JP6087618B2 - Image processing system and image processing method - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image processing system, apparatus, method, and program.

  Conventionally, a monitor capable of stereoscopically viewing a two-parallax image taken from two viewpoints using a dedicated device such as stereoscopic glasses has been put into practical use. In recent years, monitors that can stereoscopically view multi-parallax images (for example, 9 parallax images) taken from a plurality of viewpoints using a light beam controller such as a lenticular lens have been put into practical use. Note that a 2-parallax image or a 9-parallax image displayed on a stereoscopically viewable monitor may be generated by estimating the depth information of an image taken from one viewpoint and performing image processing using the estimated information. .

  On the other hand, a medical image diagnostic apparatus such as an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) apparatus, or an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is practically capable of generating three-dimensional medical image data (hereinafter referred to as volume data). It has become. From the volume data generated by the medical image diagnostic apparatus, a volume rendering image (parallax image) having an arbitrary number of parallaxes can be generated at an arbitrary parallax angle. In view of this, it has been studied to display a two-dimensional volume rendering image generated from volume data in a stereoscopic manner on a stereoscopically visible monitor that has recently been put into practical use.

  However, in order to execute the volume rendering process in real time according to the request of the observer, a high image processing capability is required for the apparatus that performs the volume rendering process.

JP 2005-84414 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an image processing system, apparatus, method, and program capable of reducing the processing load required to generate a stereoscopic image from three-dimensional medical image data. It is.

An image processing system according to an embodiment includes a plurality of stereoscopic display devices and an image processing device. The stereoscopic display device is a device capable of displaying a stereoscopic image configured using parallax images having a predetermined number of parallaxes. An image processing apparatus includes: a rendering processing unit that performs rendering processing on volume data that is three-dimensional medical image data; and the predetermined number of parallaxes of the plurality of stereoscopic display devices generated from the volume data by the rendering processing unit. A storage control unit that stores a parallax image group having a number equal to or greater than the maximum number of parallaxes in the storage unit is provided. The stereoscopic display device displays a stereoscopic image configured by selecting a parallax image having the predetermined number of parallaxes from a group of parallax images having the maximum number of parallaxes or more stored in the storage unit. The rendering processing unit generates the parallax image group by setting a viewpoint for executing the rendering process based on a straight line or a curve forming a figure with a predetermined shape to be equal to or greater than the maximum number of parallaxes.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of an image processing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a stereoscopic display monitor that performs stereoscopic display using two parallax images. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of a stereoscopic display monitor that performs stereoscopic display using nine parallax images. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the workstation according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the rendering processing unit shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of volume rendering processing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the terminal device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a rendering process executed under the first graphic condition and the first image number condition. FIG. 9 is a diagram (1) for explaining the rendering process executed under the first graphic condition and the second image number condition. FIG. 10 is a diagram (2) for explaining the rendering process executed under the first graphic condition and the second image number condition. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the first graphic condition. FIG. 12 is a diagram (1) for explaining the display control in the terminal device. FIG. 13 is a diagram (2) for explaining the display control in the terminal device. FIG. 14 is a diagram (3) for explaining the display control in the terminal device. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining the second graphic condition. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining image storage processing of the image processing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining image display processing of the image processing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a first modification according to the first embodiment. FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining a second modification example according to the first embodiment. FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a third modification example according to the first embodiment. FIG. 21 is a diagram (1) for explaining private tags attached to moving image data. FIG. 22 is a diagram (2) for explaining a private tag attached to moving image data. FIG. 23 is a diagram (3) for explaining a private tag attached to the moving image data. FIG. 24 is a diagram (1) for explaining incidental information compliant with the DICOM standard assigned to moving image data. FIG. 25 is a diagram (2) for explaining incidental information compliant with the DICOM standard assigned to moving image data. FIG. 26 is a diagram for explaining image display processing of the image processing system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 27 is a diagram for explaining a private tag attached to moving image data in a modification according to the second embodiment. FIG. 28 is a diagram for explaining incidental information compliant with the DICOM standard attached to moving image data in a modification according to the second embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of an image processing system will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Terms used in the following embodiments will be described. A “parallax image” is an individual image constituting a “stereoscopic image”. That is, the “stereoscopic image” is composed of a plurality of “parallax images” having different “parallax angles”. The “parallax number” is the number of “parallax images” necessary for stereoscopic viewing on the stereoscopic display monitor. In addition, the “parallax angle” is an angle determined by the interval between the positions of the viewpoints set for generating the “stereoscopic image” and the position of the volume data. Further, the “9 parallax image” described below is a “stereoscopic image” composed of nine “parallax images”. In addition, a “two-parallax image” described below is a “stereoscopic image” composed of two “parallax images”.

(First embodiment)
First, a configuration example of the image processing system according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of an image processing system according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image processing system 1 according to the first embodiment includes a medical image diagnostic apparatus 110, an image storage apparatus 120, a workstation 130, and a terminal apparatus 140. Each apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is in a state where it can communicate with each other directly or indirectly by, for example, an in-hospital LAN (Local Area Network) 2 installed in a hospital. For example, when a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) is introduced into the image processing system 1, each apparatus transmits and receives medical images and the like according to DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standards.

  The image processing system 1 is configured by generating a parallax image group that can be used as a stereoscopic image from volume data that is three-dimensional medical image data generated by the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110, and selecting the parallax image group from the parallax image group. By displaying the stereoscopic image to be displayed on a stereoscopically visible monitor, a medical image that can be stereoscopically viewed is provided to doctors and laboratory technicians working in the hospital. Here, the stereoscopic image is generally a plurality of images with different parallax angles taken from a plurality of viewpoints. In the first embodiment, the workstation 130 performs various image processes on the volume data to generate a parallax image group. In the first embodiment, the workstation 130 and the terminal device 140 each have a stereoscopic monitor, and a stereoscopic image configured by selecting from a parallax image group generated by the workstation 130 is selected. Display on this monitor. Further, the image storage device 120 stores the volume data generated by the medical image diagnostic device 110 and the parallax image group generated by the workstation 130. In other words, the workstation 130 and the terminal device 140 acquire volume data and a parallax image group from the image storage device 120, process them, and display them on a monitor. Hereinafter, each device will be described in order.

  The medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 includes an X-ray diagnostic apparatus, an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) apparatus, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) apparatus, and a PET (Positron Emission computed Tomography). ) Apparatus, a SPECT-CT apparatus in which a SPECT apparatus and an X-ray CT apparatus are integrated, a PET-CT apparatus in which a PET apparatus and an X-ray CT apparatus are integrated, or a group of these apparatuses. Further, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 according to the first embodiment can generate three-dimensional medical image data (volume data).

  Specifically, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 according to the first embodiment generates volume data by imaging a subject. For example, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 collects data such as projection data and MR signals by photographing the subject, and uses the collected data to obtain medical images of a plurality of axial surfaces along the body axis direction of the subject. Volume data is generated by reconfiguration. For example, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 reconstructs 500 axial medical images. The 500 medical image groups on the axial plane serve as volume data.

  Further, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 according to the first embodiment transmits the generated volume data to the image storage apparatus 120. The medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 identifies, for example, a patient ID for identifying a patient, an examination ID for identifying an examination, and the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 as supplementary information when transmitting volume data to the image storage apparatus 120. A device ID, a series ID for identifying one shot by the medical image diagnostic device 110, and the like are transmitted.

  The image storage device 120 is a database that stores medical images. Specifically, the image storage device 120 according to the first embodiment stores the volume data transmitted from the medical image diagnostic device 110 in a storage unit and stores it. In the first embodiment, the workstation 130 generates a parallax image group from the volume data, and transmits the generated parallax image group to the image storage device 120. The image storage device 120 stores the parallax image group transmitted from the workstation 130 in the storage unit and stores it. In the present embodiment, the workstation 130 illustrated in FIG. 1 and the image storage device 120 may be integrated by using the workstation 130 that can store a large-capacity image. That is, this embodiment may be a case where volume data or a parallax image group is stored in the workstation 130 itself.

  In the first embodiment, the volume data and the parallax image group stored in the image storage device 120 are stored in association with the patient ID, examination ID, device ID, series ID, and the like. The workstation 130 and the terminal device 140 store images of volume data and parallax images required by the operator by performing a search using the patient ID, examination ID, device ID, series ID, etc. input by the operator. Obtained from the device 120.

  The workstation 130 is an image processing apparatus that performs image processing on medical images. Specifically, the workstation 130 according to the first embodiment performs various rendering processes on the volume data acquired from the image storage device 120 to generate a parallax image group. The parallax image group is a plurality of images having different parallax angles. For example, nine parallax images displayed on a monitor capable of stereoscopically viewing nine parallax images with naked eyes are nine images having different parallax angles. An image (parallax image).

  In addition, the workstation 130 according to the first embodiment includes a stereoscopically visible monitor (hereinafter, stereoscopic display monitor) as a display unit. The workstation 130 generates a parallax image group and displays the generated parallax image group on the stereoscopic display monitor. As a result, the operator of the workstation 130 can perform an operation for generating a parallax image group while confirming a stereoscopically visible medical image displayed on the stereoscopic display monitor.

  Further, the workstation 130 transmits the generated parallax image group to the image storage device 120. In addition, when transmitting the parallax image group to the image storage device 120, the workstation 130 transmits, for example, a patient ID, an examination ID, a device ID, a series ID, and the like as incidental information. Further, the incidental information transmitted when transmitting the parallax image group to the image storage device 120 includes incidental information regarding the parallax image group. The incidental information regarding the parallax image group includes the number of parallax images (for example, “9”), the resolution of the parallax images (for example, “466 × 350 pixels”), and the like.

  The terminal device 140 is a device that allows a doctor or laboratory technician working in a hospital to view a medical image. For example, the terminal device 140 is a PC (Personal Computer), a tablet PC, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone, or the like operated by a doctor or laboratory technician working in a hospital. Specifically, the terminal device 140 according to the first embodiment includes a stereoscopic display monitor as a display unit. In addition, the terminal device 140 acquires a parallax image group from the image storage device 120, and displays the acquired parallax image group or a stereoscopic image selected and selected from the acquired parallax image group on the stereoscopic display monitor. As a result, a doctor or laboratory technician who is an observer can view a medical image that can be viewed stereoscopically.

  Here, the stereoscopic display monitor included in the workstation 130 and the terminal device 140 will be described. A general-purpose monitor that is most popular at present displays a two-dimensional image in two dimensions, and cannot display a two-dimensional image in three dimensions. If an observer requests stereoscopic viewing on a general-purpose monitor, an apparatus that outputs an image to the general-purpose monitor needs to display two parallax images that can be viewed stereoscopically by the observer in parallel by the parallel method or the intersection method. is there. Alternatively, an apparatus that outputs an image to a general-purpose monitor, for example, uses an after-color method with an eyeglass that has a red cellophane attached to the left eye portion and a blue cellophane attached to the right eye portion. It is necessary to display a stereoscopically viewable image.

