JP2530874B2 - Medical image workstation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a system for converting a medical image into an electronic file and using it, and more particularly to a medical image workstation for displaying a medical image in a multi-window for diagnosis, and scrolling an affected part displayed in the multi-window. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a medical image workstation with improved scrolling operability by simultaneously performing the above-mentioned operation, and a pointing device that specifies the scroll amount of the image in the medical image workstation that displays different diagnostic images in each of the multiple windows. A device, a window designating section for designating a plurality of windows to be scrolled simultaneously, a window selecting circuit for selectively connecting the output of the pointing device to the window designated by the window designating section, and the window selecting circuit Therefore, it is configured to have an image data generation circuit for simultaneously scrolling the images of a plurality of selected windows, and a display unit connected to the image data generation circuit and displaying the image data in multiple windows.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a system in which a medical image is converted into an electronic file and used, and more particularly to a medical image workstation for displaying a medical image in a multi-window and making a diagnosis.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, PACS (Picture
Achieving and Communication System) is being introduced. This system is a medical electronic device that generates a medical image, an input device that captures the generated medical image into a computer, a storage device that stores medical image data, a computer that performs medical image data retrieval and long-distance transfer, and a medical image. It is composed of a medical image workstation that processes data and displays it as an image.

When a medical image is subjected to image diagnosis using the display unit of a workstation, there is a demand from a doctor who wants to compare and examine large and high resolution images in the vicinity.

If multiple workstations are used, the images cannot be kept close and the cost is high. Therefore, using the multi-window technique, a multi-window is provided on the screen of one workstation, and an image to be compared and diagnosed is displayed in each window. In the multi-window, if the image for one window is reduced, the entire image can be displayed, but the image becomes small, which makes it unsuitable for diagnosis. Therefore, a large image is generally displayed in one of the windows, and the entire image can be monitored by scrolling the image. However, only one window image can be scrolled at a time. Therefore, for example, if one window shows a part of an image of the lungs two years ago and the other window shows the same part as the image of the current lungs two years ago, first two years of one window will be displayed. I had to finish scrolling the previous image and show the other part, then scroll the current image in the other window to show the other part. For this reason, scrolling had to be done separately for each window and it was necessary to make sure that the scrolled images each displayed the same lung section on each window.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

As described above, according to the conventional method, for example, when images of different lungs of two ages are displayed in two windows, the two windows can be scrolled separately to obtain two images. Since it is necessary to display the same part of the affected part of the age, the number of scrolls increases, and as a result of scrolling the images in each window, it is necessary to prepare so that each image displays the same affected part.

Furthermore, since there is not only one affected area to be compared and diagnosed, it is necessary to perform scrolling operation many times for each window until the diagnosis of all affected areas is completed. Therefore, many affected areas are compared with the number of windows. Indeed, it took longer for the scroll operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medical image workstation in which the operability of scrolling is improved by simultaneously scrolling the affected area displayed in a multi-window.

[Means for solving the problem]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention. The present invention provides a medical image workstation for displaying different diagnostic images in each of the multiple windows and comparing the images for diagnosis.
A pointing device 1 for designating the scroll amount of an image and a window designating part for designating the upper two windows when only the upper two windows are to be scrolled simultaneously when the windows to be scrolled are, for example, four multi-windows. 2 and. Further, a window selection circuit 3 for selectively connecting the scroll amount, which is the output of the pointing device 1, to the window specified by the window specification unit 2, for example, the upper two windows, and a plurality of windows selected by the window selection circuit 3. In order to scroll the images at the same time, first the address counter corresponding to the selected window is advanced by the same amount, the scan area of the frame memory of each selected window is scanned by the same amount, and the output of this frame memory is output. The signal is displayed on the CRT display 5 via the image data generating circuit 4 which outputs the D / A converted signal.

[Action]

When the scroll amount is designated by the pointing device 1 and the window to be scrolled is designated by the window designating section 2, images of a plurality of windows designated on the multi-window are interlocked and scrolled by the same amount. That is, the same affected area can be scrolled by the same amount at the same time on a plurality of multi-windows. Therefore, when comparing the affected areas displayed in multiple windows at the same time, and scrolling to diagnose,
The operability of scrolling becomes extremely easy because it can be done by a single scrolling instruction to the multi-window.
For example, when comparing and diagnosing two affected areas of different ages, it is possible to scroll the other images together by scrolling one image by paying attention to the fact that the portions to be compared are the same position in the entire image.

〔Example〕

 FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention.

The pointing device 10 is connected to the multiple selection multiplexer circuit 11. The pointing device 10 can be configured, for example, by designating with a writing pen on a mouse, a black ball, a joystick or a tablet.

The multiple-selection multiplexer circuit 11 includes a plurality of switches 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , ... 11 _n respectively corresponding to a plurality of multi-windows.
Consists of The output of the pointing device 10 is commonly connected to one end of each of the switches 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , ... 11 _n . The other ends of the switches 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , ... 11 _n are connected to the respective address counters 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ , ... 12 _n of the address counter unit 12, and the address counter unit 12 uses the respective frame memories of the frame memory unit 13. 13 ₁ , 13 ₂ , ... 13n are connected. The outputs of the frame memory unit 13 are respectively D / A of the D / A converter unit 14.
D / A converter unit 14 connected to converters 14 ₁ , 14 ₂ , ... 14 _n
Output is concentrated and connected to the display 15. Further, the output of the window designating section 16 is connected to the multiple selection multiplexer circuit 11, and the window designating section 16 designates which of the switches 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , ... 11 _n is selected.

By operating this pointing device 10, the amount of X, Y movement from the image currently displayed on the window is specified. The window designating unit 16 designates in advance a single window or a plurality of windows among the multiple windows. For example, the multi-window is divided into four, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper left corner shows 1970, the upper right corner shows 1980, the lower left corner shows 1985, and the lower right corner shows the current lung image. It is assumed that Among them, when the doctor wants to make a comparative diagnosis of four ages at the same time, all four windows are designated. At this time, the switches 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , ... 11 _n corresponding to the designated window are turned on. Therefore, if you specify how much the image currently displayed on the pointing device 10 is moved in X and Y, only the specified scroll amount corresponds to which address in the image memory at the corresponding address counter 12 ₁ , 12 ₂ ... 12 _n. Calculate what to read. When the frame memories 13 ₁ , 13 ₂ , ... 13 _n are scanned based on this calculation result, the digital signals read from the frame memory are converted into analog amounts by the D / A converters 14 ₁ , 14 ₂ ... 14 _n. , All windows specified on the CRT monitor 15 are interlocked and scrolled by the same movement amount.

FIG. 3 shows this scrolling state on the screen of the display unit. The image is scrolled to the left in conjunction with the four multi-windows, and the image is scrolled to the left through FIG. 3 (a) to (b) ( Since the images are scrolled as in c), the doctor can make a diagnosis by simultaneously comparing and scrolling the images of the four generations.

In FIG. 2, an enlargement amount designating circuit 17 may be provided and commonly connected to the output of the pointing device 10 and one end of the switches 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ ... 11 _n of the multiple selection multiplexer circuit 11 via the OR circuit 18. . By doing so, the images on the plurality of multi-windows selected by the window designating unit 16 can be enlarged at the same time and a comparative diagnosis can be performed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram more specifically showing the embodiment shown in FIG. The same parts as those in FIG. For example, five keys are provided as the window designating section 16. That is, the interlocking key 16 ₁ is connected so as to control the movable contacts of the switches 11 ₁ , 11 ₂ , 11 ₃ , 11 ₄ corresponding to, for example, four multi-windows, and the upper key 16 ₂ is connected to the upper ₂ of the multi-window. Connected to the switches 11 ₁ and 11 ₂ corresponding to the number of keys, the lower row key 16 ₃ is the lower row 2 of the multi-window.
Is connected to the switch 11 _3, 11 ₄ corresponding to the number of windows, the left key 16 ₄ is connected to a switch 11 _1, 11 ₃ corresponding to the two left multi-window, the right key right two multiwindow Switches corresponding to windows 11
Connect to _2, 11 ₄ are connected to drive their movable contacts.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, when the interlocking key 16 ₁ is pressed, all the _four switches 11 _{1 to} 114 are turned on. Therefore, the scrolling amount designated by the pointing device 10 or the enlargement amount designating circuit 17 or the enlargement amount is selected. Images of multiple windows are scrolled or enlarged in conjunction with each other. You can press the upper key 16 ₂ when performing upper only scrolling like. The same applies to the lower key 16 ₃ , the left key 16 ₄ , and the right key 16 ₅ .

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, different images displayed in a multi-window can be scrolled in conjunction with each other, so that it is possible to make a diagnosis while simultaneously comparing each image and reduce the amount of scroll operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 (a), (b), and (c) are the embodiments of FIG. 2 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a scrolling state of the multi-window in FIG. 4, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a concrete configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 ... Pointing device, 2 ... Window designation section, 3 ... Window selection circuit, 4 ... Image data generation circuit, 5 ... Display section.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. In a medical image workstation displaying different diagnostic images in each of multiple windows, a pointing device (1) for designating a scroll amount of an image, and a window designating unit (a) for designating a plurality of windows to be scrolled at the same time. 2), a window selection circuit (3) for selectively connecting the output of the pointing device (1) to the window designated by the window designation unit (2), and selected by the window selection circuit (3) An image data generation circuit (4) for simultaneously scrolling images of a plurality of windows, and a display unit (5) connected to the image data generation circuit (4) and displaying image data in a multi-window. Medical imaging workstation. 2. A medical image workstation for displaying different diagnostic images in each of multiple windows, and an enlargement amount designation circuit (17) for designating an enlargement amount of an image and a window designation for designating a plurality of windows to be simultaneously enlarged. A section (2), a window selection circuit (3) for selectively connecting the output of the enlargement amount designating circuit (17) to the window designated by the window designating section (2), and the window selection circuit (3) An image data generating circuit (4) for simultaneously enlarging images in a plurality of windows selected by the image data generating circuit (4) and a display section (5) connected to the image data generating circuit (4) for displaying image data in a multi-window. A medical image workstation characterized by having.