JP2577942B2 - Radiation imaging equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a radiation image capturing apparatus using a stimulable phosphor.

-Background of the Invention-As a radiographic image capturing apparatus, an X-ray image capturing apparatus is conventionally known for medical image diagnosis. However, since a process of capturing, developing, and diagnosing with an X-ray film is performed, film consumption and development end. Until this time, there were various problems such as whether the photographing conditions were good or bad.

To solve such problems, a system using a stimulable phosphor as an X-ray detector has been put to practical use. For example, an outline of the radiation image capturing apparatus is as shown in FIG. In the figure, radiation from a radiation source 11 passes through a subject 12 and irradiates a radiation conversion panel 13. The conversion panel 13 has a stimulable phosphor layer. When the phosphor is irradiated with excitation light such as X-rays, electron beams, and ultraviolet rays, a part of the energy is changed according to the irradiation amount. Stored. By utilizing this phenomenon, a latent image is accumulated in the radiation conversion panel 13 by the radiation energy transmitted through the subject 12. Then, by irradiating the stimulable phosphor layer of the conversion panel 13 with stimulable excitation light such as visible light or infrared light from the stimulable excitation light source 14 in a scanning manner, stimulable fluorescent light emission proportional to the stored energy is generated. The light emission intensity is detected by a photoelectric converter 16 through a filter 15, and the detection signal is obtained as reproduction image information by an image reading device 17 that converts the detection signal into digital image data, and the reproduction image information is stored in a memory by an image processing device 18. It stores the data, controls the data input / output for CRT display and film photographing, and sets various photographing conditions and performs various processing for image processing.

Such a radiographic image capturing apparatus includes a radiation conversion panel.
13 can be used repeatedly for photographing, reading and erasing, and the radiation exposure area that can be recorded is extremely wide, so that differences in photographing conditions can be corrected and recovered by image processing. Further, communication processing for transmitting the reproduced image information to the host computer and the reproduced image information can be recorded on a film and obtained as a hard copy by development.

-Problems to be Solved by the Invention-In a conventional radiation image capturing apparatus using a stimulable phosphor, identification information (ID number, name, date of birth, gender, etc.) of a subject to be X-rayed and capturing conditions (Imaging part, radiation dose, etc.) are input and set from the keyboard of the image processing device 18, and various operations for image processing after imaging, operations for creating a hard copy, and data communication processing to the host computer are performed. An operation is performed. Such various operations are performed by the operator as needed each time shooting is performed. For this reason, the operator needs many operations, and when continuously photographing many parts of many objects, the burden is increased and the necessary operations may be forgotten. For example, if the operation of the hard copy process or the communication process to the host computer is forgotten, a situation in which a hard copy cannot be obtained forever or a situation in which the host computer cannot receive image information occurs.

An object of the present invention is to provide a radiographic image capturing apparatus that ensures hard copy processing and communication processing while reducing the burden on an operator.

-Means and Action for Solving the Problems-In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an excitation means for irradiating a stimulable phosphor, which has accumulated and recorded radiation transmitted through a subject, with excitation light, Detecting means for stimulating luminescent light obtained by irradiating the stimulable phosphor with excitation light, reading means for reading radiation image information, and image output means for performing a hard copy of an image based on the radiation image information, A radiation image capturing apparatus having an instruction input means for inputting an instruction of an operator, and a control means for controlling the image output means so as to perform a hard copy when there is no instruction from the instruction input means for a predetermined time. Or an irradiating means for irradiating the stimulable phosphor with radiation that has accumulated and recorded radiation transmitted through the subject, and irradiating the stimulable phosphor with excitation light. An operator's instruction is input in a radiation image capturing apparatus having: a reading unit that detects stimulated emission light obtained therefrom and reads radiation image information; and an image communication unit that performs communication processing of information based on the radiation image information. And a control means for controlling the image communication means so as to perform a communication process when there is no operator's instruction from the instruction input means for a certain period of time.

-Example-Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the radiographic image capturing apparatus.
Reference numeral 21 denotes a main control device for controlling the operation of the entire radiographic image capturing apparatus. Reference numeral 22 denotes a character information input device 22 for inputting image processing commands and subject identification information, for example, a keyboard. Reference numeral 23 denotes a character information display device 23 that outputs identification information, shooting conditions, and the like, for example, a liquid crystal display device. Numeral 24 denotes a radiation image input device which converts read information from a stimulable phosphor panel in which radiation image information of a subject is stored and recorded into a digital image.
Reference numeral 25 denotes an image storage device for storing digital image information, for example, a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk device. 26 is an image processing device for performing gradation processing and the like on digital image information. 27 is an image display device for outputting image information, for example, a CRT display device. Reference numeral 28 denotes a hard copy device for image information, for example, a laser printer device. 29 is an image communication device for transmitting image information to a host computer.

In the radiation image photographing apparatus having such a configuration, the photographing processing procedure is as shown in FIG. First, when the identification information of the person to be photographed is input using the character information input device 22, the character information is displayed on the character information display device 23 together with its storage (step S1). The subject is irradiated with X-rays by a photographing / reading instruction from the character information input device 22, and the radiation image information stored in the stimulable phosphor panel in the radiation image input device 24 is read by scanning with excitation light, It is read by the radiation image input device 24 as digital image information (step S2). Digital image information is stored in the radiation image input device 24
And are temporarily stored in the image storage device 25 sequentially (step S3). The image is also displayed on the image display device 27 (step S4).

The operator performs the photographing / reading process by giving a photographing / reading instruction from the character information input device 22 when determining the normal photographing from the radiation image displayed on the image display device 27 and photographing the same subject again from the character information input device 22 ( Step S2).
In addition, when photographing another subject, an instruction for photographing the next subject is given from the character information input device 22, thereby performing input processing of the next subject identification information (step S1). In any case, after a certain period of time has elapsed since the image display (step S5), the hard copy output and / or transmission processing to the host computer is started without requiring the operator's awareness (step S7). . After this processing, when there is no next photographing command or until a certain time has elapsed, input of information on the subject is waited, and when there is the photographing command or after a certain time has elapsed, photographing / image reading is started (step S8). When the operator determines that image processing such as gradation processing is necessary by looking at the radiographic image displayed on the image display device 27, the character information input device 22 instructs the image processing to be performed by the image processing. Processing is performed (step S9).

With the above-described control, after the operator performs an operation necessary for photographing control, a hard copy output for film recording or image data transmission to a host computer is automatically performed after a certain period of time, and the operator This eliminates the need for operations for these processes, and enables reliable processes without forgetting to operate.

In the embodiment, the time setting in step S5 can be arbitrarily set by a key input by an operator, thereby enabling a process suitable for the use situation of the apparatus. For example, if the time is set to zero seconds, the hard copy output processing or the communication processing to the host computer is automatically executed immediately in the image display as shown in FIG.

-Effects of the Invention- As described above, according to the present invention, in the radiographic image capturing apparatus, the image output unit is configured to perform hard copy when there is no operator's instruction from the instruction input unit for inputting the operator's instruction for a predetermined time. Control means for controlling, or
Since there is a control means for controlling the image communication means so that the communication processing is performed when there is no instruction from the instruction input means for a certain period of time, the burden on the operator can be reduced, and the processing operation can be prevented from being forgotten. Can be reliably generated and data can be reliably transmitted to the host computer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a processing procedure diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a device block diagram in the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a processing procedure diagram showing another embodiment, and FIG. It is a block diagram. 21: Main control device, 22: Character information input device, 23: Character information display device, 24: Radiation image input device, 25: Image storage device, 26: Image processing device, 27: Image display device, 28: Hard copy device , 29 ... Image communication device.

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-55-116340 (JP, A) JP-A-57-167021 (JP, A) JP-A-61-285858 (JP, A) JP-A-61-296346 (JP) JP-A-62-116239 (JP, A) JP-A-63-7070 (JP, A) JP-A-63-73238 (JP, A) JP-A-63-103225 (JP, A) 63-103227 (JP, A) JP-A-63-127740 (JP, A) JP-A-63-138468 (JP, A) JP-A-63-206736 (JP, A) JP-A 64-193841 (JP, A) A)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An excitation means for irradiating a stimulable phosphor, which stores and records radiation transmitted through an object, with excitation light, and a stimulable luminescent light obtained by irradiating the stimulable phosphor with excitation light. Reading means for detecting the radiation image information, and image output means for performing a hard copy of an image based on the radiation image information, a radiation image capturing apparatus comprising: an instruction input means for inputting an instruction of an operator; Control means for controlling the image output means so as to perform hard copy when there is no instruction from an operator from the instruction input means for a predetermined period of time. 2. Exciting means for irradiating excitation light to a stimulable phosphor in which radiation transmitted through a subject is stored and recorded, and stimulable emission light obtained by irradiating the stimulable phosphor with excitation light. Reading means for detecting radiation image information, and image communication means for performing communication processing of information based on the radiation image information, a radiation image capturing apparatus comprising: an instruction input means for inputting an instruction of an operator; Control means for controlling the image communication means so as to perform communication processing when there is no instruction from the instruction input means for a predetermined time, a radiographic image capturing apparatus.