  On the other hand, as a stereoscopic display monitor, there is a stereoscopic display monitor that enables a stereoscopic view of a two-parallax image (also referred to as a binocular parallax image) by using dedicated equipment such as stereoscopic glasses.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a stereoscopic display monitor that performs stereoscopic display using two parallax images. An example shown in FIG. 2 is a stereoscopic display monitor that performs stereoscopic display by a shutter method, and shutter glasses are used as stereoscopic glasses worn by an observer who observes the monitor. Such a stereoscopic display monitor emits two parallax images alternately on the monitor. For example, the monitor shown in FIG. 2A alternately emits a left-eye image and a right-eye image at 120 Hz. Here, as shown in FIG. 2A, the monitor is provided with an infrared emitting unit, and the infrared emitting unit controls the emission of infrared rays in accordance with the timing at which the image is switched.

  Moreover, the infrared rays emitted from the infrared ray emitting portion are received by the infrared ray receiving portion of the shutter glasses shown in FIG. A shutter is attached to each of the left and right frames of the shutter glasses, and the shutter glasses alternately switch the transmission state and the light shielding state of the left and right shutters according to the timing when the infrared light receiving unit receives the infrared rays. Hereinafter, the switching process between the transmission state and the light shielding state in the shutter will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, each shutter has an incident-side polarizing plate and an output-side polarizing plate, and further, a liquid crystal phase is interposed between the incident-side polarizing plate and the output-side polarizing plate. Have Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, the incident-side polarizing plate and the outgoing-side polarizing plate are orthogonal to each other. Here, as shown in FIG. 2B, in the “OFF” state where no voltage is applied, the light that has passed through the polarizing plate on the incident side is rotated by 90 ° by the action of the liquid crystal layer, and is emitted on the outgoing side. Is transmitted through the polarizing plate. That is, a shutter to which no voltage is applied is in a transmissive state.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2B, in the “ON” state where a voltage is applied, the polarization rotation action caused by the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer disappears. It will be blocked by the polarizing plate on the exit side. That is, the shutter to which the voltage is applied is in a light shielding state.

  Therefore, for example, the infrared emitting unit emits infrared rays during a period in which an image for the left eye is displayed on the monitor. The infrared light receiving unit applies a voltage to the right-eye shutter without applying a voltage to the left-eye shutter during a period of receiving the infrared light. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2A, the right-eye shutter is in a light-shielding state and the left-eye shutter is in a transmissive state, so that an image for the left eye is incident on the left eye of the observer. On the other hand, the infrared ray emitting unit stops emitting infrared rays while the right-eye image is displayed on the monitor. The infrared light receiving unit applies a voltage to the left-eye shutter without applying a voltage to the right-eye shutter during a period in which no infrared light is received. Accordingly, the left-eye shutter is in a light-shielding state and the right-eye shutter is in a transmissive state, so that an image for the right eye is incident on the right eye of the observer. As described above, the stereoscopic display monitor illustrated in FIG. 2 displays an image that can be viewed stereoscopically by the observer by switching the image displayed on the monitor and the state of the shutter in conjunction with each other. As a stereoscopic display monitor capable of stereoscopically viewing a two-parallax image, a monitor adopting a polarized glasses method is also known in addition to the shutter method described above.

  Furthermore, as a stereoscopic display monitor that has been put into practical use in recent years, there is a stereoscopic display monitor that allows a viewer to stereoscopically view a multi-parallax image such as a 9-parallax image with the naked eye by using a light controller such as a lenticular lens. . Such a stereoscopic display monitor enables stereoscopic viewing based on binocular parallax, and also enables stereoscopic viewing based on motion parallax that also changes the image observed in accordance with the viewpoint movement of the observer.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of a stereoscopic display monitor that performs stereoscopic display using nine parallax images. In the stereoscopic display monitor shown in FIG. 3, a light beam controller is arranged on the front surface of a flat display surface 200 such as a liquid crystal panel. For example, in the stereoscopic display monitor shown in FIG. 3, a vertical lenticular sheet 201 whose optical aperture extends in the vertical direction is attached to the front surface of the display surface 200 as a light beam controller. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the vertical lenticular sheet 201 is pasted so that the convex portion of the vertical lenticular sheet 201 becomes the front surface, but the convex portion of the vertical lenticular sheet 201 is pasted so as to face the display surface 200. There may be.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the display surface 200 has an aspect ratio of 3: 1 and pixels in which three sub-pixels, red (R), green (G), and blue (B), are arranged in the vertical direction. 202 are arranged in a matrix. The stereoscopic display monitor shown in FIG. 3 converts a nine-parallax image composed of nine images into an intermediate image arranged in a predetermined format (for example, a lattice shape), and then outputs it to the display surface 200. That is, the stereoscopic display monitor shown in FIG. 3 assigns and outputs nine pixels at the same position in nine parallax images to nine columns of pixels 202. As shown in FIG. 3, the nine columns of pixels 202 constitute a unit pixel group 203 that simultaneously displays nine images having different parallax angles.

  The nine parallax images simultaneously output as the unit pixel group 203 on the display surface 200 are emitted as parallel light by, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) backlight, and further emitted in multiple directions by the vertical lenticular sheet 201. As the light of each pixel of the nine-parallax image is emitted in multiple directions, the light incident on the right eye and the left eye of the observer changes in conjunction with the position of the observer (viewpoint position). That is, the parallax angle between the parallax image incident on the right eye and the parallax image incident on the left eye differs depending on the viewing angle of the observer. Thereby, the observer can visually recognize the photographing object in three dimensions at each of the nine positions shown in FIG. 3, for example. In addition, for example, the observer can view the image three-dimensionally in a state of facing the object to be imaged at the position “5” shown in FIG. 3, and at each position other than “5” shown in FIG. It can be visually recognized in a three-dimensional manner with the direction of the object changed. Note that the stereoscopic display monitor shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example. As shown in FIG. 3, the stereoscopic display monitor that displays a nine-parallax image may be a horizontal stripe liquid crystal of “RRR..., GGG..., BBB. .. ”” May be used. The stereoscopic display monitor shown in FIG. 3 may be a vertical lens system in which the lenticular sheet is vertical as shown in FIG. 3 or a diagonal lens system in which the lenticular sheet is diagonal. There may be.

  So far, the configuration example of the image processing system 1 according to the first embodiment has been briefly described. The image processing system 1 described above is not limited to the case where PACS is introduced. For example, the image processing system 1 may be a case where an electronic medical chart system that manages an electronic medical chart to which a medical image is attached is introduced. In this case, the image storage device 120 is a database that stores electronic medical records. For example, the image processing system 1 may be a case where HIS (Hospital Information System) and RIS (Radiology Information System) are introduced. The image processing system 1 is not limited to the configuration example described above. The functions and sharing of each device may be changed as appropriate according to the form of operation.

  Next, a configuration example of the workstation 130 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the workstation according to the first embodiment. The terms used below will be described again. The “stereoscopic image” is a group of stereoscopic images generated by performing volume rendering processing on volume data. The “parallax image” is an individual image constituting the “stereoscopic image”. That is, the “stereoscopic image” is composed of a plurality of “parallax images” having different “parallax angles”. The “parallax number” is the number of “parallax images” necessary for stereoscopic viewing on the stereoscopic display monitor. In addition, the “parallax angle” is an angle determined by the interval between the positions of the viewpoints set for generating the “stereoscopic image” and the position of the volume data. Further, the “9 parallax image” described below is a “stereoscopic image” composed of nine “parallax images”. In addition, a “two-parallax image” described below is a “stereoscopic image” composed of two “parallax images”.

  The workstation 130 according to the first embodiment is a high-performance computer suitable for image processing and the like, and as illustrated in FIG. 4, an input unit 131, a display unit 132, a communication unit 133, and a storage unit 134. And a control unit 135 and a rendering processing unit 136.

  The input unit 131 is a mouse, a keyboard, a trackball, or the like, and receives input of various operations on the workstation 130 from an operator. Specifically, the input unit 131 according to the first embodiment receives input of information for acquiring volume data to be subjected to rendering processing from the image storage device 120. For example, the input unit 131 receives input of a patient ID, an examination ID, a device ID, a series ID, and the like. Further, the input unit 131 according to the first embodiment receives an input of a condition regarding rendering processing (hereinafter, rendering condition).

  The display unit 132 is a liquid crystal panel or the like as a stereoscopic display monitor, and displays various information. Specifically, the display unit 132 according to the first embodiment displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for receiving various operations from the operator, a stereoscopic image, and the like. For example, the display unit 132 is the stereoscopic display monitor described with reference to FIG. 2 (hereinafter referred to as a 2-parallax monitor) or the stereoscopic display monitor described with reference to FIG. 5 (hereinafter referred to as a 9-parallax monitor). is there. Below, the case where the display part 132 is a 9 parallax monitor is demonstrated.

  The communication unit 133 is a NIC (Network Interface Card) or the like, and performs communication with other devices.

  The storage unit 134 is a hard disk, a semiconductor memory element, or the like, and stores various types of information. Specifically, the storage unit 134 according to the first embodiment stores volume data acquired from the image storage device 120 via the communication unit 133. In addition, the storage unit 134 according to the first embodiment stores volume data during rendering processing, stereoscopic images that have undergone rendering processing, and the like.

  The control unit 135 is an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and the entire workstation 130. Take control.

  For example, the control unit 135 according to the first embodiment controls the display of the GUI and the display of the parallax image group on the display unit 132. For example, the control unit 135 controls transmission / reception of volume data and a parallax image group performed with the image storage device 120 via the communication unit 133. For example, the control unit 135 controls the rendering process performed by the rendering processing unit 136. For example, the control unit 135 controls reading of volume data from the storage unit 134 and storage of the parallax image group in the storage unit 134.

  The rendering processing unit 136 performs various rendering processes on the volume data acquired from the image storage device 120 under the control of the control unit 135 to generate a parallax image group. Specifically, the rendering processing unit 136 according to the first embodiment reads volume data from the storage unit 134 and first performs preprocessing on the volume data. Next, the rendering processing unit 136 performs volume rendering processing on the pre-processed volume data to generate a parallax image group. Subsequently, the rendering processing unit 136 generates a two-dimensional image in which various kinds of information (scale, patient name, examination item, etc.) are drawn, and superimposes it on each of the parallax image groups, thereby outputting 2 for output. Generate a dimensional image. Then, the rendering processing unit 136 stores the generated parallax image group and the output two-dimensional image in the storage unit 134. In the first embodiment, the rendering process is the entire image process performed on the volume data, and the volume rendering process is a two-dimensional image (3D information reflecting three-dimensional information in the rendering process). (Volume rendering image) is generated.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the rendering processing unit shown in FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the rendering processing unit 136 includes a preprocessing unit 1361, a 3D image processing unit 1362, and a 2D image processing unit 1363. The preprocessing unit 1361 performs preprocessing on the volume data. The three-dimensional image processing unit 1362 generates a parallax image group from the preprocessed volume data. The two-dimensional image processing unit 1363 generates a two-dimensional image for output in which various information is superimposed on the stereoscopic image. Hereinafter, each part is demonstrated in order.

