JP3207221B2 - Medical radiation image reading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical radiation image reading apparatus, and more particularly to a medical radiation image reading apparatus suitable for reading by a plurality of doctors while continuously displaying a large amount of medical radiation images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In mass screening using chest X-ray images, diagnosis is generally performed using a roll film obtained by indirect imaging. For example, in a group screening such as a lung cancer screening or a tuberculosis screening, an image determined to be suspected of illness at the time of the primary reading is read again (secondary reading) to determine whether a more detailed test is required. Make a decision. In the secondary image interpretation, when an image of a target subject that has been captured in the past is recorded, so-called comparative image interpretation is performed in which image interpretation is performed while comparing the image with the past image. In addition, especially in primary reading in lung cancer screening, reading is usually performed by two doctors in order to reduce oversight. In this case, two doctors may read the image of one roll film at the same time, or each doctor may read the images one by one in order. In this case, since the diagnosis results of the two doctors may not always match, secondary interpretation is generally performed when it is determined that one of the doctors is suspected of being ill.

[0003]

In diagnosis, it is effective to refer to past images and diagnosis results. However, in a mass screening for reading and diagnosing a large number of films, such a task requires enormous time and effort. A problem arises that it takes time and the diagnosis is delayed. There is a great demand for digitization of images to solve such problems, and a device for reading digitized images is also required. An object of the present invention is to provide a medical radiation image reading apparatus suitable for a plurality of doctors to simultaneously read a series of images with a simple apparatus configuration.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a medical radiographic image reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of image reading apparatuses.
To read a series of medical radiation images simultaneously
A radiation image interpretation apparatus, comprising: image storage means for storing medical radiation image information; at least one image display means for displaying medical radiation image information; and at least two next image displays for inputting a next image display request command Request command input means, and when sequentially displaying medical radiation image information stored in the image storage means by the image display means, a display request command for the next image is input from all of the next image display request command input means. And control means for controlling to display the next image only when it is performed.

[0005]

When the same medical radiation image is read by two or more doctors, the time required for reading usually varies, but as described above, the control means controls the next image display request command input means to output the next image from all input means. Is controlled so that the next image is displayed for the first time when the display request command is input, it is possible to perform highly reliable image reading without inconvenience due to variation in image reading time.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments. [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the present embodiment. In this embodiment, one image display means and two next image request input means are provided. 1 is an image storage means, 2 is an image display means, 3A and 3B are next image request input means, and 4 is a control means.

The image storage means 1 stores medical radiation image information. The image storage means 1 stores, for example, digitized chest X-ray images and the like taken in large quantities by mass examination. The image storage unit 1 can be composed of, for example, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like. In particular, a magneto-optical disk library having a plurality of magneto-optical disks can be preferably used. Each medical radiation image is preferably stored in association with information such as an image identification code corresponding to each subject.

The image display means 2 displays medical radiation image information. This image display means 2 is, for example, C
It can be constituted by an RT, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, or the like. The medical radiation image stored in the image storage unit 1 is transferred to the image display unit 2 by the control unit 4 and displayed.

Next image display request command input means 3A, 3B
Is for inputting a display request command for the next image. In the present embodiment, two doctors are provided for interpretation by two doctors. This next image display request command input means 3A, 3B
May be configured to input characters or codes from a keyboard or the like, or may be configured to input using a mouse, a joystick, buttons, or the like.

When sequentially displaying the medical radiation image information stored by the image storage means 1 on the image display means 2, the control means 4 inputs the next image display request command input means 3.
Control is performed so that the next image is displayed only when a next image display request command is input from all of A and 3B. The control means 4 can be constituted by, for example, a computer.

In the apparatus of the present embodiment, when the medical radiation image information stored in the image storage means 1 is transferred to the image display means 2 and displayed, the two interpreters display on the image display means 2 The read images are read at the same time, and when the reading is completed, a display request command for the next image is input from the own next image request input means 3A, 3B. The control unit 4 transfers the next image from the image storage unit 1 to the image display unit 2 for display only when the two image readers have both input the display request command. In general, when two doctors perform image reading, the image reading speeds are different from each other, and which image part is particularly focused on is different, so that the timing for requesting the next image is different. In the case of one image display unit as in the present embodiment, if the image is switched at one pace and the other cannot be interpreted, the two image readers both input a display request command for the next image. It is extremely important to control the next image to be displayed for the first time.

[Embodiment 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing this embodiment, and has the same configuration as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 except that two image display means are provided. Image display means 2A,
2B is provided exclusively for the two readers. In the apparatus of this embodiment, the medical radiation image information stored in the image storage unit 1 is transferred to the two image display units 2A and 2B, respectively, and the same image is displayed on the two image display units 2A and 2B. Is done. The two image interpreters interpret the same image displayed on the image display means 2A and 2B, respectively, and upon completion of the image interpretation, input a display request command for the next image from their own next image request input means 3A and 3B, respectively. The control unit 4 transfers the next image from the image storage unit 1 to the image display units 2A and 2B for display only when the two image readers input the display request command.

As described above, the two image readers have different reading speeds and different images to pay particular attention to. Therefore, the timing for requesting the next image is different. In the case of two, it is also possible to configure so that the images are switched at the respective paces in the respective image display means. However, in general, a medical radiation image has a very large amount of data. Therefore, in order to display different images on two image display units, a memory for an image in a control unit, a program area for control, and the like become large. Instead, the processing speed is reduced because the processing is performed in parallel. Further, the number of times the image is transferred from the storage means is increased, and the transfer time is significantly increased. The above problem can be solved by increasing the number of CPUs and storage means of the control means, but the apparatus configuration becomes complicated and expensive. If control is performed so that the next image is displayed only when both input a display request command for the next image as in the present embodiment, two doctors can read a series of images simultaneously with a simple device configuration. be able to.

[Embodiment 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the present embodiment. This embodiment has the same configuration as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 except that a subject information storage means is added. is there. The subject information storage means 5 stores, for example, personal information such as the subject's name, date of birth, gender, address, past medical history and the like, an image identification code of an image taken so far, a shooting date, a shooting location, It stores imaging information such as radiation irradiation conditions. As in this embodiment, based on the subject information stored in the subject information storage unit 5, an image that satisfies specified conditions such as a shooting date and a shooting location is retrieved and stored in the image storage unit 1. Display means 2 for displaying medical radiation image information
If the configuration is such that the images are transferred to A and 2B, it is possible to easily extract and diagnose only a desired image from a large number of images.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, three or more next image display request command input units may be provided, and correspondingly, three or more image display units may be provided.

[0016]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a plurality of doctors can simultaneously read a series of images with a simple apparatus configuration.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a medical radiation image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a medical radiological image interpretation apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a medical radiological image interpretation apparatus according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image storage means 2 Image display means 2A Image display means 2B Image display means 3A Next image request input means 3B Next image request input means 4 Control means 5 Subject information storage means

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 6/00 360 G03B 42/00-42/08

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A system in which a plurality of interpreters read a series of medical radiation images.
A medical radiological image reading device for reading images simultaneously.
Te, an image storage means for storing medical radiographic image information, and at least one image display means for displaying the medical radiation image information, and at least two of the following image display request command input means for inputting a display request command for the next image, When sequentially displaying medical radiation image information stored in the image storage means by the image display means, the next image display request command is input only when a next image display request command is input from all of the next image display request command input means. A medical radiation image interpretation apparatus, comprising: control means for controlling an image to be displayed.