JP5613375B2 - MEDICAL IMAGE DIAGNOSIS DEVICE, IMAGE DATA OUTPUT DEVICE, AND IMAGE DATA OUTPUT CONTROL PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical image diagnostic apparatus, an image data output apparatus, and an image data output control program. In particular, the present invention relates to a medical image diagnostic apparatus, an image data output apparatus, and an image data output apparatus for film printing image data collected from a subject. It relates to the control program.

  Medical image diagnosis has made rapid progress with X-ray CT apparatuses and MRI apparatuses that have been put into practical use with the development of computer technology, and is indispensable in today's medical care. Particularly in recent X-ray CT apparatuses and MRI apparatuses, it has become easy to collect and display image data in a plurality of slice sections along with the increase in speed and performance of a biological information detection unit and arithmetic processing unit.

  For example, in an X-ray CT apparatus, an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector arranged opposite to the periphery of a subject are rotated at a high speed, and the subject is continuously moved in the body axis direction to obtain a plurality of slices. Image data and three-dimensional data (volume data) in a plurality of slice sections are generated by collecting X-ray projection data in a section and reconstructing the X-ray projection data. In recent years, the time required for collecting X-ray projection data is further shortened by a multi-slice method using an X-ray detector in which detection elements are two-dimensionally arranged.

  Image data generated by such a medical image diagnostic apparatus is usually displayed on a monitor of a display unit and printed on a film by a laser imager or the like, and diagnosis of the subject is performed using the image data printed on the film. Has been done.

  When image data collected by a plurality of different medical image diagnostic apparatuses is printed on a film, an effective display area (an area having effective diagnostic information) in the image data is efficiently displayed on the printable area of the film (that is, effective display). In order to print the entire area (with the maximum size), a method of setting the enlargement ratio of image data in film printing for each medical image diagnostic apparatus has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 11-191152 A

  According to the method described in Patent Document 1 described above, the image data collected from the subject is subjected to enlargement / reduction processing based on the enlargement rate set for each medical image diagnostic apparatus, thereby improving the efficiency in film printing. Can be improved. However, even when the same medical image diagnostic apparatus is used, the size of the effective display area in the image data differs depending on the examination area and the examination site. For example, the effective image data collected in the head area and the chest area is effective. The display area is smaller than the effective display area of the image data collected in the abdominal area. For this reason, in order to perform efficient film printing, the enlargement ratio of the image data must be set based on the size of each image data, so the diagnosis efficiency is greatly reduced and the burden on the operator is increased. Had the problem of doing.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to perform enlargement / reduction processing for efficiently printing an effective display area of image data collected from a subject on a film of a predetermined size. It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical image diagnostic apparatus, an image data output apparatus, and an image data output control program that can be easily performed.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention processes medical image data obtained from a subject to generate second image data for film printing. In the image diagnostic apparatus, image data generating means for generating the first image data for a plurality of examination regions of the subject, pixel values of the generated first image data, and the plurality of examination regions At least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the pixel value is set in advance for each, and binarized image data is respectively generated by comparison with at least one of the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the preset pixel value. , based on the binary image data thus generated, the effective display area measuring means for measuring the effective display area in the first image data, using the size and film printing of the effective display area An image enlargement ratio calculating means for calculating an enlargement ratio of the image data based on the size of the film, and the second image by enlarging or reducing the first image data based on the enlargement ratio of the image data. An image data expansion processing means for generating data is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the medical image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention processes a plurality of first image data obtained from each of a plurality of examination regions of a subject to produce second image data for film printing. In the medical image diagnostic apparatus for generating the image data, the image data generating means for generating the plurality of first image data for each of the plurality of examination regions , the pixel value of the generated first image data, and At least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a pixel value is set in advance for each of the plurality of inspection regions, and binarization is performed by comparison with at least one of the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the preset pixel value. the image data generated respectively, based on the binary image data thus generated, the effective display area measuring means for measuring the effective display area in the first image data, the effective display territory Image enlargement ratio calculating means for calculating the enlargement ratio of the image data for each first image data based on the size of the image and the size of the film used for film printing, and the minimum enlargement ratio among the plurality of calculated enlargement ratios And an image data enlargement processing means for generating the second image data by enlarging or reducing the first image data based on the extracted minimum enlargement ratio. It is characterized by that.

On the other hand, the image data output device of the present invention according to claim 7 is an image data output device that processes the first image data collected by the medical image diagnostic apparatus to generate the second image data for film printing. Then , at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the pixel value is set in advance for each of the collected pixel value of the first image data and the plurality of examination regions of the subject, and the preset Binarized image data is generated by comparison with at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of pixel values, and an effective display area in the first image data is measured based on the generated binary image data. An effective display area measuring means, an image enlargement ratio calculating means for calculating an enlargement ratio of the image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing; Based on the magnification of the serial image data is characterized by comprising an image data expansion processing means for generating enlargement processing or reduction processing to the second image data to said first image data.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image data output apparatus according to the present invention, which processes a plurality of first image data obtained from each of a plurality of examination areas of a subject to produce second image data for film printing. An image data output device that generates at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a pixel value for each of the pixel value of the first image data and each of the plurality of inspection regions, The binarized image data is respectively generated by comparison with at least one of the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the set pixel value, and the effective display area in the first image data based on the generated binarized image data An effective display area measuring means for measuring image data, and an enlargement ratio of image data for each first image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing An image enlargement ratio calculating means, a minimum enlargement ratio extracting means for extracting a minimum enlargement ratio from the plurality of calculated enlargement ratios, and an enlargement process for the first image data based on the extracted minimum enlargement ratio Alternatively, image data enlargement processing means for performing reduction processing and generating the second image data is provided.

