JPH0737061A - Medical diagnosis support device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a medical diagnosis support device which can carry on the image reading jobs without switching the display modes by displaying an original image and the CAD processing result (fault information) on a single screen with no interference occurring between them. CONSTITUTION:The medical diagnosis support device is provided with an image input means, a CAD processor 4e which detects a fault and its position included in an image, an image data reducing device 4p which reduces an image for production of a reduced image, a superposing device 4q which synthesizes an image and a reduced image for production of a synthetic image, and an image display manager 4h which superposes a graphic showing a fault area on a reduced synthetic image based on the position of the fault and thus producing and displaying a display image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical diagnosis support device for assisting image diagnosis of abnormalities such as pulmonary interstitial diseases and lung nodules.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, image diagnosis in a hospital is performed by the following procedure. (1) The examination request department (for example, internal medicine) requests the radiology department for image inspection of the patient (for example, X-ray, CT, MRI). This request is made by issuing an inspection request form that describes the following items.

The items of the examination request form include the patient's ID number,
Patient name, date of birth, gender, examination requesting department name, examination requesting doctor name, examination modality (X-ray imaging apparatus, X-ray computer tomography apparatus, magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, etc.), examination site, examination method, examination purpose , Clinical information, etc. (2) An examination engineer in the radiology department examines the patient (collects images) according to the contents of the examination request form, and develops it on a film. (3) Interpretation doctor interprets the developed film. At this time, it is often important to refer to the past examination results (past images) of the same patient in order to improve the quality of interpretation. After reading the image, an image interpretation report is created by the image interpretation doctor. This interpretation report includes the following items.

[0004] This item includes the finding after reading the image, the conclusion, the name of the interpreting doctor, the interpretation date and the like. (4) This image interpretation report is returned to the doctor who requested the examination, and the image diagnosis work is completed.

By the way, an attempt has been made to analyze an image by a computer and detect an abnormality by taking advantage of the characteristic of a digital image that the image processing by the computer is easy, and has been successful. This technique is called Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD), and is expected to improve the accuracy of image diagnosis and reduce the burden on the interpreting doctor and the doctor in charge.

A lot of documents describe the method of detecting abnormality in the computer-aided diagnosis. For example, the following documents. (1) Katsuragawa, S. et al. et al: Im
age feature analysis and c
computer-aided diagnostics-is
in digital radiography: Cl
assic-ation of normal a
nd abnormal longswint int
erstial disease in chess
images. Medical Physics 1
6,38-44 (1989) (2) Giger, M. et al. L. et al: Image
feature analysis and comp
uter-aided diagnostics-is in
digital radiography: 3. Aut
omat-ed detection of nodu
les in peripheral long fi
elds. Medical Physics 15.158-1
66 (1988) (3) Chan, HP et al: Image feature an-alysis and com
puter-aided diagnosisin digital radiography: 1.Auto
mateddetection of microcalcifications inmammograph
y.Medical Physics 14.538-548 (1987) (4) Kunio Doi et al .: "Possibilities of computer-aided diagnosis in digital radiography" Journal of Japan Society of Radiological Technology, p653-663, 1989. Regarding the apparatus described above, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 02-185240 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 02-1
No. 52443 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 01-125675.

The respective anomaly detection devices disclosed in this document automatically detect a certain kind of anomaly from a digital medical image by computer means and superimpose and display the detected anomaly on the image. Common in.
FIG. 1 shows a display example in which the shape of the detected abnormality is changed according to its type and is superimposed and displayed on the image.

With the generalization of digitization of images,
Recently, medical image archiving and communication systems (PACS: Pi
Cture Archiving Communica
function system, the smoothing of the image diagnosis work and the space saving of the storage are being realized.
This PACS is a system that contributes to supporting the work of doctors observing medical images by storing, communicating, and displaying medical images (X-ray images, CT images, MR images, etc.) generated in hospitals. is there. Therefore, PACS
Stores the image data sent from various modalities in a database, transfers the image data requested from the database in response to the request from the image workstations located in each examination room, etc. The image is displayed on a cathode ray tube (CRT). Interpretation report is PACS
Image can be created and stored on the workstation.

