JP2002158853A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily perform comparison and interpretation of radiogram at the time of diagnosing a film where the radiation pictures of right and left breasts are reproduced on a Schaukasten. SOLUTION: In a picture processor, a position adjusting means 4 adjusts a reproduction position so that the chest wall side of the breast in the radiation picture of one breast is reproduced on the side edge of the film and the pictures of the right and left breasts can be observed by making the chest wall sides of the respective breasts to be back to back.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus for performing position adjustment for outputting an image representing one breast to a film.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image signal representing an image obtained by various methods has been subjected to image processing such as gradation conversion processing and frequency emphasis processing to improve the image observation and interpretation performance. Is being done. Especially in the field of medical images such as radiation images of the human body, it is necessary for specialists such as doctors to accurately diagnose the presence or absence of a patient's disease or injury based on the obtained images. Image processing, such as improving the image interpretation performance, is indispensable for such images.

[0003] With the recent development of computer technology,
The image subjected to the above-described image processing is displayed on a display device such as a CRT, and assists a doctor or the like in diagnosis.

[0004] However, due to demands for ease of diagnosis and convenience of joint diagnosis by a plurality of physicians, it is necessary to output an image on which image processing such as gradation processing has been performed to a film and to read and observe the image on a Shakasten. Has also been performed in medical practice. At that time, the captured image is located in the center of the film,
A film format in which margins are provided at the top, bottom, left, and right of a film for a shooting date, a shooting number, and the like is common.

[0005]

By the way, in the screening for breast cancer, since it is extremely rare that tumors appear on the left and right breasts at the same time, radiographs are taken on the left and right breasts, and radiation images of the left and right breasts are obtained. By side-by-side comparison, comparative reading is often performed to compare the presence or absence of abnormality in one breast.

[0006] Even in this case, the left and right breast images obtained by photographing the set are subjected to image processing such as gradation processing, output to a film, and the chest wall of the left and right breast images is displayed on a shaker stainless steel. As shown in FIG. 5, the film A and the film B are placed on the left and right breasts (A is a film of the right breast image of the patient, and B is a film of the left breast image of the same patient). Even if the chest wall is placed on the shaker stainless so that the chest wall side is aligned, there is a space between the images of both breasts due to the margin of the film, so that the chest wall side cannot be aligned. Therefore, it is difficult to compare the images of the right and left breasts, and the accuracy of diagnosis cannot be made sufficient.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when reading and observing a film on which an image of one breast has been output side by side with a film on which an image of the other breast has been output on a shaker stainless steel. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus which enables the chest wall side to be brought into contact.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An image processing apparatus according to the present invention performs a position adjustment process on data representing an image representing a radiation image of one breast when outputting the image representing the image to a film. Image position adjustment for adjusting the reproduction position so that the chest wall side of the breast in the image is reproduced on the side edge of the film, and the left and right breast images can be observed with the breast walls of each breast back to back. It is characterized by having means.

That is, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention has a structure shown in FIG.
Instead of the film format of the film A or the film B shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 1, when an image of one breast and an image of the other breast taken separately are output to film, , So that it is easy to read and observe
The breast wall side of each breast is output to the side edge of the film, so that the breast wall of each breast is back-to-back for a film format that allows observation. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the reproduction position with respect to the acquired breast image, and the image position adjustment means of the image processing apparatus of the present invention is, for example, a right breast image (FIG. 2A). SR), the image is rotated 180 degrees and right-justified, reproduced on a film to obtain a film image of A 'shown in FIG. 1, and an image (SL) of the left breast shown in FIG. ) Is performed, the image is reproduced on a film, and a film image of B ′ shown in FIG. 1 is obtained.

The image position adjusting means may be used to adjust the position of the input breast image based on visual observation or the like. The image position adjusting means
Provide a setting means having a menu that can set position designation information such as degree rotation, right justification, left justification, not moving, etc., for the input breast image, set the position designation information by the setting means, and set Preferably, the position of the breast image is adjusted based on the position designation information.

It is more preferable that the image position designation information of the setting means can be set arbitrarily. By doing so, the image position designation information can be rewritten by a serviceman (for example, using an FD), and in addition, a technician can change the position (for example, using an arrow key) while looking at the monitor at any time. it can.

[0012]

According to the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when image data representing a radiation image of one breast is subjected to position adjustment processing and output to a film, the image of the breast in the one breast image is output. The playback position can be adjusted so that the chest wall side is reproduced on the side edge of the film, and the left and right breast images can be observed with the chest wall of each breast back to back, so that the left and right breasts taken as a set can be adjusted. When arranging the film with the output image in a shakasten pattern and observing the image, it is possible to observe the images of both breasts without gaps and align the chest wall, and compare the images of both breasts.
Since it is easy to determine the presence or absence of an abnormal shadow, the difference in the form of the abnormal shadow between the two breasts, and the like, diagnosis of a disease of the breast can be performed more reliably.

In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, a menu for position adjustment is provided, and position designation information is set by using the menu, and for the input image, the set position designation information is set. It is even more convenient if the position of the image is adjusted based on this.

Further, if the position designation information of each menu can be arbitrarily set, the position at which the breast image is reproduced on the film can be adjusted according to the consultation conditions and requests at the site. It can also be in a conventional format (the image is located at the center of the film).

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of an image reproducing system provided with an image processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the image reproducing system includes image signals SR and SL representing radiation images of left and right breasts.
Is subjected to image processing and position adjustment processing. The memory 1 stores various image processing conditions and position adjustment information, and the image processing conditions stored in the memory 1
Image processing means 2 for performing image processing on the image signals SR and SL to obtain image processed image signals SR1 and SL1;
The image-processed signals SR1 and SR2 are stored in the memory 1 based on the position adjustment information set by the input unit 4 described later.
A position adjusting means 3 for adjusting the position of the film reproduction with respect to SL1 to obtain position-adjusted image signals SR2 and SL2; a keyboard for performing various inputs to the image processing means 2 and the position adjusting means 3; Input means 4 such as a mouse.

The types of image processing stored in the memory 1 include tone conversion processing, density conversion processing, frequency emphasis processing, and dynamic range compression processing. Types of position adjustment processing include left breast and right breast. However, these are equally displayed on a monitor (not shown) and are notified to the operator. Then, the operator inputs a desired type of image processing from the input unit 4,
Image processing conditions corresponding to the image processing are read from the memory 1, and image processing is performed on the image signals SR and SL in the image processing means 2 according to the read image processing conditions. Also, regarding the position adjustment, if the operator inputs the type (left, right) of the input breast image by the input means 4, the position adjustment information (180 rotation & right adjustment, adjustment) corresponding to the type of the breast image is input. Instead, 180 ° rotation and left alignment, left alignment, right alignment, etc.) are read from the memory 1 and the position adjustment means 3 performs position adjustment processing on the image signals SR1 and SL2 based on the read position adjustment information. .

The film reproducing means 5 includes image signals SR2 and SL obtained by performing image processing and position adjustment processing.
2 is a printer that prints out 2 on a film.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present embodiment. First, signals SR (right breast image signal) and SL (left breast image signal) representing any one of the left and right breast radiation images
Is input to the image processing means 2 (S1). Then, when the type of image processing is input from the input means 4 by the operator (S2), the image processing conditions corresponding to the input image processing type are read out from the memory 1, and the read image processing conditions are used. Image processing is performed on the image signal SR or SL, and the image-processed signal SR1 or SL is processed.
1 is obtained and input to the position adjusting means 3 (S3). The position adjustment means 3 stores position adjustment information corresponding to the type of breast input to the operator (here, position adjustment information of “left alignment” and “180 degree rotation & right alignment” for the left and right breasts, respectively, in a memory). 1 is stored in memory 1
And performs a position adjustment process on the image-processed signals SR1 and SL1 based on the read position adjustment information to obtain a reproduced image signal SR2 or SL2 (S
4, S5). The reproduced image signal SR2 or SL2 is output to the printer 5 as a film reproducing means, reproduced on a film, and provided for diagnosis (S6).

In the above, the preferred embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications may be made without changing the gist of the invention. It is possible.

For example, in the above-described image processing apparatus,
The position designation information corresponding to the type of the input breast image is read from the memory 1, but a default may be designated at the time of ID registration.

As described above, according to the image processing apparatus of this embodiment, the left and right breast images shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are reproduced on the film as shown in FIG. 'Image and film B' image. When these films are read and observed side by side on a Shaker Sten, the breast walls of both breasts can be observed back to back without any gap, so that a good diagnosis can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a position when a breast image whose position has been adjusted by the image processing apparatus of the present invention is reproduced on a film;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of radiation images of left and right breasts;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image reproduction system including the image processing device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image reproduction system shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a position when an image of a breast is conventionally reproduced on a film.

[Explanation of symbols]

A, A 'A film in which the image of the right breast is reproduced B, B' A film in which the image of the left breast is reproduced SR A radiation image of the right breast SL A radiation image of the left breast SR1, SL1 The image signals SR, SL of the left and right breasts Image signals SR2, SL2 obtained by subjecting the film to image processing, and image signals for reproduction on a film obtained by performing position adjustment processing on SR1, SL1.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Toru Itakura 798 Address, Miyadai, Kaisei-cho, Ashigara-gun, Kanagawa F-Term (in reference) 4C093 DA06 FF12 FF37 5B057 AA08 BA24 BA26 CA02 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB02 CB08 CB08 CB12 CB16 CC01 CD02 CD04 5C076 AA17 AA24 AA27 BA06 CA02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus which performs a position adjustment process on data representing an image when outputting an image representing a radiation image of one breast to a film, wherein when outputting the image, It has image position adjusting means for adjusting the reproduction position so that the chest wall side of the breast in the image is reproduced at the side edge of the film, and the left and right breast images can be observed with the breast walls of each breast back to back. An image processing apparatus, comprising: 2. The image position adjusting means includes setting means for setting image position designation information, and adjusts the position of the image based on the set image position designation information. The image processing device according to claim 1. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image position designation information can be arbitrarily set.