JPH02109173A - Medical picture filing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To retrieve pictures in a short time and to improve the medical diagnosing speed by preparing a character generating means and recording the character information for identification of picture signals in addition. CONSTITUTION:The output picture data undergone the A/D conversion via an A/D converter 28 are recorded into a 1st frame memory 34 for each screen displayed on the CRT 22a-22d. The digital picture data S2 outputted from the memory 34 is recorded at a prescribed address position of a 2nd frame memory 38 and the digital picture data S4 via a picture editing process part 36. In this case, the data S2 recorded in the memory 34 is magnified and reduced at the part 36. At the same time, the editing process including an address designating process to the memory 38, etc., are applied to the character information supplied from a character font generating part 40. In such a way, the picture can be retrieved in a short time with addition of the character information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a medical image filing device. The present invention relates to a medical image filing device configured to record a medical image signal, and to add identifying character information such as a hospital name and patient name to the medical image signal and to store the same on an image recording medium such as an optical disk.

[Background of the Invention] For example, if the condition of an affected part of a human body is reproduced as image information using a medical image diagnostic apparatus such as a CT scanner, the condition of the affected part can be clearly understood, which is extremely convenient for doctors and the like. In this case, an analog or digital image signal corresponding to the image information output from an image signal source such as a CT scanner is introduced into an image output device such as a laser printer, converted into exposure data, and then exposed to light. It is recorded on materials and output as a hard copy. This hard copy is provided for medical diagnosis.

By the way, in the medical field, it has been common practice to record image information on X-ray film. and,
It is mandatory to store X-ray films containing the image information for at least five years, and a huge amount of X-ray film will be stored during that time. Therefore, in facilities such as hospitals, it is necessary to secure sufficient space for storing X-ray films. In addition, in order to preserve such an X-ray film well for a long period of time, it is necessary to
The line film must be stored in a state where it is isolated from moisture and external light, and measures for this are also required.

On the other hand, it is necessary that the desired X-ray film can be quickly taken out in response to a request during a medical examination or the like. However, when manually extracting a desired item from a large amount of X-ray film, a considerable amount of work time is required, which does not meet the social demand for speedy medical diagnosis.

Therefore, by recording and storing image data related to such medical image information and its search data in a randomly accessible recording medium, it is possible to facilitate the storage and management of the medical image information, and to facilitate the search for desired image information. A medical image filing device that can achieve high speed has been desired and proposed.

In this case, the size of the film output as a hard copy usually differs depending on the diagnosis site.

Therefore, the size of the output hard copy, i.e.
The attributes of the recorded image signal, such as the number of pixels, differ depending on the size of the film, such as six-cut, large-angle, half-cut, quarter-cut, etc.

On the other hand, there is not necessarily one type of medical image diagnostic equipment such as a CT scanner that sends image signals to the image filing device, but with the development of the medical diagnostic field, various medical imaging equipment such as ultrasound imaging equipment, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging equipment, etc. Image diagnostic equipment has been put into practical use. The attributes of the image signals output from these medical image diagnostic apparatuses, such as the number of scanning lines and the number of pixels, also vary.

Therefore, in the conventional technology of recording image signals with different attributes using an image filing device, for example, depending on the attributes of the CT scanner, ultrasound imaging device, etc., the image signals are recorded on the image filing device with different numbers of pixels. In the case of reproduction, the difference in attributes is absorbed by adjusting the difference in the number of pixels or the difference in information described above in the display device or the like. However, according to this technique, when an image filing device having a predetermined recording format is to record image signals of different attributes output from an image signal source, there is It is necessary to change the interposed interface so that it matches the attributes, resulting in a complicated configuration in terms of both hardware and software. In this case,
Furthermore, when attempting to additionally connect an image signal source with different attributes, the interface must be changed.
This is very troublesome as it requires changes to the hardware configuration and software.

