JP3980713B2 - Method for deleting medical image file and medical image file device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for deleting a medical image file, and in particular, a method for deleting a medical image file in an image storage system in which a directory (catalog) does not directly manage a medical image file and its associated image information, and a medical image using this method It relates to a file device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, ACR-NEMA standard V1.0 (1985, the corresponding Japanese standard is MIPS of the Japan Radiation Equipment Industry Association) by the ACR-NEMA (American College of Radiology-National Electrical Manufacturers Association) committee as a standard for medical image communication. -87) and its extended version V2.0 (1988, the corresponding domestic standard is MIPS-89 of the Japan Radiation Equipment Manufacturers Association), except for the data format (so-called "ACR-NEMA format") It did not spread widely.
[0003]
The ACR-NEMA Committee has drastically changed the existing standard in establishing V3.0, and the name has been changed to “Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine” (hereinafter referred to as DICOM).
[0004]
As its name indicates, this DICOM standard aims to realize interoperability between devices that handle medical images, and a data object that is a target image or data, a service class that is a type of service to be provided, Standards such as communication protocols are defined in accordance with the ISO-OSI seven-layer model.
[0005]
Next, features of the DICOM standard will be described from the upper layer.
(1) Services such as image registration, search / reference, and hard copy are defined. (2) Detailed definition of an image is performed for each modality (CR, CT, MR, NM, US).
(3) Data is managed in four layers consisting of patients, examinations, series, and images.
(4) Defines patient information, examination reservation information, and examination execution information (non-image data) assuming data exchange with related systems such as a hospital information system / radiological information system (HIS / RIS).
(5) A message format for data exchange (image, non-image) is defined.
(6) TCP / IP or ISO-OSI protocol can be used.
(7) Communication media such as Ethernet, FDDI, ISDN can be used.
[0006]
Next, the history of electronic storage of medical images in Japan will be described. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in March 1994, if an image-related device that meets the technical standards is used, an image that is obliged to be stored can be stored on an electronic medium instead of an X-ray film. It was. The medical information system development center (MEDIS-DC) has established a standard for image-related equipment, and a procedure for issuing a certificate of conformity with the standard has begun.
[0007]
The technical standards of the Ministry of Health and Welfare consist of the following three principles.
(1) Safety: To prevent erasure of images that must be preserved and confusion with other data.
(2) Reproducibility: To ensure data reproducibility after long-term storage, accuracy during storage, long-term storage, and reproducibility after a long period of time are required.
(3) Common usability: A medium based on the standard is required for use in other medical institutions.
[0008]
The standard published in the fall of 1994 corresponding to the above three principles is called common standard type 1 (hereinafter referred to as common standard type 1) for electronic storage of medical image information, and medical information image save and carry (medical information image save and carry: hereinafter, abbreviated as IS & C). The main responses to the three principles are as follows.
[0009]
(1) Safety: Although a magneto-optical disk is an erasable medium, a mechanism for ensuring security between the medium, the drive, the host interface, and the disk format (file structure) has been created. The added image information cannot be erased.
(2) Reproducibility: Storage is performed digitally, and the medium has a sufficient lifetime. By standardizing the disk format (file structure) and the data format, reproduction by a device different from the stored device is facilitated.
(3) Common usability: By standardizing the disk format (file structure) and data format, reproduction by a device different from the stored device is facilitated.
[0010]
After the announcement of the common standard type 1, the US requested the establishment of a common standard type 2 incorporating the DICOM standard, and a draft standard was made jointly by the United States and Japan. The result is the same as the common standard type 1 from the media to the disk format (file structure), and the media storage service class and DICOM media standard file format are adopted for the definition and data format of the functions that the device should have It was done.
[0011]
Next, FIG. 9 shows a magneto-optical disk format of a common standard (type 1, type 2) (reference: Medical Information System Development Center: MEDIS-DC MDS-A0007-1995).
First, one side of a magneto-optical disk as a medium is set as one volume, and a management unit of medical image files is set as a volume.
In order to be able to store files of various sizes from several bytes to several megabytes, and to enable high-speed input / output, continuous sectors are used.
[0012]
Therefore, the volume is divided into eight types of zones (A zone to H zone), which are continuous areas each having a size of 1024 logical sectors (one sector is 1024 bytes). The number of zones included in one volume depends on the capacity of the volume.
[0013]
The volume is divided into a system area (A zone), a header area (B zone), and a data area (C zone to H zone).
