JP2003052679A - Medical image handling method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently deliver images picked up by a medical imaging apparatus loaded on a vehicle to a medical image management system. SOLUTION: A vehicle loaded with a medical imaging apparatus (102) is dispatched to the site of objects to be photographed to pick up medical images according to a medical image standard, and the medical images are converted (104) into images based on a general-purpose image standard and are stored in a portable storage medium (300). The images stored in the medium (300) are re-converted (504) into medical images based on a reading medical image standard to be managed (502) in a management facility for medical images.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical image handling method, and more particularly to a method for handling an image taken by a medical image taking apparatus mounted on a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle equipped with a medical image capturing apparatus is dispatched to the location of an image capturing target to capture a medical image for a periodical medical examination or the like. The captured image is delivered from the vehicle returned to the location of the diagnostic facility to the management department in the diagnostic facility.

A diagnostic facility is a computer.
When the medical image management system (system) according to r) is provided, a digital medical image photographing apparatus such as a digital X-ray photographing apparatus is adopted as the medical image photographing apparatus mounted on the vehicle. .

In that case, the delivery of the medical image to the medical image management system is performed by, for example, a LAN (Local Area).
a Network such as a network in the facility (net)
work) or a portable storage medium.

Since the medical image management system is constructed in conformity with a predetermined medical image standard, the medical image photographed by the digital medical image photographing apparatus is formatted so as to conform to it. A typical example of a medical image standard is DICOM (Digital).
l Imaging & Communication
in Medical).

[0006]

In order to deliver an image, the vehicle must frequently return to the location of the diagnostic facility. Therefore, the efficiency of vehicle operation is not very good.
If the image is delivered via a storage medium, D
Since the amount of memory used per image is large due to the nature of ICOM image formatting, the efficiency of use of the storage medium is poor.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to realize a medical image handling method for efficiently delivering an image taken by a medical image taking apparatus mounted on a vehicle to a medical image management system.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] (1) In one aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention dispatches a vehicle equipped with a medical image capturing apparatus to the location of an image capturing target to comply with the medical image standard. A medical image handling method comprising: taking a medical image based on the medical image and converting the medical image into an image based on a general-purpose image standard.

According to the invention from this point of view, since the medical image based on the medical image standard photographed by the medical image photographing apparatus is converted into the image based on the general-purpose image standard, the memory usage amount per image can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to efficiently transfer the image to the medical image management system.

(2) According to another aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems, a vehicle equipped with a medical image capturing apparatus is dispatched to the location of an image capturing target to capture a medical image based on the medical image standard. Along with that, the medical image is converted into an image based on a general-purpose image standard and stored in a portable storage medium,
The medical image handling method is characterized in that the image stored in the storage medium is read out at a medical image management facility and converted into a medical image based on the medical image standard for management.

According to the invention of this aspect, since the medical image based on the medical image standard photographed by the medical image photographing apparatus is once converted into the image based on the general-purpose image standard and stored in the storage medium, the memory usage amount per image is increased. Can be reduced. As a result, the utilization efficiency of the storage medium is improved, and the image can be efficiently delivered to the medical image management system.

The storage medium is a program for converting a medical image based on the medical image standard into an image based on the general-purpose image standard, and a program for re-converting an image based on the general-purpose image standard into a medical image based on the medical image standard. Is preferable because the image conversion between both standards is performed without using a dedicated device.

It is preferable that the storage medium is transported to the management facility without depending on the vehicle, because it is not necessary for the vehicle to return to the management facility for image delivery, and the operation efficiency is improved.

The medical image standard is preferably DICOM because it is widely used. It is preferable that the general-purpose image standard is JPEG because it is widely used.

The storage medium is a PC card,
It is preferable because it is easy to handle. The storage medium is preferably HD because of its large storage capacity. It is preferable that the medical image photographing apparatus is an X-ray photographing apparatus because the X-ray image can be efficiently delivered to the medical image management system.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a conceptual diagram of an example of medical image handling according to the present invention. The figure shows an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, as a device on the vehicle side,
Medical image capturing apparatus 102 and PC (personal)
A computer) 104 is provided. A PC 104 is connected to the medical image capturing apparatus 102. These devices are installed in the examination vehicle and dispatched to the location where the image is taken. The medical examination vehicle is not shown. Although there can be a plurality of examination vehicles equipped with such devices, one examination vehicle is represented.

The medical image radiographing apparatus 102 is, for example, a digital X-ray radiographing apparatus, and takes an image of a digital medical image conforming to the medical image standard for an object to be imaged.
DICOM, for example, is adopted as the medical image standard.

