JP5368778B2 - Radiation image processing method and apparatus, and radiation image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a medical error by confirming whether a threshold to set the freely passing region of a radiographic image is appropriate or not, and changing the threshold into an appropriate value. <P>SOLUTION: The CPU 31 of an operation terminal 17 performs a radiographic image processing program 38, so as to function as a control part 41, an image processing part 42, and a transmission/reception part 43. The control part 41 applies the threshold, which is set based on the result of a region recognition processing of the image processing part 42, so as to display on an operation screen 61 a confirmation image 64 where the display state of the first region 65 recognized as the freely passing region by the image processing part 42 is discriminated from that of the second region 66 other than the first region. When a slider 69 is operated so as to change the threshold into the appropriate value and also to select an establishment button 71, the control part 41 writes the threshold at the time into the field 22 of a DICOM tag 21 in the file of the radiographic image 18. The transmission/reception part 43 transmits the file of the radiographic image 18, where the radiographic image 18 is associated with threshold data, to an image server 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a radiographic image processing method and apparatus for processing a radiographic image input from a radiographic imaging apparatus such as mammography, and a radiographic image processing program.

  In recent years, in order to promote early detection of breast cancer, image diagnosis using a radiographic imaging apparatus (called mammography) for imaging a breast has attracted attention. A radiographic image captured by mammography is subjected to image processing by a dedicated operation terminal, and then transmitted to a server or a browsing terminal via a network. The doctor examines the presence or absence of a lesion such as a tumor or calcification by observing the radiographic image transmitted to the viewing terminal on a display.

  Since the calcified site is white and difficult to see as it is, the doctor displays the radiographic image on the display by reversing the radiation image or adjusting the contrast. Since the original region where the breast is not reflected and the radiation is lost is black, it is displayed in white by reversing black and white. In addition, when the contrast is adjusted, the blank region appears whiteish gray.

  The display of the browsing terminal for mammography is set to have a high display brightness in order to find a calcified fine part, and it is considerably dazzling if there are many areas displayed in white or gray. For this reason, if the blank region is displayed in white by black and white reversal or displayed in gray by contrast adjustment, it is too dazzling and hinders observation, which is inconvenient for the doctor.

  In view of this, it has been proposed to display the blank region in black (see, for example, Patent Document 1). If the blank region is recognized from the radiation image and can be distinguished from other regions (for example, see Patent Document 2), the blank region can be displayed in black without being reversed in black and white or grayed out. As a method for recognizing a missing region, since a breast region appears whitish, a method of recognizing a region blacker than a certain threshold as a missing region is simple.

  By the way, a radiographic image taken by mammography is attached with a DICOM tag compliant with DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) which is a common standard for medical image files using PACS (Picture Archive and Communication System). .

Recently, the operation terminal stores a threshold value for setting a blank area in a DICOM tag, and the threshold value of the DICOM tag is referred to by a destination server or a browsing terminal, so that the blank area is reversed in black and white. It has been proposed to display the image black without making it. Specifically, when the pixel value (density) of each pixel of the radiation image is expressed by a 10-bit gradation of 0 (white) to 1023 (black), for example, 900 is set as the threshold value.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-025558 (paragraph numbers [0046] to [0048], FIG. 2) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-261596 (paragraph numbers [0018] and [0019], FIG. 4)

  In the above technique of storing the threshold value in the DICOM tag of the radiographic image, it is not possible to confirm whether the threshold value is appropriate, and if the threshold value is inappropriate, it cannot be changed to an appropriate value. There is a problem. If a threshold value is set such that the breast region is included in the blank region, the black region is crushed black when the blank region is blackened. For this reason, in some cases, diagnosis is performed with a radiographic image having an inappropriate threshold value, which may cause a serious medical error.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to confirm whether or not a threshold value for setting a blank region of a radiographic image is appropriate, and to change the threshold value to an appropriate value. Is to prevent.