The data area consists of one continuous zone of 1024 sectors, and 4 zones are used according to the purpose of use. ⁿ 4 where (n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) sectors are taken as one block ^(5-n) 6 types of zones consisting of blocks (n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), C, D, E, F, G, H (all sectors in one zone are all 1024) can be used It is.
[0014]
One data file is composed of a combination of a plurality of blocks, and writing is performed in units of blocks. The size of each block depends on the type of zone to which it belongs. In other words, one file can be stored across multiple zones of different types.
In the system area (A zone), volume management information, a zone table, a sector table, and an index table are arranged. In addition, the contents of the system area are written twice as a countermeasure against failure.
[0015]
The volume management information includes an initialization identifier for identifying an IS & C medical image volume, a version number, an application field, a volume name, a volume ID, an owner name, an owner code, an initialization date, the number of zones in the volume, a zone Number of internal sectors (= 1024), sector size (= 1024 bytes), zone table start sector number, sector table start sector number, index table start sector number, index size (128), medium unique indicator, total number of indexes, number of registered files The number of temporarily deleted files, the number of empty indexes, the number of system files, the number of directory files, the update date and time, the empty index start number, the volume busy flag, and the like are stored.
[0016]
The zone table is a table for managing the type of each zone on the volume, the number of free blocks, and the backup zone number.
The sector table is a table for managing whether or not each logical sector on the volume is in use.
Each index stored in the index table manages a corresponding data file, and “IS & C file ID” (signed integer of 4 bytes in length) and “IS & C file name” uniquely determined in the volume. The creation date, the last modification date, file size, header pointer, pointer to each data block constituting the file, and the like are written.
[0017]
Each file stored in the volume can have one corresponding header, and these headers are collected and stored in the header area (B zone).
Each header is composed of an “IS & C file ID”, a header data length (length 2 bytes), header data, and a fill character. The portion excluding the header of each file is stored in the data area.
[0018]
In the common standard type 2, only the formal data is described in the header area of the B zone, and the substantial header portion of the image data is not separated and stored in the B zone.
[0019]
In addition, a variable size file or a fixed size file is determined as an attribute of the file by the specification at the time of file generation. In the case of a variable size file, the size of the allocation block is uniquely determined by the zone type specified by the application. .
[0020]
In the case of a fixed size file, the zone allocation method changes depending on the zone selection condition specified by the application.
As a result, even if storage / erasure is repeated, sufficient performance can be obtained without garbage collection.
[0021]
In addition, valuable medical data must be strictly protected, but the magneto-optical disk is a rewritable medium, and there is a possibility that a file may be accidentally deleted due to an operation error or the like. Although such a situation can be avoided to some extent at the application level, it is necessary to provide a safeguard in the file manager so that a safer system can be constructed.
[0022]
For this reason, provisional deletion that logically hides the existence of the file is defined without deleting the file entity (file management information, header, (image) data). This temporary deletion state is indicated by a temporary deletion flag which is an attribute flag of the file management information, and the file can be restored only by clearing the temporary deletion flag.
[0023]
In the case of actual deletion, the file management information, header, and data are set as unused areas, and the corresponding locations in the zone table and sector table are opened as unused areas. Can be used for other files.
[0024]
Next, prior to the description of DICOMDIR, a unique identifier (Unique ID, hereinafter abbreviated as UID) will be described.
This UID should be commonly recognized by the parties who communicate and communicate information and is called (a) who, (b), (c) what, etc., the object of information, and this is called an international object. Registered and published in a unique manner.
[0025]
In the DICOM standard, an OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) object registration management system is used to assign a UID to a manufacturing organization or installation facility of medical image equipment, individual examinations, series, and image files.
[0026]
An example of the components of this UID is shown below.
[0027]
1.2.392.200036.9116. Modality. Model name. Machine number. YYYYMMDDHHMMSS
Here, each item is as follows.
[0028]
(1) 1.2.392.: Code number indicating the member organization of the Japan Industrial Standards Committee (JISC) ISO
(2) 200036 .: Code number indicating the Japan Radiation Equipment Manufacturers Association (JIRA)
(3) 9116: Code number indicating the company granted by JIRA
(4) Modality. : Code number corresponding to each inspection method
(5) Model name. : Model name of medical diagnostic imaging equipment
(6) Machine number. : Serial number for each model (manufacturing number)
(7) YYYYMMDDHHMMSS: Date of medical image data (year / month / day / hour / minute / second)
[0029]
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a directory called DICOMDIR.
