JP2012105796A - Radiation image display device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily perform measurement in a radiation image which is three-dimensionally displayed.SOLUTION: A radiation image of a mamma M is three-dimensionally displayed, and a position designation cursor 40 for designating a position on an image, and a volume cursor 42 which designates an object contained in an image in three dimension are displayed. A tumor 50 in an image is designated with the volume cursor 42, further, a volume of the volume cursor 42 is altered, and the tumor 50 is surrounded with the volume cursor 42. Thereby, a volume of the tumor 50 can be measured. Further, a position is designated with the position designation cursor 40, and a distance between a designated position and the tumor 50 is metered.

Description

  The present invention relates to a radiation image display apparatus and method for three-dimensionally displaying a radiation image of a subject.

  Conventionally, it is known that stereoscopic viewing can be performed using parallax by displaying a plurality of images in combination. Such a stereoscopically viewable image (hereinafter referred to as a stereoscopic image or a three-dimensional image) is displayed based on a plurality of images with parallax obtained by photographing the same subject from different directions.

  Such stereoscopic images are used not only in the fields of digital cameras and televisions but also in the field of radiographic imaging. In other words, a subject is irradiated with radiation from different imaging directions, the radiation transmitted through the subject is detected by a radiation detector, and a plurality of radiation images having parallax are obtained, and these radiation images are used. Thus, a stereoscopic image is displayed in a three-dimensional manner. By using such a stereoscopic image, it is possible to observe a radiographic image with a sense of depth, so that diagnosis can be performed more easily.

  By the way, since the radiographic image is a transmission image inside the subject, it includes bones, various tissues, and structures such as tumors and lesions such as calcifications that are overlapped inside the subject. For this reason, when a stereoscopic image is displayed using a radiographic image, a necessary instruction is given on the image using a three-dimensional cursor that can move not only in the plane direction but also in the depth direction (patent) References 1-3). In particular, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of displaying a stereoscopic scale having a scale value that matches a depth position of a stereoscopic image and reading a dimension near the site of interest. In addition, after displaying a three-dimensional scale with one point as an attention site and then moving the three-dimensional cursor to the other point, the relative position between the two points (that is, the distance between the two points) is obtained. Is also disclosed.

  There has also been proposed a method of displaying a three-dimensional pointing object in a three-dimensional space and changing the size of the pointing object in accordance with the coordinate value in the depth direction of the pointing object (see Patent Document 4).

JP 2005-136726 A JP-A-4-16896 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-6777 JP-A-5-274421

  By the way, when displaying a radiation image three-dimensionally, there is a demand for easily measuring the volume of a desired object on an image such as a lesion and the distance between the object and a predetermined reference position. For example, in a stereoscopic image of a breast, there is a demand to easily measure a distance from a reference position (for example, a nipple) in a breast to a lesion such as a tumor, a distance from a bone to skin, or a volume of a lesion. . However, in many cases, an edge portion of a tumor or bone is not clear, and identification is not easy. In particular, when the image is displayed three-dimensionally, it is difficult to grasp the shape and the sense of depth, and the above measurement becomes difficult.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to enable easy measurement in a three-dimensionally displayed radiographic image.

A radiographic image display device according to the present invention includes a display unit that three-dimensionally displays a radiographic image;
Cursor display control means for three-dimensionally displaying a cursor for position designation for designating a position on the radiographic image and a volume cursor for three-dimensionally designating an object included in the radiographic image on the display means;
Input means for receiving designation of a position with the position designation cursor and designation of a desired position and size of the object with the volume cursor are provided.

  “Display three-dimensionally” means that an image necessary for three-dimensional display is displayed while satisfying all the requirements for stereoscopic vision.

  The “position specifying cursor” means a planar cursor.

  The “volume cursor” means a cursor that can be recognized by a three-dimensional shape that does not fit in a two-dimensional plane.

  “Specify three-dimensionally” means changing the size of the volume cursor in accordance with an instruction from the operator and specifying the object included in the three-dimensionally displayed radiation image so as to be surrounded by the volume cursor.

  The radiological image display apparatus according to the present invention may further include a measuring unit that measures a distance between a position designated by the position designation cursor and an object position designated by the volume cursor.

  In the radiographic image display device according to the present invention, the measuring means may be means for measuring the volume of an object designated by the volume cursor.

  In the radiographic image display device according to the present invention, the position designation cursor may be a three-dimensional cursor that can also be moved in the depth direction of the three-dimensionally displayed radiographic image.

  In the radiographic image display apparatus according to the present invention, the input means may be means for receiving designation of the desired object position, the object size, and the object position by the volume cursor.

  In the radiographic image display device according to the present invention, after the input unit receives the specification of the position of the object by the volume cursor, the operation mode of the volume cursor is switched to specify the size of the object. It is good also as a means to receive.

A radiological image display method according to the present invention is a radiological image display method in a radiological image display device including a display unit that three-dimensionally displays a radiographic image,
A three-dimensional display of a position designation cursor for designating a position on the radiographic image and a volume cursor for three-dimensionally designating an object included in the radiographic image on the display means,
The specification of the position by the position specifying cursor and the specification of the position and size of a desired object by the volume cursor are received.

  According to the present invention, a position specifying cursor for specifying a position on a radiographic image and a volume cursor for specifying an object included in the radiographic image in a three-dimensional manner are displayed three-dimensionally on the radiographic image displayed in three dimensions. The designation of the position by the position designation cursor and the designation of the desired position and size of the object by the volume cursor are accepted. Here, by using the volume cursor, it is possible to appropriately specify the position and size of a desired object in the three-dimensionally displayed radiographic image. Therefore, it is possible to easily measure the distance between the object designated by the volume cursor and the position designated by the position designation cursor in the three-dimensionally displayed radiographic image.

  Further, by calculating the volume of the volume cursor by matching the size of the object on the radiation image with the size of the volume cursor, the rough volume of the object can be measured.

1 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a radiographic imaging apparatus using a radiographic image display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which looked at the arm part of the radiographic imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 from the right direction of FIG. The block diagram which shows schematic structure inside the computer of the radiographic imaging apparatus shown in FIG. Schematic showing a three-dimensionally displayed breast radiation image Diagram for explaining measurement of volume of tumor using volume cursor Flow chart of volume measurement process Diagram for explaining distance measurement using the cursor for position specification Flow chart of distance measurement processing The figure for demonstrating the other example of the measurement of the distance using the cursor for position specification

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a radiographic image capturing apparatus to which a radiographic image display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In order to stereoscopically view a radiographic image of a breast, the radiographic image capturing apparatus 1 captures a breast M from different imaging directions and acquires a plurality of radiographic images. As shown in FIG. 1, the radiographic imaging device 1 includes an imaging unit 10, a computer 2 connected to the imaging unit 10, a monitor 3 connected to the computer 2, and an input unit 4.

  The imaging unit 10 includes a base 11, a rotary shaft 12 that is movable in the vertical direction (Z direction) with respect to the base 11, and a rotatable rotation shaft 12 and an arm portion 13 that is connected to the base 11 by the rotation shaft 12. I have. FIG. 2 shows the arm 13 viewed from the right direction in FIG.

  The arm portion 13 has an alphabet C shape, and a radiation table 16 is attached to one end of the arm portion 13 so as to face the imaging table 14 at the other end. The rotation and vertical movement of the arm unit 13 are controlled by an arm controller 31 incorporated in the base 11.

  A radiation detector 15 such as a flat panel detector and a detector controller 33 that controls reading of a charge signal from the radiation detector 15 are provided inside the imaging table 14.