This PACS eliminates the need for organizing and storing films in storage shelves, searching for the desired film from the storage shelves, carrying the film, hanging the film on the Schaukasten, and removing it from the film. The benefit of becoming a person can now be received. Regarding this PACS, JP-A-62-121576, JP-A-63-10269 and JP-A-64-13
837, JP 64-17154 A, JP 02-103668 A, JP 02-119840 A.
It is disclosed in many publications such as the Gazette.

For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-185240, IA (function of inputting an image) and WS-ANA (function of analyzing an image to extract a feature amount) are shown in the functional blocks of FIG. , PACS with WS-OUT (function to display images and overlays) is disclosed.

A series of operations from the image input to the analysis result output are performed in the following procedure. (1) The doctor
A is used to input a digital image of a specific chest radiograph (hereinafter referred to as "original image"). (2) Computer-aided diagnosis processing (CAD processing) is performed on the original image by WS-ANA. The original image is
For example, it is subdivided so that there are about 1 to 2 6.4 mm square micro areas between each rib. Computer analysis is performed, and a feature amount corresponding to the shadow range of each area is output for each area.
Based on the feature amount of each region, the presence or absence of abnormality of interstitial lung disease and the degree of progress thereof are examined, and the type of abnormality is classified. For example, the presence or absence of abnormality is determined according to the magnitude of the feature amount. In addition, the classification is performed according to the result of comparison between the feature amount and a plurality of preset threshold values (threshold values). The degree of progress is calculated according to the degree of difference between the feature amount and the feature of the threshold value. (3) PACS displays the CAD processing result overlaid on the original image, triggered by the doctor's request.

As shown in FIG. 12, the CAD processing result is superimposed on the image by changing the shape of the marker according to the type of abnormality and changing the size of the marker according to the progress thereof. Is displayed. Here, the marker "□"
Is a Reticular type, a marker “hexagon” is a Honeycomb type, and a marker “○” is a Nodular type.

As described above, since the CAD processing result marker is superimposed and displayed on the original image, the image of the marker portion is obscured by the marker and cannot be seen. Therefore, the doctor sets the display mode to only display the original image and
Since it is necessary to proceed with the image reading work while alternately and frequently switching the mode in which the markers of the D processing result are displayed in an overlapping manner, it is not only very troublesome, but also the image reading time is prolonged and the efficiency of the image reading work is improved. There was a problem of lowering.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to address the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to display an original image and a CAD processing result (abnormality information) on one screen so as not to interfere with each other. It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical diagnosis support apparatus capable of proceeding with image interpretation work by switching the display mode, unlike the conventional case.

[0015]

A medical diagnosis support apparatus according to the present invention comprises means for inputting an image, means for inputting the position of an abnormal portion included in the image, and a reduced image by reducing the image. A means for creating, a means for creating a composite image by synthesizing the image and the reduced image, and a display by superimposing a figure indicating the abnormal portion on the reduced image of the composite image based on the position It comprises means for creating an image and means for displaying the display image.

[0016]

According to the medical diagnosis support apparatus of the present invention, since a figure showing an abnormal portion is superimposed and displayed on a reduced image of a composite image in which a reduced image is combined with an image, the position of the abnormal portion is reduced. It can be confirmed above, and the image of the image is not interfered with by the figure showing the abnormal portion.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a medical image archiving communication system (hereinafter abbreviated as “PACS”: Picture Archiving Commu) including a medical diagnosis support apparatus according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a communication system).

The network 5 is a command and data transmission path for communication between the respective devices, and an optical fiber or the like is used as a transmission medium. Although a ring type local area network is adopted here, it goes without saying that other types such as a star type may be used.

The network (NW) 5 includes a system manager (SM) 1 and an image acquisition device (IA) 2.
a, 2b, a database (DB) 3 for storing medical images collected by the image collecting apparatuses 2a, 2b, and workstations (WS) 4A, 4B are connected to each other, and they can communicate with each other by a communication protocol. There is.

An inspection order system 7 is connected to the network 5 via a gateway 6. The inspection order system 7 is installed in an inspection request department room and instructs image inspection requests by creating inspection request information. As shown in Table 1 below, the examination request information includes patient ID number, patient name, date of birth, sex, examination request department name, examination requesting doctor name, examination modality (X-ray imaging device, X Line computed tomography apparatus, magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, etc.), examination site, examination method, examination purpose, clinical information, etc. The information of each item is manually input to the inspection order system 7 by the inspection requesting doctor.

[0021]

[Table 1]

This inspection request information is transferred to the system manager 1 after the necessary items have been input, where appropriate image collecting devices 2a and 2b are selected in accordance with the contents of the request, and the selected image collecting device 2a is selected. , 2b from the system manager 1 again.

The image collecting devices 2a and 2b are devices for collecting medical images (hereinafter referred to as "images") such as an X-ray imaging device, an X-ray computed tomography device, a magnetic resonance imaging device, and a film digitizer. This image is attached to the accompanying information shown in Table 2 below and transferred to the database 3 and stored therein.

[0024]

[Table 2]

As shown in Table 2, the accompanying information is created for each inspection and includes the inspection ID, the inspection date, and the information of each image collected in the inspection. The image information includes the image number, image size, data amount, and shooting direction.

After the image collection is completed, the system manager 1
Creates an inspection history from the inspection request information and the accompanying information and stores it. Further, an image interpretation doctor creates an image interpretation report of the image, and is manually input using the image acquisition devices 2a and 2b. An example of the inspection history is shown below.

[0027]

[Table 3] An example of the interpretation report is described below.

[0028]

[Table 4]

These inspection history and image interpretation report are transferred to and stored in the image storage device 4f described later. The medical diagnosis support device according to the present invention is incorporated in the PACS workstations 4A and 4B. The workstations 4A and 4B will be described below.

The workstations 4A and 4B have the following functions. (1) A function of displaying inspection request information, inspection history, images, image interpretation reports, and the like. (2) Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD)
Diagnosis) is used to determine the presence or absence of anomalies in image data, determine the degree of progress, and classify the types of such anomalies.

(3) A function of storing the CAD processing result. (4) A function of displaying the CAD processing result. (5) A function for inputting findings regarding images.

(6) Other standard functions of the workstation. Workstations 4A, 4 to achieve the above functions
B is configured as shown in FIG.

Each device described below is a control bus (WS-C).
BUS) 4k, 4m, image bus (WS-IBUS) 4l
Connected to. These control buses 4k and 4m and the image bus 4
l is connected to the network 5 via the network interface 4j. <Controller (WS-CTRL)> The controller 4a includes a central processing unit (CPU), a system memory (for example, a semiconductor memory), and controls the operation of the entire workstation and executes various arithmetic processes. . <System Disk (WS-SD)> The system disk 4b is, for example, a magnetic disk, which stores the programs and data described below, and also reads these programs and data when the power is turned on, and the system in the control device 4a. Supply to memory.

The system disk 4b stores a program (OS) for associating and operating each unit constituting the workstation, and abnormality detection means selection information.
Here, the abnormality detecting means refers to an algorithm capable of detecting a specific abnormality, and is held in the CAD processing device 4e described later. There are three representative types of abnormality detection means: abnormality detection means capable of detecting pulmonary interstitial disease, abnormality detection means capable of detecting lung nodules, and abnormality detection means capable of detecting microcalcification of the breast. There is. The abnormality detection means selection information is a correspondence table between the image type (inspection site, modality, inspection method, imaging direction) and the type of abnormality. This association is based on the fact that the types of abnormalities that can be detected are determined according to the types of images. An example of the abnormality detection means selection information is shown below.

