JP2013215247A - X-ray radiographic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an X-ray radiographic apparatus preventing falsely recognizing a metal subject or the like as a device even when the metal subject or the like is present in a photographic region.SOLUTION: An interest region setting part in an image processing part sets a region 100 of interest obtained by removing a pacemaker 101 being an X-ray reflector except a stent 42 from an image of a region including the stent 42 displayed on a display part 26.

Description

  The present invention includes an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector that detects X-rays irradiated from the X-ray tube and passed through the subject, and displays an image of a region including a device inserted into the body of the subject. The present invention relates to an X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus that performs fluoroscopy or continuous imaging, for example, an X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus that is effective for interventional treatment that performs stent placement.

  Coronary intervention (PCI) is a treatment performed for myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. A catheter with a guide wire is inserted into the blood vessel from the base of the thigh, and the catheter is inserted into the heart via the blood vessel. The treatment is performed by reaching the coronary artery. A stent is used as a device for this coronary intervention treatment. This stent is a medical device made of a metal such as stainless steel, and it is placed in the stenotic part of the coronary artery that is expanded using a balloon to hold the blood vessel from the lumen, improving the therapeutic effect of catheter treatment It is for making it happen. In this case, for example, in the case where a slight gap is generated between the previously placed stent and the newly placed stent, the gap may cause vascular stenosis. Accurate recognition is an extremely important factor in the treatment of coronary intervention.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a medical viewing system for enhancing a structure in a noisy image. The medical viewing system includes an extraction means for extracting features associated with an object of interest in an image of a sequence, and an alignment that aligns the features associated with the object of interest with respect to an image reference to produce a registered image. Means, similarity detection means for determining similarity of registered representations of interest in successive images, weighting means for modulating the intensity of pixels of interest across the sequence of images, and a number of sequences Time integrating means for integrating the object of interest and the background over at least two valued images; and display means for displaying the processed image of the emphasized and aligned object of interest on the faded background. have.

JP 2005-510288 A

  By the way, in the conventional medical apparatus as described above, when the position of a device such as a stent is automatically extracted, if an X-ray reflection object such as a metal exists in the vicinity of the device, an attempt is made to recognize the device. In some cases, the X-ray reflector is erroneously recognized as a device. For example, when a coronary artery intervention is performed and a pacemaker is embedded near the heart, there is a possibility that the pacemaker is erroneously recognized as a device.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problem. Even when a metal object or the like is present in an imaging region, X-ray fluoroscopic imaging capable of preventing the device from being erroneously recognized as a device. An object is to provide an apparatus.

  The invention described in claim 1 includes an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector that detects X-rays irradiated from the X-ray tube and passed through the subject, and is inserted into the body of the subject. In an X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus that performs fluoroscopy or continuous imaging of an area including a device and displays an X-ray image on a display unit, an X-ray other than the device from an image of the area including the device displayed on the display unit An attention area setting means for setting an attention area from which a reflecting object has been removed, an image acquisition section that acquires a plurality of images of the attention area, and a plurality of images acquired by the image acquisition section are superimposed to create an integrated image And an image processing unit that displays an image-processed image on the display unit. The image processing unit includes: an integrating unit that extracts the device part from the integrated image created by the integrating unit; .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the attention area setting unit sets the attention area based on information input by the input unit and means for prompting the attention area setting. And setting means.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the means for prompting the setting of the attention area is a guidance message display means for displaying a guidance message for prompting the display to input.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the stent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the device is a stent placed in a blood vessel.

  According to the invention described in claims 1 to 3, for example, even when a metal object such as a pacemaker is present in the imaging region, the metal object is removed by excluding it from the region of interest. It is possible to prevent erroneous recognition as a device.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, it is possible to extract a stent as a device without erroneous recognition.

1 is a schematic diagram of an X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus according to the present invention. 3 is a schematic diagram of a collimator 23. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the control system of a X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus. 1 is a schematic view of a catheter 40. FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows a mode that a coronary artery intervention is performed using the catheter 40. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an image near the heart displayed on the display unit 26. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an image near the heart displayed on the display unit 26. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the basic imaging operation | movement of the X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the X-ray image displayed on the display part 26 after X-ray imaging.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus according to the present invention.

  The X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus includes an X-ray tube 31 and a flat panel detector 32 as an X-ray detector that detects X-rays that have passed through the subject irradiated from the X-ray tube 31 and laid on the table 19. A C-type arm 33 that supports the X-ray tube 31 and the flat panel detector 32, a support part 34 that slidably supports the C-type arm 33, and a turning part 35 that turns the support part 34. And a support part 36 that supports the swivel part 35 in a state of being erected with respect to the floor surface.

  An arcuate guide portion 37 is formed on the C-shaped arm 33, and the support portion 34 slidably supports the C-shaped arm 33 by engaging with the guide portion 37. The C-shaped arm 33 is configured so that the X-ray tube 31 and the flat panel detector 32 are aligned with the X-ray axis extending from the X-ray tube 31 to the flat panel detector 32 being the diameter of the arc forming the guide portion 37. I support it. The swivel unit 35 swivels the support unit 34 along with the C-arm 33 and the like around an axis orthogonal to the X-ray axis extending from the X-ray tube 31 to the flat panel detector 32.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the collimator 23.

  The collimator 23 is for limiting the X-ray irradiation area irradiated from the X-ray tube 31 to form the X-ray irradiation field E, and four collimator leaves 24 that are moved by driving a motor (not shown). Is provided. The collimator 23 is disposed opposite the X-ray tube 31 at a position on the flat panel detector 32 side with respect to the X-ray tube 31. Each collimator leaf 24 can be moved individually by the operator operating an input unit 27 described later.

  In the X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus having such a configuration, the swivel unit 35 causes the C-arm 33 to be laid on the table 19 together with the X-ray tube 31 and the flat panel detector 32 via the support unit 34. Swivel around the person's head. In this state, the irradiation region is limited by the collimator 23 after being irradiated from the X-ray tube 31, and then the subject is scanned by detecting the X-rays that have passed through the subject with the flat panel detector 32. It becomes possible to obtain image data of blood vessels near the heart of the subject.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus described above.

  This X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus includes a CPU that executes logical operations and a memory that temporarily stores data, and includes a control unit 60 that controls the entire apparatus. The control unit 60 includes an attention area setting unit 62 including a guidance message display unit 67 and a setting unit 68, which will be described later, and an image processing unit 61 including an image acquisition unit 63, an integration unit 64, an extraction unit 65, and an enlarged display unit 66. Is provided. The control unit 60 is connected to the X-ray tube 31, the collimator 23, and the flat panel detector 32 described above. Further, the control unit 60 is also connected to a display unit 26 formed of a liquid crystal display panel or the like and an input unit 27 including a keyboard, a mouse, and the like.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a catheter 40 used for coronary intervention (PCI).

  The catheter 40 includes a guide wire 41 therein. A stent 42 as a device according to the present invention is disposed at the distal end of the guide wire 41. A pair of markers 43 are attached to both sides of the stent 42.

  Here, the stent 42 is a mesh-like cylindrical body made of a metal such as stainless steel. In the coronary intervention treatment, the stent 42 is placed in a narrowed portion of the coronary artery, and the stent 42 is inflated with a balloon, and then placed in the blood vessel to widen the coronary artery and keep the blood flow normal. . The pair of markers 43 is made of a metal such as gold, platinum, or tantalum that is opaque to X-rays, and serves to clearly indicate the position of the stent 42 during X-ray treatment.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing how coronary artery intervention is performed using this catheter 40.

  The catheter 40 is inserted into a blood vessel through a small hole such as the base of the subject's thigh, and reaches the coronary artery of the heart having an abnormality. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the catheter 40 is inserted into the blood vessel 50 having the branch pipes 51 and 52, and the stent 42 is inserted into the branch pipe 51 together with the guide wire 41.

  Next, an imaging operation for performing fluoroscopy or continuous imaging with the X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

  When performing fluoroscopy or continuous imaging with the X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus according to the present invention, first, an image near the heart is captured with the catheter 40 inserted into the blood vessel 51. 6 and 7 are schematic diagrams of an image of the vicinity of the heart displayed on the display unit 26 by detecting the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube 31 by the flat panel detector 32 and performing image processing on the detection signal. is there.

  This X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus has a configuration for extracting the stent 42 portion from the superimposed image 2 as will be described later. At this time, when the pacemaker 101 or the like, which is an X-ray reflector made of metal, is disposed near the heart, the pacemaker 101 may be detected instead of the stent 42 when the stent 42 portion is extracted. For this reason, in the X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus according to the present invention, the region of interest other than the stent 42 is obtained from the image of the region including the stent 42 which is the device displayed on the display unit 26 by the attention region setting unit 62 in the image processing unit 61. A configuration for removing the pacemaker 101 which is an X-ray reflector is adopted.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the guidance message display unit 67 in the attention area setting unit 62 shown in FIG. 3 displays the guidance message 102 on the image near the heart displayed on the display unit 26. The guidance message 102 is, for example, a text display “Please select only the device”. Instead of text display, an image for prompting device selection may be displayed as the guidance message 102. The operator removes the pacemaker 101 that is an X-ray reflector other than the stent 42 from the image of the region including the stent 42 displayed on the display unit 26 according to the guidance message 102.

  In order for the operator to remove the pacemaker 101 which is an X-ray reflector other than the stent 42 from the image of the region including the device displayed on the display unit 26, the X-ray tube 31 is lit with low energy, An operator manually operates the collimator 23. That is, the operator moves the collimator leaf 24 manually while confirming the X-ray image displayed on the display unit 26, so that an image of the region including the stent 42 displayed on the display unit 26 can be used. The X-ray reflector (pacemaker 101 in this embodiment) is removed. As shown in FIG. 7, the setting unit 68 in the attention area setting section 62 sets the attention area 100 based on the position of the collimator leaf 24 at this time.

