JP3149584U - Breast image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A breast image processing apparatus that enables processing of each individual breast image in a composite image and facilitates interpretation. The apparatus includes a storage unit that stores various information, a display unit that displays an image, an operation unit that receives input from an operator, and a control unit that controls these units. The control means 10 comprises a left and right image selection means 13 for selecting a breast image to be subjected to image processing depending on which of the left and right display areas the pointer coordinate is included in, and one of the selected breast images Corresponding to the display area changing means 15 for changing the size of the display area to be displayed, the image up / down moving means 17 for moving the selected one breast image in the vertical direction within the display area, and the left and right display areas. Left and right mark images are arranged, and left and right mark arrangement means 19 for rearranging the corresponding left and right mark images in the changed display area is provided. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for image processing of digitally captured mammography (breast image).

In recent years, the use of digital mammography (digital mammography) imaging devices for diagnosis of breast diseases has expanded due to the widespread use of digital imaging devices (computed radiographs) or digital mammography (direct digital mammography) diagnosis. For example, in mammography diagnosis, the left and right images are usually digitally photographed two by two from the vertical direction (craniocaudal; CC) and the oblique direction (mediolateral oblique; MLO), and a total of four digital images are acquired. The captured four images are output on a film for each set in the vertical direction and the diagonal direction so that the right image is arranged on the left side and the left image is arranged on the right side. As described in the technique, the image is displayed and interpreted on a display means such as a high-resolution monitor.
In particular, in the image diagnosis of the mammography examination, in order to make the diagnosis easier, the four captured images are converted into two composite images that are symmetric in the horizontal direction for each set in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and interpretation is performed.

JP 2007-252853 A

  However, in the above-described conventional technology, image processing (window leveling, image movement, image inversion, enlargement, reduction, sharpening, etc., such as the imaging environment and the left and right shapes of the captured breast are different and the left and right contrast of the composite image are different) Etc.) may be necessary, it may not be possible to process only one side, making interpretation difficult.

  Accordingly, in the present invention, in view of the above problems, breast image processing that enables image processing for each individual breast image, which was not possible with the prior art, in a state where two breast images in total are displayed in a pair of left and right, and facilitates interpretation. The object is to provide an apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, the device according to claim 1 is an image that stores a pair of left and right digital breast images captured at a predetermined image size and a left and right mark image corresponding to the left and right of the pair of breast images. On the screen for displaying the image, the entire frame is defined by a display area of a predetermined size, and the left and right display areas are divided into left and right frames formed by dividing the entire frame into two by left and right dividing lines. Display means defined by a predetermined width and a predetermined height adjacent to the left and right dividing lines, pointer coordinate output means for moving the pointer displayed on the screen and outputting the position coordinates of the pointer, In the left and right frames, one of the pair of breast images displayed in the left and right display areas is selected based on the position coordinates of the pointer, and the selected breast image is subjected to image processing. A breast image processing apparatus comprising: a control unit, wherein the control unit selects a breast image to be subjected to image processing depending on whether a position coordinate of a pointer is included in a left or right display region; Means and a frame line consisting of four sides of the upper and lower sides and the left and right sides along the outer peripheral edge of the display area for the selected one breast image, and the left and right sides of the displayed frame line Among them, the outer side can be moved in the left-right direction together with the pointer movement operation, and the width of the outer side and the inner side moved to the moving position of the pointer is the width after the change of the display area. Display area changing means for changing the size of the display area for displaying one selected breast image, and a horizontal reference line at a predetermined position in each of the left and right frames, and the selected one Versus breast images The reference line can be moved in the vertical direction together with the pointer movement operation, and the reference line is returned to the predetermined position while maintaining the positional relationship between the reference line moved to the pointer movement position and the breast image. An image up-and-down moving means for moving the selected one breast image up and down in the display area, and a corresponding left and right mark image are arranged in the left and right display areas, and in the changed display area, Left and right mark arrangement means for rearranging the corresponding left and right marks.

  The invention according to claim 2 displays in the left and right display areas in a state where the control means performs at least one image processing of the display area changing means, the image vertical movement means, or the left and right mark arranging means. The paired left and right breast images are stored.

  According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, it is possible to perform image processing for each breast image in a state where a composite image composed of a pair of left and right breast images is displayed, and to facilitate interpretation.