As described above, the device according to the prior art has a complicated configuration in order to file image signals of different attributes.
It also requires a lot of effort.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to convert image signals outputted from a plurality of medical image signal sources having different signal attributes such as the number of scanning lines or the number of pixels into an image. When recording on a filing device, a table is provided to hold data for enlarging/reducing the image signal output from the image signal source into a signal that can be recorded on the image filing device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical image filing device that enables attribute conversion of image signals between an image signal source and an image filing device, and allows easy retrieval of recorded images.

[Means for achieving the object] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention expands or reduces image signals with different attributes output from a plurality of medical image signal sources (5. Convert and distribute,
A medical image filing device for recording image signals output from the medical image signal source, the device comprising: a plurality of conversion tables holding data for enlarging or reducing image signals output from the medical image signal source; table selection means for selecting a predetermined conversion table from among the plurality of conversion tables according to attributes; and enlargement or reduction processing of the image signal based on data held in the conversion table selected by the table selection means. It is characterized by comprising a signal processing means for performing.

[Embodiments] Next, preferred embodiments of the medical image filing device according to the present invention in relation to a medical image recording system incorporating the device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates the medical image recording system, and this medical image recording system 10 basically consists of four types of image signal sources i2a to 1.
2d, and an image output device 16 such as a laser printer that outputs a medical image filing device 14 and a hard copy (IP) according to the main part of the present invention, of which the medical image filing device 14 is an image interface section. 18 and an optical disk recording section 20.

The image signal sources 1.23 to 12d include CRTs 22a to 22d as display means, and the images PCR, . . . (Pl, 2, . . .
), PCR2P (P=1.2,...), PC
R3, (P=1.2,...) and PCR<.

(P-1, 2,...) corresponding image signal source 1.2
Video signals Sa to S output from 8 to 12 CI,
and control signals. to Dd are electronic switches 24.
26 to an A/D converter 28 as well as a communication interface 30. In this case, electronic switch 24.2
6 is a 1-circuit, 4-contact type interlocking switch, and the contact 32a
32d to 34d, 34a to 34d and common contact 32e,
34e.

The output image data after being A/D converted by the A/D converter 28 is stored in the first frame memory 34 on the CRT 2.
The images are recorded for each PCR image displayed in 2a to 22d, that is, for each screen. The digital image data S output from the first frame memory 34 is stored in the image editing processing section 36.
The image data is recorded as digital image data S4 at a predetermined address position in the second frame memory 38 via. In this case, the image editing processing unit 36 performs enlargement/reduction processing and address designation processing of the digital image data S recorded in the first frame memory 34, and the character font generation unit 4
Editing processing such as address designation processing for the second frame memory 38 is performed on the character information introduced from 0.

These editing processes are performed using control information introduced from the communication interface 30, identification information supplied from an external storage device 42 such as a floppy disk and recorded in the identification information memory 44, time information from the clock section 46, and the external Control of the control unit 53 based on format array information supplied from the storage device 42 and output from the format array memory 48 and image enlargement/reduction data also supplied from the external storage device 42 and output from the enlargement/reduction conversion table 5o. executed under the influence. Note that the image interface section 1
The operation panels 52a to 52d forming part 8 are normally attached to the image signal sources 12a to 12d and are used to input data to the image interface section 18 by remote control.

The digital image data s6, which has been subjected to image enlargement/reduction processing and editing processing such as adding identification information, and is recorded in the second frame memory 38, is sent via the output interface 54 to the input/output interface 56 constituting the optical disk recording unit 20. will be introduced in

The digital image data S8 introduced into the input/output interface 56 is branched and introduced into the image output device 16, such as a laser printer that outputs a hard copy HP, and also into the optical disk drive 58.

Then, the image data introduced into the optical disk drive 58 is recorded at a predetermined address position in the optical disk 60, and it becomes possible to store digital image data corresponding to the predetermined image information in the optical disk 60. here,
The hard copy HP may be outputted directly based on the digital image data S8 introduced from the image interface section 18 without being recorded on the optical disk 60, but if necessary, the digital The image data may be read by an optical disk drive 58, introduced into the image output device 16 via the input/output ink face 56, and output.

