JP2007249637A - Medical network printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medical network printer used for medical purposes, capable of recording information of itself in an area other than a medical image with the medical image. <P>SOLUTION: This medical network printer is connected to a network having an image data supply source, and records the information of itself and image information according to image data from the image data supply source in different positions, respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical network printer connected to a network having at least one image data supply source, and in particular, a medical network that records its own information other than a medical image at a position different from the medical image. Regarding printers.

Currently, a medical diagnostic system includes a medical imaging apparatus such as a radiographic imaging / reading apparatus, a server, and a printer.
This medical diagnostic system uses, for example, a communication network for medical images compliant with DICOM (Digital Imaging Communication in Medicine), and stores image data (image information) of medical images taken by a medical imaging apparatus as a server. To process the necessary information, and store it together with incidental information such as the patient name or imaging region. In a network using DICOM as a communication protocol, medical imaging apparatuses that do not support DICOM are connected to the network via an image server that matches the protocol.

  In such a medical diagnostic system, in response to a print output instruction using a server or a separate operation means (console), a print request is issued from the server to a designated printer, and is associated with the print request. Then, image data or the like is sent, and a print in which a medical image or the like is reproduced by a printer is output. In addition, a print request corresponding to a print output instruction is made from the operation means, not from the server, to the printer, and the printer acquires image data or the like corresponding to the print request from the server to produce a print. ing.

  Among medical diagnostic systems, some medical imaging devices have an annotation function. In a medical imaging apparatus having this annotation function, when a medical image print is created by a printer, additional information called annotation can be printed in an area other than the medical image of the print in addition to the medical image. The additional information (annotation) includes the date and time when the medical image is received, the name of the medical image capturing model, and the resolution of the medical image.

However, when a medical diagnostic system is provided with a plurality of printers, and each printer is used to produce a medical image print, it is desired to record and specify the print date and time or the printer that produced the print. There is.
At present, additional information can be printed on the print by the annotation function, but there is no printer that has produced the print or the date and time of printing.
Further, when the medical imaging apparatus does not have an annotation function, there is a problem that additional information cannot be recorded, and the printer that produced the print or the date and time of printing cannot be specified.
Furthermore, depending on the medical facility where the network of the medical diagnostic system is constructed, there is a demand for setting different additional information for each device.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and is used for medical purposes, and medical information that can be recorded in a region other than the medical image along with the medical image. A network printer is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, a printer according to the present invention is a medical network printer connected to a network having an image data supply source, and is responsive to information contained therein and image data from the image data supply source. It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical network printer characterized in that the recorded image information is recorded at different positions.

  In the present invention, a plurality of the image data supply sources are provided in the network, information that the image data supply source has is set for each of the image data supply sources, image information corresponding to image data from the image data supply source, It is preferable that information held by the self set for each image data supply source is recorded at a different position.

  According to the medical network printer of the present invention, by recording information held by itself and image information corresponding to the image data from the image data supply source at different positions, in addition to the medical image, As information held by itself, for example, a printer name or print date and time can be recorded at a position different from the medical image. Thereby, information on the printer or the printing date and time when the medical image is printed can be provided to the operator or the medical staff.

Hereinafter, the medical network printer of the present invention will be described in detail based on a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conceptual diagram of an example of a medical diagnostic system using the medical network printer of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a medical diagnostic system 10 (hereinafter referred to as a diagnostic system 10) includes a first workstation 12a, a second workstation 12b, a first imaging device 14a, a second imaging device 14b, and a third imaging device. 14c, the image server 16, the first printer 20, and the second printer 22. In the diagnostic system 10, these devices are connected via a bus B to construct a network. The diagnostic system 10 uses, for example, a medical image communication network conforming to DICOM.

The first workstation 12a has a function of controlling each of the first imaging device 14a, the second imaging device 14b, the third imaging device 14c, the first printer 20, and the second printer 22 connected to the diagnostic system 10. It is what you have.
The first workstation 12a includes input means such as a keyboard and a mouse, display means such as a monitor, and hardware that realizes a function of controlling each device.

