JP6906903B2 - Mammography equipment and hand switches - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to mammography equipment and hand switches.

For the diagnosis of mammary gland tissue, a mammography apparatus using X-rays (hereinafter referred to as a mammography apparatus) is used in many hospitals, examination centers, and the like. The image interpreting doctor interprets the X-ray image (mammography image) obtained by the mammography apparatus and diagnoses the presence or absence of breast cancer or the like. Mammography images are useful in discovering "calcifications" and "tumors," which are typical findings when breast cancer is strongly suspected.

In the mammography apparatus, the operator places one of the left and right breasts of the subject on the imaging table, pushes down the compression plate with the breast stretched, and presses the breast between the compression plate and the imaging table. Then, the compressed breast is photographed from the MLO direction (Mediо-Lateral-Oblique; medial-lateral oblique direction) and the CC direction (Cranial-Caudal; cranio-caudal direction). In the mammography apparatus, the operation of moving the compression plate may be performed by a foot switch arranged on the floor surface (Patent Document 1). In particular, when imaging in the MLO direction, the arm of the mammography apparatus is tilted because the breast of the subject is imaged from an oblique direction. Therefore, it is necessary for the operator to operate the foot switch at his feet while positioning the breast while being forced to sit down and in a handicapped posture. Therefore, the foot switch must be operated, which may be a burden.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-143881

An object to be solved by the present invention is to provide a mammography apparatus and a hand switch that are easy to operate when imaging a breast.

Mammography device embodiments, the X-ray tube for generating X-rays, the X-ray detector for detecting the X-rays transmitted through the breast of the subject, the photographing stand of the subject breast is placed, A compression plate that presses the breast placed on the imaging table, a compression plate driving unit that drives the compression plate in a direction in contact with the imaging table, and a compression plate driving unit that is operated by an operator. a Ruha command switch is operated, in response to said condition being operated hand switch, it said right and left discriminating portion of the subject breast to determine which one of the breast right before Symbol X-ray detector generating an X-ray image before Symbol breast on the basis of the detected X-ray Te, comprising an image processing unit for imparting information indicating the result of the determination by the right and left discriminating unit to the X-ray image.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the mammography apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the mammography apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Explanatory drawing which shows an example at the time of breast positioning using a conventional mammography apparatus. The block diagram which shows the structure of the hand switch which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The external view which shows an example of the hand switch which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of the process which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of the hand switch which concerns on the modification of 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of the processing of the modification of the 1st Embodiment. The external view which shows an example of the hand switch which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. The external view which shows an example of the hand switch which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. The external view which shows an example of the hand switch which concerns on 4th Embodiment. The external view which shows an example of the hand switch of a substantially trapezoidal shape.

Hereinafter, the mammography apparatus 1 and the hand switch 13 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment)
[Component]

FIG. 1 is an external view showing the appearance of the mammography apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mammography apparatus 1 includes a photographing apparatus 11, an image processing apparatus 12, and a hand switch 13. The hand switch 13 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The photographing device 11 (housing portion) is a housing composed of an operating device 18, an arm 15, and a stand 16. The details of the internal configuration of the photographing apparatus 11 will be described in detail with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

The high voltage generator 32 is a power supply device for generating a high voltage applied between the anode and the cathode in order to accelerate thermions generated from the cathode of the X-ray tube 20 and outputting the high voltage to the X-ray tube 20. be.

The arm 15 is a housing that is supported by a stand 16 so as to be rotatable via a connecting portion and has an X-ray tube 20 above the inside thereof. The arm 15 includes a face guard 23, a compression plate 24, a bucky device 25, a shooting table 26, a foot switch 27, an arm up / down / rotation fine adjustment switch 29, and an irradiation field lamp switch 38. The arm 15 may be configured to drive the X-ray tube 20 and the photographing table 26 and the like separately. As a result, tomosynthesis imaging may be performed.

The X-ray tube 20 is a vacuum tube for receiving a high voltage from the high voltage generator 32 and irradiating X-rays toward the imaging table 26 through the breast of the subject P.

The face guard 23 is a protective device that prevents X-rays from being blocked by the head of the subject P during imaging.

The compression plate 24 is a compression device provided above the imaging table 26 for compressing the breast of the subject P with the imaging table 26 at the time of imaging. The compression plate 24 is made of a transparent resin and is supported so as to be detachable from the photographing table 26. Then, by moving the compression plate 24 toward the imaging table 26, the breast of the subject P can be compressed, and the thickness of the breast placed on the imaging table can be made thin and substantially uniform.

The compression plate 24 is a drive mechanism (compression plate drive device 34 of FIG. 3) including a motor for moving the compression plate 24 in the vertical direction (arrow direction in FIG. 1) when the hand switch 13 described later is operated by an operator. ) Moves up and down by driving. Further, the compression plate 24 in the present embodiment can be lowered by using the foot switch 27.

The bucky device 25 (booky portion) is composed of a grid or the like, and removes scattered X-rays generated by X-rays incident on the subject P at the time of imaging, while not scattering the scattered X-rays that have passed through the breast of the subject P. It is an instrument for transmitting X-rays (direct X-rays).

The imaging table 26 is a table provided with an FPD (flat panel detector) 26a for detecting X-rays transmitted through the breast of the subject P. The FPD26a is an X-ray detector in which a plurality of detection elements are arranged two-dimensionally. The scanning lines and signal lines are arranged so as to be orthogonal to each other between the detection elements of the FPD 26a. The analog signal (video signal) output from the FPD 26a is converted into a digital signal by the data acquisition circuit 36 described later and output to the image processing device 12. Hereinafter, the digital signal output from the data acquisition circuit 36 will be referred to as projection data. The FPD26a is an example of an X-ray detector.

The foot switch 27 is a switch for adjusting the vertical position of the compression plate 24, and the operator operates the vertical movement of the compression plate 24 and the vertical movement of the arm 15 by stepping on the foot switch 27 with his / her foot. It is possible to do. However, the lowering of the compression plate 24 in the present embodiment is mainly carried out by operating the hand switch 13. Although the foot switch 27 can also be operated to lower the compression plate 24, it is used as an auxiliary to the hand switch 13 in the present embodiment. The foot switch 27 can be used to move the photographing device 11 up and down.

The arm up / down / rotation fine adjustment switch 29 is a switch for moving / rotating the arm 15 including the X-ray tube 20 and the photographing table 26 up / down. The arm up / down / rotation fine adjustment switch 29 is arranged, for example, on the side surface of the housing of the photographing device 11 as shown in FIG.

The irradiation field lamp switch 38 is a switch for turning on or off the irradiation field lamp 53, which will be described later.

The image processing device 12 is a device that performs various image processing on the projection data output from the photographing device 11 and displays the image data generated by the image processing. The internal configuration of the image processing device 12 will be described in detail with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the mammography apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. The configuration of the mammography apparatus 1 includes the hand switch 13, but for convenience of explanation, the hand switch 13 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mammography apparatus 1 includes a photographing apparatus 11 and an image processing apparatus 12. In addition to the components shown in FIG. 1, a configuration added to the photographing apparatus 11 will be described. Further, the photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 described later are connected to each other via the network 50. The photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 wirelessly communicate with each other via the network 50. Therefore, the photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 are provided with an antenna and a wireless communication circuit (not shown), and the photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 transmit and receive signals to and from each other.

In addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the photographing device 11 includes an arm driving device 33, a compression plate driving device 34, a data acquisition circuit 36, an irradiation field lamp 53, a storage circuit 40, and a processing circuit 42.

The arm drive device 33 (arm drive unit) has a function of reading a drive signal from the arm drive control function 42c of the processing circuit 42, which will be described later, to rotate and move the arm 15 up and down. The arm drive device 33 is composed of a plurality of power sources such as motors. Further, the arm driving device 33 is provided with an arm state detector (arm state detecting unit) (not shown) for detecting the angle and position information of the arm 15. The arm state detector is composed of, for example, a potentiometer that detects the angle of rotation and the amount of movement, an encoder that is a position detection sensor, and the like. More specifically, as for the encoder, it is possible to use a so-called absolute encoder, for example, a magnetic type, a brush type, a photoelectric type, or the like. Further, the arm state detector can be configured by using various types of position detection mechanisms such as a rotary encoder that outputs a rotational displacement as a digital signal or a linear encoder that outputs a linear displacement as a digital signal.

The compression plate drive device 34 (compression plate drive unit) reads a drive signal from the compression plate drive control function 42d of the processing circuit 42, and moves the compression plate 24 up and down in the vertical direction with respect to the floor surface. Further, the compression plate drive device 34 is composed of power sources such as a plurality of motors. Further, the compression plate driving device 34 is provided with a compression plate position detector (compression plate position detection unit) (not shown) for detecting the position information of the compression plate 24. The compression plate position detector is composed of, for example, a potentiometer that detects the amount of movement, an encoder that is a position detection sensor, and the like. Further, the compression plate drive device 34 can be manually operated by the operator without going through the compression plate drive control function 42d.

The data collection circuit 36 (data collection unit) is an electric circuit that converts an analog signal output from the FPD 26a into a digital signal and outputs it as projection data to the image processing device 12 or the processing circuit 42.

The irradiation field lamp 53 is arranged in the vicinity of the X-ray tube 20, and is visible light so that the operator can confirm the range of X-ray irradiation during imaging on the breast B of the subject P via the compression plate 24. It is a light source that irradiates light, and is composed of a laser and an LED.

The storage circuit 40 (storage unit) stores the mammography image generated from the projection data and each function performed by the processing circuit 42 in the form of a program. The storage circuit 40 is composed of, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a semiconductor memory element such as a flash memory, a hard disk, an optical disk, or the like.

The processing circuit 42 (first processing unit) includes a system control function 42a, an X-ray control function 42b, an arm drive control function 42c, a compression plate drive control function 42d, a left / right discrimination function 42e, and a switch switching control function. It is composed of 42f and a communication control function 42g.

The system control function 42a (system control unit) stores the high voltage generator 32, the arm drive device 33, the compression plate drive device 34, the data acquisition circuit 36, the foot switch 27, the irradiation field lamp switch 38, and the storage. The circuit 40 and the image processing device 12 are collectively controlled.

Further, the system control function 42a is provided with information on the left and right of the photographed breast B discriminated by the left-right discrimination function 42e, which will be described later, and information on the left and right of the photographed breast B obtained in response to input information from the operator. , And determine whether or not the information regarding the left and right of these breasts B match. This is because there is a possibility that the operator mistakenly registers the left-right information of the breast B at the time of mass examination or the like, and it is necessary to confirm the left-right information. When the information regarding the left and right of the breast B does not match, the system control function 42a causes the display device 54 to display the left / right discrimination function 42e and the left / right information discriminated by the operator. By confirming the information regarding the left and right of the breast B displayed on the display device 54, the operator can select appropriate information again. At this time, the system control function 42a re-stores the information regarding the left and right of the breast B reselected by the operator in the incidental information of the DICOM file corresponding to the display image of the breast B.

The X-ray control function 42b (X-ray control unit) reads information from the system control function 42a and controls X-ray irradiation conditions such as tube current, tube voltage, and irradiation time in the high voltage generator 32.

The arm drive control function 42c (arm drive control unit) reads information input from the operator via the arm up / down / rotation fine adjustment switch 29 and the foot switch 27, and controls the drive of the arm 15.

The compression plate drive control function 42d (compression plate drive control unit) lowers the compression plate 24 by reading information input from the operator via the hand switch 13 described later and driving the compression plate drive device 34. .. Further, when the compression plate drive control function 42d reads the input information from the system control function 42a and detects that the imaging of the breast B of the subject P is completed, the compression plate drive control function 42d again drives the compression plate. The device 34 is driven to raise the compression plate 24. Further, although the compression plate drive control function 42d has been described as reading the input information from the hand switch 13 to drive the compression plate 24, it is decided to drive the compression plate 24 via the input information from the foot switch 27. It doesn't matter.

