JP6413232B2 - Information processing apparatus and information processing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method.

  In recent years, in the medical field, digitization of medical images has progressed, such as CR (Computed Radiography), DR (Digital Radiography), and CT (Computed Tomography). If bone tissue and lesion overlap in a medical image, there is a possibility that the lesion may be overlooked. Therefore, a technology that performs image processing (Bone Suppression) to attenuate bone tissue on a medical image has been developed. Reference 1). An interpreting physician can easily find a lesion that may be hidden behind a bone in the original image and overlooked by comparing the processed image obtained by reducing bone tissue from the medical image with the original image.

  Since the CR image and the DR image are single images, it is possible to output a single image such as writing to a recording medium or transmitting it to an external device. The medical image output in this way is used for interpretation at the other party that received the recording medium and at the output destination such as the data transmission destination.

Special table 2012-523889 gazette

  However, a processed image obtained by performing image processing so that a lesion that cannot be identified by a bone can be identified with respect to the original image can be output in units of one sheet. However, the processed image is used only when the original image is interpreted. It is a reference image and cannot be diagnosed by the processed image alone. Therefore, when the processed image is output alone, there is a problem that the processed image cannot be used at the output destination.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the prior art, and uses a processed image suitable for the original purpose of performing interpretation while comparing the processed image and the original image at the output destination of the medical image. The challenge is to achieve this.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 performs a bone attenuation process for attenuating bone tissue so that a lesion that cannot be identified by bone is identified with respect to the original image and the single original image. A selection means for selecting a medical image to be output from a plurality of medical images including the processed image, an output means for outputting the selected medical image, and the selected medical image In the case of a processed image, an annotated processed image is generated by overlaying information related to the selected processed image on the selected processed image, and the original image corresponding to the selected processed image Control means for causing the output means to output together with the generated processed image with annotation .

The invention of claim 2 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, information associated with the selected processed image is information indicating that different from the original image.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the output means is a writing means for writing the selected medical image on a recording medium.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the third aspect, the output means outputs the selected medical image as an image file in DICOM format, JPEG format, or PDI format.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the output unit transmits the selected medical image to an external device, or the selected medical image. Is a storage means for storing.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the output means outputs the selected medical image as a DICOM format or JPEG format image file.

The invention according to claim 7 includes a plurality of original images and processed images obtained by performing bone attenuation processing for attenuating bone tissue so that lesions that cannot be identified by bone can be identified with respect to the single original image. An information processing method comprising: a selection step of selecting a medical image to be output from among the medical images of; and an output step of outputting the selected medical image, wherein in the output step, the selected When a medical image is the processed image, an annotated processed image is generated by overlaying information related to the selected processed image on the selected processed image, and the selected processed image is supported. The original image to be output is output together with the generated annotated processed image .

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize use of a processed image suitable for the original purpose of performing interpretation while comparing the processed image and the original image at the output destination of the medical image.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a medical image system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of an image server. It is an example of a patient information table. It is an example of a test | inspection information table. It is an example of a series information table. It is an example of an image information table. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of a client terminal. It is a flowchart which shows the medical image output process performed in a client terminal. It is a flowchart which shows the medical image output process performed in a client terminal. It is a figure which shows the example of a viewer screen. It is a figure which shows the example of a media output screen. It is a figure which shows the example of the media output screen from which the original image was also selected automatically by selecting the process image. It is a figure which shows the example of a media output screen when an original image is selected. It is a figure which shows the example of a media output screen when a some slice image is selected from a series of CT images. It is a figure which shows the example of the processing image with an annotation.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of the medical image system 100. As shown in FIG. 1, in the medical image system 100, an image server 10, a client terminal 20 as an information processing apparatus, and a modality 30 can perform data communication via a communication network N such as a LAN (Local Area Network). Connected to and configured. A DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard is applied to the communication network N.

  The image server 10 is configured by a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System), stores image data of medical images generated by various modalities 30, and the like from an external device such as the client terminal 20. In response to the request, medical image data is provided.

  FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of the image server 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the image server 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, an operation unit 12, a display unit 13, a communication unit 14, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 15, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 16, and a storage unit. 17, and each part is connected by a bus 18.

  The CPU 11 comprehensively controls the processing operation of each unit of the image server 10. Specifically, the CPU 11 reads out various processing programs stored in the ROM 15 in response to an operation signal input from the operation unit 12 or an instruction signal received by the communication unit 14, and a workpiece formed in the RAM 16. Expand to the area and perform various processes in cooperation with the program.

  The operation unit 12 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, numeric input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse, and outputs operation signals input by keyboard operation and mouse operation to the CPU 11. To do.

  The display unit 13 is configured by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays various screens based on display data input from the CPU 11.

  The communication unit 14 is an interface that transmits and receives data to and from an external device such as the client terminal 20.

  The ROM 15 is configured by a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or the like, and stores a control program, parameters and files necessary for executing the program, and the like.

  The RAM 16 forms a work area for temporarily storing various programs read from the ROM 15, input or output data, parameters, and the like in various processes controlled by the CPU 11.

  The storage unit 17 is composed of a hard disk or the like and stores various data. Specifically, the storage unit 17 stores image data of a plurality of medical images. The plurality of medical images include an original image and a processed image that has been subjected to image processing so that a lesion that cannot be identified by a bone is identified with respect to the original image.

  The processed image is an image obtained by performing bone suppression processing (Bone Suppression) for reducing bone tissue on a medical image. The bone attenuation process is, for example, a process of extracting a bone tissue from a medical image and attenuating the bone tissue extracted from the medical image, and is performed for the purpose of improving the clarity of a tissue other than the bone tissue. A known method can be used for the bone attenuation process.

  The storage unit 17 stores a patient information table 171, an examination information table 172, a series information table 173, and an image information table 174 for managing incidental information of medical images.

The patient information table 171 is a table for managing data in units of patients. As shown in FIG. 3, the patient information table 171 stores the patient's name, date of birth, and the like in association with each patient LID (Link Identification).
The patient LID is identification information for each patient.

The inspection information table 172 is a table for managing data in units of inspection. In the examination information table 172, as shown in FIG. 4, a patient LID, examination date and time, and the like are stored in association with each examination LID.
The inspection LID is identification information for each inspection.
The patient LID in the examination information table 172 is linked to the patient LID in the patient information table 171 and indicates to which patient each examination belongs.

The series information table 173 is a table for managing data in units of series. As shown in FIG. 5, the series information table 173 stores, for each series LID, the examination LID, the number of images, the modality, the examination site, and the like in association with each other.
The series LID is identification information for each series and is a serial number in the series information table 173.
The examination LID in the series information table 173 is linked to the examination LID in the examination information table 172, and indicates to which examination each series belongs.
The number of images is the number of medical images managed by the corresponding series LID.
Modality is the type of image generation device used for shooting.
The examination region is information indicating the region / direction of the imaged patient.

  In the example of FIG. 5, the number of images “20”, the modality “CT”, the examination site “abdominal cross section”, and the like are associated with the series LID “5”, and the series LID “6” The number of images “2”, modality “CR”, examination region “front of chest”, and the like are associated with each other.

The image information table 174 is a table for managing data in units of images. As shown in FIG. 6, the image information table 174 stores a series LID, a frame number, an image type, a file path, and the like in association with each image LID.
The image LID is identification information for each image, and is a serial number in the image information table 174.
The series LID in the image information table 174 is linked to the series LID in the series information table 173, and indicates which series each image belongs to.
The frame number is a number assigned so as to be a serial number within the series.
The image type stores information indicating that it is a special note image when the image of the corresponding record is a special note image. Specifically, “100” is stored when the image of the corresponding record is a processed image, and “Null” is stored when the image is other than a special note image.
The file path is information indicating the location where the image of the corresponding record is stored.

  In the example of FIG. 6, the series LID “5”, the frame numbers “1” to “20”, the image type “Null”, the file path, and the like are associated with the image LIDs “7” to “26”. . Each of the images corresponding to the images LIDs “7” to “26” is one of the 20 abdominal cross-sectional images generated by CT (see FIG. 5).

Further, the series LID “6”, the frame number “1”, the image type “Null”, the file path, and the like are associated with the image LID “27”. The image corresponding to the image LID “27” is a chest front image generated by CR (see FIG. 5).
Further, the series LID “6”, the frame number “1”, the image type “100”, the file path, and the like are associated with the image LID “28”. Since the image type is “100”, it can be determined that the image corresponding to the image LID “28” is a processed image. In addition, the image corresponding to the image LID “27” associated with the same series LID “6” as the image LID “28” in the image information table 174 is the original corresponding to the processed image of the image LID “28”. It can be determined to be an image.

  In the present embodiment, for the sake of convenience in processing image management, a series LID that is common to the original image is used. However, the original image and the processing image are not the same series (just two CR images). The frame numbers of the image with the image LID “27” and the image with the image LID “28” are not sequential numbers, and “1” is stored.

  The CPU 11 acquires an image file of a medical image conforming to the DICOM standard from the modality 30 via the communication unit 14. The image file is composed of image data of a medical image and a header. The header stores additional information related to medical images. The CPU 11 manages the image file acquired from the modality 30 separately for the image data (RAW data) of the medical image and the incidental information related to the medical image.

  When there is a request for acquisition of medical image image data or supplementary information related to a medical image from the client terminal 20, the CPU 11 reads out the requested medical image image data or supplementary information from the storage unit 17 and transmits it to the client terminal 20. To do.

  The client terminal 20 is a device for displaying a medical image based on the image data of the medical image acquired from the image server 10 and reading the medical image, and is configured by a PC (Personal Computer) or the like.

  FIG. 7 shows a functional configuration of the client terminal 20. As shown in FIG. 7, the client terminal 20 includes a CPU 21, an operation unit 22, a display unit 23, a communication unit 24, a ROM 25, a RAM 26, a storage unit 27, and a media drive 28, and each unit is connected by a bus 29.

  The CPU 21 comprehensively controls the processing operation of each unit of the client terminal 20. Specifically, the CPU 21 reads various processing programs stored in the ROM 25 in response to an operation signal input from the operation unit 22 or an instruction signal received by the communication unit 24, and a work piece formed in the RAM 26. Expand to the area and perform various processes in cooperation with the program.

  The operation unit 22 is a functional unit that receives an operation instruction from the user. The operation unit 22 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, numeric input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse, and outputs operation signals input by keyboard operations and mouse operations to the CPU 21. To do. For example, the operation unit 22 is used when selecting a medical image to be output from among a plurality of medical images displayed on the display unit 23. That is, the operation unit 22 functions as a selection unit.

  The display unit 23 is a high-definition monitor device configured by an LCD, and displays various screens based on display data input from the CPU 21. For example, the display unit 23 displays a medical image to be interpreted.

  The communication unit 24 is an interface that transmits and receives data to and from an external device such as the image server 10. For example, when an external device is designated as the output destination of the selected medical image, the communication unit 24 transmits the selected medical image to the external device. That is, the communication unit 24 functions as a transmission unit.

  The ROM 25 is composed of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory or the like, and stores a control program, parameters and files necessary for executing the program, and the like.

  The RAM 26 forms a work area for temporarily storing various programs read from the ROM 25, input or output data, parameters, and the like in various processes controlled by the CPU 21. Specifically, the RAM 26 stores image data acquired from the image server 10 and the like.

  The storage unit 27 is configured by a hard disk or the like and stores various data. For example, when a folder in the storage unit 27 is designated as the output destination of the selected medical image, the storage unit 27 stores the selected medical image in the designated folder. That is, the storage unit 27 functions as a storage unit.

  The media drive 28 is a device that reads or writes data such as medical images and reports on portable recording media such as CD-R (Compact Disk Recordable) and DVD-R (Digital Versatile Disk Recordable). For example, when the recording medium of the media drive 28 is designated as the output destination of the selected medical image, the media drive 28 writes the selected medical image on the recording medium set in the media drive 28. That is, the media drive 28 functions as a writing unit.

A standard for writing data on a recording medium is PDI (Portable Data for Imaging). The PDI stores DICOM image data in a recording medium in accordance with a data structure defined by IHE (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise) and IHE-J (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise-Japan). In PDI, a directory structure, an index file, and the like in a portable recording medium are defined, and data exchange is guaranteed between different medical institutions.
Note that when writing data on a recording medium, it may be written in an image file in DICOM format or JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format.

  The CPU 21 transmits an acquisition request for the medical image image data stored in the storage unit 17 or supplementary information related to the medical image to the image server 10 via the communication unit 24, and the image server 10 stores the medical image of the medical image. Image data or incidental information is acquired.

When a medical image selected as an output target from among a plurality of medical images displayed on the display unit 23 is a processed image, the CPU 21 selects an original image corresponding to the selected processed image as the selected process. Output with the image.
Specifically, when the recording medium of the media drive 28 is designated as the output destination of the processed image, the CPU 21 controls the media drive 28 to display the processed image and the original image corresponding to the processed image. Write to recording media.
When a folder in the storage unit 27 or a folder in the external device connected to the client terminal 20 via the communication network N is designated as the output destination of the processed image, the CPU 21 Write the processed image and the original image corresponding to the processed image to the designated folder.
When an external device is designated as the output destination of the processed image, the CPU 21 controls the communication unit 24 to transmit the processed image and the original image corresponding to the processed image to the external device.

  When the selected medical image is a processed image, the CPU 21 generates an annotated processed image by overlaying information indicating that the selected processed image is different from the original image, and replaces the selected processed image with the selected processed image. And output the generated annotated processed image. That is, when the selected medical image is a processed image, the CPU 21 outputs an original image corresponding to the selected processed image together with the processed image with annotation.

  The output medical image is output as an image file in DICOM format, JPEG format, or PDI format according to the designated output mode (writing mode, transmission mode).

  The modality 30 captures an image of a region to be diagnosed by a patient as a subject, and digitally converts the captured image to generate a medical image. The modality 30 is configured by, for example, CR, DR, CT, and the like. The modality 30 attaches additional information to a medical image by writing auxiliary information such as patient information and examination information in the header of the image file of the medical image in accordance with the DICOM standard.

Next, the operation will be described.
8 and 9 are flowcharts showing medical image output processing executed in the client terminal 20. This processing is realized by software processing through cooperation between the CPU 21 and the program stored in the ROM 25.

  First, a patient to be interpreted is selected by an operation from the operation unit 22 by a user (reading doctor) (step S1), and the CPU 21 causes the image server 10 to display an image of a medical image corresponding to the selected patient. A data acquisition request is transmitted via the communication unit 24.

  In the image server 10, when an acquisition request for medical image image data is received by the communication unit 14, the CPU 11 reads out medical image image data corresponding to the acquisition request from the storage unit 17. Specifically, the CPU 11 obtains an examination LID corresponding to the patient LID of the patient selected at the client terminal 20 from the examination information table 172, and obtains a series LID corresponding to the obtained examination LID from the series information table 173. Then, the image LID and file path of the medical image corresponding to the acquired series LID are acquired from the image information table 174. Then, the CPU 11 reads out the medical image data from the storage unit 17 based on the acquired file path, associates the read medical image data with the image LID, and communicates the communication unit 14. Is transmitted to the client terminal 20 via.