  The preprocessing unit 1361 is a processing unit that performs various types of preprocessing when rendering processing is performed on volume data, and includes an image correction processing unit 1361a, a three-dimensional object fusion unit 1361e, and a three-dimensional object display area setting. Part 1361f.

  The image correction processing unit 1361a is a processing unit that performs image correction processing when processing two types of volume data as one volume data, and as shown in FIG. 5, a distortion correction processing unit 1361b, a body motion correction processing unit, 1361c and an inter-image registration processing unit 1361d. For example, the image correction processing unit 1361a performs image correction processing when processing volume data of a PET image generated by a PET-CT apparatus and volume data of an X-ray CT image as one volume data. Alternatively, the image correction processing unit 1361a performs image correction processing when processing the volume data of the T1-weighted image and the volume data of the T2-weighted image generated by the MRI apparatus as one volume data.

  The distortion correction processing unit 1361b corrects the data distortion caused by the collection conditions at the time of data collection by the medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 in each volume data. Further, the body motion correction processing unit 1361c corrects the movement caused by the body motion of the subject at the time of collecting the data used for generating the individual volume data. Further, the inter-image registration processing unit 1361d performs registration (Registration) using, for example, a cross-correlation method between the two volume data subjected to the correction processing by the distortion correction processing unit 1361b and the body motion correction processing unit 1361c. ).

  The three-dimensional object fusion unit 1363e fuses a plurality of volume data that has been aligned by the inter-image registration processing unit 1361d. Note that the processing of the image correction processing unit 1361a and the three-dimensional object fusion unit 1361e is omitted when rendering processing is performed on single volume data.

  The three-dimensional object display region setting unit 1361f is a processing unit that sets a display region corresponding to the display target organ designated by the operator, and includes a segmentation processing unit 1361g. The segmentation processing unit 1361g is a processing unit that extracts organs such as the heart, lungs, and blood vessels designated by the operator by, for example, a region expansion method based on pixel values (voxel values) of volume data.

  Note that the segmentation processing unit 1361g does not perform the segmentation process when the display target organ is not designated by the operator. The segmentation processing unit 1361g extracts a plurality of corresponding organs when a plurality of display target organs are designated by the operator. Further, the processing of the segmentation processing unit 1361g may be executed again in response to an operator fine adjustment request referring to the rendered image.

  The 3D image processing unit 1362 performs volume rendering processing on the pre-processed volume data processed by the preprocessing unit 1361. As a processing unit that performs volume rendering processing, a three-dimensional image processing unit 1362 includes a projection method setting unit 1362a, a three-dimensional geometric transformation processing unit 1362b, a three-dimensional object appearance processing unit 1362f, and a three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k. Have

  The projection method setting unit 1362a determines a projection method for generating a parallax image group. For example, the projection method setting unit 1362a determines whether to execute the volume rendering process by the parallel projection method or the perspective projection method.

  The three-dimensional geometric transformation processing unit 1362b is a processing unit that determines information for transforming volume data on which volume rendering processing is performed into a three-dimensional geometrical structure. The three-dimensional geometric transformation processing unit 1362b includes a parallel movement processing unit 1362c, a rotation processing unit 1362d, and an enlargement unit. A reduction processing unit 1362e is included. The parallel movement processing unit 1362c is a processing unit that determines the amount of movement to translate the volume data when the viewpoint position when performing the volume rendering processing is translated, and the rotation processing unit 1362d performs the volume rendering processing. This is a processing unit that determines the amount of movement by which the volume data is rotationally moved when the viewpoint position during the rotation is rotationally moved. The enlargement / reduction processing unit 1362e is a processing unit that determines an enlargement rate or reduction rate of volume data when enlargement or reduction of a stereoscopic image is requested.

  The three-dimensional object appearance processing unit 1362f includes a three-dimensional object color processing unit 1362g, a three-dimensional object opacity processing unit 1362h, a three-dimensional object material processing unit 1362i, and a three-dimensional virtual space light source processing unit 1362j. The three-dimensional object appearance processing unit 1362f performs a process of determining the display state of the displayed stereoscopic image in response to an operator's request, for example, using these processing units.

  The three-dimensional object color processing unit 1362g is a processing unit that determines a color to be colored for each region segmented by the volume data. The three-dimensional object opacity processing unit 1362h is a processing unit that determines the opacity (Opacity) of each voxel constituting each region segmented by volume data. It should be noted that the area behind the area where the opacity is set to “100%” in the volume data is not drawn in the stereoscopic image. In addition, an area in which the opacity is “0%” in the volume data is not drawn in the stereoscopic image.

  The three-dimensional object material processing unit 1362i is a processing unit that determines the material of each region segmented by volume data and adjusts the texture when the region is rendered. The three-dimensional virtual space light source processing unit 1362j is a processing unit that determines the position of the virtual light source installed in the three-dimensional virtual space and the type of the virtual light source when performing volume rendering processing on the volume data. Examples of the virtual light source include a light source that emits parallel light rays from infinity and a light source that emits radial light rays from the viewpoint.

  The three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k performs volume rendering processing on the volume data to generate a parallax image group. The three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k performs various types of information determined by the projection method setting unit 1362a, the three-dimensional geometric transformation processing unit 1362b, and the three-dimensional object appearance processing unit 1362f as necessary when performing the volume rendering process. Is used.

  Here, the volume rendering process by the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k is performed according to the rendering conditions. For example, the rendering condition is “parallel projection method” or “perspective projection method”. For example, the rendering condition is “reference viewpoint position and parallax angle”. Further, for example, the rendering conditions are “translation of viewpoint position”, “rotation movement of viewpoint position”, “enlargement of stereoscopic image”, and “reduction of stereoscopic image”. Further, for example, the rendering conditions are “color to be colored”, “transparency”, “texture”, “position of virtual light source”, and “type of virtual light source”. Such a rendering condition may be accepted from the operator via the input unit 131 or may be initially set. In any case, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k receives a rendering condition from the control unit 135, and performs volume rendering processing on the volume data according to the received rendering condition. Further, when performing the volume rendering process, the above-described projection method setting unit 1362a, the three-dimensional geometric transformation processing unit 1362b, and the three-dimensional object appearance processing unit 1362f determine various pieces of necessary information according to the rendering conditions. The space rendering unit 1362k generates a parallax image group using the determined various pieces of information.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of volume rendering processing according to the first embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k accepts the parallel projection method as a rendering condition, and further sets the reference viewpoint position (5) and the parallax angle “1 degree”. Suppose you accept. In such a case, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k sets a light source that emits parallel light rays from infinity along the line-of-sight direction, as shown in FIG. Then, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k translates the position of the viewpoint from (1) to (9) so that the parallax angle is every “1 degree”, and the parallax angle is 1 degree by the parallel projection method. Nine different parallax images are generated.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k accepts a perspective projection method as a rendering condition, and further sets the reference viewpoint position (5) and the parallax angle “1 degree”. Suppose you accept. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 6B, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k sets a point light source and a surface light source that irradiates light three-dimensionally radially around the line-of-sight direction at each viewpoint. . For example, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k sets the position of the viewpoint (1) to (9) so that the parallax angle is every “one degree” around the center (center of gravity) of the cut surface of the volume data. Nine parallax images having different parallax angles by 1 degree are generated by the perspective projection method. When performing the perspective projection method, the viewpoints (1) to (9) may be translated depending on the rendering conditions. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the line-of-sight direction is a direction from the viewpoint toward the center (center of gravity) of the cut surface of the volume data.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6C, the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k radiates light in a two-dimensional manner centering on the line-of-sight direction with respect to the vertical direction of the displayed volume rendering image. For the horizontal direction of the volume rendering image to be displayed, a volume rendering process that uses both the parallel projection method and the perspective projection method by setting a light source that emits parallel light rays from infinity along the viewing direction. May be performed.

  The nine parallax images generated in this way are stereoscopic images. In the first embodiment, nine parallax images are converted into, for example, an intermediate image arranged in a predetermined format (for example, a grid) by the control unit 135 and output to the display unit 132 that is a nine-parallax monitor. Then, the operator of the workstation 130 can perform an operation for generating a stereoscopic image while confirming a stereoscopically viewable medical image displayed on the stereoscopic display monitor.

  In the example of FIG. 6, the case where the projection method, the reference viewpoint position, and the parallax angle are received as the rendering conditions has been described. However, the three-dimensional virtual space is similarly applied when other conditions are received as the rendering conditions. The rendering unit 1362k generates a parallax image group while reflecting each rendering condition.

  The three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k has a function of reconstructing an MPR image from volume data by performing not only volume rendering but also a cross-section reconstruction method (MPR: Multi Planer Reconstruction). Note that the three-dimensional virtual space rendering unit 1362k also has a function of performing “Curved MPR” and a function of performing “Intensity Projection”.

  Subsequently, the parallax image group generated from the volume data by the three-dimensional image processing unit 1362 is set as an underlay. Then, an overlay (Overlay) on which various types of information (scale, patient name, examination item, etc.) are drawn is superimposed on the underlay, thereby obtaining a two-dimensional image for output. The two-dimensional image processing unit 1363 is a processing unit that generates an output two-dimensional image by performing image processing on the overlay and the underlay. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the two-dimensional object drawing unit 1363 a, A two-dimensional geometric transformation processing unit 1363b and a luminance adjustment unit 1363c are included. For example, the two-dimensional image processing unit 1363 superimposes nine parallax images (underlays) on one overlay in order to reduce the load required for generating a two-dimensional image for output. , Nine output two-dimensional images are generated.

  The two-dimensional object drawing unit 1363a is a processing unit that draws various information drawn on the overlay, and the two-dimensional geometric transformation processing unit 1363b performs parallel movement processing or rotational movement processing on the position of the various information drawn on the overlay. Or a processing unit that performs an enlargement process or a reduction process of various types of information drawn on the overlay.

  The luminance adjustment unit 172c is a processing unit that performs luminance conversion processing, for example, for image processing such as gradation of an output destination monitor, window width (WW: Window Width), window level (WL: Window Level), and the like. The processing unit adjusts the brightness of the overlay and underlay according to the parameters.

  The output two-dimensional image generated by the rendering processing unit 136 is temporarily stored in the storage unit 134 by the control unit 135, for example. Note that the output two-dimensional image generated by the rendering processing unit 136 according to the present embodiment is a stereoscopic two-dimensional image group in which each parallax image is an underlay, and the two-dimensional image group is a parallax image. Become a group.

  Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the output two-dimensional image group (parallax image group) is transmitted to the image storage device 120 via the communication unit 133, for example, by the control unit 135.

  Note that the control unit 135 performs control so that, for example, the parallax image group generated by the rendering processing unit 136 is stored in association with the volume data that is the generation source of the parallax image group.

  As described above, the terminal device 140 according to the first embodiment is a device that allows a doctor or laboratory technician working in a hospital to view a medical image, and the rendering processing unit 136 from the image storage device 120. The generated parallax image group (output two-dimensional image) is acquired. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a configuration example of the terminal device according to the first embodiment.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, the terminal device 140 according to the first embodiment includes an input unit 141, a display unit 142, a communication unit 143, a storage unit 144, a control unit 145, and a two-dimensional image processing unit 146. And have.

  The input unit 141 is a mouse, a keyboard, a trackball, or the like, and receives input of various operations on the terminal device 140 from an operator. Specifically, the input unit 141 according to the first embodiment receives a stereoscopic request from the operator. For example, the input unit 141 accepts input of a patient ID, an examination ID, a device ID, a series ID, and the like for designating volume data for which the operator desires stereoscopic vision as a stereoscopic vision request.

  The display unit 142 is a liquid crystal panel or the like as a stereoscopic display monitor, and displays various types of information. Specifically, the display unit 142 according to the first embodiment displays a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for receiving various operations from the operator, a stereoscopic image, and the like. For example, the display unit 142 is the stereoscopic display monitor described with reference to FIG. 2 (hereinafter referred to as a 2-parallax monitor) or the stereoscopic display monitor described with reference to FIG. 5 (hereinafter referred to as a 9-parallax monitor). is there. Below, the case where the display part 142 is a 9 parallax monitor is demonstrated.

  The communication unit 143 is a NIC (Network Interface Card) or the like, and performs communication with other devices. Specifically, the communication unit 143 according to the first embodiment transmits the stereoscopic request received by the input unit 141 to the image storage device 120. In addition, the communication unit 143 according to the first embodiment receives a parallax image group transmitted by the image storage device 120 in response to a stereoscopic request.

  The storage unit 144 is a hard disk, a semiconductor memory element, or the like, and stores various types of information. Specifically, the storage unit 144 according to the first embodiment stores a parallax image group acquired from the image storage device 120 via the communication unit 143. The storage unit 144 also stores incidental information (number of parallaxes, resolution, etc.) of the parallax image group acquired from the image storage device 120 via the communication unit 143.

  The control unit 145 is an electronic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Take control.

  For example, the control unit 145 controls transmission / reception of a stereoscopic request and a parallax image group that are performed with the image storage device 120 via the communication unit 143. For example, the control unit 145 controls storage of the parallax image group in the storage unit 144 and reading of the parallax image group from the storage unit 144.

  In addition, the control unit 145 according to the first embodiment controls the display of the GUI and the display of the parallax image group on the display unit 142. The control unit 145 according to the first embodiment converts the stereoscopic image into an intermediate image arranged in a predetermined format (for example, a lattice shape) and displays the converted image on the display unit 142 which is a 9-parallax monitor.

  Further, the control unit 145 according to the first embodiment controls image processing by the two-dimensional image processing unit 146.

  The two-dimensional image processing unit 146 has the same function as the two-dimensional image processing unit 1363 described with reference to FIG. That is, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 generates an overlay on the parallax image group as the underlay generated by the three-dimensional image processing unit 1362 and superimposes the two-dimensional image for output to the display unit 142. An image can be generated.

  Furthermore, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 according to the first embodiment has an interpolation function for generating a new parallax image from the two parallax images by interpolation processing using depth information of each of the two parallax images. . The interpolation function of the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 will be described in detail later.

  As described above, the rendering processing unit 136 generates a parallax image group from the volume data under the control of the control unit 135. Further, the terminal device 140 acquires a parallax image group from the image storage device 120 and displays it on the display unit 142. As a result, a doctor or laboratory technician who is an operator of the terminal device 140 can browse a stereoscopically viewable medical image in a state where various information (scale, patient name, examination item, etc.) is drawn.

  However, in order for the rendering processing unit 136 to perform volume rendering processing in real time in response to a stereoscopic view request from the terminal device 140 to generate a parallax image group, the workstation 130 is required to have high image processing capability.

  Therefore, the workstation 130 according to the first embodiment performs rendering processing control of the control unit 135 so as to reduce the processing load required to generate a stereoscopic image from three-dimensional medical image data. It is. In other words, the workstation 130 according to the first embodiment has an image group (parallax) equal to or greater than the number of parallaxes required for the rendering processing unit 136 to perform stereoscopic viewing on a predetermined stereoscopic monitor under the control of the control unit 135. Image group) is generated from the volume data. In the workstation 130 according to the first embodiment, the control unit 135 performs control so that the parallax image group generated by the rendering processing unit 136 is stored in the image storage device 120. Then, the stereoscopic monitor (for example, the display unit 142) is a stereoscopic image (for example, nine-parallax image) configured by selecting a parallax image having the number of parallaxes from the parallax image group stored in the image storage device 120. Is displayed.

  For example, the operator of the workstation 130 according to the first embodiment acquires the maximum value of the number of parallaxes from the information on the number of parallaxes required for each stereoscopic monitor included in the apparatus connected to the hospital LAN 2. Then, the operator sets a predetermined rendering condition including the number of parallaxes for the control unit 135 so that a parallax image group composed of parallax images equal to or greater than the acquired maximum value is generated. Hereinafter, a case where the number of parallaxes “9” of the display unit 142 of the terminal device 140 is the maximum value will be described. This embodiment is applicable even when the maximum value is “18” or “2”.

  Then, the control unit 135 controls the rendering process of the rendering processing unit 136 based on the preset rendering condition together with the information on the number of parallaxes. That is, the control unit 135 causes the rendering processing unit 136 to generate a parallax image group by setting the viewpoint for executing the rendering process based on a straight line or a curve forming a figure having a predetermined shape to be equal to or greater than the number of parallaxes. Hereinafter, various rendering conditions set in the first embodiment will be described.

  The figure having the predetermined shape set as the rendering condition of the present embodiment is roughly classified into the following two types according to the positional relationship between the rendering area, which is an area to be rendered of volume data, and the viewpoint. That is, under the first graphic condition, the control unit 135 sets a graphic having a predetermined shape so that the viewpoint is located outside the rendering area. Then, the control unit 135 causes the rendering processing unit 136 to generate a parallax image group using a straight line or a curve that forms the set figure. In the second graphic condition, the control unit 135 sets a graphic whose viewpoint is located in the rendering area as a graphic having a predetermined shape. Then, the control unit 135 causes the rendering processing unit 136 to generate a parallax image group using a straight line or a curve that forms the set figure.

  The rendering conditions of the present embodiment are roughly divided into the following two types depending on the number of parallax images constituting the parallax image group. That is, under the first image number condition, the control unit 135 generates a parallax image group including parallax images having the number of parallaxes necessary for stereoscopic viewing. Also, under the second image number condition, the control unit 135 generates a parallax image group including a larger number of parallax images than the number of parallaxes required for stereoscopic viewing.

  Here, when the first graphic condition is set as the rendering condition of the present embodiment, the first graphic condition is further roughly divided into the following two depending on the viewpoint setting method. That is, under the first viewpoint setting condition, the control unit 135 sets the viewpoint for executing the rendering process along the straight line or the curve forming the figure having a predetermined shape to be equal to or more than the number of parallaxes. Further, under the second viewpoint setting condition, the control unit 135 sets the viewpoint for executing the rendering process along the tangent line at the point set on the straight line or the curve that forms the graphic having the predetermined shape to be equal to or more than the number of parallaxes.

  As described above, the rendering conditions include a parallax angle, a projection method, a segmentation condition, and the like. Hereinafter, a case where the parallax angle is set to “1 degree” will be described. However, the parallax angle can be set to an arbitrary value. For example, the parallax angle may be “0.5 degrees”, “0.1 degrees”, “3 degrees”, or the like.

  First, the rendering process executed under the first graphic condition and the first image number condition will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a rendering process executed under the first graphic condition and the first image number condition. For example, the control unit 135 sets a perfect circle as illustrated in FIG. 8A as a graphic whose viewpoint is located outside the rendering area, based on the first graphic condition.

  For example, the control unit 135 acquires the position of the center of gravity of the rendering area extracted by the segmentation processing unit 1361g. And the control part 135 sets the perfect circle orthogonal to the rotating shaft which passes through a gravity center. However, the control unit 135 sets the radius of the perfect circle so that the perfect circle is located outside the rendering area. The radius of the perfect circle may be determined by the control unit 135 based on the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the rendering area, or may be determined by the operator of the workstation 130. Further, the center of the perfect circle is not limited to the center of gravity of the rendering area, and may be set at an arbitrary position by the operator of the workstation 130. For example, the center of the perfect circle may be set at a point of interest such as an affected area. In such a case, for example, the operator of the workstation 130 refers to an MPR image obtained by cutting the volume data at an arbitrary cut surface, and sets the attention site of the affected area as the center of a perfect circle. Alternatively, as the workstation 130, for example, by using a device equipped with a computer assisted diagnosis (CAD) that automatically detects a candidate region of a lesion, the workstation 130 detects an attention site of the affected area. The center of a perfect circle may be set.

  Then, under the control of the control unit 135, the rendering processing unit 136 generates a nine-parallax image whose parallax angle is “1 degree”.

  For example, when the first viewpoint setting condition is set, the control unit 135 has nine pieces so that the parallax angle becomes 1 degree along the circumference of the perfect circle as shown in FIG. Set the viewpoint. Then, when the first viewpoint setting condition is set, the rendering processing unit 136 generates nine parallax images by the perspective projection method described with reference to FIG. 6B using the set nine viewpoints. . Note that the positions of the nine viewpoints are set by the operator or the control unit 135. However, the line-of-sight directions at the nine viewpoints must satisfy a condition that enables stereoscopic display. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the line-of-sight directions at the nine viewpoints are set so as to be directed toward the center (center of gravity) of the cut surface of the volume data.

  In addition, when the second viewpoint setting condition is set, the control unit 135 sets a reference point in a perfect circle as shown in (C) of FIG. 8, along a tangent line passing through the set reference point, Nine viewpoints are set so that the parallax angle is 1 degree. When the second viewpoint setting condition is set, the rendering processing unit 136 generates nine parallax images by the parallel projection method described with reference to FIG. 6A using the set nine viewpoints. . Note that when the second viewpoint setting condition is set, the rendering processing unit 136 may generate a nine-parallax image by the projection method described in FIG. Further, the position of the reference point is set by the operator or the control unit 135.

  Next, the rendering process executed according to the first graphic condition and the second image number condition will be described. FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are diagrams for explaining the rendering process executed under the first graphic condition and the second image number condition. First, for example, the control unit 135 sets a perfect circle as a figure whose viewpoint is located outside the rendering area, as described with reference to FIG. The number of parallaxes set according to the second image number condition is “10” or more.

  Here, when the parallax number “11” is set by the second image number condition and the first viewpoint setting condition is set, the control unit 135, as shown in FIG. 11 viewpoints are set so that the parallax angle becomes 1 degree. Then, the rendering processing unit 136 generates a parallax image group composed of 11 parallax images using the set 11 viewpoints.

  In addition, when the parallax number “360” is set according to the second image number condition and the first viewpoint setting condition is set, the control unit 135, as shown in FIG. 360 viewpoints are set so that the parallax angle is 1 degree along the entire circumference. In FIG. 9B, only 42 viewpoints are drawn for the convenience of drawing, but actually 360 viewpoints are set. Then, the rendering processing unit 136 generates a parallax image group composed of 360 parallax images using the set 360 viewpoints. Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 9B, the all-around parallax image generated for the rendering target is referred to as all-around data.

  In addition, when the second image number condition and the second viewpoint setting condition are set, the control unit 135 performs rendering along each tangent direction at a plurality of points set on a straight line or a curve that forms a graphic having a predetermined shape. Set the viewpoint for executing the process. For example, when the second image number condition and the second viewpoint setting condition are set, the control unit 135 sets a plurality of reference points on a perfect circle as shown in FIG. Nine viewpoints are set so that the parallax angle is 1 degree along each tangent line passing through the plurality of set reference points. Then, the rendering processing unit 136 generates nine parallax images for each reference point by the parallel projection method described with reference to FIG. 6A using the nine viewpoints set for each tangent. Note that the rendering processing unit 136 may generate nine parallax images for each reference point by the projection method described with reference to FIG. Further, the position of each reference point is set by the operator or the control unit 135.

  In addition, the figure of the predetermined shape set by the 1st figure conditions is not limited to a perfect circle. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the first graphic condition.

  For example, the graphic having a predetermined shape set according to the first graphic condition may be an ellipse as shown in FIG. In addition, the graphic having a predetermined shape set according to the first graphic condition may be a polygon, for example, a hexagon as shown in FIG.

  Furthermore, the graphic of the predetermined shape set by the first graphic condition is not limited to a closed graphic consisting of a straight line or a curve. For example, the graphic having a predetermined shape set according to the first graphic condition may be a polyline or a spline curve.

  In addition, the control unit 135 may set a plurality of figures having a predetermined shape according to the first figure condition. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11C, the control unit 135 sets three rotation circles that pass through the center of gravity of the rendering area, thereby setting three perfect circles. You may control so that it may be produced | generated. In addition, there exists an advantage demonstrated below by using a perfect circle as a figure in which a viewpoint is located. In general, a rendering image at an arbitrary viewpoint is not necessarily a parallax image at the viewpoint. However, for example, when the figure where the viewpoint is located is a perfect circle, by appropriately setting the parallax angle condition, the rendered image at an arbitrary viewpoint on the perfect circle becomes a parallax image at the viewpoint. That is, by using a perfect circle as a figure where the viewpoint is located, the number of images generated as a parallax image group can be significantly reduced. As a result, the data amount of the parallax image group to be stored can be greatly reduced.

  As described above, the control unit 135 sets the parallax image group in an arbitrary combination of the first image number condition and the second image number condition, and the first viewpoint setting condition and the second viewpoint setting condition in the first graphic condition. Generate.

  Then, the control unit 135 causes the image storage device 120 to store the parallax image group generated by the rendering processing unit 136 via the communication unit 133. Specifically, the control unit 135 causes the image storage device 120 to store the parallax image group generated by the rendering processing unit 136 in association with the volume data that is the generation source of the parallax image group.

  With this processing, the parallax image group is stored, and for example, the operator of the terminal device 140 can stereoscopically view the volume data on the display unit 142 only by specifying the volume data that the terminal device 140 wants to refer to. it can.

  Therefore, the control unit 145 of the terminal device 140 performs the following display control process. That is, the control unit 145 obtains a parallax image group of volume data designated by the operator from the image storage device 120. Specifically, the control unit 145 acquires a parallax image having the number of parallaxes from the image storage device 120 from the parallax image group generated from the volume data designated by the operator. For example, when the control unit 145 receives a stereoscopic request together with additional information such as “patient ID and examination ID” from the operator of the terminal device 140 via the input unit 141, the control unit 145 sends the additional information and the stereoscopic request to the image storage device 120. Send to. The image storage device 120 searches for volume data associated with the received supplementary information, and further retrieves a parallax image group associated with the retrieved volume data. Then, the image storage device 120 transmits the searched parallax image group to the terminal device 140.

  Then, the control unit 145 performs control so that the stereoscopic image configured using the acquired parallax images of the number of parallaxes is displayed on the display unit 142 which is a 9-parallax monitor. 12-14 is a figure for demonstrating the display control in a terminal device.

  For example, when the parallax image group (9 parallax images) generated based on the first graphic condition and the first image number condition described with reference to FIG. 8 is acquired, the control unit 145 displays 9 parallaxes as illustrated in FIG. The image is converted into an intermediate image arranged in a 3 × 3 grid, and then output to the display unit 142 for display. Note that the format of the intermediate image is not limited to a lattice shape. For example, the intermediate image may be in a format in which 9 parallax images are rearranged in a pixel arrangement according to the specifications of the 9 parallax monitor. Here, the specifications of the 9-parallax monitor include a vertical stripe liquid crystal, a horizontal stripe liquid crystal, a vertical lens system, an oblique lens system, an angle of an oblique lens, and the like.

  On the other hand, when the parallax image group generated based on the first graphic condition and the second image number condition described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 is acquired, the control unit 145 performs processing described below. That is, when the number of parallax image groups acquired from the image storage device 120 is larger than the number of parallaxes, the control unit 145 displays the image groups for the number of parallaxes selected from the acquired parallax image groups on the display unit 142. To control.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the control unit 145 selects nine parallax images with continuous viewpoint positions and converts them into a grid-like intermediate image when acquiring all-around data, and then displays the display unit 142. Output to and display. Note that the 9-parallax image selection process may be performed by an operator of the terminal device 140. The 9-parallax image selection process may be performed by the workstation 130 in advance. Note that the selection process of nine parallax images is not limited to the case of selecting nine parallax images with continuous viewpoint positions. For example, the nine-parallax image selection process may be performed by selecting every two consecutive viewpoint positions or every third viewpoint position.

  Alternatively, when the number of parallax image groups acquired from the image storage device 120 is greater than the number of parallaxes, the control unit 145 causes the display unit 142 to display image groups for the number of parallaxes sequentially selected from the acquired parallax image groups. Control to display sequentially. Specifically, the control unit 145 controls the display unit 142 to sequentially display a plurality of stereoscopic images by sequentially selecting parallax images having the number of parallaxes.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 14, when acquiring all-around data, the control unit 145 sequentially selects nine parallax images with consecutive viewpoint positions while shifting them by several. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the control unit 145 sequentially converts the selected nine parallax images into intermediate images, and then sequentially outputs and displays them on the display unit 142. As a result, the display unit 142 can display a stereoscopic image that allows the operator to observe stereoscopically while rotating the volume data. Note that the 9-parallax image selection process may be performed by an operator of the terminal device 140. The 9-parallax image selection process may be performed by the workstation 130 in advance. Note that an image generated by the rendering processing unit 136 as a parallax image group does not necessarily have to be “the number of parallaxes or more”. Specifically, in the case of generating a parallax image of “greater than or equal to the number of parallaxes” from the parallax image of “less than the number of parallaxes” generated by the rendering processing unit 136 using the interpolation function of the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 described above. There may be. For example, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 generates a parallax image “more than the number of parallaxes” by generating an image that can be substituted as a parallax image by interpolation processing from two parallax images with adjacent viewpoint positions. Also good. That is, in the present embodiment, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 performs interpolation processing based on “less than the number of parallaxes” by the control of the control unit 145 from the “less than the number of parallaxes” generated by the rendering processing unit 136 under the control of the control unit 135. May be generated. The interpolation function of the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 will be described in detail later.

  Next, the second graphic condition will be described. Under the second graphic condition, the control unit 135 sets a graphic having a predetermined shape so that the viewpoint is positioned in the rendering area. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining the second graphic condition. For example, the second graphic condition is when a virtual endoscopy (VE) display method widely used as a display method (CTC: CT Colonography) of a three-dimensional X-ray CT image obtained by imaging the large intestine is executed. Is a graphic condition applied to.

  For example, the segmentation processing unit 1361 g extracts a lumen region of the large intestine. Further, the segmentation processing unit 1361g extracts the core line of the lumen region as shown in FIG. The core line extracted by the segmentation processing unit 1361g is a graphic having a predetermined shape used under the second graphic condition. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the segmentation processing unit 1361g further sets a plurality of reference points at predetermined intervals on the extracted core line (see white circles in the figure).

  As shown in FIG. 15, the control unit 135 that has acquired such information sets a viewpoint at a location where each reference point of the core line is located, and in a plane that passes through the viewpoint and is perpendicular to the core line, A line-of-sight direction for observing the inner wall of the large intestine (inner lumen wall) around one is set. By rotating the line-of-sight direction 360 degrees around the reference point, the rendering processing unit 136 generates all-around data that enables stereoscopic viewing of the inner wall of the large intestine (inner lumen wall) at each reference point.

  The VE display method parallax image group generated in this way is stored in the image storage device 120. Then, the control unit 145 acquires a set of parallax images in the VE display method from the image storage device 120 and causes the display unit 142 to display the set. That is, the control unit 145 converts the nine parallax images selected from the all-around data generated at each reference point into an intermediate image and outputs the intermediate image to the display unit 142. The first graphic condition limits the viewpoint position outside the rendering area, and the second graphic condition limits the viewpoint position within the rendering area, but the viewpoint set in the first embodiment. The position of is not limited to these. For example, in the first embodiment, the parallax used for the stereoscopic image by the third graphic condition in which the graphic is set so that a part of the viewpoint is located within the rendering area and the part of the viewpoint is located outside the rendering area. It may be a case where an image group is generated. The graphic set under the third graphic condition may be any of a perfect circle, an ellipse, a polygon, a straight line, a polyline, and a spline curve.

