JP6576633B2 - MEDICAL IMAGE GENERATION DEVICE AND MEDICAL IMAGE GENERATION METHOD - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a medical image generation apparatus and a medical image generation method.

  In interpretation of a medical image, an interpreter refers to various data including medical data such as medical image data, medical moving image data, interpretation result information, medical information provision form, medical certificate, pathological examination result, and the like. Here, the medical image data includes still image data compliant with standards such as DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) and JPEG. Medical moving image data includes normal moving image data compliant with standards such as Motion-JPEG and MPEG in addition to DICOM multi-frame data.

  In addition, in-hospital conferences, PDF data other than DICOM images, such as papers from the hospital, letters of introduction from other hospitals, copies of insurance cards, information on electronic medical records (management information of HIS (Hospital Information System)), etc. Will be referred to on the hospital computer. These data are referred to by the doctor who prepares at the conference preparation stage at the time of conference preparation or explanation at the conference.

  There are various formats for the plurality of data. For this reason, image interpreters and conference preparers are forced to make great efforts to collect desired data. Thus, for example, a technique for extracting common patient information from a plurality of data has been developed so that data can be collected for each patient.

JP 2013-186650 A

  However, when displaying data collected according to a predetermined rule (hereinafter referred to as collected data), an interpreter or a conference preparation person (hereinafter referred to as a user) has to switch between various applications corresponding to each data. For this reason, the user spends a great deal of time and labor other than the original interpretation and explanation at the conference at the time of interpretation, preparation of the conference, and explanation at the conference.

  Further, the data constituting the collected data is not arranged in an order convenient for interpretation. In addition, each collected data often has a different format. For this reason, the user must search each collected data and display it in the necessary order when interpreting, preparing for a conference, or explaining at a conference.

Medical image generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is reproduced, in order to solve the problems described above, the collected data accepting unit that accepts multiple data as collected data, the collection data or al, as a series of data And an integrated data generation unit that generates possible integrated data.

1 is a block diagram showing an example of a medical image generation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a mode that integrated data is produced | generated from collection data. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a mode that multiframe data of DICOM is converted into the integrated data format which is formats other than DICOM. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a mode that the moving image data of formats other than DICOM are converted into the DICOM format as an integrated data format. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a mode that PDF data is converted into the DICOM format as an integrated data format. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a mode that the integrated image based on integrated data was displayed on the display part. The flowchart which shows an example of the procedure at the time of converting the format of collection data into a single format easily, and producing | generating a series of integrated data by CPU of the control part shown in FIG.

  Embodiments of a medical image generation apparatus and a medical image generation method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a medical image generation apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The medical image generation apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is used by a radiographer for interpretation, or by a conference preparer for preparing presentation information for conference participants, such as a personal computer or a workstation. A general-purpose information processing apparatus may be used.

  Further, the medical image generation apparatus 10 includes various types such as an image storage communication system (PACS: Picture Archiving and Communication Systems), a hospital information system (HIS), and a radiology information system (RIS). It may be used as a system viewer. The medical image generation apparatus 10 may be configured to be able to refer to medical images held in the PACS by remotely using viewer software held in the PACS via a network. Further, the medical image generation apparatus 10 may be realized as one function of an operation console of various modalities.

  The medical image generation apparatus 10 includes a display unit 11, an input unit 12, a storage unit 13, a network connection unit 14, and a control unit 15.

  The display unit 11 is configured by a general display output device such as a liquid crystal display or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display. The display unit 11 displays various information such as medical images, images based on the integrated image data generated by the control unit 15, and the like according to the control of the control unit 15. The input unit 12 includes a general input device such as a keyboard or a numeric keypad, and outputs an operation input signal corresponding to a user operation to the control unit 15.

  The storage unit 13 includes a recording medium that can be read by an arithmetic device such as a CPU, such as a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory. The storage unit 13 stores, in addition to setting conditions for creating integrated data, integrated data generated by the control unit 15 and the like. Part or all of the data stored in the storage unit 13 may be downloaded via the network 100.

  The network connection unit 14 implements various information communication protocols according to the form of the network 100. The network connection unit 14 connects the medical image generation apparatus 10 with the modality 101, the HIS server 102, the PACS image server, the information processing apparatus 104 including a general-purpose personal computer, and the like according to these various protocols. For this connection, an electrical connection via an electronic network can be applied. Here, the electronic network means an entire information communication network using telecommunications technology. In addition to a wireless / wired hospital backbone local area network (LAN) and the Internet network, a telephone communication network, an optical fiber communication network, a cable. Includes communication networks and satellite communication networks.

