JP2011024620A - Medical image display device, diagnosis support image generation program and medical image display method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medical image display device, a diagnosis support image generation program and a medical image display method, capable of improving the work efficiency of a technician and a doctor or the like and the accuracy of a diagnosis by supporting the diagnosis so as to reduce preparation work, immediately confirm an object using an image and start treatment. <P>SOLUTION: The medical image display device includes: a reception part 4a for acquiring three-dimensional image data acquired by photographing a subject; a branching point specifying part 4b for extracting an area where a blood vessel to be the object of display is present using the three-dimensional image data and specifying a branching point in the blood vessel within the area using either thinning processing or blood vessel search processing; a display condition setting part 4c for setting the display condition of the blood vessel for which the branching point is specified by the branching point specifying part 4b; and a transmission part 4d for transmitting the image information of the blood vessel having the display condition set by the display condition setting part 4c to a display means 2g. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical image display device, a diagnostic support image generation program, and a medical image display method for processing an image inside a subject imaged by an image generation device and displaying a medical image requested by an operator.

  In recent years, in order to support quick and accurate diagnosis, a medical image diagnostic apparatus that collects information inside a subject and acquires three-dimensional image data related to the inside of the subject based on the collected information and the acquired A medical image display device that displays a state inside a subject using three-dimensional image data is used.

  Examples of the medical image diagnostic apparatus include an X-ray CT apparatus (computed tomography) and a magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus (MRI). The acquired three-dimensional image data is displayed on, for example, a medical image display device connected to a network.

  For example, subarachnoid hemorrhage is a disease with a high mortality rate among strokes and is caused by rupture of a cerebral aneurysm. With the development of diagnostic imaging techniques using the above-described X-ray CT apparatus, MRI, etc., the discovery rate of unruptured cerebral aneurysms is increasing, and it is possible to treat before rupture. At the onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage, preoperative diagnosis of cerebral aneurysm is performed by contrast-enhanced CTA (CTAngiography) and DSA (digital subtraction angiography). This cerebral aneurysm often occurs in the region of the substantially circular or hexagonal Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 formed by connecting the branches of the internal carotid artery and the vertebral artery.

  In order to detect a cerebral aneurysm, in order to display a cerebral blood vessel in which a cerebral aneurysm may occur, for example, a method using a cerebral blood vessel extraction program as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below Can be adopted.

  This cerebral blood vessel extraction program includes a blood vessel region search step for automatically searching a blood vessel region on the head MRA image, and blood vessel region information acquisition for acquiring blood vessel region information relating to the position of the center of gravity and the branch point of each blood vessel region. A core line extracting step for extracting a blood vessel core line from the blood vessel region information, a core line integrating step for integrating a sequence of points on a straight line from a plurality of core lines into one core line, and unnecessary core lines are removed. A branch line removal step, and outputs three-dimensional structural information of the cerebral blood vessel core line.

  By using the cerebral blood vessel extraction program disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is said that the anti-noise property is high and accurate three-dimensional structure information of the cerebral blood vessel core line can be extracted.

JP 2003-24300 A

  However, the cerebral blood vessel extraction program disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not consider the following points.

  In other words, the operation of displaying a region where a cerebral aneurysm is likely to occur from a three-dimensional image by adopting the above-described methods such as contrast CTA and DSA is very laborious. In addition, since it is a laborious operation, screening for cerebral aneurysms by non-contrast MRA (MRAngiography) is not easy. For example, this is a case where the three-dimensional MR image data of the head is simply displayed in SVR. Even in this case, it is necessary to adjust the opacity.

  Even if the opacity is adjusted and SVR is displayed, other blood vessels and bones are also displayed together, so it is difficult to see the important Willis aortic ring. Therefore, an SVR image for only the Willis aortic ring region is displayed using a three-dimensional image processing process called slab clipping. This operation is performed by changing the position and display direction of the Willis aortic ring with a mouse, This is very cumbersome and involves tasks such as operating a user interface such as a keyboard.

  In addition, operations such as moving the Willis aorta ring region to the center of the screen, enlarging it, and adjusting the luminance value are naturally necessary, which is a very laborious operation as a whole.

