JPH0446575B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an X-ray dynamic image diagnostic apparatus that is capable of simultaneously performing cine photography and television photography.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Using an X-ray cineangiography device to test cardiac function, cardiac angiography images obtained by X-rays that have passed through the subject are continuously photographed on cine film using a cine camera, and after being developed, the images are made into a movie. There is a method for replaying and displaying, observing the form and movement of a predetermined part within the subject, and, if necessary, manually measuring and analyzing various feature quantities for quantitatively analyzing cardiac function. Widely adopted.

However, since it is necessary to observe the image after the film is developed and to perform manual measurements, there is a problem in that it takes a lot of time and effort to obtain the analysis results.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, conventionally, an X-ray television imaging device and an A method has been proposed in which the X-ray contrast image converted into an X-ray television signal is digitized using the X-ray television signal, and the digital signal is input to an image processing device comprising a computer system to perform image processing. In this case, in order to reduce the amount of X-ray exposure to the subject and increase the capacity of the X-ray tube, the X-ray cineangiography system generates X-rays intermittently in synchronization with the frame advance of the cine camera when taking images on cine film. let me,
I'm doing a cine shoot. To explain more specifically, during cine shooting, the frame-advancing motor of the cine camera rotates at a predetermined speed, and the cine shutter shutter and frame-advancing mechanism, which are mechanically connected to the rotating shaft, operate to take pictures. In response to the output of a signal indicating that the cine shutter is open, the X-ray generation system generates pulsed X-rays in conjunction with this signal.
Note that the beam scanning of the X-ray television camera and the rotation of the cine camera motor are not synchronized, so the image obtained as the output of the X-ray television signal is an image corresponding to each frame recorded on the cine film. It hasn't become familiar.

On the other hand, digital radiography equipment can simultaneously control the X-ray generation system and the X-ray television system and input images continuously.
It can be said to be the most suitable image diagnostic device for the purpose of cardiac function dynamic analysis such as cardiac volume measurement, and another feature of this device is that the image output from the television camera has a high density resolution.

However, the spatial resolution of images that can be output by the digital radiography apparatus is currently inferior to that of film, and is insufficient for the examination of coronary arteries, which is the most important part of cineangiography. Therefore, in order to perform a diagnostically sufficient examination using conventional equipment, it is necessary to perform cine photography and television photography separately twice. In this case, the contrast medium is injected into the subject twice and X-rays are also exposed twice, which poses a problem of increasing the invasiveness of the subject. Furthermore, the individual images are taken at different times, and there is also the problem that it is not possible to correlate these images for diagnosis.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an X-ray dynamic image diagnostic apparatus that simultaneously images a predetermined region within a subject using a cine camera and a television camera, and enables dynamic analysis. This is the purpose.

[Summary of the invention]

The outline of this invention for achieving the above object is as follows:
an X-ray tube, an image conversion device that converts an X-ray image caused by X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube and transmitted through the subject into a light image, and a light image output from the image conversion device is photographed on a television; An X-ray television camera device that outputs a television signal, an image processing device that processes the television signal output from the X-ray television camera device and performs dynamic analysis, and a cine-photographer of the optical image output from the image conversion device A cine camera device that performs
The present invention is characterized in that it includes a timing control section that controls each of the above-mentioned devices so as to perform radiation exposure so as to enable simultaneous television shooting and cine shooting.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 is a timing control section, which outputs a mode select signal _S1 to the selector 2 to instruct the execution of cine shooting when cine shooting and television shooting are to be performed simultaneously. After the selection signal S ₁ is output, a TV shooting control signal is output to the X-ray television camera 6, and a timing signal S ₂ indicating the start of each frame or each field of the X-ray television system in the TV shooting control signal is output. A control signal for outputting a cine camera control signal S ₁₀ synchronized with the cine camera 11 to the cine camera 11 and further controlling the image input interface section 9
S ₈ and when cine photography is not to be performed, after outputting the mode select signal S ₁ instructing the selector 2 to prohibit cine photography, the timing signal S _{2 is} output.
It is configured to control the operation timing of each section by outputting an X-ray request signal _S3 synchronized with the selector 2 to the selector 2. When the selector 2 receives a mode select signal S ₁ instructing simultaneous cine photography and television photography, it outputs the X-ray request signal S ₁₁ input from the cine camera 11 as is, and selects a mode instructing prohibition of cine photography. When the select signal S ₁ is input, the X-ray request signal S ₃ input from the timing control unit 1 is output as is. The X-ray controller 3 inputs the X-ray request signal S ₄ (S ₃ ) output from the selector 2, and sets X-ray exposure conditions such as X-ray tube current and X-ray tube voltage, and controls X-ray exposure. The configuration is such that it outputs an X-ray control signal _S5 that executes radiation control. The high voltage generator 4 is configured to input the X-ray control signal _S5 and apply a high voltage to the X-ray tube 5 according to the X-ray exposure conditions. An image conversion device such as an image intensifier (I/I) (not shown) is arranged opposite to the X-ray tube 5, and a fluorescent image outputted from the I/I is sent to a cine camera via a half mirror 12. 11 and an X-ray television camera 6.
As shown in FIG. 3, the cine camera 11 includes a phase difference detector 33, a filter 34, and a motor drive circuit 35.
An encoder 32 is mounted on a rotating shaft, and a motor 31 is provided to feed the cine film frame by frame.
When S ₁₀ is input, the phase difference detector 33 detects the phase difference between the position signal S ₁₂ and the cine camera control signal S ₁₀ that are simultaneously output from the encoder 32, and outputs the detection signal S ₁₃ to the filter 34. 34
to remove noise in the detection signal _S13 , and filter 3
The _operation of the X-ray television camera ₆ , especially the field It is configured to enable film frame advance and cine camera shutter operation in synchronization with scanning. By inputting a television photography control signal, the X-ray television camera 6 forms a latent image on the photoconductive surface by blanking the image pickup tube during X-ray exposure, and then blanks the photoconductive surface after the blanking is released. It is configured to output the television signal _S7 by performing interlaced scanning, and more preferably sequential scanning, on the screen. The output television signal _S7 is output to a television monitor 7, a videotape recorder 8, and an image input interface section 9, so that an image is displayed on the television monitor 7 and an image is recorded on the videotape recorder _S8 . There is. The image input interface section 9 digitizes the input television signal S ₇ in accordance with the control signal S ₈ output from the timing control section 1 and then outputs it to the image processing device 10 . The image processing device 10 is configured to input the digitized image data _S9 and perform various image processing such as subtraction and contour extraction as appropriate.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

First, a case will be described in which cine photography and television photography are performed simultaneously, and cine photography is performed once for each frame or field of the X-ray television system.

The timing control unit 1 generates a mode select signal S ₁ instructing to perform cine shooting and television shooting.
After outputting to selector 2, X-ray television camera 6
A cine camera control signal synchronized with a timing signal _S2 indicating the start of each frame or field of the X-ray television system in the television photography control signal at the same time as outputting the television photography control signal.
_S10 is output to the cine camera 11.

By inputting the cine camera control signal _S10 ,
The cine camera 11 rotates the motor 31 to advance the cine film frame by frame, open and close the cine shutter,
In addition, by outputting an X-ray request signal from the cine camera 11 to the selector 2 when the cine shutter is released, X-rays are transmitted via the X-ray controller 3 and the high voltage generator 4 according to predetermined X-ray exposure conditions. X-ray pulses are emitted from the tube 5.

The X-ray television camera 6 inputs a television photographing control signal to output a television signal by blanking the photoconductive surface and beam scanning the photoconductive surface.

The X-ray exposure and the operation of the cine camera and the X-ray television camera are timed as shown in FIG. That is, in synchronization with the timing signal _S2 indicating the start of each frame of the X-ray television system as shown in FIG. 2a, the cine camera control signal _S10 shown in FIG. 2b is generated and input to the cine camera 11. ,
The _cine camera 11 advances the cine film one frame, releases the cine shutter for the shutter release time shown in FIG. A fluorescent image outputted from an I/I (not shown) by exposure to an X-ray pulse is photographed on a cine film via a half mirror 12. Furthermore, in synchronization with the timing signal _S2 , blanking is applied to the image pickup tube in the X-ray television camera 6 at the timing shown in FIG. 2e, and the fluorescent image output from I.
It is accumulated on the photoconductive surface of the image pickup tube via the half mirror 12, and after the blanking period has elapsed, the beam is scanned over the photoconductive surface until the start of the next blanking, and the television signal S ₇ is transmitted during the period shown in FIG. will be output.

As described above, a fluorescent image outputted from the I/I by the exposure of one X-ray pulse is simultaneously photographed by the television camera 6 and the cine camera 11. An image with high spatial resolution can be obtained by cine photography, and at the same time, the television signal output from the X-ray television camera 6 is digitized and input to the image processing device 10, which automatically measures the cardiac volume. Dynamic image analysis such as the following can be easily performed. If the image processing device 10 performs image processing at high speed, analysis results can be obtained in real time during image diagnosis.

Further, since a cine film image with high spatial resolution and a television camera output image with high density resolution and easy image processing are captured simultaneously, the accuracy of diagnosis can be improved by correlating these images. This allows coronary angiography, which requires high-resolution images, and cardiac function testing, which requires dynamic analysis, to be performed simultaneously in a short time. It is possible to reduce invasiveness such as spraying the wire twice.

Note that when inputting an image from an X-ray television signal while prohibiting cine shutter, the timing control unit 1
generates an X-ray request signal _S3 and performs image input.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the gist of the invention. Not even.

For example, the X-ray television camera 6 in the embodiment described above may be provided with a shutter 41 that can be controlled by the timing control section 1, as shown in FIG. When the shutter 41 is provided in the X-ray television camera 6, multiple X-rays are
Line cine photography becomes possible. In that case,
Synchronization of each part is performed according to the timing shown in FIG. First, as shown in Figure 5a,
The X-ray television camera 6 generates a vertical synchronization signal shown in FIG.
Enter. At the same time, when the cine camera control signal _S10 shown in FIG. 5c is input to the cine camera 11, the motor 31 of the cine camera 11 rotates at a speed of 90 times per second, and at this time, the cine shutter opens at the timing shown in FIG. Therefore, X-rays are irradiated and cine photography is performed at the timing shown in FIG. 5e. on the other hand,
The blanking signal shown in FIG. 5d and the shutter control signal _S16 shown in FIG. 5f input to the shutter 41
As a result, X-ray television photography is performed every two X-ray pulses, and a television signal is output for the period shown in Figure 5h.Through the above operations, cine photography is performed three times for every frame of the X-ray television system. will be carried out.

In addition, as another modification, the timing control section 1
may be built into the X-ray television camera 6 and integrated with the control device within the X-ray television camera 6.
Furthermore, when controlling the rotation of the motor 31 in the cine camera 11 using the cine camera control signal S ₁₀ , if it takes a long time for the rotation to stabilize and there is a risk of unnecessary X-ray exposure, the motor 31 In order to prevent the X-ray request signal _S4 from being output from the selector 2 until the rotation of the selector 2 becomes stable, the timing control unit 1 outputs a signal that prohibits X-ray generation together with the mode select signal _S1 , and the X-rays from the selector 2 are The output of the request signal _S4 may be temporarily stopped to prevent unnecessary X-ray exposure.

In the apparatus of the present invention, when it is necessary to perform only cine photography, each part may be operated to enable only cine photography.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the invention described in detail above, television photography and cine photography can be performed simultaneously in synchronization with X-ray exposure, and images with high spatial resolution from cine photography and images with high density resolution from television photography can be obtained. Since the images can be observed in correspondence, it is possible to improve diagnostic accuracy, and furthermore, it is possible to provide an X-ray dynamic image diagnostic apparatus that can perform dynamic analysis in real time based on images taken by television.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing the operation timing of each part when performing television photography and cine photography in synchronization with X-ray exposure in the embodiment. Third
The figure is a block diagram showing the configuration of the cine camera in the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a modification of the invention, and FIG. This is a time chart showing the operation timing of each part when performing. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Timing control part, 5... X-ray tube, 6... X-ray television camera (device), 10... Image processing device, 1
1... Cine camera device, 41... Shutter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An X-ray tube, an image conversion device that converts an X-ray image of X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube and transmitted through a subject into a light image, and an image outputted from the image conversion device. an X-ray television camera device that takes a television picture of an optical image and outputs a television signal; an image processing device that processes the television signal output from the X-ray television camera device and performs dynamic analysis; and an output from the image conversion device. a cine camera device that cine-photographs a light image to be captured, and a frame feed control signal of the cine camera device synchronized with a frame signal of the X-ray television camera device, and X-ray exposure is performed in synchronization with the frame feed control signal. An X-ray dynamic image diagnostic apparatus comprising: a timing control section that controls each of the apparatuses to enable simultaneous television photography and cine photography. 2. The X-ray television camera device includes a shutter that can be controlled by the timing control unit, and releases the shutter once for every multiple X-ray exposures to perform television photography, and also for each X-ray exposure. The X-ray dynamic image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the X-ray dynamic image diagnostic apparatus performs cine imaging.