  In order to achieve the above object, the radiographic image processing apparatus of the present invention determines whether or not a threshold value for setting a blank region in which a radiographic image input from a radiographic image capturing apparatus has passed without the radiation hitting the subject is appropriate. This is a display control means for displaying a confirmation image for confirming whether or not the display mode of the first region, which is a blank region, and the other second region is distinguished by applying a threshold value to the radiation image. It is characterized by comprising display control means for displaying a confirmation image and setting change means for invalidating the threshold value or changing the threshold value in accordance with an operation input.

  It is preferable to include a region recognition unit that analyzes the pixel value of each pixel of the radiographic image and recognizes the blank region. In this case, the minimum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the first region recognized as the unclear region by the region recognition unit is set as a default threshold value before being changed by the setting change unit.

  A pixel value prepared in advance may be set as a default threshold before being changed by the setting changing unit.

  The display control means fills the entire first area with a predetermined color different from that of the second area, blinks the entire first area, and defines the boundary line between the first area and the second area as the first area and the second area. The display mode of the first area and the second area is differentiated by using a predetermined color different from the area, or by blinking the boundary line between the first area and the second area.

  When the radiographic imaging device is mammography, there are continuity determination means for determining whether or not there is continuity in the first region, and there are two or more first regions across the second region, and the continuity It is preferable to include a warning unit that issues a warning when the determination unit determines that there is no continuity in the first region.

  The display control means enlarges and displays the confirmation image according to the operation input.

  It is preferable to provide storage control means for associating the radiographic image and threshold data and storing them in a memory. When the radiation image file has an incidental information storage area, the storage control unit stores threshold data in the incidental information storage area. The incidental information storage area is a DICOM tag.

  It is preferable to provide a transmission means for transmitting the radiation image and threshold data stored in the memory to the outside. Moreover, it is preferable that it is an operation terminal of a radiographic imaging apparatus.

  The radiographic image processing method of the present invention is a confirmation image for confirming whether or not a threshold value for setting a blank region where a radiation is missing without hitting a subject of a radiographic image input from a radiographic imaging device is appropriate. Is displayed on the display by the display control means, and a threshold image is applied to the radiographic image to display a confirmation image that distinguishes the display mode of the first region that is the unclear region and the other second region. And a step of invalidating the threshold or changing the threshold according to the operation input by the setting changing means.

  The radiographic image processing program of the present invention is a confirmation image for confirming whether or not a threshold value for setting a blank region where a radiation is missing without hitting a subject in a radiographic image input from a radiographic imaging device is appropriate. On the display, applying a threshold value to the radiation image, displaying a confirmation image that distinguishes the display mode of the first region and the second region other than the first region, and operation input And causing the computer to execute the step of invalidating the threshold value or changing the threshold value according to the method.

  According to the present invention, a threshold value for setting a missing region where radiation has not fallen on the subject is applied, and the display mode of the first region and the second region other than the first region are distinguished. Since the confirmation image is displayed on the display and the invalidation or change of the threshold value is accepted by the setting change means, diagnosis is performed with a radiographic image having an inappropriate threshold value, and there is no possibility of causing a serious medical error.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a medical information system 11 constructed in a medical facility such as a hospital includes a modality 12, a browsing terminal 13, an image server 14, and a network 15 that connects these to be communicable. The network 15 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) laid in the hospital.

  The modality 12 includes a mammography 16 that is a well-known radiographic image capturing device for capturing a breast, and an operation terminal 17. The operation terminal 17 is used by an inspection staff or an operator (hereinafter collectively referred to as an engineer) of the radiology department when setting the imaging conditions of the mammography 16 or when processing the radiographic image 18 obtained by the mammography 16. Operated. The operation terminal 17 displays various operation screens, which will be described later, on the display 35 (see FIG. 3), and supports the image processing of the radiation image 18 by the engineer.

