JP2005312683A - Medical image distribution system and its viewer terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase an information amount in a medical scene by reducing the difference of the information amount among users caused by the function difference of viewer terminal equipment. <P>SOLUTION: In a medical image distribution system comprising a server unit for storing medical images and two or more pieces of the viewer terminal equipment for acquiring the medical images from the server unit through a communication channel, at least one of the viewer terminal equipment comprises a user interface means for providing the user with a GUI environment, an image working means for working the acquired medical image on the basis of an operation event supplied through the user interface means and generating a worked image, a capture means for monitoring the operation event and capturing the worked image in the case that the operation event satisfies a stipulated condition, and an image transfer means for transferring the captured worked image to the server unit, so as to be stored. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical image distribution system that distributes medical images taken by a CT scanning device or the like via a hospital LAN (Local Area Network), and a viewer terminal device used in this system.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is provided a medical image distribution system in which medical images taken by a CT scanning device or the like are stored in a server device and can be read from a terminal device and displayed (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Usually, a plurality of viewer terminals are installed in a hospital, and a doctor can refer to or interpret a medical image regardless of the location.

By the way, not all viewer terminals have the same functions. That is, since the applications that can be implemented are limited by the processing function of the terminal device, the installed memory capacity, and the like, it is common that high-performance viewer terminals and simple viewer terminals coexist. A high-performance viewer terminal can provide almost all the functions required (cine display, 3D display, video display, etc.), but the number of installed terminals is not so many. Therefore, doctors in outpatient clinics often use a simple viewer terminal, which creates a disparity in the amount of information among users.
JP 2002-253545 A JP-A-9-198453

  Various kinds of medical images are stored in an image storage server provided in this type of system. In addition, some high-function viewers have a function of processing a read image in various ways to create a new image that does not exist in the image storage server. In spite of this, in the existing system, the newly created image is dealt with on the spot and discarded when it is no longer necessary. If a new image created by a high-performance viewer (or a simple viewer with special functions) can be used in the simple viewer, the amount of information provided to the medical site will increase dramatically. However, a system that realizes such a function is not yet known.

  The present invention has been made for the above-mentioned circumstances, and the object thereof is to enable the reduction of the information amount difference between users caused by the difference in function of the viewer terminal device, thereby increasing the information amount in the medical field. An object is to provide a medical image distribution system and a viewer terminal device thereof.

  To achieve the above object, a medical image distribution system according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a server device that stores medical images and a plurality of viewer terminal devices that acquire the medical images from the server device via a communication line. In at least one of the plurality of viewer terminal devices, a user interface means for providing a user with a GUI (Graphical User Interface) environment, and the obtained medical image as the user interface means An image processing means for processing and generating a processed image based on an operation event given via the image capturing, and capturing for capturing the processed image when the operation event satisfies a predetermined condition by monitoring the operation event And an image for transferring and storing the captured processed image to the server device And a transmission means.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to reduce the disparity in the amount of information between users resulting from the difference in function of the viewer terminal device, and thereby the medical image distribution system capable of expanding the amount of information in the medical field and its viewer terminal An apparatus can be provided.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. An image viewer is a device that displays various types of digital images. Here, a medical image will be described as an example.
FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of a medical image distribution system according to the present invention. The system of FIG. 1 includes an in-hospital system formed inside a hospital and an out-of-hospital system formed outside the hospital. In-hospital and out-hospital systems are connected via a public network. Among these, the in-hospital system includes a CT device 11, an MR device 12, a high-function viewer 13, a simple viewer 14, a DR device 15, an image storage server 16, and an access router 17 connected to each other via a LAN (local area network). Is provided.

  The CT device 11, the MR device 12, and the DR device 15 are used as modalities (inspection devices) and take various medical images. This medical image is transferred to the large-capacity image storage server 16 via the LAN, and is accumulated for a certain period. The high-function viewer 13 and the simple viewer 14 acquire and display medical images accumulated in the image storage server 16 via the LAN according to user operations.