  For example, in a hospital information system (HIS), when patient information is received and an examination request is issued as necessary, the information is transmitted to a necessary apparatus (order issue). When photographing according to the examination request is executed by the modality 101, the photographed image is transmitted to the medical image generation apparatus 10 as a digital image. This medical image is used for reference / interpretation and comparative interpretation.

  In addition, external PACS, HIS, RIS, and other systems have medical image data, medical moving image data, interpretation result information, medical information provision forms, medical records, pathological examination results, and electronic medical record information (in accordance with predetermined rules). Various data such as HIS management information) are stored. The medical image generation apparatus 10 acquires these data via the network connection unit 14.

  The control unit 15 includes a storage medium such as a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, and controls the medical image generation apparatus 10 according to a program stored in the storage medium.

  The CPU of the control unit 15 loads an integrated data generation program stored in a storage medium such as a ROM and data necessary for the execution of the program into the RAM, and sets the format of the collected data according to the program to a single format. A process for converting to a format and generating a series of integrated data is executed.

  The RAM of the control unit 15 provides a work area for temporarily storing programs and data executed by the CPU. The storage medium such as the ROM of the control unit 15 stores a startup program for the medical image generation apparatus 10, an integrated data generation program, and various data necessary for executing these programs.

  Note that a storage medium such as a ROM has a configuration including a recording medium readable by a CPU such as a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory, and a part of programs and data in the storage medium or All may be configured to be downloaded via the network 100 in the same manner as the data stored in the storage unit 13.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the CPU of the control unit 15 functions as at least a collected data reception unit 21, an integrated data generation unit 22, and an integrated image presentation unit 23 by an integrated data generation program. Each unit 21-23 uses a required work area of the RAM as a temporary storage location for data. Note that these function implementation units may be realized by cooperation of a plurality of processors, or may be realized by hardware logic such as a circuit without using a CPU.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of how integrated data is generated from collected data.

  When a plurality of data including medical image data is collected, the collected data receiving unit 21 receives the collected plurality of data as collected data and supplies the collected data to the integrated data generating unit 22. Here, the collected data refers to data that should be associated with a series of data to be integrated data.

  Specifically, the collected data receiving unit 21 receives, for example, these data as collected data when the user collects desired data and the user associates the desired data together.

  The case of associating the data collectively may be a case where a plurality of data is put in one or a plurality of predetermined folders designated as collection targets in advance (see FIG. 2). Further, it may be a case where one or a plurality of folders that already contain a plurality of data are designated by the user afterwards.

  The collected data may be data gathered in units of users (conference preparers) such as conference data. The collected data may be data collected for the same patient, or data collected for each symptom or site.

  One conference is held for each patient and each case. When a conference preparer prepares for multiple conferences, it will handle data for multiple cases and multiple patients. Therefore, when one conference preparation person prepares a plurality of conferences, the integrated data prepared for each conference may be collected and a conference list may be automatically generated. This conference list is a list in which a plurality of integrated data is compiled for each conference preparer.

  Further, the collected data receiving unit 21 automatically receives a plurality of data via the network 100 based on collection criteria such as a patient, a symptom, a region, and a data acquisition period (data created within 5 years). Collected data may be collected. For example, the collected data receiving unit 21 first acquires patient information (patient ID and the like), sets the acquired patient information as a collection reference, and collects a plurality of data. At this time, the patient information may be extracted from character information included in paper medium scan data, OHP (overhead projection) data, or the like.

  Furthermore, when the collection standard is set, the collected data receiving unit 21 is associated with data that does not satisfy the collection standard among data that is subsequently put in the same folder (for example, when a patient ID is set, a different patient ID is associated). Data) may be excluded from the collected data and not be integrated.

  The integrated data generation unit 22 generates integrated data so that a plurality of data constituting the collected data is displayed as a series of moving images by a predetermined application program corresponding to a predetermined single format.

