JP4003980B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus suitable for, for example, a digital filing system for digitally recording medical images, for example, when recording medical images generated by diagnosis and examination using an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an endoscope apparatus, or the like. The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus used in the above.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of image recording apparatuses that record medical images generated by diagnosis and inspection using, for example, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an endoscope apparatus, etc., on a recording medium such as an image memory or a magnetic disk have already been available. Are known.
[0003]
For example, (1) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-70385 discloses the following endoscope apparatus. This apparatus has means for compensating for a delay in the timing of a shooting operation when shooting a desired still image of an object having a specific movement.
[0004]
In addition, (2) according to a so-called freeze function incorporated in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, moving image data for a certain period of time until the operator performs a freeze operation can be left in the memory. As a result, repeated observation or observation of a desired frame becomes possible.
[0005]
(3) According to a recording device such as a video tape recorder (VTR) that has been well known in the past, video data for a time period from when a recording operation is started until it is stopped is recorded in an analog or digital manner. Can do.
[0006]
Further, (4) according to a so-called image filing system, an image of interest can be stored (marked). According to this, once marking is performed, a desired image can be immediately called from the next observation.
[0007]
However, in (1), although it is useful in an examination in which a still image of only one frame is observed, it is an effective means in an examination in which it is necessary to observe the movement of a region of interest in a plurality of frames. I can not say.
[0008]
Further, in the case of (2), there is a problem that the part up to the freeze operation is stored, and the frame after the freeze operation is not stored.
In the case of (3), if all the images under examination are recorded continuously, there is no worry of missing the desired image. However, when observing after the examination, it takes time to find the desired image. There is a problem that it takes. In general, the images actually required for observation are only limited images of all images.
[0009]
In the case of (4), the problem of (3) can be avoided by reviewing and marking the image. However, as in (3), it is possible to record all images under examination including unnecessary images. This is a waste of resources and is not preferable.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made to cope with the above-described circumstances, and when performing a recording operation while observing an image during inspection, an image recording that does not miss even if a recording operation is performed after a desired image appears. An object is to provide an apparatus.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a circulatory system by obtaining a moving image showing a series of movements of the subject based on echoes from the inside of the subject by ultrasonic waves transmitted into the subject. In the image recording apparatus for recording the moving image output from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of performing blood flow diagnosis, the moving image input from the input terminal is fixed. Storage means for storing over time, and when a recording is instructed, a time that is a specific time that does not exceed the predetermined time from the time when this instruction is given is a recording start time, and includes the recording start time And recording means for reading out and recording the moving image input from the recording start time to the recording end time with the end of at least one heartbeat period as the recording end time.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the appearance of an embodiment of an image recording apparatus of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the present embodiment is composed of an inspection image display CRT 1, an inspection device 2, an image data transfer connection cable 3, an image recording device 4, a mouse 5, and a recorded image display CRT 6. Although the inspection apparatus 2 is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, it may be another diagnostic apparatus or inspection apparatus such as an endoscope apparatus.
[0013]
The inspection apparatus 2 obtains a moving image inspection image of a subject (for example, stomach, heart, etc.). The obtained inspection image is supplied to the inspection image display CRT 1 and the image recording device 4. The inspection image display CRT 1 is a monitor that displays the supplied inspection image as a moving image. The image recording device 4 inputs the image data of the inspection image via the image data transfer cable 3, and remains as a moving image or a plurality of still images (multi-image images) based on a recording instruction from the operator using the mouse 5. ) And index information and the like (that is, recording). The recorded image display CRT 6 is a monitor that displays the inspection image recorded by the image recording device 4 for reference.
[0014]
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the image recording apparatus 4. The image recording apparatus 4 includes an A / D conversion unit 42, a collection memory 43, a compression unit 44, a write memory 45, a magnetic disk 46, a read memory 47, an expansion unit 48, a display memory 49, and a D / A conversion unit. 50. In addition, it has a control device 41 that controls the operation of these devices based on setting data (to be described later) such as recording time, retroactive time, compression rate, etc. (to be described later) input by the operator or a recording instruction by the mouse 5. Note that the recording instruction is made not only from the mouse 5 but also from, for example, a keyboard (not shown) provided in the inspection apparatus 2, and this recording instruction signal is transmitted to the control apparatus 41 via the cable 32. Also good.
[0015]
The A / D converter 42 converts the analog image data output from the inspection apparatus 2 via the image data transfer cable 3 into digital image data, and converts the analog image data to the collection memory 43 in units of frames (or in units of fields). Good, here frame unit). When the inspection apparatus 2 is configured to output digital image data, the A / D converter 42 is not necessary, and the image data from the inspection apparatus 2 is not shown in FIG. In this configuration, the data is directly output to the collection memory 43 via the image data transfer cable 31.
[0016]
The collection memory 43 is provided as a buffer memory for temporarily storing image data for one frame output from the A / D conversion unit 42. The collection memory 43 outputs the image data to the compression unit 44 in accordance with a predetermined timing given from the control device 41. The compression unit 44 compresses the image data output from the collection memory 43 and outputs the compressed image data to the write memory 45. If the inspection apparatus 2 is configured to output compressed image data, the compression unit 44 is not necessary in addition to the A / D conversion unit 42 described above.
[0017]
The writing memory 45 is configured by a so-called FIFO (first-in-first-out) memory as a storage unit that stores the image data output from the compression unit 44 in a time series over a certain time. The image data output from the compression unit 44 is sequentially input and accumulated, and when new image data is input exceeding the capacity of the memory 45, the oldest image data is discarded and a new image data is discarded. It is configured to store data.
[0018]
By the way, the retroactive time previously input as setting data for the control device 41 by the operator can be input with a value smaller than the “fixed time” mentioned here, and one image data is input to the memory 45. The data is stored and held in the memory 45 for at least a retroactive time from the point in time.
[0019]
In addition, the memory 45 sets a time point that is back by the retroactive time from the time point when the recording is instructed in accordance with an instruction from the control device 41 related to a recording operation to be described later. Thus, the image data for the recording time input as the setting data for the control device 41 is output to a magnetic disk drive device (not shown).
[0020]
Note that this recording time may be set to a value smaller than the retroactive time. For example, such a setting is effective when the movement of the subject ends instantaneously and the image at the time when the recording is instructed is surely unnecessary.
[0021]
The magnetic disk drive device records (that is, records) all the transmitted image data on the magnetic disk 46 as a recording medium.
In the image recording apparatus 4 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the following recording operation is performed. That is, when the operator who observes the examination image (moving image) with the CRT 1 confirms the start of display of a desired moving image showing a series of movements of the subject, the mouse 5 instructs to record, and a predetermined time from that point. The retroactive time is set as the start time, and images for a preset recording time are recorded on the magnetic disk 46 from that time. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining such a recording operation. As shown in the figure, from the point in time when recording is instructed to a predetermined time (here, Δt = 2 seconds), from the frame 201 at the recording start time to the frame 20n after the recording time (here, T = 5 seconds). When all the frames are recorded on the magnetic disk 46, the recording is completed.
[0022]
According to the present embodiment, even if the timing at which the operator instructs the recording with the mouse 5 is somewhat delayed, the recording is performed from the frame at the time point that is traced back by a predetermined time, so there is no missed shooting. Since the recorded image is a moving image including frames before and after the desired image, it is particularly useful for observing the movement of the region of interest of the subject.
[0023]
Also, compared with the case where images are recorded continuously during the collection of inspection images, only an extra image for a predetermined time (backward time) is recorded from the point when recording is instructed. System resources can be used efficiently.
[0024]
The read memory 47 is provided as a buffer memory for temporarily storing image data read from the magnetic disk 46, and the image data is decompressed by the decompression unit 48 according to a predetermined timing given from the control device 41. Output to. The decompression unit 48 decompresses the image data output from the read memory 47 and outputs it to the display memory 49.