  The imaging table 14 includes a charge amplifier that converts the charge signal read from the radiation detector 15 into a voltage signal, a correlated double sampling circuit that samples the voltage signal output from the charge amplifier, and a voltage signal. A circuit board or the like provided with an AD conversion unit for converting into a digital signal is also installed.

  In addition, the photographing table 14 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the arm unit 13, and even when the arm unit 13 rotates with respect to the base 11, the direction of the photographing table 14 is fixed to the base 11. can do.

  The radiation detector 15 can repeatedly perform recording and reading of a radiation image, and may use a so-called direct type radiation detector that directly receives radiation to generate charges, or radiation. May be used as a so-called indirect radiation detector that converts the light into visible light and converts the visible light into a charge signal. As a radiation image signal reading method, a radiation image signal is read by turning on and off a TFT (thin film transistor) switch, or a radiation image signal by irradiating reading light. Although it is desirable to use a so-called optical readout system in which is read out, the present invention is not limited to this, and other types may be used.

  A radiation source 17 and a radiation source controller 32 are housed inside the radiation irradiation unit 16. The radiation source controller 32 controls the timing of irradiating radiation from the radiation source 17 and the radiation generation conditions (tube current, time, tube voltage, etc.) in the radiation source 17.

  Further, in the central portion of the arm portion 13, a compression plate 18 that is disposed above the imaging table 14 and presses against the breast M, a support portion 20 that supports the compression plate 18, and a support portion 20 are arranged in the vertical direction ( A moving mechanism 19 for moving in the Z direction) is provided. The position of the compression plate 18 and the compression pressure are controlled by the compression plate controller 34.

  The computer 2 includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk, and an SSD, and the control unit 2a, the radiation image storage unit 2b, the image as shown in FIG. A display control unit 2c, a cursor display control unit 2d, and a measurement unit 2e are configured.

  The controller 2a outputs predetermined control signals to the various controllers 31 to 34 to control the entire apparatus. A specific control method will be described later.

  The radiation image storage unit 2b stores two radiation images GR and GL detected by the radiation detector 15 by photographing from two different photographing directions.

  The image display control unit 2c performs a predetermined process on the two radiation images GR and GL read from the radiation image storage unit 2b, and then causes the monitor 3 to stereoscopically display the radiation image of the breast M. It is.

  The cursor display control unit 2d displays a position designation cursor and a volume cursor, which will be described later, on the radiographic image stereoscopically displayed on the monitor 3, and the position designation cursor and the volume cursor according to an instruction from the input unit 4 by the operator. Move the volume cursor or change the size of the volume cursor.

  As will be described later, the measurement unit 2e measures the volume of a lesion such as a tumor contained in the breast M and the distance between positions designated by the cursor. The volume measurement and the distance measurement are switched by a measurement mode switching instruction using the input unit 4.

  The monitor 3 is configured so that a stereoscopic image can be three-dimensionally displayed using the two radiation images GR and GL output from the computer 2. As a three-dimensional display method of the monitor 3, for example, two radiographic images are displayed using two screens, and one of these radiographic images is displayed on the right eye of the observer by using a half mirror, polarizing glass, or the like. It is possible to adopt a method in which a stereoscopic image is displayed by making the other radiation image incident on the left eye of the observer. Alternatively, a method of displaying a stereoscopic image by superimposing two radiographic images and observing them with a polarizing glass may be used. Furthermore, a system in which the monitor 3 is configured by 3D liquid crystal and two radiographic images can be stereoscopically viewed, such as a parallax barrier system and a lenticular system, may be used.

  The input unit 4 includes, for example, a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse, and accepts input of shooting conditions and the like by an operator, input of a shooting start instruction, movement of a cursor, input of a measurement start instruction, and the like. Is.

  In such a radiographic imaging device 1, imaging is performed as follows. First, the patient's breast M is placed on the imaging table 14, and the breast M is compressed with a predetermined pressure by the compression plate 18. Next, in the input unit 4, after various shooting conditions are input, an instruction to start shooting is input.

