JPH0265370A - Picture output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record both a picture, which corresponds to picture information, and a character, which corresponds to identifying information, to a hard copy to be outputted by inputting the identifying information to a frame memory, which temporarily stores the picture information based on a picture signal, and to the prescribed area of this frame memory. CONSTITUTION:A medical picture recording system 10 is composed of a picture signal source 12 and a picture output device 14 and the picture output device 14 is composed of a picture interface part 16 and a laser printer part 17. In a picture edition processing part 28, address designation processing is executed to an address, which is recorded to a frame memory 26, is executed and the address designation processing, etc., to a frame memory 34 is executed to character information which are induced from a character font generating part 32. The picture information to be recorded to the frame memory 34, to which edition processing is executed, are led through a video converting part 48 into a laser scanning part 50 and the exposure recording of the picture, etc., is executed to a film F, which is carried by a carrying means, in correspondence to the picture information. For the film F to be exposure-processed, development processing is executed in a self-developing part 52 and a hard copy HP is outputted in correspondence to the picture information to be led in the frame memory 34.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image output device that outputs a hard copy based on an image signal output from an image signal source. When obtaining a predetermined hard copy based on medical image information representing a cross section of a human brain, etc. output from a medical image diagnostic equipment such as a CT scanner, medical image information output from the image signal source. The present invention relates to an image output device capable of outputting a hard copy by adding character information such as hospital information, patient name, and photographing date.

[Background of the Invention] For example, if the condition of an affected area 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 area can be clearly understood, which is extremely convenient for doctors and the like. In fact, by recording image information, particularly by exposing it to a photosensitive material and storing it as a hard copy, it can be used for medical diagnosis without being restricted by time or place. In this case, an analog or digital image signal corresponding to the image information outputted from an image signal source such as a CT scanner is introduced into an image output device such as a laser printer, and converted into exposure data. is recorded and output as a hard copy.

Incidentally, normally, the image signal output from the image signal source includes character information for identifying the image and is introduced into the image output device.

Therefore, in the hard copy output as described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, character information 4 for identifying the image is recorded within the range of the image portion 2.

However, the character information 4 recorded within the range of the image section 2 has a disadvantage in that the characters are small and difficult to visually recognize. Further, the character information 4 does not necessarily exist.

In order to improve this, it is possible to affix a label 9 on which character information 4 for identifying the image is recorded to the non-image area 8 of the hard copy 6, but there is a possibility that the affixed label 9 may peel off. However, there is a problem that the process of creating the label 9 is complicated.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned technical problem, and it is possible to output a predetermined part on the hard copy,
For example, an image output device is provided that makes it possible to record the identification information of the image as character information in a non-image area, thereby making it possible to quickly obtain a hard copy with easily visible identification information. The purpose is to

[Means for Achieving the Object] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image output device that outputs a hard copy based on an image signal output from an image signal source. A frame memory that temporarily stores various types of image information,
An input means for inputting identification information for identifying the image information into a predetermined address of the frame memory, a character font generation means for generating a character font based on the identification information input from the input means, and the character font generation means. and address setting means for inputting the output signal of the image information and the image information to a predetermined address of the frame memory, and includes an image corresponding to the image information and characters corresponding to the identification information in a hard copy to be outputted. It is characterized by being configured to record.

Further, the present invention provides that the device further includes an internal clock that generates time information of at least year, month, day, hour, and minute, and when inputting identification information for identifying the image information, the device automatically generates time information from the internal clock. The present invention is characterized in that it is configured to input time information that is generated at the same time to the character font generation means.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that it is configured to include negative/positive inversion means for inverting the negative/positive of the character font according to the background density of the hard copy output by the character font generation means.

[Embodiments] Next, preferred embodiments of the image output device according to the present invention in relation to a medical image recording system to which the image output device is applied will be listed and explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 indicates the medical image recording system, and this medical image recording system 10 basically includes an image signal source 12 constituting a medical image diagnostic apparatus (not shown) such as a CT scanner, and the present invention. The image output device 14 includes an image interface section 16 and a laser printer section 17. The image signal source 12 is C as a display means.
PC including RT13 and the image displayed on the CRT13
Video signals S6 and control signals output according to RIP (P-0, 1, 2, . . . ) are connected to signal line 1, respectively.
8.20 to the A/D converter 22 and communication interface 24 that constitute the image interface unit 16.

The output image data after being A/D converted by the A/D converter 22 is recorded in the frame memory 26 corresponding to each image PCR+p of the CRT 13.

