JP2003019118A - Ophthalmic image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To enable easy and reliable selection of a past image such as a fundus image to be compared. SOLUTION: When the setting of the search condition is completed, "execute search" is instructed from an operation unit (not shown) to the image processing unit. Upon receiving the request, the image calculation processing unit performs a search for the image in the nonvolatile storage unit by relying on the shooting condition information. The result of the search is displayed on the image search operation monitor. Here, an example is shown in which the image that has just been captured is displayed at the top, and the images retrieved in chronological order are displayed below it. A case where bleeding spots are found near the fundus blood vessels is taken as an example, and it can be confirmed that the bleeding spots are gradually absorbed over time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ophthalmic image processing apparatus having a function of displaying an image of an eye to be examined.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in ophthalmic equipment such as a fundus camera for observing and photographing the fundus of an eye to be inspected and a slit lamp (slit lamp microscope) for observing and photographing the anterior segment, a 35 mm film or an instant camera is a recording member. Is used as. In recent years, there has been proposed a system in which a CCD camera is connected to display a captured image of an eye to be inspected on a monitor and further output to a recording device such as a magneto-optical disk or a video printer.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the photographed image of the eye to be inspected is interpreted and diagnosed by an ophthalmologist. In this process, the observing of the symptoms particularly during treatment is observed. In such cases, changes over time in the affected area are frequently observed. Progress information after treatment with drugs or surgery is extremely important,
Minor changes cannot be overlooked to determine if the symptoms have improved.

Therefore, a detailed comparison is made between the image of the affected area photographed in the past and the current image. The image used in this detailed comparison is usually an enlarged image centered on the affected area.

The past image is stored in a storage medium such as a magneto-optical disk or a hard disk. In order to select a desired past image from the past, information such as the subject ID / photographing date / left and right eyes is conventionally used. When a candidate image is displayed by inputting with the keyboard or mouse, the operator selects the corresponding past image from among them.

Therefore, it is necessary to input the conditions for properly picking up the target past image, which complicates the operation. In addition, since the selection from the candidate images is left to the operator, especially in the enlarged image and the like, since information such as the optic disc and the vascular crossover portion that specifies the position of the target affected area is poor, it is possible to detect different affected areas in the eye to be examined. There is a risk of selecting an image.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an ophthalmic photographing processing apparatus capable of easily and surely selecting a past image to be compared.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an ophthalmic image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an illuminating means for illuminating an eye to be inspected, and an imaging means for imaging an area illuminated by the illuminating means. An image storage unit that stores the image data of the eye to be inspected captured by the image capturing unit, a fixation target that guides the line of sight of the eye, and an imaging condition storage unit that stores the presentation position of the fixation target; Image retrieval means for retrieving the image stored in the storage means based on the condition stored in the photographing condition storage means.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ophthalmic image processing apparatus embodying the present invention. A fundus camera 1 that captures information from the eye to be inspected, a CCD camera 2 that captures the fundus of the eye to be inspected captured by the fundus camera 1, and a fundus image captured by the CCD camera 2 is A / D converted and then temporarily stored in a memory. In addition, the image calculation processing unit 3 having a function of processing the image stored in the memory, the nonvolatile storage unit 4 including a hard disk drive or a magneto-optical disk drive for storing the image data, the monitor 5 for displaying the image, etc. ,
Subject ID set by fundus camera 1, shooting date / time,
The image capturing condition storage unit 6 stores image capturing conditions such as left / right eye discrimination, image capturing light amount, image capturing angle of view, and fixation target position information.

Although not shown, the fundus camera 1 has the functions of a normal fundus camera such as an illuminating means for illuminating the subject's eye.

Prior to photographing the subject's eye, the photographer operates the operation switch (not shown) of the fundus camera 1 so that the subject's ID,
Enter your name, gender, date of birth, etc. The input information is stored in the shooting condition storage unit 6. Although the input is made from the operation switch here, the present invention is not limited to this, and the input may be made from a bar code reader or a magnetic card reader (not shown) connected to the fundus camera 1.

The eye to be inspected is specified by moving a stage portion (not shown) of the fundus camera 1. At this time, a switch (not shown) is switched according to the movement of the stage unit, and the left and right information of the eye to be inspected is stored in the imaging condition storage unit 6. Further, a photographing magnification changeover switch (not shown) is used to set a changeover between photographing magnifications of 1 × and 2 ×, for example. Here, the set shooting magnification is also stored in the shooting condition storage unit 6. As for the light amount of the strobe emitted when the fundus of the eye to be examined is photographed, an arbitrary light amount is set by a photographing light amount change switch (not shown). This photographing light amount is also stored in the photographing condition storage unit 6 in the same manner.

In addition to the above, whether or not the diopter correction lens that can be set in the fundus camera 1 is inserted, and whether the small pupil diameter function is turned on or off is also stored in the photographing condition storage unit 6 as necessary. As described above, the imaging condition storage unit 6 always stores the setting state of the fundus camera 1 in association with its operation.

