JP4767642B2 - Medical image processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to a medical image processing apparatus suitable for display processing of image data captured by a medical image diagnostic apparatus such as MRI or CT.

  In medical diagnostic imaging apparatuses such as MRI and CT, in many cases, a plurality of tomographic images are taken for one patient on the same day or on different days, and these are compared or a display (overlay) indicating a region of interest is displayed. It is displayed on the image and the positional relationship between each image and the region of interest is compared. For this reason, the image processing apparatus provided in the medical image diagnostic apparatus has a function of simultaneously displaying a plurality of tomographic images acquired by one imaging, a function of selecting a specific one from the plurality of tomographic images, and an image enlargement. It has the same functions as those provided in a normal image display device, such as a function to display, a function to adjust contrast by changing the window width and window level of an image, and a function to rotate the image to an arbitrary angle.

  In such a medical image processing apparatus, when a plurality of images are displayed with the same display condition or the same overlay displayed and compared, it is necessary to select an image and set a display condition for each image. Don't be. For this reason, the user must store, for example, the enlargement ratio, window width, window level, overlay position, etc., and set these for each image. As described above, in the medical image processing apparatus, it is necessary to frequently compare a plurality of images in order to track the identification of a lesion site or the temporal change of a lesion, and a plurality of display conditions are set for each image. Work is heavy on the user.

For general-purpose image processing devices, a method for instructing image display with simple key operations and a method for displaying reduced images placed at default positions in the enlarged image display area as enlarged images in response to user requests are proposed. (For example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). However, there are various image processing conditions required for the medical image processing apparatus, and these conventional methods cannot reduce the burden on the user.
JP-A-8-202856 JP 2003-196318 A

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that stores processing conditions set for each image and can display a plurality of images under the same conditions with a simple operation.

  In order to solve the above problems, a medical image processing apparatus of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores medical image data captured by a medical image diagnostic apparatus, a processing unit that performs processing on the image data, and a processing unit An input unit for inputting a command necessary for processing, and a display unit for displaying an image processed in the processing unit. The processing unit includes image data corresponding to one image and the image data. A storage unit that associates and stores the processed information, and reads the processing information for the first image from the storage unit in response to a command from the input unit, and uses the processing information for the second image And performing image processing.

  The processing information includes at least one of the window width / window level of the displayed image, the enlargement ratio, the rotation angle, and the position on the screen. The second image is, for example, an image of image data acquired at the same date or time as the first image.

  The medical diagnostic imaging apparatus of the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures a tomographic image of a subject, a control unit that controls the operation of the imaging unit, a display unit that displays the captured tomographic image, and the imaging unit. Image processing means for processing imaged image data, and the display control means is the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

Further, the image processing method of the present invention processes image data stored in a storage device, displays a plurality of images simultaneously or selectively on a display device, and enlarges one selectively displayed image. A display process including at least one of: / reduction, rotation, window width / window level change, position movement on an image,
Selecting and displaying a first image from the plurality of images (1);
A step (2) of performing one or more processes on the displayed first image;
Storing (3) information on processing performed on the first image in a storage medium;
Selecting at least one image other than the first image among the plurality of images (4);
And (5) performing the process on at least one selected image based on the process information stored in the storage medium.

  The image processing method of the present invention may include, after the step (3), a step (6) for selecting an arbitrary process among one or a plurality of processes applied to the first image. In step (5), the process selected in step (6) is performed on at least one image selected in step (4) based on the process information stored in the storage medium.

  Further, the image processing apparatus of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores image data corresponding to a plurality of images, a processing unit that performs processing necessary for display on the image data, and a command necessary for processing in the processing unit. And a display unit that displays an image processed in the processing unit, and the processing unit independently stores information on display processing performed on one image ( Copying, and processing (pasting) any other image using the processing information is provided.

  According to the medical image processing apparatus of the present invention, a function capable of storing (copying) and reflecting (pasting) information on processing performed on one image as information independent of image data is provided. When displaying images under the same display conditions, the user can save multiple display conditions, save the setting of each image, greatly improve the workability of displaying multiple images, and easily compare between images Can be.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall outline of a medical image processing apparatus of the present invention. The medical image processing apparatus 10 includes a storage device 11 such as a magnetic disk in which image data captured by a medical imaging apparatus 20 such as an MRI apparatus or a CT apparatus is stored, and a display apparatus such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display that displays an image. 12, a processing unit 13 that processes image data, and an input device 14 such as a mouse and a keyboard for the user to input commands necessary for processing to the processing unit 13. The image data stored in the storage device 21 is, for example, three-dimensional image data or a plurality of tomographic image data of a plurality of subjects, and image data captured at the same date and time for each subject or image data captured at different times. Are stored as a data structure that can be searched and read by subject name, imaging date and time, and the like. In addition to such image data, the storage device 21 also stores programs executed by the processing unit 13.

  The medical image processing apparatus 10 is connected to the imaging apparatus 20 via a communication interface 15 such as a local area network, and can also acquire image data directly from the imaging apparatus 20.

  The processing unit 13 includes a CPU 131, a main memory 132, and a display memory 133. The CPU 131 reads a program necessary for image processing from the storage device 11, performs image processing using the main memory 132, and displays the result. The data is sent to the memory 133 and displayed on the display device 12. In addition to the image that is the result of image processing of the image data, the display device 12 also displays a GUI for the user to select necessary processing via the input device 14.

  The processing performed by the processing unit 13 reads image data corresponding to a plurality of images from the storage device 11, moves an image position on the screen, window width (WW), and window level for an arbitrary image selected by the user. (WL) change, enlargement ratio change, rotation, copy, paste, overlay settings, etc., and tool buttons and dialog boxes, which are GUIs necessary for these image processing, and the image processed image display device Display control for displaying on the screen. WW / WL is a process for determining the upper limit and width of the pixel value to be displayed, and determines the contrast of the image.

Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus 10 having the above configuration will be described.
2 to 4 are diagrams showing a first embodiment of the operation performed by the image processing apparatus 10, FIG. 2 shows a display screen of the display device 12, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show the operation of the processing unit. Show.

  First, when a patient name or imaging date / time is selected via an input screen for patient information (not shown), the CPU 131 reads the corresponding image data from the storage device 11 or the medical imaging device 20 and stores it in the display memory 133. The image is displayed on the image display unit 121 of the display screen. The display screen is provided with a GUI unit 122 separately from the image display unit 121, and a tool button 125 for selecting processing performed by the processing unit 13 is displayed on the GUI unit 122. Although not specified in the figure, the tool button 125 includes a plurality of buttons for performing WW / WL change, enlargement ratio change, rotation, copy, paste, and the like.

  The display screen can switch between a plurality of image displays for displaying a plurality of tomographic images and a selected image display for displaying one or a plurality of selected image images. Multiple images are displayed on the initial screen where is read. In the example shown in FIG. 2A, nine tomographic images of one subject imaged simultaneously by the medical imaging device 20 are displayed. When there are a large number of images read at one time, the windows can be switched to display all the images sequentially.

  Image processing parameters (display data) such as WW / WL, image position, enlargement ratio, and rotation angle are added to the image data stored in the display memory 133 as a header. In the initial state shown in FIG. 2A, the same default value is set for each display image data as a parameter. For example, values such as WW / WL = 1000/500, enlargement ratio = 1, rotation angle = 0 are set.

  Next, when a predetermined one of the nine images (the upper right image 123a in FIG. 2A) is selected using the input device 14 such as a mouse, the selected one image is displayed on the image display unit 121. The image 123a is enlarged and displayed according to the default value (step 301 in FIG. 3). In this state, the tool button 125 is operated to perform arbitrary image processing (step 302). For example, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the WW / WL button of the selected image is operated to adjust the contrast of the image, and the enlargement ratio button is operated to enlarge or reduce the selected image. Further, as shown in FIG. 2D, for example, an overlay indicating a region of interest is set on the image. The default value of the display data is rewritten with values such as WW / WL, image position, enlargement ratio, and rotation angle newly set in such image processing. The overlay information includes the character and line attribute information for rendering the overlay in a display memory frame that is separate from the display image data, as well as information related to the position information on the image where the overlay is set and the image magnification. Stored as The position information on the image is pixel position information of a tomographic image that is a two-dimensional map of pixel values.

  Next, image processing information (display data and overlay information in this embodiment) performed on one image as described above is pasted on another image. This process is performed according to the flow shown in FIG. First, the display screen is switched to the multi-image display shown in FIG. 2A (FIG. 2E), an image (copy source image) 123a that has already undergone image processing is selected (step 401), and the tool button 125 The “copy” button 125c is operated. As a result, the display data of the copy source image and the overlay information associated with the copy source image are stored in the temporary storage memory of the CPU 131 (step 402). Next, an image (copy destination image) 123b to which display data is to be pasted is selected (step 403), and any image processing to be pasted to the copy destination image 123b is selected by a tool button (paste button 125P) (step 404). (FIG. 2 (f)). In the illustrated example, one copy destination image 123b is selected, but one or more copy destination images may be used. When WW / WL is selected in step 404, the CPU 131 rewrites the default value of WW / WL of the copy destination image to WW / WL stored in the temporary storage memory (step 405). Similarly, when the paste such as the image position, the enlargement ratio, and the rotation angle is selected, the previous value of the corresponding display data of the copy destination image is rewritten to the value stored in the temporary storage memory (407). Further, when an overlay is selected in step 404, an overlay having the same size as the overlay set in the copy source image is set at the same position in the copy destination image (FIG. 2 (g)). As a result, the same display processing information as that of the copy source image is given to the copy destination image. When the copy destination image is displayed as the selected image, the same WW / WL, image position, magnification, and rotation angle as the copy source image are the same. An overlay is set and displayed.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, information related to image processing of the copy source image is stored in the display memory 133, and when the corresponding image processing is selected, the image processing is executed based on the stored information. The user can display a plurality of images under the same conditions without setting processing conditions for each image to be displayed, and can compare images and the like with extremely good operability. In the above description, the case where a plurality of tomographic images of one subject obtained by one imaging is read and displayed on one screen has been described, but there are many tomographic images obtained by one imaging. Or, when displaying multiple tomographic images taken at different dates and times, it is possible to switch the screen and display it on multiple screens (windows), in which case the copy destination images are displayed in different windows. It may be an image. Thereby, for example, the same cross-section imaged at different dates and times for the same subject can be displayed and compared under the same display conditions.

  Next, a second embodiment of the operation performed by the image processing apparatus 10 will be described. FIG. 5 shows a display screen of the display device 12, and FIG. 6 shows the operation of the processing unit.

  Also in this embodiment, an arbitrary image is first selected from the entire image display screen, and processing conditions such as WW / WL, image position, enlargement ratio, rotation angle, and overlay are set for this image and an image (copy) The original image) 123a is selected, the processing conditions are temporarily saved by “copy” of the tool button, and the copy destination image 123b is selected as in the embodiment of FIG. 2 (FIG. 5A to FIG. 5). (F), steps 601 to 603 in FIG. In the present embodiment, when the processing information of the copy source image is temporarily stored in this way, a GUI for selecting processing information to be pasted to the copy destination image from among the plurality of processing information is displayed. (Step 604). FIG. 5G shows an example of the GUI. Here, a dialog box for selecting WW / WL, position / rotate / zoom (Pan / Rotate / Zoom), and overlay is displayed. The user can select any one or a plurality of processing information by this dialog box, and the CPU 131 sequentially pastes (rewrites) the selected processing information to the display data of the copy destination image (steps 605 to 607). . In the example shown in FIG. 5H, all the processes (processing information paste) are selected. For example, the copy destination image 123b has the same WW / WL (= 1300/600) as the copy source image 123a, and an enlargement. A ratio (= 1.5) is set, and an overlay of the same size as the copy source image 123a is pasted at the same position.

  Also in this embodiment, as in the embodiment of FIG. 2, different images can be easily displayed under the same conditions without setting image processing, and the workability of comparing multiple images is improved. Can do. Further, in this embodiment, it is not necessary to repeat selection of processing at the time of pasting, and arbitrary display conditions can be selected at once using a dialog box, so that operability can be further improved.

In the above embodiment, the case where image processing parameters (display data) such as WW / WL, image position, magnification, and rotation angle are stored in association with the image data as a header of the image data has been described. An area for storing image processing parameters (display data) is provided in a display memory or the like, a parameter for processing one image is stored, and a parameter changing tool is used for the next image processing. If there is no button operation, it is possible to automatically perform the same processing as the processing of the previous image using the parameters stored in the area.
It is also possible to store image data having image processing parameters as a header in a hard disk, read an image data file from the hard disk, acquire the parameters of the image, and use them for processing other images. .

  In the above embodiment, the medical image processing apparatus of the present invention has been described as a modality different from the medical imaging apparatus. However, the medical imaging apparatus such as MRI and CT usually includes an image processing unit. The medical image processing apparatus of the present invention may be an image processing unit of such a medical imaging apparatus. FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which the medical image processing apparatus of the present invention is incorporated in the image processing unit of the MRI apparatus.

  The configuration of the MRI apparatus is the same as that of the conventional MRI apparatus. Briefly, the static magnetic field magnet 24 that generates a uniform static magnetic field, the gradient magnetic field coil 23 that applies a gradient magnetic field to the static magnetic field space, and the static magnetic field space Drives the irradiation coil 23 for applying a high-frequency magnetic field for causing nuclear magnetic resonance to the subject 30 placed on the receiver 30, the receiving coil 21 for detecting a nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated from the subject 29, and the gradient magnetic field coil 23 A power source 27 for transmitting, a transmission system 26 for giving a signal of magnetic resonance frequency to the irradiation coil 23 at a predetermined timing, and a digital signal necessary for image reconstruction by detecting the signal of the receiving coil 21 with a reference signal of nuclear magnetic resonance frequency A receiving system 25 for converting to a magnetic field, a control unit 28 for controlling the gradient magnetic field power source 27, the transmitting system 26 and the receiving system 25 in accordance with a predetermined pulse sequence, Fourier transform Tal signal, and an image processing unit 29 for reconstructing an image subjected to such correction calculation. In this embodiment, the image processing unit 29 is described as a part of the control unit 28, but may be an independent modality.

  The control unit 28 includes a storage device 11, a display device 12, a processing unit 13, and an input device 14, similarly to the image processing device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. The storage device 11 includes a gradient magnetic field power supply 27, a transmission device. A pulse sequence which is a program for controlling the system 26 and the receiving system 25 is also stored, and the CPU 131 of the processing unit 13 controls imaging according to a predetermined pulse sequence selected by the imaging method.

  The processing unit 13 processes the digital signal from the receiving system 25 to create image data, stores it in the storage device 11, and causes the display device 12 to display it. At that time, based on a command input via the input device 15, a predetermined plurality of images are read out from the image data stored in the storage device 11 and displayed, and a result of image processing performed on one image. The image processing similar to the stored image processing is performed in displaying other images, and a plurality of images are displayed under the same conditions.

  The image processing apparatus of the present invention is effective as image processing of a medical image diagnostic apparatus that displays and compares a plurality of images at the same time, but is not limited to medical use and can be applied to general-purpose image processing apparatuses.

The block diagram which shows the whole outline | summary of the medical image processing apparatus of this invention The figure which shows the display screen in one embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the process sequence in one embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the process sequence in one embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the display screen in other embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the process sequence in other embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows one Embodiment of the medical image diagnostic apparatus with which this invention is applied

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image processing apparatus, 11 ... Memory | storage device, 12 ... Display apparatus, 13 ... Processing part, 14 ... Input device, 20 ... Medical imaging device, 133 ... Display memory

Claims (7)

A storage unit that stores medical image data captured by the medical image diagnostic apparatus, a processing unit that performs processing on the image data, an input unit that inputs a command necessary for processing in the processing unit, and the processing A medical image processing apparatus including a display unit that displays an image processed in the unit,
The processing unit includes a storage unit that stores image data corresponding to one image and processing information applied to the image data in association with each other.
In response to a command from the input unit , arbitrary processing information is selected from among a plurality of processing information related to the first image stored in the storage unit, and the selected processing information is used as a second image. A medical image processing apparatus, wherein image processing is performed on the medical image processing apparatus. Wherein the processing information, expansion ratio of the field image displayed, rotation angle, a medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one of a position on the screen. The processing information further includes overlay information including a window width / window level of the displayed image, an image rendered as an overlay on the displayed image, and an overlay position. 2. The medical image processing apparatus according to 2.   The medical image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second image is an image of image data acquired at the same date or a different date and time as the first image. Image processing for imaging a tomographic image of a subject, control means for controlling the operation of the imaging means, display means for displaying the captured tomographic image, and image processing for processing image data captured by the imaging means A medical image diagnostic apparatus comprising:
Wherein the image processing means, the medical image diagnostic apparatus characterized by claims 1, which is an image processing apparatus according to any one of 4. The image data stored in the storage device is processed, and a plurality of images are simultaneously or selectively displayed on the display device, and one selectively displayed image is enlarged / reduced, rotated, or displayed on the screen. An image processing method for performing processing including at least one of position movement and overlay information on an image and a position to be overlaid on the image ,
Selecting and displaying a first image from the plurality of images;
Performing one or more processes on the displayed first image;
Storing information on processing performed on the first image in a storage medium;
Selecting at least one image other than the first image from the plurality of images;
Selecting an arbitrary process among a plurality of processes stored in the storage medium ;
Performing the selected process on the at least one selected image based on the process information stored in the storage medium. A storage unit for storing image data corresponding to a plurality of images, a processing unit for performing processing necessary for display on the image data, an input unit for inputting a command necessary for processing in the processing unit, In an image processing apparatus comprising: a display unit that displays an image processed in the processing unit;
The processing unit independently stores processing information including enlargement / reduction, rotation, movement on the screen, and overlay setting applied to one image, and selects arbitrary processing information from the processing information, An image processing apparatus comprising means for processing any other image using the selected processing information .

Images