JPH06139322A - Medical picture display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a checker to display a prescribed picture without averting his eyes from the picture displayed on a picture display means by indicating various display picture handling like picture display by a mouse. CONSTITUTION:A picture storage means 1 where a medical picture is stored, a picture display means 2 on which the picture is displayed, a mouse 3 which indicates display of the stored picture on the picture display means 2, and a controller 4 which displays the picture by the indication of the mouse 3 are provided. When the mouse 3 describes a prescribed locus by drag operation, the controller 4 displays the prescribed picture stored in the picture storage means 1 on the picture display means 3. Thus, the checker performs the picture display operation without averting his eyes from the picture, and evils of hindrance to checker's thinking like the loss of the sight of a disease part at the time of picture display switching are prevented. Since it is unnecessary to provide a command display area in a part of a screen, the picture display area is not limited.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical image display apparatus for displaying and processing an image taken by a medical device such as an X-ray CT apparatus or an MRI apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in medical equipment, an X-ray CT apparatus,
The mainstream is one in which captured images, as represented by an MRI apparatus, are stored as digital data, and various images are subjected to various image processings and displayed on a CRT. These medical devices typically capture dozens of images of a single patient, so hundreds of images are taken per day, and these images are stored on magnetic disks or It is stored and stored in a mass storage means such as a magneto-optical disk. Then, these images are read again from the large-capacity storage means to an image display means such as a CRT at the time of photographing or after a lapse of a certain period of time, and an examination of a diseased part or the like is performed on the screen.

Here, conventionally, when reading an image from the large-capacity storage means to the display means, a part of the screen is used as a command display area, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, [next display], [previous display]. The displayed image was changed by clicking the mouse on the drawn menu.

[0004]

However, if a part of the screen is used as a command display area and the mouse is moved to the specific part and clicked to read a new image as in the prior art, the command is read. There is a problem that the image display area is limited by securing the display area.

In medical images, tens of tomographic images taken for one patient, as represented by an X-ray CT apparatus and MRI apparatus, are separated by several millimeters in the direction orthogonal to the respective tomographic images. Are next to each other,
When the examiner displays images on the image display means to make a diagnosis, by staring at the diseased part and displaying adjacent images one after another, or repeatedly displaying images before and after the diseased part. By doing so, it is usual to diagnose the spread and medical condition of the part. In such a case, if a new image is read out by moving the mouse to a specific part of the command display area provided on a part of the screen and clicking, the line of sight will inevitably be removed from the diseased part. Since the necessity arises, there is a problem that the examiner's thinking is disturbed, such as losing the diseased part when the next image is displayed and the line of sight is returned. In addition, it takes a certain amount of time to display the next image, which causes a problem that diagnostic efficiency decreases.

The invention of the present application was devised in order to solve such a problem, and a predetermined operation can be performed by a simple mouse operation without the inspector taking a look away from the image displayed on the image display means. An object is to provide a medical image display device capable of displaying an image.

[0007]

The structure of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The medical image display apparatus according to the present invention comprises an image storage means 1 for storing a medical image, an image display means 2 for displaying an image in the image storage means 1, and an image stored in the image storage means 1. And a control device 4 for displaying an image stored in the image storage means 1 on the image display means 2 according to the instruction of the mouse 3. The device 4 is characterized in that, when the mouse 3 draws a predetermined trajectory by a drag operation, the predetermined image stored in the image storage means 1 is displayed on the image display means 2.

[0009]

When the mouse 3 is operated so as to draw a trajectory associated with a predetermined image operation in advance, the control device 4 receives the signal and displays the image to be displayed corresponding to the trajectory on the image display means 2. To issue an instruction signal to the image storage means 1. Then, the image storage means 1 receives the instruction signal and displays the stored predetermined image on the image display means 2.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a medical image display apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an image storage means, which is usually connected to a medical device such as an X-ray CT apparatus or an MRI apparatus (not shown) that handles captured images as digital data.
It stores the images photographed by them, and specifically is mainly composed of a magnetic disk having a storage capacity of several tens of megabytes to several thousands of megabytes, a magneto-optical disc, or the like. Reference numeral 2 denotes an image display means for displaying digital data of the image stored in the image storage means 1 as a visual image, which is constituted by a CRT for image display or a liquid crystal display. A mouse 3 is provided with a ball, an optical sensor, or the like on the back surface thereof, and is normally moved on a plane such as a table to generate a signal according to the amount and direction of the movement. In the present embodiment, the mouse is used to instruct handling of various display images such as image display by connecting to the control device 4. Reference numeral 4 denotes a control device, which displays an instruction for handling an image, such as displaying a mouse position signal as a cursor on the image display means or displaying an image in response to a specific signal from the mouse, and the image storage means 1 and the image display. This is performed for the device 2.