Furthermore, the control program for image data output of the present invention according to claim 9 is the pixel value of the first image data collected from each of the plurality of examination regions of the subject in the medical image diagnostic apparatus or the image data output apparatus. And at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a pixel value for each of the plurality of inspection areas, and binary by comparing with at least one of the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the preset pixel value Each of the generated image data, and based on the generated binarized image data, the effective display area measuring function for measuring the effective display area in the first image data, and the size and film printing of the effective display area An image enlargement ratio calculation function for calculating an enlargement ratio of the image data based on the size of the film to be used; and the first image based on the enlargement ratio of the image data. It is characterized in that to execute the image data enlargement processing function of enlargement processing or reduction processing data to generate the second image data.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control program for image data output according to the present invention, wherein a pixel value of first image data collected from each of a plurality of examination regions of a subject is stored in a medical image diagnostic apparatus or image data output apparatus. And at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a pixel value for each of the plurality of inspection areas, and binary by comparing with at least one of the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the preset pixel value An effective display area measuring function for generating each of the converted image data and measuring the effective display area of the first image data based on the generated binary image data; and the size of the effective display area and the film printing An image enlargement ratio calculation function for calculating the enlargement ratio of the image data in the film printing for each image data based on the size of the film used for A minimum enlargement ratio extracting function for extracting a minimum enlargement ratio from the plurality of enlargement ratios, and the first image data is enlarged or reduced based on the extracted minimum enlargement ratio for film printing. An image data enlargement processing function for generating image data is executed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform enlargement / reduction processing for efficiently printing an effective display area of image data collected from a subject on a film of a predetermined size. For this reason, not only inspection efficiency and diagnostic efficiency are improved, but the burden on the operator can be reduced.

1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a medical image diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the specific structure of the X-ray imaging part with which the image data generation part of the Example was provided. The block diagram which shows the specific structure of the reconstruction process part with which the image data generation part of the Example was provided. The figure which shows the image data collected in the some slice cross section set to the chest area | region of the subject, and the abdominal area | region in these Examples, and these slice cross sections. The block diagram which shows the specific structure of the effective display area measurement part provided in the image data output part of the Example. The figure which shows the image data of the abdominal area | region collected in the Example, the maximum vertical width of the effective display area measured based on this image data, the maximum horizontal width, and a center position. The figure which shows the image data of the chest area | region collected in the Example, the maximum vertical width of the effective display area measured based on this image data, the maximum horizontal width, and a center position. The flowchart which shows the film printing procedure of the image data in the Example. The block diagram which shows the whole structure of the image data output device in 2nd Example of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention generates image data in each of a plurality of slice sections set in a predetermined examination region of a subject, and the pixel value of the obtained image data and a predetermined upper limit value And the effective display area in image data is measured by comparing with a lower limit. Next, an enlargement factor is calculated for each image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing, and the minimum enlargement factor extracted from the obtained plural enlargement factors is obtained. Based on this, each of the image data is enlarged and printed.

  The image data generation unit of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the following embodiment will describe a case in which CT (Computed Tomography) image data is generated by reconstructing projection data collected by X-ray imaging on the subject. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, other medical image data such as MRI image data or X-ray image data may be generated. Although the case where the image data generated by the image data generation unit is enlarged to a size suitable for film printing will be described, it may be reduced.

(Device configuration)
The configuration of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are block diagrams showing the specific configuration of the image data generation unit provided in the medical image diagnostic apparatus. FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the effective display area measuring unit provided in the image data output unit of the medical image diagnostic apparatus.

  A medical image diagnostic apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 performs X-ray imaging on a plurality of slice sections set in the body axis direction of a subject and collects projection data and the obtained projection data. An image data generation unit 1 having a reconstruction processing unit 3 that generates a plurality of image data by performing a reconstruction process in units of slice sections, and an image to be subjected to film printing by enlarging the plurality of image data to a suitable size The data output unit 4 and the image data (first image data) before enlargement processing generated by the image data generation unit 1 or the image data (second image data) enlarged by the image data output unit 4 are required. A display unit 5 for displaying in response, input of subject information, setting of image data generation conditions, setting of image data output conditions, and input of various command signals, etc., and medical use And a system controller 7 which generally controls each unit described above provided in the image diagnostic apparatus 100.

  Next, a specific configuration of the X-ray imaging unit 2 included in the image data generation unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the X-ray imaging unit 2 includes an X-ray generation unit 22 that irradiates the subject 30 with X-rays, an irradiation intensity control unit 21 that controls the irradiation intensity of the X-rays, and the subject. A projection data collection unit 23 that detects X-rays transmitted through 30 and collects projection data, and a gantry rotation unit 27 that includes the X-ray generation unit 22 and the projection data collection unit 23 and rotates at high speed around the subject 30. And a top plate 29 that is slidably provided on the upper surface of a bed (not shown) and that moves the subject 30 to the center (imaging field) of the gantry rotating unit 27 and moves the top plate 29 And a moving mechanism unit 25 that rotates the gantry rotating unit 27 at a high speed.