The left / right discrimination function 42e (left / right discrimination unit) determines which hand the operator is holding the hand switch 13 based on the information from the hand switch 13. Here, the left-right discrimination function 42e uses information regarding the left and right of the hand in which the operator is holding the hand switch 13 in order to estimate which of the left and right breasts is being photographed. Specifically, the left / right discrimination function 42e in the first embodiment reads the input information from the sensor 133 arranged on the hand switch 13, and the hand switch 13 is held by either the left or right hand of the operator. Is detected. For example, when the left / right discrimination function 42e receives the input information from the sensor 133a shown in FIG. 5, which will be described later, the left / right discrimination function 42e determines that the hand switch 13 is operated by the right hand of the operator. Further, when the left / right discrimination function 42e receives the input information from the sensor 133b, the left / right discrimination function 42e determines that the hand switch 13 is operated by the left hand of the operator. When the left / right discrimination function 42e detects which hand of the operator is holding the hand switch 13, it identifies which breast B of the subject P corresponding to that hand is the left or right breast B. As shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, which will be described later, when the hand switch 13 is operated by the operator's right hand, the left / right discrimination function 42e is the breast B on the right side of the subject P. Identify that is being filmed. On the contrary, when the hand switch 13 is operated by the left hand of the operator, the left / right discrimination function 42e identifies that the breast B on the left side of the subject P is photographed. Although the description of FIG. 3 shows the time of imaging in the MLO direction, it is possible to discriminate between the left and right breasts B in the CC direction as well.

Further, the left / right discrimination function 42e has a function of writing information indicating which breast B is left or right with respect to the display image of the breast B of the subject P generated by the image processing device 12. .. For example, the information regarding the left and right of the breast B is stored as ancillary information of the DICOM file corresponding to the displayed image.

The switch switching control function 42f (switch switching control unit) controls switching between the hand switch 13 and the foot switch 27. Specifically, for example, the sensor 133 of the hand switch 13 described later detects that the operator is holding the hand switch 13. At this time, the switch changeover control function 42f transmits a signal to the foot switch 27 to interlock, so that the foot switch 27 cannot be operated while it is detected that the hand switch 13 is being held. Is interlocked (an operation that does not output an electrical input signal even if an input operation is performed). Similarly, when the foot switch 27 is stepped on by the operator while the hand switch 13 is not held and the operation of the foot switch 27 is started, the switch changeover control function 42f interlocks the hand switch 13. .. In this case, even if the input operation is performed from the hand switch 13 while the foot switch 27 is stepped on by the operator and the input operation is performed, the input signal due to the input operation of the hand switch 13 is not output. ..

The communication control function 42g (communication control unit) controls the communication performed between the photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 via the network 50.

The components of the processing circuit 42, system control function 42a, X-ray control function 42b, arm drive control function 42c, compression plate drive control function 42d, left / right discrimination function 42e, switch switching control function 42f, and communication control function 42g. Each of these processing functions is recorded in the storage circuit 40 in the form of a program that can be executed by a computer. The processing circuit 42 is a processor that realizes a function corresponding to each program by reading a program from the storage circuit 40 and executing the program. In other words, the processing circuit 42 in the state where each program is read has each function shown in the processing circuit 42 of FIG. In FIG. 2, a single processing circuit 42 uses a system control function 42a, an X-ray control function 42b, an arm drive control function 42c, a compression plate drive control function 42d, a left / right discrimination function 42e, and a switch switching control function 42f. , And the processing function performed by the communication control function 42g has been described, but the function may be realized by each processor realizing the program.

The image processing device 12 has a processing circuit 52 and a display device 54. Further, the processing circuit 52 has an image processing function 52a. For example, the processing circuit 52 is realized by a processor.

The image processing function 52a (image processing unit) performs processing such as logarithmic conversion processing (LOG processing) on the projected data output from the data collection circuit 36 of the photographing device 11 in accordance with the control by the system control function 42a. Performs various image processing such as enlargement / gradation / spatial filter processing, minimum / maximum value tracing processing of projected data accumulated in time series, and addition processing for removing noise. Further, the image processing function 52a uses the projected data subjected to the above image processing to display an image (hereinafter, referred to as a display image) on the display device 54 according to the parameters of the auto window function (gradation conversion processing). ) Is generated. Further, character information, scales, and the like of various parameters are added to the display image and output to the display device 54.

The display device 54 (display unit) displays a display image output from the image processing function 52a together with character information, scales, and the like of various parameters. The display device 54 is composed of a liquid crystal display, a CRT display, or the like.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example when an operator positions the breast B of the subject P using the mammography apparatus 1. The positioning here refers to an operation in which the operator flatly stretches the breast B of the subject P in the plane direction parallel to the compression plate.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the posture of the operator when performing positioning. Note that FIG. 3 shows a case where the right breast of the subject P is photographed from the MLO direction as an example. As shown in FIG. 3B, when photographing the right breast, the operator generally uses his left hand to stretch the right breast of the subject P, and the right hand is attached to the back of the subject P or the like. .. Similarly, when photographing the left breast, as shown in FIG. 3C, the operator stretches the left breast of the subject P using the right hand, and the left hand is attached to the back of the subject P or the like. There is. In this state, as shown in FIG. 3A, the operator needs to lower the compression plate 24. In particular, when shooting in the MLO direction, the arm 15 of the mammography apparatus 1 is tilted. Therefore, in order to position the breast, the operator needs to stretch the breast of the subject P in a posture in which the upper body is placed between the arms 15 in a state where the waist is lowered. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is possible for the operator to operate using the hand on the side where the subject P breast is not stretched (for example, the right hand in FIG. 3B) to lower the compression plate 24. The hand switch 13 is provided. By using the hand switch 13, the operator can easily lower the compression plate 24.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the hand switch 13 according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hand switch 13 includes an operation button 131, a power supply device 132, a sensor 133, a speaker 134, and a lamp 135. Further, the hand switch 13 is interconnected with the photographing device 11 via the network 50.

The operation button 131 (input unit) is composed of various switches having a function of lowering the compression plate 24 when the operator presses it with the thumb of either the left or right hand. For example, while the operation button 131 is being pressed by the operator, the compression plate 24 is lowered, and when the operator releases the finger from the operation button 131 and finishes pressing the operation button 131, the compression plate 24 is lowered. Is finished. The signal input by the operator via the operation button 131 is output to the compression plate drive control function 42d of the photographing device 11 via the network 50. Further, in addition to the operation button 131 for lowering the compression plate 24, an operation button 131 for turning on / off the power supply device 132, which will be described later, may be provided.

The power supply device 132 (power supply unit) is a battery for supplying the electric power required to drive the hand switch 13. The power supply device 132 may use a secondary battery charged in a charging device (not shown) or a primary battery. Further, it is desirable that the power supply device 132 is configured to be detachable from the hand switch 13.

At least two sensors 133 are arranged on the side surface of the hand switch 13, and are composed of a touch sensor and an infrared sensor. The arrangement of the sensor 133 on the hand switch 13 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The speaker 134 is a vibrating element that generates sound by converting an electric signal into physical vibration. For example, the speaker 134 reads a sound notifying that the power of the hand switch 13 has been turned on and information from the communication control function 42g, and indicates that the hand switch 13 and the photographing device 11 are in a communication state. Makes a sound to notify. Further, when the operator detects that the hand switch 13 is being held via the sensor 133, the speaker 134 sends out a sound for notifying that the compression plate 24 can be lowered. It doesn't matter.

The lamp 135 is a light source that notifies the operator of the status of the hand switch 13 by changing the lighting state, and is composed of a light emitting diode, a laser oscillator, and the like. For example, the lamp 135 lights up or blinks so as to indicate a state in which the power of the hand switch 13 is ON. Further, the lamp 135 may be turned on even when the hand switch 13 and the mammography device 1 are in the communication state to indicate that the hand switch 13 and the mammography device 1 are in the communication state. Further, the lamp 135 may be turned off when the hand switch 13 and the mammography device 1 are not in the communication state. Further, the color may be changed according to the communication state or the like.

FIG. 5 is an external view showing an example of the hand switch 13 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, it is desirable that the hand switch 13 has a substantially cylindrical shape so that the operator can grasp the breast B of the subject P with one hand when positioning the breast B. For example, the "shape that can be gripped with one hand" includes a cylindrical shape having a diameter of about 20 mm to 60 mm and a length of about 50 mm to 150 mm. Further, the size of the hand switch 13 may be changed between those for women and those for men. For example, the hand switch 13 for women may have a diameter of about 20 mm to 40 mm so that it can be easily gripped by a woman's hand. The hand switch 13 does not have to have a cylindrical shape. For example, when the hand switch 13 is formed in a substantially polygonal weight shape, it is desirable that the length of each diagonal line of the substantially polygonal shape is about 30 mm to 60 mm. Further, in the case of the hand switch 13 having a substantially triangular weight shape, it is desirable that the length of each side is about 25 mm to 55 mm.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the hand switch 13 and a plan view of the hand switch 13 as viewed from above. In the description of FIG. 5, the side where the operation button 131 is provided is defined as the upper side of the hand switch 13, and the side where the speaker 134 and the lamp 135 are provided is defined as the lower side of the hand switch 13. As shown in FIG. 5, an opening region 136 (opening) is provided at the upper end of the hand switch 13 in order to operate the operation button 131 using the thumb of the operator. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a guard area 137 (guard portion) is provided outside the area cut by the opening area 136, and is arranged so as to surround the outer peripheral direction of the operation button 131. The guard area 137 is provided to prevent the compression plate 24 from being driven by accidentally pressing the operation button 131 when, for example, the operator drops the hand switch 13.

Further, when the operator grasps the hand switch 13 shown in FIG. 5 and operates the hand switch 13, the thumb is placed at the upper end of the operation button 131 so as to press the operation button 131 from the opening area 136 side. do. At this time, for example, when the hand switch 13 is gripped by the right hand of the operator, the sensor 133a arranged on the right side on the side surface operates with the side of the hand switch 13 shown in FIG. 5 provided with the opening region 136 as the front surface. Detect a person's hand. On the contrary, when the hand switch 13 is operated by the left hand of the operator, the sensor 133b on the left side on the side surface of the hand switch 13 reacts with the side where the opening region 136 is provided as the front. The input information from the sensor 133a and the sensor 133b is transmitted to the left / right discrimination function 42e, and the left / right discrimination function 42e detects which hand of the operator is the left or right hand to operate the hand switch 13. Further, when the operator grips the hand switch 13, any of the sensors 133a and 133b needs to be covered by the operator's hand. Therefore, it is desirable that the sensors 133a and 133b are arranged in a region close to the upper side in the vertical direction of the hand switch 13 and in a region below the operation button 131. The side in which the hand switch 13 is provided in FIG. 5 is upward. As a result, when the operator operates the operation button 131, either the sensor 133a or the sensor 133b can be reliably reacted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the speaker 134 and the lamp 135 are attached to, for example, the lower part of the hand switch 13. However, the arrangement of the speaker 134 and the lamp 135 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 5, as long as the speaker 134 and the lamp 135 are not blocked by the operator's hand while the operator holds the hand switch 13. It doesn't matter anywhere.

[motion]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the process according to the first embodiment.

First, the system control function 42a receives a designation regarding the imaging direction (MLO direction to CC direction) of the breast B of the subject P via the image processing device 12 (step S101).

Next, the arm drive control function 42c reads the input information from the arm up / down / rotation fine adjustment switch 29 to the foot switch 27 operated via the operator, and sets the imaging direction and the subject in step S101. The angle and height of the arm 15 are adjusted according to the height of the breast B of P (step S102).

Next, on the imaging table 26, the position of the breast B of the subject P is performed by the operator (step S103).

When the breast B of the subject P is positioned in step S103, the system control function 42a reads the input information from the irradiation field lamp switch 38 operated via the operator. Next, the system control function 42a displays the X-ray irradiation field for indicating the range in which the X-ray is irradiated at the time of imaging via the irradiation field lamp 53 on the positioned breast B (step S104). ..