1 is a block diagram of a breast image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is process explanatory drawing which displayed a pair of left-right breast image with the screen structure displayed on a display means. It is a flowchart of the breast image processing by the breast image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is process explanatory drawing which shows the state at the time of the end of the image process by a display area change means. It is process explanatory drawing which shows the image processing process by an image up-down moving means. It is process explanatory drawing which shows the state at the time of the image processing completion | finish by an image up-down moving means. It is process explanatory drawing which shows the image processing process by the left-right mark arrangement | positioning means. It is processing explanatory drawing which shows the state at the time of the image processing end by the left-right mark arrangement | positioning means. It is process explanatory drawing which shows the preservation | save process process by a process result preservation | save means.

  Hereinafter, a breast image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a breast image processing apparatus 1 (hereinafter referred to as “the apparatus 1”). The apparatus 1 includes a storage means 2 for storing various information, a display means 4 for displaying images, etc., and input by an operator. An operation means 6 for receiving, a communication means 8 for communicating with an external device, and a control means 10 for controlling them are provided. FIG. 2 is a screen configuration explanatory diagram showing a screen configuration displayed on the display means 4 of the apparatus 1 and a state in which a pair of left and right breast images 27 and 28 are displayed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage unit 2 includes a pair of left and right digital breast images 27 and 28 photographed with a predetermined image size, and left and right mark images 29 and 30 corresponding to the left and right of the pair of breast images 27 and 28. Are stored as image storage means. In the display means 4, the entire frame 31 is defined by a display area of a predetermined size on the screen for displaying an image, and the entire frame 31 is divided into two by the left and right dividing lines 33. Each of the left and right display areas 37 and 38 is configured to be defined by a predetermined width W and a predetermined height H adjacent to the left and right dividing line 33. The operation means 6 is configured to include pointer coordinate output means for moving the pointer (not shown) displayed on the screen and outputting the position coordinates of the pointer. The control means 10 selects one breast image from the pair of breast images 27 and 28 displayed in the left and right display areas 37 and 38 in the left and right frames 35 and 36 based on the position coordinates of the pointer, and selects them. The processed breast image 27 (28) is image-processed.

  The storage means 2 is composed of a hard disk or a removable disk, a memory, the display means 4 is composed of an LCD (liquid crystal display) or a CRT (CRT), and the operation means 6 is a keyboard or a pointing device (such as a mouse or a trackball). The communication means 8 is constituted by a LAN controller, and the control means 10 is constituted by a combination of a CPU and a RAM.

  The storage unit 2 stores breast images before and after image processing. The breast image is a rectangular digital breast image having pixels arranged vertically and horizontally and having a predetermined width and height, and the breast portion is relatively dark (the pixel value of the breast portion is relatively small) The remaining background portion is relatively bright (the pixel value of the breast portion is relatively large). The unprocessed breast image is obtained through a communication unit 8 from a modality (imaging device) (not shown). Modality includes CR (Computed Radiography), Digital Mammography (FP) (Flat Panel Detector), CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and the like.

  The control means 10 includes a left and right image selection means 13 for selecting a breast image to be subjected to image processing depending on which of the left and right display areas 37 and 38 the pointer position coordinates are included in, and one of the selected breast images 27 ( 28) and display area changing means 15 for changing the size of the display area 37 (38), and an image for moving one selected breast image 27 (28) in the vertical direction within the display area 37 (38). Corresponding left and right mark images 29 and 30 are arranged in the vertical movement means 17 and the left and right display areas 37 and 38, and the corresponding left and right mark images 29 and 30 are re-displayed in the changed display areas 37 and 38. Left and right mark placement means 19 for placement.

  When the left breast image 27 is selected by the left and right image selecting means 13, the display area changing means 15 has two upper and lower sides 43 and 44 along the outer peripheral edge of the left display area 37 with respect to the selected left breast image 27. A frame line 39 consisting of four sides, the left and right sides 41 and 42, is displayed, and the left side 41, which is the outer side of the two left and right sides 41 and 42 of the displayed frame line 39, is moved in the horizontal direction along with the pointer movement operation. The width W ′ between the left side 41 which is the outer side moved to the moving position of the pointer and the right side 42 which is the inner side is set as the changed width of the left display area 37. The size of the left display area 37 where the selected left breast image 27 is displayed is changed.

  The image vertical movement means 17 is configured to display a horizontal reference line 45 at a central position in the vicinity of ½ of the frame height set as a predetermined position in each of the left and right frames 35 and 36. . Then, the reference line 45 for the selected left breast image 27 can be moved in the vertical direction together with the pointer movement operation, and the positional relationship between the reference line 45 moved to the pointer movement position and the left breast image 27 is maintained. Thus, the reference line 45 is returned to the center position, and the selected left breast image 27 is moved in the vertical direction within the left display area 37. The same applies when the right breast image 28 is selected by the left and right image selection means 13. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes an editing start unit (start button) that switches each time whether to enable or disable the image processing function, and reference numeral 23 denotes a processing result storage unit that stores a breast image after image processing. (Save button).

  In the present apparatus 1, when the breast image processing program is sequentially read and executed by the control means 10, the breast image processing method is executed. The control means 10 first performs pre-processing (step (step) S11 in FIG. 3, hereinafter simply referred to as S11) of determining a breast image to be image-processed. This determination is performed when a processing start input is made via the operation unit 6 or when the communication unit 8 newly receives a breast image before processing. In response to the operation of the operation means 6 by the image processing operator, the control means 10 reads the selected pair of left and right breast images to be processed from the storage means 2 and displays them on the screen of the display means 4. .

  Further, in pre-processing S11, the control means 10 determines the image size of the determined breast image (original image) as a predetermined unified image size, that is, a width value (number of horizontal pixels) W, as shown in FIG. The size is adjusted so as to match the size of the rectangular left and right frames 35 and 36 having a height value (number of vertical pixels) H. When the size of the image display area of the display means 4 is a width value 2W and a height value H, this image size is such that a pair of breast images 27 and 28 can be placed adjacent to the left and right of the left and right dividing lines 33 in that area. It is prescribed from doing.

  Then, the control means 10 reads the header information individually given to the preprocessed breast image, discriminates the left and right and the photographing direction based on the read header information, and sets the left and right pair of two left and right for each photographing direction. The breast images 27 and 28 are grouped. The left and right breast images 27 and 28 shown in FIG. 2 are a pair of left and right breast images obtained by vertical shooting and grouped.

  In response to the pressing of the start button 21, the control means 10 enables the editing function of the left and right breast images 27 and 28 displayed in the preprocessing S11 (S12). Here, since the position coordinates of the pointer are included in the left display area 37 by the operator's pointer operation, the left breast image 27 is selected as an image processing target.

  In a state where the left breast image 27 is selected, the control means 10 changes the display area so as to perform a cutting process on a background portion unnecessary for diagnosis in response to a state where the operator has set the pointer to the frame line 39. Processing is performed (S13). As shown in FIG. 4, the control means 10 causes the display area changing means 15 to select two upper and lower sides 43 and 44 and two left and right sides 41 along the outer periphery of the left display area 37 for the left breast image 27 selected. 42 is displayed, and the left side 41, which is the outer side of the two left and right sides 41, 42 of the displayed frame 39, is moved in the horizontal direction along with the pointer movement operation by the operator. The width W ′ between the left side 41 that is the outer side moved to the moving position of the pointer and the right side 42 that is the inner side is set as the changed width of the left display area 37 and selected. The display area changing process for changing the size of the left display area 37 where the left breast image 27 is displayed is performed.

  Further, the control means 10 performs left and right mark placement processing for rearranging the left mark image 29 in the changed display area 37 by the left and right mark placement means 19 (S13).

  Further, in response to the state where the operator has set the pointer to the reference line 45, the control means 10 performs an image vertical movement process so that the nipple positions of the left and right breast images are aligned (S13). As shown in FIG. 5, the control means 10 causes the image vertical movement means 17 to move the reference line 45 for the selected left breast image 27 downward together with the movement of the pointer by the operator, so that the position of the pointer is moved. Move to nipple position. While maintaining the positional relationship between the reference line 45 and the left breast image 27, the reference line 45 is automatically returned to the center position, and the selected left breast image 27 is automatically moved upward in the left display area 37. To move the image up and down. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the nipple position is similarly adjusted for the right breast image 27.

  FIG. 7 shows a state after the control means 10 performs the display area changing process, the image up / down moving process, and the left / right mark arrangement process. In FIG. 7, the left and right marks 29, 30 overlap the breast image. In this case, the control means 10 further allows the left and right mark placement means 19 to perform a drag-and-drop operation with the operator's pointer, and performs a movement process to an arbitrary position. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a display state showing a state after the movement process.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the control unit 10 starts the processing result storing process for storing the breast image after the image processing by pressing the save button 23, and displays the pop-up display on the entire frame 31. The breast image after image processing is displayed in the storage frame 2 in the confirmation frame 47, and in response to the consent operation by the operator, the breast image after image processing in the storage mode is stored in the storage means 2 as one breast image. Store (S14).