In a DICOM standard storage medium, a single DICOMDIR file and a plurality of other image data files are stored in a volume. As shown in FIG. 10, DICOMDIR has a four-layer configuration of patient, examination, series, and image. Each level directory record has a link to the next directory record at the same level and a link to a lower level directory record.
[0030]
The patient level directory record has data such as directory record type (= patient), patient ID, patient name, date of birth, and sex.
The inspection level directory record includes data such as directory record type (= inspection), inspection date, inspection time, inspection UID, inspection number, and the like.
[0031]
The series level directory record includes data such as directory record type (= series), modality, modality manufacturer, name of facility where modality is installed, name of doctor, series UID, and the like.
[0032]
An image level directory record has, for example, data such as directory record type (= image), image collection time, image number, number of pixels (vertical, horizontal), image gradation (number of bits per pixel), etc. It has a link to the image file.
[0033]
In addition, a patient ID, an examination UID, a series UID, and an image UID are described in the header portion of each image file. And the image file belongs to one of the above zones, C to H 4 ⁿ (N = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The block is divided into sector length blocks and stored in the MOD.
[0034]
Conventional image deletion on a storage medium employing the common standard type 2 such as a magneto-optical disk, for example, selects a patient name and derives a desired image management number (identification information unique to the medium). The IS & C file ID corresponding to the image management number is used to access the index table and delete the image file according to the index information. Since there is no relationship between the IS & C file ID and DICOMDIR, DICOMDIR was not updated even after this image file deletion.
[0035]
This conventional image deletion method will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, MOD that is a storage medium is loaded into the MODD (step S901). Next, the volume management information, zone table, sector table, and index table are read from the MOD system area and temporarily held (step S903). In this state, it waits for an image deletion instruction from, for example, an X-ray imaging apparatus which is a higher-level apparatus. In an image deletion instruction waiting state, it is determined whether or not there is an image deletion instruction from the X-ray imaging apparatus (step S905), and if there is no image deletion instruction, it is determined whether or not there is an operation end instruction (step S905). S910), if there is no operation end instruction, the process returns to step S905.
[0036]
Next, when the IS & C file ID that is the image management number of the medical image to be deleted from the X-ray imaging apparatus is designated, the determination in step S905 is YES, and then the IS & C file ID of the deleted image is input (step S907). .
[0037]
Next, the image file specified by the IS & C file ID is deleted from the MOD (step S909). Next, the system area of the MOD is updated corresponding to this image file deletion, and the process returns to the image deletion instruction waiting in step S905.
[0038]
If the determination of the end of the operation is YES while waiting for the image deletion instruction in step S905 and step S913, the MOD backup system area is updated (step S915), the storage medium MOD is unloaded (step S917), and the processing is performed. Exit.
[0039]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, since there is no correlation between DICOMDIR and IS & C file ID in the common standard type 2, the contents of DICOMDIR are updated even when a medical image file is deleted from MOD. If there is no image data in DICOMDIR and there is no image in IS & C, the operator usually performs various trial and error operations such as whether there is an error in the key data input for the search or there is an abnormality in the system. Searching for data is performed, and in an extreme case, there is a risk of searching all image data stored in IS & C. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes a lot of time and effort to the operator, and consequently, it takes a long time for the interpretation work.
[0040]
In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to delete the DICOMDIR directory record corresponding to the deleted image when deleting the image file, and maintain the consistency between the state of the image file in the storage medium and DICOMDIR. It is.
[0041]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a medical image file and a medical image file that deletes a specified medical image file and image accompanying information from a storage medium that stores a plurality of medical image files and image accompanying information associated with each medical image file. A method of designating an image management number of a medical image file, a step of reading a part of the medical image file corresponding to the designated image management number from the storage medium, and the read Extracting a unique identifier of the medical image file from a part of the medical image file; searching for image-associated information having a unique identifier equal to the extracted unique identifier; and And a step of deleting from a storage medium.
[0042]
The present invention also provides a medical image file device capable of writing, reading, and deleting a plurality of medical image files and image accompanying information associated with each medical image file on a storage medium, and the medical image file to be deleted Input means for inputting an image management number of an image file, reading means for reading a part of a medical image file corresponding to the input image management number from the storage medium, and a part of the read medical image file Extraction means for extracting the unique identifier of the medical image file from the search means, search means for searching for the image accompanying information having a unique identifier equal to the extracted unique identifier, and deleting the searched image accompanying information from the storage medium A medical image file device having a gist of providing the deleting means.