  The browsing terminal 13 is, for example, a medical department terminal operated by a medical doctor (hereinafter referred to as a requesting doctor) requesting an examination, or a doctor specialized in interpretation of the radiation image 18 (hereinafter referred to as an interpreting doctor). Is a medical report creation terminal operated by. The browsing terminal 13 displays various operation screens on the display 35 and supports diagnosis by the requesting doctor and creation of a medical report by the interpretation doctor.

  In the image server 14, an image database (hereinafter abbreviated as DB) 19 is constructed. The image server 14 receives the data of the radiation image 18 obtained by the mammography 16 from the operation terminal 17 via the network 15 and stores the received data of the radiation image 18 in the image DB 19. That is, the image server 14 functions as a so-called PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) server and constitutes a PACS together with the modality 12.

  The data of the radiographic image 18 has an image ID for identifying each radiographic image 18. The data of the radiation image 18 is stored in the image DB 19 in a file format conforming to DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine), for example.

  The file of the radiographic image 18 is provided with a data storage area 20 of the radiographic image 18 and a DICOM tag 21 as an incidental information storage area. As shown in detail in FIG. 2, in the DICOM tag 21, in addition to fields for storing patient basic information such as patient ID and patient name, examination information such as examination ID, examination date and time, and imaging conditions of mammography 16, radiation Is provided with a field 22 for storing a threshold value for setting a missing region without hitting the subject (breast). The file of the radiation image 18 can be searched using various items in the DICOM tag 21 as search keys.

  The requesting doctor orders the examination to the radiology department through the clinical department terminal. The order issued from the clinical department terminal is transmitted to an order reception terminal (not shown) of the radiology department and accepted by the radiology department. The engineer performs photographing with the mammography 16 based on the order received at the order reception terminal.

  A radiation image 18 photographed by the mammography 16 is sent to the operation terminal 17. The operation terminal 17 analyzes the radiographic image 18 to identify the unaccompanied region and other regions (regions in which the transmission of radiation is blocked by the breast and appear white or whitish). The operation terminal 17 sets the minimum pixel value of the blank area recognized by this analysis in the field 22 as a default threshold value. Further, the operation terminal 17 displays the radiation image 18 to which the threshold is applied on the display 35. Then, the threshold value changed by the technician's hand is rewritten as a default threshold value. The data of the radiation image 18 that has been subjected to various types of image processing at the operation terminal 17 is stored in the image DB 19 of the image server 14 via the network 15.

  The interpreting doctor and the requesting doctor read out the data of the radiation image 18 from the image DB 19 via the medical department terminal and the medical report creation terminal which are the browsing terminals 13. When reading the radiographic image 18, the interpreting physician or the requesting physician displays a medical report by reversing the black and white area of the radiographic image 18 and adjusting the contrast as necessary. Create and diagnose.

  Each of the terminals 13 and 17 and the image server 14 is configured by installing a control program such as an operating system and an application program such as a client program or a server program based on a computer such as a personal computer, a server computer, and a workstation. The

  In FIG. 3, the computers constituting the terminals 13 and 17 and the image server 14 have substantially the same basic configuration. The CPU 31, the memory 32, the storage device 33, the LAN port 34, the display 35, the keyboard, An input device 36 such as a mouse is provided. These are interconnected via a data bus 37.

  The storage device 33 is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage device 33 stores a control program and an application program (hereinafter referred to as AP) 38.

  The memory 32 is a work memory for the CPU 31 to execute processing. The CPU 31 centrally controls each part of the computer by loading a control program stored in the storage device 33 into the memory 32 and executing processing according to the program. The LAN port 34 is a network interface that performs transmission control with the network 15.

  In the image server 14, a server program is installed as an AP 38 that executes processing in response to a request from each of the terminals 13 and 17 that are clients and responds with a processing result.

  The CPU 31 of the image server 14 functions as a storage processing unit and a search processing unit for the data of the radiation image 18 by executing the server program. The storage processing unit executes storage processing of the data of the radiation image 18 in the image DB 19 in response to the storage request of the data of the radiation image 18 from the operation terminal 17. In response to the data distribution request for the radiation image 18 from the viewing terminal 13, the search processing unit retrieves the requested data of the radiation image 18 from the image DB 19, and retrieves the data of the retrieved radiation image 18. Delivered to.

