JPWO2009063900A1 - Medical image display device and display control method - Google Patents

Abstract

The operability at the time of consecutively switching and displaying images of a series of medical images is improved without imposing a heavy load on the memory of the medical image display device. According to the client terminal 20 according to the present invention, a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are located before and after the medical image displayed on the display unit 23 are acquired from the image management server 10 and stored in the image memory area 251 in advance. .

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical image display apparatus and a display control method.

  In the medical field, digitization of medical images taken of patients has been realized. Digitization is performed by various modalities such as an image generation device such as a CR (Computed Radiography) device, a CT (Computed Tomography) device, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) device, and a cassette reading device. The digitized medical image is centrally managed by the management server together with incidental information such as patient information and examination information of the patient. Specifically, a medical image management system (hereinafter referred to as PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication)) in which a medical image and DICOM basic information conforming to the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard are registered and managed in the database of the management server. System))) is used.

  Medical images managed by the PACS management server are displayed on the monitor of the client terminal and used for interpretation by the doctor. Generally, in a client terminal, a medical image requested to be displayed by a doctor's operation is acquired from a management server via a communication network, stored in a local memory, and then subjected to a series of processes such as reading an image from the local memory. Medical images are displayed on the monitor.

  However, when a medical image is displayed, if a series of processes as described above are sequentially performed, a time loss occurs between the time when the doctor issues a display request and the diagnosis is performed on the monitor, and the interpretation operability is reduced. Deteriorate.

  Therefore, as a technique for speeding up the display of medical images, for example, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of medical images necessary for a single interpretation by an interpreter and the display order thereof are set in advance as an image group. At the time of image interpretation, reading the first image of the group selected as a display target, gradation conversion, storage in the frame memory, display, and readout of the medical image to be displayed next, gradation conversion, frame memory An image interpretation apparatus is described that enables the next image display to be performed at a high speed by storing the image.

In Patent Document 2, a series of diagnostic images included in image information selected from a list of image information related to selected patient information is read from an image storage unit and stored in advance in a cache memory. A medical image display device is described in which the next diagnostic image can be displayed at a high speed by placing the image on the screen.
JP 2000-293528 A JP 2004-73680 A

 By the way, in MDCT (Multi-Detector CT) that has been widely used in recent years, 2000 or more medical images are generated by one imaging. Usually, in such interpretation of a series of medical images, the doctor first shortens the interpretation time per image in order to grasp the whole image, and successively switches the displayed images to display images. Display. However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since only the next image is stored in the frame memory on the client side, the above-described interpretation method in which images are continuously switched causes a waiting time. Become.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, all diagnostic images to be interpreted are stored in a cache memory in advance. If the number of images to be interpreted is about several tens, it can be operated without problems even if applied to PACS. . However, about 0.5 MB of medical images generated by MDCT in one imaging operation reaches about 2000 images, and a memory capacity of 1 GB or more is consumed only by holding medical images. . In this case, the cache memory of the medical image display apparatus is compressed, and there is a possibility that other applications may be adversely affected.

  An object of the present invention is to improve the operability when continuously switching and displaying images of a series of medical image groups without imposing a high load on the memory of the medical image display device.

In order to solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention,
A medical image is acquired from an image management apparatus that stores a series of medical image groups attached with image numbers, the acquired medical image is stored in an internal memory, and the medical image is read from the memory and displayed on a display unit. A medical image display device,
Before and after image acquisition means for acquiring a plurality of medical images having image numbers positioned before and after the medical image displayed on the display means from the image management apparatus;
Is provided.

A setting unit for setting a usable amount in the memory when the medical image acquired by the front-rear image acquiring unit is stored in the memory;
The front-rear image acquiring unit acquires a plurality of medical images having image numbers positioned before and after the medical image displayed on the display unit within a usable amount set by the setting unit. Is preferred.

