JP6397554B2 - Control apparatus, radiation imaging apparatus, control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a control apparatus, a radiation imaging apparatus, a control method, and a program.

  2. Description of the Related Art Image intensifiers (hereinafter also referred to as “I.I.”)-Television systems have been widely used in the field of image diagnosis using radiographic apparatuses, particularly X-ray imaging apparatuses. In recent years, instead of an image intensifier, a radiographic apparatus using a high-resolution solid-state radiation (for example, X-ray) detector using an FPD (Flat Panel Detector) has been proposed. The photographed image is I.I. I. In the radiation imaging apparatus using the FPD, the FPD is a square flat detector (for example, a rectangular square). I. There is an advantage that the effective visual field can be widened as compared with the above.

  Conventional I.D. I. Even if the detector unit is rotated or the image on the display device is rotated, the radiation irradiation area to be displayed has a circular shape. There was no problem. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention corresponding to rotation of a detector by using a display rotation system that rotates a television monitor. Further, the coincidence of the radiation field with respect to the image receiving surface is defined by an industrial standard or the like (Non-Patent Document 1, Non-Patent Document 2).

JP 2000-217808 A

“JIS Handbook 2005 Radiation (Noh)”, C0601-1-3 Medical Electrical Equipment: Japan Standards Industry Association, Chapter 29.203.4 FDA Part 1020 Sec. 1020.32 Fluoroscopic equipment

  However, the radiation imaging apparatus using the FPD described above has the following problems.

  In the rectangular rectangular flat detector, when the vertical and horizontal directions of the image display area on the display device are displayed so as to coincide with the vertical and horizontal directions of the rectangular flat detector, FIG. It becomes like this. An image 201 is a radiation image detected by the square flat detector, and an auxiliary diagram 202 is an auxiliary diagram showing a relative positional relationship between the subject and the square flat detector. Here, depending on the positional relationship between the subject and the square flat detector, there are cases where it is desired to rotate and display the image. For example, in FIG. 2B, the auxiliary diagram 202 is displayed obliquely. This is the case where there is a shift in the relative positional relationship between the subject and the rectangular flat detector, or the vertical and horizontal relationships between the rectangular flat detector and the display device do not match. . At this time, as shown in FIG. 2C, for example, if the image is rotated in an orientation that allows easy observation while maintaining the image display magnification, an area that is not displayed on the display device is generated. That is, since part of image data detected by the square flat detector may be lost due to the rotation operation, it may be necessary to adjust display conditions to prevent such loss.

  Further, in general, a radiation imaging apparatus is prepared in advance with a mode for storing a captured image and a mode for not storing the captured image. For example, in a photographing mode called fluoroscopy, a photographed image is not stored and is not stored in the photographing apparatus. On the other hand, in an imaging mode called serial radiography or cine other than fluoroscopy, all images are stored. In the non-save mode, it is used for the purpose of postoperative confirmation of the patient after surgery, or for the purpose of adjusting the position and timing for taking a still image, and the implication of image confirmation on a spot basis strong. On the other hand, the saving mode is often used for the purpose of diagnosing the saved image in detail later. As described above, since it is desired to display the entire radiation irradiation area in the non-saving mode, it is not preferable that a part of the image data is lost due to the rotation operation. On the other hand, in the save mode, since it is desired to continuously display the attention area of the image on the screen, it is desirable that the attention area can be easily confirmed. That is, the timing and contents of image confirmation differ depending on the purpose of shooting. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain a desired observation image if the conditions for determining the display form of the image, such as rotation display, enlargement / reduction display, and panning display (display with the image center moved) are the same. is there.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention uses a square flat detector by controlling the display form of an image according to each shooting purpose of a shooting mode for storing an image and a shooting mode for not storing an image. An object is to display a radiographed image in a display form corresponding to each imaging purpose.

The control device according to the present invention that achieves the above object is as follows.
A control device for controlling an imaging unit capable of imaging a radiographic image of a subject in a plurality of imaging modes,
The plurality of shooting modes include a perspective shooting mode,
When the shooting mode of the shooting means is a perspective shooting mode,
In response to a rotation process by a user operation, the radiographic image is enlarged or reduced and controlled so that the entire radiographic image fits in a display area of a display unit,
Control not to accept enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by user operation,
When the shooting mode is a moving image shooting different from the perspective shooting and is a mode for saving the shot image data, control is performed so as to accept the enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by the user operation. To do.

  According to the present invention, radiation obtained by radiography using a square flat detector by controlling the display form of an image according to each imaging purpose of an imaging mode for storing an image and an imaging mode for not storing an image. An image can be displayed in a display form corresponding to each shooting purpose.

The functional block diagram of a radiography apparatus. The figure which shows the relative positional relationship of a to-be-photographed object and a detector. The system block diagram of a radiography apparatus. The control block diagram of a radiography apparatus. The flowchart which can implement this invention. The figure which shows the display conditions which can implement this invention.

(First embodiment)
With reference to FIG. 1, a schematic configuration of a radiation imaging apparatus using the FPD according to the present invention will be described. The radiation irradiated from the radiation tube 101 is irradiated to the subject 108 through the radiation aperture 102, and the transmitted radiation transmitted through the subject 108 is detected by the detector unit 103 and converted into an image signal. The converted image signal is subjected to image processing in the image processing unit 104 and displayed on the display device 105 as an image. The radiation applied to the subject 108 is set so as to be applied only to a predetermined range required for imaging through the radiation stop 102. The detector unit 103 converts the transmitted radiation that has passed through the subject 108 into a visible light optical image by the phosphor in the detector unit 103, and converts the converted optical image into an image signal. The image processing unit 104 converts the input image signal into digital image data, and performs various operations such as image enlargement / reduction, image position movement, image data addition / subtraction, and image processing. The storage device 106 records / stores digital image data before or after image processing. The storage device 106 can store not only a moving image shot by irradiation of radiation but also a still image shot at an arbitrary timing while observing the moving image. The control device 107 is a control device that controls the radiation imaging apparatus, for example, the radiation tube 101, the detector unit 103, the display device 105, and the like, and controls the radiation imaging apparatus as a whole. The control device 107 includes an image processing unit 104, a storage device 106, and the like.

  The relative positional relationship between the subject 108 and the detector unit 103 of the radiation imaging apparatus can be rotated. The term “rotation” here means that the center of the detector unit 103 is rotated in the plane including the detection surface of the detector unit 103, and the detector unit 103 is rotated about the subject 108 as a central axis. is not.

  Next, a configuration example of the radiation imaging system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The radiation imaging apparatus 301 is a medical image imaging apparatus that performs radiation imaging and the like. For example, a radiation CT apparatus, an MRI apparatus, and the like are included and are also called modalities. In FIG. 1, the radiation imaging apparatus is configured to include the display device 105 and the storage device 106. However, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the image storage device 302, the image display device 303, and the like are provided outside the radiation imaging device 301. Also good. The image storage apparatus 302 is an image storage apparatus that stores an image captured by the radiation imaging apparatus 301, and is also called PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications Systems). The image display device 303 is an image display device that displays an image captured by the radiation imaging apparatus 301 for image diagnosis. The printer 304 is a printer that prints a radiation image on a print medium such as a film or paper. Note that the printer 304 may not be provided in the case of filmless operation. The radiation order apparatus 305 is an apparatus that issues an imaging order, and is also referred to as RIS (Radiology Information Systems). These devices are connected to each other via a network 306.

  Next, the functional configuration of the radiation imaging apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The radiation generator control unit 401 controls the radiation tube 101 as shown in FIG. The radiation detector control unit 402 controls the detector unit 103 as shown in FIG. 1 that functions as a radiation detection means. The image display control unit 403 controls image display on the display device 105 (or the image display device 303 in the case of the device configuration of FIG. 3) functioning as an image display unit as shown in FIG. The display condition determination unit 404 includes first determination means for determining a rotation condition for rotating an image, second determination means for determining an image enlargement / reduction condition, and panning conditions for panning display (display with the image center moved). It functions as a third determining means for determining. Each determination means may be a human interface to a computer such as a keyboard or a mouse (not shown). The image storage determination unit 405 determines whether or not the captured radiation image is in a mode for storing in the storage device 106 (or the image storage device 302). The display image processing unit 406 executes image processing of an image to be displayed according to the determined rotation condition, enlargement / reduction condition, and panning condition. In addition to geometric conversion processing, general image processing such as brightness and contrast is also included. Each of these processing units 401 to 406 mainly performs each process of a flowchart shown in FIG. The storage device 106 also stores each condition of the rotation condition, the enlargement / reduction condition, and the panning condition determined by each determination unit.

With reference to FIG. 5, the flow of processing of the radiation imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. First, in step S501, it is determined whether or not there is a geometric transformation instruction input by the user via an input device (not shown). The geometric transformation refers to, for example, enlargement / reduction processing, rotation processing, and panning processing. Since the display conditions when there is no change in the geometric transformation process are the same conditions as in the previous shooting, the same condition values as before can be used if there is no change. In addition, you may make it operate | move from the process after step S502, without performing the process of step S501.
If there is a geometric transformation instruction (step S501; YES), the process proceeds to step S502. If no geometric transformation instruction is input (step S501; NO), the process proceeds to step S507. In step S502, it is determined whether or not the radiation imaging apparatus 301 is imaging. If shooting is in progress (step S502; YES), the process proceeds to step S503. If the radiation imaging apparatus 301 is not imaging (step S502; NO), the process proceeds to step S506. In step S503, the image storage determining unit 405 determines whether the type of the shooting mode is a shooting mode for storing an image or a shooting mode for not storing an image. The imaging mode to be stored refers to an imaging mode of the radiation imaging apparatus 301 that stores all images captured by the radiation imaging apparatus 301 in the storage device 106. The storage device 106 is usually a hard disk drive of a computer, but may be other than a hard disk drive as long as the storage device can be handled by the computer. The shooting mode not stored is a mode in which a captured image is not stored in the storage device 106, and for example, there is shooting called fluoroscopy. In fluoroscopy, a photographed image is displayed on a display device in real time when irradiated with radiation, but the image is not stored. However, it is also possible to save only a final fluoroscopic image or only a storable image existing on a computer memory according to a user instruction after shooting. Shooting modes to be stored include still image shooting, cine shooting, DA, and DSA. As a result of these shootings, all acquired images are stored in the storage device 106. In addition, if classified as moving images and still images, fluoroscopy, cine shooting, DA, and DSA are moving image shooting modes, and still images are naturally still image shooting modes. If the shooting mode is a mode for saving an image (step S503; YES), the process proceeds to step S506. On the other hand, if the mode is not to save (step S503; NO), the process proceeds to step 504.

<Mode not to save>
In step S504, image size information is determined. There are two methods for determining image size information: a method for determining image size information, and a method for determining image size information from collimator position information.

  First, the method of determining the image size based on the image data information is a method in which the image data size received from the detector unit 103 in FIG. 1 is used as the image size. The detection condition of the detector unit 103 includes detection area information. The detection conditions of the detector unit 103 include detection in the entire area of the sensor constituting the detector unit 103, detection of a detection area of, for example, a size of 14 inches x 17 inches in length and width, and 9 inches x height and width. There are various detection conditions such as detection with a 9-inch size. A detection area is determined by each of these detection conditions. Since the data read from the detection area is treated as image data, the image size is determined when the detection area is determined. Since the confirmed image size information is transmitted from the detector unit 103 to the radiation detector control unit 402, the radiation detector control unit 402 functioning as the first calculation unit can calculate the image size based on the received image size information. It is. Furthermore, it is possible to determine the image size prior to image reception. In this case, the image size is determined from the detection conditions of the detector unit 103. As an example, in the case of detection with a size of 14 inches × 17 inches, the image size can be determined from the related information between the detection area and the image size, such as 2208 × 2688. It is also possible to determine the image size by calculating the number of pixels in the vertical and horizontal directions from the detection area and the pixel pitch of the sensor.

  Next, the method for determining the image size from the collimator position information is a method for calculating the image size from the collimator position information included in the radiation generator control unit 401 functioning as the first calculation means. The collimator is a diaphragm mechanism that determines the radiation field. Since the area to which the radiation is irradiated is limited by narrowing down the irradiation area, the effective area as an image is also limited. This limited area is image size information. Therefore, the image size information can be calculated from the collimator position information included in the radiation generation apparatus control unit 401. Further, although it cannot be determined prior to photographing, the image size may be determined by extracting an irradiation area from the photographed image itself by image processing.

  When there are both the image size determined from the collimator position information and the image size determined from the image data information, the smaller image size value may be determined as the image size information. Some radiation generator control units 401 cannot report the collimator position information. In that case, the image size is determined from the image data information.

  In step S505, the display condition determination unit 404 calculates a display magnification for displaying an image from the image size information and the image display area information. The image display area information is information about an area of an image that can be displayed on the display device 105. The display magnification is calculated as follows. As the image size information, the image size information determined in step S504 is used. The image display area information is calculated by the image display control unit 403 that functions as a second calculation unit. For example, when an image is displayed at the entire resolution of the display device 105, the displayable area is determined by the current display resolution on the display device 105. In another example, in the case of an application that presents patient information other than an image and other related information and other related information in the entire resolution of the display device 105, the image is displayed outside the display area of the patient information and other related information. The display area is set. Therefore, the display area is determined from the display resolution on the display device 105 and the image display area condition of the application.

  With reference to Fig.6 (a), the operation | movement at the time of the radiation irradiation start in the mode which is not preserve | saved is demonstrated. The conditions for the rotation process for rotating the image are the same as the rotation conditions (final rotation conditions) determined by the display condition determination unit 404 functioning as the first determination means during the previous radiation imaging. For example, if radiation irradiation is performed in the normal fluoroscopic mode, an image of the final fluoroscopic frame is displayed on the screen. However, the rotation angle of the image may be adjusted with reference to the final perspective image after the photographing is completed. Therefore, since the next image is desired to be displayed in the same state as the result of adjusting the rotation condition, the condition after the adjustment of the rotation condition is set as the final rotation condition (the rotation condition at the next photographing). For example, when an image is adjusted while referring to a fluoroscopic image, the display processing condition (final rotation condition) of the image that has been displayed is determined at the moment of the next radiation irradiation start. Therefore, the final rotation condition is a rotation condition at the end of radiation imaging or an adjusted rotation condition when adjustment is performed after imaging.

  Next, the enlargement / reduction condition is determined from the image size information determined in step S504 and the image display area information so as to display the image related to the image size information in the image display area at the maximum ratio. A condition that the number of pixels of the image display area is not exceeded may be further imposed. Hereinafter, such display is referred to as fit display. The fit display is a display mode in which the entire radiation irradiation region is displayed as large as possible since the imaging mode is a mode in which no image is stored in the storage device 106. Similarly, the panning condition is displayed without any condition, that is, in the center.

  With reference to FIG. 6A, an operation during radiation irradiation in the non-saving mode will be described. The rotation condition for rotating the image is a rotation condition according to the user operation. This is to allow the user to freely adjust the image rotation conditions during radiation irradiation. Next, the enlargement / reduction condition is kept in the fit display as in the case of starting radiation irradiation. Note that since the enlargement / reduction process during radiation irradiation remains in the fit display, GUI control may be performed so that no user operation is accepted for the enlargement / reduction process. And since it is a fit display, a panning process is not performed. Similarly, GUI control may be performed so that user operations are not accepted. Note that enlargement / reduction user operations are not accepted, but as an image processing condition, enlargement / reduction processing may be performed. This is because the image is fit-displayed when the user can freely change the rotation condition of the image. Therefore, enlargement / reduction processing is performed to display fit. That is, as the enlargement / reduction condition during radiation irradiation, a fit process according to fit display or rotation operation is executed.

  With reference to Fig.6 (a), operation | movement other than during radiation irradiation in the mode which is not preserve | saved is demonstrated. Except during the irradiation, all of the rotation condition, the enlargement / reduction condition, and the panning condition are processed according to the user operation.

<Save mode>
On the other hand, in step S <b> 506, display conditions are determined when the shooting mode is a mode for saving an image in the storage device 106.
First, with reference to FIG. 6B, an operation at the start of radiation irradiation in the storage mode will be described. The rotation condition is the same as the final rotation condition determined by the display condition determination unit 404 functioning as the first determination unit in the previous radiation imaging, as in the non-saving mode. Next, the enlargement / reduction condition is set to the same condition as the final enlargement / reduction condition determined by the display condition determination unit 404 functioning as the second determination unit in the previous radiation imaging, similarly to the rotation condition in the non-saving mode. . That is, the final enlargement / reduction condition is an enlargement / reduction condition at the end of radiation imaging or an adjusted enlargement / reduction condition when adjustment is performed after imaging. This is because, in the non-saving mode, priority is given to displaying the entire radiation irradiation area and the fit display is given, whereas in the saving mode, the attention area of the image is continuously displayed on the screen. This is to give priority. Similarly, the panning condition is the same as the final panning condition for the previously radiographed image. In other words, the final panning condition is a panning condition at the end of radiography or an adjusted panning condition when adjustment is performed after imaging. Next, with reference to FIG. 6B, an operation during radiation irradiation in the storage mode will be described. Any of the rotation condition, the enlargement / reduction condition, and the panning condition is performed under the processing condition according to the user operation.

  Then, with reference to FIG. 6B, the operation other than during radiation irradiation in the saving mode will be described. All of the rotation condition, the enlargement / reduction condition, and the panning condition are performed under the processing conditions according to the user operation. Also, processing is performed in accordance with user operations even when shooting is not in progress.

In step S507, the display image processing unit 406 performs enlargement / reduction, rotation, and panning display image processing based on the display conditions determined in step S505 (non-saving mode) or step S506 (saving mode). In addition to the display image processing, image processing may be performed. In step S508, the image processed in step S507 is displayed on the display device, and the process ends.
(Second Embodiment)
In step S505 in the first embodiment, the enlargement / reduction condition remains fit display during radiation irradiation in a mode in which no radiation image is stored. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6D, the enlargement / reduction process according to the user operation is performed within a range not exceeding the number of pixels in the image display area. That is, it is possible to operate in the direction of reducing from the fit display state at the start of radiation irradiation. The enlargement process after the reduction can be performed until the fit display is obtained. Further, the panning process of the image can be performed by the reduction process. With respect to the panning process, it is possible to perform panning in a range not exceeding the number of pixels in the image display area.
(Third embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the shooting modes are classified into a mode for saving an image and a mode for not saving an image. In 3rd Embodiment, it classify | categorizes into the mode not preserve | saved with a moving image, the mode preserve | saved with a moving image, and the mode preserve | saved as a still image. At this time, the processing in step S505 and step S506 in the first embodiment is as follows.

  In step S505 of the first embodiment, the rotation processing conditions at the start of radiation irradiation in the mode in which no image is stored are the same as the final rotation conditions after the end of the previous radiation imaging (see FIG. 6A). ). In contrast, in the third embodiment, the rotation processing condition at the start of radiation irradiation is set to the same rotation condition as the final rotation condition after the end of radiation imaging in the previous moving image mode.

  In step S506 of the first embodiment, the rotation condition and the enlargement / reduction condition at the start of radiation irradiation in the image storage mode are the final rotation condition and the final enlargement / reduction condition after the previous radiation imaging is completed. In the third embodiment, the rotation condition and the enlargement / reduction condition after the end of radiation imaging in the previous moving image mode are set.

  That is, the final condition at the time of the previous shooting is taken over only in the moving image mode. For example, let us consider a case where shooting is performed with moving image 1 as the first time, moving image 2 as the second time, still image 1 as the third time, and moving image 3 as the fourth time. In this case, the third still image 1 operates independently with the default parameters, but the fourth moving image 3 is preferably the same as the final condition of the second moving image 2 because it is desirable to inherit the conditions in the moving image mode. Is displayed under the following conditions.

Also, the display processing conditions at the start of radiation irradiation in the still image mode and during radiation irradiation are all rotation parameters, enlargement / reduction conditions, and panning conditions are default parameters. The default parameter is a processing condition provided in advance in the still image shooting mode. Here, although the display processing condition is a default parameter, the GUI control may be performed so that the user operation is not accepted because the default parameter is used regardless of the user operation.
(Fourth embodiment)
In the third embodiment, each display image processing condition in the moving image mode is a final condition for an image radiographed in the previous moving image mode. In the fourth embodiment, a condition is determined for each type of moving image (shooting classification) such as fluoroscopy, cine, DA, and DSA in the moving image mode. That is, each display image processing condition in the moving image mode is set as a final condition for an image that has been previously radiographed with the same imaging classification. Note that the fourth embodiment may be applied to all display image processing conditions, but may be applied only to image processing other than geometric transformation such as brightness and contrast.
(Other embodiments)
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

  101: Radiation tube, 102: Radiation stop, 103: Detector unit, image processing unit 104, 105: Display device, 106: Storage device, 107: Control device, 108: Subject

Claims (4)

A control device for controlling an imaging unit capable of imaging a radiographic image of a subject in a plurality of imaging modes,
The plurality of shooting modes include a perspective shooting mode,
When the shooting mode of the shooting means is a perspective shooting mode,
In response to a rotation process by a user operation, the radiographic image is enlarged or reduced and controlled so that the entire radiographic image fits in a display area of a display unit,
Control not to accept enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by user operation,
When the shooting mode is a moving image shooting different from the perspective shooting and is a mode for saving the shot image data, control is performed so as to accept the enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by the user operation. Control device. A radiation imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging unit capable of imaging a radiographic image of a subject in a plurality of imaging modes; and a control device that controls the imaging unit,
The plurality of shooting modes include a perspective shooting mode,
The control device includes:
When the shooting mode of the shooting means is a perspective shooting mode,
In response to a rotation process by a user operation, the radiographic image is enlarged or reduced and controlled so that the entire radiographic image fits in a display area of a display unit,
Control not to accept enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by user operation,
When the shooting mode is a moving image shooting different from the perspective shooting and is a mode for saving the shot image data, control is performed so as to accept the enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by the user operation. Radiography equipment. A radiation imaging apparatus control method comprising: imaging means capable of imaging a radiographic image of a subject in a plurality of imaging modes; and a control device that controls the imaging means,
The plurality of shooting modes include a perspective shooting mode,
When the shooting mode of the shooting means is a perspective shooting mode,
In response to a rotation process by a user operation, the radiographic image is enlarged or reduced and controlled so that the entire radiographic image fits in a display area of a display unit,
Control not to accept enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by user operation,
When the shooting mode is a moving image shooting different from the perspective shooting and is a mode for saving the shot image data, control is performed so as to accept the enlargement / reduction processing and panning processing by the user operation. Control method to do.   A program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 3.

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