In addition, the first workstation 12a correlates with the medical image image data acquired in the diagnostic system 10, and receives information about an image identification code (ID), a patient in the hospital, and a checkup person such as a health checkup. Information and incidental information including imaging information related to imaging such as an imaging region can be input.
Further, the first workstation 12a has an annotation function, and can input annotation information for each medical image by an input means separately from the incidental information. In this embodiment, by having an annotation function, information related to a medical image (annotation) can be recorded in addition to the medical image.

In this embodiment, the annotation (annotation information) that can be recorded by the annotation function includes, for example, a print reception date and time such as a print reception year, a print reception month, a print reception date, and a print reception time.
Further, as annotation (annotation information) that can be recorded by the annotation function, for example, when a print output instruction is given, an IP address of an imaging device or an image server input together with image data of medical images and incidental information, an imaging device or There is a name of the image server or a name in the diagnostic system 10 arbitrarily assigned to the photographing apparatus or the image server.
Furthermore, the annotation (annotation information) that can be recorded by the annotation function includes, for example, the resolution (normal density (STD), double density (HIGH)) of a taken medical image.

  Note that the annotation function can record annotation information as an annotation other than a medical image, and is not limited to the first workstation 12a. Similar to the station 12a, annotations can be recorded in addition to medical images.

  In addition, the first workstation 12a receives the medical image data captured by the first imaging device 14a and the second imaging device 14b and the medical image captured by the third imaging device 14c via the image server 16. It has a function of acquiring image data and displaying a medical image on a display means, and functions as a viewer. It also has an image processing function for performing image processing on image data of medical images.

Furthermore, the first workstation 12a has a function of temporarily storing image data of medical images acquired from each imaging device.
In addition, the first workstation 12a sends the medical printer image data acquired to display the medical image on the display unit or temporarily stored medical image data to the first printer 20 and the second printer 22. It has a function to print out.
In addition, the first workstation 12a prints out the image data of the medical image taken for each of the first imaging device 14a, the second imaging device 14b, and the image server 16 to the first printer 20 and the second printer 22. It also has the function of

  The second workstation 12b has the same configuration as the first workstation 12a and has the same function as the first workstation 12a. In the present embodiment, the second workstation 12b does not have an annotation function.

  The first imaging device 14a, the second imaging device 14b, and the third imaging device 14c are all known medical image imaging devices such as a radiographic imaging imaging reading device, mammography, CT scan, and MRI. The first imaging device 14a, the second imaging device 14b, and the third imaging device 14c are not only the above-described medical image imaging device, but also a stimulable phosphor panel (IP (Imaging Plate) on which a radiographic image is captured. The radiation image information reading device having no imaging function may be used.

In the present embodiment, the first photographing device 14a and the second photographing device 14b are devices corresponding to DICOM.
The third imaging device 14c is a device not compatible with DICOM but not compatible with DICOM. The third imaging device 14c cannot be directly connected to the diagnostic system 10 because the communication network protocol is different. For this reason, the third imaging device 14 c is connected to the diagnostic system 10 via the image server 16. In the diagnostic system 10, the third imaging device 14 c is not recognized because it does not support DICOM, and the image server 16 is recognized.

  The first photographing device 14a, the second photographing device 14b, and the third photographing device 14c may all include input means such as a keyboard and a mouse, and display means such as a monitor. You may input incidental information using a means.

  In the present embodiment, the first photographing device 14a has an annotation function, and the second photographing device 14b and the third photographing device 14c have no annotation function.

The image server 16 is a device for connecting a device having a protocol different from the protocol of the communication network of the diagnostic system 10 to the diagnostic system 10. In the present embodiment, the third imaging device 14 c is connected to the image server 16.
The image server 16 converts the image data of the third imaging device 14c according to the protocol in the diagnostic system 10 and adapts it to the format of the image data in the diagnostic system.
In this way, the image data of the medical image captured by the third imaging device 14c is supplied to the diagnostic system 10 via the image server 16. Thereby, for example, a print output instruction is output from the first workstation 12a or the second workstation 12b to the image server 16, and a medical image photographed by the third photographing device 14c is obtained from the first print 20 or the second print 22. Output as a print.