Of these, the high function viewer 13 is assumed to have a function of processing the acquired medical image to create a new image. Such functions include, for example, 3D data processing, Fusion data processing, MIP image forming processing, and the like. The image storage server 16 itself may be provided with these image processing functions.
The in-hospital system LAN is connected to a public network NW such as an IP (Internet Protocol) network via an access router 17 and further connected to an access router 21 of an out-of-hospital system. The access router 21 is connected to the high function viewer 23 via the LAN, whereby the high function viewer 23 can access the image storage server 16 of the hospital system and acquire an image. A PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) viewer 22 provided in the out-of-hospital system is connected to the public network NW via a wireless base station (not shown). As a result, the PDA viewer 22 can also acquire the stored image of the image storage server 16.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the high function viewer 13 of FIG. The high function viewer 23 has the same configuration. In FIG. 2, the high function viewer 13 includes a user interface unit 31, a communication interface unit 38, an operation history recording unit 32, and an information processing unit 33. The user interface unit 31 includes a liquid crystal monitor, a keyboard, a mouse (all not shown), and the like, and provides a GUI (graphical user interface) based operation environment to the user. The user gives various instructions such as image acquisition and image processing to the apparatus via the user interface unit 31. The result is shown to the user via the user interface unit 31.

  The communication interface unit 38 is connected to the LAN, and performs interface processing between the public network NW and the LAN. For example, the image data 37 transmitted via the LAN is taken into the high function viewer 13 via the communication interface unit 38 and is given to the information processing unit 33.

  The operation history recording unit 32 generates operation history information and operation instruction information (reference numeral 35) according to the history of command input operations performed via the user interface unit 31. The generated information is stored in a storage unit (not shown) or sent to the image storage server 16 or the like via the communication interface unit 38. For example, the operation history information includes buttons actually operated by the user such as “examination list display”, “examination selection”, “image display”, “increase in the number of display frames”, “report creation”, “save report”, etc. The type of instruction associated with each button, the type of operation (click, drag, etc.), the date and time when the operation was performed, here the year, month, date and time, and the detailed operation date and time up to how many seconds Written with.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating processing functions provided in the information processing unit 33 in FIG. The information processing unit 33 includes an image processing unit 33a, a capture processing unit 33b, a transfer processing unit 33c, and a display control unit 33d as software processing functions according to the present embodiment. Among these, the image processing unit 33a processes the image acquired from the image storage server 16 based on an operation event given by the user interface unit 31 and generates a new processed image.

  When the operation event satisfies a certain condition, the capture processing unit 33b captures the processed image at that time. In particular, the capture processing unit 33b adds a time stamp indicating time information at the time of capture to the captured processed image. The transfer processing unit 33c transfers the processed image captured by the capture processing unit 33b to the image storage server 16 and accumulates it. The display control unit 33d performs control for displaying thumbnails of images acquired from the image storage server 16 in the order of time stamps attached to the images, for example. Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure of the high function viewer 13 having the above configuration. The user gives various instructions to the high function viewer 13 with reference to the GUI screen shown in FIG. The information processing unit 33 of the high function viewer 13 reads the list data from the image storage server 16, reads the image data, and reads the memo data according to the instruction content. The read data is displayed via the GUI, and a user's image editing instruction is given based on the display content. Data reflecting the result of editing is sent back to the image storage server 16. Also, processed images such as 3D data and Fusion data are also sent to the image storage server 16.

  FIG. 4A shows an initial GUI screen, and for example, clickable buttons such as [Inspection List] and [Maintenance Menu] are displayed. When the examination list button is clicked, an examination list for each patient is displayed as shown in FIG. When an image display button is clicked with any patient selected from this list, for example, a CT scan image is acquired from the image storage server 16 and displayed on the GUI screen, as shown in FIG. 4C. Is done.

  In FIG. 4C, [Create Report], [3D], and [WL / WW] buttons are displayed. When the 3D button is clicked, a command for generating a 3D image has a high function. It is given to the viewer 13. Then, a three-dimensional processing process based on the image data in FIG. 4C is performed, and a 3D image is displayed as shown in FIG.

  The series of operations described above is given to the high function viewer 13 as operation events. The information processing unit 33 of the high-function viewer 13 monitors the operation event, and when a condition that matches the capture trigger occurs, performs the capture operation set at that time. The captured image data is arranged in time series, transferred to the image storage server 16 and stored. The captured image data is also returned to the requesting viewer terminal when related information is acquired from the image storage server 16. A plurality of examples of conditions that trigger image capture processing in the capture processing unit 33b will be described below.

