JP2877770B2 - Image communication system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication system. 2. Description of the Related Art For example, in an X-ray CT apparatus, a tomographic image of a subject is obtained by irradiating the subject with X-rays and reconstructing an image based on the obtained X-ray information. Can be. When making a diagnosis based on a tomographic image obtained by such an apparatus, two or more doctors may consult with each other. This is to prevent misdiagnosis by exchanging information. [0004] When two or more doctors are in the same place, there is no particular problem because the same tomographic image can be viewed at the same time. It is extremely difficult to consult and diagnose while observing the same tomographic image. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object the purpose of the present invention when there is no image processing equipment at the place where raw image data is obtained, or there is no doctor reading images at this place. Even in such a case, an object of the present invention is to provide an image communication system capable of reliably performing image processing or image reading on the image data. [0006] In order to achieve the above object, an image communication system according to the present invention comprises:
Acquiring means for acquiring raw data from the T device, transferring means for transferring the raw data acquired by the acquiring means, and a second different from the first place capable of interpreting a medical image.
Receiving means for receiving the raw data transferred by the transferring means at the location, processing means for performing image reconstruction processing on the raw data received by the receiving means, and a medical image obtained by processing by the processing means display means for displaying to provide data to the interpretation, displayed by the display means
The medical image data read and interpreted is transferred to the first location.
Sending means . Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a data file device, which is an image file 2 for filing an X-ray CT image or the like and a region of interest (hereinafter referred to as “ROI”)
) Filed with the ROI file. Reference numerals 7 and 8 denote first and second image display devices arranged in different places, for example, different hospitals,
The first and second image display devices 7 and 8 are connected via a data network N. Data network N
Is an image network N1 for transferring image data,
ROI network N2 for transferring ROI data
And a control network N3 for transferring a control signal relating to data communication between the first and second image display devices 7 and 8. Then, the image file 2 and the ROI file 3 in the data file device 1 are connected to the image network N1 and the ROI network N2, respectively. Although not shown, the data network N is connected to various devices related to image data collection, arithmetic processing, and display in addition to the first and second image display devices 7 and 8 and the data file device 1. I have. Next, the first and second image display devices 7,
8 will be described in detail. Since the first and second image display devices 7 and 8 in the present embodiment have the same configuration, those having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the subscripts a and
It is distinguished by b. Therefore, only the first image display device 7 will be described in detail, and the description of the second image display device 8 will be omitted. The first image display device 7 includes an interface 9a, an image memory 10a, a receiving ROI memory 11a,
ROI memory for transmission 12a, first calculating means 13a, input means 14a, display means 15a, and second calculating means 16
a. The interface 9a is connected to a data network N, and sends and receives data via the data network N. The image memory 10a stores image data taken in by the interface 9a or a calculation output of a second calculation unit 16a described later.
5a. In particular, the operation output of the second operation means 16a is also output to the image network N1 via the image memory 10a and the interface 9a. ROI memory 11 for reception
a is the ROI captured via the interface 9a
The data is stored, and the stored content is displayed so as to be superimposed on the display image of the display means 15a. The transmission ROI memory 12a stores a calculation output of a first calculation unit 13a, which will be described later, and the stored content is displayed on the display image of the display unit 15a so as to be superimposed on the display image, and the ROI memory is provided via the interface 9a. The data is output to the network N2. Input means 14
“a” is composed of, for example, a trackball, a mouse, a joystick, or the like, and is used to set an ROI on a display image of the display means 15a, 15b. The first and second computing means 13a, 16a
Is mainly constituted by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). In particular, the first calculating means 13a is provided with the input means 14a.
The second calculation means 16a performs back projection processing based on the X-ray information collected by the CT scanner 17a, and reconstructs a tomographic image of a subject (not shown). Is what you do. The above is a description of the first image display device 7, but the second image display device 8 is similarly configured. Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When data communication is performed between the first and second image display devices 7 and 8, communication is first performed between the interfaces 9a and 9b via the control network N3 by control of a large computer (not shown). Done. In this communication, if both the first and second image display devices 7 and 8 are "free", that is, if no data communication is performed with any other device, the first and second image display devices 7 and 8 are not changed. According to one of the instructions of the second image display devices 7 and 8,
The image data in the image file 2 is read. The read image data is taken into the first and second image display devices 7 and 8 via the image network N1 and the interfaces 9a and 9b, and is stored in the image memories 10a and 10 respectively.
0b are simultaneously displayed on the display means 15a and 15b. The ROI setting by a doctor or the like observing the display image on the display unit 15a can be performed by the input unit 14a.
That is, the ROI area based on the output of the input means 14a is calculated by the first calculation means 13a and displayed on the display means 15a via the transmission ROI memory 12a. The contents of the transmission ROI memory 12a, which is indicated by 18a in the drawing, is output to the display means 15a, and is also displayed on the display means 15b via the interface 9a, the ROI network N2, the interface 9b, and the reception ROI memory 11b. Is output. Therefore, the ROI 18a of the display unit 15a in the first image display device 7 is also displayed in real time on the display unit 15b in the second image display device 8. Similarly, the ROI 18b set by the input unit 14b in the second image display device 8
Is displayed on the display means 15b, and is also displayed on the display means 15a of the first image display device 7 in real time. Therefore, doctors and the like observing the display means 15a and 15b can recognize each other's ROI, and can smoothly perform consultation via a telephone or the like. The information on the ROI set in this way is stored in the ROI file 3 via the ROI network N2, so that it can be reproduced at a later date. The above is a case where information is exchanged based on image data in the image file 2. However, information exchange can also be performed based on X-ray information collected by the CT scanner 17a or 17b. For example, the X-ray information collected by the CT scanner 17a is input to the second arithmetic unit 16a and is used for image reconstruction, and the reconstructed tomographic image is displayed on the display unit 15a via the image memory 10a. Along with
Display means 15b via interface 9a, image network N1, interface 9b, image memory 10b
Is also displayed. Similarly, the tomographic images based on the X-ray information collected by the CT scanner 17b are also displayed on the display units 15a, 15a.
5b can be displayed simultaneously. The ROI setting on the display image is the same as the above case.
Incidentally, the tomographic image can be stored in the image file 2 via the image network N1. As described above, in this embodiment, the display means 15 is transferred by data transfer via the data network N.
a and 15b can display the same image at the same time, and the RO image is displayed on both the display means 15a and 15b.
Since I can be set at the same time, even if a doctor or the like is in a different place, information exchange regarding diagnosis can be easily performed in real time while observing the same image. Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be appropriately modified and implemented within the scope of the present invention. Absent. For example, the ROIs 18a and 18b on the display images of the display means 15a and 15b can be ROIs of a square shape, a circular shape or an arbitrary shape, and can also be displayed in color. Therefore, in order to clearly distinguish between the ROI set by the user and the ROI set by the other party, it is preferable that the shape, color, and the like be different. Further, based on the X-ray information collected by the CT scanners 17a and 17b, the second calculating means 1
Although the tomographic images are reconstructed at 6a and 16b and the reconstructed images are transferred via the image network N1, the raw data before the reconstruction can be transferred. For example, a small hospital in which only an X-ray CT scanner is arranged and which does not have an arithmetic unit for image reconstruction (corresponding to the second arithmetic means 16a and 16b), and a large-scale hospital which also has an arithmetic unit for image reconstruction A case where the above-described information exchange is performed with a hospital may be considered. In this case, image reconstruction is performed in a large hospital. By doing so, it is possible to reliably perform image processing on the obtained image data. Regarding the transfer of raw data before reconstruction, even if an arithmetic unit for image reconstruction is provided at the place where the image was collected, if there is no doctor reading the reconstruction image, a doctor reading the reconstruction image By transferring the raw data to the location where the image exists, the reconstructed image can be surely read by the doctor. As described in detail above, according to the present invention, even if there is no image processing equipment at the place where the raw image data is obtained, or even if there is no doctor reading the image at this place, this image can be obtained. The data can be reliably image processed or read.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Description of Signs] 7... First image display device 8... Second image display device 14 a, 14 b... Input means, 15 a, 15 b... Display means, 17 a, 17 b. ...... Data network.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Obtain raw data from the CT device at the first place
Acquisition means, Transfer to transfer raw data acquired by this acquisition means
Means, A medical image that can be interpreted is different from the first place.
Raw data transferred by the transfer means at the location 2
Receiving means for receiving the data, The raw data received by the receiving means is subjected to image reconstruction processing.
Processing means to manage Medical image data obtained by processing by this processing means
Display means for displaying the image for interpretation., Medical image data displayed and interpreted by the display means
Means for transferring the data to the first location; To have
Characteristic image communication system. 2. The first location is a first hospital and the second location is
The location is a second hospital different from the first hospital
The image communication system according to claim 1, wherein: