JP2008012117A - Image data transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a confirmation image data transmission system where image data is transmitted to a terminal being an object reliably by simple setting without erroneous transmission to two or more terminals, and where it is confirmed easily that image data being an object of deletion is trannsmitted already in the case of deleting the image data. <P>SOLUTION: The image data transmission system is provided with: medical doctor terminals 3 which request distribution of photographed image data through a network 2; a medical diagnostic apparatus 4 which is connected with the network 2, which photographs an inspection image of a subject and which is provided with an image data reservation management means 4f transmitting the image data being the object to the medical doctor terminals 3 based on the request from the medical doctor terminals 3; and an image data server 5 which is connected with the network 2 and which stores the image data photographed by the medical diagnostic apparatus 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image data transmission system that controls transmission of image data to a terminal.

  The image data taken by the medical diagnostic apparatus during the examination of the patient is delivered to a doctor who examines the patient (hereinafter referred to as “diagnosis doctor” for convenience). In some cases, a doctor who specializes in analyzing image data (hereinafter referred to as an “interpretation doctor”) is not a doctor. The interpreting doctor analyzes the delivered image data, puts it in a report and sends it to the doctor.

  For a system for transferring image data, for example, a data transmission control means for performing control related to transfer of usage rights of image data transmission means, acceptance of usage requests from each node, management of usage reservations and interrupts via control signal transmission means Has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). According to this proposal, since the image data transmission for each node is collectively controlled by the data transmission control means, the control for each node can be simplified, and an emergency interruption of the image data transmission can be performed. It will be possible.

Further, in the data storage communication system in which the database device and the data reference terminal are connected via a network, the input / output load on the storage medium is appropriately distributed on the time axis using the transfer timing control means, A data storage communication system that efficiently transfers data has also been proposed (see Patent Document 2).
JP-A-63-86633 JP-A-7-152784

  As described above, the image data captured by the medical diagnostic apparatus is transmitted to an interpreting doctor. For example, an interpreting doctor who only sees brain image data or an interpreting doctor who sees only internal image data. As such, an interpreting physician often has expertise in each part of the body. Further, in a hospital where a dedicated terminal is not provided for each doctor, there may be a case where a plurality of doctors jointly use one terminal depending on the doctor's work style. For example, it can be considered that a terminal used by an interpreting doctor who looks at the brain in the morning is used by an interpreting doctor who looks at the internal organs in the afternoon. In this case, even the same terminal is transmitted from the medical diagnostic apparatus. The patient site (image data) is different. Under such circumstances, the communication between the imaging technician and the doctor at the time of transmitting the image data, the setting of the transmission / reception method of the medical diagnostic apparatus that transmits the image data and the terminal that receives the image data, and the image data are predetermined. It is often cumbersome to check whether the message is transmitted to the terminal.

  Furthermore, captured image data is often erased when a specific storage period has elapsed or at a point in time that is related to the capacity of the storage means in the medical diagnostic apparatus. Cannot be deleted unless it is transmitted to the interpreting doctor or doctor in charge (hereinafter referred to as “interpreting doctor”). In particular, when there are a large number of image data transmission destinations (interpretation doctors, etc.), it is practically difficult to confirm whether the image data is transmitted or whether the interpreting doctors have viewed the corresponding image data. is there.

  However, in the invention proposed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the transmission of image data from each of a plurality of nodes is controlled, and the traffic of image data transmitted between the nodes is merely controlled. The above-mentioned problem cannot be solved.

  The invention of Patent Document 2 aims to reduce the input / output load on the storage medium by controlling the data transfer time by a transfer time control means having a delivery schedule. Therefore, no consideration is given to reliably transmitting image data with simple settings to a terminal that has issued a transmission request for image data.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to reliably transmit image data to a target terminal with simple settings without erroneous transmission to a plurality of terminals. It is also possible to provide an image data transmission system capable of easily confirming that image data to be deleted has been transmitted when image data is deleted.

  In the image data transmission system, the invention according to claim 1 is a doctor terminal that requests distribution of the captured image data via the network, and is connected to the network to capture a test image of the subject. A medical diagnostic apparatus including an image data reservation management unit that transmits target image data to a doctor terminal based on a request, and an image data server that is connected to a network and stores image data captured by the medical diagnostic apparatus. It is characterized by that.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image data transmission system, a doctor terminal that requests distribution of captured image data via a network, a medical diagnostic apparatus that is connected to the network and images a test image of a subject, Image data connected to a network and provided with an image database for receiving and storing image data taken by a medical diagnostic apparatus and image data reservation management means for transmitting target image data to a doctor terminal based on a request from the doctor terminal And a server.

  According to the present invention, image data can be reliably transmitted to a target terminal with simple settings without erroneous transmission to a plurality of terminals, and an image to be deleted when image data is deleted. It is possible to provide an image data transmission system capable of easily confirming that data has been transmitted.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the image data transmission system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention performs examination of a patient (subject) and a doctor terminal 3 used by an interpretation doctor or the like via a network 2. The medical diagnostic apparatus 4 and an image data server 5 that stores image data taken by the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 are configured.

  The doctor terminal 3 is an information terminal installed in a hospital or the like, or a portable information terminal that can be connected to the network 2, and can transmit and receive image data and the like via the network 2. In FIG. 1, four doctor terminals 3a to 3d are connected to the network 2, but the number of doctor terminals may be one or more.

  An interpreting doctor or the like, for example, examines symptoms and the like on the doctor terminal 3 based on an image taken at the time of examination of a subject. For this reason, the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 used for the examination of the subject is requested to distribute the data of the captured image that needs to be analyzed on the doctor terminal 3.

  The medical diagnostic apparatus 4 here refers to an apparatus that can acquire the result of an examination as image data. For example, a CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus (computer tomography apparatus) or PET (positron-emission tomography: positron). Emission tomography). In the embodiment of the present invention, a CT apparatus will be described below as an example. 1 shows only one medical diagnostic apparatus 4, the number of medical diagnostic apparatuses 4 connected to the network 2 may be singular or plural.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the medical diagnostic apparatus (CT apparatus) 4 includes a gantry 4a, an X-ray control unit 4b, a machine control unit 4c, an imaging data management unit 4d, an operation unit 4e, and image data reservation management. It comprises means 4f and a computer 4g for controlling these means.

  The gantry 4a collectively represents a bed on which a subject to be examined (not shown) lies, a photographing tunnel into which the subject is placed during photographing, and the like. When imaging is performed, a high voltage is supplied from a high voltage generating unit (not shown) to the subject lying on the bed of the gantry 4a by the X-ray control unit 4b, and X-rays are irradiated. Further, each part of the gantry 4a is driven and controlled by the machine control means 4c.

  The imaging data management means 4d is means for managing the image data of the subject imaged when the examination is performed by the CT apparatus 4, and includes data collection means 4da, projection data storage means 4db, and image reconstruction means 4dc. And image storage means 4dd.

  The data collection unit 4da is composed of an A / D conversion unit and the like, reads analog projection data detected by an X-ray detector or the like in order with a multiplexer, and converts it into serial digital data. Thereafter, the digital data is output and stored in the projection data storage means 4db. The image reconstruction unit 4dc is a processing unit that reconstructs a tomographic image of a specific cross section of the subject based on the projection data input from the data collection unit 4da and temporarily stored in the projection data storage unit 4db. The tomographic image of the subject reconstructed by the image reconstruction unit 4dc is stored in the image storage unit 4dd.

  The operation unit 4e includes an image display unit 4ea and an input unit 4eb. The image display means 4ea displays various data such as a tomographic image of a desired specific section reconstructed by the connected imaging data management means 4d and the operating state of the CT apparatus 4, and a CRT display, LCD, etc. Used. The input unit 4eb is for inputting various commands, programs, data, and the like to the computer 4g, and corresponds to, for example, a keyboard or a mouse.

  The computer 4g is connected to the X-ray control unit 4b, the machine control unit 4c, the imaging data management unit 4d, the operation unit 4e, and the image data reservation management unit 4f, respectively, and controls the CT apparatus 4 as a whole. Although not shown, the computer 4g includes a storage device for storing a program for performing various controls in the computer 4g.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the image data reservation management unit 4f includes a reception unit 4fa, a reservation reception unit 4fb, a reservation management table 4fc, a search unit 4fd, and a transmission unit 4fe.

  The request for distribution reservation of image data taken by the CT apparatus 4 transmitted from the doctor terminal 3 is received by the reservation receiving means 4fb via the receiving means 4fa. The request from the doctor terminal 3 includes data on a method for transmitting image data to the doctor terminal 3 to be described later and which subject (patient) image data is being requested. The distribution reservation request input to the reservation accepting unit 4fb is stored (stored) in the reservation management table 4fc and is also transmitted to the search unit 4fd to notify that there is a distribution reservation request from the doctor terminal 3. Is done.

  Next, the flow from when a delivery reservation request is made from the doctor terminal 3 to when the target image data is transmitted to the doctor terminal 3 will be described using the flowchart of FIG. 4 and the screen examples shown in FIGS. .

  First, a delivery reservation request for image data is made from the doctor terminal 3 to the image data reservation management means 4f in the CT apparatus 4 (ST1). FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a screen that is displayed when a delivery reservation request is made in the doctor terminal 3, and an item for specifying image data that is a target of the delivery reservation request “designated item” is displayed. Has been. The “designated item” is divided into an “essential item” that must be designated when making a distribution reservation request and an “optional item” that is an optional designated item.

  The “essential items” are provided with three items of “transmission method”, “request meaning”, and “schedule”. The “transmission method” is a method for determining how the desired image data is transmitted from the CT apparatus 4 to the doctor terminal 3. In the embodiment of the present invention, “connection” is used. "Line use" and "Separate protocol reservation" are set.

  “Connected line use” means that the CT apparatus 4 is photographed when the doctor terminal 3 is connected to the CT apparatus 4 via the network 2, that is, when the line of the doctor terminal 3 is open. The image data that matches the designated item is requested from the image data that has been specified. Therefore, the image data is transmitted from the CT apparatus 4 until the line is disconnected from the doctor terminal 3. When this “connection line use” is selected and “transmission reservation time” in “arbitrary item” described later is selected, a designated time zone while the line of the doctor terminal 3 is open is selected. Only the image data is transmitted from the CT apparatus 4.

  On the other hand, “separate protocol reservation” is a request for transmission of image data from the CT apparatus 4 using a specific communication standard such as DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine). A plurality of protocols may be defined, and a protocol can be selected from a pull-down menu. When this “other protocol reservation” is selected, when a delivery reservation request from the doctor terminal 3 is made to the CT apparatus 4, the line is temporarily disconnected, and thereafter image data that matches the item specified in the delivery reservation request is generated. In addition, the line is connected by the designated protocol, and the image data is transmitted to the corresponding doctor terminal 3.

  The “request meaning” indicates how the image data requested from the doctor terminal 3 to the CT apparatus 4 is used. For example, selecting “interpretation request” means that image data for which a distribution reservation request has been made is used for image data analysis by an interpreting doctor or the like. The “reference request” is used when other doctors such as an interpreting doctor who interprets the image data are requested to consult. By providing this “reference request” item, it is possible to prevent image data from being deleted accidentally when only “reference request” is selected. “DB save” is selected when the image data server 5 is requested to save image data to be interpreted.

  “Schedule” is an item that defines the time and distribution for transmitting image data from the CT apparatus 4 to the doctor terminal 3. “According to the other party” means that, when various schedules are stored in the computer 4g, the corresponding image data is transmitted to the doctor terminal 3 according to the schedules. For example, when the use schedule that the doctor terminal 3a is used on Monday morning is stored in the computer 4g, image data that matches the specified item in the corresponding time zone is transferred from the CT device 4 to the doctor terminal 3a. Sent to. This schedule can be arbitrarily set in the CT apparatus 4.

  “All” means that all of the image data stored in the image storage unit 4dd is transmitted to the doctor terminal 3 for which a distribution reservation request has been made. “All unreserved” is to transmit all of the image data that does not match any of the distribution reservation requests made so far. “Equal” means that a plurality of pieces of image data are equally allocated to the number of doctor terminals 3 that have made distribution reservation requests. For example, when the “equal” item is designated from the doctor terminals 3a to 3d and a distribution reservation request is made, and ten image data are stored in the image storage means 4dd, the ten image data are stored. Two (three for each doctor terminal 3) are assigned and transmitted.

  In the “arbitrary item”, four items of “target patient”, “device name”, “transmission reservation time”, and “imaging region” are provided in the embodiment of the present invention. These are different from “essential items”, and when sending a distribution reservation request to the CT apparatus 4, no selection is required. The “target patient” is a patient imaged in the image data targeted for the distribution reservation request, and is an item for specifying the image data by specifying the patient. In order to specify a patient, for example, a patient name, a patient ID, or the like can be used. Further, by specifying the examination name, it is possible to specify further details.