  When there is an instruction to start imaging in the input unit 4, imaging of two radiographic images for performing stereoscopic display is performed. Specifically, first, the controller 2 a reads the stored convergence angle θ, and outputs the read information about the convergence angle θ to the arm controller 31. Then, the arm controller 31 receives the information of the convergence angle θ output from the control unit 2a, and the arm controller 31 first has a direction in which the arm unit 13 is perpendicular to the imaging table 14, as indicated by a solid line in FIG. A control signal is output so as to be (0 degree direction).

  Then, in accordance with the control signal output from the arm controller 31, the control unit 2 a controls the radiation source controller 32 and the detector controller 33 in a state where the arm unit 13 is in a direction perpendicular to the imaging table 14. On the other hand, a control signal is output so as to perform radiation irradiation and readout of a radiation image signal. In response to this control signal, radiation is emitted from the radiation source 17, a radiation image obtained by photographing the breast M from the 0 degree direction is detected by the radiation detector 15, and a radiation image signal is output from the radiation detector 15 by the detector controller 33. After being read out and subjected to predetermined signal processing on the radiographic image signal, it is stored in the radiographic image storage unit 2b of the computer 2 as a radiographic image GR for the right eye.

  Next, the arm controller 31 outputs a control signal so as to rotate the arm unit 13 by + θ degrees with respect to a direction perpendicular to the imaging table 14 as indicated by a virtual line in FIG. Then, in a state where the arm unit 13 is rotated by + θ degrees in accordance with the control signal output from the arm controller 31, the control unit 2a applies radiation to the radiation source controller 32 and the detector controller 33 and the radiation image signal. A control signal is output so as to read out. In response to this control signal, radiation is emitted from the radiation source 17, a radiation image obtained by photographing the breast M from the + θ degree direction is detected by the radiation detector 15, and a radiation image signal is read by the detector controller 33. After the above signal processing is performed, it is stored in the radiographic image storage unit 2b of the computer 2 as a radiographic image GL for the left eye.

  Then, the two radiation images GR and GL stored in the radiation image storage unit 2b are read out, subjected to a predetermined process on the radiation images GR and GL, and then output to the monitor 3. In the monitor 3, A stereoscopic image of the breast M is displayed three-dimensionally. At the same time, a position designation cursor and a volume cursor are displayed in three dimensions on the monitor 3.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a position designation cursor and a volume cursor are displayed on the stereoscopic image of the breast. In FIG. 4, in order to show the depth, the same three-dimensional coordinate system of XYZ as in FIGS. 1 and 2 is used, and the breast M is shown using a perspective view. The position designation cursor and the volume cursor are stereoscopically viewed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the breast M that is stereoscopically viewed is flat on the front side and the rear side. This is because the breast M is pressed between the compression plate 18 and the imaging table 15 during imaging. The position designation cursor 40 has an arrow shape and is a three-dimensional cursor that can be moved not only in the plane direction but also in the depth direction. In the present embodiment, the position in the depth direction can be changed by operating an arrow key of a keyboard or a wheel of a mouse. Here, the shape of the position specifying cursor 40 is not limited to the arrow, and other shapes such as a spherical shape and a conical shape may be used.

  The volume cursor 42 has a spherical shape and can be changed in size by operating the input unit 4. Specifically, the size can be changed by operating an arrow key of a keyboard or a wheel of a mouse. The volume cursor 42 is not limited to a spherical shape, and may be another three-dimensional shape such as an ellipsoid, a cube, and a rectangular parallelepiped.

  Here, the position specifying cursor 40 and the volume cursor 42 are three-dimensionally displayed in the same manner as the radiographic image so as to have a stereoscopic effect corresponding to the position in the depth direction.

  In the present embodiment, since there is only one mouse of the input unit 4, the cursor that is moved by the operation of the mouse is switched by an instruction from the keyboard. Two mice may be provided, and the position specifying cursor 40 and the volume cursor 42 may be moved by each of the two mice.

