JP2002291728A - Radiation image photographic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radiation image photographic apparatus capable of reducing a photography waiting time of a patient without increasing a cost. SOLUTION: In this apparatus, a controller 2 acquires patient information and estimates a body height or the like of the patient on the basis of the patient information. Thereby, a photographing part 4 can be previously moved to a position suitable for the patient to remarkably reduce the photography waiting time of the patient.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radiographic image capturing apparatus, and more particularly to a radiographic image capturing apparatus capable of acquiring patient information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a relatively large hospital or the like, an in-hospital information system (HIS) or a radiology information system (RI) is used.
S) is constructed so that information on patients can be centrally managed. Using such a system, it is possible to manage reservation information in a hospital.

For example, when there is a patient who needs to perform X-ray imaging using X-ray which is a kind of radiation, a terminal in the hospital includes the patient's name, gender, age, imaging part, and the like. When the reservation information is input, the reservation information is temporarily stored in the center server and then transmitted to a predetermined X-ray imaging apparatus, so that the photographer such as an X-ray technician is provided with the X-ray imaging apparatus. By checking the display,
It is possible to know which patient is to be imaged, so that X-ray imaging can be performed efficiently.

[0004]

By the way, the condition of a patient to be subjected to X-ray photography is various, such as a person who can stand alone, a person on a wheelchair, a person transported by a stretcher, and the like. But their heights vary. Therefore, conventionally, when performing X-ray imaging, an X-ray technician looks up the state and height of the patient, and then raises and lowers the imaging section of the X-ray imaging apparatus, and adjusts the position so that the X-ray imaging apparatus is at an appropriate position.

However, the photographing unit itself is relatively heavy, and therefore, even if it is moved up and down using a motor, the reduction ratio must be increased, and it takes time to move the photographing unit. There is a problem that the waiting time becomes longer. On the other hand, if a motor with a large output is used, the photographing unit can be moved quickly, but the cost increases and there is a problem in which large motor is installed.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and without increasing the cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a radiographic image capturing apparatus capable of reducing a patient's imaging waiting time.

[0007]

(1) A radiographic image capturing apparatus according to the present invention is a radiographic image capturing apparatus including an image capturing section that captures a radiographic image using radiation. Based on the patient information obtained by the obtaining unit, the adjusting unit that adjusts the position of the imaging unit, for example, from the patient information, by acquiring or estimating the height and the like of the patient, suitable for the patient The imaging unit can be pre-moved to a position, thereby greatly reducing the waiting time for imaging the patient.
Note that the imaging unit does not need to be accurately adjusted in position with respect to the patient to be imaged. Even after performing a rough position adjustment based on the patient information, a radiologist or the like may perform fine adjustment. good. Here, the patient may be a healthy person as long as it is a person to be photographed, and is not necessarily limited to the injured person. In addition, the position adjustment of the imaging unit includes relative movement of the imaging unit with respect to the position of the imaging region (including the position estimated to be the imaging region) of the patient who is the imaging subject, and imaging with respect to the floor surface. This includes both relative movement of the parts.

(2) Further, it is preferable that the patient information includes information on a state of a patient to be imaged. The state of the patient means, for example, whether the patient can stand alone, is wearing crutches, is on a wheelchair, or is transported by a stretcher. If the patient is able to stand on his / her own side, it is possible to perform imaging with a so-called standing type imaging unit.Otherwise, the imaging will be performed with a so-called lying type imaging unit. This is because there is a height suitable for the user to transfer to or from the stretcher, and the waiting time for imaging is reduced by adjusting the position of the imaging unit in advance using such patient information.

(3) Further, it is preferable that the patient information includes information on the height of the patient to be imaged. In a so-called standing type imaging unit, it is necessary to raise and lower according to the patient's height, so if the patient's height is known,
This is because the position adjustment becomes easy.