The digital image data S2 outputted from the frame memory 26 is introduced into a separate frame memory 34 as digital image data S4 via the image editing processing section 28, the output interface 30, and the input interface 33 that constitutes the laser printer section 17. . In this case, the image editing processing section 28 performs enlargement/reduction processing and address designation processing for the image recorded in the frame memory 26, as well as address designation processing for the frame memory 34 for character information introduced from the character font generation section 32, etc. The editing process is executed. This editing process is performed by the communication interface 24.
control information introduced from the computer or information input by an operator such as a doctor using the operation panel 44, which is an input means;
The identification information supplied from an external storage device 36 such as a floppy disk and recorded in the identification information memory 38 and the clock section 4
Control is performed based on time information from 0, density coefficient information supplied from the external storage device 36 and output from the density coefficient table memory 42, and format array information also supplied from the external storage device 36 and output from the format array memory 43. It is carried out under the control of section 46. Here, the operation panel 44 constituting the image output device 14 is normally attached to the image signal source 12 side and used to input data to the image interface section I6 by remote control.

Editing processing such as adding identification information is performed and the frame memory 3
The image information recorded on 4 is introduced into the laser scanning section 50 via the video converting section 48, and an image or the like is exposed and recorded on the film F, which is conveyed by a conveying means (not shown), in accordance with the image information. The film F, which has been exposed and recorded in this way, is developed in the self-developing section 52, and is processed according to the image information introduced into the frame memory 34.
The copy HP is output.

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

First, a doctor or the like operates the operation panel 44 attached to the image interface unit 16 to make initial settings for manually creating a hard copy HP for the affected area that is to be diagnosed. The contents of this initial setting include determining the arrangement of images to be output as a hard copy HP from the laser printer unit 17 that constitutes the image output device 14, as well as specifying the identification information ID and images to be recorded on the hard copy HP. This is the specification of the density PD. In this case, the arrangement of images is, for example, the specification of arranging multiple images PCRIP in a predetermined arrangement order, the specification of identification information ID is the specification of hospital name, patient name, etc., and the specification of image density PD is is the maximum image density, contrast value and negative image/
This is the designation of a positive image. Normally, among these data, data that is normally used repeatedly is stored in an external storage device 36 such as a floppy disk, and the data stored in this external storage device 36 is stored in the image interface unit 16. It is recorded in the identification information memory 38, the format array memory 43$, and the density coefficient table memory 42.

Examples of data recorded in the identification information memory 38, format array memory 43, and density coefficient table memory 42 are schematically shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C. As can be understood from the figure, these data have unique identification codes AL (L=0.1, -), respectively, for each data content.
Btt CM=0.1,...), CM (N
=0.1, .
, C, and enter the predetermined identification code. For example, the data content of the identification code AL"80 recorded in the identification information memory 38 is rFUJ[HO3PITAL
J, and the hospital name is recorded. In addition, in the format array memory 43, the identification code Bx=Bo arranges the four images PCR, , (P=0.1.2.3) introduced from the image signal source 12 as shown in the data content column. Arrange the identification report ID in areas other than the image part 60, that is,
This is a designation to record in the non-image area 62. Furthermore, the identification code C in the concentration coefficient table memory 42
As can be understood from the data content column, is a density coefficient PDC representing a density characteristic curve that is converted into a predetermined density according to the amplitude of the video signal S2 input from the image signal source 12.
, is specified. In this case, the contrast of an image refers to the slope of the density characteristic curve. In addition, the identification code CM=
The density coefficient PDC, representing the density characteristic curve related to CI, is a characteristic related to negative/positive inversion of the density coefficient PDCo, and represents a density characteristic symmetrical with respect to the average level s0 of the video signal S6.

Therefore, doctors etc. determine the above-mentioned identification information ID, image arrangement, and image density coefficient so that the most legible image can be reproduced for each region to be diagnosed, such as the brain, lungs, and heart. . In this embodiment, it is assumed that the identification codes Ao, Bo, and C8 are input as the identification codes AL, BX SCw, respectively.

Note that the identification code AL SBx and CM may be input manually using the operation panel 44, but apart from this, for example, the image signal R
If the affected area to be diagnosed using 12 is specified, a power-on reset function is added to the image output device 14 and the default values of the identification codes AL, Bx 1Cm are set as, for example, At "Ao, Bx = Bo,
CM=C.

By setting this, the control signal from the image signal source 12 can be received without operating the operation panel 44.

Of course, it is also possible to use a method of automatically inputting the information based on the information.

In this way, the predetermined identification codes AL, BM, C1l
is input from the operation panel 44 to the control unit 46, the control unit 46 selects the identification code AL=Ao, B) from among the data stored in the identification information memory 38, format array memory 43, and density coefficient table memory 42. l
The data contents specified by =Bo, CM =Co (see FIG. 3) are sent to the image editing processing section 28 and the character font generation section 32. Here, among the data contents, data related to the image arrangement (see Figure 3) and data related to image density (see Figure 3C) are introduced into the image editing processing section 28, and data related to the identification information ID (see FIG. 3C) is introduced into the character font generator 32. In this case, data related to the current "year, month, day, hour, and minute", for example, data corresponding to r88.7.1.10:30J is also sent from the clock unit 40 to the character font generation unit 32. .

Therefore, a doctor or the like operates the imaging section of the main body of a medical image diagnostic apparatus (not shown) to display an image PCR of the subject, that is, the diagnostic region, on the CRTla of the image signal source 12 attached to the medical image diagnostic apparatus. Then, the image PCR1
When attempting to output p as a hard copy HP, a send button (not shown) of the image signal source 12 is pressed. By this operation, a control signal is introduced to the control unit 46 via the signal line 20 and the communication interface 24.

In this state, the video signal S1 output from the image signal source 12 is introduced into the A/D converter 22 that constitutes the image interface unit 16 via the signal line 18, converted into digital image data, and stored in the frame memory 26 on the screen. Images PCR+p are sequentially recorded each time. The digital image data S2 recorded in the frame memory 26 is stored in the image editing processing section 2.
After being subjected to image editing processing in step 8, the image is introduced into a separate frame memory 34 via an output ink face 30 and an input interface 33.

As this image editing process, first, digital image data S
2, that is, the image information carried in the video signal S6 is the density coefficient P introduced from the density coefficient table memory 42.
The density is converted into digital image data S by the DCO. This digital image data S4 is the image PCR, .
This is image data that has been density-converted so that it can be reproduced most easily on a hard copy HP. The digital image data S, as shown in the schematic diagram of the frame memory 34 in FIG. 4, is recorded in the upper left part of the figure as the first image PCR1°. The digital image data S4, whose density has been sequentially converted in this way, is stored as the second to fourth images PCR1+ to PCRrs at a predetermined address position in the frame memory 34 with the data content of the identification code Bx=Bo (see FIG. 3). Recorded along the sequence shown. In this state, the identification information memory 3 is stored in the frame memory 34, in the non-image area 62, for example, at a predetermined address in the upper right corner in the figure.
Identification information rFUJI HO3PITALJ from 8 and time information r88.7.1.10:30 from clock section 40
J is converted into character information via the character font generation section 32 and introduced. Thereafter, the image information with identification information including time information stored in the frame memory 34 is converted into exposure data in the video converter 48, and is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction by a conveyance means (not shown) based on the exposure data. A laser beam (not shown) is main-scanned on the film F by a laser scanning unit 50, and an image is two-dimensionally exposed and recorded. The film F, which has been exposed and recorded in this way, is transferred to the self-developing section 5.
After being automatically developed in step 2, as shown in FIG.
Four images PCR, observed by the image signal source 12 on a hard copy HP. Identification information with time information attached to PCR13 is recorded and output.

In addition, when the hard copy HP is a light-transmissive film, a doctor or the like attaches this film to a medical instrument and observes the affected area based on the transmitted light. In this case, image PCR,. If the background image portions other than PCR and 3 are transparent, the observer's eyes will be tired. Therefore, if the hard copy HP is a light-transmitting film,
Normally, the image output device 1
The configuration may be changed so that the character font generating section 32 is equipped with a negative/positive inverting means so that the character font is negative/positive inverted and the characters become white or transparent.

The images on the hard copy website obtained in this way are converted to image densities that are easy to see depending on the diagnosis area, and identification information is added to easy-to-see positions, making it easy to diagnose the affected area. This is a very convenient image.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when a hard copy is created in an image output device according to an image signal output from an image signal source, a part other than an image part (non-image part) is It is configured so that the identification information of the image can be displayed in text.

Therefore, it is extremely easy to organize and file the hard copies obtained from the image output device, and this file can be used, for example, to refer to the recovery status of the affected area over time, etc. The investigation time to identify the problem can be extremely shortened, and as a result,
This provides the advantage of improving the speed of medical diagnosis.

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 invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a hard copy obtained by an image output device according to the prior art, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a medical image recording system incorporating the image output device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of the image output device. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the identification code and its data contents recorded in the identification information memory, format array memory, and density coefficient table memory, respectively. A schematic diagram of data, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a hard copy obtained by the surface image output device. 10...Medical image recording system 12...Image signal source 14...Image output device 16...Image interface section 34...Frame memory D,...Control signal F
...Film HP...Hard copy S2...Video signal

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) An image output device that outputs a hard copy based on an image signal output from an image signal source, including a frame memory that temporarily stores at least one type of image information based on the image signal, and a predetermined address of the frame memory. an input means for inputting identification information for identifying the image information, a character font generation means for generating a character font based on the identification information input from the input means, and an output signal of the character font generation means and the image. and address setting means for inputting information to a predetermined address of the frame memory, and configured to record an image corresponding to the image information and characters corresponding to the identification information together on the output hard copy. An image output device characterized by: (2) The device according to claim 1, further comprising an internal clock that generates time information of at least year, month, day, hour, and minute, and when inputting identification information for identifying the image information. . An image output device characterized in that the time information generated from the internal clock is also input to a character font generation means. (3) In the apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the character font generation means may be configured to include negative/positive inversion means for reversing the negative/positive of the character font according to the background density of the hard copy to be output. Characteristic image output device.