JP2001252248A - Changeover instrument for medical image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use effectively images of a plurality of medical photographing devices. SOLUTION: The first electronic endoscopic instrument 12, the second electronic endoscopic instrument 14 and a radiograph 16 are connected to a changeover instrument 100, and output signals OP1, OP2 and OP3 from each of the instruments 12, 14 and 16 are inputted to the switching instrument 100. The changeover circuit 110 of the changeover instrument 100 selects one on the basis of keyboard signals K1, K2 and K3 contained in output signals OP1, OP2 and OP3, respectively or a changeover control signal SE from a changeover switch 112 and outputs as a changeover output signal OPc. The malfunction guarantee circuit 120 of the changeover instrument 100 outputs a changeover output signal OPc or the first output signal OP1 by a manual changeover switch 122.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical image switching device for switching images of a plurality of medical photographing devices for use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various images have been photographed by various medical photographing devices at medical sites due to the development of image processing technology, and are used for medical examinations. Specific examples include an X-ray imaging apparatus, an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, and an electronic endoscope apparatus. In particular, in the field of the electronic endoscope device, not only those having different imaging methods depending on the inspection site are used, but also various other functions such as a function of capturing a color image of the inspection site, for example, an ultrasonic image Devices equipped with functions such as imaging a subject and performing medical treatment on a patient have been put to practical use.

[0003]

An image obtained by such various medical imaging apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as a medical image).
Are increasingly used together to make quick and accurate diagnosis. Especially in an electronic endoscope device,
There is an increasing number of situations where it is required to use electronic endoscope devices for different purposes in combination.

[0004] However, the compatibility between the photographing devices is poor.
At present, an image processing device and a monitor device corresponding to each medical imaging device are required. Therefore, it is practically impossible to simultaneously observe images obtained from the respective medical imaging devices on the same monitor, and move to the room where each medical imaging device is provided, or It had to move itself and was a burdensome task for the doctor or patient.

As described above, conventionally, it has been difficult to efficiently observe and utilize images of a plurality of medical photographing apparatuses.

The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medical image switching device capable of efficiently utilizing a plurality of medical images.

[0007]

A medical image switching apparatus according to the present invention is provided with an automatic switching means for receiving signals corresponding to a plurality of medical images and selectively switching the signals based on a predetermined electric signal. And at least one of the signals and an output of the automatic switching means are input, and a manual selecting means for manually selecting one of the signal and the output of the automatic switching means is provided.
As a result, a plurality of medical images can be electrically automatically selected by the automatic switching means and displayed on the same monitor device, thereby improving the operability. Further, even when the automatic switching unit is malfunctioning, the medical image mechanically selected by the manual switching unit can be reliably displayed on the monitor device.

The signals input to the medical image switching device are, specifically, a video signal corresponding to a medical image, a control signal, and a displacement corresponding to ON / OFF of a power supply of a device for outputting the signal. The video signal includes R, G, and B signals and a synchronization signal. In this case, preferably, the automatic switching means of the medical image switching device performs the switching operation based on the keyboard signal.

In the medical image switching apparatus, a signal switching switch for switching an electric signal each time the automatic switching means is pressed may be provided, and the video signal may be sequentially switched in response to the switching of the electric signal. Thereby, an arbitrary video signal can be selected.

[0010] The medical image used in the medical image switching device is captured by, for example, an electronic endoscope device or an X-ray imaging device. A signal corresponding to the obtained medical image is directly input from the electronic endoscope device or the X-ray imaging device to the medical image switching device. Thereby, various medical images can be observed simultaneously.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of a medical image switching apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the medical image switching device, and is a diagram showing each device connected to the medical image switching device.

The three terminals 10 on the input side of the switching device 100
A plurality of medical image capturing devices 12, 14, and 16 are connected to 2, 104, and 106, respectively. Photographing device 1
Reference numerals 2, 14, and 16 denote a first electronic endoscope apparatus 12 using a frame sequential imaging method, a second electronic endoscope apparatus 14 using a single color single-plate simultaneous imaging method, and an X-ray imaging apparatus 16. Each of the first and second electronic endoscope apparatuses 12 and 14 includes a scope inserted into the body and a processor connected to the scope. However, the scope is omitted here to avoid complication of the drawing. I do.

The first output signal O of the first electronic endoscope device 12
P1, the second output signal OP2 of the second electronic endoscope device 14, and the third output signal OP3 of the X-ray imaging device 16 are input to the switching device 100. The first output signal OP1 corresponds to the first video signal V1 of the subject image obtained from the scope, the first serial signal S1 including various control signals, and the power on / off of the first electronic endoscope device 12. The first keyboard signal K1 is included.

Similarly, the second output signal OP2 includes a second video signal V2, a second serial signal S2 and a second keyboard signal K2, and the third output signal OP3 includes a third video signal V3 and a third serial signal. The signal S3 and the third keyboard signal K3 are included. First, second and third video signals V
1, V2 and V3 are R, G, and B of the subject image, respectively.
Includes component signals and synchronization signals.

The switching device 100 includes a switching circuit 110 for electrically switching the output of the connected photographing device, that is, any one of the first to third output signals OP1 to OP3, and a switching control signal to the switching circuit 110. And a changeover switch 112 for outputting SE. The switching circuit 110 is realized by a flip-flop or the like.

The switching circuit 110 selects only the used imaging device among the first and second electronic endoscope devices 12, 14 and the X-ray imaging device 16, and determines whether or not the imaging device is being used. First, second and third keyboard signals K1, K
2 and K3. Each keyboard signal goes high when the power is on.

In an initial state, when a plurality of photographing devices are sequentially turned on and put into a use state, the switching circuit 110 selects the photographing device whose power was last turned on in time series. Thereafter, each time the changeover switch 112 is manually pressed, the output of the currently selected imaging device is sequentially switched to the output of another imaging device each time. The switching device 100 includes a power supply circuit 130 that supplies power to the switching circuit 110.

The switching device 100 has three output terminals 122,
The printer 22, the monitor 24, and the personal computer 26 are connected to one or more of these output terminals. The printer 22 prints an arbitrary still image, and the monitor device 24 displays an image captured by each imaging device as a still image or a moving image. The personal computer 26 is used for filing a still image or a moving image as electronic information on a built-in recording medium such as a hard disk, or an external recording medium such as an optical disk, or processing an image. The device connected to the output side is not limited to this embodiment, but may be a video deck, an image processing device, or the like.

The keyboard 28 is connected to a keyboard terminal 128 of the switching device 100. The keyboard 28 is used for operating the imaging device selected by the switching circuit 110, that is, the first electronic endoscope device 12, the second electronic endoscope device 14, or the X-ray imaging device 16, and for recording medical images. Used when inputting information about the patient.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the printer 22, the monitor device 24, the personal computer 2
6. Peripheral devices of the keyboard 28 are connected to the photographing devices 12, 14, 16 via the switching device 100, thereby enabling the sharing of the peripheral devices 22, 24, 26, 28, and a system including all photographing devices. The overall size can be reduced,
The doctor does not need to move and the burden of consultation is greatly reduced.

The output terminal 122 outputs an output RGB signal Ps included in the output video signal Vs,
And input to the monitor device 24. An output video signal Vs is output from the output terminal 124 and input to the personal computer 26. An output serial signal Ss is output from the output terminal 126 and input to the printer 22 and the personal computer 26. An output keyboard signal Ks is output from the output terminal 128,
Is input to

For example, when the first electronic endoscope device 12 is selected by the switching circuit 110, the first video signal V1 is determined as the output video signal Vs, and the first video signal Vs is set as the output RGB signal Ps. The RGB signal included in V1 is
A first serial signal S1 is output as the output serial signal Ss,
The first keyboard signal K1 as the output keyboard signal Ks
Are defined respectively.

As described above, the switching device 100 includes the switching circuit 110 for electrically switching the output signal based on the switching control signal SE, and the switching circuit 110 is controlled by the switching control signal SE from the switching switch 112. As described above, by switching the signal to be output using the switch corresponding to the switching control signal SE, each medical image can be processed and utilized with high operability. This allows observation of the affected area,
Work efficiency of diagnosis, treatment, etc. is improved.

Although the operability of the switching device 100 is enhanced by the configuration in which the switching circuit 110 is electrically switched automatically, the signal output is interrupted due to an electrical malfunction such as a power failure. There is a possibility that an unexpected interruption of an image may occur during treatment of a patient or the like.

Therefore, when a malfunction of the switching circuit 110 or the like occurs, the first output signal OP1 is reliably output by manually operating the manual changeover switch 122. Thereby, at least the image by the first electronic endoscope device 12 can be observed, so that unexpected interruption of the image can be prevented.

More specifically, an operation failure assurance circuit 120 is provided at the subsequent stage of the switching circuit 110. The operation failure assurance circuit 120 is connected to a manual changeover switch 122 which can be manually turned on / off. Operation failure guarantee circuit 1
20, the switching output signal OPc of the switching circuit 110 and the first
Output signal OP1 is input. At the time of normal operation, the manual changeover switch 122 is set to the off state indicated by the solid line in the figure, and the operation failure assurance circuit 120 outputs the switching output signal OPc of the switching circuit 110. When the operation of the switching circuit 110 or the like is abnormal, the manual changeover switch 122 is set to ON as indicated by a broken line in the figure, and the output of the operation failure guarantee circuit 120 is forcibly switched to the first output signal OP1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of the switching circuit 110. The switching circuit 110 includes the buffer circuit unit 11
4. Operation switching circuit 116 and output buffer circuit 118
Is provided. The buffer circuit section 114 further includes first, second, and third buffer circuits 1141, 1142, and 1
143 are provided, and each buffer circuit 1141, 114
2 and 1143 receive the first, second and third output signals OP1, OP2 and OP3, respectively.

The operation switching circuit 116 supplies each output signal OP
1, keyboard signals K included in OP2 and OP3
1, K2 and K3 and the switching control signal SE are input. The operation switching circuit 116 is connected to the first, second, and third buffer circuits 1141, 1142, and 1143, respectively, and controls permission or prohibition of output of each circuit.

Specifically, when the power is turned on in the order of the first electronic endoscope device 12, the second electronic endoscope device 14, and the X-ray imaging device 16, the first keyboard signal K1, the second keyboard The signal becomes high level in the order of the signal K2 and the third keyboard signal K3, only the output of the third buffer circuit 1143 is permitted, and the first and second buffer circuits 1141 and 1
The output of 142 is prohibited. As a result, only the third output signal OP3 is input to the output buffer circuit 118.

Here, when the switch control signal SE changes from low level to high level for a certain period of time by pressing the switch 112, the buffer circuit whose output is permitted is changed from the third buffer circuit 1143 to the second buffer circuit 1142.
, And the second output signal OP2 is input to the output buffer circuit 118. When the switch 112 is further pressed, the output of only the first buffer circuit 1141 is permitted, and the first output signal OP1 is input to the output buffer circuit 118.

As described above, the operation switching circuit 116 is connected to the first, second, and third buffer circuits 1141, 1142, and 1143, and the operation switching circuit 116 is connected to any one of the first, second, and third buffers. Circuits 1141, 114
2 or 1143 is valid.

The output buffer circuit 118 includes first, second,
After temporarily holding a signal selected from the third output signals OP1, OP2, OP3, the signal is output as a switching output signal OPc, that is, as a switching video signal Vc, a switching output serial signal Sc, and a switching output keyboard signal Kc.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing details of the operation failure guarantee circuit 120. The operation failure assurance circuit 120 includes three interlocked switches 132, 134, and 136.
The switch 132 receives the first video signal V1 and the switching video signal Vc, the switch 134 receives the first serial signal S1 and the switching output serial signal Sc, and the switch 136 receives the first keyboard signal K1 and the switching output keyboard. The signal Kc is input.

When the manual changeover switch 122 is in the off position indicated by the solid line, all the switches 132, 134 and 136 select the switching output video signal Vc, the switching output serial signal Sc and the switching output keyboard signal Kc, and output the output video signal Vs , Output serial signal Ss and output keyboard signal Ks. When the manual changeover switch 122 is in the ON position shown by the broken line, all the switches 132, 134,
136 selects the first video signal V1, the first serial signal S1, and the first keyboard signal K1.

As described above, the switching device 10 of the first embodiment
According to 0, an operation failure assurance circuit 120 that can select the first video signal V1, the first serial signal S1, and the first keyboard signal K1 in conjunction with the manual changeover switch 122 is provided, so that the operation failure of the switching circuit 110 and the like is provided. Can be observed even by the first electronic endoscope device 12 even when the image is generated, it is possible to prevent an unexpected interruption of the image.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described. In the figure, the same or corresponding parts as in the first embodiment are indicated by adding 100 to the reference numerals. The description of the same configuration is omitted. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the switching device, and FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram of the operation assurance circuit.

In the first embodiment, in addition to the switching output signal OPc, the first output signal O
Although only P1 has been input, in the switching device 200 of the second embodiment, all the first, second and third output signals OP1, OP2, OP3 are input to the operation failure guarantee circuit 220.

The changeover switch 222 can be switched in four stages. In response to the manual operation of the changeover switch 222, the three switches 232, 234 and 236 of the operation failure guarantee circuit 220 operate as the changeover output signal OPc and the first output. Signal OP
1, one of the second output signal OP2 and the third output signal OP3 is selected and output.

As described above, the switching device 200 of the second embodiment
According to the first, second, and third output signals OP1, OP2,
By inputting all of OP3 to the operation failure guarantee circuit 120, an arbitrary output signal is selected by the manual changeover switch 222, and the output video signal Vs and the output serial signal S are selected.
s, and can be output as an output keyboard signal Ks. Therefore, an arbitrary image can be displayed even at the time of malfunction.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, images of a plurality of medical devices can be efficiently processed and utilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a medical image switching device according to the present invention, and is a block diagram shown together with a plurality of photographing devices and peripheral devices.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing details of a switching circuit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing details of an operation failure guarantee circuit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the medical image switching device according to the present invention, and is a block diagram simply showing the configuration;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing details of the operation failure guarantee circuit shown in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 First electronic endoscope device 14 Second electronic endoscope device 16 X-ray imaging device 22 Printer 24 Monitor device 26 Personal computer 28 Keyboard 110, 210 Switching circuit 112, 212 Switching switch 120, 220 Operation failure guarantee circuit 122, 222 Manual switch

Claims (7)

[Claims] An automatic switching unit that receives a signal corresponding to each of a plurality of medical images and selectively switches the signal based on a predetermined electric signal; and at least one of the signals.
And an output of the automatic switching means, and a manual selection means for manually selecting one of the signal and the output of the automatic switching means. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal includes a video signal corresponding to the medical image, a control signal, and a keyboard signal that changes in response to turning on / off a power supply of a device that outputs the signal. The medical image switching device according to claim 1. 3. The medical image switching device according to claim 2, wherein the video signal includes R, G, B signals and a synchronization signal. 4. The medical image switching device according to claim 2, wherein the automatic switching unit performs a switching operation based on the keyboard signal. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said automatic switching means includes a signal changeover switch for switching said electric signal each time it is depressed, and sequentially switches said signal in response to switching of said electric signal. The switching device for medical images according to the above. 6. The medical endoscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medical image is taken by an electronic endoscope apparatus, and a signal corresponding to the medical image is input to the electronic endoscope apparatus. Medical image switching device. 7. The medical system according to claim 1, wherein the medical image is captured by an X-ray imaging apparatus, and a signal corresponding to the medical image is input to the X-ray imaging apparatus. Image switching device.