[0043]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a medical image file device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of a medical image file system using the same apparatus.
[0044]
Referring to FIG. 2, the medical image file system to which the medical image file device according to the present invention is applied includes a medical image file device 1 that uses, for example, a magneto-optical disk (hereinafter abbreviated as MOD) 31 as a removable storage medium, An X-ray imaging apparatus 33 as a medical image acquisition apparatus, a hospital information system (HIS) 53, an imager 55 that outputs a medical image to an X-ray film, and an X-ray film imaged by a conventional X-ray imaging apparatus are read. A film digitizer 57 for converting to digital data, an external device 59 such as another medical image diagnostic apparatus or a medical image observation apparatus, and a PACS-LAN 51 for connecting these devices are configured.
[0045]
The medical image file device 1 writes, reads, and deletes medical images on the magneto-optical disk 31 according to the common standard type 2.
As the magneto-optical disk 31, for example, a magneto-optical disk having a diameter of 130 mm and a magneto-optical disk having a diameter of 90 mm, which are standardized by ISO, can be used.
[0046]
The X-ray imaging apparatus 33 converts an X-ray image into an exposure control unit 35 that controls X-ray exposure, an X-ray tube 37 that is an X-ray source, and converts the X-ray image into a visible image, and multiplies its brightness. Image intensifier (hereinafter abbreviated as II) 39, I.I. I. A TV camera 41 for converting the output image 39 into an image signal, an A / D converter 43 for analog / digital conversion of the image signal, a processor 45 for controlling the entire X-ray imaging apparatus 33, and an X-ray image. And an image observation monitor 47 that displays a control screen for controlling the X-ray imaging apparatus 33 and the medical image file apparatus 1, and a touch panel 49 provided on the screen surface of the image observation monitor 47 as an input device. Has been.
[0047]
The image file server of the medical image file apparatus 1 is connected to the processor 45 of the X-ray imaging apparatus 33, and a medical image to be deleted is designated from the image observation monitor 47 and the touch panel 49. The medical image file device 1 itself does not have a display device or an input device from an operator, and operates as a back-end file device.
[0048]
According to FIG. 1, the medical image file device 1 includes an image file server 3 and a magneto-optical disk device (hereinafter abbreviated as “MODD”) 5. The image file server 3 and the MODD 5 are connected by a SCSI interface, although not particularly limited.
[0049]
Although the image file server 3 is not particularly limited, a personal computer main body equipped with Windows NT as an OS is used, an image management number input unit 7 for inputting an image management number from an X-ray imaging apparatus 33 which is a host device, and a MODD 5 A read control unit 19 that controls reading of data, an erase / write control unit 21 that controls erasing and writing to the MODD 5, a read data buffer 23 that temporarily holds read data from the MODD 5, and a PACS-LAN 51, A network connection unit 9 for connection, a unique identifier extraction unit 11 that extracts a unique identifier from the image header buffer 25 in the read data buffer 23, and an image that retrieves image associated information from the DICOMDIR buffer 27 in the read data buffer 23 Update accompanying information search unit 13 and DICOMDIR And ICOMDIR updating unit 15, a system area updating unit 17 for updating the system area buffer 29 in the read data buffer 23, and is configured with a.
[0050]
Next, the operation of the medical image file device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the image deletion control screen example of FIG. 3 and the flowchart of FIG.
First, an example of a screen displayed on the image observation monitor 47 of the X-ray imaging apparatus 33 when deleting a medical image will be described. When deleting a medical image of a patient, an image deletion control screen A as shown in FIG. This screen is a screen for searching and specifying a patient of an image to be deleted. With reference to DICOMDIR, for example, the item number (No.), patient name, patient ID, number of images, latest update date, etc. are edited. Is displayed. On this screen, by inputting a patient name or its initials or patient ID, a part of a patient list including the patient is displayed.
[0051]
In this image deletion control screen A, for example, when “Toshiba Hanako” is selected, touching item number 2 on the screen with a finger indicates that the number 2 is reversed in black and white to indicate that item number 2 has been selected. To do. Next, when a patient confirmation button (not shown) in the same screen is touched, the screen shifts to an image deletion control screen B shown in FIG.
[0052]
The image deletion control screen B displays an image list of the selected patient (in this case, “Toshiba Hanako”). In this image list, for example, an item number (No.), an image number, a modality, a registration date, a doctor in charge, and the like are displayed. If the image list cannot be displayed on one screen, the image list is displayed by turning pages, scrolling, or the like.
[0053]
In this image deletion control screen B, for example, when selecting an image with the image number “1003”, touching item number 3 on the screen with a finger indicates a number 3 to indicate that item number 3 has been selected. Is reversed black and white. Next, when a deleted image confirmation button (not shown) on the same screen is touched, the image number “1003” is sent from the X-ray imaging apparatus 33 to the medical image file apparatus 1.
[0054]
The medical image deletion operation of the medical image file device 1 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, the storage medium MOD31 is loaded into the MODD5 (step S11). Next, the volume management information, zone table, sector table, and index table are read from the system area of the MOD 31 and temporarily held in the system area buffer 29 in the read data buffer 23 (step S13). In this state, it waits for an image deletion instruction from the X-ray imaging apparatus 33 which is the host apparatus. In an image deletion instruction waiting state, it is determined whether or not there is an image deletion instruction from the X-ray imaging apparatus 33 (step S15), and if there is no image deletion instruction, it is determined whether or not there is an operation end instruction ( Step S29) is a loop that returns to step S15 again if there is no instruction to end the operation.
[0055]
Next, as described with reference to FIG. 3, when the IS & C file ID that is the image management number of the medical image to be deleted is designated from the image observation monitor 47 and the touch panel 49 of the X-ray imaging apparatus 33, the X-ray imaging apparatus is designated. The 33 processor 45 notifies the image management number input unit 7 of the medical image file apparatus 1 that there is an image deletion instruction. As a result, the determination in step S15 is YES, and then the IS & C file ID of the deleted image is input from the processor 45 to the image management number input unit 7 (step S17).
[0056]
Next, the IS & C file ID is transferred to the read control unit 19, and the header portion of the image file specified by the IS & C file ID is read from the MODD 5 and temporarily stored in the image header buffer 25 of the read data buffer 23 (step S19). Next, the unique identifier extraction unit 11 searches the image header buffer 25 to extract the patient ID, examination UID, series UID, and image UID, which are unique identifiers described in the image header, and the image associated information search unit 13. (Step S21).
[0057]
Next, the erasing / writing control unit 21 deletes the image file corresponding to the image management number held in the image management number input unit 7 from the MOD (step S23).
Next, the image accompanying information search unit 13 searches the DICOMDIR buffer 27 based on the patient ID, examination UID, series UID, and image UID delivered from the unique identifier extraction unit 11, and has a unique identifier corresponding to the deleted image file. The DICOMDIR directory record is deleted, the DICOMDIR link information is updated, and the updated contents of the DICOMDIR buffer 27 are written to the MODD 5 by the erasure / write control unit 21 (step S25).
[0058]
Next, in response to this image file deletion, the system area buffer 29 is updated, the updated contents of the system area buffer 29 are written back to the MODD 5 (step S27), and the process returns to the image deletion instruction waiting in step S15.
[0059]
If the determination of the end of operation is YES while waiting for the image deletion instruction in step S15 and step S29, the backup system area of MODED 5 is updated (step S31), the storage medium MOD31 is unloaded (step S33), and the process is completed. Exit.
[0060]
In the deletion of the DICOMDIR directory record, after the image level directory record corresponding to the deleted image is deleted, if no other image level directory record remains in the series level to which the image belongs (this state is referred to as a series). The series level directory record is also deleted. Similarly, if the inspection level becomes empty after the series level directory record is deleted, the inspection level directory record is also deleted. Similar deletions are made at the patient level.
[0061]
In this way, the designated medical image is deleted from the MOD as the storage medium, and the DICOMDIR directory record corresponding to the deleted image can be deleted, so that the content between the DICOMDIR and the image file can be deleted. Inconsistencies can be eliminated.
[0062]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the header portions of all medical image data stored in the MOD in advance are read, and the UID (patient ID, examination ID, series ID, The difference from the first embodiment is that an image management table (FIG. 8) that is a correspondence table with (image ID) is created.
[0063]
Then, when an instruction to delete a specific image file by an image management number is made, a previously created image management table is searched, and a UID (patient ID, examination UID, series UID, image UID) is retrieved from this image management number. A method of finding and deleting a directory record having each UID is employed.