  The X-ray generation unit 22 includes an X-ray tube 221 that irradiates the subject 30 with X-rays, a high voltage generator 222 that generates a high voltage applied between the anode and the cathode of the X-ray tube 221, and an X-ray An X-ray restrictor 223 for controlling the irradiation range of the X-rays emitted from the tube 221 to the subject 30 and a high voltage generated by the high voltage generator 222 are supplied to the X-ray tube 221 provided in the gantry rotating unit 27. The slip ring 224 is provided.

  The X-ray tube 221 is a vacuum tube that generates X-rays, and generates X-rays by colliding electrons accelerated by a high voltage supplied from the high-voltage generator 222 with a tungsten target. The X-ray restrictor 223 is provided between the X-ray tube 221 and the subject 30 and has a function of narrowing the X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube 221 to a predetermined irradiation range and an X-ray irradiation intensity distribution on the subject 30. Has a function to set. For example, the X-ray beam radiated from the X-ray tube 221 is formed into a cone beam-like or fan-beam-like X-ray beam corresponding to a preset imaging region.

  Next, the irradiation intensity control unit 21 controls the control signal based on the X-ray irradiation conditions (for example, the tube voltage of the X-ray tube 221, the tube current, and the X-ray irradiation time) that are initially set by the input unit 6. And the control signal is supplied to the high voltage generator 222 of the X-ray generator 22 to control the irradiation intensity of X-rays irradiated from the X-ray tube 221 to the subject 30.

  On the other hand, the projection data collection unit 23 is an X-ray detector 231 that detects X-rays transmitted through the subject 30, and a switch that bundles a plurality of channels of detection signals output from the X-ray detector 231 into a predetermined number of channels. Group 232, a data acquisition unit (hereinafter referred to as a DAS (data acquisition system) unit) 233 that performs current / voltage conversion and A / D conversion on the output signal of switch group 232, and an output signal of DAS unit 233 Is provided with a data transmission circuit 234 for performing parallel / serial conversion, electrical / optical / electrical conversion, and serial / parallel conversion.

  The X-ray detector 231 of the projection data collection unit 23 includes two-dimensionally arranged X-ray detection elements (not shown). Each of the X-ray detection elements is, for example, a scintillator that converts X-rays into light and electric light. It is composed of a photodiode that converts the signal. These X-ray detection elements are attached to the gantry rotating unit 27 along an arc centered on the focal point of the X-ray tube 221, and detect X-rays transmitted through the subject 30 to generate projection data.

  On the other hand, the switch group 232 includes a multiplexer (not shown), and when the projection data supplied from the X-ray detector 231 is transferred to the DAS unit 233, the projection data of a plurality of channels in the slice direction output from the X-ray detection element. By “bundling data” to a predetermined number of channels, the acquisition position and acquisition width of projection data in the slice direction are determined.

  The DAS unit 233 performs current / voltage conversion and A / D conversion on the projection data supplied from the X-ray detector 231. The data transmission circuit 234 includes a parallel / serial converter, an electrical / optical / electrical converter, and a serial / parallel converter (not shown), and projection data output from the DAS unit 233 is provided in the gantry rotating unit 27. In the parallel / serial converter, the data is converted into one-channel projection data in time series, and is supplied to the serial / parallel converter of the gantry fixing unit 28 by optical communication using the electrical / optical / electrical converter.

  Next, the movement mechanism unit 25 includes a mechanism control unit 251 and a top / pedestal movement mechanism unit 252. The mechanism control unit 251 generates a gantry rotation control signal and a top plate movement control signal based on the movement instruction signal supplied from the input unit 6 via the system control unit 7, and supplies the gantry rotation control signal and the top plate movement control signal to the top plate / gantry moving mechanism unit 252. To do. On the other hand, the top plate / base movement mechanism 252 includes a base rotation unit 27 on which the X-ray tube 221 and the projection data collection unit 23 are mounted according to the base rotation control signal and the top movement control signal supplied from the mechanism control unit 251. The subject 30 is rotated at a high speed around the subject 30, and the top plate 29 on which the subject 30 is placed is moved in the body axis direction at a predetermined speed.

  That is, the X-ray tube 221 and the X-ray diaphragm 223 of the X-ray generation unit 22 and the above-described projection data collection unit 23 are mounted on the gantry rotation unit 27 so as to face each other with the subject 30 interposed therebetween, in the body axis direction. The object 30 that moves sequentially is rotated at a high speed around the axis parallel to the body axis direction (z direction) at a predetermined speed.

  Next, a specific configuration of the reconstruction processing unit 3 included in the image data generation unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the reconstruction processing unit 3 includes a projection data storage unit 31, an arithmetic processing unit 32, and an image data storage unit 33, and reconstructs the projection data of the subject 30 collected by the projection data collection unit 23. It has a function of processing to generate two-dimensional image data.

  That is, the projection data storage unit 31 collects projections collected by the projection data collection unit 23 in a state where the high-speed rotation of the gantry rotation unit 27 and the movement of the top plate 29 in the body axis direction are performed substantially simultaneously around the subject 30. The data is stored as supplementary information such as rotation angle information of the gantry rotating unit 27, arrangement information of the X-ray detection elements, position information of the top plate 29, and the like.

  On the other hand, the arithmetic processing unit 32 reconstructs the projection data read from the projection data storage unit 31 based on the above-described incidental information and image data generation conditions supplied from the input unit 6 via the system control unit 7, Image data (first image data) in a plurality of slice cross sections substantially perpendicular to the body axis direction is generated. Then, the generated image data is stored in the image data storage unit 33 with the image data identification information corresponding to the position information of the slice cross section as supplementary information.

  Next, image data collected in a plurality of slice sections set in the chest region and abdominal region of the subject 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows N slice sections Sc1 to ScN set at the interval Δηc in the chest region and M slice sections Sa1 to SaM set at the interval Δηa in the abdominal region. b) shows image data Ic1 to IcN generated in the slice sections Sc1 to ScN and image data Ia1 to IaM generated in the slice sections Sa1 to SaM. Note that the region to be examined is not limited to the above-described chest region or abdominal region, and may be a head region, a neck region, a buttocks region, a leg region, or the like.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the image data output unit 4 includes an effective display area measurement unit 41, an image enlargement rate calculation unit 42, a minimum image enlargement rate extraction unit 43, an image data enlargement processing unit 44, and a film printing unit 45. .

  As shown in FIG. 5, the effective display area measurement unit 41 includes pixel values of the abdominal region image data Ia1 to IaM and the chest region image data Ic1 to IcN supplied from the reconstruction processing unit 3 of the image data generation unit 1. A binarization processing unit 411 that generates binarized image data by comparing (CT value) with upper limit values αa1 and αc1 and lower limit values αa2 and αc2 of pixel values set in advance for these inspection regions. An area width measuring unit 412 for measuring the maximum vertical width and the maximum horizontal width of the effective display area based on a rectangular frame circumscribing the effective display area indicated by each of the binarized image data, and the rectangular frame An area center measurement unit 413 that measures the center position of the effective display area is provided.

  Next, a method for measuring the maximum vertical width, the maximum horizontal width, and the center position of the effective display area by the above-described binarization processing unit 411, region width measuring unit 412, and region center measuring unit 413 will be described with reference to FIGS. To do. 6A shows the image data Iam generated by the slice section Sam of the abdominal region, and FIG. 6B shows the binarization processing unit 411 for the pixel value of the image data Iam and the abdominal region. The binarized image data Dam generated by the comparison between the upper limit value αa1 and the lower limit value αa2 is shown. The abdominal organ having a pixel value larger than the lower limit value αa2 and smaller than the upper limit value αa1 in the image data Iam is binarized image data. The effective display area Aam is extracted in Dam.

  Then, the area width measurement unit 412 measures the maximum horizontal width Xam and the maximum vertical width Yam of the effective display area Aam by setting a rectangular frame Bam circumscribing the effective display area Aam of the binarized image data Dam. On the other hand, the area center measurement unit 413 measures the center position Cam of the effective display area Aam, for example, by calculating the center coordinates of the rectangular frame Bam.

  On the other hand, FIG. 7A shows the image data Icn generated in the slice section Scn of the chest region, and FIG. 7B shows the pixel value of the image data Icn and the upper limit value αc1 for the chest region. The binarized image data Dcn generated by comparison with the lower limit value αc2 is shown, and the chest organ (lung field) having a pixel value larger than the lower limit value αc2 and smaller than the upper limit value αc1 in the image data Icn is binarized image data. In Dcn, the effective display area Acn is extracted.

  Then, the area width measurement unit 412 measures the maximum horizontal width Xcn and the maximum vertical width Ycn of the effective display area Acn by setting a rectangular frame Bcn circumscribing the effective display area Acn of the binarized image data Dcn. The measurement unit 413 measures the center position Ccn of the effective display area Acn by calculating the center coordinates of the rectangular frame Bcn.

  Returning to FIG. 1 again, the image enlargement ratio calculation unit 42 of the image data output unit 4 has an arithmetic circuit (not shown), and the film size (film size) used in the film printing unit 45 and binary values of the abdominal region. Image data Iam in film printing based on the size of the effective display area Aam (m = 1 to M) in the digitized image data Dam and the effective display area Acn (n = 1 to N) in the binarized image data Dcn of the chest area The enlargement ratio is calculated.

  For example, when the size of the effective display area Aam in the binarized image data Dam is smaller than the film size, the ratio βaxm (βaxm = Fx / Xam) between the effective width Fx of the film and the maximum width Xam of the effective display area Aam and the film The ratio βaym (βaym = Fy / Yam) between the effective vertical width Fy and the maximum vertical width Yam of the effective display area Aam is calculated. When βaxm <βaym, βaxm is set to the enlargement ratio βaom of the image data Iam, and when βaxm ≧ βaym, βaym is set. Further, the enlargement ratio βcon of the image data Icn is set by the same method.

  On the other hand, the minimum image enlargement rate extraction unit 43 extracts the minimum enlargement rate from the enlargement rates βao1 to βaoM of the image data Ia1 to IaM calculated by the image enlargement rate calculation unit 42, and similarly, the image data Ic1 to Ic1 to The smallest enlargement ratio is extracted from the enlargement ratios βco1 to βcoN of IcN.