  Specifically, the integrated data generation unit 22 converts a plurality of data constituting the collected data into a predetermined single format. In addition, the integrated data generation unit 22 associates and combines a plurality of data constituting the collected data as a series of data according to a predetermined setting condition. As a result, the integrated data generation unit 22 can automatically generate a series of integrated data that can generate a moving image with one application program, from a plurality of data constituting the collected data. Each of the plurality of data constituting the collected data corresponds to each of the integrated element data constituting the integrated data.

  The predetermined setting condition includes, for example, the order and length (number of sheets, number of frames) of the integrated element data in the integrated data.

  The integrated data generation unit 22 generates the integrated data after rearranging each of the plurality of data constituting the collected data according to the order condition. The order condition may be defined as, for example, an order in which desired data are collectively related (for example, placed in a single folder) or the reverse order. Moreover, it may be defined to follow the order of the numbers included in the file name of each data, or may be defined to display the image for accepting the order designation via the user input unit 12 and accept the user designation. However, the order may be defined depending on the data type. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the order is defined by the data type as the order condition and is defined to be integrated in the order of the CT medical still image, the XA medical moving image, and the intraoperative video. .

  The integrated data generation unit 22 processes each of a plurality of data constituting the collected data under a processing condition such as a length condition, and then generates the integrated data. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the length of the CT medical still image is 70 fps for the front and back, 5 fps for the XA medical image, 30 fps for the middle one second for the XA medical moving image, and the intraoperative video is cut back and forth. In the middle one minute, it has the contents such as the same fps as the immediately preceding integrated element data (inheriting fps).

  When the collected data is received by the collected data receiving unit 21, the integrated data generating unit 22 automatically generates one integrated data composed of integrated element data having a single format based on a predetermined setting condition. To do. This single format is a format that can be displayed as a series of moving images by a corresponding predetermined application program. Therefore, the integrated data may be, for example, MPEG data or DICOM data, or may be data stored in a container (for example, AVI data).

  Note that these predetermined setting conditions may be corrected by the user via the input unit 12.

  Also, the integrated data generation unit 22 converts the playback speed information from the playback speed information into the playback speed information in the format of the integrated data for the data having moving image playback speed information such as DICOM multi-frame among the plurality of data constituting the collected data. Convert directly to generate integrated data. When converting DICOM multi-frame data into a general video format and generating integrated data, information included in the DICOM supplementary information of the multi-frame data such as video playback speed, image resolution, and image quality information Based on the reproduction environment such as the display area, each parameter of the moving image format is determined so that the reproduction speed information of the integrated data format has a desired value.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a state in which DICOM multi-frame data is converted into an integrated data format that is a format other than DICOM. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the MPEG format is used as the integrated data format, but Motion-JPEG, AVI, and the like can also be used as the integrated data format other than DICOM.

  The DICOM multi-frame data has moving image playback speed information expressed in fps. In this case, when the integrated data generating unit 22 converts the DICOM multi-frame data into MPEG-format integrated element data, the DICOM format playback speed information is converted into MPEG format playback speed information (for example, information expressed in bps). (See FIG. 3).

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a state in which moving image data in a format other than DICOM is converted into a DICOM format as an integrated data format. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the MPEG format is used as the integrated data format.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the integrated data generation unit 22 converts moving image data in a format other than DICOM to a DICOM format as an integrated data format, the reproduction speed information of moving image data in a format other than DICOM is converted into the DICOM format. To playback speed information.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of how PDF data is converted into a DICOM format as an integrated data format.

  PDF data can also be displayed for the set time by setting the display time for each image. For this reason, for example, Motion-JPEG data entered as PDF data is in the PDF format. In this case, if a PDF page is switched, it can be displayed as a moving image. Accordingly, moving image data in PDF format may be used as moving image data in a format other than DICOM.

  Of the plurality of data constituting the collected data, for a plurality of still images (for example, a plurality of CT medical still images), the user displays the plurality of still images with an application program corresponding to the format of these images. The display time of each image when observed (interpreted) may be acquired in advance. In this case, the display time of each image when the user observes (interprets) a plurality of still images is “recorded”. When the “recording” is performed in this manner, the display time of each image can be “reproduced” so that the display time of each image is maintained for the plurality of still images. to be able to do. It is preferable to generate playback speed information in a predetermined single format.

  The integrated data generation unit 22 also converts data in a format other than the above-described format into the integrated data format. At this time, the playback speed information may conform to the integrated data format, but the display time of each integrated element data may be corrected by the user via the input unit 12.

  Further, when it is desired to display one still image for 2 seconds and the reproduction speed information of the integrated data format is 30 fps, it is uneconomical to duplicate 60 identical images. In this case, in the integrated data format, it is preferable that one image is continuously displayed for 2 seconds (processed as one image).

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a state in which the integrated image 31 based on the integrated data is displayed on the display unit 11. FIG. 6 shows a display example of the integrated image 31 based on the integrated data shown in FIG.

  The integrated image presenting unit 23 displays the integrated image 31 based on the integrated data with a predetermined application program corresponding to a predetermined single format (for example, one format selected from DICOM, MPEG, web browser format, etc.). 11, the integrated image 31 composed of the integrated element images corresponding to each of the plurality of data is presented to the user.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the integrated image 31 is one moving image composed of a plurality of integrated element images. The integrated image 31 may include a playback button 32 and a seek bar 33.

  In addition, when the integrated data is generated, the integrated data generation unit 22 may generate playlist data including the playback start time of each integrated element image when the integrated data is displayed as the integrated image 31 (a series of moving images). In this case, the integrated image presentation unit 23 may display a timeline that can be corrected by the user via the input unit 12 based on the playlist data. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the integrated image presenting unit 23 displays the reproduction list image 34 and the pin image 35 indicating the reproduction start position of each integrated element image on the seek bar 33 on the display unit 11. . The user can immediately display a desired integrated element image (jump to a desired reproduction position) by clicking each list element or pin image 35 of the reproduction list image 34, for example.

  Each list element and pin image 35 in the reproduction list image 34 are configured to be modifiable by the user via the input unit 12. For example, the order of the list elements (XA, CT and intraoperative video) of the reproduction list image 34 and the pin image 35 can be changed by a drag operation by the user. Moreover, you may receive the change of the reproduction time (display length) of each integrated element image. For example, when a modification for extending the playback time of the integrated element image is received (for example, when a numerical value input for the playback time of the playlist image 34 is received), the playback speed may be reduced while maintaining the number of playback images. The number of reproduced images may be increased while maintaining the reproduction speed by complementing the required number of frames deleted in the integration process based on the data before the integration process corresponding to the integrated element image (data constituting the collected data).

  Note that the medical image generation apparatus 10 may further include a prediction integration function. When the users are the same or when the cases are the same, it may be desired to collect data of the same content even for different patients. In addition, conferences are often held for each department, and even when data is collected by users belonging to the same department, it is sometimes desirable to collect the same data even for different patients. is there.

  Therefore, when the user is the same, the department to which the user belongs is the same, or the case is the same, the collected data receiving unit 21 indicates that the integrated data on the collected data collected as data related to the predetermined patient is the past. If it is generated, the same data is expected for other patients, and multiple data with the same contents as the collected data related to a given patient are automatically collected as data related to other patients. And collect data. In this case, the integrated data generation unit 22 applies the predetermined setting condition applied to the collected data collected as data related to a predetermined patient to the collected data collected as data related to another patient. To generate integrated data.

  Next, an example of the operation of the medical image generation apparatus 10 and the medical image generation method according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure when the CPU of the control unit 15 shown in FIG. 1 easily converts the format of collected data into a single format and generates a series of integrated data. In FIG. 7, reference numerals with numbers added to S indicate steps in the flowchart.

  First, in step S <b> 1, when a plurality of data including medical image data is collected, the collected data receiving unit 21 receives the collected plurality of data as collected data and gives it to the integrated data generating unit 22.

  Next, in step S <b> 2, the integrated data generation unit 22 rearranges each of the plurality of data constituting the collected data according to the order condition.

  Next, in step S3, the integrated data generation unit 22 processes each of the plurality of data constituting the collected data under a processing condition such as a length condition.

  Next, in step S4, the integrated data generation unit 22 converts a plurality of data constituting the collected data into a predetermined single format.

  Next, in step S <b> 5, the integrated data generation unit 22 generates integrated data by associating and converting the data converted into a predetermined single format as a series of data.

  Next, in step S6, the integrated image presentation unit 23 causes the display unit 11 to display the integrated image 31 based on the integrated data on the display unit 11 with a predetermined application program corresponding to a predetermined single format. To present.

  Note that step S2-5 may be switched in order or executed in parallel.

  With the above procedure, the format of the collected data can be easily converted into a single format to generate a series of integrated data.

  The medical image generation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment can generate a series of integrated data by converting the format of the collected data into a single format, and thus each integrated element image of the integrated data can be generated by one application program. It can be displayed continuously. For this reason, image readers, conference participants, and presenters can check information smoothly in a desired order by simple operations such as playback, stop, and reverse. Therefore, according to the medical image generation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the user can perform efficient interpretation.

  In addition, the conference preparer can easily generate conference preparation materials. For this reason, the time required for conference preparation can be greatly reduced.

  Further, when each data is captured while being reproduced and the captured data is reproduced in another format, even the clogging of the regenerated reproduction caused by the calculation load of the reproducing apparatus is captured. On the other hand, the medical image generation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment can directly convert the reproduction speed information of each data constituting the collected data into the reproduction speed information of the integrated data format. For this reason, smooth moving image reproduction can be guaranteed regardless of the calculation load of the reproducing apparatus.

  In addition, although some embodiment of this invention was described, these embodiment is shown as an example and is not intending limiting the range of invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Medical image generation apparatus 11 Display part 21 Collected data reception part 22 Integrated data generation part 23 Integrated image presentation part 31 Integrated image

Claims (10)

A collection data reception unit that receives a plurality of data as collection data;
The setting read from the storage unit so that the setting conditions are read from the storage unit, and the plurality of data constituting the collected data are displayed as a series of moving images in a predetermined application program according to a predetermined single format. The plurality of data is rearranged based on the order condition included in the condition, and the number of the plurality of rearranged data is included in the processing condition included in the setting condition read from the storage unit The integrated data is generated by processing the data based on the above conditions, converting the processed data into the predetermined single format, and associating and combining the data as a series of data. An integrated data generation unit,
A medical image generation apparatus comprising: The integrated data generation unit
For the data having playback speed information among the plurality of data, the playback speed information in the format of this data is converted into playback speed information in a predetermined single format, and then the integrated data is generated.
The medical image generation apparatus according to claim 1 . The plurality of data includes at least a plurality of still images,
The integrated data generation unit
The display time of each image when the user displays and observes the plurality of still images with an application program corresponding to the format of these images is acquired in advance, and the display of each image is obtained for the plurality of still images. Generating playback speed information of the predetermined single format so that time is maintained;
The medical image generation apparatus according to claim 2 . By displaying an integrated image based on the integrated data on a display unit with a predetermined application program corresponding to a predetermined single format, the integrated image composed of integrated element images corresponding to each of the plurality of data is obtained. An integrated image presentation unit to be presented to the user;
The medical image generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , further comprising: The integrated image presentation unit
Changing the display length of the integrated element image constituting the integrated image in response to an input operation by the user for the integrated image displayed on the display unit;
The medical image generation apparatus according to claim 4 . The collected data reception unit
Collecting data associated with a given patient and adding to the collected data;
Medical image generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The collected data reception unit
When the integrated data corresponds to the collected data collected as data related to a predetermined patient, a plurality of data having the same content as the collected data related to the predetermined patient is obtained for the other patient. Automatically collected as data related to
The integrated data generation unit
Applying the processing applied in generating the integrated data from the collected data collected as data related to the predetermined patient to the collected data collected as data related to the other patient;
Medical image generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The integrated data generation unit
The integrated data is generated for each conference, and a conference list is automatically generated based on the generated data.
The medical image generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . The integrated data generation unit
Generating playlist data including information on a playback start time of each of the plurality of data when the integrated data is displayed as a series of moving images;
The medical image generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 . The plurality of data is executed by a medical image generation apparatus including a collected data reception unit and an integrated data generation unit so that a plurality of data is displayed as a series of moving images with a predetermined application program according to a predetermined single format. A medical image generation method for generating integrated data from the data of
The collected data receiving unit receiving a plurality of data as collected data;
The integrated data generation unit reading a setting condition from the storage unit;
The integrated data generation unit rearranging the plurality of data based on an order condition included in the setting condition read from the storage unit;
The integrated data generation unit processes the number of each of the sorted data based on a length condition included in a processing condition included in the setting condition read from the storage unit;
The integrated data generation unit converting the processed data into the predetermined single format; and
The integrated data generation unit associates and combines the plurality of converted data as a series of data, and generates the integrated data; and
A medical image generation method comprising:

Images