Next, the operation of the control device 4 for displaying the predetermined image stored in the image storage means 1 on the image display means 2 using the mouse 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in S1, in order to display the predetermined image stored in the image storage means 1 on the image display means 2, the trajectory to be drawn by the mouse 3 is determined by a drag operation. Here, the drag operation of the mouse means to move the mouse while pressing the button on the upper part of the mouse.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a trajectory to be drawn by the mouse 3, and FIGS. 3a and 3b are the simplest examples. Both detect only the positions of the start point and the end point of the trajectory, and in the case of FIG. 3a, observe the start point (X1, Y1) and the end point (X2, Y2) of the X-axis coordinate and the Y-axis coordinate on the screen.
If 2> Y1 and X1 <X2, the next screen is displayed, and if X1> X2, the previous screen is displayed. In the case of FIG. The start point (X1, Y1) and the end point (X2, Y2) with the Y-axis coordinate are observed, and if Y2 <Y1 and X1 <X2, the next screen is displayed, and if X1> X2, the previous screen is displayed. The screen is displayed. Further, in the case of FIG. 3C, the mouse trajectory is input at any time, and whether there is a coincident point in the trajectory or not and whether or not there is a coincident point in the trajectory is compared by comparing the X coordinate values of the start point and the end point. In this case, whether to display the next screen or the previous screen is determined based on the magnitude relationship between the X-coordinate values of the start point and the end point. In the case of FIG. 3d, the differential value of the Y-coordinate value is observed by observing the differential value of the Y-coordinate locus on the screen and comparing the value with the X-coordinate value of the start point and the end point. Is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it is determined whether to display the next screen or the previous screen based on the magnitude relationship between the X-coordinate values of the start point and the end point.

When determining the trajectory, a selection screen showing the trajectories shown in FIGS. 3a to 3d is displayed on the image display means or the like in advance, and a predetermined image in the control device 4 is operated by the selection operation. Correspond to the program.

Here, the trajectory which the mouse 3 to be determined in S1 should be drawn by the drag operation is the trajectory of the mouse shown in FIG. 3a, and the image operation corresponding to it is the image turning (display of the preceding and following images). . In S2, it is detected whether or not the mouse button is pressed, and when it is determined that the button is pressed, the process proceeds to S3 and the X and Y coordinate values (X1, Y1) which are the starting points on the image indicated by the mouse are detected. To do. Then, in S4, it is detected whether or not the mouse button is released,
The operation of S4 is repeated until the button is released. If the button is released, the process proceeds to S5 to detect the X and Y coordinate values (X2, Y2) at that point. Next, in S6, the coordinate values (X1, Y1) are compared with (X2, Y2), and if they match, it is determined that the operation is a normal click operation, and the process proceeds to S7. After that, the process returns to S2 to prepare for the next mouse instruction. Coordinate value (X1,
If Y1) and (X2, Y2) do not match, it is regarded as an image operation instruction and the process proceeds to S8. At S8, the start and end points are Y
The values of the coordinates Y1 and Y2 are compared. If Y2> Y1 is not satisfied, the process returns to S2, and if Y2> Y1, the mouse draws the locus shown in FIG. 3a and the process proceeds to S9.
In S9, the values of X1 and X2, which are the X coordinates of the start point and the end point, are compared, and if X1> X2, the process proceeds to S10 to send the previous image to the image display means 2 to the image storage means 1. If X1 <X2, the process proceeds to S11 to issue an instruction signal to the image storage means 1 to send the next succeeding image to the image display means 2. A new image is displayed on the image display means 2 by these instruction signals. And
In order to prepare for the next image operation instruction, the process returns to S2 and the above operation is repeated again.

Next, as a modified embodiment, FIG. 3a is a front / rear screen display, FIG. 3b is a front / back skip display of one image, FIG. 3c is a front / back skip display of 10 images, and FIG. The operation of the control device 4 in the case of associating with the display of the image will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, associating the trajectory of the mouse with the image operation in S1 is the same as in the case of FIG. 4, but here, as described above, FIG. Display skipping one image, forward and backward in Figure 3c
Correspondence with the program of the control device 4 is performed so that 0 image is skipped and the images of the patient before and after FIG. 3d are displayed.

Next, in S2, it is detected whether or not the mouse button is pressed. If the button is pressed, the process proceeds to S3, in which the X and Y coordinate values (X1, Y) which are the starting points on the image indicated by the mouse are displayed.
1) is detected. Then, in S4, the values (X, Y) of the X and Y coordinates are detected again and stored in S (X, Y). Here, S (X, Y) is the coordinate value (X, Y) detected in S4.
Of the starting point coordinate values (X
1, Y1) are not included.

Next, in S5, it is determined whether or not the mouse button has been released. If not, the process returns to S4 to repeat the above operation. If it is determined that the button has been released, it is assumed that the image display instruction by the mouse has been completed and S
Go to 6. In S6, the coordinate value (X
2, Y2) and the coordinate value (X1,
Y1) is compared, and if they are equal to each other, it is regarded as a click operation, a click process is performed in S7, and the process returns to S2.

Coordinate value (X1, Y1) and coordinate value (X2, Y
If not equal to 2), the process proceeds to S8 and S (X,
It is searched whether or not there is a set of Y) in which the two coordinate values match. If there is a set of S (X, Y) with matching coordinate values, it is assumed that the locus of FIG. 3C is drawn, and the process proceeds to S9 in order to skip 10 images. Then, the coordinate value X of the X coordinate of the start point and the end point
The image storage means compares the values of 1 and X2 and displays the image 10 images ahead of the original image when X2> X1 and the image 10 images before when X2 <X1 on the image display means 2. 1
After instructing, the process returns to S2 in preparation for the next instruction. When there is no matching coordinate value in the set of S (X, Y), the process proceeds to S10.

At S10, the differential value d from S (X, Y)
Y / dX is sequentially calculated, and it is determined whether or not there is a predetermined value K or more. If there is more than the predetermined value K, the mouse advances to S11 assuming that the trajectory of FIG.
The values of X2 are compared, and if X2> X1, the first image of the next patient is displayed, and if X2 <X1, the last image of the previous patient is displayed on the image display means 2. After instructing the image storage means 1 to display, the process returns to S2 to prepare for the next mouse instruction.

If the value of the differential value dY / dX does not exceed the predetermined value K, the process proceeds to S12 to compare the Y coordinate values Y1 and Y2 of the start point and the end point. If Y2> Y1, If the mouse draws the trajectory of FIG. 3a, the process proceeds to S13 to display the front and rear screens. If Y2 <Y1, the mouse draws the trajectory of FIG. 3b and displays the skipped image. To proceed to S16. And S1
In S3 and S16, the X-coordinate values X1 and X2 are compared with each other, and it is determined whether to display the previous screen or the subsequent screen in accordance with the respective magnitude relationships, and S14 and S1 respectively.
By proceeding to any one of S5, S17 and S18, a signal for displaying a predetermined image is issued to the image storage means 1.

In the above operation, when it is determined whether or not two coordinate values, for example, (X1, Y1), (X2, Y2) match, | X1-X2 | <ε and | Y1 −
When it is determined that Y2 | <ε, (ε is a small value), it becomes possible to handle the mouse in consideration of minute movement and the like, which is more practical. Further, when each process is ended and the process returns to S2 to prepare for the next mouse instruction, the contents of S (X, Y) are cleared.

By the above operation, the inspector does not have to look away from the diseased part of the image displayed on the image display means,
Since it is possible to perform image operations such as turning the image with a simple mouse operation while staring at the image, the problem that the examiner's thinking such as losing the diseased part is disturbed even if a new image is displayed is disturbed. And the image can be displayed in an instant, so that the diagnostic efficiency is dramatically improved.

[0025]

According to the medical image display device of the present invention,
Since it is unnecessary to provide the command display area in a part of the screen, the image display area is not limited and the image can be displayed to the maximum extent.

Further, since the image display operation is performed by drawing a predetermined trajectory on the mouse by a drag operation, the image display operation can be performed without removing the line of sight from the image, and at the time of switching the image display. It is possible to prevent a problem that the inspector's thinking is disturbed such as losing sight of a diseased part, and at the same time, the image display can be performed instantaneously, so that the diagnostic efficiency is dramatically improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control device 4 according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a locus of a mouse corresponding to an image display operation.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control device 4 according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional image display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Image storage device 2 ... Image display device 3 ... Mouse 4 ... Control device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location G06F 15/42 Z 7218-5L

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image storage unit for storing a medical image, an image display unit for displaying an image in the image storage unit, and a mouse for giving an instruction to display the image stored in the image storage unit on the image display unit. And a control device for displaying an image stored in the image storage means on the image display means in response to an instruction from the mouse, wherein the control device has a predetermined operation by dragging the mouse. A medical image display device for displaying a predetermined image stored in the image storage means on the image display means when a trajectory is drawn.