The image server 16 can be integrated on one board.
The image server 16 may also include input means such as a keyboard and a mouse, and display means such as a monitor, and incidental information may be input using these input means and display means. Furthermore, the image server 16 may also have an annotation function.

  Further, the image data of the medical image photographed by the third photographing device 14c is sent to the image server 16 or the first workstation 12a or the second workstation according to an instruction command from the first workstation 12a or the second workstation 12b. 12b.

The first printer 20 is a medical network printer, and receives various types of information (print data) such as image data of medical images, supplementary information related to medical images such as a patient name or imaging region, and annotation information. It is a so-called medical imager that produces prints according to information.
Further, the first printer 20 records a medical image, incidental information and annotation accompanying the medical image, and uses information (hereinafter, referred to as printer information) held by the first printer 20 as medical image. Can be recorded at different positions.
Note that the first printer 20 also records incidental information and annotations at positions different from the medical image.

The medical image, supplementary information, and annotation information are supplied from the outside to the first printer 20 as medical image data, supplementary information data, and annotation data.
Medical image data is, for example, an image taken by a radiographic imaging reading device, mammography, CT scan, MRI, etc., and reading of a stimulable phosphor panel (IP (Imaging Plate)) from which the radiographic image was taken Medical image data obtained by the radiation image information reading apparatus.

  Examples of the printer information include print date / time such as print year, print month, print date, print reception date / time, and printer name. In addition, when a print output instruction is given, the IP address of the imaging device or image server that is input together with the image data of the medical image, the name of the imaging device or image server, or the diagnostic system arbitrarily given to the imaging device or image server The name in 10 is also listed as printer information.

  As the first printer 20, a medical thermal recording device or a medical printer using a photosensitive heat source image material can be used. In addition, various known print production methods such as an image recording apparatus, an ink jet recording apparatus, and an electrophotographic recording apparatus that record a latent image according to image data on a photographic photosensitive material and perform a predetermined development process were used. An image recording apparatus can be used.

The first printer 20 outputs a print 30 in a format as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the print 30, a rectangular medical image recording area 34 is provided in the approximate center of the recording medium 32, and the upper margin portion 32 a of the periphery of the medical image recording area 34 has 3 Two information recording areas 36a, 36b, and 36c are provided. In addition, three information recording areas 38a, 38b, and 38c are provided in the lower margin 32b of the recording medium 32. As described above, the recording medium 32 is provided with a total of six information recording areas 36a to 36c and 38a to 38c in the upper and lower margins 32a and 32b.
In the print 30, a medical image is recorded in the medical image recording area 34, and incidental information, annotation, or the above-described printer information is recorded in any of the six information recording areas 36 a to 36 c and 38 a to 38 c. The

In the first printer 20, the set recording position of the printer information is set to one of six information recording areas 36a to 36c and 38a to 38c. When there are a plurality of printer information to be recorded, the recording position of each printer information is set in any one of the information recording areas 36a to 36c and 38a to 38c. In the first printer 20, in the initial setting, the recording position of the printer information is the information recording area 36a.
Further, the recording position of the printer information may be set by the first workstation 12a or the second workstation 12b.

Further, the recording position of the incidental information is set in any of the information recording areas 36a to 36c and 38a to 38c by the first workstation 12a, the second workstation 12b, and the first imaging device 14a to the third imaging device 14c. It is what is done.
The annotation recording position is set in one of the information recording areas 36a to 36c and 38a to 38c by a device having an annotation function.

  In the first printer 20, the printer information can be arbitrarily selected from the above-described information and recorded together with the medical image, the accompanying information, and the annotation. The printer information of the first printer 20 to be recorded can be set as appropriate according to the specifications in the diagnostic system 10. For example, when annotation information is input, it is possible to set not to record printer information or to record the print date and time regardless of whether annotation information is input.