[0035]

[Table 5]

This abnormality detection means selection information is used for the CA image.
This is used when selecting an abnormality detecting means capable of analyzing the image when making a diagnosis with the D processing device 4e. Of course, this abnormality detection means selection information can be rewritten (updated) and added. <Input Device (WS-INPUT)> The input device 4c is a means for a doctor to input various commands such as image search and manually input finding data after observing an image, such as a keyboard and A mouse is used. Here, the finding data consists of items such as the type of abnormality, its position (XY coordinates of the image matrix), and the degree of abnormality. The finding data is summarized in the finding data table for each type of abnormality. This finding data table is the same as the abnormal data table output as a result of diagnosis by the CAD processing device 4e described later in terms of its contents.

Here, an example of a procedure for inputting finding data will be briefly described. First, the cursor corresponding to the movement of the mouse is overlaid and displayed on the original image. Move the mouse and place the cursor on the image showing the anomaly. When the left mouse button is clicked, its position is recognized. If the input position is incorrect, it is determined that the input position has not been input by clicking the middle button of the mouse. The moving pitch of the cursor is 2 in the image matrix.
For 048 × 2,048 pixels, it is preferable to set it to about 32 pixels for convenience of operation. In synchronization with the click of the left button of the mouse, for example, a message "Enter the type of abnormality" is displayed on the screen. According to this message, the type of abnormality such as "pulmonary interstitial disease" is input by key input from the keyboard. In synchronization with the end of this input, a message such as "Enter the degree of abnormality" is displayed on the screen. According to this message, by key input from the keyboard, for example, 1 to 10
The degree of abnormality up to (10 is the state where the abnormality is most advanced) is input. The position, type, and degree of these abnormalities are collected in a finding data table together with a reference number, an inspection ID number, and an image number, transferred to a later-described image storage device 4f, and stored therein. <Character display device (WS-CDISP)> Character display device 4
Reference numeral d is a device mainly for displaying characters such as an image interpretation report, and for example, a CRT (cathode ray tube) display or a liquid crystal panel display is used. <CAD Processing Device (WS-CADP)> The CAD processing device 4e is a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD: Computer-Aid).
ed Diagnosis) function, receiving a start-up instruction from the control device 4a, and using this function, CAD for the input image is performed.
Perform processing (diagnosis processing) and finally create an abnormal data table. An example of this abnormal data table is shown below.

[0038]

[Table 6]

As shown in Table 6, the abnormality data table includes items such as a reference number, an inspection ID number, an abnormality type, a center position of the abnormality on the image, and an abnormality degree. The CAD processing device 4e includes a plurality of types of abnormality detecting means as described above. That is, as a representative example thereof, (a) means for detecting a shadow of interstitial disease of the lung in a front view of a plain chest X-ray image, (b) a front view of a plain chest X-ray image of the lung, and There are means for detecting shadows, and (c) means for detecting shadows of microcalcification of the breast in a breast X-ray image.
The abnormality detection method of each of these abnormality detection means is described in JP-A-02-185240 and JP-A-02-2.
50180, JP-A-02-152443,
Since it is described in detail in each document such as Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 02-125675, its details are omitted.