  In the present embodiment, the position specifying cursor 40 and the volume cursor 42 are displayed three-dimensionally in this way, and various measurements are performed using the two cursors 40 and 42. First, measurement of the volume of a tumor using the volume cursor 42 will be described. Here, the breast M shown in FIG. 4 includes a mass 50, and the volume of the mass 50 is measured.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining measurement of the volume of a tumor using a volume cursor, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart of volume measurement processing. The operator switches the measurement mode to the volume measurement mode by operating the keyboard. When this instruction is accepted (step ST1), the measurement unit 2e switches the measurement mode to the volume measurement mode (step ST2). Next, the cursor display control unit 2d determines whether or not the operator has given an instruction to switch the operation mode of the volume cursor 42 to the position change mode (step ST3). If step ST3 is negative, the process proceeds to step ST6 described later. If step ST3 is positive, the cursor display control unit 2d switches the operation mode of the volume cursor 42 to the position change mode (step ST4).

  In this state, by operating the mouse, the operator can move the volume cursor 42 to the position of the tumor 50 via the cursor display control unit 2d as shown in FIG. Move acceptance, step ST5). As a result, the cursor display control unit 2d moves the volume cursor 42. At this time, the operator can move the volume cursor 42 so that the center position O1 of the volume cursor 42 matches the center position of the tumor 50. Thereafter, the operator can adjust the volume of the volume cursor 42 in order to measure the volume of the tumor 50. Therefore, following step ST5, the cursor display control unit 2d determines whether or not an instruction to switch the operation of the volume cursor 42 to the volume change mode has been issued (step ST6). If step ST6 is negative, the process proceeds to step ST9 described later.

  If step ST6 is positive, the cursor display control unit 2d switches the operation mode of the volume cursor 42 to the volume change mode (step ST7). In this state, as shown in FIG. 5B, the operator can change the volume (that is, the size) of the volume cursor 42 by operating the mouse wheel or the arrow keys on the keyboard (volume change acceptance, Step ST8). Accordingly, the cursor display control unit 2d changes the size of the volume cursor 42. When switching to the volume change mode, the movement of the volume cursor 42 is prohibited, so that the center position O1 of the volume cursor 42 is fixed.

  Subsequently, the measurement unit 2e determines whether or not a measurement instruction is given from the keyboard (step ST9). If step ST9 is negative, the process returns to step ST3, and the processes after step ST3 are repeated. Accordingly, if necessary, the operator can finely adjust the position of the volume cursor 42 or finely adjust the volume of the volume cursor 42 as shown in FIG. Can be surrounded by the volume cursor 42.

  If step ST9 is affirmed, the measuring unit 2e measures the volume of the volume cursor 42 (step ST10), outputs this as the volume of the tumor 50 (step ST11), and ends the process.

  Next, distance measurement will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the distance measurement using the position designation cursor, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the distance measurement process. As described above, since the volume cursor 42 is in a state that substantially coincides with the shape of the tumor 50, the distance measurement starts from the state in which the volume measurement process is completed. The operator switches the measurement mode to the distance measurement mode by operating the keyboard. When this instruction is accepted (step ST21), the measurement unit 2e switches the measurement mode to the distance measurement mode (step ST22).

  In this state, the operator can move the position specifying cursor 40 to a desired position via the cursor display control unit 2d by operating the mouse (position specification cursor movement acceptance, step ST23). . The operator can move the position specifying cursor 40 two-dimensionally by moving the mouse, and move the position specifying cursor 40 in the depth direction by operating the wheel or the keyboard. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the position designation cursor 40 is moved to the nipple position of the breast M.

  Subsequently, the measurement unit 2e determines whether or not a measurement instruction is given from the keyboard (step ST24). If step ST24 is negative, the process returns to step ST23, and the processes after step ST23 are repeated. Accordingly, the operator can move the position specifying cursor 40 until the position specifying cursor 40 moves to a desired position.

  If step ST24 is affirmed, the measuring unit 2e measures the distance L0 between the position O2 designated by the position designation cursor 40 and the center position O1 of the volume cursor 42 (step ST25), and the measured distance L0. Is output (step ST26), and the process ends.

  In measuring the distance, the position specifying cursor 40 may specify two points for measuring the distance between them without using the result of volume measurement using the volume cursor 42.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the position designation cursor 40 and the volume cursor 42 are three-dimensionally displayed on the three-dimensionally displayed radiation image, and the position designation by the position designation cursor 40 and the volume cursor 42 are performed. The designation of the position and size of the desired object (tumor 50) is accepted. Here, by using the volume cursor 42, it is possible to appropriately specify the position and size of a desired object in the three-dimensionally displayed radiographic image. Therefore, in the three-dimensionally displayed radiographic image, the distance between the object designated by the volume cursor 42 and the position designated by the position designation cursor 40 can be easily measured.

  Further, by calculating the volume of the volume cursor 42 by matching the size of the object on the three-dimensionally displayed radiographic image with the size of the volume cursor 42, the rough volume of the object can be measured.

  In the above embodiment, the distance L0 between the tumor 50 and the nipple is measured. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the distance L1 between the tumor 50 and the skin surface of the breast M is measured. Also good.

  In the above embodiment, the radiographic imaging apparatus to which the radiographic image display apparatus according to the present invention is applied is an apparatus that captures a radiographic image of a breast. However, the subject is not limited to the breast, for example, a joint or a spinal column. It is also possible to use a radiographic image capturing apparatus that images a bone part. In this case, the radiographic image of the bone part is displayed in a three-dimensional manner. In the case of the radiographic image of the joint, the thickness of the cartilage of the joint (that is, the distance between the bones in the joint) Can be used to measure. Further, the bending angle of the bone such as the femur, the angle between the femur and the hip joint, the angle of deformation of the bone, the angle when the spine is curved, and the like are measured using the position specifying cursor 40 and the volume cursor 42. Is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Radiographic imaging device 2 Computer 2a Control part 2b Radiation image storage part 2c Image display control part 2d Cursor display control part 2e Measurement part 3 Monitor 4 Input part 10 Imaging part 13 Arm part 14 Imaging stand 15 Radiation detector 16 Radiation irradiation part 17 Radiation source 18 Compression plate

Claims (7)

Display means for three-dimensionally displaying a radiation image;
Cursor display control means for three-dimensionally displaying a cursor for position designation for designating a position on the radiographic image and a volume cursor for three-dimensionally designating an object included in the radiographic image on the display means;
A radiation image display apparatus comprising: an input unit that receives a position designation by the position designation cursor and a designation of a desired object position and size by the volume cursor.   The radiation image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a measuring unit that measures a distance between a position specified by the position specifying cursor and an object position specified by the volume cursor.   The radiation image display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the measuring unit is a unit that measures a volume of an object designated by the volume cursor.   The radiographic image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position specifying cursor is a three-dimensional cursor that can be moved in a depth direction of the radiographic image displayed in three dimensions.   5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is a unit that receives designation of the position of the desired object, the size of the object, and the position of the object by the volume cursor. Radiation image display device.   The input means is means for accepting designation of the size of the object by switching the operation mode of the volume cursor after accepting designation of the position of the object by the volume cursor. The radiation image display device described. A radiographic image display method in a radiographic image display device comprising a display means for three-dimensionally displaying a radiographic image,
A three-dimensional display of a position designation cursor for designating a position on the radiographic image and a volume cursor for three-dimensionally designating an object included in the radiographic image on the display means,
A radiographic image display method characterized by receiving designation of a position with the position designation cursor and designation of a desired position and size of an object with the volume cursor.