Next, in step S105, the switch switching control function 42f determines whether or not the hand switch 13 is gripped by the operator via the communication control function 42g (step S105). At this time, the left-right discrimination function 42e receives the input information from the sensor 133 and determines which breast B is the left or right breast B to be imaged. The information regarding the left and right of the breast B to be imaged, which is specified by the left / right discrimination function 42e, is temporarily stored in the storage circuit 40. An example of a criterion for determining that the hand switch 13 is being gripped by the operator is that the sensor 133 has reacted. In this case, the switch changeover control function 42f receives the input information from the sensor 133 and detects that the hand switch 13 is gripped by the operator. When the hand switch 13 is gripped (step S105, Yes), the switch changeover control function 42f interlocks the foot switch 27 to block the input information from the foot switch 27 (step S106). ). If the hand switch 13 is not gripped by the operator, the switch switching control function 42f waits until the hand switch 13 is gripped by the operator (steps S105, No).

When the foot switch 27 is interlocked in step S106, the compression plate drive control function 42d determines whether or not the operation button 131 of the hand switch 13 is pressed (step S107). When the operation button 131 is pressed (step S107, Yes), the compression plate drive control function 42d lowers the compression plate 24 via the compression plate drive device 34 (step S108). As described above, the compression plate 24 descends while the operation button 131 is pressed, and stops descending when the operator releases the operation button 131.

In step S108, the breast B is photographed in a state where the compression plate 24 is lowered and the breast B of the subject P is compressed (step S109). The X-ray exposure to the breast B is performed by receiving an input from the operator via, for example, an exposure switch (not shown) provided in the image processing device 12. At this time, X-rays corresponding to conditions such as the amount of X-ray irradiation set by the X-ray control function 42b are irradiated toward the breast B. The FPD26a detects X-rays that have passed through the breast B. The detected X-ray is converted into an electric signal in the FPD 26a and transmitted to the data acquisition circuit 36. In the data acquisition circuit 36, the electric signal converted from the X-ray is converted into the projection data. The projection data converted in the data acquisition circuit 36 is transmitted to the image processing device 12, the image processing function 52a of the image processing device 12 performs image processing on the projection data, and displays an image on the breast B of the subject P. Generate (step S110).

When the X-ray irradiation of the breast B of the subject P is completed, the compression plate drive control function 42d drives the compression plate drive device 34 to raise the compression plate 24 from the imaging table 26 (step S111).

Next, the left-right discrimination function 42e reads the information regarding the left and right of the breast B acquired from the sensor 133 in step S106 from the storage circuit 40, and either the left or right breast with respect to the display image generated by the image processing device 12. Information on whether or not it is B is stored as incidental information of the display image of the breast B (step S112).

Further, the image processing device 12 causes the display device 54 to display the display image, and with reference to the display image, receives information from the operator indicating whether the breast B of the photographed subject P is the left or right breast B. (Step S113).

Next, the information on the left and right of the breast B of the subject P obtained through the left-right discrimination function 42e and the information on the left and right of the breast B of the subject P obtained via the input information from the operator match. Whether or not this is done is determined by the system control function 42a (step S114). When the system control function 42a determines that the information regarding the left and right of the breast B of the subject P does not match (step S114, NO), the system control function 42a is obtained by the left / right discrimination function 42e and the input information from the operator, respectively. The information regarding the left and right sides of the breast B is read, and a confirmation screen is displayed on the display device 54 (step S115). The system control function 42a rereads the information regarding the left and right of the breast B, which the operator has confirmed and corrected by checking the display device 54, and again applies appropriate left and right information to the DICOM file corresponding to the display image of the breast B. It is stored again as incidental information (step S116).

When continuing the imaging of the breast B of the subject P, the imaging direction is different, and when imaging the other breast B, the process returns to step S101 and the series of processes is repeated again (steps S117, YES). When all the shooting is completed, the shooting ends (step S117, NO).

By performing the above processing, the operator operates the hand switch by using the hand on the unused side when positioning the breast B instead of the foot switch 27 arranged on the floor surface, and presses the compression plate 24. It will be possible to lower it. Further, by collating the information on the left and right of the breast B obtained by the left / right discrimination function 42e with the information on the left and right of the breast B from the operator, the possibility of an error in registering the left and right information of the breast B is reduced. Will be possible.

In step S105 of the flowchart described above, a case where the foot switch 27 is interlocked when the hand switch 13 is gripped has been described. On the other hand, when the foot switch 27 is operated while the hand switch 13 is not gripped, the hand switch 13 is interlocked.

(Modified example of the first embodiment)
In the first embodiment, it has been described that the left and right hands of the operator are discriminated by the hand switch 13 by the sensor 133 attached to the side surface of the hand switch 13. In this modified example, a case where the left and right hands of the operator are discriminated by fingerprint authentication will be described.

In the hand switch 13 according to the present modification, the fingerprint sensor 133c is used instead of the sensor 133 described in the first embodiment to discriminate between the left and right hands of the operator operating the hand switch 13.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a hand switch 13b according to a modified example of the first embodiment. The hand switch 13b has a fingerprint sensor 133c instead of the sensor 133 of the hand switch 13 in the first embodiment.

The fingerprint sensor 133c is a sensor that discriminates between the left and right fingers of the operator. The fingerprint sensor 133c is a semiconductor sensor composed of a plurality of fine electrodes. The fingerprint has fine irregularities, and when a finger is placed on the fingerprint sensor 133c, electric charges are accumulated on the electrodes on the fingerprint sensor 133c. At this time, the amount of electric charge accumulated on the fingerprint sensor 133c is determined according to the distance between the electrode of the fingerprint sensor 133c and the skin of the finger. When the distance between the electrode and the skin is long, the electric charge is small, and when the distance is short, the electric charge is large. The fingerprint sensor 133c detects fingerprints according to the difference in the amount of electric charge.

It is desirable that the fingerprint sensor 133c is provided on the upper surface of the operation button 131. This makes it possible to detect the fingerprints of the left and right thumbs of the operator when the operator presses the operation button 131. At this time, the fingerprints of the left and right thumbs of the operator need to be recorded in the storage circuit 40 in advance.

When the fingerprint sensor 133c detects the fingerprint of the operator, the left / right discrimination function 42e of the mammography device 1 detects the fingerprint detected by the fingerprint sensor 133c and the fingerprints of the left and right thumbs of the operator recorded in advance in the storage circuit 40. It collates and determines which hand is being operated by the left or right hand. Thereby, it is possible to detect whether the hand switch 13 is operated by the left or right hand.

If the left / right discrimination function 42e determines that the fingerprint detected by the fingerprint sensor 133c does not match the fingerprint of either the left or right thumb of the operator, an error screen may be displayed on the display device 54. I do not care. The fingerprint of the operator's thumb recorded in the storage circuit 40 does not necessarily have to be both left and right. For example, if the fingerprint of the thumb of only one of the left and right sides is recorded in the storage circuit 40, and the fingerprint detected by the fingerprint sensor 133c does not match the fingerprint recorded in the storage circuit 40 in advance, the fingerprint is recorded. The left / right discrimination function 42e may determine that the fingerprint is on the opposite side of the left / right side. Further, before using the mammography apparatus 1, the operator inputs a user ID. Therefore, the user ID and the fingerprint information are linked and stored in the storage circuit 40. Therefore, when the fingerprint sensor 133c detects a fingerprint that does not match the fingerprint information recorded in the storage circuit 40 in a state where the operator is specified by the user ID, the left / right discrimination function 42e is stored in the storage circuit 40 in advance. It may be determined that the fingerprint is on the side opposite to the recorded side.

Further, although the fingerprint sensor 133c has been described as being arranged on the upper surface of the operation button 131, it may be arranged at another position of the hand switch 13. In this case, the finger used for fingerprint authentication does not have to be limited to the thumb, and may be the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger, or the little finger.

Further, it is desirable that the operator can recognize the timing at which the fingerprint authentication by the fingerprint sensor 133c is completed and the compression plate 24 can be started to descend. Therefore, the speaker 134 in this modification further has a function of notifying the operator of the timing when the fingerprint authentication is completed.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the process according to the modified example of the first embodiment.

Since the processes related to steps S201 to S204 are the same as the processes related to steps S101 to S104 in the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

In step S205, when the operator grasps the hand switch 13 and either the left or right thumb of the operator is placed on the fingerprint sensor 133c, the fingerprint sensor 133c detects the fingerprint of the thumb. The fingerprint sensor 133c transmits the information regarding the detected fingerprint to the left / right discrimination function 42e. As described above, the left / right discrimination function 42e reads the fingerprints of the left and right thumbs of the operator recorded in advance from the storage circuit 40, and determines whether or not the fingerprints match the fingerprints detected by the fingerprint sensor 133c. When fingerprint authentication is performed by the left / right discrimination function 42e (step S205), the switch switching control function 42f interlocks the foot switch 27 (step S206).

Next, when the system control function 42a sends a signal to the hand switch 13 that the fingerprint authentication is completed, the speaker 134 sends a sound to notify that the authentication is completed (step S207). At this time, the sound transmitted through the speaker 134 is a sound for notifying that the power of the hand switch 13 is turned on and a sound indicating that the hand switch 13 and the mammography device 1 are in a communication state. Is preferably a different sound. After the sound is transmitted from the speaker 134, the operation button 131 receives an operation from the operator. When the operation button 131 is pressed by the operator, the compression plate driving device 34 receives a signal to lower the compression plate 24 output from the operation button 131. Since the fingerprint sensor 133c is provided on the upper surface of the operation button 131 in this modification, the operator presses the operation button 131 through the fingerprint sensor 133c.

Since the processes related to steps S208 to S217 are the same as the processes related to steps S108 to S117 in the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

By performing the above series of processes, it is possible to determine the hand on the side where the operator is operating the hand switch 13 based on the fingerprint information of the operator's left and right thumbs and the like.

In this modification, fingerprint authentication is performed using the fingerprint sensor 133c to discriminate the left and right hands of the operator, but the operation is performed by using a vein authentication device (vein authentication unit) instead of the fingerprint sensor 133c. The person's vein information may be acquired, vein authentication may be performed, and the left and right hands of the operator may be discriminated.

Further, the hand switch 13b in the present modification has been described assuming that the fingerprint sensor 133c is arranged on the upper surface of the operation button 131 provided on the substantially cylindrical hand switch 13 shown in FIG. The examples are not limited to the above description. For example, the arrangement of the operation button 131 and the fingerprint sensor 133c in the hand switch 13b need not be limited. For example, the operation button 131 may be provided on the disk-shaped hand switch 13b. At this time, the fingerprint sensor 133c may be arranged on the operation button 131 or the like, or the operation button 131 and the fingerprint sensor 133c may be arranged adjacent to each other and independently arranged on the hand switch 13b. do not have. The compression plate 24 can be operated by using the hand switch 13 described in the first embodiment. As a result, the operator does not need to operate the foot switch 27 when positioning the breast B of the subject P, and does not need to perform the positioning in an unreasonable posture. As a result, the operability of the operator at the time of positioning the breast B of the subject P can be improved, which is expected to lead to the improvement of the examination efficiency.

(Second embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the case where the hand switch 13 is provided with the sensor 133 or the fingerprint sensor 133c for detecting the hand holding the hand switch 13 by the operator has been described. In the second embodiment, two operation buttons 131 are arranged on the hand switch 13c instead of the sensor 133 and the fingerprint sensor 133c, and the hand switch 13c is gripped in response to the pressed operation button 131. A case of determining the side hand will be described.

FIG. 9 is an external view showing an example of the hand switch 13c according to the second embodiment. The hand switch 13c is not provided with the sensor 133 and the fingerprint sensor 133c shown in the first embodiment. Instead, the hand switch 13c is provided with two operation buttons 131a (first input unit) and 131b (second input unit).

The operation button 131a shown in FIG. 9 is set, for example, as being pressed when the operator operates with the left hand. On the other hand, the operation button 131b is set to be pressed when the operator operates with the right hand. This makes it possible for the operator to determine the hand on the side holding the hand switch 13c without the need for a configuration such as a sensor. However, since a plurality of operation buttons 131 are arranged, there is a possibility that the operator mistakenly presses the operation buttons 131 corresponding to the left and right hands. Therefore, when the operation buttons 131a and 131b are pressed, information about the grip hand corresponding to the operation button 131 and the breast B to be imaged may be transmitted via the speaker 134. For example, examples of the sound transmitted through the speaker 134 include "accepted an operation with the right hand" and "accepted an operation with respect to the right breast".

Further, even when the operation buttons 131a and 131b on the side that does not correspond to the grip of the operator are pressed, the compression plate 24 may be lowered as long as the above-mentioned sound is transmitted by the speaker 134. In this case, the operator can recognize the necessity of correcting the left-right information of the breast B after imaging by the sound from the speaker 134.

According to the second embodiment described above, it is possible to detect whether the hand on the side operated by the operator is left or right without providing the hand switch 13 with the sensor 133 or the like.

(Third Embodiment)
In the first and second embodiments, the operation button 131 of the hand switch 13 has been described as being pressed by the thumb of the operator. The operation button 131d of the hand switch 13d in the third embodiment has a configuration assuming that it is pressed by the index finger of the operator.

FIG. 10 is an external view showing an example of the hand switch 13d according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the hand switch 13d is provided with an operation button 131d on the back side when the operator holds the hand switch 13d. Further, the sensors 133 are arranged at least two on the left and right sides of the side surface of the hand switch 13d in a state where the front side shown in FIG. 10 is the front side. The speaker 134 and the lamp 135 may also be arranged at arbitrary positions on the side surface of the hand switch 13d. FIG. 10 shows an example in which the speaker 134 and the lamp 135 are arranged on the lower side, which is the opposite side, in a state where the side on which the operation button 131 of the hand switch 13 is provided is defined as the upper side.

Further, a guard 138 is provided around the operation button 131d in order to prevent a malfunction when the hand switch 13d is dropped.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the hand switch 13d preferably has a shape in which curved surfaces are formed on the side surfaces on the back side and the front side. As a result, it is possible to provide a shape that is easy for the operator to grip, and it is possible to prevent the operator from gripping the hand switch 13d in the wrong direction.

According to the third embodiment described above, it is possible to provide the hand switch 13d capable of operating the operation button 131d with the index finger of the operator.

(Fourth Embodiment)
In the first to third embodiments, it has been described that the compression plate 24 is lowered by pressing the operation button 131 provided on the hand switch 13. In the fourth embodiment, in addition to the process of lowering the compression plate 24 via the operation button 131, the operation performed by the conventional foot switch 27 is also performed by the hand switch 13 with reference to FIG. Give an explanation.

FIG. 11 is an external view showing an example of the hand switch 13e according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the hand switch 13e is provided with two operation buttons 131e and 131f. For example, the operation button 131e is used as an operation execution button, and the operation button 131f is used as an operation switching button. At this time, the operations related to the mammography apparatus 1 executed by using the operation button 131e include lowering the compression plate, raising the compression plate, turning on and off the irradiation field lamp, and turning off the irradiation field lamp, which were operated by the conventional foot switch 27 and the like. It is assumed that the arm 15 moves up and down. At this time, each operation is switched using the operation button 131f. When the operation performed by the hand switch 13e is switched by pressing the operation button 131f by the operator, the speaker 134 may notify the operation by sound, or the operation can be performed by changing the color of the lamp 135. You may notify the person. At this time, the operation of the mammography apparatus 1 executed by pressing the operation button 131e is switched each time the operation button 131f is pressed. Further, a small liquid crystal screen or the like may be separately provided on the hand switch 13e to display the operation selected at the time of switching.

Further, as described above, the hand switch 13e is added with a function of operating the compression plate 24, raising the compression plate 24, turning on and off the irradiation field lamp 53, moving the arm 15 up and down, and the like, in addition to lowering the compression plate 24. Is expected. Therefore, the hand switch 13e may be provided with a number of individual operation buttons 131 corresponding to each of the above-mentioned operations. In this case, it is necessary to provide a button for lowering and raising the compression plate 24, a button for lighting the irradiation field lamp 53, and a vertical operation button for operating the vertical movement of the arm 15.

According to the fourth embodiment described above, by providing the hand switch 13 with a plurality of operation buttons 131 for operating the above-mentioned operations, it is possible to operate the mammography device 1 without using the foot switch 27. become. Further, since the operator can operate the mammography device 1 by checking the hand instead of the foot like when operating the foot switch 27, the operability of the mammography device 1 by the operator is improved. Can be expected.

According to each embodiment described above, the operator uses the hand switch 13 to perform an operation for lowering the compression plate 24 without falling into an unreasonable posture during positioning of the breast B of the subject P by the mammography apparatus 1. It becomes possible to do it. As a result, the operability of the operator is improved, and it is possible to contribute to the improvement of inspection efficiency.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the hand switch 13 has a substantially cylindrical shape and has been described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 10, but the shape of the hand switch 13 is not limited to the above-mentioned type. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the shape of the hand switch 13 when viewed from above may be substantially trapezoidal or the like. Since the hand switch 13 has a substantially trapezoidal shape, it is possible to find the position of the opening region 136 more easily when the operator grasps the hand switch 13 by fumbling than when using the substantially cylindrical hand switch 13. Is. This is because the lengths of the upper side and the lower side of the substantially trapezoidal surface of the hand switch 13 are different, so that the orientation of the hand switch 13 can be easily determined. At this time, the sensors 133a and 133b may be arranged on the surface of the hand switch 13 that forms the hypotenuse of the substantially trapezoidal shape. Since the hand switch 13 of FIG. 12 has a sharp edge, it is more desirable to process it into a round shape. Further, the shape of the hand switch 13 when viewed from above may be a substantially triangular shape with rounded corners. At this time, the sensors 133a and 133b may be arranged on the surface of the hand switch 13 that forms two substantially triangular sides. At this time, the surface on which the sensors 133a and 133b are arranged needs to be a surface formed on two sides different from the surface formed on the side having the opening region 136 of the hand switch 13.

Further, although the photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 have been described as communicating with each other by wirelessly communicating with each other via the network 50, the photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 are connected in a wired form. It doesn't matter. In this case, for example, the hand switch 13 is connected to the photographing device 11 in a wired manner via the ceiling surface of the examination room or the like. At this time, a wired connection between the photographing device 11 and the hand switch 13 is also an aspect of the network.

In the embodiment described above, it has been described that the operator determines the left and right of the hand holding the hand switch 13 via the hand switch 13. Here, the compression plate drive control function 42d in the above-described embodiment may change the speed at which the compression plate 24 is lowered according to the left and right of the hand holding the hand switch 13. For example, when the operator is positioning the breast B of the subject P using the non-dominant hand, the descent speed of the compression plate 24 is slower than when the operator is positioning with the dominant hand. You may control it. At this time, the information about the left and right hands of each operator and the descent speed of the compression plate 24 are linked and stored in the storage circuit 40 in advance, and the information from the hand switch 13 and the information of the storage circuit 40 are stored in the compression plate. The descent speed of the compression plate 24 is adjusted by reading the drive control function 42d.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the system control function 42a receives information from the operator indicating whether the captured breast B is left or right with respect to all the captured images of the breast B of the subject P. Explained as a thing. However, the embodiment does not have to be limited to the above configuration. For example, the operator refers to the captured image of the breast B displayed on the display device 54 and the information on the left and right of the breast B detected by the left / right discrimination function 42e, and the operator refers to the left and right of the breast B only when necessary. You may accept information about. At this time, the incidental information regarding the left and right information of the breast B is rewritten with the information input from the operator.

The components described as "parts" in the present embodiment may have their operations realized by hardware, software, or hardware and software. It may be realized by the combination with.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

1 ... mammography device, 11 ... photographing device, 12 ... image processing device, 13 ... hand switch, 15 ... arm, 24 ... compression plate, 27 ... foot switch, 33 ... arm drive device, 34 ... compression plate drive device, 42 ... Processing circuit, 42a ... system control function, 42b ... X-ray control function, 42c ... arm drive control function, 42d ... compression plate drive control function, 42e ... left / right discrimination function, 42f ... switch switching control function, 42g ... communication control function, 50 ... network, 131, 131a, 131b, 131d ... operation button, 132 ... power supply, 133 ... sensor, 133c ... fingerprint sensor, 134 ... speaker, 135 ... lamp, 136 ... opening area, 137 ... guard area.

Claims (13)

An X-ray tube that generates X-rays and
An X-ray detector that detects the X-rays that have passed through the breast of the subject,
The imaging table on which the breast of the subject is placed and
A compression plate placed on the imaging table to press the breast and
A compression plate driving unit that drives the compression plate in the direction of contacting and separating from the photographing table,
A hand switch that can be gripped and operated by either the left or right hand of the operator and operates the compression plate drive unit in response to the operation of the operator.
Based on the information indicating which hand the hand switch is operated by, the left-right discriminating unit that determines whether the breast of the subject is the left or right breast.
An image processing unit that generates an X-ray image of the breast based on the X-rays detected by the X-ray detector and adds information indicating the result of discrimination by the left-right discrimination unit to the X-ray image. A mammography apparatus having. An input unit provided at the upper end of the hand switch and inputting a signal for operating the compression plate according to the operation of the operator.
A guard portion that surrounds the circumferential direction of the hand switch with respect to the direction in which the input portion is pressed,
An opening provided in at least a part of the guard portion in the direction in which the input portion is pressed, and an opening.
A sensor for detecting contact with the operator's hand on a part of the side surface of the hand switch,
The mammography apparatus according to claim 1. The sensor is provided on the side surface of the hand switch and on the left side and the right side of the side surface of the hand switch with respect to the opening, respectively.
The left-right discriminating unit is a hand in which the operator is holding the hand switch, based on information from one of the sensors provided, which detects contact with the operator's hand. The mammography apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the left and right sides of the mammography device are discriminated from each other. A foot switch that inputs a signal to operate the compression plate drive unit when the operator operates it with his / her foot.
When the sensor detects contact with the operator's hand, a switch switching control unit that controls so as to limit the operation of the foot switch, and
The mammography apparatus according to claim 2 or 3. A storage unit that stores the operator's fingerprint information,
An input unit provided on the hand switch and inputting a signal for operating the compression plate drive unit in response to an operation by the operator.
A fingerprint sensor provided on the upper surface of the input unit and detecting the fingerprint of the operator,
With more
The left / right discriminating unit discriminates between the left and right hands of the operator holding the hand switch based on the fingerprint information of the operator stored in the storage unit and the fingerprint detected by the fingerprint sensor. The mammography apparatus according to claim 1. A storage unit that stores the operator's vein information,
An input unit provided on the hand switch and inputting a signal for operating the compression plate drive unit in response to an operation by the operator.
Further, a vein authentication unit provided on the upper surface of the input unit and detecting vein information of the operator is provided.
The left-right discriminating unit collates the vein information of the operator stored in the storage unit with the information from the vein authentication unit, so that the left and right of the hand on which the operator holds the hand switch can be checked. The mammography apparatus according to claim 1. The input unit is
A first input unit provided on the left side of the opening and
A second input unit provided on the right side with respect to the opening,
Consists of
The mammography according to claim 2, wherein the left-right discriminating unit discriminates between the left and right breasts based on information input by an operator via either the first input unit or the second input unit. Device. The mammography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hand switch further includes an input unit for raising the compression plate. It further has an X-ray tube that generates X-rays and an arm that holds an X-ray detector that detects X-rays that have passed through the breast of the subject.
The mammography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hand switch further includes an input unit for moving the arm up and down. It also has an irradiation field lamp that indicates the range of X-ray irradiation on the subject's breast.
The mammography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hand switch further includes an input unit for driving the irradiation field lamp. A display unit that displays the X-ray image generated by the image processing unit, and a display unit that displays the X-ray image.
An input unit provided in the image processing unit and receiving information regarding the left and right breasts on the X-ray image displayed on the display unit via an input operation from the operator.
Further, it has a system control unit that determines whether or not the information given by the left / right discrimination unit and the information received via the input unit match, and displays the result of the determination on the display unit. The mammography apparatus according to claim 1. The mammography apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the system control unit displays a confirmation screen on the display unit when the information given by the left / right discrimination unit and the information received via the input unit do not match. When the information given by the left-right discriminating unit and the information received via the input unit do not match, the system control unit obtains information regarding the left and right breasts on the X-ray image via the input unit. The mammography apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, which accepts modifications.

Images