JP2004305562A - Medical image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve favorable and efficient display of medical images in accordance with an image reading physician, imaging conditions or the like. <P>SOLUTION: In the medical image processor 1, a displaying mode in displaying the medical images (a single display A1 to a mixed display A11) can be set for each of the image reading physicians according to the imaging conditions which are recorded on headers of the individual medical image data (for example, modality, frequency of imaging, imaging sites, the presence of the related information). Customization of this displaying mode is possible as required depending on the image reading physicians. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a medical image processing apparatus for reading a medical image such as a radiation image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Recently, a technique has been disclosed in which a display format for displaying a medical image such as a radiographic image to be interpreted is customized according to a radiographing technician or an interpreting doctor (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
[0003]
Such display formats include, for example, a single image display for displaying only one medical image, a continuous display for displaying a plurality of tomographic medical images continuously at a fixed time interval like an animation, and the like. There is.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-107160 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. The medical image is captured under various imaging conditions such as an imaging region and a modality, and has a display format reflecting various information such as information indicating the imaging conditions (hereinafter referred to as imaging information). Setting was difficult. Therefore, at the time of image interpretation, a display operation by an image interpretation doctor is necessary in order to suitably display a medical image to be interpreted.
[0006]
It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical image processing apparatus capable of displaying a medical image suitably and efficiently according to an interpreting doctor and imaging conditions.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is:
In a medical image processing apparatus capable of displaying a captured medical image based on a plurality of display formats,
From among the plurality of display formats, an input unit for selectively inputting a display format in accordance with an interpreting doctor who interprets the medical image and imaging information related to the medical image,
A control unit that controls to display the medical image based on the display format that is selected and input,
It is characterized by having.
[0008]
Further, like the invention according to claim 2, in the invention according to claim 1,
It is preferable that the imaging information includes at least one of information indicating a modality related to the medical image, information indicating the number of images to be imaged, information indicating an imaging region, and information indicating the presence or absence of related information.
[0009]
Further, like the invention according to claim 3, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2,
Preferably, the imaging information includes a plurality of pieces of information related to the medical image.
[0010]
Further, like the invention according to claim 4, in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The input unit is capable of selecting and inputting a display format from among the plurality of display formats in accordance with a doctor interpreting the medical image and two or more different pieces of imaging information of the medical image. It is preferred that
[0011]
Therefore, the display format when displaying the medical image to be interpreted can be easily and freely customized according to the interpreting doctor, the imaging information, and the like. The display operation for the target medical image can be reduced, and the interpretation work can be efficiently performed.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
First, the configuration of the medical image processing apparatus 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows an internal configuration of the medical image processing apparatus 1. The medical image processing apparatus 1 downloads and displays a medical image specified by the interpreting doctor from a database (not shown) that stores the medical image.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, the medical image processing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 11, an input unit 12, a display unit 13, a communication control unit 14, a RAM 15, a storage unit 16, and an image processing unit 17; They are connected by a bus 18.
[0015]
The control unit 11 reads and executes various programs stored in the storage unit 16. The control unit 11 reads out a program for executing the customization process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 1 from the storage unit 16 and executes the program.
[0016]
The control unit 11 selects a processing pattern (including frequency processing, gradation processing, rotation processing, enlargement / reduction processing, etc.) corresponding to the imaging information related to the medical image for the medical image, and selects the processing pattern. The image processing unit 17 performs image processing (including compression / decompression processing) based on the image processing.
[0017]
Then, the control unit 11 displays the medical image after the image processing on the display screen of the display unit 13 in a set display format (for example, see FIG. 3). Here, the display format is a display format when a medical image is displayed on the display screen of the display unit 13, and is stored in the storage unit 16 as display format data. The control unit 11 sets the display format of the medical image with reference to the display format data. The display format is set according to the imaging information of each medical image.
[0018]
As described below, the display format data includes data indicating a default display format and data indicating a display format customized for each radiologist.
[0019]
Here, information indicating a processing pattern corresponding to the shooting information is stored in the storage unit 16 in advance. The imaging information is, for example, information indicating a modality, the number of images, an imaging region, the presence or absence of a related image, and the like, and is assumed to be recorded in advance in a header (or an attached file) of medical image data.
[0020]
The input unit 12 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, numeric input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse (all are not shown), and is input by a key operation or a mouse operation on the keyboard. The instruction signal is output to the control unit 11. The input unit 12 may include a touch panel on the display screen of the display unit 13, and in this case, outputs an instruction signal input via the touch panel to the control unit 21.
[0021]
The input unit 12 inputs various instructions for customizing the display format of the medical image. Specifically, of the plurality of display formats, a display format corresponding to the image reading doctor and the imaging information relating to the medical image to be read is selected and input via the input unit 12.
[0022]
The display unit 13 includes a display screen such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) (not shown), and displays various display data according to a display control signal from the control unit 11. In particular, the display unit 13 displays the medical image in a set display format based on the control by the control unit 11 (see FIG. 3).
[0023]
The communication control unit 14 is configured by a LAN board, a router, a TA (Terminal Adapter) or the like (all not shown), and performs communication performed with each device (not shown) connected to a communication network in the hospital facility. Control.
[0024]
A RAM (Random Access Memory) 15 develops and stores various programs read from the storage unit 16 by the control unit 11 in an executable manner. Further, the RAM 15 temporarily stores various data generated when the control unit 11 executes the program.
[0025]
The storage unit 16 is configured by a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as an HDD (Hard Disc Drive) and stores various programs and various data.
[0026]
The storage unit 16 stores a program for executing the display format customizing process shown in the flowchart of FIG. Then, the storage unit 16 stores a plurality of processing patterns for performing image processing according to the shooting information.
[0027]
The storage unit 16 also stores the display format data. The display format data includes data indicating a default display format and data indicating a display format customized for each radiologist.
[0028]
The storage unit 16 may be configured to include a recording medium (not shown) in which various programs and various data are stored in advance. This recording medium is a non-volatile memory fixedly or detachably provided in the storage unit 16 and configured by a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory.
[0029]
The image processing unit 17 selects a processing pattern corresponding to imaging information related to the medical image based on the control by the control unit 11 and performs image processing (including compression / decompression processing) based on the processing pattern. .)I do.
[0030]
Next, the operation of the medical image processing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a display format customizing process performed by the medical image processing apparatus 1.
[0031]
When completing the login process (for example, checking the ID and password) based on the user ID and password input by the interpreting doctor (step S1), the control unit 11 determines whether to customize the display format of the medical image. A selection input is requested (step S2).
[0032]
When a selection input indicating that the display format is not customized is performed (Step S2; No), the control unit 11 downloads the medical image to be interpreted from the database and stores the medical image in the header (or attached file) of the medical image. The medical image is displayed on the display screen of the display unit 13 based on the recorded imaging information and display format data (step S3).
[0033]
In this case, the medical image is displayed based on the display format if the display format has been customized by the interpreting doctor in advance, and the medical image based on the display format set by default if the display format has not been customized. Is displayed.
[0034]
In the process of step S2, when a selection input to customize the display format is performed (step S2; Yes), the control unit 11 performs the customization process (step S4), and there is no contradiction in the display format after the customization process. It is verified whether or not there is (step S5). Then, the control unit 11 performs a selection input as to whether or not to display the medical image on the display screen of the display unit 13 based on the display format after the customization processing (step S6), and selects to display the medical image. If the input has been performed (Step S6; Yes), the process proceeds to Step S3, and if the selection input indicating no display has been performed (Step S6; No), the process ends.
[0035]
That is, the control unit 11 customizes the display format by setting the display format according to the imaging information (for example, information indicating the modality, the number of images, the imaging region, the presence or absence of the related image, etc.) via the input unit 12. Do it.
[0036]
Here, FIG. 3 shows a setting example of the display format according to the shooting information. The setting contents of the display format illustrated in FIG. 3 are stored in the storage unit 16 as display format data.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 3, when the modality is CR (Computed Radiography), the display is set to single display A1, when the modality is CT (Computed Tomography), the display is set to continuous display A2, and when the modality is MR (Magnetic Resonance), It is set to the extended continuous display A5. For example, when the number of photographed images is one, the display is set to one image A1, when the number of images is ten, the lattice display A3 is set, and when the number of images is 100 or more, the image is set to the scout display A6. When the imaging part is the abdomen, it is set to the single image display A1, when the imaging part is the head, it is set to the MPR (Multi Planer Reconstruction) display A4, and when it is the chest, it is set to the volume rendering display A7. . Here, the MPR display A4 displays an arbitrary cross section using the MPR, and the volume rendering display A7 displays a three-dimensional image including internal organs. When the number is very large, the grid display A3 uses, for example, a thumbnail display.
[0038]
If there is a related image, it is set to the parallel display A8 (or a multi-stage parallel display A9, an extended parallel display A10, etc.). Also, when there is a related image, if the modality is CR, it is set to the parallel display A8, if it is CT, it is set to the mixed display A9, and if it is MR, it is set to the extended parallel display A10. When the imaging part is the head and the modality is MR, the continuous display is set to A2. When the imaging part is the chest and the modality is MR, the scout display is set to A6. When the imaging part is the chest and the modality is CR. In this case, it is set to the grid display A3.
[0039]
Here, the single display A1 displays only one medical image, the continuous display A2 displays a plurality of continuous medical images sequentially like an animation, and the grid display A3 displays a plurality of medical images. Are displayed in a grid pattern, the extended continuous display A5 displays the grid-shaped display A3 and the continuous display A2 in parallel, and the scout display A6 displays the overall view A61 ( For example, a head.), And a cross-sectional view corresponding to a specified arbitrary slice in the whole view of the part shown in the whole view A61 are displayed on the grid display A3.
[0040]
In the parallel display A8, medical images related to each other are displayed in parallel. In the multi-stage parallel display A9, the parallel display A8 is displayed in a plurality of stages. In the extended parallel display A10, the parallel display A8 and the parallel display A8 are displayed. Is displayed in parallel with the interpretation report indicating the interpretation result of the medical image displayed on the display unit. In the mixed display A11, the parallel display parallel display A8 and the lattice display A3 are displayed in parallel.
[0041]
As described above, the medical image processing apparatus 1 according to the imaging conditions (eg, modality, number of images, imaging region, presence / absence of related information, etc.) recorded in the header of each medical image data. The display format (for example, single display A1 to mixed display A11 shown in FIG. 3) when displaying an image can be set for each image reading doctor. This display format can be customized as needed by the radiologist.
[0042]
Therefore, the display format when displaying the medical image to be interpreted can be easily and freely customized according to the interpreting doctor, the imaging information, and the like, so that the display format is changed so that the interpreting doctor can use the image easily. The display operation for the target medical image can be reduced, and the interpretation work can be efficiently performed.
[0043]
Note that the description in the present embodiment shows an example of the medical image processing apparatus according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this. The detailed configuration and detailed operation of the medical image processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0044]
For example, the display format is not limited to the single image display A1 to the mixed display A11 shown in FIG. 3, and another display format may be set. The shooting information is not limited to the modality, the number of shots, the shooting site, and the presence or absence of the related image, and may include other information. Further, the setting of the display format according to the photographing information is not limited to the setting shown in FIG. 3, and may be a setting using any other combination as long as it can be displayed.
[0045]
In addition, the display format can be customized not only for the imaging information but also for any information accompanying the medical image to be interpreted. For example, the display format may be customized for each request department.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, a display format for displaying a medical image to be interpreted can be easily and freely customized according to an interpreting doctor, imaging information, and the like. The display operation for the medical image to be interpreted can be reduced, such as by changing the display format, and the image interpretation operation can be efficiently performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a medical image processing apparatus to which the present invention has been applied.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a customization process for a display format of a medical image by a medical image processing apparatus to which the present invention has been applied.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a setting example of a display format of a medical image in a medical image processing apparatus to which the present invention has been applied.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 medical image processing apparatus 11 control unit 12 input unit 13 display unit 14 communication control unit 15 RAM
16 storage unit 17 image processing unit 18 bus

Claims (4)

In a medical image processing apparatus capable of displaying a captured medical image based on a plurality of display formats,
From among the plurality of display formats, an input unit for selectively inputting a display format in accordance with an interpreting doctor who interprets the medical image and imaging information related to the medical image,
A control unit that controls to display the medical image based on the display format that is selected and input,
A medical image processing apparatus comprising: 2. The imaging information according to claim 1, wherein the imaging information includes at least one of information indicating a modality related to the medical image, information indicating an imaging number, information indicating an imaging region, and information indicating presence or absence of related information. 4. The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1. The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging information includes a plurality of pieces of information related to the medical image. The input unit is capable of selecting and inputting a display format from among the plurality of display formats in accordance with a doctor interpreting the medical image and two or more different pieces of imaging information of the medical image. The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

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