A digital image (hereinafter referred to as "original image") is transferred from the database 3 to the CAD processor 4e. Further, under the instruction of the control device 4a, information on the type of abnormality corresponding to the original image of the abnormality detection means selection information of the system disk 4b is transferred. One of the abnormality detecting means is selected according to the type of abnormality. The original image is analyzed by the selected abnormality detecting means. If there is an abnormality, the center position (XY coordinate of the image matrix) on the image of this abnormality and the degree of the abnormality are obtained. The CAD processing device 4e creates the above-mentioned abnormal data table including these positions and the abnormal degree. The abnormal data table is transferred to the later-described image storage device 4f and stored therein. <Image storage device (WS-IM)> Image storage device 4f
Is a magnetic disk, for example, inspection request information from the inspection order system 7, inspection history, image interpretation report, image accompanying information, original image data, overlay display information (image data indicating abnormality), abnormal data table, finding data table Is a device for temporarily storing. <Image Frame Memory (WS-IFM)> The image frame memory 4g is, for example, a semiconductor memory, and is a device that temporarily stores at least one original image to be interpreted, which is transferred from the database 3. <Image display device (WS-IDISP)> Image display device 4
i is, for example, a color CRT display, and a plurality of units, four here, are prepared. This image display device 4i
Is a device mainly for displaying an image. <Image Data Reduction Device (WS-RED)> The image data reduction device 4p receives the original image in the image frame memory 4g via the image bus 4l and reduces it to a reduced image of, for example, 1/8. That is, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, when the image matrix of the original image is a × b pixels, the reduced image is an image matrix of a / 8 × b / 8 pixels. For example, if the pixel matrix of the original image is 2,048 × 2,
With 048 pixels, the reduced image consists of a 256 × 256 pixel matrix. This reduction processing is, for example, averaging reduction filter processing. The averaging reduction filter process is a process in which the original image is divided into a plurality of minute regions of 8 × 8 pixels, and the simple average or weighted average of the pixel values of each region is set as the pixel value of one pixel of the reduced image. is there. Of course, other reduction processing may be adopted. The reduced image created by the image data reducing device 4p is sent to the display image data superimposing device 4q described later. <Display Image Data Overlay Device (WS-OV)> The display image data overlay device 4q is a storage device 4f for images and the like.
The original image to be interpreted and stored in the image data is combined with the reduced image of the original image by the image data reducing device 4p, and 1
Generate a composite image to be displayed. Here, the combining process will be described with reference to FIG. When the pixel matrix of the original image is a × b pixels, the pixel matrix of the reduced image is a / 8 × b / 8 pixels as described above. Part of the original image is replaced with pixels of the reduced image. here,
In order to arrange the reduced image in the upper right part of the original image, when the upper left corner of the original image is used as the origin, the area to be replaced is (a-
a / 8,0), (a, 0), (a, b / 8), (a-a
/ 8, b / 8). In this way, the original image and the reduced image are combined to create a combined image.
This composite image is transferred to the image storage device 4f and stored therein. <Schema Data Creation / Storage Device (WS-SMMK)> The schema data creation / storage device 4r inputs an image, binarizes the image, extracts the contours of lungs and ribs, and creates a schema as shown in FIG. An image (contour image) is created and stored.

For example, if the threshold value of the binarization process is 512, when the pixel value f (x, y) of a pixel (x, y) is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the pixel value is replaced with 1023. When the pixel value f (x, y) of a pixel (x, y) is smaller than the threshold value, the pixel value is replaced with 0. This schema image is subjected to reduction processing by the image data reduction device 4p, and then the display image data superposition device 4
It may be sent to q and combined with the original image instead of the reduced image to create a combined image. The operator from the input device 4c selects whether the combined image is an image in which the original image and the reduced image of the original image are combined or an image in which the original image and the reduced image of the shoe image are combined. Follow the setting by.

<Overlay Display Information Creation Device (WS-OVMK)>
The overlay display information creation device 4n inputs either the abnormal data table or the observation data table relating to the original image stored in the image storage device 4f and creates the overlay display information shown in Table 7 below.

[0043]

[Table 7]

This overlay display information is information in which items of the type of figure, size of figure, and display color are added to the items of the abnormal data table and the finding data table. These pieces of additional information are necessary for superimposing abnormal information on the composite image, and the contents thereof are set in advance as shown in FIG. The type of figure is a figure for indicating the position of the abnormality on the image, and is, for example, information indicating that it should be displayed in the shape of an arrow.