[0025]
The display memory 49 temporarily stores the image data output from the decompression unit 48 and outputs it to the D / A conversion unit 50. The D / A converter 59 performs D / A conversion on the image data output from the display memory 49 and outputs it to the recorded image display CRT 6. Thus, the operator can refer to the contents (recorded contents) recorded on the magnetic disk 46 by the recorded image display CRT 6.
[0026]
Here, a case where blood flow diagnosis of the circulatory system is performed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus will be described. In the diagnosis, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using a color Doppler method can display a moving image (color mode, blood flow imaging) of symptoms such as blood flowing back through a valve that separates the intraventricular ventricle. There is a desire to observe closely the symptoms of reflux in later diagnosis.
[0027]
However, the backflow of blood sometimes appears and is not always seen, and ends instantaneously, making it difficult to record an image for later diagnosis. Therefore, the image recording apparatus 4 of this embodiment is used.
[0028]
The surgeon observes the motion of the heart with the color mode image obtained by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 2 (here, color Doppler ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus) and displayed on the monitor 1. Further, when the surgeon catches the occurrence of blood backflow (for example, displayed in green) on the screen during observation, the surgeon gives an instruction for recording immediately with the mouse 5.
[0029]
As described above, the image recording device 4 sets a time point that is a specific time later than the time point when recording is instructed as a video recording start time point, and a predetermined time after that time point as a video recording end time point. In other words, it is possible to record an image before the time when recording is instructed. Therefore, in particular, here, at least one heartbeat period including a time point at which recording is instructed is automatically recognized, and a moving image of this period is recorded.
[0030]
In subsequent diagnosis, by replaying at least one heartbeat moving image showing a blood regurgitation symptom (loop reproduction), the symptom can be closely observed, thus improving the diagnostic ability.
[0031]
Further, not only blood regurgitation but also arrhythmia, for example, is a symptom that does not appear when it appears and image recording is difficult. Therefore, image diagnosis may be performed in the same manner as described above for arrhythmia diagnosis.
[0032]
By the way, when observing a recorded image again after inspection, finding a desired image is time-consuming and labor intensive. This is particularly noticeable in the present embodiment in which the inspection image is recorded as a moving image instead of a still image.
[0033]
Therefore, a configuration may be adopted in which index information for search is added to a predetermined image among the recorded images and recorded (marked). For example, in this embodiment, the frame 205 shown in FIG. 3 is used as a marking image, and when searching for an image, index information for directly referring to the image of the frame is recorded together with the image data of the recorded image.
[0034]
Such marking (addition of index information) may be performed automatically at the time of image recording, or may be performed again at the time of observation. Further, it is arbitrary which image (frame) of the recorded image is used as the search image.
[0035]
Furthermore, after all the images have been recorded, a plurality of marking images are cut out from the moving image and subjected to reduction processing to create a so-called multi-image image that displays a plurality of images on one screen, which is displayed during image search. You may make it do. According to this, it is possible to list search index images (marking images), and to perform image search more efficiently.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when a recording operation is performed while observing an image during an inspection, an image recording apparatus that does not miss a recording even if a recording operation is performed after a desired image appears is provided. Can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the external appearance of an embodiment of an image recording apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an image recording apparatus according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a recording operation according to the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... CRT for inspection image display,
2 ... Inspection device,
3. Image data transfer cable,
4. Image recording device,
5 ... Mouse,
6 ... CRT for recording image display.

Claims (3)

From an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of performing a blood flow diagnosis of the circulatory system by obtaining a moving image showing a series of movements of the subject based on an echo from the inside of the subject by ultrasonic waves transmitted into the subject In the image recording apparatus for recording the moving image to be output, the storage device has an input terminal for inputting the moving image, and stores the moving image input from the input terminal for a certain period of time. In response to the instruction, the recording start time is a time point that is a specific time that does not exceed the predetermined time from the point in time when the instruction is given, and the end time of at least one heartbeat period including the recording start time is the recording end time. An image recording apparatus comprising: a recording unit that reads out and records the moving image input from the recording start point to the recording end point from the storage unit.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording unit adds index information for image search to a predetermined image and records the predetermined image.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording unit reduces a predetermined image and records the obtained reduced image as one image.

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