  In the operation terminal 17, an application program for image processing (hereinafter referred to as a radiation image processing program) for performing image processing of the radiation image 18 is installed as the AP 38.

  In FIG. 4, when starting the radiation image processing program, the CPU 31 of the operation terminal 17 starts a control unit (corresponding to a display control unit, a setting change unit, and a storage control unit) 41, an image processing unit (corresponding to an area recognition unit) 42, And it functions as the transmission / reception unit 43.

  The operation terminal 17 has a configuration in which a display 35 is connected to a terminal body provided with a CPU 31. The control unit 41 outputs an operation screen 44 to the display 35. The operation screen 44 is roughly divided into first, second, and third display areas 45, 46, and 47 in order from the top. In each of the display areas 45 to 47, various operation tools constituting a GUI (Graphical User Interface) are arranged. Various operation instructions from the input device 36 are input through such an operation tool. The operation instruction includes an instruction to switch the display form of the radiation image 18, an instruction to change the threshold, and the like.

  In the first display area 45, the radiation image 18 is displayed together with characters indicating the direction. In the figure, two left and right radiographic images 18 of the inner and outer oblique (MLO) imaging are displayed.

  In the second display area 46, a patient basic information display section 48 on which basic patient information is displayed, and thumbnail images of the radiographic images 18 (four on each of right and left images of head-to-tail (CC) direction imaging and MLO imaging) are displayed. An image display unit 49, a display number switching button 50 for switching the number of displayed radiographic images 18 in the first display area 45, thumbnail image sending back buttons 51, 52 for sending back thumbnail images of the thumbnail image display unit 49, and A confirmation button 53 is provided.

  In the third display area 47, various operation buttons for setting the photographing conditions of the mammography 16 are arranged. When the mouse cursor 54 is clicked on the various operation buttons, the control input is accepted by the control unit 41, and the control unit 41 executes processing according to the operation input.

  The image processing unit 42 performs predetermined image processing on the data of the radiation image 18 received from the mammography 16 via the transmission / reception unit 43, and delivers the data after the image processing to the control unit 41. The control unit 41 converts the data from the image processing unit 42 into the display format of the display 35 and displays it as the radiation image 18 in the first display area 45.

  The image processing unit 42 performs region recognition processing in addition to basic image processing such as noise removal, gain adjustment, and gradation conversion. The image processing unit 42 outputs the result of the area recognition process to the control unit 41.

  In the area recognition processing, the pixel values of each pixel of the radiation image 18 (for example, represented by 10-bit gradations of 0 (white) to 1023 (black)) are recognized to recognize the missing areas, and the missing areas are recognized. A region is distinguished from other regions. The area recognition process is performed by the following procedure, for example. First, binarization processing is performed on the data of the radiation image 18 to convert the radiation image 18 into a black and white binary image, and labeling processing is performed on the binary image. Then, the background missing area and the other areas are identified and extracted. Since a method for recognizing a certain region by binarization + labeling processing is well known, detailed description thereof is omitted. Note that the threshold value is not related to the region recognition process at all. In the following description, a region recognized as a blank region by the region recognition process by the image processing unit 42 is referred to as a first region, and the other regions are referred to as second regions.

  The control unit 41 receives the result of the region recognition processing from the image processing unit 42, and sets the minimum pixel value of the pixels in the first region as a default threshold value. The control unit 41 writes the minimum pixel value of the first area in the field 22 of the DICOM tag 21 of the file of the radiation image 18 and causes the storage device 33 to store the file.

  The transmission / reception unit 43 receives the data of the radiation image 18 from the mammography 16 and transmits the imaging condition data input through the third display area 47 to the mammography 16. Further, the transmission / reception unit 43 transmits a storage request for storing the radiation image 18 to the image server 14 based on a command from the control unit 41. The transmission / reception unit 43 receives the file of the radiation image 18 that is the target of the storage request from the storage device 33 via the control unit 41 and transmits the file to the image server 14.

  When the confirmation button 53 in the second display area 46 is selected, the control unit 41 switches the display of the operation screen 44 as shown in FIG. The operation screen 61 is provided with first and second display areas 62 and 63 in order from the top. In the first display area 62, a confirmation image 64 for causing the engineer to confirm whether or not the threshold value is appropriate is displayed.

  The control unit 41 displays the confirmation image 64 while distinguishing the display form of the first region 65 (hatched portion) and the second region 66 (non-hatched portion) based on the result of the region recognition processing of the image processing unit 42. Specifically, the control unit 41 fills the entire first area 65 with a predetermined color (for example, blue) different from the second area 66, and blinks the entire first area 65. The boundary line 67 of the area 66 is set to a predetermined color (for example, blue) different from the first area 65 and the second area 66, or the boundary line 67 is blinked.

  In the second display area 63, an enlargement / reduction button 68, a slider 69, a threshold value display unit 70, and a confirmation button 71 are arranged. When the enlargement / reduction button 68 is selected, the control unit 41 displays the confirmation image 64 partially enlarged or reduced according to the operation amount. Further, the control unit 41 moves the display location of the confirmation image 64 in response to a mouse drag operation. Without providing the enlargement / reduction button 68, the confirmation image 64 may be enlarged or reduced according to the mouse wheel operation.

  The slider 69 is a GUI for changing the threshold value. The threshold change width by the slider 69 is set as appropriate depending on the performance of the mammography 16, and is, for example, from a minimum of 700 to a maximum of 1023. When the slider 69 is moved by the cursor 54, the control unit 41 updates the display of the confirmation image 64 and the threshold value display unit 70 according to the operation amount.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, for example, the default threshold value is 800, and there is a boundary line 67 inside the breast region with respect to the original boundary line 67 indicated by a dotted line. Consider a case where it can be seen from the confirmation image 64 that the breast area is affected instead of the original missing area. In this case, since the pixel value of the second region 66 near the boundary line 67 is 800 or more, it is considered that the region of the breast is erroneously recognized as the first region 65 in the region recognition process. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the threshold value is increased from 800 to 900, for example, the first region 65 and the original missing region coincide. Conversely, as shown in FIG. 6C, when the default threshold value is 1000, the boundary line 67 is outside the breast region, and the second region 66 is invading the original blank region, the threshold value is set. It may be reduced from 1000 to 900, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 6 (b), the appropriate value of the threshold means a threshold when the first region 65 and the second region 66 substantially match the original missing region and the breast region, In this case, for example, 900.

  Returning to FIG. 5, when the confirm button 71 is selected, the control unit 41 writes the threshold value set by the slider 69 at that time into the field 22 of the DICOM tag 21 of the file of the radiation image 18, and the default value is set. Rewrite with threshold. The control unit 41 transmits the file of the radiation image 18 with the rewritten threshold value to the image server 14 via the transmission / reception unit 43. At the same time, the control unit 41 returns the operation screen 61 to the operation screen 44.

  Next, the processing procedure of the operation terminal 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Imaging is performed with the mammography 16 based on the order from the requesting doctor, and the data of the radiation image 18 is transmitted from the mammography 16 to the operation terminal 17 (S (step) 10).

  The data of the radiation image 18 is input to the image processing unit 42 via the transmission / reception unit 43. In the image processing unit 42, region recognition processing is performed in addition to basic image processing (S11). The data of the radiographic image 18 subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 42 is displayed in the first display area 45 of the operation screen 44 by the control unit 41 (S12). The result of the area recognition process is output from the image processing unit 42 to the control unit 41.

  The engineer selects the confirmation button 53 in order to confirm whether or not the threshold value is appropriate (S13). When the confirmation button 53 is selected, the operation screen 44 is switched to the operation screen 61 by the control unit 41. A confirmation image 64 to which a default threshold value based on the result of the area recognition process is applied is displayed on the operation screen 61 (S14).

  The engineer operates the enlargement / reduction button 68 and the slider 69 as necessary while visually recognizing the confirmation image 64 to change the threshold value to an appropriate value. Whether or not the slider 69 has been operated is detected by the control unit 41 (S15). If the slider 69 has been operated (YES in S15), the display of the confirmation image 64 and the threshold value display unit 70 is updated by the control unit 41. (S16). The same processing is performed when the enlargement / reduction button 68 is selected. The processes in S15 and S16 are repeated until the confirmation button 71 is selected (NO in S17).

  The engineer changes the threshold value to an appropriate value, performs final confirmation with the confirmation image 64, and then selects the confirmation button 71 (YES in S17). When the confirm button 71 is selected, the threshold value set by the slider 69 at that time is written into the field 22 of the DICOM tag 21 of the file of the radiation image 18 by the control unit 41 (S18). With this as a trigger, the file of the radiation image 18 is transmitted to the image server 17 (image DB 19) via the transmission / reception unit 43 (S19).

  The data of the radiographic image 18 stored in the image DB 19 is read out to the browsing terminal 13 by an interpreting doctor or a requesting doctor. The browsing terminal 13 refers to the threshold value data in the field 22 and displays only the area other than the background missing area with black and white reversal or adjusts the contrast only for the area other than the background missing area.

  As described above, the confirmation image 64 in which the display forms of the first area 65 and the second area 66 are distinguished is displayed and the threshold value can be changed. It is possible to easily check whether the region is a missing region or a breast region, and the threshold value can be changed to an appropriate value.

  The area recognition process is performed by the image processing unit 42, the first area 65 and the second area 66 are identified with a certain degree of accuracy, and the default threshold value is set based on the first area 65, so that the change width of the threshold value is made small. Can do. In other words, since extreme misrecognition cannot occur in the area recognition process, the threshold value can be changed with fine adjustment.

  By writing the threshold value data in the field 22 provided in the DICOM tag 21 of the radiation image 18 file, the radiation image 18 and the threshold value data are stored in association with each other. Can be diverted. For example, a system can be constructed by adding a minimum number of functions even for servers and terminals of different manufacturers.

  Note that a default threshold value may be prepared in advance without performing region recognition processing. In this case, for example, a default threshold value is stored in the storage device 33, and the control unit 41 reads this from the storage device 33 and displays the confirmation image 64. A uniform value may be used as a default threshold value, or a threshold value close to an appropriate value based on parameters such as past accumulation (past radiation images of patients to be examined or radiation images including other patients) and imaging conditions. And this may be the default threshold. Since the area recognition process is not performed, the processing load on the image processing unit 42 can be reduced. Of course, the region recognition process may also be executed so that the threshold value based on the result of the region recognition process or the above threshold value can be selected.

  Since the enlargement / reduction button 68 is arranged to partially enlarge or reduce the confirmation image 64, it is possible to visually recognize in detail a portion that is difficult to determine whether the region is a missing region or a breast region, and a more accurate threshold value. Can be set.

  As described above, in the radiographic image 18 photographed by the mammography 16, the blank region and the breast region are clearly identified, and each of these regions exists in one radiographic image 18. However, if the threshold value is inappropriate, the first region 65 (so-called enclave) exists inside the second region 66, and there may be two or more first regions 65 across the second region 66.

  If the decision button 71 is selected and the threshold value is decided despite the presence of an enclave, the breast area is treated as a blank area. For this reason, when there is a lesion in the enclave, it is overlooked, or the enclave is erroneously diagnosed as an abnormal shadow. Therefore, it is preferable to determine whether or not the first region 65 has continuity, and issue a warning when it is determined that there is no continuity.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the image processor 42 scans the pixels of the radiation image 18 line by line. The pixel value of the line La having continuity in the first region 65 (there is no enclave) shows a high value up to the boundary line 67, gradually decreases in the vicinity of the boundary line 67, and decreases rapidly at the boundary line 67. After that, it remains low. On the other hand, the pixel value of the line Lb that has no continuity in the first region 65 (where there is an enclave) is the same as that of the line La in the change in the boundary line 67, but the pixel that has fallen below the threshold value in the boundary line 67. The value again rises above the threshold at the first region 65 of the enclave.

  The control unit 41 receives the scanning result from the image processing unit 42 and determines whether or not the first region 65 is continuous. An enclave exists when there is even one line indicating a change in pixel value, such as the line Lb.

  The control unit 41 does nothing if there is continuity in the first region 65. On the other hand, when there is no continuity in the first area 65, the control unit 41 displays a warning dialog 81 shown in FIG. The warning dialog 81 is accompanied by a message that the threshold is inappropriate and the threshold is changed.

  The engineer changes the threshold value according to the message in the warning dialog 81 so that there is no enclave. Specifically, as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 8, the threshold value is raised so as to exceed the pixel value of the first region 65 of the enclave. It is possible to reliably prevent the threshold value from being determined while the enclave is present.

  FIG. 9 illustrates a case where an enclave has occurred while the engineer is changing the threshold value on the operation screen 61. However, if the default threshold value is inappropriate, the operation screen 44 is displayed. A warning dialog 81 may be displayed. Further, the warning method is not limited to the warning dialog 81, and a voice such as a message or a beep sound may be used, or a visual appeal may be made by changing the color of the first area 65 of the enclave or blinking. Good.

  As a method for distinguishing the display forms of the first area 65 and the second area 66, methods other than those described in the above embodiment may be used. For example, only the second area 66 is reversed in black and white, and the first area 65 is left as it is. In this way, it is possible to confirm whether or not the threshold value is appropriate in the same display form as when browsing on the browsing terminal.

  In the above embodiment, the threshold value is changed to prevent the first region 65 and the second region 66 from imitating the original missing region and the breast region, but the browsing terminal 13 cannot refer to the threshold value. As described above, the threshold value may be invalidated. In this case, an enable / disable button 91 is arranged on the operation screen 61 as shown in FIG.

  The enable / disable button 91 has an ON button for enabling the threshold and an OFF button for disabling it. Each button shows a selected / unselected state by shading. If one of the ON and OFF buttons is selected, the other is automatically unselected. The figure shows a state where the OFF button is selected and recessed. When the invalidation of the threshold value (OFF button) is selected, the threshold value can be changed and the field 22 can be written in the same manner as in the above embodiment. Set a flag to that effect. When the flag is set in the field, the browsing terminal 13 performs black and white reversal and contrast adjustment without referring to the threshold value. By doing so, it is possible to prevent a medical error from being caused by making a diagnosis with the radiation image 18 having an inappropriate threshold value.

  In the above embodiment, the threshold value is written in the field 22 after the confirmation button 71 is selected. However, the threshold value may be provisionally written in the field 22 while the threshold value is changed by the slider 69.

  In the above embodiment, an example in which various image processing is performed by referring to the threshold value on the operation terminal 17 is described. However, when a distribution request for the radiation image 18 is received from the viewing terminal 13, the threshold value is referred to on the image server side. The data of the radiation image 18 may be processed, and the processed data may be transmitted to the browsing terminal.

  In the above embodiment, an operation terminal having an image processing function and a function for setting radiographic image capturing conditions is exemplified as the radiographic image processing apparatus, but the function for setting radiographic image capturing conditions is assigned to another terminal. You may let them.

  In the above embodiment, the mammography is exemplified as the radiographic image capturing apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus in which a radiographic image is input from another radiographic image capturing apparatus other than the mammography. It is.

