JPH06149957A - Image display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speedily display the correspondent positions of two images or the locus of a cursor with a simple operation. CONSTITUTION:An image processing part 21 converts an image read in a first image memory 7 (or 5) (first image) and constitutes a second image in a second image memory (second image) 7. An image display means 25 displays the first image on a display 8 and similarly displays the second image provided from the first image as well. When a point inside the first image is instructed and inputted by a mouse 4, it is displayed by a first position display means 22 as a bright point (dark point) in a fixed size. The coordinate of the position is inputted, and the inputted coordinate of the first image is transformed to the coordinate of the second image by a coordinate transforming means 23 of the image processing part 21 and displayed as a bright point (dark point) in a fixed size inside or near the second image on the display 8 by a second position display means 24. Thus, a point inside or near the first image is indicated by a cursor, and a correspondent point can be displayed inside or near the second image constituted from the first image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a three-dimensional image is created from a plurality of tomographic images (two-dimensional images) and displayed on a screen, a group of tomographic images used for creating the three-dimensional image and MPR (MPR; Multi) are used. -Planer Reconstruction) If the correspondence with the image can be taken easily and quickly, it is possible to provide the doctor with useful information for diagnosis. As a conventional technique, for such a case, there is a method of displaying a tomographic image by superimposing it on a three-dimensional image. In this case, the doctor needs to look at the composite image as the composite result and make correspondence with the tomographic image group or the MPR image.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, the composition of the three-dimensional image and the tomographic image requires a complicated structure, and the composite image itself as the composite result is difficult to see. However, there is a problem that the doctor cannot easily deal with the tomographic image group and the like or the MPR image, which is a negative factor for improving the diagnostic efficiency. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems and inconveniences, and in an image display device, an image display device capable of displaying a position corresponding to each of two images or a trajectory of a cursor by a quick and simple operation. The purpose is to provide.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, an image display device of the present invention processes a first image in an image display device having a control section, a storage section, a display section and an input section. The image processing section has an image processing section for obtaining a second image, the input section has a coordinate input device for inputting coordinates of a desired position in the first image or in the vicinity of the image, and the image processing section receives the input. And a coordinate conversion unit that obtains coordinates of a position in the second image or in the vicinity of the second image that corresponds to the coordinates of the desired position, and the display unit displays the first image and the first image. Image display means for displaying the second image, first position display means for displaying a desired position in or near the first image, and a position corresponding to the desired position in the second image. Or a second position display means for displaying in the vicinity of the image. In the above image display device, the first image may be a two-dimensional image, and the second image may be a three-dimensional image obtained by processing a plurality of two-dimensional images. The two images may be configured as a plurality of three-dimensional images.

Further, in the above image processing apparatus, the second image is a two-dimensional image, and the first image is a three-dimensional image obtained by processing a plurality of two-dimensional images including the two-dimensional image. Can be configured.

In each of the above image processing devices, the first
When moving a desired position in the image or in the vicinity of the image, the second position display means sets a trajectory corresponding to the trajectory generated by the movement of the desired position in the second image or in the vicinity of the image. Similarly, in each of the above image processing devices, when moving a desired position in the first image or in the vicinity of the image, the first position display means is used in the first image or in the first image. A locus generated by moving a desired position in the vicinity of the image is displayed, and a locus corresponding to the locus generated by the movement of the desired position is displayed by the second position display means in the second image or in the image. Can be configured to display nearby.

In the above image processing apparatus, the first
When moving a desired position in or near the image of the first image, the first position display means moves a desired position in or near the first image and the locus and / or the locus It is desirable to provide a locus display mode designating unit for designating whether or not the second position display unit displays a locus corresponding to the locus generated by the movement of the desired position in the second image or in the vicinity of the image. .

[0008]

With the above structure, the image display apparatus of the present invention processes the first image by the image processing unit to obtain the second image,
The coordinate input device inputs the coordinates of a desired position in or near the first image, the desired coordinates input by the coordinate conversion means are converted, and the second image corresponding to the desired position is converted. Alternatively, the coordinates of the position near the image are obtained. And
The display section displays the first image and the second image by the image display means, and displays a desired position in the first image or in the vicinity of the first image by the first position display means, and the second position. The display means displays the position corresponding to the desired position in the second image or in the vicinity of the image.

[0009]

1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration example of an image display apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a CPU (control unit), 2 is an input unit, 5 is a magnetic disk, 6 is an internal memory, and 7 is The image memory 8 is a display for displaying a three-dimensional image. The input unit 2 has a keyboard 3 and a pointing device (for example, a mouse) 4 for inputting coordinates of an arbitrary point (position) on the screen of the display 8, and includes a magnetic disk 5, an internal memory 6, and an image memory 7. Constitutes a storage unit. Further, it is assumed that a partial area of the internal memory 6 may be used as a first image memory (described later) in the embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a control block of the image display device according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, the image processing unit 21 converts the first image read in the (first image) memory 6 and converts the second image into the second image memory 7.
To configure. Further, the image display means 25 displays the first image read in the memory 6 on the display 8, and similarly displays the second image obtained from the first image on the display 8.
To display. In the embodiment, in this case, the display 8 displays the first image and the second image on the screen (dividing the screen).
Alternatively, the first image may be displayed on the display 8 and the second image may be displayed on the display 8'on different displays.

Next, a mouse (pointing device)
When a point (4) in the first image on the display 8 (hereinafter referred to as a position) or a point near the first image is pointed at 4 and the input button is pressed, a bright point of a certain size is displayed by the first position display means. (Or, it is displayed as a dark spot). Then, the coordinates of the pointed position (correctly, the coordinates on the screen of the display 8) are input, and the coordinates indicating the position of the input first image is the coordinate conversion means 23 of the image processing unit 21.
Is converted into the coordinates of the second image by the second position display means, and a bright point (or a dark point) of a certain size is provided in the second image on the display 8 or in the vicinity of the second image by the second position display means. Is displayed as.

As described above, a point in the first image or in the vicinity of the image is displayed as a cursor, and a point in the second image composed of the first image or a point corresponding to the vicinity of the image is displayed. it can. Further, when the cursor is moved on the first image, the points displayed on the first position display means and / or the second position display means can be continuously displayed as a locus. Also, the second image may be plural.

As described later (see FIG. 3), the first image is the two-dimensional image and the second image is the three-dimensional image in the first embodiment, but the third embodiment (see FIGS. 12 and 13). The first image may be a three-dimensional image and the second image may be a two-dimensional image, as described in Section 2. In addition, the first image may be a two-dimensional image and the second image may be a two-dimensional image (see FIG. 6).
Alternatively, the first image may be a three-dimensional image and the second image may be a three-dimensional image.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of a display operation of a position of a three-dimensional image obtained by processing a plurality of tomographic images corresponding to a cursor on a tomographic image (two-dimensional image). FIG. 4 is a display example of the position on the three-dimensional image corresponding to the cursor on the tomographic image of the three-dimensional image display device, and FIG. 5 is the movement of the cursor on the tomographic image of the medical three-dimensional image display and the three-dimensional image. It is an example of continuous display of the corresponding positions above. The display operation of the position corresponding to the cursor on the three-dimensional image composed of the cursor on the tomographic image and a plurality of tomographic images will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, the processing unit 21 constructs a three-dimensional image 46 (FIG. 4B) in the three-dimensional image memory 7 (described later; see FIG. 7) from a plurality of tomographic images stored in the magnetic disk 5, and the image display means is provided. 25, it is assumed that a certain tomographic image 41 (FIG. 4A) forming the three-dimensional image 46 and the three-dimensional image 46 are displayed on the display 8. Next, the display operation of the position 47 corresponding to the cursor 41 on the three-dimensional image 46 is performed by the following steps 31 to 39.

[Step 31] When the operator moves the cursor 41 with the mouse 4 to specify a desired position in the tomographic image 41 displayed on the display 8 and presses the right button of the mouse 4, the bright point ( Hereinafter, it will be referred to as a reference cursor). Then, the coordinate value of the reference cursor is read (input).

[Step 32] The image processing section 21 calculates the Z coordinate value of the read reference cursor.

[Step 33] The coordinate transformation means 23 (see FIG. 8) performs affine transformation (described later; see equations 1 to 3) performed when constructing a three-dimensional image from a two-dimensional image, and the reference cursor position is three-dimensional. The coordinates of the corresponding position 47 on the image 46 are obtained.

[Step 34] Bright point display (hereinafter referred to as cursor display) is performed at a corresponding position 47 on the three-dimensional image 46.

[Step 35] When the reference cursor 52 of the tomographic image 51 is moved along the displayed line 53 (FIG. 5A), the locus 58 of the moving position of the cursor display 57 displayed on the three-dimensional image 56. (FIG. 5B) is determined whether or not the cursor locus display mode is displayed, and in the case of the cursor locus display mode, steps 36 to 38 are executed,
If it is not in the cursor locus display mode, the display process ends. The cursor position locus display mode is switched by pressing the left button of the mouse 4.

Further, in the embodiment, the cursor locus display mode is such that when the reference cursor is moved, the trace of the moving position of the cursor displayed on the three-dimensional image is continuously displayed, but the reference cursor is moved. When, the trace of the moving position of the cursor displayed on the two-dimensional image and the trace of the moving position of the cursor displayed on the three-dimensional image are continuously displayed,
The case can be set to the cursor trajectory display mode.

[Step 36] It is determined whether or not the reference cursor has moved. If the reference cursor has moved, step 37 is executed. If the reference cursor has not moved, step 36 is repeated to wait for movement of the reference cursor. To do.

[Step 37] All points on the three-dimensional image corresponding to the position (input position coordinate) of the reference cursor before and after movement are displayed as dots. In addition, when the movement locus of the reference cursor is also displayed, the position of the reference cursor before and after the movement (the position coordinates are input (the right button of the mouse 4 is pressed)) and the corresponding three-dimensional image It suffices to display the points of. In some cases, the locus is displayed by connecting (interpolating) the positions before and after the movement with a straight line or a curve (such as a spline curve). [Step 38] The points displayed in step 37 are interpolated and displayed, and the process returns to step 31. Accordingly, when the reference cursor is moved, the trajectory of the cursor displayed on the two-dimensional image and / or the trajectory of the cursor displayed on the three-dimensional image can be continuously displayed.

[Step 39] It is determined whether or not the process for one tomographic image is completed. If the process is not completed, the process returns to step 31, and when the process is completed, the cursor display operation is completed.

As described above, a point on the first image can be displayed as a cursor, and a point corresponding to the cursor display can be displayed on the second image composed of the first image. Also,
When the cursor is moved on the first image, the locus displayed by the first position display means and / or the second position display means can be displayed.

In FIG. 6, the first image is a two-dimensional image 61.
(FIG. 6A), the second image is also a display example of the reference cursor 62 when the two-dimensional image 65 (FIG. 6B) is used. If the value of the Z coordinate is fixed in step 32, it corresponds to the two-dimensional image 65. A cursor display 66 is displayed.

[3D Image Memory] FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of the 3D image memory. In FIG. 7, the origin is θ, the x, y, and z axes are defined as x is the scanning direction in one slice, y is the slicing method, and z is the depth direction of the subject.

At this time, the (x, y, z) space and the memory address space (xm, ym, zm) are made to correspond to the case of FIG. If the memory address of the shaded portion i (voxel) in FIG. 7 is (xmi, ymi, zmi), the image space is (i
It is expressed as a memory address of +1) ³ , and the image data is stored in the memory of each address.

[Coordinate Conversion Means] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the three-dimensional coordinate converter 80. In FIG.
The dimensional coordinate converter includes a vector A controller 81 and a multiplier 8
2, a vector B controller 83 and an adder 84.

The three-dimensional coordinate converter reads the data corresponding to the position from the two-dimensional image memory and multiplies the memory address by the vector A (the output of the vector A controller 81) according to the following formula 1. And a configuration for adding the output of the vector B controller 83 (see Formula 1) to the output and a configuration for changing the values of the vectors A and B as necessary, and arbitrary coordinate conversion can be performed. it can. However,
The input data is composed of the memory address space and the display value stored in the address, and the output of the adder 84 is composed of the drawing space (X, Y, Z) of the data and the display value which is not changed. Also, the operation is performed on the memory address space (x, y, z).

[Affine Transform] It is assumed that the image memory 7 is provided with a memory address space as shown in FIG. Now, the coordinates of the memory address space are (x, y,
z), where the coordinates of the drawing space in which the image is actually drawn after the coordinate conversion are (X, Y, Z), the values of the coefficient matrix vector A and the initial vector B for translation in the affine transformation of the following equation 1. By controlling the rotation, inversion, enlargement,
Coordinate conversion such as reduction and parallel movement is possible.

[0032]

[Equation 1] For example, with the y-axis as the rotation axis, the angle θ from the x-axis in the positive direction
The vector A rotated by can be expressed by the following equation 2.

[0033]

[Equation 2] Also, the vector A that inverts all x, y, z axes is
It can be expressed by Equation 3 below, which corresponds to changing the viewpoint in the drawing space to a position point-symmetric with the viewpoint in the memory address space.

[0034]

[Equation 3] <Embodiment 2> FIG. 9 is a trajectory corresponding to the movement of the reference cursor on the plurality of tomographic images (two-dimensional images) and the movement of the reference cursor in the image display device of the three-dimensional image obtained by processing the plurality of tomographic images. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a display operation, and FIG. 10 is a display example of trajectories of reference cursors on a plurality of tomographic images of a three-dimensional image display device and corresponding trajectories on a three-dimensional image.

The display operation of the trajectory of the reference cursor on a plurality of tomographic images and the corresponding trajectory on a three-dimensional image composed of a plurality of tomographic images will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, as in the first embodiment, the processing unit 21 stores a plurality of tomographic images 101,
A three-dimensional image 105 (FIG. 10B) is configured in the three-dimensional image memory 7 from 102, 103, ...
5, a tomographic image 1 that constitutes a three-dimensional image 105
01 (FIG. 10A) and the three-dimensional image 105 are displayed on the display 8. The display operation of the locus 107 on the three-dimensional image 105 corresponding to the locus 103 of the reference cursor 102 that moves the tomographic image 101 is as follows:
This is performed by the following steps 40 to 42 following the basic form display processing.

[Steps 31-39] The same operation as steps 31-39 of the first embodiment is performed, and the three-dimensional image memory,
The same applies to the coordinate transformation means and the affine transformation. In this case, in step 39, it is determined whether or not the process for one tomographic image is completed, and when the process is completed, step 40 and subsequent steps are executed. To end the process, the end command (the coordinates thereof) is designated by the mouse 4 and input.

[Step 40] The display of the trajectory 107 (FIG. 10B) in the three-dimensional image 105 corresponding to the trajectory 103 of the reference cursor 102 of the tomographic image 101 for which the processing has been completed is continued as it is. The trajectory 107 repeats steps 41 and 42 to form a three-dimensional image 105, the tomographic image 101,
The loci displayed in the three-dimensional image 105 are displayed corresponding to the loci of the reference cursors 102, 103, ..., By this, the reference cursors of the plurality of tomographic images forming the three-dimensional image are displayed. A locus corresponding to the locus can be three-dimensionally displayed in or near the three-dimensional image 105.

[Step 41] It is determined whether or not all the loci of the reference cursor of the desired tomographic image among the plurality of tomographic images forming the three-dimensional image are displayed on the three-dimensional image.
When all the loci of the reference cursor of the desired tomographic image are displayed on the three-dimensional image, the process ends, and the locus of the reference cursor of the desired tomographic image of the plurality of tomographic images forming the three-dimensional image is still three-dimensional. If it is not displayed on the image, the next desired tomographic image is displayed on the display 8 and the process returns to step 31.

<Embodiment 3> In this embodiment, the first image is a three-dimensional image and the second image is a two-dimensional image in FIG. 2, and FIG. 11 shows a reference cursor of a three-dimensional image. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a display operation corresponding to movement on a plurality of tomographic images (two-dimensional images) forming the three-dimensional image. FIG. 12 shows a reference cursor on the three-dimensional image and a corresponding tomographic image. It is an example of a display of a cursor of.

The display operation of the reference cursor on the three-dimensional image and the corresponding cursor on the plurality of tomographic images forming the three-dimensional image will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, the image processing section 21 performs a conversion process on a plurality of tomographic images read in the (first image) memory 6 to form a three-dimensional image in the second image memory 7. The image display means 25 also displays an arbitrary tomographic image 125-i of the tomographic images read in the memory 6 on the display 8 and also the three-dimensional image 121 on the display 8.

Next, the processing section 21 performs the control in FIG.
The control is switched so that the three-dimensional image 121 is the first image and the tomographic image is the second image. As a result, the reference cursor indicates a position in or near the three-dimensional image 121.

The three-dimensional image 12 corresponding to the locus of the reference cursor 122 moving in or near the three-dimensional image 121.
Tomographic images 125-1, 125-2, 125 that compose 1
The display operation of the cursor indicating the upper position 126 is performed in steps 111 to 114 below.

[Step 111] The operator specifies a desired position in the three-dimensional image 121 displayed on the display 8 by moving the cursor 122 with the mouse 4 and pressing the right button of the mouse 4 causes a bright point. (Hereinafter referred to as a reference cursor) is displayed. Then, the coordinate value of the locus of the reference cursor is read (input).

[Step 112] The coordinate conversion means 23 performs a two-dimensional mapping conversion (to be described later) on the above coordinate values by using an affine transformation to calculate the position (coordinates) of the tomographic image space (two-dimensional image space).

[Step 113] Bright point display (hereinafter referred to as cursor display) is performed at a position 47 in or near the tomographic image 125-1 corresponding to the reference cursor 122 on the three-dimensional image 121.

[Step 35] When the reference cursor moves in the front-back direction of the screen (referred to as the depth direction (Z direction) of the image) in the three-dimensional image 121, the tomographic image 125-2 corresponding to the position of this cursor is obtained. , Are created and displayed again on the display 8.

[Concept of two-dimensional mapping conversion] The image data in the memory address space (xmi, ymi, zmi) in FIG.
It is assumed that arbitrary coordinate conversion is performed by the three-dimensional coordinate converter described above (see 1-3) and converted into coordinates (xt, yt, zt).

FIG. 13 shows a two-dimensional plane (X, X, in FIG. 13B) from the point of view of the cube data in the three-dimensional space (xt, yt, zt) of FIG. 13A using the projection algorithm. Y) The above is converted. In the projection algorithm, point A in FIG. 13A (xt0, yt0, zt0)
A portion which is shaded from the viewpoint is not displayed in FIG. 13B. Further, the unit length in the yt direction is expressed on the (X, Y) plane in a reduced form as compared with the xt and zt directions. Incidentally, in FIG. 13, (xti, yti, zt0) is (X0, Y
0), (xti, yti, zti) is converted to (X0, YI).

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications can be made.

[0052]

As described above, according to the image display apparatus of the present invention, the corresponding positions of two images can be displayed quickly and by a simple operation.

Therefore, since the position or locus of the cursor in the first image can be displayed quickly and by a simple operation, the position or locus of the two-dimensional image and the three-dimensional image obtained from a plurality of two-dimensional images can be displayed. Correspondence can be taken easily. Therefore, if the present image display device is used as a medical three-dimensional image processing device, a doctor can easily make correspondence with a tomographic image group or the like and an MPR image, and expect improvement in diagnostic efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration example of an image display device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of an embodiment of an image display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a display operation of a cursor on a tomographic image and a position corresponding to the cursor in an image display device of a three-dimensional image obtained by processing a plurality of tomographic images.

FIG. 4 is an example of a cursor on a tomographic image (two-dimensional image) and a cursor on a three-dimensional image displayed corresponding thereto.

FIG. 5 is an example of a locus of a cursor moved on a tomographic image and a locus on a three-dimensional image displayed corresponding to the locus.

FIG. 6 is an example of a cursor on a two-dimensional image and another cursor on another two-dimensional image displayed corresponding to the cursor.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a three-dimensional image memory.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a three-dimensional coordinate converter.

FIG. 9 is an example of a trajectory display operation corresponding to movement of a reference cursor on a plurality of tomographic images (two-dimensional images) and movement of the reference cursor in an image display device of a three-dimensional image obtained by processing a plurality of tomographic images. It is a flowchart showing.

FIG. 10 is a display example of trajectories of reference cursors on a plurality of tomographic images of a three-dimensional image display device and corresponding trajectories on a three-dimensional image.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a display operation on a plurality of tomographic images forming the three-dimensional image corresponding to the movement of the reference cursor in the three-dimensional image.

FIG. 12 is a display example of a reference cursor on a three-dimensional image and a corresponding cursor on a tomographic image.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of conversion of cube data in a three-dimensional space into a two-dimensional plane using an algorithm of the projection method.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 CPU (control unit) 2 Input unit 4 Pointing device (Coordinate input device) 5 Magnetic disk (storage unit) 6 Internal memory (storage unit) 7 Image memory (storage unit) 8 Display (display unit)

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image display device having a control unit, a storage unit, a display unit and an input unit, the image display unit having an image processing unit for processing a first image to obtain a second image, wherein the input unit is the first With a coordinate input device for inputting coordinates of a desired position in or near the image, the image processing unit converts the input desired coordinates and corresponds to the coordinates of the desired position. Image display means for displaying the first image and the second image, the display portion having coordinate conversion means for obtaining coordinates of a position in the second image or in the vicinity of the first image;
For displaying a desired position in or near the image of the first image
Position display means and a position corresponding to the desired position
A second position display means for displaying in the image or in the vicinity of the image. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,
An image display device, wherein the first image is a two-dimensional image and the second image is a three-dimensional image obtained by processing a plurality of tomographic images. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2,
An image display device, wherein the second image is a plurality of three-dimensional images. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,
An image display device, wherein the second image is a two-dimensional image, and the first image is a three-dimensional image obtained by processing a plurality of two-dimensional images including the two-dimensional image. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when moving a desired position within the first image or in the vicinity of the first image, the second position display means is provided. The image display device displays a locus corresponding to the locus generated by the movement of the desired position in the second image or in the vicinity of the image. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 4, wherein when moving a desired position in the first image or in the vicinity of the first image, the first position display means is in the first image or A locus generated by moving a desired position near the image is displayed, and a locus corresponding to the locus generated by the movement of the desired position is displayed in the second image or in the image by the second position display means. An image display device characterized by displaying in the vicinity of. 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 4, wherein when a desired position in the first image or in the vicinity of the image is moved, the first position display means is in the first image or A locus generated by moving a desired position in the vicinity of the image and / or a locus corresponding to the locus generated by the movement of the desired position by the second position display means are set in the second image or in the vicinity of the image. An image display device comprising: a locus display mode designating means for designating whether or not to display on the screen.