JP2005118350A - Data recording system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily extract and record data including target symptoms acquired by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: In a ring buffer 42, image data outputted from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 are recorded in a frame unit. A user confirms the appearance of the target symptom on images while looking at tomographic images displayed in real time and inputs an end trigger 30 immediately after the appearance of the symptom. When the end trigger 30 is inputted, a system control part 20 instructs the recording of the image data to a recording control part 40. The recording control part 40 sets the record starting time point from the input time point of the end trigger 30 and extracts data corresponding to a period from the record starting time point to the input time point of the end trigger 30 from the ring buffer 42 as recorded data. The recorded data are processed in a data processing part 44 and recorded in a recording medium 46. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a data recording system, and more particularly, to a data recording system that extracts data for recording from data acquired by transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves.

  There is known an apparatus for recording image data acquired by transmission / reception of ultrasonic waves and performing loop reproduction (repetitive reproduction) of the recorded image data. For example, in Patent Document 1, heartbeat image data from the time phase of one electrocardiographic R wave to the time phase of another electrocardiographic R wave is transferred to an external storage device using the R wave of the electrocardiographic waveform. A device for recording is shown.

JP-A-6-269455

  In order to record the image data for loop reproduction, it is necessary to set the start point and end point of the image data so that the target symptoms are included. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, an ultrasound image corresponding to temporarily stored image data is displayed on a screen, and the start and end points of image data to be recorded are displayed on an electrocardiogram waveform also displayed on the screen. The time phase is specified. However, in the apparatus of Patent Document 1, an operation for extracting data to be recorded is complicated, such as displaying an electrocardiogram waveform and setting both the start point and the end point on the electrocardiogram waveform.

  Further, when image data acquired by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is recorded in a recording apparatus outside the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a recording operation for the external recording apparatus is further required.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a data recording system that can easily extract and record data including a target symptom acquired by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, a data recording system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a data recording system including an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a data recording apparatus, wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is in a space including a target tissue. An ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and a transmission / reception unit that controls the ultrasonic probe to acquire a reception signal, and the data recording device stores data obtained from the reception signal. A memory for temporarily storing; and a recording control unit for extracting recording data from the data stored in the memory, wherein the recording control unit has a recording start point based on a recording end point specified by a user And data corresponding to a period from the recording start time to the recording end time is extracted as recording data.

  In the above configuration, the recording start time is set based on the recording end time designated by the user, and the recording data corresponding to the period from the recording start time to the recording end time is extracted. For this reason, for example, the user can easily extract data including a target symptom by specifying a recording end time after confirming that the target symptom has appeared while viewing an ultrasonic image displayed in real time. it can.

  Preferably, the recording start time point is a time point that is a predetermined period after the recording end time point. Examples of the period set in advance include a period set to a desired length by the user, such as a heart rate value or a time value of the heart. Preferably, the data stored in the memory includes information on an electrocardiogram of a heart, which is a target tissue, and the recording control unit performs the recording for a period specified by a user based on the electrocardiogram waveform information. A time point that goes back from the recording end point is set as the recording start point. Preferably, the data stored in the memory includes acquisition time information of a reception signal corresponding to the data, and the recording control unit uses the acquisition time information to specify a time specified by a user. The point in time that is traced back from the recording end point is set as the recording start point.

  In order to achieve the above object, a data recording apparatus according to a preferred aspect of the present invention includes a memory that temporarily stores image data of an ultrasound image output from an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, and the memory that stores the image data. A recording control unit that extracts recording data for recording on a recording medium from the recorded data, and the recording control unit sets a recording start point based on a recording end point specified by a user, Data corresponding to a period from the recording start time to the recording end time is extracted as recording data.

  According to the present invention, data including a target symptom acquired by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can be easily extracted and recorded.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a data recording system according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration thereof. The data recording system in FIG. 1 includes an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 and a data recording apparatus 2.

  The probe 10 transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave in a space including the heart that is the target tissue. The transmission / reception unit 12 controls the probe 10 to form a transmission beam, and controls the transmission beam to form a scanning plane so as to cross the heart. The scanning plane is formed for each time phase, and the transmission / reception unit 12 forms a reception beam based on the reception result of the probe 10 acquired for each time phase, and acquires a reception signal for each reception beam. In general, a scanning plane for each time phase is called a frame, and a plurality of reception beams forming each scanning plane are called lines. That is, the transmission / reception unit 12 acquires a reception signal for each line in units of frames.

  The AD conversion unit 14 outputs reception data obtained by performing analog-digital conversion (AD conversion) processing on the reception signal (analog signal) for each line supplied from the transmission / reception unit 12 to the image forming unit 16. The image forming unit 16 forms image data corresponding to each frame from the received data. The image data is, for example, heart tomographic image data. Image data is sequentially formed for each time phase and output to the display 18 to display an ultrasonic image. Further, the image data formed by the image forming unit 16 is also output to the ring buffer 42 of the data recording device 2.

  The system control unit 20 outputs electrocardiogram waveform information and reception data acquisition time information to the data recording device 2 as additional information for the image data. The electrocardiographic waveform information is waveform information obtained from the electrocardiographic waveform 32 of the heart. The end trigger 30 input to the system control unit 20 is a trigger input by the user, and a data recording operation is executed based on the end trigger 30. The data recording operation will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

  The ring buffer 42 is a memory that records image data output from the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1 in units of frames. Information related to the frame is attached to the image data for each frame.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the recorded contents of the ring buffer (reference numeral 42 in FIG. 1). Hereinafter, the contents recorded in the ring buffer 42 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 will be described using the reference numerals in FIG. In the ring buffer 42, image data up to frame (F) 130 in the order of frame (1) 110 and frame (2) 120 from the head address is recorded in units of frames. The recorded contents for each frame are as follows.

  Frame No. Reference numeral 112 denotes a frame identification number. For example, a natural number from 1 is assigned in the frame acquisition order. The frame time 114 indicates the time when the frame is acquired, and the acquisition time data generated by the recording control unit 40 based on the acquisition time information supplied from the system control unit 20 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 is recorded. Is done. The R wave flag 116 is a flag indicating whether or not an R wave is detected when the frame is acquired. The R wave is a wave observed in the electrocardiographic waveform 32 at the end diastole of the heart. That is, the recording control unit 40 detects the timing of the R wave from the electrocardiographic waveform information supplied from the system control unit 20, and sets the R wave flag 116 to “1” for a frame acquired at the timing of the R wave. The R wave flag 116 is set to “0” for a frame acquired at a timing other than the R wave. As described above, the frame No. Related information such as (reference numeral 112), frame time 114, and R wave flag 116 is attached to the image data 118 constituting each frame and stored.

  In the ring buffer 42, image data corresponding to each frame is sequentially recorded in time series. When the inside of the ring buffer 42 is filled with image data from frame (1) to frame (F), the recording control unit 40 obtains image data of the frame (F + 1) acquired at the next time phase of the frame (F). The area where the image data of frame (1) is recorded is overwritten. That is, the image data of frame (1) is discarded, and the image data of frame (F + 1) is newly recorded. Further, when the image data of the frame (F + 2) and the frame (F + 3) is acquired, the area in which the image data of the frame (2) and the frame (3) is recorded is overwritten. In this way, the ring buffer 42 stores the image data for F frames and the related information retroactively from the latest diagnosis time.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the recording control unit 40 extracts recording image data from the image data recorded in the ring buffer 42 and supplies the extracted image data to the data processing unit 44. The data processing unit 44 performs recording data processing on the image data. Taking an optical disc recorder as an example of the data recording device 2, the data processing unit 44 executes processing for converting image data into the image format of the optical disc recorder. The processed image data is recorded on the recording medium 46. When the data recording device 2 is an optical disk recorder, the recording medium 46 corresponds to an optical disk. The data recording device 2 is not limited to an optical disk recorder, and may be a hard disk or a VTR, for example.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an image data recording operation by the data recording system shown in FIG. The image data recording operation will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 will be described using the reference numerals in FIG.

  First, the user operates the probe 10 to display an ultrasonic image of a site to be diagnosed, for example, a tomographic image of the heart, on the display 18. The image forming unit 16 sequentially forms image data for each frame, and a tomographic image of the heart is displayed on the display 18 in real time (S301). At this time, the image data formed by the image forming unit 16 is also output to the ring buffer 42.