An operation means for selectively requesting display of a medical image whose image number is positioned one before or a medical image positioned immediately after the medical image displayed on the display means;
Among the plurality of medical images acquired by the front and rear image acquisition means and stored in the memory when the display request operation for the medical image whose image number is positioned one before is continuously performed by the operation means, The ratio of the medical image having the image number positioned before the medical image displayed on the display means is increased, and the display request operation for the medical image whose image number is positioned immediately after the operation means is continuously performed. Of the plurality of medical images acquired by the preceding and following image acquiring means and stored in the memory, the proportion of the medical image whose image number is located after the medical image displayed on the display means is increased. It is preferable to further include a front / rear ratio adjustment means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention,
A medical image is acquired from an image management apparatus that stores a series of medical image groups attached with image numbers, the acquired medical image is stored in an internal memory, and the medical image is read from the memory and displayed on a display unit. A display control method in a medical image display device, comprising:
A before-and-after image acquisition step of acquiring a plurality of medical images having image numbers positioned before and after the medical image displayed on the display means from the image management device;
including.

  A setting step for setting a usable amount in the memory when the medical image acquired by the front-rear image acquisition step is stored in the memory, the front-rear image acquisition step being displayed on the display means It is preferable to acquire a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are positioned in front of and behind the existing medical image within the range of the usable amount set in the setting step.

A display requesting step for selectively requesting display of a medical image whose image number is located immediately before or a medical image located immediately after the medical image displayed on the display means by an operation means;
Among the plurality of medical images acquired by the front and rear image acquisition step and stored in the memory when a display request operation for a medical image whose image number is positioned by the operation unit is continuously performed by the operation unit, The ratio of the medical image having the image number positioned before the medical image displayed on the display means is increased, and the display request operation for the medical image whose image number is positioned immediately after the operation means is continuously performed. Of the plurality of medical images acquired by the preceding and following image acquisition process and stored in the memory, the ratio of the medical image whose image number is located after the medical image displayed on the display unit is increased. A ratio adjustment step before and after,
It is preferable that it is further included.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are positioned before and after the displayed medical image are obtained in advance from the image management apparatus. When selecting and interpreting images in sequence, the time to acquire an image from the image management device after a display request is saved, making it possible to speed up the display of medical images and improving operability during interpretation be able to. In addition, since the image acquired in advance is a medical image in which the image number is positioned before and after the displayed medical image, it is different from a case where all images in a series of medical images are acquired in advance. The operability can be improved without imposing high load on the memory.

  In addition, when storing medical images acquired by the front and rear image acquisition means (front and rear image acquisition step) in the memory, the apparatus has setting means (setting step) for setting the usable amount in the memory. In the acquisition means (front-rear image acquisition step), a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are positioned forward and backward with respect to the medical image displayed on the display means are set to the usable amount set in the setting means (setting step). By obtaining within the range, it is possible to minimize the amount of memory used and to improve the operability by efficiently using the memory without applying a high load.

  In addition, when a display request operation for a medical image whose image number is positioned immediately before is performed by the operation unit, a plurality of sheets acquired by the front and rear image acquisition unit (front and rear image acquisition step) and stored in the memory Of the medical images, the proportion of the medical image whose image number is located before the medical image displayed on the display means is increased, and the display request operation for the medical image whose image number is located immediately after the operation means is continuously performed. In this case, among the plurality of medical images acquired by the front-rear image acquisition unit (front-rear image acquisition step) and stored in the memory, the medical number whose image number is located after the medical image displayed on the display unit By further including a front-rear ratio adjustment means (front-rear ratio adjustment step) for increasing the ratio of the image, the image number is positioned in front of the medical image displayed by the operator. Even if you request to display medical images one after another or request to display consecutive medical images whose image numbers are one after the displayed medical images, they are requested without delay. The displayed image can be displayed.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the medical image management system in embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the client terminal shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the image display control process performed by CPU of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the front images F1-Fn and back image B1-Bm before execution of a front-back ratio adjustment process. It is a figure which shows an example of front image F1-Fn and back image B1-Bm when the display request continuous to the front was made by the display request. It is a figure which shows an example of the front images F1-Fn and back image B1-Bm when the display request continuous in the back direction is made | formed by the display request.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples.