The medical image radiographing apparatus 102 is not limited to the digital X-ray radiographing apparatus, but may be, for example, an X-ray CT.
(Computed Tomography) device and M
RI (Magnetic Resonance Ima)
ing) device or the like, which is an appropriate device capable of capturing a DICOM-compliant digital medical image.

The medical image standard is not limited to DICOM, and may be any other appropriate medical image standard. However, DICOM is preferable because it is widely used as a medical image standard. An example using DICOM will be described below, but the same applies when other standards are used.

The PC 104 is, for example, a notebook PC
(Notebook PC) is used. PC104
Is a standard OS (Opera) for personal computers.
rating system). PC10
A medical image captured by the medical image capturing apparatus 102 is input to 4.

The PC 104 is not limited to a notebook PC but may be a desktop PC (desktop PC) or the like. Alternatively, the data of the medical image capturing apparatus 102 (da
ta) The processing device may be shared. Hereinafter, an example of a notebook PC will be described, but the same applies when another data processing device is used.

The PC 104 is a PC card (PC car).
d) It has a slot for 300. P
The C card 300 is a memory card (memory card).
d). The memory card is composed of a semiconductor memory or a small HD (hard disk). A memory card having a storage capacity of about 2 GB is available. The PC card 300 is an example of an embodiment of a portable storage medium according to the present invention.

The PC 104 writes the medical image input from the medical image photographing apparatus 102 in the PC card 300. The input image is a DICOM image, but the PC 104 converts it into an image based on the general-purpose image standard, and the PC card 300
Write in.

As a general-purpose image standard, for example, JPEG (J
Oint Photographic Expets
Group) is used. The standard is not limited to JPEG, and an appropriate general-purpose image standard may be used. However, J
PEG is preferable because it is widely used as a general-purpose image standard. Hereinafter, an example using JPEG will be described, but the same applies when other general-purpose image standards are used.

PC card 300 converted to JPEG image
By writing to the memory, the amount of memory used per image is reduced to a fraction of that when writing as a DICOM image. Therefore, the medical image can be efficiently stored in the PC card 300.

When writing a JPEG image,
Since it is not necessary to apply special formatting to the storage medium as in the case of DICOM image, a general-purpose storage medium can be used as it is.

A program (program) for converting a DICOM image into a JPEG image is stored in advance in the PC card 30.
It is better to store it in 0. By doing so, the PC 104 can perform image conversion using the program read from the PC card 300. Therefore, the PC 104 may be an ordinary PC having no conversion program.

Further, by doing so, it becomes easy to identify the phenomenon when the failure occurs and to investigate the cause, and it is also easy to take early recovery of the failure and preventive measures. Also, the risk of failure is reduced and reliability is improved.

The main function of the conversion program is to collect header information attached to each image to eliminate duplication of information and to compress information of the image body.

PC card 3 in which a JPEG image is written
00 is appropriately removed from the PC 104 and transported to the location of the facility that manages medical images. The PC card 300 may be transported by, for example, a motorcycle (bik) regardless of the examination vehicle.
e) and other small vehicles are used for the real-time transportation of small cargo by using the service of a specialist. As a result, the examination vehicle does not need to return to the management facility, and the efficiency of vehicle operation for patrol the location of the imaged object is improved.

Needless to say, when the medical examination vehicle finishes going around all the patrol destinations and returns to the management facility, it does not have to use the services of a specialist and may carry it by itself.

On the management facility side, a medical image management apparatus 502
And a PC 504. A PC 504 is connected to the medical image management apparatus 502. The medical image management apparatus 502 is an apparatus that manages medical images captured by the medical image capturing apparatus 102. Image management is performed according to DICOM.

The medical image management apparatus 502 is, for example, a medical image management system in which an image server (server) and a plurality of image utilization terminals are connected by an appropriate network such as a LAN. The detailed configuration of the medical image management system is not shown.

As the PC 504, for example, a notebook PC is used. The PC 504 has a standard OS for personal computers. The PC 504 is not limited to the notebook PC, but may be a desktop PC or the like. Alternatively, the data processing device of the medical image management device 502 may be shared. Hereinafter, an example of a notebook PC will be described, but the same applies when another data processing device is used.

The PC 504 has a slot for the PC card 300, and the PC card 300 carried from the examination vehicle is inserted into this slot. The PC 504 reads out the JPEG image written in the PC card 300, reconverts it into a DICOM image, and converts it into a medical image management apparatus 502.
To enter.

The program for reconverting a JPEG image into a DICOM image is preferably stored in the PC card 300 in advance. By doing this, the PC 504
Image conversion can be performed using the program read from the PC card 300. Therefore, the PC 504 may be an ordinary PC that does not have a program for reconversion.

Further, by doing this, it becomes easy to identify the phenomenon when the failure occurs and to investigate the cause, and it is also easy to take early recovery of the failure and preventive measures. Also, the risk of failure is reduced and reliability is improved.

The main function of the reconversion program is to restore the compressed image body information to the original image information and to distribute the aggregated header information for each image. In distributing header information, duplicate information is also distributed.

The portable storage medium is not limited to the PC card, and may be, for example, a portable HD device that can be externally connected to the PC. Such an HD device is a PC1
04 to store medical images. Then PC10
Remove from 4 and transport to the management facility side. On the management facility side, the image is read out by connecting to the PC 504 and input to the medical image management apparatus 502.

HD devices are preferred because they have a much larger storage capacity than PC cards. When using an HD device, RAID (Redundant Array o)
Techniques such as fIndependent Disks facilitate increasing the reliability of the storage medium.

When the PC 104 writes an image in the HD device, the DICOM image is converted into a JPEG image, and when the image is input to the medical image management device 502 through the PC 504, the JPEG image is converted into a DICOM image again. Needless to say. Other portable storage media include DVD (Digital Ver.).
satile Disk) may be used.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the procedure for handling a medical image as described above. As shown in the figure, in step 202, the medical image capturing apparatus 102 captures an image. Next, with the PC 104, step 2
In 04, the DICOM image is converted into the JPEG image, and in step 206, the image is written in the recording medium.

The storage medium on which the image is written is step 2
It is transported to the management facility at 08. PC50 at the management facility
4, the storage medium is read out in step 210, the JPEG image is reconverted into a DICOM image in step 212, and the converted image is input to the medical image management apparatus 502 in step 214. Then, in step 216, image management by the medical image management apparatus 502 is performed.

[0045]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a medical image handling method for efficiently delivering an image taken by a medical image taking apparatus mounted on a vehicle to a medical image management system is realized. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an example of medical image handling according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a procedure of an example of medical image handling according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

102 medical image capturing apparatus 104,504 PC 300 PC card 502 Medical image management device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme code (reference) G06T 1/00 200 G06T 1/00 290A 290 A61B 5/05 380 (72) Inventor Yoshiyuki Takahashi Tokyo Hino City 127 GEE Yokogawa Medical System Co., Ltd., 4-7 Asahigaoka (72) Inventor Hisashi Endo 127 GEE Yokogawa Medical System Co., Ltd., 4-7 Asahigaoka, Hino-shi, Tokyo (72) Inventor Ken Tatebe, Tokyo 127 G-Yokogawa Medical Systems Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 4C093 AA16 AA26 AA30 CA50 EE13 FF50 FH01 FH04 FH07 4C096 AA20 AB50 AD16 DE02 DE07 DE10 5B050 AA02 BA03 BA10 DA02 EA10 A02 GA0 5A050 5A050 5A050 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB02 CB08 CB12 CB18 CG02 CG07 CH12 5B058 CA26 KA02 KA04 YA18

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle equipped with a medical image capturing device is dispatched to a location of a target for capturing a medical image based on a medical image standard, and the medical image is converted into an image based on a general image standard.
A medical image handling method characterized by the above. 2. A vehicle equipped with a medical image capturing device is dispatched to the location of an image capturing target to capture a medical image conforming to the medical image standard, and the medical image is converted into an image conforming to the general image standard for portability. A medical image handling method comprising: storing the image in a storage medium of the computer; reading the image stored in the storage medium in a medical image management facility; and reconverting the image into a medical image based on the medical image standard for management. 3. The program for converting a medical image based on the medical image standard into an image based on the general-purpose image standard, and the storage medium re-converting the image based on the general-purpose image standard into a medical image based on the medical image standard. The medical image handling method according to claim 2, further comprising storing a program for executing the program. 4. The medical image handling method according to claim 2, wherein the storage medium is transported to the management facility without depending on the vehicle. 5. The medical image standard is DICOM,
The medical image handling method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that. 6. The medical image handling method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the general-purpose image standard is JPEG. 7. The medical image handling method according to claim 2, wherein the storage medium is a PC card. 8. The medical image handling method according to claim 2, wherein the storage medium is a HD. 9. The medical image handling method according to claim 1, wherein the medical image photographing apparatus is an X-ray photographing apparatus.