The size of the figure means that the arrow is 32, for example.
It is information indicating that the size should be displayed within a range of x32 pixels. The display color is the display color of the arrow,
For example, it is information indicating that it should be displayed in white. here,
The coordinates of the overlay display information are obtained by converting the coordinates indicating the center position of the abnormality written in the abnormality data table into the coordinates on the reduced image of the composite image. The overlay display information is transferred to the image storage device 4d and temporarily stored therein.

<Image display manager (WS-IDM)>
The image display manager 4h is a control device for displaying original images and the like, and is configured as shown in FIG.

The image memory 42 receives the composite image stored in the image storage device 4f via the image bus 4l and stores it. It has a memory capacity of, for example, 2,048 × 2,048 × 10 bits so as to store at least one composite image.

The control unit 40 has a display mode set by the input device 4c (a mode for displaying only the original image, a mode for displaying only the abnormality information, a mode for combining the original image and the abnormality information and displaying them on one screen). 2) and information for specifying the display device 4i to be used for display are supplied via the control bus 4k.

Further, the control unit 40 includes an image storage device 4
Overlay display information is supplied from d. The overlay data creation unit 41 receives the overlay display information from the control unit 40, and creates overlay data for displaying abnormal information (information indicating the type, position, degree) on the reduced image based on the overlay display information. This overlay data is temporarily stored in one overlay memory 43a.

The other overlay memory 43b
Is a memory for storing the cursor data displayed on the display screen in response to the movement of the mouse. The overlay unit 44 superimposes overlay data on the composite image to create an overlay display image. This overlay display image is set via the display memory 45 and the D / A converter 46 corresponding to the display device 4i corresponding to the information specifying the display device 4i to be used for the display set by the input device 4c. It is displayed on the display device 4i.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described. (1) Inspection request 1-1) The inspection request information input via the inspection order system 7 is transferred to the system manager 1. An example of this inspection request information is shown in Table 8 below.

[0052]

[Table 8]

1-2) Next, the inspection request information is the image acquisition apparatus 2a which is an X-ray imaging apparatus according to the modality.
Or, it is transferred to 2b. (2) An image is inspected and an image is generated in the image acquisition device.

2-1) The content of the inspection request information is read by the operator, the image is taken as instructed, and an image is generated. Image numbers are assigned to the images according to the order of occurrence. 2-2) When the image collection is completed, the image collection device 2a creates accompanying information as shown in Table 9.

[0055]

[Table 9]

This accompanying information is transferred to the database 3 together with the image, stored there, and waits until it is read out for interpretation. (3) Examination history of the patient by the system manager 1,
Past image interpretation reports and inspection request information are prepared, transferred to the workstations 4A, 4B, and stored in the system memory.

Next, the image interpretation operation is started. (4) A read request for an image to be interpreted is sent from the workstation 4A to the database 3. The image (including incidental information) is displayed on the workstation 4 together with the examination history, the past image interpretation report, and the examination request information regarding the patient.
It is returned to A and stored in the image storage device 4f. (5) An abnormal data table or finding data table is created.

Either one of the abnormal data table and the finding data table is created. The abnormal data table is the CAD processing device 4e.
Created in. On the other hand, the finding data table is created by displaying the image on the display device 4i, observing the image by the operator, and inputting the result via the input device 4c. Table 10 shows an example of the abnormal data table. Also,
Table 11 shows an example of the finding data table.

[0059]

[Table 10]

[0060]

[Table 11]

This abnormal data table or finding data table is sent to the image storage device 4f and stored therein. (6) Creation of Display Image The original image read from the database 3 and stored in the image storage device 4f is transferred to the image data reducing device 4p and the display image superimposing device 4q. The original image is reduced by the image data reducing device 4p at a predetermined reduction ratio, here 1 /
Reduced by 8. This reduced image is sent to the display image superposing device 4q, where it is combined with the original image and one combined image. Since this combining process has been described above, its explanation is omitted.