(1) When an MPR cross-section creation instruction is given, an image generated according to the operation event is captured. For example, all image data generated by gradation change, cross-sectional movement, oblique, Curved MPR, SLAB, and other processing processes are captured.
(2) When a MIP image creation or MINIP image creation instruction is given, an image generated in response to the operation event is captured. For example, all image data generated by gradation change, cross-sectional movement, oblique, SLAB, and other processing processes are captured.

(3) When a 3D image creation instruction is given, an image generated according to the operation event is captured. For example, all image data generated by Surface, Volume rendering creation, rotation, cutting, (un) transparency change, and other processing processes are captured.
(4) For example, when an event of an operation performed by the user is stopped at a predetermined interval in a state where the mode of the high function viewer 13 is an interpretation routine operation, an image at that time is captured. For example, this corresponds to a case where the user operation is stopped for 3 seconds or more. In this case, an image is captured as information paired with the examination. In the case of 2D data, the data is marked, and an image observed by a function provided only in the high function viewer 13 (that is, a function not provided in the simple viewer 14 and the PDA viewer 22) is also captured.

(5) The image being interpreted by the user is always captured at regular intervals. Note that it is not always necessary to capture when no operation event is given by the user or when there is no change in the image.
(6) Capture image data generated by image cine operation. For example, when the image is stopped, when the image is turned in the opposite direction, or when the same image (a certain width is allowed) is repeatedly displayed, these images are all captured.

(7) When a report creation instruction is given, the image data at that time is captured. That is, this is the case when the report creation button shown in FIGS. 4B to 4D is clicked. In addition, when a character is input, the mouse pointer is moved to the report screen, or the image changes during the operation before each operation (during a certain interval), the image data at that time is displayed. Try to capture.
(8) In addition to the above conditions (1) to (7), when a plurality of images are operated in an interlocked manner, the interlocked images are also captured. In addition, it is preferable to capture images one by one even when the number of captured images is large or when a process requiring a complicated procedure is performed.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure of the high function viewer 13 of FIG. In FIG. 5, the high function viewer 13 constantly monitors the generation of a capture trigger based on a user operation (step S1). When any of the above conditions (1) to (8) is satisfied, the high function viewer 13 captures the image data at that time, that is, the processed image (step S2). The captured image is transferred to the image storage server 16 (step S3), and distributed to each viewer in response to requests from the simple viewer 14, the PDA viewer 22, and the high function viewer 23.

  In the simple viewer 14 and the PDA viewer 22, the distributed images are arranged in chronological order and displayed as thumbnails, and when each thumbnail is clicked, it is displayed in an enlarged manner. According to the present embodiment, not only images acquired by each modality but also processed images generated by the high-performance viewer 13 can be the targets of thumbnail display in the simple viewer 14. As a result, even a viewer (PDA viewer 22 or the like) that originally has only a 2D image display function can view 3D images and Fusion images equivalent to those of the high-function viewer 13.

  In addition, by displaying the time and time elapsed when the image was captured on each thumbnail, information on the procedure under which the examination related to the image was read is communicated to the doctor on site. Becomes easier. In this case, if the capture time interval is set short, it becomes easier to understand what procedure has been taken. This makes it easy for a user who has never used the high-function viewer 13 to understand the functions of the high-function viewer 13.

  As described above, in this embodiment, since the images generated by the functions of the high-function viewers 13 and 23 are also stored in the image storage server 16, the interpretation efficiency and interpretation accuracy of the simple viewer 14 and the like are improved. In addition, the user of the simple viewer 14 or the PDA viewer 22 can be more motivated to learn the functions of the high-function viewers 13 and 23. Summarizing the above, according to the present embodiment, it becomes possible to reduce the difference in the amount of information between users resulting from the functional difference of the viewer terminal device, so that the amount of information in the medical field can be expanded.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the present embodiment, the images generated by the high-functional viewers 13 and 23 are automatically captured, but the processed image that is the target needs to be created through a special processing process. There is no. For example, an image in a state where a plurality of images are acquired from the image storage server 16 and displayed on the same screen is also included in the concept of the processed image. An image in a state where only a part of a plurality of images on the same screen is specially processed is also a processed image.

  For example, when MPR processing is performed, three images of Sagital, Coronal, and Axial are displayed. In the present embodiment, such an image is also included in the capture target. That is, in the present embodiment, in short, an image being interpreted by the user (an image displayed on the user interface unit 31) is captured under a certain trigger. Further, in the present embodiment, when a plurality of images are included in the image being interpreted by the user, the arrangement in the screen, information indicating the arrangement state, and the like are also captured. In this way, if the system includes not only image data but also capture-related information, it can be expected to further expand the application range.

