JP2707369B2 - Image display method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image display method for displaying a reproduced image based on image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In various fields, a recorded radiation image is read to obtain image data, the image data is subjected to appropriate image processing, and a reproduced image is output.

For example, an X-ray image is recorded using an X-ray film having a low gamma value designed to be compatible with the subsequent image processing, and the X-ray image is recorded on the X-ray film.
The line image is read and converted into an electric signal (image data)
After performing image processing on this image data and reproducing it as a visible image on a copy photograph or the like, a reproduced image having good image quality performance such as contrast, sharpness, and graininess is obtained (Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-1986). No. 5193).

Further, according to the applicant of the present invention, radiation (X-ray, α
Radiation, β-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.), a portion of this radiation energy is accumulated, and then, when irradiated with excitation light, such as visible light, the accumulated light shows stimulated emission according to the accumulated energy. Using stimulable phosphor (stimulable phosphor)
Radiation image information of a subject such as a human body is temporarily recorded on a sheet-shaped stimulable phosphor, and the stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as laser light to generate stimulated emission light. A radiation image recording / reproducing system that photoelectrically reads the emitted light to obtain image data and outputs a radiation image of the subject based on the image data as a visible image to a recording material such as a photographic material or a CRT display device has already been proposed. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 55-12429, 56-11395,
55-163472, 56-104645, 55-116340, etc.).

[0005] This system has the practical advantage of being able to record images over a very wide radiation exposure area compared to conventional radiographic systems using silver halide photography. That is, in the case of the stimulable phosphor, it has been recognized that the amount of emitted light that is stimulated by excitation after accumulation is proportional to the radiation exposure amount over an extremely wide range. Even if fluctuates considerably, the amount of the stimulating light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet is read by the photoelectric conversion means with the reading gain set to an appropriate value and converted into an electric signal. Recording materials such as photographic photosensitive materials using
By outputting a radiation image as a visible image on a CRT display device or the like, a radiation image that is not affected by a change in radiation exposure amount can be obtained.

When a visible image based on the image data obtained as described above is reproduced and displayed on an image display device such as a CRT display device and observed, observation observations of the image may be recorded. Although the observation findings may be recorded on paper, a system that is input from a keyboard or the like and stored in association with image data carrying the observed image is also considered for later use. Can be

[0007]

As described above, in a system in which the observation findings of the image are stored in association with the image data carrying the image once observed, and are searched and displayed again as necessary, At a glance, when the image is reproduced and displayed at a glance, it is not possible to know the location of the previously noted, for example, lesion, etc., on the image, and it is not possible to find the part that was last noticed by reading the previous observation findings And the observation may be troublesome.

According to the present invention, in view of the above circumstances, at the time of re-shooting, a point of interest at the time of the previous observation can be understood at a glance, and the point of interest can be understood without reading the observation at the time of the previous observation from the beginning. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image display method capable of grasping the observation findings of the above.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image display method comprising: (1) displaying an image based on image data on a display screen; (2) specifying a desired area on the image; ◆ Observation findings corresponding to the desired area of the image are input. ◆ The position information of the desired area and the observation findings are associated with each other, and the position information of these desired areas and the observation findings are input. Is stored in association with image data carrying an image displayed on the display screen, and when displaying an image based on the image data on the display screen again, the desired and the desired information based on the stored position information are stored. And displaying the observation findings in an area other than the desired area on the display screen, while clearly indicating an area to be displayed on the image displayed on the display screen.

[0010]

According to the image display method of the present invention, a desired region on an image displayed on a display image surface is associated with an observation finding corresponding to the desired region, and the displayed image is carried. Store it in association with image data,
At the time of the second observation, the observation area input during the previous observation is displayed in an area other than the desired area on the display screen while clearly indicating the desired area on the image. At a glance, the point of interest and the observation findings of the point of interest can be grasped at a glance, and the convenience of observation is improved.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, an example in which an X-ray image of the chest of a human body is obtained using the above-described stimulable phosphor sheet will be described.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of an X-ray imaging apparatus.

The X-ray source 11 of the X-ray imaging apparatus 10
Is irradiated toward the chest 13a of the human body 13 and the X-rays 12a transmitted through the human body 13 are irradiated on the stimulable phosphor sheet 14, so that the transmitted X-ray image of the chest 13a of the human body is almost equal to the chest 13a. The recording is twice stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet 14.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a chest X-ray image of a human body photographed and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 14 using the X-ray photographing apparatus 10.

A chest X is provided on almost the entire surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet 14.
It is assumed that a line image 15 is captured and recorded, and two shadows 16a and 16b considered to be lesions are seen on this image.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the X-ray image reading apparatus.

A stimulable phosphor sheet on which an X-ray image is recorded
14 is set at a predetermined position of the X-ray image reading device 20. The stimulable phosphor sheet 14 set at this predetermined position is conveyed (sub-scanning) in the direction of arrow Y by sheet conveying means 22 such as an endless belt driven by a motor 21.
On the other hand, a light beam 24 emitted from a laser light source 23 is driven by a motor 25 and rotates at a high speed in the direction of the arrow.
After being reflected and deflected by 26 and passing through the fθ lens 27,
The optical path is changed by the mirror 28 to be incident on the sheet 14, and the main scanning is performed in the arrow X direction substantially perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction (arrow Y direction). From the portion of the sheet 14 irradiated with the excitation light 24, the amount of stimulated emission light corresponding to the stored and recorded X-ray image information is increased.
29 is diverged, and the stimulated emission light 29 is guided by a light guide 30 and is photoelectrically detected by a photomultiplier (photomultiplier tube) 31. The light guide 30 is formed by molding a light-guiding material such as an acrylic plate, and is arranged such that a linear incident end face 30a extends along the main scanning line on the stimulable phosphor sheet 14. The light receiving surface of the photomultiplier 31 is connected to the emission end face 30b formed in an annular shape. The stimulated emission light 29 entering the light guide 30 from the incident end face 30a travels through the inside of the light guide 30 by repeating total reflection, exits from the exit end face 30b, is received by the photomultiplier 31, and is received by the X-ray image. Is converted into an electric signal by the photomultiplier 31.

The analog output signal S0 output from the photomultiplier 31 is logarithmically amplified by a logarithmic amplifier 32, digitized by an A / D converter 33, and image data S1 as an electric signal is obtained. This image data S1
Are recorded and stored on the optical disc 34.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an embodiment of the image output apparatus of the present invention.

An image output device 40 shown in FIG. 4 is an optical disk 34 (FIG. 3) storing a large number of image signals S1 corresponding to a large number of X-ray images obtained by the X-ray image reading device 20 shown in FIG.
Optical disc driving unit 41, CP
U, a main body unit 42 having an internal memory, etc., a floppy disk drive unit 43 loaded and driven as a floppy disk as an auxiliary memory, and a CRT display for displaying an X-ray image based on the image data S1 on a display screen 45 thereof. Four
4. It is composed of a keyboard 46 for the operator to input various commands and information. The image output device 40 is mounted on a table 47 except for the optical disk drive 41.

When observing an image, the optical disk drive 41
By loading the optical disk 34 into the optical disk 34 and specifying a desired image from the keyboard 46, the image data S1 corresponding to the specified image is read out from the optical disk 34 and
The visible image is sent to the T display 44 and is reproduced and displayed on the display screen 45 based on the image data S1.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a visible image corresponding to the image shown in FIG. 2 reproduced and displayed on the display screen 45. As shown in FIG.

By observing the visible image 15 and finding a shadow 16a which seems to be a lesion as shown in FIG.
The shadow 16a is surrounded by a frame 17a using 46. When this frame 17a is designated, an observation finding frame 18a is displayed in a region other than this frame 17a on the display screen 45. Here, the inside of the observation finding frame 18a is still in a blank state. Here, when the observation findings of the shadow 16a are input from the keyboard 46, the input result is displayed in the observation observation frame 18a. When the observation of the lesion 16a is completed and the frame 17a is erased, the observation finding frame 18a disappears and the chest image is
15 is displayed. Here, even if the frame 17a and the observation finding frame 18a disappear from the display screen 45, this frame 17a
The position information and the contents recorded in the observation finding frame 18a are sent to the optical disk drive 41, and are recorded on the optical disk 34 in association with the image data S1 carrying the visible image 15.

Next, similarly to the above, when the shadow 16b considered to be a lesion is surrounded by a frame 17b, the frame 17b on the display screen 45 is displayed.
The observation frame 18b is displayed in the area other than
By operating 46, the observation finding of the shadow 16b is written in the observation finding frame 18b. The position information of these frames 17b and the observation findings recorded in the observation findings frame 18b are also recorded on the optical disk 34 in association with the image data S1 carrying the image 15 displayed here. In this way, observation findings are input while the shadows considered to be lesions are sequentially surrounded by a frame.

When the image once observed is displayed again as described above, when this image is designated by the keyboard 46, the image data S1 carrying the designated image and the The position information of the frames 17a and 17b corresponding to the image data S1 and the frames 17a and 17b
Observation findings corresponding to are read out and displayed on the CRT display.
Sent to 44. On the display screen 45 of the CRT display 44, the visible image 15 is first displayed on the entire surface, and a keyboard 46
Pressing the above specific key once will cause frame 17a to appear as shown in FIG. 5 (a).
And the observation finding frame 18a in which the observation finding is written is displayed. Thus, the observer can easily obtain the attention point in the previous observation and the observation findings corresponding to the attention point. Next, by pressing a specific key on the keyboard 46 again, the screen is switched as shown in FIG. 5 (b), so that the shadow 16b can be easily found as described above, and the observation findings of the shadow 16b can be easily obtained. Can be.

When displaying the image again, once
The frames 17a and 17b are not displayed, only the original image 15 is displayed, and the fact that there is an observation is shown on the image.
Thereafter, by performing a predetermined key operation, the frames 17a, 17b
May be displayed, and the observation findings may be displayed by designating the frames 17a and 17b.

Further, the key operation may be a mouse operation for operating a mouse instead of a key.

[0028]

As described in detail above, when the image display method of the present invention is adopted, the positional information of a desired area on an image and the observation findings obtained by observing the area are associated with each other. In addition, since it is stored in association with the displayed image, it is possible to easily grasp an area noted in the previous observation and to easily obtain an observation finding of the area. This is a good image display method.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of an X-ray imaging apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a chest X-ray image of a human body photographed and recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an X-ray image reading apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an embodiment of an image output apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a visible image corresponding to the image shown in FIG. 2 reproduced and displayed on a display screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 X-ray imaging device 14 Storage phosphor sheet 15 Chest X-ray image 16a, 16b Shading that seems to be a lesion 17a, 17b frame 18a, 18b Observation frame 20 X-ray image reader 23 Laser light source 26 Rotating polygon mirror 29 Emission light 30 Light guide 31 Photomultiplier 40 Image output device 41 Optical disk drive unit 42 Main unit 44 CRT display 45 Display screen 46 Keyboard

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image based on image data is displayed on a display screen, a desired area on the image is designated, and observation observations corresponding to the desired area on the image are input.
The position information of the desired area and the observation findings are associated with each other, and the position information of the desired areas and the observation findings are stored in association with the image data carrying the image displayed on the display screen. When displaying the image based on the image data on the display screen again, the desired area based on the stored position information is clearly indicated on the image displayed on the display screen, and the display area is displayed on the display screen. And displaying the observation findings in an area other than the desired area.