In the first printer 20, the recording position of the printer information to be recorded and the number of printer information to be recorded are not particularly limited.
For example, in the first printer 20, the print date and time is set as the initial setting value of the printer information. In the first printer 20, the printer information is initially set so as to be recorded in the information recording area 36a. For this reason, in the first printer 20, when the setting is not changed, the print date and time is recorded in the information recording area 36a in addition to the medical image, the accompanying information, and the annotation.

In the first printer 20, since the name of the photographing device or the image server is input together with the image data, the image data supply source can be specified. Therefore, the printer information to be recorded can be set appropriately for each image data supply source.
The printer information to be recorded together with the series of medical images can be set by the first printer 20 or may be set by the first workstation 12a or the second workstation 12b.

In the first print 20 (medical network printer), based on the print output instruction from the first workstation 12a and the second workstation 12b, the first photographing device 14a and the second photographing device 14b, and the image server 16, the medical care is performed. Image data of the image and its accompanying information, and in some cases, annotation information are input, and the name of the photographing device or image server is specified.
In the first print 20, the input medical image and incidental information are recorded, and in some cases, an annotation is also recorded. The device is specified based on the name of the photographing device or the image server, and preset for each device. The set printer information is recorded in any of the set information recording areas 36a to 36c and 38a to 38c.
In this way, it is possible to obtain a print 30 on which medical images, supplementary information, printer information, and possibly annotations are recorded.

  The second printer 22 is also a medical network printer, has the same configuration as the first printer 20, and has the same function as the first printer 20. Also in the second printer 22, incidental information, annotations, and printer information can be recorded in any of the information recording areas 36a to 36c and 38a to 38c of the recording medium 32.

As described above, in the medical network printer (the first printer 20 and the second printer 22) of the present embodiment, the first workstation 12a and the second workstation 12b, the first imaging device 14a and the second imaging device 14b. In addition, based on a print output instruction from the image server 16, a print (hard copy) of a predetermined size in which at least one of a predetermined medical image and accompanying information, printer information, and annotation is recorded is output.
In the medical network printer (the first printer 20 and the second printer 22) of the present embodiment, the printer information can be set not to be recorded in the case of print output from a device having an annotation function.

Hereinafter, the medical network printers (the first printer 20 and the second printer 22) of the present invention will be described in more detail by describing the operation of the diagnostic system 10.
First, the case where the first printer 20 produces a print of medical image data temporarily stored in the first workstation 12a will be described. In this case, the first printer 20 is initially set to record the print date and time (printer information) in the information recording area 36a for the first workstation 12a.

The first workstation 12a has an annotation function. For example, the first workstation 12a records the IP address in the information recording area 36c and records the resolution (STD or HIGH) of the medical image in the information recording area 36b. .
The print date and time, the IP address, and the resolution of the medical image are recorded in the information recording area 36a, the information recording area 36c, and the information recording area 36b, respectively. The information recording area 36a, the information recording area 36c, and the information recording area 36b are set to be recorded in parallel.
The incidental information is set to be recorded in the information recording area 38a by the first workstation 12a.

In this case, outputs from the first work station 12a, the image data of a medical image, the supplementary information and the annotation information as print data P _1, the first printer 20.
Next, the first printer 20 outputs the print data P _{1 based on} the IP address included in the image data of the print data P ₁ or the name of the first workstation 12 a included in the image data of the print data P ₁ . The source is identified as the first workstation 12a. That is, the image data supply source is specified.

  Next, in the first printer 20, a medical image is recorded in the medical image recording area 34, and incidental information is recorded in the information recording area 38a. Further, the IP address and medical image resolution of the first workstation 12a, and the print date and time as information held by the first print 20, for example, are recorded in parallel in the information recording area 36c, the information recording area 36b, and the information recording area 36a. To do. Accordingly, the operator can grasp the resolution of the medical image and the print date and time by looking at the print.

Next, a case where a print of a medical image photographed by the second photographing device 14b is produced by the second printer 22 will be described.
In this case, the second workstation 12b has no annotation function.
The second printer 22 is initially set to record the print date and time (printer information) in the information recording area 36a. In addition, the incidental information is initially set to be recorded in the information recording area 38a by the second workstation 12b.

First, in order to cause the second printer 22 to output image data of a predetermined medical image imaged by the second imaging device 14b, a print output instruction C from the second workstation 12b is input to the second imaging device according to an instruction input by the operator. 14b.
Then, the output in the second image capturing apparatus 14b, the second work station 12b, a image data of the designated medical image, the supplementary information associated with the image data as print data P _3, the second printer 22 To do.
In the second print 22, IP address included in the image data of the print data P ₃ or the like the name of the second work station 12b,, identifies the output source of the print data P ₃ and the second imaging unit 14b. That is, the image data supply source is specified.

Next, the second printer 22 records a medical image in the medical image recording area 34 and records incidental information in the information recording area 38a. Further, since the second workstation 12b does not have an annotation function, the print date and time initially set as the printer information of the second printer 22 is recorded by the second printer 22 in the information recording area 36a.
Thereby, in addition to the medical image and the accompanying information, the print date and time (printer information) of the second printer 22 can be recorded in an area other than the medical image recording area 34. As described above, even in the second workstation 12b having no annotation function, it is possible to record printer information other than medical images and incidental information.
Note that even when the image data of the medical image temporarily stored in the second workstation 12b is printed out, it is possible to obtain a print in which the medical image, incidental information, and printer information are recorded.

Next, a case where a print of a medical image photographed by the first photographing device 14a is produced by the first printer 20 or the second printer 22 will be described.
In this case, the 1st imaging device 14a is provided with an input means and a display means as mentioned above, and can input incidental information.
The first imaging device 14a has an annotation function. For example, the first imaging device 14a records the resolution of a medical image in the information recording area 36b.
In addition, the first printer 20 and the second printer 22 are initially set to record the print date and time in the information recording area 36a for the first photographing device 14a.
The print date and time are recorded in the information recording area 36a, and the resolution of the medical image is recorded in the information recording area 36b. 36b is set to be recorded in parallel.
Further, the supplementary information is set to be recorded in the information recording area 38a by the first photographing device 14a.

First, in order to cause the first printer 20 to print out image data of a predetermined medical image captured by the first imaging device 14a, an image of the predetermined medical image designated from the first imaging device 14a by an instruction input by an operator. data, the supplementary information and the annotation information as print data P _2, is output to the first print 20.
Here, the supplementary information and the annotation information included in the print data P ₂ using the input means and display means provided in the first image capturing apparatus 14a, in which are entered by the operator.

In the first print 20, IP address included in the print data P ₂ of the image data from the first image capturing apparatus 14a, or the like the name of the first image capturing apparatus 14a, the print data P ₂ to output source, first shooting The device 14a is specified. That is, the image data supply source is specified.

Next, in the first print 20, the designated medical image is recorded in the medical image recording area 34, and the incidental information is recorded in the information recording area 38 a, and in addition to the medical image and the incidental information, the first information is used as annotation information. For example, the resolution of the medical image of the imaging device 14a and the print date and time are recorded in the information recording area 36b and the information recording area 36a in parallel as information held by the first print 20. Accordingly, the operator can grasp the resolution of the medical image and the print date and time by looking at the print.
In this way, in the first print 20, in addition to the medical image and the accompanying information, the medical image resolution (annotation) and the print date and time (printer information) in the first imaging device 14a are displayed in the information recording area 36b and the information recording area 36a. Can be recorded.

Even when the second printer 22 produces a print, in the same way as the first printer 20, in addition to the medical image and the accompanying information, the annotation (resolution of the medical image) of the first photographing device 14a and the print information (print date and time) ) Can be printed in the information recording area 36b and the information recording area 36a.
The first photographing device 14a has an annotation function. When the annotation information and the printer information overlap, the first printer 20 and the second printer 22 are set to not record the printer information. Or, it is set to record printer information different from the annotation.