[Configuration of Medical Image Management System 100]
FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of the medical image management system 100.
The medical image management system 100 is a system installed in a hospital. As shown in FIG. 1, a medical image management system 100 includes an image management server 10 as an image management apparatus and a client terminal 20 as a medical image display apparatus. Each apparatus is a LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (WAN). It is connected to be able to transmit and receive data via a communication network N composed of a communication line such as a Wide Area Network. Each device constituting the medical image management system 100 conforms to the DICOM (Digital Image and Communications in Medicine) standard, and communication between the devices is performed according to DICOM. The number of each device is not particularly limited.

  The image management server 10 is a computer device that accumulates, stores, and manages medical image data generated by various modalities such as CT, MRI, CR, and incidental information related to medical images. Specifically, the image management server 10 includes a storage device 15 configured by a hard disk or the like. The storage device 15 stores a medical image DB 151 that stores medical image data and an auxiliary information DB 152 that stores additional information related to medical images stored in a medical image DB (Data Base) 151 in a searchable manner.

  Medical images stored in the medical image DB 151 are stored in a DICOM file format that conforms to the DICOM standard. The DICOM file is composed of an image part and a header part. Actual data of the medical image is written in the image portion, and supplementary information related to the medical image is written in the header portion.

  The incidental information includes, for example, patient information, examination information, series information, and detailed image information.

The patient information includes patient identification information for identifying the patient (for example, patient ID), various information related to the patient of the medical image such as the patient's name, sex, date of birth, and the like.
The examination information includes examination identification information (for example, examination ID) for identifying the examination, examination date, and various types of information relating to the examination such as a doctor in charge.

The series information includes various information related to the series such as the series number for identifying the series in the same examination, the type of modality that generated the medical image included in the series, and the examination site.
Here, the series refers to a group of a series of medical images related to each other. For example, in a CT apparatus, since a tomogram over a certain range, such as from the chest to the abdomen, is taken, a plurality of medical images (tomographic images) in units of 100 to several thousand images are generated by one imaging. In such a case, each tomographic image obtained by the same imaging is handled as belonging to one series. A series of medical images belonging to one series is called a series image. The same series information is attached to all medical images belonging to the same series.

The detailed image information includes image identification information for identifying a medical image (for example, an image ID), an image number given when the medical image is generated, an image generation time, and a file path name indicating the storage location of the medical image. Various information related to the image is included.
The image number is a number indicating the arrangement order of medical images generated as the same series. The arrangement order of medical images is, for example, the generation order (imaging order) of medical images. For example, when 2000 medical images are generated from the chest to the abdomen by one imaging with the CT apparatus, each of the series of medical images is assigned an image number of 1 to 2000 in the generation order.

  In response to a search request from the client terminal 20 via the communication network N, the image management server 10 searches the supplementary information DB 152 for a medical image that matches the condition transmitted from the client terminal 20, and the medical image that matches the condition. The image list data is transmitted to the client terminal 20. Also, the medical image data requested to be acquired from the client terminal 20 is read from the medical image DB 151 and transmitted to the client terminal 20.

  The client terminal 20 is a terminal device such as a PC (Personal Computer) for acquiring medical images stored and stored in the image management server 10 and displaying them for interpretation by a doctor.

[Configuration of Client Terminal 20]
FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of the client terminal 20.
As shown in FIG. 2, the client terminal 20 includes a CPU 21, an operation unit 22, a display unit 23, a communication unit 24, a RAM 25, a storage unit 26, and the like, and each unit is connected by a bus 27.

  The CPU 21 reads a system program and various processing programs stored in the storage unit 26, develops them in a work area formed in the RAM 25, and controls each unit according to the program.

  The operation unit 22 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, numeric input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse. The operation signal is input to the CPU 21 through key operations on the keyboard and mouse operations. Output.

  The display unit 23 is configured by a monitor such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), and displays various screens, medical images, and the like according to instructions of display signals input from the CPU 21.

  The communication unit 24 includes a LAN adapter, a router, a TA (Terminal Adapter), and the like, and transmits and receives data to and from each device connected to the communication network N.

  The RAM 25 forms a work area that temporarily stores various programs, input or output data, parameters, and the like read from the storage unit 26 in various processes controlled and executed by the CPU 21.

  The RAM 25 has an image memory area 251 for temporarily storing medical image data acquired from the image management server 10. The memory capacity that can be used as the image memory area 251 in the RAM 25 can be set via the operation unit 22 as setting means.

  For example, when setting of the image memory capacity is selected by the operation unit 22 from the menu screen initially displayed on the display unit 23, the setting screen is displayed on the display unit 23. Although not shown, the setting screen includes an input field for inputting a numerical value of a memory capacity usable as the image memory area 251 and a setting button for inputting a setting instruction with the numerical value input in the input field. From this setting screen, a numerical value of usable memory capacity is input to the image memory area 251 by the operation unit 22 and when the setting button is pressed, the input numerical value is set as a usable memory capacity as the image memory area 251. And stored in the storage unit 26.

The storage unit 26 includes an HDD (Hard Disc), a semiconductor nonvolatile memory, or the like.
The storage unit 26 includes a system program executed by the CPU 21, various programs including an image display control processing program, data necessary for executing these programs, and a memory capacity usable for the image memory area 251. Various setting information and the like are stored. Various programs are stored in the storage unit 26 in the form of computer-readable program codes, and the CPU 21 sequentially executes operations according to the program codes.

[Operation of Client Terminal 20]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

(Image display request)
First, an operation when a request for displaying a medical image is performed by the operation unit 22 in the client terminal 20 will be described.

First, an operator such as a doctor inputs medical image search conditions and a search request on a search screen (not shown) of the display unit 23 via the operation unit 22. For example, as a search condition, an examination date, an examination ID, a patient ID, a combination thereof, or the like can be input. When a medical image search condition is input from the operation unit 22, the CPU 21 transmits the input search condition and search request to the image management server 10 via the communication unit 24, and the image management server 10 matches the search condition. The list data of the medical images obtained is acquired. When the list data is acquired, the CPU 21 displays an image selection screen (not shown) based on the acquired list data on the display unit 23. The image selection screen displays, for example, a list having items such as an examination ID, a patient ID, a patient name, a modality type, an examination part / direction, and a series number in an examination unit (a series unit when a series is included), and a display unit The medical image to be displayed on the screen 23 can be selected via the operation unit 22. When a medical image to be displayed is selected from the list data displayed on the display unit 23 by the operation of the operation unit 22 by the operator, the CPU 21 recognizes that the display request for the selected medical image has been input. .

  When a medical image display request is input, the CPU 21 acquires the medical image requested to be displayed from the image management server 10 and displays it on the display unit 23.

  Specifically, when a series (series image) is selected from the image selection screen displayed on the display unit 23, the CPU 21 selects an image number from among a series of medical image groups constituting the selected series image. It is recognized that the display request for the smallest medical image has been input. Then, the image display control process shown in FIG. 3 is executed, and the medical image having the smallest image number in the selected series image is acquired from the image management server 10 and displayed on the display unit 23.

  Here, when interpreting a series image, the doctor first displays a series of medical images one after another while shortening the interpretation time per image, and specifies the position of the lesion through the whole image. At this time, the doctor continuously requests display of a series of medical images in a direction in which the image number is larger (referred to as a backward direction). However, at a portion where a shadow that seems to be a lesion is seen, a display request may be made retrospectively in the direction in which the image number is smaller (referred to as the forward direction) to observe in detail.

  Therefore, in the client terminal 20, in a state where a certain medical image constituting the series image is displayed on the display unit 23, a medical image to be displayed next with respect to the displayed medical image by the operation unit 22. By performing the operation of selecting the direction in which the image number is located (“front” or “rear” with respect to the displayed medical image), the image number is positioned one position earlier with respect to the displayed medical image. It is possible to selectively input a display request for a medical image to be performed or a request for display of a medical image positioned immediately after. This selection operation includes, for example, a mouse wheel operation of the operation unit 22 (for example, “front” if it is rotated upward, “rear” if it is rotated downward), and a pressing operation of an arrow key on the keyboard (for example, This is done by up / down operation of the scroll bar displayed on the screen of the display unit 23, etc.) when the up (right) arrow key is pressed, "front", when the down (left) arrow key is pressed, "back", etc. be able to.

  Note that “the medical image whose image number is one position before the displayed medical image” is an image number that is one smaller than the image number of the displayed medical image in the series of medical images. Refers to a medical image. For example, when the image number of the displayed medical image is 3, it indicates a medical image with image number 2 attached thereto. In addition, the “medical image whose image number is one position after the displayed medical image” is a medical image attached with an image number one greater than the image number of the displayed medical image in the series of medical images. Refers to the image. For example, when the image number of the displayed medical image is 3, it indicates a medical image with the image number 4 attached thereto.

  When the direction of whether to display “front” or “back” of the displayed medical image is input by the operation unit 22, the CPU 21 moves the input direction to the displayed medical image. It is recognized that a medical image having consecutive image numbers is selected and a display request is input. Then, the image display control process shown in FIG. 3 is executed, and medical images having consecutive image numbers in the selected direction with respect to the displayed medical images are displayed on the display unit 23. The direction selected by the operation unit 22 is stored in the work area of the RAM 25.

(Image display control processing)
The image display control process executed by the CPU 21 will be described below with reference to FIG. This processing is performed by selecting an image display control processing program stored in the CPU 21 and the storage unit 26 when a medical image constituting a series image is selected as a medical image to be displayed by the operation unit 22 and an image display request is input. It is realized by software processing in cooperation with.

  First, in steps S1 and S2, based on the input display request, a front / rear ratio adjustment process for adjusting the ratio of the previous image and the rear image stored in the image memory area 251 in the subsequent image acquisition process is executed. . As shown in FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C, in the subsequent stage image acquisition processing, an image number is assigned to a displayed medical image (referred to as display image C) in a series of medical image groups constituting the series image. This is a process of acquiring a plurality of medical images (front and back images) positioned before and after from the image management server 10 and storing them in the image memory area 251 in advance before a display request is made. Here, “a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are positioned in front of and behind the displayed medical image in the series of medical images constituting the series image” means that a series constituting the series image. Points to a plurality of medical images located before and after the displayed medical image, and the front image (shown as F1 to Fn) and the rear image shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C Consists of images (B1 to Bm). Of the medical images stored prior to the image memory area 251, the previous image is positioned before the image number of the display image C (that is, the image number (No.) is smaller than the display image C). ) Refers to a medical image, and the subsequent image refers to a medical image whose image number is located after the image number of the display image C (that is, the image number is larger than the display image C).

  In the front-rear ratio adjustment process, first, when an image display request is input by the operation unit 22, it is determined whether the display requests are continuous in the same direction (step S1). Specifically, whether the direction ("front" or "back") selected at the time of the current display request is the same direction as the direction selected at the previous display request ("front" or "back") Is judged. If it is determined that the display requests are not continuous in the same direction (step S1; NO), the process proceeds to step S3. On the other hand, if it is determined that the image display request is continuous in the same direction (step S1; YES), the proportion of the medical images stored in the image memory area 251 is occupied by the medical images selected in a continuous direction. The ratio between the previous image and the subsequent image is increased and stored in the work area of the RAM 25 (step S2). Specifically, when continuous display requests in the forward direction are input from the operation unit 22, that is, display requests for a medical image whose image number is positioned immediately before the medical image displayed on the display unit 23 are continuous. In the case where it has been made, among the medical images stored in the image memory area 251 in the front and rear image acquisition processing, the medical image whose image number is located before the medical image displayed on the display unit 23 (that is, the previous image). The proportion of the previous image and the rear image is stored in the work area of the RAM 25. When continuous display requests in the backward direction are input by the operation unit 22, that is, when display requests for medical images whose image numbers are located one after the medical image displayed on the display unit 23 are continuously made. Of the medical images stored in the image memory area 251 in the front-rear image acquisition process, the proportion of the medical image whose image number is located after the medical image displayed on the display unit 23 (that is, the rear image) is increased. The ratio of the previous image and the subsequent image is stored in the work area of the RAM 25. Then, the process proceeds to step S3.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the ratios of the previous images F1 to Fn and the subsequent images B1 to Bm before the execution of the front / rear ratio adjustment processing are equal, the continuous display in the forward direction by the current image display request If the request is made, the ratio of the previous images F1 to Fn in the image memory area 251 is increased by executing the front / rear ratio adjustment process as shown in FIG. 4B. Also, if a continuous display request is made in the backward direction by the current image display request, the ratio of the subsequent images B1 to Bn in the image memory area 251 is increased as shown in FIG. Will be increased. 4A to 4C, n + m is the number of medical images corresponding to the memory capacity that can be used in the image memory area 251.

Next, display control processing is executed in steps S3 to S5.
In the display control process, it is determined whether or not the image selected at the time of the display request, that is, the image requested to be displayed exists in the image memory area 251 of the RAM 25, and if it is determined that it exists (step S3; YES). The image requested to be displayed is read from the image memory area 251 and displayed on the display unit 23 (step S5), and the process proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, if it is determined that the image requested to be displayed does not exist in the image memory area 251 of the RAM 25 (step S3; NO), the image requested to be displayed is acquired from the image management server 10 via the communication unit 24, It is stored in the image memory area 251 (step S4). Then, the acquired image is read from the image memory area 251 and displayed on the display unit 23 (step S5), and the process proceeds to step S6.

  In step S6, it is determined whether or not a new display request has been input by the operation unit 22, and if it is determined that a new display request has been input (step S6; YES), the process returns to step S1. If it is determined that a new display request has not been input (step S6; NO), a front and rear image acquisition process is executed in steps S7 to S11.

  In the front-rear image acquisition process, first, based on the ratio of the previous image and the rear image determined in the front-rear ratio adjustment process and the memory capacity usable as the image memory area 251 set by the setting unit, Image numbers of medical images to be acquired (a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are positioned before and after the displayed medical image) are determined, and a list (referred to as an image list) is generated (step) S7). That is, the image number of the medical image corresponding to the front images F1 to Fn and the image number of the medical image corresponding to the back images B1 to Bm in FIGS. 4A to 4C are determined.

  Next, among the medical images stored in the image memory area 251, medical images (excluding display images) that do not correspond to the image list determined in step S7 are discarded (deleted) from the image memory area 251 (step S8). ). In addition, a medical image corresponding to the image list and having the image number closest to the display image displayed in step S5 among the medical images not yet stored in the image memory area 251 is acquired from the image management server 10. And stored in the image memory area 251 (step S9).

  Next, it is determined whether or not a new display request has been input by the operation unit 22, and if it is determined that a new display request has been input (step S10; YES), the process returns to step S1. If it is determined that a new display request has not been input (step S10; NO), it is determined whether or not all medical images in the image list have been stored in the image memory area 251, and it has been determined that they have not yet been stored. When done (step S11; NO), the process returns to step S9. If it is determined that all the medical images in the image list are stored in the image memory area 251 (step S11; YES), this process ends.

  As described above, according to the client terminal 20, when a display request for one image in a series of medical image groups constituting a series image is input by the operation unit 22, the medical image requested to be displayed is an image. It is determined whether or not the image is stored in the memory area 251, and if it is stored, the corresponding medical image is read out from the image memory area 251 and displayed on the display unit 23. The medical image to be acquired is acquired from the image management server 10 via the communication network N and displayed on the display unit 23. Also, a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are positioned before and after the displayed medical image are acquired from the image management server 10 and stored in the image memory area 251.

  Accordingly, a plurality of medical images with image numbers positioned before and after the displayed medical image are acquired in advance and stored in the image memory area 251 before the actual display request is made. In order to pass through a series of images constituting the series, the display-requested medical images are stored in the approximate image memory area 251 when display requests are sequentially made in order of image numbers and the display images are switched. As a result, the time for acquiring an image from the image management server 10 is omitted, and the requested medical image can be displayed at a high speed to improve the operability during interpretation. In addition, since the image acquired in advance is a medical image in which the image number is positioned before and after the displayed medical image, it differs from the case where all the images constituting the series image are acquired in advance. Thus, it is possible to efficiently display the requested medical image by efficiently using the memory without applying a high load.

  Further, since the memory capacity that can be used as the image memory area 251 in the RAM 25 can be set via the operation unit 22 as setting means, the memory usage is kept to a minimum and the RAM 25 is subjected to a high load. Therefore, it is possible to use the medical image efficiently without affecting the other applications and systems.

  Further, when it is requested to continuously display a medical image in the same direction (image number is forward or backward with respect to the displayed medical image), it is acquired in advance and stored in the image memory area 251. The ratio of medical images in the requested direction in the medical image is automatically increased, so even when the operator requests display one after another in the same direction, it is requested without delay. An image can be displayed.

  The description in the above-described embodiment is an example of a suitable medical image management system according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the series image has been described as selecting an image to be displayed by selecting whether the image number is forward or backward from the currently displayed medical image. A configuration may be adopted in which an image to be displayed is selected by directly specifying an image number.

  In the above description, an example in which an HDD, a semiconductor nonvolatile memory, or the like is used as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention is disclosed, but the present invention is not limited to this example. As another computer-readable medium, a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM can be applied. Further, a carrier wave is also applied as a medium for providing program data according to the present invention via a communication line.

  In addition, it is needless to say that the detailed configuration and detailed operation of each component of the medical image management system in the present embodiment can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  It should be noted that Japanese Patent Application No. No. 1993 filed on Nov. 16, 2007 including the specification, claims, drawings and abstract. The entire disclosure of 2007-298096 is incorporated in its entirety into this application.

  In the medical field, there is a possibility of use in a medical image display device that displays a medical image for diagnosis by a doctor.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Medical image management system 10 Image management server 15 Storage device 151 Medical image DB
152 incidental information DB
20 Client terminal 21 CPU
22 Operation unit 23 Display unit 24 Communication unit 25 RAM
251 Image memory area 26 Storage unit 27 Bus

Claims (6)

A medical image is acquired from an image management apparatus that stores a series of medical image groups attached with image numbers, the acquired medical image is stored in an internal memory, and the medical image is read from the memory and displayed on a display unit. A medical image display device,
Before and after image acquisition means for acquiring a plurality of medical images having image numbers positioned before and after the medical image displayed on the display means from the image management apparatus;
A medical image display device comprising: A setting unit for setting a usable amount in the memory when the medical image acquired by the front-rear image acquiring unit is stored in the memory;
The front-rear image acquisition unit acquires a plurality of medical images having image numbers positioned before and after the medical image displayed on the display unit within a usable amount set by the setting unit. Item 2. The medical image display device according to Item 1. An operation means for selectively requesting display of a medical image whose image number is positioned one before or a medical image positioned immediately after the medical image displayed on the display means;
Among the plurality of medical images acquired by the front and rear image acquisition means and stored in the memory when the display request operation for the medical image whose image number is positioned one before is continuously performed by the operation means, The ratio of the medical image having the image number positioned before the medical image displayed on the display means is increased, and the display request operation for the medical image whose image number is positioned immediately after the operation means is continuously performed. Of the plurality of medical images acquired by the preceding and following image acquiring means and stored in the memory, the proportion of the medical image whose image number is located after the medical image displayed on the display means is increased. The medical image display apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a front / rear ratio adjustment unit. A medical image is acquired from an image management apparatus that stores a series of medical image groups attached with image numbers, the acquired medical image is stored in an internal memory, and the medical image is read from the memory and displayed on a display unit. A display control method in a medical image display device, comprising:
A before-and-after image acquisition step of acquiring a plurality of medical images having image numbers positioned before and after the medical image displayed on the display means from the image management device;
A display control method including: Including a setting step for setting a usable amount in the memory when the medical image acquired by the front-rear image acquisition step is stored in the memory;
The front-rear image acquisition step acquires a plurality of medical images whose image numbers are positioned forward and backward with respect to the medical image displayed on the display means within a usable amount set in the setting step. Item 5. The display control method according to Item 4. A display requesting step for selectively requesting display of a medical image whose image number is located immediately before or a medical image located immediately after the medical image displayed on the display means by an operation means;
Among the plurality of medical images acquired by the front and rear image acquisition step and stored in the memory when a display request operation for a medical image whose image number is positioned by the operation unit is continuously performed by the operation unit, The ratio of the medical image having the image number positioned before the medical image displayed on the display means is increased, and the display request operation for the medical image whose image number is positioned immediately after the operation means is continuously performed. Of the plurality of medical images acquired by the preceding and following image acquisition process and stored in the memory, the ratio of the medical image whose image number is located after the medical image displayed on the display unit is increased. A ratio adjustment step before and after,
The display control method according to claim 5, further comprising:

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