  “Apparatus name” is the name of the medical diagnostic apparatus that captured the image data, and designates, for example, a CT apparatus or PET. It can also be specified from the number assigned to each medical diagnostic apparatus or the installation location. “Transmission reservation time” is an item for setting in advance the transmission time of the image data from the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 to the doctor terminal 3. The “imaging part” is an item for designating, for example, a part specialized by an interpreting doctor or a part to be seen from the photographed image data.

  When a delivery reservation request is made to the CT apparatus 4 after specifying items in the doctor terminal 3 using the above-described screen (see ST1 in the flowchart of FIG. 4), the receiving means 4fa in the image data reservation management means 4f is used. The reservation request is input to the reservation receiving means 4fb, stored in the reservation management table 4fc, and notified to the search means 4fd.

  Based on the notification from the reservation receiving unit 4fb, the search unit 4fd searches whether the image data targeted in the distribution reservation request is stored in the image storage unit 4dd in the photographing data management unit 4d ( ST2). The search is whether or not the target image data is stored in the image storage means 4dd (ST3). If not stored, the search means 4fd gives an instruction to take an examination image of the subject to the computer 4g (ST4). When shooting that matches this instruction is performed, the computer 4g reports to the search means 4fd that the image shooting has been completed (ST5), and the shot image is temporarily stored in the image storage means 4dd. (ST6). Then, the target image data is searched again from the search means 4fd (ST2, ST3).

  When the target image data is stored in the image storage unit 4dd, a request for acquisition of the target image data (transmission to the search unit 4fd) is issued from the search unit 4fd to the image storage unit 4dd (ST7). Search means 4fd receives the image data (ST8). Since the search means 4fd has acquired the image data that matches the distribution reservation request transmitted from the doctor terminal 3, first, the target image data is transmitted to the image data server 5 (ST9), and the image data server includes the image data server. A registration mark indicating that the image data has been stored is written (set) to 5 (ST10). Thereafter, the search means 4fd transmits the target image data to the doctor terminal 3 that has transmitted the distribution reservation request (ST11), and simultaneously writes a transmission completion mark indicating that the image data has been transmitted to the doctor terminal 3 ( Set) (ST12). Thereafter, the distribution reservation request stored in the reservation management table 4fc is deleted by a request from the doctor terminal 3 (ST13), and the image data in the image storage means 4dd is deleted (ST14).

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on the image display unit 4ea of the medical diagnostic apparatus 4. A list of image data is posted from the center to the right side of FIG. In addition, two items of “doctor terminal” and “DB (database) registration mark” are provided at the top of the screen. For example, for the image data of the patient “TOSHIBA Taro”, “doctor terminal” is “OK”. "DB registration mark" is displayed as "Saved". That is, the image data “TOSHIBA Taro” has already been transmitted to the doctor terminal 3 and has been registered in the image data server 5. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine that the image data of “TOSHIBA Taro” can be deleted from either the image storage unit 4dd or the image data server 5. On the other hand, the “DB registration mark” for the image data of “TOSHIBA Sadako” is displayed as “Saving”, indicating that it is currently registered in the image data server 5, so that “TOSHIBA Sadako” still has “TOSHIBA Sadako”. It can be determined that the image data cannot be deleted.

  In this way, image data can be reliably transmitted to the target terminal with simple settings without erroneous transmission to a plurality of terminals, and is also subject to deletion when deleting the image data. It is possible to provide a confirmation image data transmission system capable of easily confirming that image data has been transmitted.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, the same components as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same components is omitted because it is duplicated.

  In the second embodiment, the image data reservation management means 4f provided in the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 in the first embodiment is provided in the image data server 5, and the image data server 5 is a doctor. It is characterized in that it receives a distribution reservation request from the terminal 3 and distributes image data from the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 to the doctor terminal 3.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the image data transmission system 10 in the second embodiment is provided with an image data server 5 between the doctor terminal 3 and the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 on the network 2.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the image data server 5 includes an input unit 5a, an image database 5b, an image data reservation management unit 4f, and an output unit 5c. The distribution reservation request transmitted from the doctor terminal 3 is input to the image data reservation management unit 4f via the input unit 5a. On the other hand, image data taken by the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 is stored in the image database 5b via the input means 5a.

  The flow from when a delivery reservation request is made by the doctor terminal 3 in the second embodiment to when the target image data is transmitted to the doctor terminal 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The image data distribution reservation request from the doctor terminal 3 is received by the reservation receiving means 4fb in the image data reservation management means 4f (ST21). The designation of what kind of delivery reservation request is to be made in the doctor terminal 3 is made from the screen of the doctor terminal 3 described in the first embodiment.

  The image data server 5 receives the image data of the examination of the subject (patient) from the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 (ST22) and stores it in the image database 5b (ST23). Since the image data is stored in the image database 5b in the image data server 5, a database registration mark is written (set) in this image data (ST24).

  Next, the search means 4fd searches the image data stored in the image database 5b (ST25). Then, it is determined whether or not the image data targeted for the delivery reservation request transmitted from the doctor terminal 3 is stored in the image database 5b (ST26). If not stored (Y in ST26), the medical diagnosis is performed again. A search is performed with image data transmitted from the apparatus 4. On the other hand, if it is stored in the image database 5b (N in ST26), the search means 4fd transmits the target image data to the doctor terminal 3 that has transmitted the distribution reservation request (ST27), and at the same time, the doctor A transmission completion mark indicating that image data has been transmitted is written (set) to terminal 3 (ST28). Thereafter, the distribution reservation request stored in the reservation management table 4fc is deleted by a request from the doctor terminal 3 (ST29), and the image data in the image storage means 4dd is deleted (ST30).

  In this state, the image display means 4ea of the medical diagnostic apparatus 4 includes a transmission completion mark to the doctor terminal 3 and an image database as shown in the schematic diagram (see FIG. 6) of the screen example shown in the first embodiment. A registration mark indicating that the data has been stored appears in 5b.

  In this way, image data can be reliably transmitted to the target terminal with simple settings without erroneous transmission to a plurality of terminals, and is also subject to deletion when deleting the image data. It is possible to provide an image data transmission system capable of easily confirming that image data has been transmitted.

  The schematic diagrams of the display screens shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are merely examples, and the layouts shown in these drawings are not necessarily required. In addition, in the columns of “doctor terminal mark” and “DB registration mark” shown in FIG. 6, “OK”, “Saved”, and the like are displayed. However, for example, a check mark is displayed instead of such display. The display mode is not limited.

  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. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine the component covering different embodiment suitably.

1 is an overall view showing a configuration of an image data transmission system according to a first embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the medical diagnostic apparatus in 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the image data reservation management means in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the image data in the image data transmission system in 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the doctor terminal display screen in embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the screen of the medical diagnostic apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a general view which shows the structure of the image data transmission system in 2nd Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the image data server in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the image data in the image data transmission system in 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image data transmission system, 2 ... Network, 3 ... Doctor terminal, 4 ... Medical diagnostic apparatus, 4f ... Image data reservation management means, 4fb ... Reservation reception means, 4fc ... Reservation management table, 4fd ... Search means, 5 ... Image Data server

Claims (4)

A doctor terminal that requests distribution of the captured image data via a network;
A medical diagnostic apparatus comprising an image data reservation management unit connected to a network, taking an examination image of a subject, and transmitting the image data to be processed to the doctor terminal based on a request from the doctor terminal;
An image data server connected to a network and storing the image data taken by the medical diagnostic apparatus;
An image data transmission system comprising: The image data reservation management means includes:
Means for accepting a delivery reservation request for image data from the doctor terminal;
A reservation management table for managing the distribution reservation request;
Search means for searching image data that matches image data stored in the reservation management table from image data stored in the medical diagnostic apparatus;
The image data transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising: A doctor terminal that requests distribution of the captured image data via a network;
A medical diagnostic apparatus connected to a network and capturing a test image of a subject;
Image data reservation management means connected to a network and for receiving the image data taken by the medical diagnostic apparatus and storing the image data and the image data to be received based on a request from the doctor terminal An image data server comprising:
An image data transmission system comprising: The image data reservation management means includes:
Means for accepting a delivery reservation request for image data from the doctor terminal;
A reservation management table for managing the distribution reservation request;
Search means for searching for image data that matches the image data to be reserved stored in the reservation management table from among the image data stored in the image database;
The image data transmission system according to claim 3, further comprising:

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