When the subject's eye to be photographed is specified, the working distance (working distance) between the objective lens of the fundus camera 1 and the corneal apex of the subject's eye is adjusted, and the fixation target built in the fundus camera 1 is used. , The line of sight of the eye to be examined is guided to determine the imaging site. Position information such as the coordinate data of the fixation target in this state is stored in the imaging condition storage unit 6.

Focusing is performed when the imaged region is determined, and this focusing is also performed according to the moving distance of a focusing lens (not shown) in the fundus camera 1.
It can also be configured to convert into a diopter value (diopter value) and store it in the photographing condition storage unit 6.

When the above-mentioned preparation for photographing is completed, a strobe is caused to emit light by depressing a photographing switch (not shown), and the fundus image of the eye to be examined is photographed by the CCD camera 2. C
The fundus image signal output from the CD camera 2 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter in the image calculation processing unit 3 and then stored in the memory, and further displayed on the monitor 5.

The image stored in the memory is stored in the non-volatile storage unit 4 with the condition information set in the photographing condition storage unit 6 added thereto. The images stored in the non-volatile storage unit 4 are managed by a database system. By setting search conditions, a specific image is expanded in the memory in the image calculation processing unit 3 and the image is displayed by the monitor 5. It is configured to be identifiable.

Here, the information stored in the photographing condition storage unit 6 is directly used as the search keyword, and after the photographing of the eye to be inspected, it is displayed on the image retrieval operation monitor 5 (not shown) connected to the image calculation processing unit 3. For example, the search keyword shown in FIG. 2 is displayed. On this screen, addition / correction can be performed from an operation unit (not shown) in accordance with desired search conditions.

The search items are not limited to the items shown in FIG. 2, but may be timer information at the time of fluorescence contrast imaging, diopter information of the eye to be inspected, a photographer, and a photographing place.

When the search keyword is set, the search method is set. This search method has the following conditions, for example.

Exact match search: Only the images in which all the search keywords match are output.

Partial match search: Only the images in which a predetermined search keyword set in advance matches are output.

In-range match search: A range of values is set in the search keyword, and only images that match the specified range are output.

When the setting of the search conditions is completed, the operation section (not shown) instructs the image calculation processing section 3 to execute "search". Receiving this, the image calculation processing section 3 executes a search for the image in the non-volatile storage section 4 by relying on the shooting condition information.

The results of the search are displayed on the image search operation monitor 5 as shown in FIG. Here, an example is shown in which the currently shot image is displayed at the top, and the images retrieved in chronological order are displayed below it. In FIG. 3, a case where hemorrhagic spots are found near the fundus blood vessels is taken as an example, and it can be confirmed that the hemorrhagic spots are gradually absorbed over time. The layout displayed on the monitor 5 is not limited to the layout shown in FIG. 3, and the operator can arbitrarily change the layout.

In the above description, the search condition is set after the imaging of the eye to be inspected and the image search in the non-volatile storage unit 4 is performed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the search is performed at the imaging preparation stage. It is also possible to set conditions and display the captured image after capturing, as well as displaying the search result image.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the eye fundus camera is used to image the subject's eye has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a slit lamp (slit lamp microscope) is used to detect the front of the cornea, iris or the like. The same effect can be obtained when photographing the eye part.

[0028]

As described above, the ophthalmic image processing apparatus according to the present invention inputs the search condition again by using the photographing condition of the ophthalmic device such as the fundus camera as the search condition of the past image data of the eye to be inspected. Not only is it unnecessary, but it is possible to set search conditions accurately. In particular, when the symptom is being monitored, the target fixation position that guides the eye to be inspected in the imaging of the affected part can be included in the search condition, so that there is an advantage that the same parts can be quickly compared.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a search condition setting screen.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a search result display screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 fundus camera 2 CCD camera 3 Image processing unit 4 Non-volatile storage 5 monitors 6 Shooting condition storage

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An illuminating unit that illuminates an eye to be inspected, an image capturing unit that captures an area illuminated by the illuminating unit, an image storage unit that stores image data of the eye to be inspected captured by the image capturing unit, and an eye to be inspected. A fixation target for inducing the line of sight of the subject, a photographing condition storage unit for storing the presentation position of the fixation target, and an image stored in the image storage unit based on a condition stored in the photographing condition storage unit. An image processing apparatus for ophthalmology, comprising: 2. The ophthalmic image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising image display means for displaying the image data retrieved by the image retrieval means simultaneously with the image data captured by the image capturing means. . 3. The subject ID is stored in the photographing condition storage means,
The ophthalmic image processing device according to claim 1, wherein all or some of the items of name, sex, photographing eye discrimination, photographing date, photographing angle of view, photographing light amount are stored.