Next, a case where a print of a medical image photographed by the third photographing device 14c is produced by the first printer 20 will be described.
Since the third imaging device 14c does not support DICOM, medical image data captured by the third imaging device 14c is supplied to the first printer 20 via the image server 16. The third imaging device 14c does not have an annotation function.
The supplementary information is set to be recorded in the information recording area 38a by the first workstation 12a.

First, a print output instruction E for causing the first printer 20 to output image data of a predetermined medical image captured by the third imaging device 14c from the first workstation 12a is output to the image server 16 by an instruction input by the operator. Let
Next, the image server 16 captures and stores incidental information together with image data D of a predetermined medical image captured by the third imaging device 14c designated by the first workstation 12a.
Next, the image server 16 converts the image data D and the incidental information of the third imaging device 14c according to the protocol in the diagnostic system 10 and adapts it to the format of the image data in the diagnostic system 10.

Next, the image server 16, converted image data D, and outputs the supplementary information of the image data D as the print data P _4, the first printer 20.
Here, supplementary information included in the print data P _4, for example, using the input means and display means provided in the third imaging unit 14c, in which are entered by the operator.

In the first print 20, it is specified that the output source of the print data P ₄ is the image server 16 by the IP address included in the image data of the print data P ₄ or the name of the image server 16. That is, the image data supply source is specified.
The third imaging device 14c is connected via the image server 16, and the image server 16 is recognized in the diagnostic system 10. This image server 16 has no annotation function. Therefore, the print date and time initially set as the printer information of the first printer 20 is recorded in the information recording area 36a. The incidental information is recorded in the recording area 38a.

In this way, the medical image is recorded in the medical image recording area 34, the incidental information is recorded in the information recording area 38a, and the print date and time is recorded in the information recording area 36a. Thereby, in addition to the medical image and the accompanying information, the printer information of the first printer 20 can be recorded in an area other than the medical image recording area 34. As described above, even in the third imaging device 14c that does not support DICOM, printer information (print date and time) other than medical images and supplementary information can be recorded.
Note that when the second printer 22 produces a medical image photographed by the third photographing device 14c, the print can be produced similarly to the first printer 20.

  In the diagnostic system 10 of the present embodiment, print output instructions from the first workstation 12a, the second workstation 12b, the first imaging device 14a, and the second imaging device 14b are made by an instruction input from an operator. Thus, selection of a medical image and a print size and selection of a printer for outputting the print are performed, and print output is instructed. In response to this, each device for which a print output instruction has been input receives image data of the selected medical image and its accompanying information, and printer information or annotation, or printer information and annotation in addition to the medical image and accompanying information. It is possible to record in an area other than the medical image recording area 34.

  In the medical network printer (the first printer 20 and the second printer) of the present invention, print output instructions from the first workstation 12a, the second workstation 12b, the first imaging device 14a, and the second imaging device 14b. The image data supply source is specified according to the above. Thereby, according to each image data supply source, a medical image is recorded in the medical image recording area 34, and incidental information other than the medical image and printer information, and in some cases, annotations in different areas other than the medical image recording area 34 ( Position).

  The medical network printer of the present invention has been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the paper of the present invention. Of course.

It is a block diagram which shows the conceptual diagram of an example of the medical diagnostic system using the medical network printer of this invention. It is a schematic diagram showing an image recording format of a print in the medical network printer of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Medical diagnostic system (diagnostic system)
12a 1st workstation 12b 2nd workstation 14a 1st imaging device 14b 2nd imaging device 14c 3rd imaging device 16 image server 20 1st printer 22 2nd printer 30 print 32 recording medium 34 medical image recording area 36a-36c, 38a-38c Information recording area B bus

Claims (2)

A medical network printer connected to a network having an image data source,
A medical network printer, wherein information held by itself and image information corresponding to image data from the image data supply source are recorded at different positions. A plurality of image data supply sources are provided in the network;
The information that the image data supply source has is set for each image data supply source, and the image information corresponding to the image data from the image data supply source and the information that the image data supply source has set for each image data supply source The medical network printer according to claim 1, wherein the medical network printer is recorded at different positions.

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