  In the client terminal 20, the image data and the image LID of the medical image are acquired by the CPU 21 from the image server 10 via the communication unit 24. The acquired medical image data and image LID are stored in the RAM 26 by the CPU 21.

  Next, the viewer screen is displayed on the display unit 23 based on the acquired image data of the medical image by the CPU 21 (step S2).

  FIG. 10 shows an example of the viewer screen 231. The viewer screen 231 includes an image display area A1, a media output button B1, a send button B2, and the like. A medical image of the selected patient is displayed in the image display area A1. The media output button B1 is a button for instructing writing to a recording medium or a predetermined folder in outputting a medical image. The transmission button B2 is a button for instructing transmission to an external device among outputs of medical images.

  Next, when the user presses the media output button B1 on the viewer screen 231 displayed on the display unit 23 by the operation from the operation unit 22 (step S3; YES), the CPU 21 displays the media output screen. (Step S4).

  FIG. 11 shows an example of the media output screen 232. The media output screen 232 includes a write destination designation area A2, a write mode selection area A3, an image selection area A4, a reference button B3, an all image selection clear button B4, an all image selection button B5, a write button B6, a cancel button B7, and a check. Boxes C1, C2, etc. are included.

The write destination designation area A2 is an area for designating a write destination path. When the reference button B3 is pressed, a dialog screen for selecting a write destination recording medium or folder is displayed. When a write destination recording medium or folder is selected in this dialog screen, the selected recording medium or folder is selected. The folder is reflected in the write destination designation area A2.
The write mode selection area A3 is an area for selecting “general purpose” or “PDI” as the write mode.

  The image selection area A4 is an area in which a medical image as a writing candidate is displayed, and an output target is selected from a plurality of medical images displayed in the image selection area A4 by an operation from the operation unit 22 by the user. A medical image is selected. In the image selection area A4, a frame indicating the selection is displayed around the medical image in the selected medical image.

The all image selection clear button B4 is a button for instructing clearing of all image selections selected in the image selection area A4.
The all image selection button B5 is a button for instructing selection of all images displayed in the image selection area A4.

The write button B6 is used to instruct to write the medical image selected in the image selection area A4 to the write destination specified in the write destination specifying area A2 in the write mode selected in the write mode selection area A3. Button.
The cancel button B7 is a button for instructing cancellation of the contents set on the media output screen 232.

  The check box C1 is used to select whether or not to convert to JPEG and write. When “general purpose” is selected in the write mode selection area A3 and the check box C1 is checked, the data is output in the JPEG format. When “general purpose” is selected in the write mode selection area A3 and the check box C1 is not checked, the data is output in the DICOM format. When “PDI” is selected in the write mode selection area A3, the data is output in the PDI format. That is, the write mode is designated in the write mode selection area A3 and the check box C1.

  The check box C2 is for selecting whether or not to output all frames when a multi-frame image is selected.

  Next, when an image to be written is selected in the image selection area A4 of the media output screen 232 displayed on the display unit 23 by an operation from the operation unit 22 by the user (step S5), the medical device selected by the CPU 21 is selected. It is determined whether or not the image is a processed image (step S6).

Specifically, the CPU 21 transmits an image LID corresponding to the selected medical image to the image server 10 via the communication unit 24.
In the image server 10, when the image LID corresponding to the medical image selected by the communication unit 14 is received, the CPU 11 acquires the image type corresponding to the image LID from the image information table 174, and the acquired image type. Is transmitted to the client terminal 20 via the communication unit 14.
In the client terminal 20, the CPU 21 acquires the image type corresponding to the medical image selected via the communication unit 24 from the image server 10, and determines whether or not the acquired image type is “100”. The If the image type is “100”, the CPU 21 determines that the selected medical image is a processed image. If the image type is not “100”, the selected medical image is not a processed image. To be judged.

  When the selected medical image is a processed image (step S6; YES), the CPU 21 is also in a state where an original image corresponding to the processed image (medical image before performing bone attenuation processing) is also selected (step S6). S7).

Specifically, the CPU 21 transmits an image LID corresponding to the medical image determined to be a processed image to the image server 10 via the communication unit 24.
In the image server 10, when an image LID corresponding to a medical image determined to be a processed image by the communication unit 14 is received, the CPU 11 associates the same series LID with the received image LID. An image LID (image LID of the original image) is acquired from the image information table 174, and the acquired image LID of the original image is transmitted to the client terminal 20 via the communication unit 14.
In the client terminal 20, the CPU 21 acquires the image LID of the original image from the image server 10 via the communication unit 24, and the medical image corresponding to the acquired image LID is selected together with the processed image.

  When the processed image D1 is selected in the image selection area A4 of the media output screen 232 shown in FIG. 11 (for example, clicking with the mouse pointer on the processed image D1), as shown in FIG. The original image D2 corresponding to the processed image D1 is also automatically selected.

  In step S6, when the selected medical image is not a processed image (step S6; NO), only the medical image selected by the operation from the operation unit 22 is selected as usual.

FIG. 13 shows an example when the original image D2 is selected in the image selection area A4 of the media output screen 232. Thus, the original image D2 can be selected independently.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 14, it is also possible to select a plurality of arbitrary slice images D3, D4, and D5 from a series of CT images.

  After step S7 or when the selected medical image is not a processed image in step S6 (step S6; NO), the CPU 21 determines whether or not the selection of the image on the media output screen 232 is completed. (Step S8). If the selection of the image on the media output screen 232 has not been completed (step S8; NO), the process returns to step S5 and the process is repeated.

In step S8, when the selection of the image on the media output screen 232 is completed (step S8; YES), the write destination designation area A2 and the write mode selection area on the media output screen 232 are operated by the user from the operation unit 22. In A3 and the check box C1, a write destination and a write mode are designated (step S9).
Note that the order of selection of medical images to be output, designation of a writing destination, and designation of a writing mode may be switched.

  Next, moving to FIG. 9, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the write button B <b> 6 on the media output screen 232 has been pressed by an operation from the operation unit 22 by the user (step S <b> 10). When the write button B6 is pressed (step S10; YES), it is determined whether or not a processed image is selected in the image selection area A4 of the media output screen 232 (step S11). When the processed image is selected (step S11; YES), the CPU 21 generates an annotated processed image in which an annotation indicating that the processed image is different from the original image is overlaid on the processed image (step S12).

  FIG. 15 shows an example of the annotated processed image D6 in which the annotation E1 is added to the processed image. In FIG. 15, the characters “Bone Suppression” are overlaid as annotation E1. In the processed image D6 with annotation, the annotation E1 is integrated as image data, and it is not possible to remove only the annotation E1 from the processed image D6 with annotation later.

  After step S12 or when a processed image is not selected in step S11 (step S11; NO), the CPU 21 selects it in the specified writing mode (DICOM format, JPEG format, PDI format). An image file of the medical image is created (step S13). When the image file to be created has information included in the header, such as DICOM format, the CPU 21 adds additional information of the selected medical image based on the image LID of the selected medical image. Is acquired from the image server 10. When the processed image is selected, the original image is automatically selected, so that an image file of the original image corresponding to the selected processed image is also created.

Next, the CPU 21 writes the image file of the selected medical image in the designated output destination (step S14). Specifically, when the recording medium of the media drive 28 is designated in the writing destination designation area A2 of the media output screen 232, the image file of the selected medical image is written to the recording medium. If a folder in the storage unit 27 or a folder in the external device connected to the client terminal 20 via the communication network N is designated in the write destination designation area A2 of the media output screen 232, the selected folder is selected. The medical image file is written to the specified folder. When the processed image is selected, the original image is automatically selected, so that the annotated processed image and the original image are output as a pair.
Thus, the medical image output process ends.

  In the medical image output process, the case where the selected medical image is written to a recording medium or a designated folder (including the client terminal 20 and an external device connected to the client terminal 20 via the communication network N) has been described. The selected medical image may be transmitted to an external device.

  For example, in the viewer screen 231 shown in FIG. 10, when the transmission button B <b> 2 is pressed by a user operation from the operation unit 22, the CPU 21 selects an image to be transmitted, the external device that is the transmission destination, and the transmission An image transmission screen for designating a mode (DICOM format, JPEG format) is displayed on the display unit 23. An external device that is a transmission destination is specified by an AE (Application Entity) title or an IP address. AE refers to the substance of an application installed in each device that performs DICOM communication. The AE title is a name for identifying the AE, and each device recognizes and communicates with each other by the AE title. A transmission mode (file format of the image file) may be set in advance for each medical image transmission destination.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a processed image is output, the output source function allows only one set of two images to be output together with the original image. Disable output. By outputting the processed image as a pair with the original image, it is possible to realize the use of the processed image suitable for the original purpose of performing interpretation while comparing the processed image with the original image at the output destination of the medical image.

  In addition, since information indicating that the processed image is different from the original image is embedded in the processed image, even when the processed image is handled alone by an operation such as copying an image file at the output destination. Thus, it can be easily recognized that the image is a processed image.

  Note that the description in the above embodiment is an example of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this. The detailed configuration and detailed operation of each part constituting the apparatus can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the original image corresponding to the processed image may be output together with the processed image without adding an annotation to the processed image.
FIG. 15 illustrates a case where a character “Bone Suppression” is overlaid on the processed image as information indicating that the processed image is different from the original image. It is also possible to overlay the figure or the like.

  In the above description, an example in which a ROM is used as a computer-readable medium storing a program for executing each process is disclosed, but the present invention is not limited to this example. As other computer-readable media, a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory and a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM can be applied. A carrier wave may be applied as a medium for providing program data via a communication line.

10 Image server 11 CPU
14 Communication unit 15 ROM
17 Storage Unit 20 Client Terminal 21 CPU
22 Operation unit 23 Display unit 24 Communication unit 25 ROM
27 Storage unit 28 Media drive 30 Modality 100 Medical image system 171 Patient information table 172 Examination information table 173 Series information table 174 Image information table 231 Viewer screen 232 Media output screen A1 Image display area A2 Write destination designation area A3 Write mode selection area A4 Image selection area B1 Media output button B2 Send button B6 Write button D1 Processed image D2 Original image D6 Annotated processed image E1 Annotation N Communication network

Claims (7)

An output object from among a plurality of medical images including an original image and a processed image that has been subjected to a bone attenuation process that attenuates bone tissue so as to identify a lesion that cannot be identified by bone with respect to a single original image. A selection means for selecting a medical image to be
Output means for outputting the selected medical image;
When the selected medical image is the processed image, an annotated processed image is generated by overlaying information related to the selected processed image on the selected processed image, and the selected Control means for causing the output means to output the original image corresponding to the processed image together with the generated processed image with annotation ;
An information processing apparatus comprising: The information associated with the selected processed image, the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the information indicating that differ from the original image.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit is a writing unit that writes the selected medical image on a recording medium.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the output unit outputs the selected medical image as an image file in DICOM format, JPEG format, or PDI format.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit is a transmission unit that transmits the selected medical image to an external device or a storage unit that stores the selected medical image.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the output unit outputs the selected medical image in a DICOM format or JPEG format image file. An output object from among a plurality of medical images including an original image and a processed image that has been subjected to a bone attenuation process that attenuates bone tissue so as to identify a lesion that cannot be identified by bone with respect to a single original image. A selection step for selecting a medical image,
Outputting the selected medical image; and
An information processing method including
In the output step, when the selected medical image is the processed image, an annotated processed image is generated by overlaying information related to the selected processed image on the selected processed image. the information processing method of outputting together with the selected said original image corresponding to the processed image to the generated annotation with processed image.

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