  In this way, instead of setting the region of interest 100 by checking the X-ray image actually obtained by lighting the X-ray tube 31 and moving the collimator leaf 24, a collimator called a virtual collimator is used. A system that displays the X-ray irradiation field based on the movement amount of the leaf 24 may be used. In this case, an area corresponding to the amount of movement of the collimator leaf 24 is displayed on the display unit 26 together with the X-ray image. The setting unit 68 in the attention area setting section 62 sets the attention area 100 based on the position of the collimator leaf 24 at this time.

  Further, instead of moving the collimator leaf 24, the operator may set the attention area 100 by operating the input unit 27 on the X-ray image displayed on the display unit 26. In this case, the operator uses a mouse or the like in the input unit 27 based on the X-ray image displayed on the display unit 26, so that the pacemaker is obtained from the image of the region including the stent 42 displayed on the display unit 26. 101 is removed. The setting unit 68 in the attention area setting section 62 sets the attention area 100 based on the signal from the input section 27 at this time.

  When the setting of the attention area 100 is completed, fluoroscopy or continuous shooting is executed. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a basic imaging operation of the fluoroscopic imaging apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 8, the blood vessel 50 including the branch pipes 51 and 52 shown in FIG. 5 is schematically shown by a thin line.

  In this drawing, reference numerals 1a to 1e indicate images of the attention area 100 that are continuously photographed. Normally, fluoroscopy and continuous shooting are performed at a frame rate of, for example, about 15 to 30 FPS. In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, a case where four frames are shot for one pulse is shown. ing.

  These images 1a to 1e are taken by detecting the X-rays irradiated from the X-ray tube 31 and passing through the subject with the flat panel detector 32, and the image processing unit 61 in the control unit 60 captures the images 15 The image data is continuously displayed at a frame rate of about 30 FPS, and the image data is transmitted to the display unit 26 so that it is continuously displayed on the display unit 26.

  That is, the image acquisition unit 63 in the image processing unit 61 acquires a plurality of images of the attention area 100. Then, the integrating unit 64 in the image processing unit 61 uses the pair of markers 43 to position these images, and then integrates these images to create a superimposed image 2. The extraction unit 65 in the image processing unit 61 extracts the stent 42 portion from the superimposed image 2. After that, the enlarged display unit 66 in the image processing unit 61 obtains an enlarged image 3 of the stent 42 by enlarging the image of the stent 42 part obtained by the extraction unit 65.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an X-ray image displayed on the display unit 26 after X-ray imaging.

  On the display unit 26, the images 1a to 1e of the region of interest 100 described above are displayed as a continuous image 1. This image 1 is displayed as a moving image that moves continuously. Further, an enlarged image 3 of the stent 42 portion is displayed on the side of the image 1. The operator determines whether or not the stent 42 is correctly placed at the correct position based on the enlarged image 3 of the stent 42 portion.

  As described above, in the X-ray imaging apparatus according to the present invention, the pacemaker 101 that is an X-ray reflector other than the stent 42 is removed from the image of the region including the stent 42 that is the device displayed on the display unit 26. Since a region of interest 100 is set and image integration and extraction are performed on the region of interest 100, for example, even when a metal object or the like such as a pacemaker is present in the imaging region, attention is paid to it. By excluding from the area, it is possible to prevent erroneous recognition as a device.

19 table 23 collimator 24 collimator leaf 26 display unit 27 input unit 31 X-ray tube 32 flat panel detector 33 C-type arm 35 swivel unit 40 catheter 41 guide wire 42 stent 43 marker 50 blood vessel 51 branch tube 52 branch tube 60 control unit 61 image processing unit 62 attention area setting section 63 image acquisition section 64 integration section 65 extraction section 66 enlarged display section 67 guidance message display section 68 setting section 100 attention area 101 pacemaker 102 guidance message

Claims (4)

An X-ray tube and an X-ray detector for detecting X-rays irradiated from the X-ray tube and passing through the subject, and seeing through or continuously photographing an area including a device inserted into the subject's body In the X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus that displays the X-ray image on the display unit,
Attention area setting means for setting an attention area obtained by removing X-ray reflectors other than the device from the image of the area including the device displayed on the display unit;
An image acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of images of the region of interest, an integration unit that creates an integrated image by superimposing several images acquired by the image acquisition unit, and the device based on the integrated image generated by the integration unit And an image processing unit that displays an image after image processing on the display unit.
An X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus comprising: The X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus according to claim 1,
The attention area setting means is an X-ray imaging apparatus comprising means for prompting the attention area to be set and setting means for setting the attention area based on information input by the input unit. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 2,
The X-ray imaging apparatus, wherein the means for prompting the setting of the attention area is a guidance message display means for displaying a guidance message for prompting an input to the display unit. The X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The device is an X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus that is a stent installed in a blood vessel.

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