  Next, processing of the image processing system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining image storage processing of the image processing system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining image display processing of the image processing system according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the workstation 130 of the image processing system 1 according to the first embodiment determines whether or not volume data to be processed is specified (step S101). Here, when the volume data is not designated (No at Step S101), the workstation 130 waits until the volume data is designated.

  On the other hand, when the volume data is designated (Yes at Step S101), the control unit 135 acquires the designated volume data from the image storage device 120 (Step S102). Then, the control unit 135 determines whether or not a rendering condition for the acquired volume data has been received (step S103). Here, the rendering conditions are the graphic condition, the image number condition, and the viewpoint position condition described above in addition to the parallax angle and the segmentation condition.

  When the rendering condition is not accepted (No at Step S103), the control unit 135 waits until the rendering condition is accepted. On the other hand, when the rendering condition is received (Yes at Step S103), the rendering processing unit 136 generates a parallax image group from the volume data based on the rendering condition under the control of the control unit 135 (Step S104).

  Then, the control unit 135 controls the image storage device 120 to store the parallax image group (step S105), and ends the process.

  Thereafter, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the terminal device 140 of the image processing system 1 according to the first embodiment determines whether volume data to be processed is specified by the operator (step S <b> 201). Here, when the volume data is not designated (No at Step S201), the terminal device 140 stands by until the volume data is designated.

  On the other hand, when the volume data is designated (Yes at Step S201), the control unit 145 obtains a parallax image group associated with the designated volume data (Step S202), and the obtained parallax image group has nine parallax images. It is determined whether or not (step S203). The control unit 145 stores the acquired parallax image group in the storage unit 144.

  Here, when the acquired parallax image group is a nine-parallax image (Yes at Step S203), the control unit 145 converts the nine-parallax image into an intermediate image (Step S205), and displays it on the display unit 142 (Step S206). ), The process is terminated.

  On the other hand, when the acquired parallax image group is a group of 10 or more parallax images (No at Step S203), the control unit 145 selects nine parallax images and converts them into intermediate images (Step S204). Are displayed (step S206), and the process is terminated. Note that, when the rotation display illustrated in FIG. 14 is performed, the control unit 145 repeatedly executes the processes of step S204 and step S206.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, by generating and storing a parallax image group from volume data in advance according to various rendering conditions such as the first graphic condition and the second graphic condition, a stereoscopic image is stored. When a viewing request is received, a stereoscopically viewable image group can be provided without performing volume rendering processing in real time. Therefore, in the first embodiment, it is not necessary to install a workstation 130 having high image processing capability, and the processing load required to generate a stereoscopic image from three-dimensional medical image data can be reduced. Can do.

  The first embodiment described above may be modified in the following three modifications. Hereinafter, a modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a first modification according to the first embodiment.

  The first modification according to the first embodiment is to change the stereoscopic effect of the stereoscopically viewed image in response to the request of the operator of the terminal device 140. For example, when comparing a 9-parallax image with a parallax angle of 1 degree and a 9-parallax image with a parallax angle of 2 degrees, it is known that a 9-parallax image with a parallax angle of 2 degrees has a higher stereoscopic effect. Therefore, the control unit 145 according to the first modification causes the display unit 142 to change the parallax angles of the image groups for the number of parallaxes to be output for stereoscopic viewing. That is, the control unit 145 changes the parallax angle between parallax images having a predetermined number of parallaxes to be selected. For example, it is assumed that the input unit 141 has a slide bar for adjusting the stereoscopic level, and the position of the slide bar is associated with the value of the parallax angle.

  Here, when the position of the bar slid to improve the stereoscopic effect from the operator is “parallax angle: 2 degrees”, the control unit 145 displays the image group of “parallax angle: 2 degrees” as “parallax angle”. It is determined that selection is possible from all surrounding data of “1 degree”. Then, as shown in FIG. 18A, the control unit 145 generates every other parallax image so that the “parallax angle: 2 degrees” is obtained from the all-around data of “parallax angle: 1 degree”. Nine images are selected, and the selected nine images are output to the display unit 142.

  When the position of the bar slid to reduce the stereoscopic effect from the operator is “parallax angle: 0.5 degree”, the control unit 145 displays all the image groups having “parallax angle: 0.5 degree”. Are determined not to be selectable from all-around data of “parallax angle: 1 degree”. That is, the control unit 145 determines that there is no parallax image at the viewpoint position indicated by the black circle illustrated in FIG. Therefore, the control unit 145 uses the interpolation function of the two-dimensional image processing unit 146. That is, as described above, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 has an interpolation function for generating a new parallax image from the two parallax images by interpolation processing using the depth information of each of the two parallax images. A specific example of the interpolation process executed by the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 will be described below. For example, when generating an image C positioned between the image A and the image B, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 sets “Warp Field between the image A and the image B” indicating the direction from the image A to the image B. Calculated by “Mutual Information Method”. Then, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 generates an image C by adding the intermediate point of each pixel vector in “Warp Field” (half of the vector from the image A to the image B) to the image A. For example, when the image C at the angular position “2: 1” is required instead of the image located between the images A and B, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 selects “2: 1”. The image C is generated by using the vector pixels from the image A to the image B located at the ratio. When the angular interval between the image A and the image B is narrow, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 simply adds the image A and the image B and halves the pixel value without using the depth information. An appropriate interpolation process may be performed.

  The control unit 145 controls the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 so as to generate a parallax image at the viewpoint position indicated by a black circle illustrated in FIG. 18B from two adjacent acquired parallax images by interpolation processing. That is, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 uses the depth information of each of the two parallax images generated by the two viewpoints adjacent to the viewpoint position indicated by the black circle, and corresponds to the viewpoint position indicated by the black circle by interpolation processing. A new parallax image is generated. Accordingly, the control unit 145 causes the display unit 142 to output nine images having “parallax angle: 0.5 degree”.

  As described above, in the first modification example according to the first embodiment, the stereoscopic effect of the stereoscopically viewed image can be changed according to the operator's request without performing the rendering process again.

  Next, a second modification according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining a second modification example according to the first embodiment.

  In the second modification, the control unit 135 that performs the rendering control process performs the rendering process so that the resolution of each image constituting the parallax image group is higher than the resolution of the stereoscopic display monitor (display unit 142) to be output. The unit 136 is controlled.

  For example, the control unit 135 acquires in advance from the terminal device 40 that the resolution of the display unit 142 is “512 pixels × 512 pixels”. In such a case, for example, the control unit 135 instructs the rendering processing unit 136 to generate a volume rendering image having a resolution of “1024 pixels × 1024 pixels”.

  As a result, the control unit 145 of the terminal device 140 acquires a 9-parallax image of “1024 pixels × 1024 pixels” as illustrated in FIG. The control unit 145 uses the enlargement / reduction function of the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 in order to output the nine-parallax image acquired on the display unit 142. For example, according to an instruction from the control unit 145, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 performs “1024 pixels × 1024 pixels” as illustrated in FIG. 19A by interpolation processing that calculates an average value of pixel values of adjacent pixels. The 9 parallax images of “512 pixels × 512 pixels”.

  Then, as illustrated in FIG. 19A, the control unit 145 converts the nine-parallax image of “512 pixels × 512 pixels” into an intermediate image arranged in a grid and outputs it to the display unit 142.

  Thus, the following effects can be produced by converting a high resolution image to a low resolution. That is, when an operator who refers to a 9-parallax image of “512 pixels × 512 pixels” requests an enlargement display request, the control unit 145 instructs the 2-dimensional image processing unit 146 to enlarge the 9-parallax image. It will be. Here, the storage unit 144 of the terminal device 140 stores nine parallax images of “1024 pixels × 1024 pixels” that are original images.

  For example, it is assumed that the area requested to be enlarged has a size of “768 pixels × 768 pixels” in the original image. In such a case, the two-dimensional image processing unit 146 cuts out an area of “768 pixels × 768 pixels” from the original image and reduces it to “512 pixels × 512 pixels” as shown in FIG. A 9-parallax image for output can be generated. The resolution of the 9-parallax image is not lowered as compared with the case where the original image is a 9-parallax image of “512 pixels × 512 pixels”.

  That is, in the third modification, by generating a high-resolution parallax image group, it is possible to avoid a low resolution when a stereoscopic image is enlarged and displayed on a stereoscopic monitor as a display destination. can do.

  Next, a third modification according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a third modification example according to the first embodiment.

  Although the case where the display unit 142 is a nine-parallax monitor has been described above, the first embodiment is applicable even when the display unit 142 is the two-parallax monitor described with reference to FIG. . For example, as illustrated in FIG. 20, it is assumed that the control unit 145 has acquired a 9-parallax image having a “parallax angle of 1 degree” as a parallax image group associated with volume data designated by the operator. In such a case, as illustrated in FIG. 20, for example, the control unit 145 selects a 2-parallax image having a “parallax angle: 2 degrees” requested by the operator from 9 parallax images, and outputs the selected image to the display unit 142.

  In this way, by controlling the control unit 135 to generate a parallax image group composed of parallax images of the maximum number of parallaxes or more, a stereoscopic image is displayed according to the stereoscopic specification of the stereoscopic monitor. Can be made.

  Note that the first embodiment and the modification according to the first embodiment described above are applicable even when a plurality of volume data (4D data) along a time series is a processing target. In such a case, the control unit 135 generates a plurality of parallax image groups along the time series. Then, the control unit 135 causes the image storage device 120 to store a plurality of parallax image groups in association with 4D data. Then, the control unit 145 acquires a plurality of parallax image groups associated with the 4D data designated by the operator, divides the acquired plurality of parallax image groups into individual stereoscopic images along a time series. Thus, the display unit 142 displays the video as a stereoscopically viewable video.

(Second Embodiment)
In the second embodiment, a data format for storing a parallax image group will be described.

  In the second embodiment, the control unit 135 of the workstation 130 performs the storage control process based on a standard for transmitting and receiving medical images as an image storage device using a parallax image group as moving image data in moving image format. It controls to store in 120.

  That is, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the control unit 135 according to the second embodiment uses the fact that the image processing system 1 is a PACS compliant with the DICOM standard, which is a parallax image. The data format for storing the group is controlled to be stored in the image storage device 120 as moving image data compliant with DICOM.

  Furthermore, the control unit 135 according to the second embodiment assigns a private tag as incidental information indicating that the image group stored as the moving image data is a stereoscopic image group (parallax image group). By giving such a private tag, the control unit 145 of the terminal device 140 according to the second embodiment acquires the moving image data of the volume data specified by the operator from the image storage device 120, and the acquired moving image data Whether or not the moving image data is a parallax image group is determined based on the incidental information given to.

  For example, the control unit 145 of the terminal device 140 according to the second embodiment can convert the acquired moving image data into a stereoscopic data format when the operator presses the “stereoscopic display button” of the input unit 131. It is determined whether or not there is. When it is determined that conversion is possible, the control unit 145 converts the moving image data into a stereoscopic data format and outputs the converted data to the display unit 142. On the other hand, when it is determined that the conversion is impossible, the control unit 145 causes the display unit 142 to display the moving image data as a moving image.

  21 to 23 are diagrams for explaining private tags attached to moving image data. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 21A, the control unit 135 combines nine images with one long image, thereby converting nine parallax images into moving image data. Then, as shown in FIG. 21A, the control unit 135 assigns “private tag: stereoscopic vision” to the moving image data as supplementary information.

  For example, when the stereoscopic display button is pressed, the control unit 145 determines that the acquired moving image data is a parallax image group because “private tag: stereoscopic vision” is assigned. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 21A, the control unit 145 converts the image group stored in the moving image data into a grid-like intermediate image and outputs it to the display unit 142.

  Or as a private tag given to 9 parallax images, as shown to (B) of Drawing 21, information on parallax angle may be sufficient. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 21B, the control unit 135 assigns “parallax angle: 1 degree” to the moving image data as supplementary information. Since the information on the parallax angle is given, the control unit 145 determines that the acquired moving image data is a stereoscopic image group (parallax image group).

  Note that the operator of the terminal device 140 may set in advance a parallax angle threshold at which the user can stereoscopically view the stereoscopic image displayed for stereoscopic viewing so that the stereoscopic viewing of the terminal device 140 can be avoided. For example, if the operator has previously set information that “parallax angle: within 2 degrees”, the control unit 145, for example, if “parallax angle: 5 degrees” is given to the acquired moving image data. It is determined that stereoscopic viewing is impossible.

  As shown in FIG. 22, for example, when the parallax image group is 360 omnidirectional data, the control unit 135 sets the 360 omnidirectional data as one moving image data. Then, as shown in FIG. 22, the control unit 135 assigns “private tag: all-around data” to the moving image data as incidental information. For example, when the stereoscopic display button is pressed, the control unit 145 determines that the acquired moving image data is a parallax image group because “private tag: all-around data” is assigned. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 22, the control unit 145 converts the nine parallax images selected from the image group stored in the moving image data into a lattice-shaped intermediate image and outputs the image to the display unit 142.

  Or when the parallax image group produced | generated by the 2nd figure conditions demonstrated using FIG. 15 is preserve | saved as moving image data, the control part 135 provides the private tag shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 23, the control unit 135 adds “private tag: stereoscopic view” and “private tag: all-around data” to the moving image data as supplementary information. Further, as shown in FIG. 23, the control unit 135, as supplementary information for dividing the moving image data into all-around data for each reference point, sets “reference point flag” at the position before the start of all-around data at different reference points. Is inserted.

  Based on such incidental information, the control unit 145 determines that the acquired moving image data is a parallax image group. Then, the control unit 145 divides the moving image data for each flag, converts the stereoscopic image of the VE display method for stereoscopic viewing, and outputs the stereoscopic image to the display unit 142.

  Thus, by using a private tag, a parallax image group can be transmitted and received as moving image data compliant with the DICOM standard in a hospital where PACS is introduced. However, when a private tag is used, it is necessary to add a function for causing the terminal device 140 as a viewer to recognize the private tag. However, adding various private tag recognition functions to the image processing system 1 operated as a PACS requires a system change.

  Accordingly, the control unit 135 according to the second embodiment converts the parallax image group into moving image data in a moving image format in conformity with the DICOM standard, and further adds incidental information used in the standard (DICOM standard) to the moving image data. Then, control is performed so that the image is stored in the image storage device 120. Then, the control unit 145 according to the second embodiment acquires the moving image data of the volume data designated by the operator from the image storage device 120, and based on the incidental information given to the acquired moving image data, the moving image It is determined whether or not the data is a parallax image group.

  Hereinafter, an example of incidental information based on the DICOM standard that can be determined to be a parallax image group will be described with reference to FIGS. 24 and 25. 24 and 25 are diagrams for explaining supplementary information compliant with the DICOM standard assigned to moving image data.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 24, the control unit 135 combines nine images with one long image, thereby converting nine parallax images into moving image data. Then, as shown in FIG. 24, the control unit 135 normally adds “number of sheets: 9”, which is incidental information as an existing tag provided in the DICOM standard, to the moving image data. For example, when the stereoscopic display button is pressed, the control unit 145 determines that the acquired moving image data is a parallax image group because “number of sheets: 9” is assigned. Then, the control unit 145 converts the nine parallax images stored in the moving image data into a grid-like intermediate image and outputs the converted image to the display unit 142.

  Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 25, when the parallax image group is 360 pieces of all-around data, the control unit 135 sets 360 pieces of all-around data as one moving image data. Then, as shown in FIG. 25, the control unit 135 normally adds “number of sheets: 360”, which is incidental information as an existing tag given in the DICOM standard, to the moving image data. For example, when the stereoscopic display button is pressed, the control unit 145 determines that the acquired moving image data is a parallax image group because “number of sheets: 360” is assigned. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 25, the control unit 145 converts the nine parallax images selected from the parallax image group stored in the moving image data into a lattice-shaped intermediate image and outputs the converted image to the display unit 142. Alternatively, the control unit 145 converts nine parallax images sequentially selected from the parallax image group stored in the moving image data into a grid-like intermediate image and sequentially outputs the converted images to the display unit 142. Alternatively, the control unit 145 converts the sequentially selected nine parallax images from a group of parallax images stored in the moving image data into a lattice-shaped intermediate image and sequentially outputs them to the display unit 142. For example, the control unit 145 converts nine parallax images sequentially selected from the “first to 180th” parallax images of 360 surrounding data stored in the moving image data into a grid-like intermediate image. Are sequentially output to the display unit 142.

  Next, processing of the image processing system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 26 is a diagram for explaining image display processing of the image processing system according to the second embodiment. Note that in the image storage processing of the image processing system 1 according to the second embodiment, in step S105 described with reference to FIG. 16, the control unit 135 sets the parallax image group as moving image data compliant with the DICOM standard, and the moving image data Since it is the same except that the supplementary information is added to and stored in the image storage device 120, the description is omitted.

  As illustrated in FIG. 26, the terminal device 140 of the image processing system 1 according to the second embodiment determines whether volume data to be processed is specified by the operator (step S301). Here, when the volume data is not specified (No at Step S301), the terminal device 140 stands by until the volume data is specified.

  On the other hand, when volume data is designated (Yes at Step S301), the control unit 145 acquires moving image data associated with the designated volume data (Step S302), and determines whether or not the stereoscopic display button has been pressed. Determination is made (step S303). If the stereoscopic display button is not pressed (No at Step S303), the control unit 145 waits until the stereoscopic display button is pressed.

  On the other hand, when the stereoscopic display button is pressed (Yes at Step S303), the control unit 145 refers to the accompanying information and determines whether or not the stereoscopic image can be converted into an intermediate image that is a stereoscopic data format (Step S303). S304). If it is determined that conversion is not possible (No at Step S304), the control unit 135 displays the acquired moving image data as a moving image (Step S307), and ends the process.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that conversion is possible (Yes at Step S304), the control unit 135 converts the moving image data into an intermediate image (Step S305). Then, the control unit 135 outputs the intermediate image to the display unit 142 to display stereoscopically (step S306), and ends the process.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, the stereoscopic image selected from the parallax image group in the DICOM standard hospital system currently most popular by handling the parallax image group as moving image data of the DICOM standard. Can be displayed. Further, in the second embodiment, since it is possible to determine and display whether or not stereoscopic viewing is possible using an existing tag compliant with the DICOM standard, it is possible to display the hospital system of the most popular DICOM standard at present. Can be operated as a system for displaying a stereoscopic image selected from the parallax image group without change. In the above description, the case where the determination process by the control unit 145 is performed by pressing the stereoscopic display button has been described. However, in the second embodiment, the operation by the stereoscopic display button is not triggered by the determination process, but the determination process by the control unit 145 may be performed when moving image data is acquired. In such a case, in the terminal device 140 equipped with a viewer conforming to the normal DICOM standard, the moving image data determined to be unconvertible by the control unit 145 is recognized as a moving image and displayed as a moving image. In the above description, the case where the parallax image group is moving image data compliant with the DICOM standard has been described. However, the second embodiment may be a case in which, for example, 360 pieces of data such as all-around data are used as still image data that conforms to 360 DICOM standards as standardized data that conforms to the DICOM standard. . In such a case, the control unit 135 adds, for example, an existing tag of “number of sheets: 360” to data including 360 DICOM still image data. Then, the control unit 145 selects nine parallax images from 360 pieces of DICOM still image data and outputs them to the display unit 142. For example, when the stereoscopic display button is pressed, the control unit 145 adds an existing tag of “number of sheets: 360” to data including 360 DICOM still image data. It determines with it being an image group, selects 9 parallax images, and outputs them to the display unit 142.

  Note that the second embodiment described above may be modified as described below. That is, as described in the first embodiment, the image processing system 1 can process 4D data, and a plurality of parallax image groups along the time series generated by the control unit 135 are: It can be handled as moving image data compliant with the DICOM standard.

  First, as described in the first embodiment, when a plurality of volume data is generated in time series, the control unit 135 generates a plurality of parallax image groups in time series from each volume data. The rendering processing unit 136 is controlled so that

  In the modification according to the second embodiment, the control unit 135 sets the plurality of parallax image groups generated by the rendering processing unit 136 as moving image data in a moving image format conforming to the DICOM standard. Here, also in the modified example according to the second embodiment, a private tag or an existing tag can be added to the moving image data as incidental information.

  First, an example of a private tag given when a group of 9 parallax images in time series is generated according to the rendering condition described with reference to FIG. 8B will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 27 is a diagram for explaining a private tag attached to moving image data in a modification according to the second embodiment. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 27A, the control unit 135 sets each of a plurality of nine parallax images in time series as moving image data. Furthermore, the control unit 135 assigns “private tag: stereoscopic vision” to each moving image data.

  Further, the control unit 135 gives time information that is an existing tag to each moving image data. Here, the time information is the time when the volume data that is the generation source of the moving image data is captured, for example, the time information that is recorded in milliseconds. For example, the control unit 135 assigns the existing tags “time: t1”, “time: t2”, “time: t3”,... The moving image data group is stored in the image storage device 120 in association with the generation source 4D data by the storage control of the control unit 135.

  And the control part 145 acquires the moving image data group matched with 4D data which the operator designated collectively, and "private tag: stereoscopic view" is provided to all the acquired moving image data. It is determined that stereoscopic viewing is possible. Furthermore, since the time of the existing tag given to the acquired moving image data group is, for example, the time recorded in units of milliseconds, the control unit 145 follows the time series for moving image display. It determines with it being a several parallax image group.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 27A, the control unit 145 sets the moving image data group as “time: t1”, “time: t2”, “time: t3”,... Are converted into a plurality of intermediate images along the line and output to the display unit 142.