  Such an effort of preparation work puts pressure on the working hours of engineers and doctors who have a lot of work. Further, when the optimum image display condition cannot be set, the accuracy of confirmation and diagnosis is also lowered. Therefore, due to the time required for the advance preparation as described above, at the present time, only the affected site is often diagnosed at the onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

  If the Willis aortic ring can be easily displayed, other unruptured cerebral aneurysms can be diagnosed and treated when subarachnoid hemorrhage develops. In addition, cerebral aneurysm screening by non-contrast MRA can be easily performed.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to reduce the preparation work and immediately use the image to confirm the subject so that treatment can be started. An object of the present invention is to provide a medical image display device, a diagnostic support image generation program, and a medical image display method that can improve the working efficiency and diagnostic accuracy of engineers, doctors, and the like by providing support.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, in the medical image display device, a receiving unit that acquires 3D image data acquired by imaging a subject and a display target using the 3D image data. Extract a region where a blood vessel exists, specify the branch point in the region using either thinning processing or blood vessel search processing, and specify the branch point using the branch point specifying unit A display condition setting unit for setting the display condition of the blood vessel, and a transmission unit for transmitting image information of the blood vessel having the display condition set by the display condition setting unit to the display unit.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the diagnosis support image generation program is acquired in the step of acquiring three-dimensional image data relating to the subject from the medical image acquisition device, and the blood vessel region extracting unit in the branch point specifying unit. A step of extracting a region where a blood vessel to be displayed exists using the three-dimensional image data, and a step of specifying a branch point of the blood vessel in the extracted region in the thinning core branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit When the branching point cannot be specified by the thinning core branch point specifying unit, the step of specifying the branch point of the blood vessel in the blood vessel search core branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit and the branch point are specified. And setting a display condition of the blood vessel.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the medical image display method, the three-dimensional image data relating to the subject is acquired from the medical image acquisition device, and the blood vessel region extracting unit in the branch point specifying unit acquires the A step of extracting a region where a blood vessel to be displayed exists using the three-dimensional image data, and a step of specifying a branch point of the blood vessel in the extracted region in the thinning core branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit If the branch point cannot be specified by the thinning core branch point specifying unit, the step of specifying the blood vessel branch point in the blood vessel search core branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit and the branch point are specified A step of setting a display condition of the blood vessel, and a step of displaying the blood vessel on the display means according to the set display condition.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the preparation work and immediately support the diagnosis so that the object can be confirmed using the image and the treatment can be started. It is possible to provide a medical image display device, a diagnosis support image generation program, and a medical image display method capable of improving accuracy.

It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the medical diagnosis assistance system in embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the medical image display apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the diagnostic assistance image generation means mounted in the medical image display apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a production | generation of the diagnostic assistance image which a medical image display apparatus displays on a display means. It is the figure showing the blood vessel area | region containing the extracted Willis aortic ring and middle cerebral artery M1 area | region as a schematic diagram. It is a schematic diagram which shows the result of having thinned the blood vessel region including the Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 region. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which reached the branch as a result of performing a thinning process. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state by which the branch point of the blood vessel area | region containing a Willis aortic ring was specified. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state by which the branch point of the blood vessel area | region containing a Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 area | region was specified. It is a schematic diagram which shows the blood vessel area | region including a Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 area | region with thickness. It is the figure which showed typically the Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 area | region displayed on the display means using SVR method.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a medical diagnosis support system S according to an embodiment of the present invention. The medical diagnosis support system S obtains 3D image data related to a subject by imaging the subject, and processes the 3D image data acquired by the medical image acquisition device 1. This is established by connecting a medical image display device 2 that displays a useful image when a doctor or the like makes a diagnosis to the network 3.

  In the medical diagnosis support system S shown in FIG. 1, two medical image acquisition devices 1A and 1B (hereinafter referred to as “medical image acquisition device 1” as appropriate) are combined in the network 3. However, the number of medical image acquisition devices connected to the network 3 may be either singular or plural, and the number is arbitrary. Also, only one medical image display apparatus 2 is connected to the network 3 on the medical diagnosis support system S, but this may be either a single or a plurality.

  The medical image acquisition apparatus 1 is installed in a medical institution, and is, for example, the above-described X-ray CT apparatus, MRI, gamma camera, PET (positron-emission tomography), or the like. The medical image acquisition apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be any apparatus as long as it can acquire three-dimensional image data.