Note that the components constituting the image interface section 18 and the respective components constituting the optical disk recording section 20 are driven and controlled under the action of the control section 53 and the control section 62.

The medical image recording system incorporating the medical image filing device according to this embodiment is basically configured as described above, and its operation and effects will be explained next.

Usually, a doctor or technician uses the image signal sources i2a to 12d.
The condition of the affected area is confirmed using a predetermined image signal source in the image signal source 12a, for example, CR of the image signal source 12a, and the image PCRIP displayed on T22a. In this case, the doctor or the like operates the operation panel 52a attached to the image interface unit 18 to perform initial settings for recording image information about the affected area to be diagnosed. The contents of this initial setting determine the arrangement of images to be output as a hard copy HP from the image output device 16, that is, the arrangement of images to be stored on the optical disk 60, and the size (pixel size) of the images to be stored. (hereinafter referred to as data size) and identification information to be added to the digital image data S2.

To explain more specifically, the image arrangement is, for example,
This is the specification of an address for arranging multiple images PCR,. ), large angle (number of pixels = 1
700 x 1700), half cut (number of pixels - 1700x
2100) Fuyobi quarter cut (number of pixels - 1600X 200
0) is the specification of the image size. Normally, among these data, data that is used repeatedly is stored in an external storage device 42 such as a floppy disk, and the data stored in this external storage device [42] is identification information memory 44, format array memory 48 right and enlargement/reduction conversion table 5
It is recorded as 0.

Examples of data recorded in the identification information memory 44, format array memory 48, and enlargement/reduction conversion table 50 are schematically shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C. As can be understood from the figure, these data have unique identification codes AL (L = 1.2, . . . ) for each data content.
BX (M=1.2,...), TNX (NX
=11, I2,..., 2L 22,..., 31.3
2,...) are given. For doctors, etc., use the operation panel 5
From 2a to this identification code AL% BXSTIIX,
It is only necessary to input the identification codes At and Bx. In this case, the identification code TNχ is the image signal source 12a to 12d.
Operation panels 52a to 52d arranged corresponding to
It is uniquely determined and automatically selected under the action of the control section 53 by any one of the operations and the data input of the identification code Bx.

That is, the enlargement/reduction conversion table 50 also functions as table selection means.

Identification code A recorded in the identification information memory 44
The data content of L=A1 is rFIJJIHO3PITAL
J, and the hospital name is recorded.

Also, identification code B in the format array memory 4B. =B, as shown in the data content column, represents four images PCR+p (P=
1.2.3.4) in a predetermined position, and enter the identification information ID.
This is a designation to record the image in a region other than the image section 100, that is, in the non-image section 102.

The details of one identification code in the enlargement/reduction conversion table 50 will be described later.

When a predetermined identification code is manually entered from the operation panel 52a, the control unit 53 outputs the video signal S corresponding to the operation panel 52a, that is, the video signal S output from the image signal source 12a. and the common contacts 32e134e of the electronic switches 24 and 26 to receive the control signal D6, respectively, to the image signal source 12.
Connect to contacts 32a and 34a corresponding to No. 3.

Therefore, doctors and others decide on the identification information, image arrangement, and image size so that the most easily viewable image can be reproduced for each region to be diagnosed, such as the brain, lungs, and heart. Input the corresponding specific identification codes AL and BM. In this embodiment, the identification codes AL and B include identification codes A+ and B, respectively.
+ shall be entered. As described above, in this case, the identification code TMX is the image signal source 1.2a and the identification code B, as can be seen from FIG. 2C. Since -B1 has been identified, it is automatically selected as LxT l l. Here, the identification code T, χ=T1. The data related to the video signal S6 is A/D converted into 750 x 750 pixel data by the A/D converter 28 for each image PCR3p (for each screen).
The data is converted and stored in the first frame memory 34, and the 750 x 750 pixel data is 00 x 1000.
It represents the contents of conversion to perform enlargement/reduction processing conversion (in this case, enlargement processing conversion) to illumination pixel data and record it in a predetermined address position of the second frame memory 38 consisting of 2600 x 3600 pixel data size.

Note that the manual method of inputting the identification codes A, , B may be a method of manually inputting the identification codes using the operation panel 52a as described above, but apart from this, for example, diagnosis may be performed in advance using the image signal source 12a. If the affected area to be processed has been identified, a power-on reset function is added to the medical image filing device 14 and the identification code 8L, B)
Let the default value of I be, for example, AL = A, + , Bx
By setting =B+, the operation panel 52a
Of course, it is also possible to automatically perform manual operation based on the control signal from the image signal source 12a without operating the image signal source 12a.

When the predetermined identification code ΔL and BM are input to the control unit 53 from the operation panel 52a in this way, the control unit 53
is the identification code AL=A, %B M = B + among the data stored in the identification information memory 44, format array memory 48, and enlargement/reduction conversion table 50.
, T N Here, among the data contents, data related to image arrangement (see Figure 2) and data related to enlargement/reduction conversion (see Figure 2C) are introduced into the image editing processing section 36 and stored in the identification information ID. Such data (see FIG. 2C) is introduced into the character font generator 40. In this case, the clock section 46 sends data related to the current "year, month, date, hour, and minute," for example, data corresponding to "r88.7.1.10:30" to the character font generation section 40. Ru.

When the sending of these data contents is completed, the control unit 53 requests the image signal source 12a to send the video signal Sa via the communication interface 30.

Therefore, a doctor or the like operates the imaging unit of the main body of the medical image diagnostic apparatus (not shown) to display an image PCR of the subject, that is, the diagnostic region, on the CRT 22a of the image signal source 12a attached to the medical image diagnostic apparatus. . Then, when the user wants to output the image PCR, . as a hard copy HP, a send button (not shown) of the image signal source 12H is pressed.

In this state, the video signal S corresponding to the image PCR, output from the image signal source 12a.

A contact 32a and a common contact 3 constitute the electronic switch 24.
A/2e that constitutes the image interface unit 18
The data is introduced into the D converter 28 and converted into digital image data consisting of 750 x 750 pixel data, which is recorded in the first frame memory 34. The digital image data S2 recorded in the frame memory 34 is subjected to image editing processing described below in the image editing processing section 36, and then introduced into the second frame memory 38.

As this editing process, first, the first image P CH3I is
As can be understood from the schematic diagram of the frame memory 38 shown in FIG. 3, the information is recorded in the upper left part of the figure. Here, for example, the data size of the digital image data S, as shown in FIG. 4, is 750×750 (S2 = ca,!
l, a12, - a lis[1sa21, a22, -
a tsotso) ) and the data size related to the enlargement/reduction conversion is 1ooo x 1ooo. Expansion processing will be described below.

Image data after enlargement is Az, A I 2, A I 3,
..., AIIflGO, Δ, 1, A22, − A +
If it is defined as ooo + ooo, the image data A to A22 after the enlargement process can be converted as shown in the following equations (1) to (4), taking into account weighting according to the data size. .

A1□・-a I2 , to , 3 <a, +++2aB'l/'3 (shi) 3. , + a):l)/""u...(1)...(2)...(H() A22" (az +-28+z+2az+ +
43az)/9 In this state, in the second freight memory 38, in the non-image part 102, for example, in the figure, at a predetermined address in the upper right corner, the identification information rFUJl from the identification information memory 44)IO3PITALJ and the clock part are stored. 46
The time information r88.7.1.10:30J is converted into character information via the character font generator 40 and introduced.