  Or the control part 135 makes the several 9 parallax image along a time series one moving image data. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 27B, the control unit 135 sets 50 nine-parallax images in time series as one moving image data. However, the control unit 135 sets 50 “9 time parallax images” “time: t1”, “time: t2”, “time: t3”,... “Time: t50” for each viewpoint position. To divide.

  And the control part 135 arranges the parallax image of the viewpoint (1) of "time: t1"-"time: t50" along a time series ("1 (t1) in the figure, 1 (t2) ..." Similarly, the control unit 135 arranges the parallax images of the viewpoint (2) from “time: t1” to “time: t50” in time series (“ 2 (t1), 2 (t2), ..., 2 (t50) ") Similarly, the control unit 135 displays the parallax image at the viewpoint (3) from" time: t1 "to" time: t50 ". (Refer to “3 (t1), 3 (t2)... 3 (t50)” in the figure.) The control unit 135 views the rearrangement processing from the viewpoint (4). The same applies to the viewpoint (9).

  Then, the control unit 135 assigns “private tag: 4D (50)” indicating that it is a parallax image group for moving image display to the moving image data. The private tag “50” is information indicating that 50 nine-parallax images in time series are stored as 4D data.

  Then, the control unit 145 acquires moving image data associated with the 4D data designated by the operator, and “private tag: 4D (50)” is added to the acquired moving image data, so that stereoscopic viewing is possible. And a plurality of parallax image groups for moving image display.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 27B, the control unit 145 sets the moving image data in a time series of ““ time: t1 ”,“ time: t2 ”,“ time: t3 ”,... The image is converted into a plurality of intermediate images along the line and output to the display unit 142.

  However, as described above, adding various private tag recognition functions to the image processing system 1 operated as a PACS requires a system change.

  Therefore, also in this modification, the control unit 135 performs control so that incidental information (existing tag) conforming to the DICOM standard is attached to the moving image data and then stored in the image storage device 120. FIG. 28 is a diagram for explaining incidental information compliant with the DICOM standard attached to moving image data in a modification according to the second embodiment.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 28, the control unit 135 sets each of a plurality of nine parallax images in time series as moving image data. Further, the control unit 135 gives “9” indicating the number of sheets as an existing tag to each moving image data. Further, the control unit 135 gives time information that is an existing tag to each moving image data. For example, the control unit 135 assigns the existing tags “time: t1”, “time: t2”, “time: t3”,... The moving image data group is stored in the image storage device 120 in association with the generation source 4D data by the storage control of the control unit 135.

  Then, the control unit 145 acquires the moving image data of the 4D data designated by the operator from the image storage device 120, and when the moving image data is for moving image display based on the incidental information given to the acquired moving image data. It is determined whether or not there are a plurality of parallax image groups along the series.

  The control unit 145 determines that stereoscopic viewing is possible because an existing tag indicating that the number of sheets is “9” is assigned to all of the acquired moving image data. Furthermore, since the time of the existing tag given to the acquired moving image data group is the time recorded in milliseconds, the control unit 145 has a plurality of moving image data groups in time series for moving image display. It determines with it being a parallax image group.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 28, the control unit 145 converts the moving image data into a plurality of time series of ““ time: t1 ”,“ time: t2 ”,“ time: t3 ”,... The image is converted into an intermediate image and output to the display unit 142.

  As described above, in the modified example according to the second embodiment, even when 4D data is handled, a stereoscopic image is displayed as it is without changing the hospital system of the most popular DICOM standard. It can be operated as a system.

  In the above embodiment, the workstation 130 performs generation control and storage control of the parallax image group by the control unit 135, and the terminal device 140 performs acquisition and display control of the stereoscopic image by the control unit 145. Explained the case. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the workstation 130 may perform parallax image group acquisition and display control as well as parallax image group generation control and storage control. The medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 and the terminal apparatus 140 may perform the generation control and storage control of the parallax image group, and the acquisition and display control of the parallax image group.

  The medical image diagnostic apparatus 110 may perform generation control and storage control of a parallax image group, and the workstation 130 and the terminal device 140 may perform acquisition and display control of a parallax image group.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the storage destination of the parallax image group is the image storage device 120 has been described. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the target of storage control by the device that has performed generation control of the parallax image group may be the storage unit of the device itself. In such a case, the terminal device 40 acquires a parallax image group from the workstation 130, for example.

  That is, the processing of the rendering processing unit 136, the control unit 135, the control unit 145, and the image storage device 120 described in the above embodiment is performed according to various loads and usage conditions of each device included in the image processing system 1. It can be configured to be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in arbitrary units. Further, all or any part of each processing function performed in each device may be realized by a CPU and a program analyzed and executed by the CPU, or may be realized as hardware by wired logic.

  The image processing method described in the above embodiment can be realized by executing an image processing program prepared in advance on a computer such as a personal computer or a workstation. This image processing program can be distributed via a network such as the Internet. The program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a hard disk, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-ROM, an MO, a DVD, or a Blu-ray Disc (registered trademark), and is read from the recording medium by the computer. Can also be implemented.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the modified example according to the first embodiment, the modified example according to the second embodiment and the second embodiment, stereoscopic vision is obtained from three-dimensional medical image data. It is possible to reduce the processing load required to generate the image for use.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

1 Image processing system 2 Hospital LAN (Local Area Network)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 Medical diagnostic imaging apparatus 120 Image storage apparatus 130 Workstation 131 Input part 132 Display part 133 Communication part 134 Storage part 135 Control part 136 Rendering process part 140 Terminal apparatus 141 Input part 142 Display part 143 Communication part 144 Storage part 145 Control part 146 2D image processor

Claims (15)

A plurality of stereoscopic display devices capable of displaying a stereoscopic image configured using parallax images having a predetermined number of parallaxes;
A rendering processing unit that performs rendering processing on volume data that is three-dimensional medical image data, and the rendering processing unit generates more than the maximum number of parallaxes among the predetermined number of parallaxes of the plurality of stereoscopic display devices generated from the volume data An image processing apparatus including a storage control unit that stores a group of parallax images in a storage unit;
With
The stereoscopic display device displays a stereoscopic image configured by selecting the parallax image having the predetermined parallax number from the parallax image group having the maximum parallax number or more stored in the storage unit, and performing the rendering process. The image processing system generates the parallax image group by setting a viewpoint for performing rendering processing based on a straight line or a curve forming a figure of a predetermined shape to be equal to or greater than the maximum number of parallaxes .   The parallax image having the predetermined number of parallaxes is acquired from the parallax image group having the number of parallaxes or more generated from the volume data designated by the operator from the storage unit, and the acquired parallax images having the predetermined number of parallaxes are used. The image processing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a display control unit configured to control the stereoscopic image configured to be displayed on the stereoscopic display device.   The rendering processing unit sets the figure of the predetermined shape so that the viewpoint is located outside the rendering area which is an area to be rendered of the volume data, and based on a straight line or a curve forming the set figure The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the parallax image group is generated.   4. The rendering unit according to claim 1, wherein the rendering processing unit sets a viewpoint for executing the rendering process along the straight line or curve forming the figure having the predetermined shape to be equal to or greater than the maximum number of parallaxes. The image processing system described in 1.   The rendering processing unit sets a viewpoint for performing a rendering process along a tangent at a point set on a straight line or a curve forming the figure of the predetermined shape to be equal to or greater than the maximum number of parallaxes. Item 4. The image processing system according to any one of Items 1 to 3.   2. The rendering processing unit sets a viewpoint for performing rendering processing along each tangent direction at a plurality of points set on a straight line or a curve forming the figure having the predetermined shape. The image processing system as described in any one of -3.   The rendering processing unit sets the figure of the predetermined shape so that the viewpoint is located in a rendering area which is an area to be rendered of the volume data, and based on a straight line or a curve forming the set figure The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the parallax image group is generated.   The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein the rendering processing unit sets a plurality of figures having the predetermined shape.   The display control unit performs control so that a plurality of stereoscopic images are sequentially displayed on the stereoscopic display device by sequentially selecting parallax images having the predetermined number of parallaxes from the storage unit. The image processing system according to 2.   The image processing system according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit changes a parallax angle between parallax images having the predetermined number of parallaxes to be selected.   The rendering unit generates the parallax image group so that the resolution of each image constituting the parallax image group is higher than the resolution of the predetermined stereoscopic display device. The image processing system according to any one of the above.   The rendering processing unit uses the parallax image group as standardized data standardized in a format based on a standard for transmitting and receiving medical images, and the storage control unit includes additional information used in the standard Is added to the standardized data and controlled to be stored in the storage unit, and the display control unit acquires the standardized data of the volume data specified by the operator from the storage unit, The image processing system according to claim 2, wherein it is determined whether or not the standardized data is the parallax image group based on supplementary information given to the standardized data.   The rendering processing unit converts the parallax image group into moving image data in a moving image format based on the standard, and the storage control unit adds incidental information used in the standard to the moving image data. The display control unit obtains the moving image data of the volume data designated by the operator from the storage unit, and adds the additional information added to the acquired moving image data to the storage unit. The image processing system according to claim 12, wherein the image processing system determines whether or not the moving image data is the parallax image group.   When a plurality of volume data is generated in time series, the rendering processing unit generates a plurality of parallax image groups in time series from each volume data, and the generated plurality of parallax image groups The moving image data used in the standard is used as the moving image data, and the storage control unit controls the storage unit to store the incidental information used in the standard after adding the auxiliary information to the moving image data. The display control unit acquires moving image data of a plurality of volume data designated by an operator from the storage unit, and the moving image data is displayed for moving images based on incidental information attached to the acquired moving image data. The image processing system according to claim 13, wherein it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of parallax image groups along a time series. An image processing device connected to a plurality of stereoscopic display devices capable of displaying a stereoscopic image configured using parallax images having a predetermined number of parallaxes performs rendering processing on volume data that is three-dimensional medical image data. A step of causing a storage processing unit to store a parallax image group equal to or greater than a maximum parallax number among the predetermined parallax numbers of the plurality of stereoscopic display devices generated by the rendering processing unit from the volume data;
Including
The stereoscopic display device capable of displaying a stereoscopic image configured using parallax images having the predetermined number of parallaxes is configured to select the predetermined parallax from among a parallax image group having the number of parallaxes or more stored in the storage unit. Displaying a stereoscopic image configured by selecting a number of parallax images;
Including
The image processing apparatus causes the rendering processing unit to generate the parallax image group by setting a viewpoint for executing the rendering process based on a straight line or a curve forming a figure having a predetermined shape to be equal to or greater than the maximum number of parallaxes. An image processing method characterized by that.

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