  The medical image display device 2 displays a diagnosis support image generated based on the three-dimensional image data acquired by the medical image acquisition device 1 to an engineer / doctor (hereinafter collectively referred to as “operator”). Device. Here, an example will be described in which an information terminal such as a general personal computer is used. For example, the functions of the medical image display device 2 are installed in the medical image acquisition device 1, and the operation is performed. A person may display a diagnosis support image using the medical image acquisition apparatus 1.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the medical image display apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In the medical image display device 2, a central processing unit (CPU) 2a, a read only memory (ROM) 2b, a random access memory (RAM) 2c, and an input / output interface 2d are connected via a bus 2e. An input unit 2f, a display unit 2g, a communication control unit 2h, a storage unit 2i, and a removable disk 2j are connected to the input / output interface 2d.

  The CPU 2a reads out and executes a boot program for starting the medical image display apparatus 2 from the ROM 2b based on an input signal from the input unit 2f, and reads out various operating systems stored in the storage unit 2i. The CPU 2a controls various devices based on input signals from other external devices not shown in FIG. 1 via the input means 2f and the input / output interface 2d. Further, the CPU 2a reads out the program and data stored in the RAM 2c, the storage means 2i, etc., loads the program and data into the RAM 2c, and executes processing and data for diagnosis support image generation based on the program command read out from the RAM 2c. It is a processing device that implements a series of processing such as calculation and processing.

  The input unit 2f is configured by an input device such as a keyboard and a dial for an operator (for example, a doctor or an engineer) of the medical image display device 2 to input various operations. An input signal is input based on the operation of the operator. It is created and transmitted to the CPU 2a via the bus 2e. The medical image display device 2 is provided with a dedicated operation panel as well as a keyboard and the like, and an operation screen can be operated via an input device on the operation panel. The display means 2g is a liquid crystal display, for example. The display means 2g receives an output signal from the CPU 2a via the bus 2e, and displays, for example, images necessary for setting various conditions for shooting and image processing, or processing results of the CPU 2a. To do.

  The communication control unit 2h is a unit such as a LAN card or a modem, and is a unit that enables the medical image display apparatus 2 to be connected to a network 3 such as the Internet or a LAN. Data transmitted / received to / from the communication network via the communication control means 2h is transmitted / received to / from the CPU 2a via the input / output interface 2d and the bus 2e as an input signal or an output signal.

  The storage means 2i is composed of a semiconductor or a magnetic disk, and stores programs and data executed by the CPU 2a.

  The removable disk 2j is an optical disk or a flexible disk, and signals read / written by the disk drive are transmitted / received to / from the CPU 2a via the input / output interface 2d and the bus 2e.

  In the medical image display apparatus 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the diagnosis support image generation program is stored in the storage unit 2i or the removable disk 2j, and is read and executed by the CPU 2a, whereby the diagnosis support image generation unit 4 is read. Is mounted on the medical image display apparatus 2.

  The diagnosis support image generation program is not only implemented in the medical image display apparatus 2 as described above, but also, for example, a diagnosis support image generation apparatus provided in the medical image display apparatus 2 It is also possible to adopt a form in which a part or all of them are hardware such as logic circuits.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the medical image display device 2 is connected to the network 3 independently from the medical image acquisition device 1. Examples of the network 3 include networks such as a LAN (Local Area Network) and the Internet. The communication standard used in the network 3 may be any standard such as DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine).

  Further, the medical image display device 2 is a medical information management system (HIS: Hospital Information System), a radiation department information management system (RIS), or a medical image management system (PACS: Picture Archiving Communication System). It may be used in combination with various management systems built in the institution.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the diagnosis support image generation unit 4 mounted on the medical image display device 2. The diagnosis support image generation unit 4 includes a receiving unit 4a, a branch point specifying unit 4b, a display condition setting unit 4c, and a transmitting unit 4d.

  The branch point specifying unit 4b specifies the blood vessel to be displayed by specifying the branch point of the blood vessel based on the three-dimensional image data obtained from the medical image acquisition device 1. Further, the display condition setting unit 4c sets display conditions necessary for displaying the specified blood vessel on the display means 2g. The detailed functional description of each part in the diagnosis support image generation means 4 will be made together with the description of the flow of generation of the diagnosis support image.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of generating a diagnosis support image that the medical image display device 2 displays on the display unit 2g. Hereinafter, this generation flow will be described with reference to the drawings shown in FIGS.

  In describing the embodiment of the present invention, an example in which a diagnosis support image is generated in order to discover a cerebral aneurysm that induces subarachnoid hemorrhage will be described. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be used to display blood vessels in other parts of the subject.

  First, when the diagnosis support image generation program is executed and the diagnosis support image generation unit 4 is mounted on the medical image display device 2, the CPU 2a receives the diagnosis support image from the medical image acquisition device 1 via the communication control unit 2h and the network 3. 3D image data to be generated is acquired (ST1). When obtaining the target three-dimensional image data, for example, search and obtain based on identification information (for example, the ID or patient ID of the medical image acquisition device 1) added to the three-dimensional image data. .

  The obtained three-dimensional image data is subjected to processing necessary for display in the branch point specifying unit 4b. The three-dimensional image data obtained here is data that is necessary for discovery of a cerebral aneurysm in the description of the embodiment of the present invention, and therefore includes the Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 region. Three-dimensional image data.

  First, a blood vessel region to be displayed is extracted (ST2). The blood vessel region is extracted because the obtained 3D image data includes not only the blood vessel to be displayed but also the bone region, for example. This is because only the blood vessels to be displayed are displayed. As a blood vessel region extraction method, a known method can be employed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a blood vessel region R including the extracted Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 region. For convenience of explanation, the Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 region are shown facing front in the drawing.

  The Willis aortic ring 11 is composed of an anterior cerebral artery 11a, anterior traffic artery 11b, middle cerebral artery 11c, posterior traffic artery 11d, and posterior cerebral artery 11e. The blood vessels of the anterior cerebral artery 11a to the posterior cerebral artery 11e are respectively present on the left and right sides, and are connected to each other, and thus have a substantially annular shape. Further, the middle cerebral artery 11c has regions extending left and right in FIG. 4 (middle cerebral artery M1 region 12). Many cerebral aneurysms that cause subarachnoid hemorrhage occur in the vicinity of the Willis aortic ring 11 or the middle cerebral artery M1 region 12.

  In addition, the internal carotid artery 13, the basilar artery 14 extending downward from the Willis aortic ring 11 in FIG. 5, and the vertebral artery 15 in which the basilar artery 14 is divided into two branches exist in the annular shape.

  When the blood vessel region R is extracted, first, a core line branch point is extracted using a thinning process (ST3). As described above, the Willis aortic ring 11 is formed in a substantially ring shape by connecting a plurality of blood vessels. Therefore, the Willis aortic ring 11 can be specified by specifying a portion where the plurality of blood vessels are connected, that is, a portion where a blood vessel core representing each blood vessel is branched when the blood vessel core is obtained.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a result of thinning the blood vessel region R including the Willis aortic ring 11 and the middle cerebral artery M1 region 12. Each blood vessel in the blood vessel region R is indicated by a single line by thinning processing. The branching point specifying unit 4b deletes one voxel at a time from the end of each thinned blood vessel to the branching part, and terminates the deletion when the branching is reached.

  Here, description will be made using one vertebral artery 15a. As shown in FIG. 6, one end 15aa of one vertebral artery 15a is not connected to any blood vessel. The other end is connected to the other vertebral artery 15b. One voxel is deleted from such one end portion 15aa toward the other end portion.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of branching as a result of this processing. One vertebral artery 15a is shorter than one vertebral artery 15a shown in FIG. 5 because one voxel is deleted from one end 15aa toward the other end. A portion where one vertebral artery 15a and the other vertebral artery 15b are connected is a portion where one vertebral artery 15a and the other vertebral artery 15b branch (portion indicated by a circular broken line). Therefore, the voxel deletion ends at this portion.

  When such processing is performed until the end of each blood vessel is exhausted, as a result, branch points of seven core wires as shown in FIG. 8 are extracted (ST4). The ring portion of the Willis aortic ring 11 is surrounded by these seven branch points. In the following, the portions where the line connecting the internal carotid artery 13 and the middle cerebral artery 11c intersects with the line connecting the front traffic artery 11b and the rear traffic artery 11d are represented as points A and B for convenience. Further, a portion where the basilar artery 14 is connected to the annular portion is represented as a C point.

  As described above, the Willis aortic ring 11 can be specified by performing thinning processing on each blood vessel appearing in the blood vessel region R and extracting each branch point. This method is effective only when the blood vessel region R indicating the annular portion of the Willis aortic ring 11 is extracted without interruption. When the annulus is identified by deleting one voxel after thinning, if there is a discontinuous part, all voxels will eventually be deleted, and the Willis aortic ring 11 will not be identified. It will be possible.

  Therefore, the branch point specifying unit 4b determines whether or not the branch point of the core line can be extracted in the blood vessel region R (ST4). If the branch point cannot be extracted, that is, the core line is interrupted, all the voxels are deleted. If it has been done (NO in ST4), the branch point of the core wire is extracted by another method described below (ST5).

  If the annulus can be specified by deleting one voxel after the thinning process (YES in ST4), the Willis aortic ring 11 and the like are displayed on the display means 2g described later. Adjustment is performed (ST6 and below).

  If the core branch point cannot be extracted by the thinning process, a core branch point is newly extracted using the blood vessel search process (ST5). In this method, threshold processing is performed on the image closest to the subject's foot among the three-dimensional image data obtained from the medical image acquisition device 1 by the diagnosis support image generation means 4 (medical image display device 2). This threshold value can be arbitrarily set. Setting the threshold value to determine the position of the blood vessel (starting point position) is based on the fact that the region where the blood vessel appears generally has a large pixel value (displayed whitish). Then, the two vertebral arteries 15a and 15b or the basilar artery 14 and the two internal carotid arteries 13 are extracted, and the position of the center of gravity is set as the starting point of the core line search. The start point is set automatically. A known method can be employed for the core line search procedure.

  The left and right internal carotid arteries are searched from the set start point. As a result of the search, the left and right two points where arterial branches (the middle cerebral artery 11c, the front traffic artery 11b, and the rear traffic artery 11d) are concentrated are connected from the internal carotid artery 13 to the middle cerebral artery 11c, the front traffic artery 11b, and the rear traffic. Two branch points with the artery 11d are specified. The branch can be specified by searching because information on the branch is included in the pixel to be searched, and this information is checked during the search to specify the presence or absence of the branch. The two specified points are point A and point B as described above (see FIG. 8).

  On the other hand, the point C is searched from the vertebral artery 15 or the basilar artery 14 and branched into two blood vessels having an inner diameter (for example, 3 mm or more) equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value among the branched blood vessels. Is identified as a branch point from the basilar artery 14 to the posterior cerebral artery 11d. By using such a blood vessel search process, a branch point of the core line can be extracted.

  As described above, although either thinning processing or blood vessel search processing is used, an image to be displayed on the display unit 2g as a diagnosis support image can be generated by the procedure so far. Next, the display condition setting unit 4e adjusts how to display the generated diagnosis support image on the display unit 2g.

  First, the density of the diagnosis support image (hereinafter also referred to as “display image”) is adjusted (ST6). This is an adjustment of the opacity and is for displaying the display image in the most visible state in terms of contrast when the display means 2g displays it. Specifically, the window level and the window width of the opacity are adjusted to the predetermined values when the minimum value of the pixel value included in the three-dimensional image data of the display image is 0% and the maximum value is 100%. To do.

  Next, the orientation of the display image on the display means 2g (screen) is adjusted (ST7). Although it seems that each operator has an easy-to-see orientation, the position is adjusted so that the triangular plane constituted by the points A, B, and C described above is parallel to the screen. Further, the point C is set to be lower than the other two points on the screen, and the line connecting the points A and B is adjusted to be horizontal on the screen. Further, it is easier to see if the position is adjusted so that the triangle is positioned at the center of the screen. For adjusting the orientation of the display image or displaying the middle cerebral artery M1 region 12 described below and calculating the thickness of the displayed three-dimensional image data, for example, an affine transformation matrix of the three-dimensional image is used. .

  However, if only the triangular blood vessel region R formed by the points A to C is represented, it is not sufficient as a region actually required as a diagnosis support image. Therefore, the core line is extended from the points A and B and adjusted so that the diagnosis support image includes the middle cerebral artery M1 region 12 (ST8). For the end of the middle cerebral artery M1 region 12 that is displayed with the core line extended, the end of the extension from the point A is the point A2, and the end of the extension from the point B is the point B2. Represented for convenience. As a result, the Willis aortic ring 11 (the region surrounded by the points A, B, and C) and the middle cerebral artery M1 region 12 (the points A to A2, B, and B2) are shown as shown in FIG. It is.

  However, the middle cerebral artery M1 region 12 is not actually on the same plane as the Willis aortic ring 11, but is a plane formed by points A2 and B2 (hereinafter, this plane is referred to as “plane α”). And a plane formed by points A, B, and C (hereinafter, this plane is referred to as “plane β”) is spatially separated. Therefore, in order to simultaneously display the points A2 and B2 on the same display screen as the points A, B, and C, a thickness is provided between the plane α and the plane β (ST9). When actually displayed, since the screen is viewed in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 10, the points A2 and B2 are displayed on the front of the screen of the display means 2g, and points A, B, C The point will be displayed in the back. Therefore, the blood vessel displayed by the thickness provided between the plane α and the plane β has a depth.

  This completes the adjustment of the display mode of the blood vessels displayed on the display means 2g. In the display condition setting unit 4e, after the adjustment is completed, for example, it is converted into an SVR (Shaded Volume Rendering) image or an MIP (Maximum Intensity Projection: Minimum Value Projection Display) image and displayed. It is displayed on the means 2g (ST10). Any one of these images may be displayed, or both may be automatically displayed, or may be selected by the operator each time.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing the Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 region displayed on the display means 2g using the SVR method. The SVR method is a method in which a display object (here, the Willis aortic ring and the middle cerebral artery M1 region) is impressed and displayed in a three-dimensional manner. However, since the imprint is schematically shown in FIG. It has not been. As described above, it is possible to easily display a blood vessel region in which a cerebral aneurysm that causes subarachnoid hemorrhage is likely to occur. Therefore, the operator can make an accurate and quick judgment by viewing a diagnosis support image as shown in FIG. 11 on the display means 2g, for example.

  As explained above, the work efficiency and diagnostic accuracy of engineers, doctors, etc. are reduced by reducing the preparation work and assisting diagnosis so that the subject can be immediately confirmed using images and treatment can be started. Image display apparatus, diagnosis support image generation program, and medical image display method can be provided.

  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. For example, in the content described above, the medical image display device acquires and displays the three-dimensional image data from the medical image acquisition device, but is connected to a network, for example, a medical image storage device (image storage server). ) Etc. may be set so as to obtain and display the 3D image data stored therein.

  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.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Medical image acquisition apparatus 2 Medical image display apparatus 3 Network 4 Diagnosis assistance image generation means 4a Receiving part 4b Branch point specific | specification part 4c Display condition setting part 4d Transmission part S Medical diagnosis assistance system

Claims (4)

A receiving unit for acquiring three-dimensional image data acquired by imaging a subject;
A branch for extracting a region where a blood vessel to be displayed exists using the three-dimensional image data, and specifying a branch point in the blood vessel in the region using either a thinning process or a blood vessel search process A point identification part;
A display condition setting unit for setting a display condition of the blood vessel in which the branch point is specified by the branch point specifying unit;
A transmission unit that transmits image information of the blood vessel having display conditions set by the display condition setting unit to a display unit;
A medical image display device comprising:   2. The display condition setting unit sets, as conditions for displaying the blood vessel for which a branch point has been specified on the display unit, the conditions of the density, direction, range, and thickness of the blood vessel. The medical image display device described. Acquiring three-dimensional image data relating to a subject from a medical image acquisition device;
A step of extracting a region where a blood vessel to be displayed exists using the acquired three-dimensional image data in the blood vessel region extracting unit in the branch point specifying unit;
Identifying the branch point of the blood vessel in the extracted region in the thinned core branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit;
When the branch point can not be specified by the thinning core branch point specifying unit, the blood vessel search core line branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit,
Setting a display condition of the blood vessel in which a branch point is specified;
A diagnostic support image generation program that causes a computer to execute the above. Acquiring three-dimensional image data relating to a subject from a medical image acquisition device;
A step of extracting a region where a blood vessel to be displayed exists using the acquired three-dimensional image data in the blood vessel region extracting unit in the branch point specifying unit;
Identifying the branch point of the blood vessel in the extracted region in the thinned core branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit;
When the branch point can not be specified by the thinning core branch point specifying unit, the blood vessel search core line branch point specifying unit in the branch point specifying unit,
Setting a display condition of the blood vessel in which a branch point is specified;
Displaying the blood vessel on display means according to the set display conditions;
A medical image display method comprising: