JPH06165778A - X-ray ct apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an X-ray CT apparatus wherein a photographing condition is automatically set based on the past irradiating informations. CONSTITUTION:A bed 2 on which an object 1 to be examined is movable, an X-ray tube 3 irradiating X-rays on the object 1 to be examined, a trestle 5 on which the X-ray tube 3 is fixed and a main control apparatus 12 controlling the X-ray tube 3, the bed 2 and the trestle 5, are provided. An X-ray CT apparatus provides furthermore an irradiating information file 14 which can store irradiation information. The main control apparatus 12 sets a photographing condition based on the past irradiating information stored in the irradiating information file 14 and controls the bed 2, the X-ray tube 3 and the trestle 5 according to the set photographing condition.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an X-ray CT apparatus,
In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for setting imaging conditions when imaging is performed using an X-ray CT apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An X-ray CT apparatus is widely used as a medical diagnostic apparatus capable of obtaining a tomographic image inside a subject.

When performing imaging using an X-ray CT apparatus, various imaging conditions such as scan speed, tube voltage, tube current, slice width, scan pitch, and tilt angle are input in advance,
Scanning is performed according to the input imaging conditions to obtain a desired tomographic image.

[0004]

Here, in order to know the change over time such as the progress or cure of a disease, there is a case in which radiography is periodically repeated for a specific site of a certain patient.

In such a case, the subject, the diagnosis site,
Since the types of diseases and the like are the same, it is often the case that imaging is performed under imaging conditions that do not differ much from past imaging conditions.

However, in the conventional X-ray CT apparatus,
Each time, the photographing conditions must be set again, which is very complicated for the operator and causes a decrease in inspection efficiency.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray CT apparatus capable of automatically setting an imaging condition based on past exposure information. .

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an X-ray CT apparatus of the present invention, as described in claim 1, irradiates a bed on which a subject can be moved and X-rays the subject. Exposure capable of storing exposure information in an X-ray CT apparatus including an X-ray tube, a gantry to which the X-ray tube is attached, and a main controller that controls the X-ray tube, the bed, and the gantry An information file is further provided, and the main controller sets imaging conditions based on past exposure information stored in the exposure information file, and the bed and the X-ray tube are set according to the set imaging conditions. And at least one of the mounts.

[0009]

According to the X-ray CT apparatus of the present invention, first, the past exposure information regarding a predetermined patient is retrieved from the exposure information file storing the exposure information.

Next, the photographing conditions are set based on the retrieved past exposure information.

Then, scanning is performed while controlling at least one of the bed, the X-ray tube, and the gantry according to the set imaging conditions.

According to a preferred embodiment of the X-ray CT apparatus of the present invention, scan imaging is performed before scanning to create a scan image, and the slice pitch and tilt angle are included in the retrieved past exposure information. Slice information such as the above is converted into slice information image data, and the converted slice information image data is displayed as an image on a monitor by being superimposed on the scanogram.

At this point, the relative positional relationship on the monitor between the slice information image and the scano image has not yet been associated.

Next, in order to take an image at a desired position on the scanogram and with a desired tilt angle,
Correct the slice information image.

As one mode of correcting the slice information image,
The slice information image is entirely moved on the monitor with respect to the scanogram.

By such a correction operation on the monitor, the relative positions of the slice information image and the scano image are related.

Next, the corrected slice information image data is inversely converted into slice information data, and scanning is performed using the inversely converted slice information data and the separately corrected numerical data as imaging conditions.

During the scan, the gantry, bed and X-ray tube are controlled according to the imaging conditions.

[0019]

Embodiments of the X-ray CT apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the X-ray CT apparatus of this embodiment.

The X-ray CT apparatus according to the present embodiment comprises a bed 2 capable of moving a subject, for example, a patient 1 horizontally and vertically, an X-ray tube 3 for irradiating the patient 1 with X-rays, and an irradiated X-ray. And an X-ray detector 4 for detecting.

The X-ray tube 3 and the X-ray detector 4 are attached to a pedestal 5 which is rotatable around a predetermined rotation axis.

Further, the X-ray CT apparatus of this embodiment comprises a high voltage generator 6 for generating a high voltage to the X-ray tube 3 and a high voltage controller 7 for controlling the high voltage generator 6. A bed driving device 8 that drives the bed 2 and a bed control device 9 that controls the bed driving device 8 are provided.

Further, the X-ray CT apparatus according to the present embodiment has a gantry driving device 10 for rotating the gantry 5 around a predetermined rotation axis.
And a gantry control device 11 for controlling the gantry drive device 10.

Further, the X-ray CT apparatus according to the present embodiment has a high voltage controller 7, a bed controller 9, and a gantry controller 11.
A main controller 12 for controlling the monitor, a monitor 13 for displaying a predetermined image, and a sub-monitor 13a for displaying photographing conditions.
With.

In the main controller 12, the X-ray tube 3 emits a predetermined X-ray, the bed 2 moves to a predetermined position or at a predetermined speed, and the gantry 5 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed or a predetermined speed. The X-ray tube 3, the bed 2 and the gantry 5 are indirectly controlled so as to be tilted at the tilt angle.

The X-ray CT apparatus of this embodiment further includes an exposure information file 14 capable of storing exposure information, and the main controller 12 uses the past exposure information stored in the exposure information file 14. The radiographing conditions are set based on the radiographing conditions, and the bed 2, the X-ray tube 3, and the gantry 5 are controlled according to the set radiographing conditions.

The exposure information file 14 includes a patient ID, a patient name, an imaging date, a scan mode and the number of scans, an imaging area, a scanning speed, a tube voltage, a tube current, a slice width, a patient position, and a patient insertion direction. Exposure information such as observation direction, presence / absence of contrast agent, sound type, relative table position, tilt angle, pause time between scans, and scan pitch is stored.

Here, the tilt angle means the tilt angle of the gantry 5 from a predetermined reference axis (vertical direction when the X-ray CT apparatus is usually arranged), and for example, when the tilt angle is 0, the patient It shows that the slice plane is set in the direction perpendicular to the body axis of.

The scan pitch means the distance between adjacent slices.

Of the exposure information, the main controller 12 can display the data representing the slice-related information, that is, the number of slices, the tilt angle, and the scan pitch (hereinafter referred to as slice information data) in a superimposed manner on the scanogram. It can be converted into graphic data (hereinafter referred to as slice information image data), and at the same time, predetermined slice information image data can be inversely converted into slice information data.

Next, the operation of the X-ray CT apparatus of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a procedure for setting imaging conditions using the X-ray CT apparatus of this embodiment.

First, the patient's ID number and name are input from, for example, an input device (not shown in FIG. 1) connected to the main controller 12.

Next, in order to set the photographing position and the photographing range, scano photographing is performed in advance.

Then, the obtained scanograph is monitored 1
Display in 3.

The operator moves the bed 2 to the scano photographing start position.

On the other hand, the main control unit 12 searches the exposure information file 14 for past exposure information that matches the above-mentioned ID number and name.

When the past exposure information is retrieved, the slice information data in the retrieved exposure information is converted into slice information image data by the main controller 12.

Next, of the retrieved exposure information, the above-mentioned slice information image data is displayed on the monitor 13 so as to be superimposed on the scanogram. Numerical data is sub monitor 13a
To display.

FIG. 3A shows the slice information image data 22.
Is displayed on the monitor 13 so as to be superimposed on the scano image 23. FIG. 3 (b) shows that the numerical data 21 is displayed on the sub monitor 13a.

At this point, the relative positional relationship on the monitor between the slice information image and the scano image has not yet been associated.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the operator uses the past exposure information displayed on the sub monitor 13a to determine whether or not to set the current imaging conditions.

When the photographing conditions are set by using the displayed exposure information, numerical data such as the tube current, the tube voltage, and the scanning speed in the displayed exposure information are corrected only at necessary portions. .

For correction, for example, if a touch panel type EL display is used as a sub-monitor, a switch 24 is provided next to the portion where the numerical data 21 to be corrected is displayed.
Since it is possible to add, it is possible to set new numerical data by pressing the switch.

Next, in order to take an image at a desired position on the scanogram and with a desired tilt angle,
Correct the slice information image data.

FIG. 3 (c) shows one mode of correcting slice information image data. As can be seen by comparing with FIG. 3 (a), the slice information image is displayed on the monitor with respect to the scanogram. It shows that the whole has moved.

Next, the corrected slice information image data is converted back into slice information data.

At this point, the relative positions of the slice information image and the scano image are related to each other, and a slice having a desired tilt angle can be set at a desired imaging region.

Next, scanning is performed using the inversely converted slice information data and the separately corrected numerical data as imaging conditions.

During the scan, the gantry 5, the bed 2 and the X-ray tube 3 are controlled according to the set imaging conditions.

When the exposure information displayed on the sub monitor 13a is not used for setting the photographing conditions, the exposure information is searched again, and if another exposure information is found as a result of the search, the above procedure is repeated. .

If the exposure information does not exist or if the search itself is not to be continued, the shooting conditions are set while only looking at the scanogram displayed on the monitor 13, and scanning is performed under the set shooting conditions.

As described above, the X-ray CT of this embodiment
Since the apparatus automatically sets the imaging conditions based on the past exposure information, the efficiency of inspection can be improved and the burden on the operator can be reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the scano photographing is performed before the scanning, but it is not always necessary to perform the scano photographing.

For example, when it is not necessary to confirm the photographing position and the photographing region by the scanogram like the head photographing, only the exposure information is displayed on the sub monitor 13a, and then the numerical data is obtained by the above-mentioned procedure. The slice information image data may be modified.

The operator moves the bed 2 to the first slice position.

In the above embodiment, the slice information image data is moved as a whole as one mode of correcting the slice information image data. However, when a slice happens to be set at a desired photographing position, the slice information image is changed. It goes without saying that there is no need to move data.

Further, only the tilt angle of a specific slice may be modified, or the scan pitch of a specific section may be modified.

Further, although the exposure information file is provided separately from the main controller in the above-mentioned embodiment, it may be provided on the disc in the main controller.

A single exposure information file may be shared by a plurality of X-ray CT apparatuses via a network, for example.

[0062]

As described above, the X-ray CT apparatus of the present invention is a bed on which a subject can be moved, an X-ray tube for irradiating the subject with X-rays, and a gantry to which the X-ray tube is attached. And the above X
An X-ray CT apparatus provided with a main control device that controls a radiation tube, the bed, and the gantry, further includes an exposure information file that can store exposure information, and the main control device includes the exposure information file. Since the imaging conditions are set on the basis of the past exposure information stored in, and the at least one of the bed, the X-ray tube, and the gantry is controlled according to the set imaging conditions, Imaging conditions can be automatically set based on past exposure information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an X-ray CT apparatus according to this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting imaging conditions using the X-ray CT apparatus according to this embodiment.

[FIG. 3] (a) is a diagram showing slice information image data displayed overlaid on a scanogram, (b) is a diagram showing numerical data displayed on a sub-monitor, and (c) is correction of slice information image data. The figure which showed one mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 subject (patient) 2 bed 3 X-ray tube 4 X-ray detector 5 pedestal 6 high voltage generator 7 high voltage controller 8 bed driver 9 bed controller 10 gantry controller 11 gantry controller 12 main controller 13 Monitor 13a Sub-monitor 14 Exposure information file

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bed on which the subject can be moved and an X on the subject.
An X-ray CT apparatus including an X-ray tube for irradiating X-rays, a gantry to which the X-ray tube is attached, and a main controller that controls the X-ray tube, the bed and the gantry, and stores exposure information Further comprises a possible exposure information file, the main control unit sets the imaging conditions based on the past exposure information stored in the exposure information file, the bed according to the set imaging conditions, An X-ray CT apparatus, which is configured to control at least one of the X-ray tube and the gantry. 2. The main control device is capable of converting slice information data of the exposure information into slice information image data and inversely converting predetermined slice information image data into slice information data. X of 1
X-ray CT equipment.