(4) Preferably, the patient information includes information on the age and gender of the patient to be imaged. The height information is not always included in the patient information, and even if it is included, especially for minors, if the entered time is not immediately before, it will be incorrect height information. May be. Therefore, instead of height information, an average height is determined using age and gender, whereby the position adjustment of the photographing unit can be performed with a certain degree of accuracy.

(5) Further, it is preferable that the patient information includes information on a part of a patient to be imaged. This is because even if the patient information includes height information, it may not be possible to adjust the position of the imaging unit by itself. That is, in the case of the chest, as a part of the patient to be imaged, it is necessary to move the imaging unit to a position corresponding to the chest (for example, height -30 cm) with respect to the height of the patient, and in the case of the lumbar spine, This is because it is necessary to move the photographing unit to a corresponding position (for example, height −60 cm).

(6) Further, the radiographic image capturing apparatus is connected to a server storing patient information via a network, forms a part of an information system together with the server, and obtains patient information from the server. This is preferable because patient information can be quickly acquired.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information system including a radiation image capturing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, a center server 1 installed in a hospital office or the like includes a hospital information system (HI).
S) and part of a radiology information system (RIS), and can store patient information.

The center server 1 is connected to the controller 2 via a network N. The controller 2 includes a first radiation irradiator 3, a first imaging unit (standing type) 4 associated therewith, a second radiation irradiator 5, and a second imaging unit associated therewith. (Prone position type) 6 and constitutes a radiation image photographing apparatus together with them.

Further, for example, patient information of a patient who needs imaging is input to a server 1 installed in an office room of a hospital, and can be transmitted to a controller 2 arranged in the imaging room at appropriate times. Is getting better. The controller 2 constitutes an acquisition unit and an adjustment unit.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of the radiation image capturing apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG.
Radiation irradiator 3 suspended from the ceiling of R (or FIG. 2)
5) (not shown), the imaging unit 4 (or 6 not shown in FIG. 2), which is connected to the radiation irradiation unit 3 by the wiring W1 and disposed in the imaging room PR in opposition thereto. It is composed of a support column 7 that supports the support column 7 vertically, a support base 8 that vertically supports the support column 7, and a controller 2 that is arranged in the operation room OR and connected to the photographing unit 4 via a wiring W2.

Inside the support column 7, a motor 7a and a screw shaft 7b connected to its rotating shaft are installed. When the motor 7a is driven by a signal from a CPU (not shown), the screw shaft 7b rotates, and the photographing unit 4 moves up and down. Although the photographing unit 6 is not shown,
The imaging table on which the patient lies is moved up and down by a motor (not shown).

A conversion device for converting a radiation image into digital image data is incorporated in the imaging unit 4, and such a device will be described later. Note that a conventional radiation film may be arranged in the imaging unit 4 instead of the conversion device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a radiographic image capturing apparatus applicable to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the photographing device 50 includes the photographing units 4 and 6 and the controller 2.
And

When the X-rays are emitted from the X-ray sources 3 and 5 driven by the drive source 1A, the imaging units 4 and 6 accumulate part of the X-ray energy. A plate-shaped stimulable phosphor comprising a stimulable phosphor laminated on a support using a stimulable phosphor that emits stimulable light in response to the accumulated X-ray energy when irradiated with excitation light such as The radiation image (X-ray transmission plane image) information of the subject such as the human body by the X-rays emitted from the X-ray irradiators 3 and 5 is temporarily stored and recorded on the phosphor plate 104, and the laser beam is sequentially scanned and scanned. The stimulated emission light is emitted, and the stimulated emission light is
The image signal is obtained by photoelectrically reading the image signal sequentially. Then, the imaging units 4 and 6 irradiate the stimulable phosphor plate 104 with the erasing light after reading the image signal to release the X-ray energy remaining on the plate and prepare for the next imaging.

The photographing units 4 and 6 include a patient P as a subject.
To drive the laser light source unit 106 including a stimulable phosphor plate 104, a laser diode for generating laser light as excitation light for the stimulable phosphor plate 104, and the like. A laser driving circuit 105, an optical system 107 for scanning the stimulable phosphor plate 104 with the laser light from the laser light source unit 106, and a stimulable luminescence excited by the excitation laser light. Photoelectric reading unit 2 that converts and obtains an image signal
0. The photoelectric reading unit 20 includes a condenser 108 for condensing stimulated emission excited by the excitation laser beam, a photomultiplier (photomultiplier tube) 10 for photoelectrically converting the light condensed by the condenser 108. A high-voltage power supply 10a for applying a voltage to the photomultiplier 110, and a converter for converting a current signal from the photomultiplier (photomultiplier tube) 10 into a digital signal by current-voltage conversion, voltage amplification, A / D conversion, or the like. 11, a correcting unit 12 for correcting the digital signal converted by the converting unit 11, and an image transmitting unit 13 for transmitting the digital signal corrected by the correcting unit 12. A signal is transmitted to the controller 2. The correction unit 12
Is composed of a RISC processor, and corrects response delays and unevenness of digital signals.

The photographing units 4 and 6 further include a halogen lamp 14 for irradiating erasing light and a halogen lamp 14 for emitting X-ray energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor plate 104 after reading the image signal. Driver 1 to drive
And 5. Further, the imaging units 4 and 6 include a laser driving circuit 105, a high-voltage power supply 10a, a conversion unit 11, a correction unit 12, an image transmission unit 13, and a control unit 17 that controls the driver 15 respectively. The laser light source unit 106, the optical system 107, the condenser 108, the photomultiplier 10, and the halogen lamp 14 of the imaging units 4 and 6 are integrally formed as a sub-scanning unit (not shown) by a ball screw mechanism (not shown). It moves in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the laser scanning direction.
The sub-scanning unit performs sub-scanning by moving when reading an image, and erases by emitting light from the halogen lamp 14 while moving backward.

The controller 2 includes a personal computer main body 25
, A keyboard (or operation panel) 24, and a monitor display unit (display) 23. The digital signal of the radiation image information received from the imaging units 4 and 6 is temporarily stored in a memory, and image processing is performed. In accordance with an operation input from the keyboard 24, display on the monitor display unit 27 and image processing are controlled, and radiation image information subjected to image processing is output.

FIG. 4 is an example of patient information stored in the server 1. When the patient needs to take an X-ray image, the patient information is transmitted from the server 1 to the controller 2 via the network N.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. Here, it is assumed that height information is not included in the patient information as shown in FIG. First, when the patient information as shown in FIG. 4 is sent from the server 1 to the controller 2, “Aoyama Kazuo” who becomes the first subject is in a self-supporting state and the imaging part is the chest. Accordingly, the controller 2 determines that imaging is possible with the standing type imaging unit 4, and prepares for imaging with the radiation irradiation unit 3 and the imaging unit 4. In this case, since "Kazuo Aoyama" is a 42-year-old man, the controller 2 obtains the average height of the man of that age from the server 1 or a table stored in his or her hard disk, and the imaging part is the chest. Therefore, the motor 7a is driven to move the photographing unit 4 up and down, and is moved in advance to a position with an average height of -30 cm. afterwards,
When the subject “Kazuo Aoyama” arrives in the shooting room PR and actually stands in front of the shooting unit 4, the shooting part of the subject is
Since it should be statistically roughly opposed to the photographing unit 4, photographing can be performed immediately. In addition, even if the imaging part of the subject does not face the imaging unit 4, the X-ray technician or the like merely fine-adjusts the imaging unit 4 as necessary, The photographing unit 4 can be adjusted to the photographing position, whereby the waiting time of the subject can be reduced.