It is a block diagram which shows the outline of a medical information system. It is a figure which shows the detail of the file structure of a radiographic image. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of the computer which comprises a browsing terminal, an operation terminal, or an image server. It is a figure which shows the schematic structure of an operation terminal, and the operation screen which displays a radiographic image. It is a figure which shows the operation screen which displays a confirmation image. It is a figure which shows the example of the change of a threshold value, and the display update of a confirmation image. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence of an operating terminal. It is a figure explaining the example which determines whether a 1st area | region has continuity. It is a figure which shows the state which displayed the warning dialog on the operation screen. It is a figure explaining the example which invalidates a threshold value.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Medical information system 12 Modality 16 Mammography 17 Operation terminal 18 Radiation image 21 DICOM tag 31 CPU
33 Storage Device 35 Display 36 Input Device 38 Application Program (AP)
41 control unit 42 image processing unit 43 transmission / reception unit 44, 61 operation screen 53 confirmation button 64 confirmation image 65, 66 first and second area 67 boundary line 68 scaling button 69 slider 71 confirmation button 81 warning dialog 91 enable / disable Button

Claims (10)

Display control means for displaying on a display a confirmation image for confirming whether or not a threshold value for setting a blank region where radiation is missing without hitting the subject of the radiation image input from the radiation image capturing apparatus is appropriate. Yes, a display control means for displaying a confirmation image by applying a threshold value to the radiographic image and distinguishing display modes of the first region and the second region other than the first region,
A setting changing means for invalidating the threshold or changing the threshold according to the operation input ;
Analyzing the pixel value of each pixel of the radiographic image, and comprising an area recognition means for recognizing a missing area ,
The minimum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the first area recognized as the blank area by the area recognition unit is set as a default threshold value before being changed by the setting change unit. A radiographic image processing apparatus. The display control means fills the entire first area with a predetermined color different from that of the second area, blinks the entire first area, and defines the boundary line between the first area and the second area as the first area and the second area. a different predetermined color from the region, or by flashing the boundary of the first region and the second region, according to claim 1, characterized in that to distinguish the display mode of the first region and the second region Radiation image processing apparatus. The radiographic imaging device is mammography,
Continuity determination means for determining whether there is continuity in the first region;
And a warning unit that issues a warning when the continuity determination unit determines that there is no continuity of the first region across the second region. Item 3. The radiation image processing apparatus according to Item 1 or 2 . Wherein the display control unit, the radiation image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, characterized in that to enlarge the confirmation image in accordance with an input 3. Associating the data of the radiographic image and the threshold claims 1, characterized in that it comprises a storage control means for storing in the memory the radiographic image processing apparatus according to any one of 4. The radiographic image file has an accompanying information storage area,
The radiographic image processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the storage control unit stores threshold value data in an incidental information storage area. The radiation image processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the incidental information storage area is a DICOM tag. The radiographic image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7 , further comprising transmission means for transmitting the radiographic image and threshold data stored in the memory to the outside. The display control means displays a confirmation image for confirming whether or not the threshold value for setting the blank region where the radiation image has not been applied to the subject is appropriate for the radiation image input from the radiation image capturing apparatus. A step of displaying a confirmation image in which a threshold value is applied to the radiographic image, and a display mode of the first region and the second region other than the first region are distinguished.
A setting changing step of invalidating the threshold according to the operation input or changing the threshold by the setting changing means ;
A region recognition step of analyzing a pixel value of each pixel of the radiographic image by a region recognition unit and recognizing a blank region ;
The minimum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the first region recognized as the blank region in the region recognition step is set as a default threshold value before being changed in the setting change step. A radiation image processing method. The step of displaying on the display a confirmation image for confirming whether or not the threshold value for setting the blank region where the radiation is missing without hitting the subject of the radiation image input from the radiation image capturing apparatus is appropriate, Applying a threshold value to the radiographic image to display a confirmation image that distinguishes the display mode of the first region and the second region other than the first region,
A setting change step for invalidating the threshold or changing the threshold in response to an operation input ;
A radiological image processing program for analyzing a pixel value of each pixel of a radiographic image and causing a computer to execute an area recognition step for recognizing a blank area ,
The minimum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the first region recognized as the blank region in the region recognition step is set as a default threshold value before being changed in the setting change step. A radiation image processing program.

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