  Similarly, when capturing an image during cine display processing, it is preferable to capture not only image data but also information regarding the arrangement of images arranged before and after the capture target image. This makes it possible to easily acquire the image data of the depth related to the cine display after the fact.

  In this embodiment, the high-function viewers 13 and 23 have a function for processing an image. Instead, the image storage server 16 may have a similar function. That is, an image corresponding to a request from each viewer may be generated in the image storage server 16 and distributed to the requesting viewer. In this way, it is possible to reduce traffic on the LAN and public network NW related to image storage.

  Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment.

1 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of a medical image distribution system according to the present invention. The functional block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the high function viewers 13 and 23 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating processing functions provided in the information processing unit 33 in FIG. 2. The figure which shows an example of the operation procedure of the high functional viewers 13 and 23 of FIG. The flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the high function viewers 13 and 23 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  NW ... Public network, 11 ... CT device, 12 ... MR device, 13, 23 ... High-function viewer, 14 ... Simple viewer, 15 ... DR device, 16 ... Image storage server, 17, 21 ... Access router, 22 ... PDA viewer 31 ... User interface unit, 32 ... Operation history recording unit, 33 ... Information processing unit, 33a ... Image processing unit, 33b ... Capture processing unit, 33c ... Transfer processing unit, 33d ... Display control unit, 37 ... Image data, 38 ... Communication interface section

Claims (23)

In a medical image distribution system comprising a server device that accumulates medical images and a plurality of viewer terminal devices that acquire the medical images from the server device via a communication line,
At least one of the plurality of viewer terminal devices is:
User interface means for providing a user with a GUI (Graphical User Interface) environment;
Image processing means for processing the acquired medical image based on an operation event given via the user interface means to generate a processed image;
A capture means for monitoring the operation event and capturing the processed image when the operation event satisfies a predetermined condition;
An image transfer means for transferring the captured processed image to the server device and storing it. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when an MPR section creation operation is performed via the user interface unit. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when a MIP image forming operation or a MINIP image forming operation is performed via the user interface unit. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when a 3D image forming operation is performed via the user interface unit. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when an image cine operation is performed via the user interface unit. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when an interval at which the operation event occurs exceeds a predetermined time. The medical image distribution system according to claim 6, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image at regular intervals within an interval in which the operation event occurs. The medical image distribution system according to claim 7, wherein the capture unit captures only a processed image that has changed within an interval in which the operation event occurs. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when a report creation operation is performed on the processed image via the user interface unit. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the capture unit adds a time stamp indicating time information at the time of capture to the captured processed image. At least one of the plurality of viewer terminal devices is
11. The medical image distribution system according to claim 10, further comprising display control means for displaying the medical images acquired from the server device as thumbnails in the order of time stamps. The medical image distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the processed image includes an image displayed to the user via the user interface unit. In a viewer terminal device that acquires and displays the medical image via a communication line from a server device that stores medical images,
User interface means for providing a user with a GUI (Graphical User Interface) environment;
Image processing means for processing the acquired medical image based on an operation event given via the user interface means to generate a processed image;
A capture means for monitoring the operation event and capturing the processed image when the operation event satisfies a predetermined condition;
An image transfer means for transferring and storing the captured processed image to the server device, and a viewer terminal device. 14. The viewer terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when an MPR section creation operation is performed via the user interface unit. 14. The viewer terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when a MIP image forming operation or a MINIP image forming operation is performed via the user interface unit. The viewer terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when a 3D image forming operation is performed via the user interface unit. The viewer terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when an image cine operation is performed through the user interface unit. The viewer terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when an interval at which the operation event occurs exceeds a predetermined time. The viewer terminal device according to claim 18, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image at regular intervals within an interval at which the operation event occurs. The viewer terminal apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the capture unit captures only a processed image that has changed within an interval at which the operation event occurs. 14. The viewer terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the capture unit captures the processed image when a report creation operation is performed on the processed image via the user interface unit. The viewer terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the capture unit adds a time stamp indicating time information at the time of capture to the captured processed image. The viewer terminal device according to claim 13, wherein the processed image includes an image that is displayed to the user via the user interface unit.

Images