The next subject, Fukae Akabayashi, is in a wheelchair and his foot is on the foot. It is determined that the radiography should be performed, and the radiation irradiation unit 5 and the imaging unit 6 prepare for imaging. In such a case, the controller 2 drives the motor (not shown) to move the photographing unit 6 up and down so as to easily move from the wheelchair to the photographing table of the photographing unit 6. afterwards,
When the subject “Fujie Akabayashi” arrives at the shooting room PR, the shooting unit 6 is at an appropriate position, and the subject can easily move to the shooting table. Can be shortened.

[0028] Since the next person to be photographed, Saburo Kikawa, is moving on the stretcher, the controller 2 determines that the photographing should be performed by the recumbent type photographing unit 6, and
The radiation irradiation unit 5 and the imaging unit 6 prepare for imaging. In such a case, the controller 2 drives the motor (not shown) to move the photographing unit 6 up and down so that it is easy to transfer from the stretcher to the photographing table of the photographing unit 6. Thereafter, when the subject "Saburo Hyokawa" arrives at the photography room PR, the photographing unit 6 is at an appropriate position, so that an attendant or the like can easily transfer the subject to the photography stand.

Since the next person to be photographed, "Shiroo Shirada", is in a self-supporting state and the photographic region is the lumbar vertebra, the controller 2 determines that photographing is possible with the standing type photographing section 4. Then, preparation for imaging by the radiation irradiation unit 3 and the imaging unit 4 is performed. In this case, since "Shirata Shio" is a 65-year-old man, the controller 2 obtains the average height of the man of that age from the server 1 or a table stored in his or her hard disk, and the imaging part is Since it is a lumbar spine, the motor 7a is driven to move the imaging unit 4 up and down, and is moved in advance to a position with an average height of -60 cm. afterwards,
When the subject “Shirata Shio” arrives in the photography room PR and actually stands in front of the photography unit 4, the subject to be photographed is:
Since it should be statistically roughly opposed to the photographing unit 4, photographing can be performed immediately.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is needless to say that modifications and improvements can be made as appropriate. is there. For example, if the patient information includes height information (for example, 170 cm) and the subject can stand alone, the imaging unit 4 can be moved up and down according to the height (170 cm).

Incidentally, there are cases where the patient information is not obtained from the information system as described above, or where detailed patient information such as the patient state and height cannot be obtained even if it is obtained.
Even in such a case, the patient name, date of birth, gender, and the like can be input to the controller 2 from the patient information input terminal via a keyboard, a touch panel, a magnetic card, or the like in order to identify the patient. It is. In such a case, from these information, the age and gender are determined, and the approximate height is determined for each age and gender. be able to.

However, by connecting the radiographic image capturing apparatus of the present embodiment to a hospital or to a radiology information system, the radiographic information can be input without the operator inputting all of the information.
For example, patient information can be transmitted from the information system to the radiographic imaging device, or reservation information can be obtained from the information system using some information such as the patient's name as a key. It is possible to obtain the patient information and adjust the position of the imaging unit.

[0033]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a radiographic imaging apparatus capable of reducing the waiting time for imaging a patient without increasing costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information system including a radiation image capturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of the radiation image capturing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a radiographic image capturing apparatus applicable to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an example of patient information stored in a server 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 server 2 controller 3, 5 radiation irradiation unit 4, 6 imaging unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A radiographic image capturing apparatus including a radiographic image capturing unit that captures a radiographic image using radiation, comprising: an acquiring unit configured to acquire patient information; and an acquiring unit configured to acquire the patient information based on the patient information acquired by the acquiring unit. A radiation image capturing apparatus, comprising: an adjusting unit that performs position adjustment. 2. The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the patient information includes information on a state of a patient to be imaged. 3. The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the patient information includes information on a height of a patient to be imaged. 4. The radiographic imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the patient information includes information on the age and gender of the patient to be imaged. 5. The radiation image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the patient information includes information on a part of a patient to be imaged. 6. The radiation image capturing apparatus is connected to a server storing patient information via a network, and forms a part of an information system together with the server.
The radiation image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein patient information is acquired from the server.