can be provided. Therefore, cooperation between devices having different character sets can be achieved.

In addition, since the first character information is not embedded directly in the medical image data but generated as overlay data in the image server 30, it can be hidden as necessary.
Further, since the second character information is deleted from the header information of the DICOM image file in the image server 30, it is possible to display a medical image without causing an error in the image viewer terminal 40.

  Note that the image server 30 in the second embodiment also specifies the DICOM image file from which the second character information is deleted from the overlay data and the header information, as in the above modification (see FIG. 11). The overlay data may be associated with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information.

The process of generating overlay data based on the first character information and the process of deleting the second character information from the header information of the DICOM image file are the same as steps S16 and S17 in FIG.
The control unit 31 of the image server 30 includes overlay data and information (patient information, examination information, reference image information, etc.) for specifying a DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information. By generating the GSPS file, the overlay data is associated with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information. And the control part 31 transmits the DICOM image file and GSPS file matched by common patient information, test | inspection information, etc. to the image viewer terminal 40 via the communication part 34. FIG.

  When referring to a medical image in the image viewer terminal 40, a DICOM image file and a GSPS file associated with common patient information, examination information, and the like are acquired from the image server 30. Then, the control unit 41 displays the medical image on the display unit 43 based on the medical image data included in the DICOM image file, and the first character information based on the overlay data included in the GSPS file ( Overlaid as an image.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described.
The medical image system according to the third embodiment has the same configuration as that of the medical image system 100 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, the configuration of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. The illustration and description are omitted. Hereinafter, a configuration and processing characteristic of the third embodiment will be described.

In the third embodiment, the RIS 10, the modality 20, and the image server 30 can handle only alphanumeric characters, and the image viewer terminal 40 can handle Chinese characters. This is an example where the set and the character set that the image viewer terminal 40 can handle are different.
In the third embodiment, the image viewer terminal 40 is a medical information processing apparatus according to the present invention. That is, overlay data is generated in the image viewer terminal 40. Therefore, the modality 20 does not edit the DICOM image file shown in steps S4 to S6 in FIG. 6, and the image server 30 does not edit the DICOM image file shown in steps S16 to S18 in FIG.

  The storage unit 46 of the image viewer terminal 40 stores character sets that the image server 30 can handle.

  The control unit 41 of the image viewer terminal 40 acquires the DICOM image file from the image server 30 via the communication unit 44 and stores the acquired DICOM image file in the storage unit 46.

  The control unit 41 generates overlay data based on character information (image comment or the like) input from the operation unit 42. The character information input from the operation unit 42 includes character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by the transmission destination device (image server 30). The character information input from the operation unit 42 includes character information other than alphanumeric characters (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc., but described in a character set that can be supported by the image viewer terminal 40). Is included.

  The control unit 41 transmits the overlay data to the transmission destination device (image server 30) in association with the DICOM image file. Specifically, the control unit 41 associates the overlay data with the DICOM image file by writing the overlay data into the header information of the DICOM image file. Then, the control unit 41 transmits the DICOM image file (edited DICOM image file) in which the overlay data is written in the header information to the image server 30 via the communication unit 44.

Next, the operation of each device of the medical image system in the third embodiment will be described.
FIG. 13 is a ladder chart showing processing executed in the RIS 10, the modality 20, the image server 30, and the image viewer terminal 40. The processing in the image viewer terminal 40 is realized by software processing in cooperation with the control unit 41 and a program stored in the ROM 45.

Since the process of step S31-S35 is the same as the process of step S11-S15 of FIG. 12, description is abbreviate | omitted.
Next, when a DICOM image file acquisition request is transmitted from the image viewer terminal 40 to the image server 30, the control unit 31 of the image server 30 transmits the DICOM image file to the image viewer terminal 40 via the communication unit 34. (Step S36).

  In the image viewer terminal 40, the control unit 41 acquires a DICOM image file from the image server 30 via the communication unit 44 (step S37), and displays a medical image on the display unit 43 based on the acquired DICOM image file. (Step S38).

  Here, a medical image is interpreted by a doctor, and a diagnosis result or the like is input from the operation unit 42. For example, as an image comment (content corresponding to the DICOM tag (0020, 4000) Image Comments), it is input that the user is interested in seeing the image. Then, overlay data is generated by the control unit 41 based on the character information input from the operation unit 42 (step S39). The input character information is displayed on a medical image on the display unit 43.

  Next, the overlay data is written in the header information of the DICOM image file by the control unit 41 (step S40). Then, the control unit 41 transmits the DICOM image file (edited DICOM image file) in which the overlay data is written in the header information to the image server 30 via the communication unit 44 (step S41).

  In the image server 30, the control unit 31 acquires the edited DICOM image file from the image viewer terminal 40 via the communication unit 34, and saves the acquired edited DICOM image file in the storage unit 36 (step S 30). S42). The edited DICOM image file is saved as a file different from the pre-edited DICOM image file saved in step S35.

  Thereafter, when the edited DICOM image file stored in the image server 30 is referred from the image viewer terminal 40 or another image viewer terminal, it is based on the medical image data included in the edited DICOM image file. Thus, the medical image is displayed, and the character information input in the image viewer terminal 40 is displayed as an overlay on the basis of the overlay data included in the edited DICOM image file. That is, the character information input in the image viewer terminal 40 can be referred from an image viewer terminal that does not support the character set of the image viewer terminal 40.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, the image viewer terminal 40 generates overlay data based on the character information input from the operation unit 42, and uses the overlay data as header information of the DICOM image file. Can write. Therefore, when displaying a medical image based on the edited DICOM image file later, even in an apparatus that cannot interpret character information input at the image viewer terminal 40 as characters, overlay data is superimposed on medical image data. The character information input in the image viewer terminal 40 can be provided. Therefore, cooperation between devices having different character sets can be achieved.

  Further, in the image viewer terminal 40, the character information input from the operation unit 42 is not directly embedded in the medical image data but is generated as overlay data, so that it can be hidden as necessary.

  Note that the image viewer terminal 40 according to the third embodiment also generates a GSPS file including overlay data and information for specifying a DICOM image file, as in the above-described modification (see FIG. 11). Thus, the overlay data may be associated with the DICOM image file.

The process of generating overlay data based on the input character information is the same as step S39 in FIG.
The control unit 41 of the image viewer terminal 40 generates overlay data and information for specifying the DICOM image file (patient information, examination information, reference image information, etc.), thereby generating overlay data from the DICOM. Associate with an image file. Then, the control unit 41 transmits the DICOM image file and the GSPS file associated with the common patient information, examination information, and the like to the image server 30 via the communication unit 44.

  When referring to a medical image in the image viewer terminal 40 or another image viewer terminal, a DICOM image file and a GSPS file associated with common patient information, examination information, and the like are acquired from the image server 30. The medical image is displayed based on the medical image data included in the DICOM image file, and the character information input in the image viewer terminal 40 is overlaid (as an image) based on the overlay data included in the GSPS file. Is displayed.

  The description in each of the above embodiments is an example of the medical information processing apparatus according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this. The detailed configuration and detailed operation of each part constituting the apparatus can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, the text information to be overlaid is not limited to the above items, but may be patient ID, reception number, examination comment, series description, and the like.

  In the above description, an example in which a ROM is used as a computer-readable medium storing a program for executing each process is disclosed, but the present invention is not limited to this example. As other computer-readable media, a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory and a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM can be applied. A carrier wave may be applied as a medium for providing program data via a communication line.

10 RIS
20 Modality 21 Control unit 22 Operation unit 23 Display unit 24 Communication unit 25 ROM
26 Storage unit 27 Imaging unit 28 Bus 30 Image server 31 Control unit 32 Operation unit 33 Display unit 34 Communication unit 35 ROM
36 storage unit 37 bus 40 image viewer terminal 41 control unit 42 operation unit 43 display unit 44 communication unit 45 ROM
46 storage unit 47 bus 100 medical image system N communication network

Claims (12)

Pixel data for overlay is extracted based on the first character information extracted from the header information of the DICOM image file including the image data of the medical image and the header information. Generating means for generating
Deleting means for deleting second character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by the destination device from the header information;
Control means for transmitting the pixel data for overlay to the destination device in association with the DICOM image file from which the second character information is deleted from the header information;
With
The medical information processing apparatus, wherein the first character information includes at least a part of the second character information. The first character information includes character information other than alphanumeric characters.
The medical information processing apparatus according to claim 1. The control means writes the pixel data for overlay from the header information by writing the pixel data for overlay into the header information of the DICOM image file from which the second character information has been deleted from the header information. Associating the second character information with the deleted DICOM image file;
The medical information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The control means generates the GSPS file including pixel data for the overlay and information for specifying a DICOM image file from which the second character information is deleted from the header information, thereby generating the overlay. And the pixel data for use in association with a DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information,
The medical information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. An acquisition means for acquiring a DICOM image file including image data of medical images and header information;
Generation means for generating pixel data for overlay based on the character information input from the input means;
Control means for transmitting the overlay pixel data to the destination device in association with the DICOM image file;
With
The medical information processing apparatus, wherein the character information input from the input unit includes character information described in a character set that the transmission destination device cannot handle. The character information input from the input means includes character information other than alphanumeric characters.
The medical information processing apparatus according to claim 5. The control means associates the pixel data for overlay with the DICOM image file by writing the pixel data for overlay into the header information of the DICOM image file.
The medical information processing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6. The control means associates the pixel data for overlay with the DICOM image file by generating a GSPS file including pixel data for the overlay and information for specifying the DICOM image file.
The medical information processing apparatus according to claim 5 or 6. Pixel data for overlay is extracted based on the first character information extracted from the header information of the DICOM image file including the image data of the medical image and the header information. Generating
Deleting the second character information described in a character set that the destination device cannot handle from the header information;
Transmitting the pixel data for overlay to the destination device in association with the DICOM image file in which the second character information is deleted from the header information;
Including
The medical information processing method, wherein the first character information includes at least a part of the second character information. Obtaining a DICOM image file including image data of medical images and header information;
Generating pixel data for overlay based on character information input from the input means;
Transmitting the overlay pixel data to the destination device in association with the DICOM image file;
Including
The medical information processing method, wherein the character information input from the input means includes character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by the destination device. Computer
Pixel data for overlay is extracted based on the first character information extracted from the header information of the DICOM image file including the image data of the medical image and the header information. Generating means for generating
A deletion unit that deletes the second character information described in a character set that the destination device cannot support from the header information;
Control means for transmitting the pixel data for overlay to the destination device in association with the DICOM image file from which the second character information is deleted from the header information;
Is a program for functioning as
The first character information includes a program including at least a part of the second character information. Computer
An acquisition means for acquiring a DICOM image file including image data of medical images and header information;
Generating means for generating pixel data for overlay based on the character information input from the input means;
Control means for transmitting the pixel data for overlay to the destination device in association with the DICOM image file;
Is a program for functioning as
The character information input from the input means includes character information described in a character set that cannot be handled by the destination device.

Images