[0064]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a medical image file device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The overall configuration of the medical image file system in which the medical image file device of the second embodiment is used is the same as that of FIG. 2 described in the first embodiment.
[0065]
As shown in FIG. 5, the medical image file device 101 includes an image file server 61 and a magneto-optical disk device (hereinafter abbreviated as “MODD”) 5. The image file server 61 and the MODD 5 are connected by a SCSI interface, although not particularly limited.
[0066]
Although the image file server 61 is not particularly limited, a personal computer main body equipped with Windows NT as an OS is used, and an image management number input unit 7 for inputting an image management number from the X-ray imaging apparatus 33 which is a host device, and a MODD 5 A read control unit 19 that controls reading of data, an erase / write control unit 21 that controls erasing and writing to the MODED 5, and a working memory that temporarily stores read data from the MODED 5 and holds an image management table 67, a network connection unit 9 for connecting to the PACS-LAN 51, a unique identifier extraction unit 63 that extracts a unique identifier from the image header buffer 25 in the work memory 67 and creates an image management table 69, and a work memory 67. Image associated information search unit 6 for retrieving image associated information from the image management table 69 in 67. When a DICOMDIR updating unit 15 for updating the DICOMDIR, is configured to include a, a system area updating unit 17 for updating the system area buffer 29 in the working memory 67.
[0067]
Next, an image deletion method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
First, the MOD that is the storage medium is loaded into the MODD (step S101). Next, the volume management information, zone table, sector table, and index table are read from the MOD system area (step S103).
[0068]
Next, in order to initialize the image management number (IS & C file ID): N to be processed, N is set to 1 (step S105), and the head portion (header portion) of the image file having the image management number equal to N Is read (step S107). Next, a unique identifier is extracted from the head of the read image file (step S109).
[0069]
Next, it is determined whether or not the extracted unique identifier matches the unique identifier in DICOMDIR (step S111). If not, the process returns to step S109 to extract another unique identifier. If they match, the extracted unique identifier is a correct unique identifier, and the process proceeds to the next step S113.
[0070]
Next, an image management number / unique identifier pair is entered as an entry in the image management table as shown in FIG. 8 (step S113), and it is determined whether N is equal to the maximum number of files stored in the medium (step S113). Step S115).
[0071]
If N is not equal to the maximum number of files stored on the medium, N is incremented by 1 to extract the unique identifier from the next image file (step S117), and the process returns to step S105.
[0072]
If N is equal to the maximum number of files stored in the medium, the creation of the image management table has been completed, so preparation is OK, and an image deletion instruction from the host device is awaited.
In an image deletion instruction waiting state, it is determined whether or not there is an image deletion instruction from the host device (step S119). If there is no image deletion instruction, it is determined whether or not there is an operation end instruction (step S133). If there is no operation end instruction, the process returns to step S119 again.
[0073]
Next, when an image deletion instruction is notified from the host device, the determination in step S119 is YES, and then the image management number (IS & C file ID) of the image to be deleted is input (step S121). The image management table is searched by number, and a unique identifier corresponding to the image management number is obtained (step S123).
[0074]
Next, the image file corresponding to the input image management number is deleted from the MOD (step S125).
Next, the DICOMDIR directory record having the unique identifier obtained from the image management table is deleted, and the DICOMDIR link information is updated and written in the MOD (step S127).
[0075]
Next, the entry corresponding to the deleted image is deleted from the image management table to update the image management table (step S129), and the MOD system area is updated to correspond to this image file deletion (step S131). The process returns to the image deletion instruction waiting in S119.
[0076]
If the determination of the end of the operation is YES while waiting for the image deletion instruction in step S119 and step S133, the MOD backup system area is updated (step S135), the MOD is unloaded (step S137), and the process ends. To do.
[0077]
In the second embodiment, as a preparation stage for image deletion, the header portions of all image files stored in the storage medium in advance are read out, and the IS & C file ID that is the image management number and each image file header portion are read out. Is created as an image management table.
For this reason, in addition to the storage area in the first embodiment, it is necessary to add a storage area of about 2 MB at maximum for the image management table.
[0078]
Further, since the MODD 5 has a large and heavy head, the average access speed is slow and the amount of data per image file is large, so that the read time per image is about 1 second. When the largest number of images are stored per MOD medium, the number of images is about 10,000, so it takes about 2 hours to create an image management table. It can be carried out.
[0079]
Once this image management table is created, it is no longer necessary to read out the header portion of the image designated for deletion. After the image is designated, the image file is deleted and the corresponding directory of DICOMDIR which is the image accompanying information The response time until the record deletion is completed is shortened, and the operator can quickly move to the next image deletion. That is, when a large amount of images are deleted, the time for deleting each image is shortened in the second embodiment as compared with the first embodiment, and the work time for the operator can be shortened.
[0080]
As described above, the medical image file apparatus connected to the X-ray imaging apparatus has been described as a preferred embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the X-ray CT apparatus, MRI apparatus, nuclear medicine apparatus, ultrasonic diagnosis is not limited thereto. It is obvious that the present invention can be applied to an image generation apparatus, an image file apparatus, and an image observation apparatus that handle all electronic images such as an apparatus and an electronic endoscope apparatus.
[0081]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when deleting a medical image file from a storage medium, image accompanying information related to the designated medical image file can also be deleted. Therefore, the consistency between the directory and the image file is improved. There is an effect that it is secured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a medical image file device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing an application example of a medical image file device according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image deletion control screen.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment of the medical image file device according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is the first half of a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is the second half of the flowchart explaining the operation of the second embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an image management table used in the second embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the structure of an IS & C file.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a data structure of DICOMDIR.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining a conventional method for deleting a medical image file.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Medical image file apparatus, 3 ... Image file server, 5 ... MODD, 7 ... Image management number input part, 9 ... Network connection part, 11 ... Unique identifier extraction part, 13 ... Image accompanying information search part, 15 ... DICOMDIR update Reference numeral 17: System area update section, 19: Read control section, 21: Erase / write control section, 23: Read data buffer, 25: Image header buffer, 27: DICOMDIR buffer, 29: System area buffer.

Claims (5)

A medical image file deleting method for deleting a specified medical image file and image accompanying information from a storage medium storing a plurality of medical image files and image accompanying information accompanying each medical image file,
A step of specifying an image management number of the medical image file;
Reading a part of the medical image file corresponding to the designated image management number from the storage medium;
Extracting a unique identifier of the medical image file from a part of the read medical image file;
Retrieving image associated information having a unique identifier equal to the extracted unique identifier;
Deleting the retrieved image accompanying information from the storage medium;
A method for deleting a medical image file, comprising: A medical image file deleting method for deleting a specified medical image file and image accompanying information from a storage medium storing a plurality of medical image files and image accompanying information accompanying each medical image file,
A step of specifying an image management number of the medical image file;
Reading a part of the medical image file corresponding to the designated image management number from the storage medium;
Extracting a unique identifier of the medical image file from a part of the read medical image file;
Retrieving image associated information having a unique identifier equal to the extracted unique identifier;
Deleting the medical image file from the storage medium;
Deleting the retrieved image accompanying information from the storage medium;
A method for deleting a medical image file, comprising: The upper digit of the unique identifier includes an organization registration number for identifying a specific organization registered with an international registration agency, and the lower digit of the unique identifier is a medical image collection method, a model of a medical image diagnostic apparatus, and a manufacturing number. 3. The method for deleting a medical image file according to claim 1, comprising any one of medical image collection times or any combination thereof. A medical image file device capable of writing, reading, and deleting a plurality of medical image files and image accompanying information accompanying each medical image file to a storage medium,
An input means for inputting an image management number of a medical image file to be deleted;
Reading means for reading a part of the medical image file corresponding to the input image management number from the storage medium;
Extracting means for extracting a unique identifier of the medical image file from a part of the read medical image file;
Search means for searching for image-accompanying information having a unique identifier equal to the extracted unique identifier;
Deleting means for deleting the retrieved image accompanying information from the storage medium;
A medical image file device comprising: A medical image file device capable of writing, reading, and deleting a plurality of medical image files and image accompanying information accompanying each medical image file to a storage medium,
An input means for inputting an image management number of a medical image file to be deleted;
Reading means for reading a part of the medical image file corresponding to the input image management number from the storage medium;
Extracting means for extracting a unique identifier of the medical image file from a part of the read medical image file;
Search means for searching for image-accompanying information having a unique identifier equal to the extracted unique identifier;
Deleting means for deleting the medical image file and the searched image accompanying information from the storage medium;
A medical image file device comprising:

Images