Images PCR12 to 1 introduced one after another in this way
．． The video signal layer corresponding to
6, the image is enlarged/reduced and stored in the second frame memory 3.
When all the images are arranged in step 8, the digital image data S stored in the second frame memory 3B and provided with identification information is introduced into the optical disk drive 58 via the output interface 54 and the input/output interface 56. , digital image data to which the identification information has been added is recorded on the optical disc 60. In this case, the recording capacity of one optical disk is much larger than that of a hard copy HPI disk, and the storage space can be made as small as possible. Therefore, it meets the demands of the medical field for efficient use of space. Note that the digital image data recorded on the optical disk 60 is transferred to the optical disk 6 by being introduced into the image output device 16 again via the optical disk drive 58 and the input/output interface 56 at the time of diagnosis.
Hard copy of digital image data recorded on 0 HP
(See Figure 5). Since the image reproduced on the hard copy HP is given identification information in an easily visible position as described above, the hard copy is extremely convenient for diagnosing the affected area.

In the above embodiment, the signal processing for the video signal S6 has been described, but for the video signal S output from a different image signal source, for example, the image signal source 12b, for example, processing related to enlargement/reduction conversion. Identification code TN
X=T2+ is selected and the video signal S is 800X8
After being converted into 00 pixel data (see FIG. 2C), predetermined processing is performed.

Note that in the embodiment described above, the image signal manually input to the image filing device 14 is an analog video signal, but if the image signal is a digital signal, it is introduced into the first frame memory 34 via a predetermined input interface. Needless to say, if such a configuration is adopted, it is possible to record on the optical disc 60 in the same way.

Further, as a method for enlarging/reducing an image, as described in this embodiment, a method may be used in which the image is digitally enlarged in both the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. In the main scanning direction, analog enlargement/reduction processing is performed by changing the sampling period of the sampling pulse (not shown) sent to the A/D converter 28, and in the sub-scanning direction, digital enlargement/reduction processing is performed. expansion/
Of course, the present invention is not limited to digital enlargement/reduction processing, such as changing the configuration to perform reduction processing.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, image signals having different attributes such as the number of scanning lines or the number of pixels outputted from a plurality of image signal sources can be adjusted to a data size corresponding to an image of a predetermined size. When converting to and storing in the recording section of the image filing device,
Image enlargement/reduction conversion processing is performed by selecting data from a table holding predetermined data according to the attributes of an image signal output from an image signal source, and performing conversion based on this data. Therefore, the interface configuration is simple even if multiple image signal sources that output image signals with different attributes can be connected, and when connecting new image signal sources with different attributes, it is possible to simply create a table. This can be resolved by simply making additional changes. Additionally, since it is possible to add identification information to the data stored in the recording section, images can be searched in an extremely short period of time, which has the advantage of improving the speed of medical diagnosis. is obtained.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
Of course, various improvements and changes in design are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a medical image recording system to which a medical image filing device according to the present invention is applied, and FIGS. 2 a to C show the inside of the medical image filing device,
Identification information memory, format array memory and expansion/
An explanatory diagram of the identification code recorded in the reduction conversion table and its data contents, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of data recorded in the frame memory that constitutes the medical image filing device, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the identification code recorded in the reduction conversion table and its data contents. FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a note copy output from an image output device constituting the medical image recording system shown in FIG. 1. 10...Medical image recording system 12a to 1.2d...Image signal source 14...Medical image filing device 16...Image output device 18...Image interface section 20...Optical disk recording section 34 .38...Frame memory 60...Optical disc D6-D,...Control signal F...Film HP...Hard copy PCRIP-PCR4F...Image 56-S,...Video signal

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A medical image filing device that enlarges or reduces image signals with different attributes output from a plurality of medical image signal sources, converts the image signals into image signals with predetermined attributes, and records the converted image signals, which a plurality of conversion tables holding data for enlarging or reducing an image signal to be output; and a predetermined conversion table among the plurality of conversion tables according to attributes of the image signal output from the medical image signal source. A medical image comprising: a table selection means for selecting a conversion table; and a signal processing means for enlarging or reducing the image signal based on data held in a conversion table selected by the table selection means. filing device. (2) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising character generating means, character information for identifying the image signal outputted from the medical image signal source when the image signal is recorded in the apparatus. A medical image filing device characterized in that it is configured to simultaneously record.