  As described above, the control unit 10 selects the left and right image selection unit 13 that selects a breast image to be subjected to image processing depending on which of the left and right display areas 37 and 38 includes the position coordinates of the pointer. The display area changing means 15 for changing the size of the display area 37 (38) on which one breast image 27 (28) is displayed, and the selected one breast image 27 (28) within the display area 37 (38). Corresponding left and right mark images 29 and 30 are arranged in the image up and down moving means 17 for moving in the vertical direction and the left and right display areas 37 and 38, and the corresponding left and right mark in the changed display areas 37 and 38 are arranged. Left and right mark arrangement means 19 for rearranging the images 29 and 30, so that an image processing process for each individual breast image is performed in a state where a composite image composed of two left and right breast images is displayed. It is possible. Therefore, interpretation becomes easy and the efficiency of monitor diagnosis can be improved.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, As shown below, it is also possible to implement by changing suitably the shape and structure of each part in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention.
(1) The program is not limited to being incorporated in the apparatus in advance, but can be downloaded from a provider via another storage medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD or the Internet and introduced.
(2) The image vertical movement means is set not only to display the predetermined position of the reference line at the center position near 1/2 of the frame height, but also to display at other positions such as 1/4 position. Is possible. For example, the reference line is automatically set in the same half position for the breast image taken from the up and down direction, in the same quarter position for the breast image taken from the oblique direction, depending on the photographing direction. Is displayed.
(3) The pair of breast images is not limited to the vertical direction and the diagonal direction, and may be left and right breast images taken from the horizontal direction (ML).

    1 .... breast image processing device (breast image processing device) 2 .... storage means 4 .... display means 6 .... operation means 8 .... communication means 10 .... control means 13 .... left and right image selection Means 15... Display area changing means 17.. Image up-and-down moving means 19.. Left and right mark placement means 21.. Editing start means 23 23 Processing result storage means 27 27 Left breast image 28・ Right breast image, 29 ・ ・ Left mark, 30 ・ ・ Right mark, 31 ・ ・ Overall frame, 32 ・ ・ Breast image in preserved format, 33 ・ ・ Right division line, 35 ・ ・ Left frame, 36 ・ ・ Right frame , 37 .. Left display area, 38 .. Right display area, 39... Frame line, 41 .. Left side, 42 .. Right side, 43 .. Upper side, 44 .. Lower side, 45 .. Reference line, 47. Confirmation frame.

Claims (2)

Image storage means for storing a pair of left and right digital breast images photographed at a predetermined image size and left and right mark images corresponding to the left and right of the pair of breast images;
On the screen displaying the image, the entire frame is defined by a display area of a predetermined size, and each left and right display area is divided into the left and right divisions in a left and right frame formed by dividing the entire frame into two by left and right dividing lines. Display means defined by a predetermined width and a predetermined height adjacent to the line;
Pointer coordinate output means for moving the pointer displayed on the screen and outputting the position coordinates of the pointer;
Control means for selecting one breast image from the pair of breast images displayed in the left and right display areas in the left and right frames based on the position coordinates of the pointer, and performing image processing on the selected breast image When,
A breast image processing apparatus comprising:
The control means includes
Left and right image selection means for selecting a breast image to be subjected to image processing depending on which of the left and right display areas the position coordinates of the pointer are included in;
A frame line consisting of four sides of upper and lower sides and two left and right sides is displayed along the outer peripheral edge of the display area for one selected breast image, and the outer side of the two left and right sides of the displayed frame line One side can be moved in the left-right direction along with the pointer movement operation, and the width between the outer one side and the inner one side moved to the pointer movement position is set as the width after changing the display area. Display area changing means for changing the size of the display area for displaying one selected breast image;
In each of the left and right frames, a horizontal reference line is displayed at a predetermined position, and the reference line for one selected breast image can be moved in the vertical direction together with the pointer moving operation, and moved to the pointer moving position. Image vertical movement means for moving the selected one breast image in the vertical direction within the display area by returning the reference line to the predetermined position while maintaining the positional relationship between the reference line and the breast image;
Left and right mark placement means for placing the corresponding left and right mark images in the left and right display areas, and rearranging the corresponding left and right marks in the changed display area;
A breast image processing apparatus comprising: The control means includes
Storing a pair of left and right breast images displayed in the left and right display areas in a state where at least one image processing of the display area changing means, the image up-and-down moving means, or the left and right mark arranging means is performed;
The breast image processing apparatus according to claim 1.

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