  Next, while viewing the tomographic image displayed in real time, the user confirms on the image that a symptom intended for diagnosis appears, and immediately after the symptom appears, an end trigger is issued from the operation panel of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1. 30 is input (S302). As soon as the end trigger 30 is input by the user, the system control unit 20 instructs the recording control unit 40 to record image data (S303).

  When receiving the image data recording instruction, the recording control unit 40 searches the data recorded in the ring buffer 42 for data at the recording start time (S304). The recording start time is searched based on a preset value input in advance by the user. The set value is preferably an R wave count or a time value. For example, when the count number of the R wave is set to “3”, the recording control unit 40 searches the data recorded in the ring buffer 42 for the data of the frame corresponding to the input time point of the end trigger 30, Further, a frame having the R wave flag (reference numeral 116 in FIG. 2) of “1” is searched retrospectively from the data, and the frame at the time when the R wave flag “1” is traced back three times is used as the recording start time frame. To detect.

  Also, for example, when the time value “10 seconds” is set by the user, the recording control unit 40 searches the data recorded in the ring buffer 42 for the data of the frame corresponding to the input time of the end trigger 30. Further, a frame corresponding to 10 seconds before is detected from the data as a frame at the recording start time with reference to the frame time (reference numeral 114 in FIG. 2).

  When the recording start time is searched, the recording control unit 40 transfers the image data of the frame from the recording start time to the end trigger input time as recording data from the ring buffer 42 to the data processing unit 44 (S305). The data processing unit 44 performs data processing corresponding to the recording medium 46 on the transferred recording data, and the data-processed recording data is recorded on the recording medium 46 (S306).

  As described above, the data recording system according to the present embodiment allows the user to confirm the appearance of a symptom targeted for diagnosis on the image while viewing the tomographic image displayed in real time, and to input the end trigger 30. Recording data including symptoms can be stored in the recording medium 46.

  It should be noted that the R wave count number and time value used for the search at the recording start time in S304 in FIG. 3 can be appropriately changed according to the frequency of appearance of the target symptom while the user views the real-time image. Also good. Further, after the end trigger 30 is input, the image data of all the frames recorded in the ring buffer 42 is reproduced, and the user sets the recording start time for recording on the recording medium 46 while viewing the reproduced image. Good.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment mentioned above is only a mere illustration in all the points, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the image data formed in the image forming unit 16 is output to the ring buffer 42, but the reception data before the image forming process may be output to the ring buffer 42. In this case, received data for each frame is recorded instead of the image data 118 shown in FIG. 2, and recording data extracted from the received data is recorded on the recording medium 46.

1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a data recording system according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows the recording content of a ring buffer. It is a figure for demonstrating the recording operation of image data.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, 2 Data recording device, 20 System control part, 40 Recording control part, 42 Ring buffer, 44 Data processing part, 46 Recording medium.

Claims (5)

In a data recording system including an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a data recording apparatus,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises:
An ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in a space including the target tissue; and
A transmission / reception unit for controlling the ultrasonic probe to obtain a reception signal;
Have
The data recording device comprises:
A memory for temporarily storing data obtained from the received signal;
A recording control unit for extracting recording data from the data stored in the memory;
Have
The recording control unit sets a recording start time based on a recording end time designated by a user, and extracts data corresponding to a period from the recording start time to the recording end time as recording data.
A data recording system characterized by that. The data recording system according to claim 1, wherein
The recording start time point is a time point that has been set in advance for a preset period from the recording end time point.
A data recording system characterized by that. The data recording system according to claim 1, wherein
The data stored in the memory includes electrocardiographic waveform information of the heart that is the target tissue,
The recording control unit sets a time point that is traced back from the recording end point for the period specified by the user based on the electrocardiographic waveform information as the recording start point.
A data recording system characterized by that. The data recording system according to claim 1, wherein
The data stored in the memory includes acquisition time information of a received signal corresponding to the data,
The recording control unit uses the acquisition time information to set a time point traced back from the recording end time by a time specified by a user as the recording start time.
A data recording system characterized by that. A memory for temporarily storing image data of an ultrasound image output from the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus;
A recording control unit for extracting recording data to be recorded on a recording medium from data stored in the memory;
Have
The recording control unit sets a recording start time based on a recording end time designated by a user, and extracts data corresponding to a period from the recording start time to the recording end time as recording data.
A data recording apparatus.

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