  Then, the image data enlargement processing unit 44 and the abdominal region image data Ia1 to IaM and the chest region image data Ic1 supplied from the reconstruction processing unit 3 of the image data generation unit 1 based on the enlargement rate of the extracted image data. The image data for film printing (second image data) are generated by enlarging each of I to IcN. Specifically, the minimum enlargement ratios extracted from the enlargement ratios βco1 to βcoN by performing the enlargement process or the interpolation process on the pixels of the image data Ia1 to IaM based on the minimum enlargement ratios extracted from the enlargement ratios βao1 to βaoM. Based on this, the pixels of the image data Ic1 to IcN are enlarged or interpolated.

  Further, the image data enlargement processing unit 44 executes the enlargement processing of the image data Ia1 to IaM after the enlargement processing based on the center positions Ca1 to CaM of the effective display regions Aa1 to AaM supplied from the region center measurement unit 413 of the effective display region measurement unit 41. Similarly, the positions of the image data Ic1 to IcN after the enlargement process are corrected based on the center positions Cc1 to CcN of the effective display areas Ac1 to AcN. Due to the above-described position correction, the effective display areas Aa1 to AaM of the image data Ia1 to IaM and the effective display areas Ac1 to AcN of the image data Ic1 to IcN are arranged in the substantially central part of the film loaded in the film printing unit 45. The image data can be enlarged at a high magnification.

  The film printing unit 45 performs film printing of the abdominal region image data Ia1 to IaM and the chest region image data Ic1 to IcN (second image data) subjected to the enlargement process and the position correction in the image data enlargement processing unit 44. It has a function and is constituted by a laser imager or the like. Then, identification information and film size information of the film loaded in the film printing unit 45 are supplied to the system control unit 7 in advance.

  On the other hand, the input unit 6 is an interactive interface including input devices such as a display panel, a keyboard, a changeover switch, a selection button, and a mouse. The input unit 6 inputs subject information, selects an examination region, sets image data generation conditions, Setting of image data display conditions, setting of an upper limit value and a lower limit value for pixel values of image data, selection of a film to be used in the film printing unit 45, and input of various command signals are performed.

  The system control unit 7 includes a CPU and a storage circuit (not shown), and various input / setting / selection information supplied from the input unit 6 is stored in the storage circuit. Then, the CPU comprehensively controls the above-described units included in the medical image diagnostic apparatus 100 based on such information, and generates image data for the subject 30 and outputs image data by film printing.

(Image data film printing procedure)
Next, the image data film printing procedure in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, a case where image data is generated with the slice sections Sa1 to SaM set in the abdominal region of the subject 30 with the interval Δηa will be described, but the examination region, the slice section interval, and the number of slice sections are not particularly limited.

  Prior to generating image data for the subject 30, the operator of the image diagnostic apparatus 100 inputs subject information, selects an examination region, sets image data generation conditions and image data display conditions, and sets pixel values for image data. Setting of the upper limit value αa1 and the lower limit value αa2, selection of a film used for film printing, and the like are performed using an input device provided in the input unit 6. These input / setting / selection information is stored in a storage circuit provided in the system control unit 7. Next, the operator places a part of the examination region in the imaging field of the gantry rotating unit 27 by moving the top plate 29 on which the subject 30 is placed in the body axis direction (step S1 in FIG. 8).

  When the above initial setting is completed, the operator inputs an image data generation start command at the input unit 6 (step S2 in FIG. 8). Upon receiving this command signal, the system control unit 7 supplies a movement instruction signal to the mechanism control unit 251 of the movement mechanism unit 25 provided in the X-ray imaging unit 2 of the image data generation unit 1, and the mechanism control unit 251. Generates a gantry rotation control signal and a top plate movement control signal based on the movement instruction signal and supplies them to the top plate / gantry moving mechanism unit 252. On the other hand, the top plate / base movement mechanism 252 includes a base rotation unit 27 on which the X-ray tube 221 and the projection data collection unit 23 are mounted according to the base rotation control signal and the top movement control signal supplied from the mechanism control unit 251. The subject 30 is rotated around the subject 30 at a high speed, and the top plate 29 on which the subject 30 is placed is moved in the body axis direction.

  On the other hand, the irradiation intensity control unit 21 supplies a control signal generated based on the X-ray irradiation condition of the image data generation condition supplied from the system control unit 7 to the high voltage generator 222 of the X-ray generation unit 22. The voltage generator 222 supplies power (tube voltage and tube current) based on the X-ray irradiation conditions to the X-ray tube 221 to irradiate the subject 30 with X-rays.

  X-rays irradiated from the X-ray tube 221 and transmitted through the subject 30 are detected by the X-ray detector 231 of the projection data collection unit 23. That is, the X-rays that have passed through the subject 30 are converted into a charge (current) signal proportional to the transmitted dose in the X-ray detector 231, and “data bundling” is performed in the slice direction in the switch group 232. Then, the “current bundled” current signal is supplied to the DAS unit 233, where current / voltage conversion and A / D conversion are performed to generate projection data.

  This projection data is sent to the transmission unit of the data transmission circuit 234 attached to the gantry rotating unit 27, converted into an optical signal, and sent to the reception unit of the data transmission circuit 234 attached to the gantry fixing unit 28 via the air. Received. The received projection data is stored in the projection data storage unit 31 of the reconstruction processing unit 3 as supplementary information such as the array information of the X-ray detection elements, the rotation angle information of the gantry rotation unit 27, and the position information of the top plate 29. Is done. That is, the projection data storage unit 31 stores the projection data of the slice sections Sa1 to SaM set at the interval Δηa with respect to the abdominal region of the subject 30 together with the above-described incidental information (step S3 in FIG. 8).

  On the other hand, the arithmetic processing unit 32 of the reconstruction processing unit 3 reconstructs the projection data read from the projection data storage unit 31 for the above-mentioned incidental information and the image data generation conditions supplied from the input unit 6 via the system control unit 7. Reconstruction processing is performed based on the configuration conditions, and image data Ia1 to IaM (first image data) is generated for each of slice slices Sa1 to SaM substantially perpendicular to the body axis direction (z direction). Then, the generated image data is stored in the image data storage unit 33 with the image data identification information corresponding to the position information of the slice section as supplementary information (step S4 in FIG. 8).

  When the generation and storage of the image data Ia1 to IaM in the plurality of slice sections Sa1 to SaM of the subject 30 are completed, the binarization processing unit 411 provided in the effective display area measurement unit 41 of the image data output unit 4 The binarized image data Da1 to DaM are generated by comparing the pixel values of the image data Ia1 to IaM supplied from the reconstruction processing unit 3 of the image data generation unit 1 with the predetermined upper limit value αa1 and lower limit value αa2. .

  Next, the area width measurement unit 412 of the effective display area measurement unit 41 sets the rectangular frames Ba1 to BaM circumscribing the effective display areas Aa1 to AaM of the binarized image data Da1 to DaM, thereby setting the effective display areas Aa1 to AaM. The maximum horizontal widths Xa1 to XaM and the maximum vertical widths Ya1 to YaM are measured, and the area center measurement unit 413 calculates the center coordinates of the rectangular frames Ba1 to BaM to determine the center positions Ca1 to CaM of the effective display areas Aa1 to AaM. Measurement is performed (step S5 in FIG. 7).

  Next, the image enlargement ratio calculation unit 42 of the image data output unit 4 is based on the size of the film used in the film printing unit 45 and the size of the effective display areas Aa1 to AaM in the binarized image data Da1 to DaM. The image data Ia1 to IaM are calculated for the enlargement ratios βao1 to βaoM during film printing (step S6 in FIG. 8), and the minimum image enlargement ratio extraction unit 43 calculates the above-described enlargement ratios βao1 to βao1 to the image enlargement ratio calculation unit 42. The minimum enlargement ratio is extracted from βaoM (step S7 in FIG. 8).

  On the other hand, the image data enlargement processing unit 44 enlarges each of the image data Ia1 to IaM supplied from the reconstruction processing unit 3 of the image data generation unit 1 on the basis of the extracted enlargement ratio, and performs image data for film printing. (Second image data) is generated, and the image data Ia1 that has been enlarged based on the center positions Ca1 to CaM of the effective display areas Aa1 to AaM supplied from the area center measurement unit 413 of the effective display area measurement unit 41 is generated. To the position of IaM are corrected (step S8 in FIG. 8). Then, the film printing unit 45 sequentially prints the image data Ia1 to IaM subjected to the enlargement process and the position correction in the image data enlargement processing unit 44 (step S9 in FIG. 8).

  According to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the effective display area of the image data collected from the subject can be efficiently formed on a film of a predetermined size (that is, all the effective display areas in the image data are maximized). It is possible to easily perform enlargement processing for printing. For this reason, not only the diagnostic efficiency and the inspection efficiency are improved, but also the burden on the operator can be reduced.

  In particular, since the effective display area is measured by comparing the pixel value of the image data with a predetermined upper limit value and lower limit value, it is possible to measure with high accuracy. Can be calculated accurately.

  In addition, when a plurality of image data is generated from a predetermined inspection area, a minimum enlargement ratio is extracted from a plurality of enlargement ratios calculated in units of image data, and the image data is enlarged based on the minimum enlargement ratio. Therefore, a plurality of image data having the same enlargement ratio can be efficiently printed on a film.

  Further, since the center position of the effective display area is measured in units of image data, and the position of the image data after enlargement processing is corrected based on the measurement result, the effective display area of the image data is approximately at the center of the film. Are arranged, and thus a more efficient enlargement process is possible.

  Next, an image data output apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This image data output device reads out image data in a plurality of slice sections of the subject supplied from a separately installed medical image diagnostic device and stored in its own image data storage unit, and pixel values constituting these image data Is compared with a predetermined upper limit value and lower limit value, and an effective display area in the image data is measured. Next, an enlargement ratio is calculated for each image data based on the size of the effective display area and the film used for film printing, and extracted from a plurality of enlargement ratios obtained in units of image data. Based on the minimum enlargement ratio, each of the image data is enlarged and printed.

(Device configuration)
The configuration of the image data output apparatus in this embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. However, in FIG. 9, units having the same configurations and functions as the units of the medical image diagnostic apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 are assigned the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

  The image data output device 200 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 9 includes an image data storage unit 8 that stores image data in a plurality of slice sections of the subject collected by a separately installed medical image diagnostic apparatus, and the image data The image data output unit 4 that enlarges each of the image data to a suitable size and prints the film, and the image data (first image data) before the enlargement process stored in the image data storage unit 8 or the image data output unit 4 Display unit 5 that displays the image data (second image data) that has been subjected to enlargement processing as necessary, input of object information, setting of image data generation conditions, setting of image data display conditions, and various An input unit 6a for inputting a command signal and the like, and a system control unit 7a for comprehensively controlling each unit provided in the image data output apparatus 200 are provided. .

  The image data storage unit 8 includes images of a plurality of slices of the subject collected by a medical image diagnostic apparatus such as an X-ray CT apparatus or an MRI apparatus (not shown) and supplied via a network or a large-capacity storage medium. The image data identification information corresponding to the position information of the slice cross section is stored in advance as supplementary information.

  On the other hand, the input unit 6a is an interactive interface including input devices such as a display panel, a keyboard, a changeover switch, a selection button, and a mouse. The input unit 6a inputs object information, sets image data display conditions, and pixel values of image data. The upper limit value and lower limit value are set, the film used for film printing is selected, and various command signals are input.

  The system control unit 7a includes a CPU and a storage circuit (not shown), and various input / setting / selection information supplied from the input unit 6 is stored in the storage circuit. Then, based on these pieces of information, the CPU comprehensively controls the above-described units included in the image data output apparatus 200, and enlarges the image data collected from the subject to a suitable size. Print on film.

  The image data film printing procedure in this embodiment is the same as steps S5 to S9 in the film printing procedure of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  According to the second embodiment of the present invention described above, as in the first embodiment described above, the effective display area of the image data collected from the subject can be efficiently formed on a film of a predetermined size (that is, The enlargement process for printing all the effective display areas in the image data (with the maximum size) can be easily performed. For this reason, not only the diagnostic efficiency and the inspection efficiency are improved, but also the burden on the operator can be reduced.

  In particular, since the effective display area is measured by comparing the pixel value of the image data with a predetermined upper limit value and lower limit value, it is possible to measure with high accuracy. Can be calculated accurately.

  In addition, when image data is generated in each of a plurality of slice sections set in a predetermined inspection area, a minimum enlargement ratio is extracted from a plurality of enlargement ratios calculated in units of image data, and the minimum enlargement ratio is obtained. Since the image data is enlarged based on this, a plurality of image data having the same enlargement ratio can be efficiently printed on a film.

  On the other hand, in the above-described embodiment, the center position of the effective display area is measured in units of image data, and the position of the image data after the enlargement process is corrected based on the measurement result. Therefore, the image data can be enlarged more efficiently.

  Further, since enlargement processing suitable for film printing is performed on image data supplied from a separately installed medical image diagnostic apparatus via a network or the like, the operator is not greatly limited by time and place. Film printing of the image data can be performed efficiently.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention has been described, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned Example, It can change and implement. For example, in the above-described first and second embodiments, the case where the enlargement process suitable for film printing is performed on the image data collected from the subject has been described. If the size is larger than the size of the film used for film printing, a reduction process may be performed.

  Moreover, although the case where enlargement processing suitable for film printing is performed on a plurality of image data collected from a plurality of slice sections of the subject has been described, one piece of image data may be the object of enlargement processing. Also, it may be a plurality of image data generated in time series in the same slice cross section.

  Furthermore, the case where the image data collected in the chest region and the abdominal region of the subject is enlarged has been described, but the examination target part where the image data is collected is not limited to the chest region or the abdominal region. , Head region, neck region, buttocks region, leg region, and the like.

  In addition, the binarization processing unit 411 in the above-described embodiment is provided with an upper limit value and a lower limit value set in advance for the pixel value of the image data supplied from the reconstruction processing unit 3 of the image data generation unit 1 and the inspection area. In the above description, the binarized image data is generated by comparing with the above. However, the binarized image data may be generated by comparing the pixel value of the image data with either the upper limit value or the lower limit value.

  Further, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment and the image data output apparatus 200 according to the second embodiment include a film printing unit 45 that prints the enlarged image data as a component of the apparatus. As described above, the film printing unit 45 may be provided independently of the medical image diagnostic apparatus 100 or the image data output apparatus 200.

  On the other hand, the image data generation unit 1 of the medical image diagnostic apparatus in the first embodiment described above reconstructs projection data collected by X-ray imaging of the subject to generate CT (Computed Tomography) image data. Although the case has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, other medical image data such as MRI image data and X-ray image data may be generated.

  The functions of the units included in the image data output unit 4 of the first and second embodiments can be normally executed by software. In such a case, FIG. 1 and FIG. An image data output unit 4 of 9 is a functional block diagram.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image data generation part 2 ... X-ray imaging part 3 ... Reconstruction process part 4 ... Image data output part 41 ... Effective display area measurement part 411 ... Binarization process part 412 ... Area width measurement part 413 ... Area center measurement part 42 ... Image enlargement rate calculation unit 43 ... Minimum image enlargement rate extraction unit 44 ... Image data enlargement processing unit 45 ... Film printing unit 5 ... Display unit 6, 6a ... Input unit 7, 7a ... System control unit 8 ... Image data storage unit DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Medical image diagnostic apparatus 200 ... Image data output device

Claims (10)

In a medical image diagnostic apparatus that processes first image data obtained from a subject to generate second image data for film printing,
Image data generating means for generating the first image data for a plurality of examination regions of the subject;
At least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the pixel value is set in advance for each of the pixel value of the generated first image data and each of the plurality of inspection regions, and the upper limit value of the preset pixel value And binarized image data generated by comparison with at least one of the lower limit value and effective display area measuring means for measuring an effective display area in the first image data based on the generated binarized image data When,
Image enlargement ratio calculating means for calculating an enlargement ratio of the image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing;
A medical image diagnostic apparatus, comprising: image data enlargement processing means for generating the second image data by enlarging or reducing the first image data based on the enlargement ratio of the image data. In a medical image diagnostic apparatus for processing a plurality of first image data obtained from each of a plurality of examination regions of a subject to generate second image data for film printing,
Image data generating means for generating the plurality of first image data for each of the plurality of inspection regions;
At least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the pixel value is set in advance for each of the pixel value of the generated first image data and each of the plurality of inspection regions, and the upper limit value of the preset pixel value And binarized image data generated by comparison with at least one of the lower limit value and effective display area measuring means for measuring an effective display area in the first image data based on the generated binarized image data When,
Image enlargement ratio calculating means for calculating the enlargement ratio of the image data for each first image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing;
A minimum enlargement ratio extracting means for extracting a minimum enlargement ratio from a plurality of calculated enlargement ratios;
An image data enlargement processing unit for enlarging or reducing the first image data based on the extracted minimum enlargement ratio to generate the second image data. . The effective display area measuring means includes
Based on the generated binary image data, comprising area width measuring means for measuring the maximum horizontal width and maximum vertical width of the effective display area,
The image enlargement ratio calculating means includes
The enlargement ratio is calculated by comparing the maximum horizontal width of the effective display area and the horizontal width of the film or the maximum vertical width of the effective display area and the vertical width of the film. 2. The medical image diagnostic apparatus described in 2. The effective display area measuring means includes
An area center measuring means for measuring the center position of the effective display area based on the generated binary image data;
The image data enlargement processing means includes
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the position of the second image data subjected to the enlargement process or the reduction process is corrected based on a measurement result of the area center measurement unit. . A film printing means,
The film printing means includes
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second image data generated by the image data enlargement processing unit is printed on a film. The image data generating means
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first image data in a plurality of different slice sections set in the examination region is generated. An image data output device that processes first image data collected by a medical image diagnostic apparatus to generate second image data for film printing,
At least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the pixel value is set in advance for each of the collected pixel value of the first image data and the plurality of examination regions of the subject, and the preset pixel value An effective display area for generating binarized image data by comparison with at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value, and measuring an effective display area in the first image data based on the generated binarized image data Measuring means;
Image enlargement ratio calculating means for calculating an enlargement ratio of the image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing;
An image data output device comprising: image data enlargement processing means for generating the second image data by enlarging or reducing the first image data based on an enlargement ratio of the image data. An image data output device that processes a plurality of first image data obtained from each of a plurality of examination regions of a subject to generate second image data for film printing,
At least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a pixel value is preset for the pixel value of the first image data and each of the plurality of inspection areas, and the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the preset pixel value are set. Effective image display area measuring means for generating binarized image data by comparison with at least one of the image data, and measuring an effective display area in the first image data based on the generated binarized image data ;
Image enlargement ratio calculating means for calculating the enlargement ratio of the image data for each first image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing;
A minimum enlargement ratio extracting means for extracting a minimum enlargement ratio from a plurality of calculated enlargement ratios;
An image data output device comprising: image data enlargement processing means for generating the second image data by enlarging or reducing the first image data based on the extracted minimum enlargement ratio . In medical diagnostic imaging device or image data output device,
Preliminarily setting at least one of a pixel value of first image data collected from each of a plurality of examination areas of a subject and an upper limit value and a lower limit value of each of the plurality of examination areas; Binarized image data is generated by comparison with at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of pixel values set in advance, and effective display in the first image data is performed based on the generated binarized image data. Effective display area measurement function to measure the area,
An image enlargement ratio calculation function for calculating an enlargement ratio of image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for film printing;
An image data output control program for executing an image data enlargement processing function for generating the second image data by enlarging or reducing the first image data based on the enlargement ratio of the image data . In medical diagnostic imaging device or image data output device,
Preliminarily setting at least one of a pixel value of first image data collected from each of a plurality of examination areas of a subject and an upper limit value and a lower limit value of each of the plurality of examination areas; Binarized image data is respectively generated by comparison with at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of pixel values set in advance , and effective display of the first image data is performed based on the generated binary image data Effective display area measurement function to measure the area,
An image enlargement ratio calculation function for calculating the enlargement ratio of the image data in the film printing for each image data based on the size of the effective display area and the size of the film used for the film printing;
A minimum enlargement ratio extraction function that extracts a minimum enlargement ratio from a plurality of calculated enlargement ratios;
An image data output function for executing an image data enlargement processing function for generating image data for film printing by performing enlargement processing or reduction processing on the first image data based on the extracted minimum enlargement ratio Control program.