Of course, this composite image is an image obtained by combining the original image with an image obtained by reducing the shoe image created by the shoe data creating and storing device 4r by the image data reducing device 4p instead of the reduced image as described above. It may be. (7) Creation of Overlay Display Information An abnormal data table (or finding data table) is supplied from the image storage device 4f to the overlay display information creating device 4n,
Overlay display information is created based on this abnormal data table. As described above, the type of graphic displayed is a solid arrow line, the size of the graphic is 32 × 32 pixels, and the display color is white.

Further, since the abnormal position in the abnormal data table is the coordinate given in the coordinate system of the original image, it is necessary to convert this coordinate into the coordinate on the reduced image of the display image. For example,
If the pixel matrix of the original image is 2048 × 2048 pixels and the abnormal position in the abnormal data table in this coordinate system is (α, β), the coordinates of the abnormal position are (20
48-2048 / 8 + α / 8, β / 8) coordinates. By this coordinate conversion, the abnormal information is displayed by being superimposed only on the reduced image at the time of display.
Table 12 below shows an example of the overlay display information created based on the abnormal data table shown in Table 10.

[0064]

[Table 12]

Specifically, in the abnormality data table of Table 10, for the abnormality having the inspection ID of 10880, the image number of 1 and the reference number of 1, the abnormal position on the image (350, 13)
50) and the degree of abnormality “9” and the type of abnormality “pulmonary interstitial disease”. According to this information, in the data number 1 of the overlay display information, the abnormal position (1835, 168) resulting from the coordinate conversion, the degree of abnormality “9”,
The abnormality type “pulmonary interstitial disease”, the figure type “arrow solid line”, and the display color “white” are written. Similarly, in the data number 2, the abnormal position (1841, 187), the degree of abnormality “8”, the type of abnormality “pulmonary interstitial disease”, the type of graphic “arrow solid line”, the display color “white”, Written. If the result of coordinate conversion includes decimal points or less, it is rounded off and treated as an integer value. The overlay display information created in this way is stored in the image storage device 4f. (8) Display of image When displaying an image, under the instruction of the control device 4a,
The composite image created by the display image overlay device 4q is
The image data is stored in the image memory 42 of the image display manager 4h from the image storage device 4f. Further, under the instruction of the control device 4a, the overlay display information created by the overlay display information creation device 4n is transferred from the image storage device 4f to the overlay data creation unit 41 via the control unit 40 of the image display manager 4h. Sent. Further, information specifying the display mode (here, the display mode in which the overlay image is superimposed and displayed on the original image) and the display device 4i to be displayed is input to the control unit 40 from the input device 4c. . In the overlay data creating section 41, overlay data is created as follows based on the overlay display information and stored in the overlay memory 43a. For example, for the abnormality of the data number 1, as shown in FIG. 8, the coordinates (183
5, 168), a bit is set in the arrow shape, and the character display of the abnormality degree “9” and the abnormality type “pulmonary interstitial disease” is performed using the character font of the control device 4a.
A bit can be set in a character shape on 3a. Similarly, for the abnormality of data number 2, the coordinates (1
841, 187) with a bit in the shape of an arrow, the character display of the degree of abnormality "8" and the type of abnormality "pulmonary interstitial disease" is displayed on the overlay memory 43a using the character font of the control device 4a. Can set a bit.

This overlay data is stored in the image memory 42.
Of the display device 4i specified by the input device 4c by being supplied to the overlay unit 44 together with the composite image of FIG.
Is displayed in. An example of this display is shown in FIG. Note that a display example is shown in FIG. 10 when an image in which the shoe image is combined with the original image is displayed instead of the reduced image. (9) Post-Interpretation Processing The image on which the overlay data has been superimposed is interpreted by the interpreting doctor, and the interpretation result is input from the input device 4c to create an interpretation report. This image interpretation report is transferred to and stored in the image storage device 4f. further,
The image interpretation report is transferred from the image storage device 4f to the database 3 via the system manager 1 and stored therein.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the reduced image (or the reduced image of the shoe image) is arranged in a part of the original image, and the abnormal information is displayed on the reduced image.
The image of the original image does not become invisible due to the interference of the abnormal information, and the original image can be read while referring to the abnormal information on one screen. Therefore, it is not necessary to switch between the display of only the original image and the display of the image in which the abnormal information is superimposed on the original image as in the conventional case, and the work efficiency is improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but can be modified in various ways. For example, in the above description, when the reduced image is created from the original image, the method of smoothing the original image by the reduction filter processing is used. However, another method, for example, the reduced image by sampling discrete pixels of the original image is used. May be used.

Further, in the above description, one reduced image is superposed on the original image, but a plurality of reduced images may be provided for each type of abnormality. Further, in the above description, the shape and display color of the graphic of the overlay data are one type, but the shape and display color of the graphic may be changed for each type of abnormality.

Further, in the above description, the position of the abnormality is indicated by the arrow, but it may be another figure such as a circle or a square. Further, in the above description, the CAD processing apparatus includes three types of abnormality detecting means, but other types of abnormality detecting means may be used, and the types of images to which the abnormality detecting means is applied are limited. You don't have to.

Further, although the schema data creation storage device is created by binarizing each pixel value of the schema image by the threshold value, it is created by a contour extraction method such as a contour tracing radiation tomography device. Good.

Further, in the above description, the schema image is created from the original image at the time of displaying the image. However, the schema image is created in advance before displaying the image and stored in the system disk, and at the time of displaying the image. It may be used.

[0073]

According to the present invention, means for inputting an image, means for inputting the position of an abnormal portion included in the image, and means for reducing the image to create a reduced image,
Means for creating a composite image by combining the image and the reduced image, and means for creating a display image by superimposing a figure showing the abnormal portion on the reduced image of the composite image based on the position And a means for displaying the display image, and by superimposing a figure indicating an abnormal portion on the reduced image of the composite image in which the reduced image is combined with the image and displaying the superimposed image, the image of the image is an abnormal figure. It is possible to read the original image while referring to the abnormal information on one screen without interfering with the image, and thus displaying only the original image and an image in which the abnormal information is superimposed on the original image as in the past. It becomes unnecessary to switch between and
A medical diagnosis support device capable of improving work efficiency can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an entire PACS according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the workstation of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image display manager of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a reduced image by the image data reducing apparatus of FIG.

5 is a diagram showing a display image by the display image superimposing device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a shoe image by the shoe data creating and storing device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a figure showing the position of the abnormality created by the overlay data creation unit of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing overlay data by the overlay data creation unit of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example finally displayed.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another display example finally displayed.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an outline of a procedure for superimposing and displaying abnormality information on an original image by a conventional apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed by a conventional device.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 ... System manager, 2a, 2b ... Image collection device, 3 ... Database, 4A, 4B ... Workstation, 5 ... Network, 6 ... Gateway, 7 ... Inspection order system, 4a ... Control device, 4b ... System disk, 4c ... Input device, 4d ... Character display device, 4e ... CAD processing device, 4f ... Image storage device, 4g ... Image frame memory, 4h ... Image display manager, 4i ... Image display device, 4j ... Network / Interface, 4k, 4m ... Control bus, 4l ... Image bus, 4n ... Overlay display information creation device, 4p ... Image data reduction device, 4q ... Display image data overlay device, 4r ... Shuma data creation storage device.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Reference number within the agency FI Technical display location 8125-5L G06F 15/62 320 P (72) Inventor Takehiro Ema 1385 Shimoishigami, Otawara, Tochigi Prefecture 1 Within Toshiba Medical Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for inputting an image, a means for inputting a position of an abnormal portion included in the image, a means for creating a reduced image by reducing the image, and a combination of the image and the reduced image. Means for creating a composite image, means for creating a display image by superimposing a figure indicating the abnormal portion on the reduced image of the composite image based on the position, and displaying the display image A medical diagnosis support device comprising: