JPH08279033A - Method for image processing and image processor and heart function analyzing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a method and processor for image processing and heat function analyzing device which can precisely find the outline of an image having gradations. CONSTITUTION: This device is equipped with a binary imager generating means 11 which binarizes an image having gradations according to a threshold, a display means 4 which displays the binary image formed according to the binary image forming means 11 over the original image having the gradations, and an outline drawing means 13 which draws the outline of the binary image. For the outline drawing, a mark point is specified on the binary image, the end of the binary image is searched for in one direction from the mark point, and the outline is drawn from the point at the end along the end of the binary image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus, and a cardiac function analysis apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing method and an image processing apparatus for drawing a contour of a desired image in a screen on which an image having gradation is displayed, and a heart function based on the contour of a heart image. It is a cardiac function analysis device that performs analysis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of image processing, a contour of a desired image is extracted from a screen displaying an image having gradation and the area within the contour is calculated, or the contour is calculated along the contour. It is common to crop images.

For example, in the field of medical image diagnosis,
In order to analyze the cardiac function, it is necessary to calculate the volume of the ventricle and the volume of the heart from the tomographic image of the heart. Therefore,
Multilayer tomographic images of the heart are taken, the cross-sectional areas of the ventricles and myocardium are obtained for each tomographic image, and the ventricular volume or myocardial volume is calculated from those cross-sectional areas and the slice thickness of each layer. . Such a calculation method is called the Simpson method.

In the cardiac function analysis, the end diastolic volume of the ventricle is calculated from the end diastolic tomographic image, the end systolic volume is calculated from the end systolic tomographic image, and based on the difference between these end diastolic volume and end systolic volume. , Ejection fraction, stroke volume, cardiac output, volume change graph, etc. are obtained, and myocardial weight is obtained from myocardial volume.

At this time, in order to obtain the cross-sectional area of the ventricle or myocardium, it is necessary to extract the contours of the ventricle or myocardium from the tomographic images of each layer. Also, for example, in the field of electronic platemaking,
In order to cut out a desired image portion from the original image and obtain an image for plate making, contour extraction is performed.

As a conventional example of a contour line drawing method, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 5
There is a method described in JP-A-8-176638. This method draws a temporary contour line by tracing the contour with a manual cursor on a desired image in a screen displaying an image having gradation and then automatically processing the contour line on the temporary contour line. For all the pixels in the set subdivision, the average pixel density value of the subdivision is used as a threshold to determine the magnitude relationship of the individual pixel density values. By repeating this while moving, the contour of the entire image is determined.

[0007]

As described above, in the determination of the pixel density value using the average pixel density of the small section as a threshold, the threshold changes depending on the pixel density value of the small section, so that an accurate contour can be determined. There is a problem that it is difficult and a precise contour line cannot be obtained.

Further, the temporary contour line is drawn with a manual cursor, and the automatic contour determination is performed based on the determination of the pixel density value in the vicinity of the temporary contour line. Therefore, the operation is troublesome.
In addition, there is a problem that it takes time to draw the contour line.

Further, since it is not known in the middle what kind of contour line will be finally completed, there is a problem that if the completed contour line is not satisfactory, it is necessary to start over from the beginning.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to realize an image processing method and apparatus capable of accurately obtaining the contour line of an image having gradation.

Another object of the present invention is to realize an image processing method and apparatus capable of obtaining the contour line of an image having gradation in a short time. Still another object of the present invention is to realize an image processing method and apparatus which can always find a satisfactory contour line by knowing the shape of the contour line in advance.

Still another object of the present invention is to realize a heart function analysis apparatus which can perform accurate heart function analysis.

[0013]

A first means for solving the above-mentioned problems is to make an image having gradation into a binary image based on a threshold value, and to make the binary image and the original image having gradation into a binary image. This is an image processing method of displaying in an overlapping manner.

A second means for solving the above-mentioned problem is the binary value of an image in which an original image having gradation and a binary image created from the original image based on a threshold are displayed in an overlapping manner. This is an image processing method in which a marked point is designated on an image and a contour line is drawn with respect to the binary image having the marked point.

A third means for solving the above problems is a binary image forming means for converting an image having gradation into a binary image based on a threshold value, and a binary image formed by the binary image forming means. The image processing apparatus includes a display unit that displays an original image having gradation on the image in an overlapping manner.

A fourth means for solving the above problem is a binary image forming means for converting an image having gradation into a binary image based on a threshold value, and a binary image formed by the binary image forming means. Display means for superimposing an original image having gradation on the image and display means, marking point designating means for designating marking points on the binary image, and the binary for which marking points are designated by the marking point designating means The image processing apparatus includes a contour line drawing unit that draws a contour line of an image.

A fifth means for solving the above-mentioned problems is to use a binary image forming means for converting an image having gradation relating to a tomographic image of the heart into a binary image based on a threshold value, and the binary image forming means. Display means for displaying the formed binary image and the original image having gradation on the display, mark point designating means for designating the mark point on the binary image, and the mark point designating means by the mark point designating means. A heart function including a contour line drawing means for drawing a contour line of the binary image and a heart function analyzing means for performing a heart function analysis based on an area of a portion surrounded by the contour line of the binary image. It is an analysis device.

In the fourth means or the fifth means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the contour drawing means obtains the end points of the binary image by a one-way search starting from the landmark point. It is preferable to draw a contour from the end point along the end of the binary image in order to efficiently draw the contour line.

[0019]

According to the first means for solving the problem, an image having gradation is made into a binary image based on a threshold value, and is superimposed and displayed on an original image having gradation.

In a second means for solving the problem, an image having gradation is made into a binary image based on a threshold value, and is displayed in an overlapping manner with an original image having gradation, and a marker point is displayed on the binary image. Is specified, and a contour line is drawn with respect to the binary image with this marker point.

In the third means for solving the problem, the binary image forming means converts the image having gradation into two based on the threshold value.
A binary image is displayed as a value image, and the binary image is displayed on the original image having gradation by the display means.

In a fourth means for solving the problem, an image having gradation is determined by the binary image forming means on the basis of a threshold value, and the binary image display means superimposes it on the original image having gradation. The marker points are displayed on the binary image by the marker point specifying means, and the contour line drawing means draws the contour line of the binary image having the marker points.

In the fifth means for solving the problem, the binary image forming means converts the image having the gradation of the tomographic image of the heart into a binary image based on a threshold value, and the displaying means displays the binary image and the gradation. The original image that has the property is overlaid and displayed,
A marker point is designated on the binary image by the marker point designating means, a contour line of the binary image in which the marker point is designated is drawn by the contour line drawing means, and the heart function analyzing means encloses the contour line of the binary image. Cardiac function analysis is performed based on the area of the damaged portion.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is an example embodied as a cardiac function analyzer.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an image processing device, 2 is a storage device, 3 is an image input / output device, 4 is an image display device, and 5 is an operating device. The image processing apparatus 1 has a binary image forming means 11, a boundary line drawing means 12, a contour line drawing means 13 and a cardiac function analyzing means 14. The image processing apparatus 1 is composed of a computer and an image processing program. The binary image forming means 11, the boundary line drawing means 12, the contour line drawing means 13 and the heart function analyzing means 14 respectively include a binary image forming program, a boundary line drawing program, a contour line drawing and a heart. It is realized by a program for performance analysis.

The binary image forming means 11 corresponds to the binary image forming means 11 in the present invention.
It is an example of a value image forming unit. The contour line drawing means 13 is an example of the contour line drawing means in the present invention. The heart function analyzing means 14 is an example of the heart function analyzing means in the present invention.

A storage device 2, an image input / output device 3, an image display device 4 and an operating device 5 are connected to the image processing device 1. The image display device 4 is an example of the display means in the present invention.

The storage device 2 stores images processed by the image processing device 1 and other data.
For example, it is a large-capacity storage device using a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, or the like, and has an original image storage area 21 and a binary image storage area 22.

The image input / output device 3 is for inputting / outputting an image to / from the image processing device 1. For example, a magnetic recording medium, an electronic recording medium, an optical recording medium, which carries image information,
Images are input and output by various media such as photographs or printed matter or by communication. The image input / output by the image input / output device 3 is stored in the storage device 2.

The original image storage area 21 of the storage device 2 stores, for example, a short-axis tomographic image of the heart taken by a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The short-axis tomographic images of the heart are captured for all layers in the long-axis direction of the heart at the end diastole and end systole time phases of the heart beat, and are stored in the original image storage area 21 of the storage device 2. .

The image display device 4 displays an image provided from the image processing device 1 as an image, and for example, a CRT display (Cathode Ray Tube Display) or a liquid crystal display is used.

The operating device 5 is an operating device for an operator, and for example, a keyboard, a touch pannel, a track ball,
It is configured by using an operator's operation tool such as a mouse. An operator's instruction is given to the image processing apparatus 1 through the operation device 5, and the image processing apparatus 1 executes image processing desired by the operator. Operating device 5
Is an example of the marker point indicating means in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an image processing procedure according to the method of the present invention. The apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 1 operates according to this procedure. The procedure of the method according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises steps S0 to S14 of FIG. For details of the processing in each step,
The operation will be described in detail later.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing steps S1 to S4 of FIG. 2 in more detail. The same parts as those in FIG. 2 are indicated by the same symbols. In FIG. 3, steps S21 to S24
Is a detailed step of the process of step S2 of FIG.
The details of the processing in each step will be described in detail later in the operation description.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process of step S6 in FIG. 2 in more detail. Step S6 is
It is composed of steps S61 to S64. The details of the processing in each step will be described in detail later in the operation description.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the process of step S8 in FIG. 2 in more detail. The process of step S8 includes steps S81 to S87. The details of the processing in each step will be described in detail later in the operation description.

FIG. 6 is a more detailed flow chart of the process of step S85 in FIG. The process of step S85 includes steps S851 to S859. The details of the processing in each step will be described in detail later in the operation description.

The operation of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention thus constructed is as follows. According to a command given by the operator through the operation device 5, the operation shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2 starts.

First, in step S1, an original image having gradation is displayed. The original image specified by the operator through the operation device 5 is read from the original image storage area 21 of the storage device 2 and displayed on the display device 4. An example of the display image is shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a tomographic image of the chest,
A short-axis tomographic image (hereinafter simply referred to as a ventricular image) 100 of a ventricle at a certain layer at the end diastole is shown. In the present embodiment, the contour line of the intraventricular wall 101 of the ventricle image 100 is to be drawn.

Next, in accordance with the instruction of the operator, step S
At 2, a binary image is displayed. Specifically, in FIG. 3, the threshold value is read in step S22, and in step S23, a binary image is created from the original image based on the threshold value. The threshold value is set in advance to a value such that the standard value thereof can distinguish between the standard pixel density value of the blood part and the pixel density value of the myocardial part.

In the image taken by the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus,
For example, the one taken by the fast scan method has a higher pixel density value in the blood area than the myocardial area, and the one taken by the spin echo method has the opposite pixel density value in the blood area. Lower than the myocardial part. In any case, since the blood part and the myocardial part have different pixel density values, a binary image in which the blood part is "1", that is, the true value, and the myocardial part is "0", that is, the false value, is determined by the threshold value. Can be obtained.

It is also possible to set an upper limit value and a lower limit value in the value threshold according to the range of the pixel concentration of the blood portion, and perform binarization depending on whether they belong to the range of these upper and lower limits. The created binary image is overlay-displayed on the original image in step S24. This state is shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, shaded areas 102 and 1
02 'is the true value part of the overlaid binary image. True value part of binary image (hereinafter simply referred to as binary image) 1
02 and 102 'are displayed in a specific color, for example, a green color, so that they can be easily distinguished from the original image.

The display device 4 is monochrome (monochr
In the case of a display device of ome), it is preferable to distinguish it from the original image by displaying it in a specific pattern such as a mesh pattern, a lattice pattern or a striped pattern.

Thereby, the binary images 102 and 10
The correlation between 2 ′ and the ventricular image 100 can be clearly seen, and the inner wall 101 and the binary image 102 of the ventricular image 100 can be visually recognized.
The quality of the coincidence of the contours can be judged by the operator at a glance.

The binary image 102 ′ is a binary image of a tissue whose pixel density value happens to be close to the blood portion, but it can be excluded because it occurs in a region unrelated to the ventricle 100.

Therefore, in step S3, the operator determines that the shape (pattern) of the binary image 102 is the ventricular image 10.
It is determined whether or not it is satisfactory by checking 0, and if it is not satisfied, the threshold value is changed by the operation device 5 (step S4).

When the threshold is changed, the threshold is read (step S22), a new binary image is created (step S23), and overlay display is performed (step S2).
4). As a result, the pattern of the binary image 102 is changed on the ventricle image 100, so that the quality is judged (step S3).

The threshold value can be changed by using the numeric keys, but an up-down switch (up-down switc
In order to continuously perform the operation by using, for example, h), the pattern of the binary image 102 is continuously changed, and the ventricle image 100 is obtained.
This is preferable because it can be continuously compared with. Then, when the best pattern is obtained in light of the ventricular image 100, that is, when the binary image 102 of the pattern having the best contour match with the ventricular wall 101 is obtained, the threshold value change is stopped, which is satisfied. A binary image of the power pattern is obtained.

As a result, the performance of the finally obtained contour line can be predicted. Further, the threshold value is set by the operator and is not affected by the pixel density value of the original image, so that a clear contour line can be obtained.

Since the binary image in response to the continuous change of the threshold value can be created in real time, the binary image 102 having the pattern that best matches the contour of the intraventricular wall 101 can be quickly obtained. be able to.

With respect to the binary image thus obtained, the operator determines in step S5 whether or not the pattern needs to be corrected. This is performed, for example, when the contour line of the inner wall of the left ventricle is drawn to determine whether the obtained binary image pattern is suitable for it.

In the example of FIG. 8, the binary image 102 happens to be obtained as a pattern in which the right ventricle portion RV and the left ventricle portion LV are connected. Here, since the contour line drawing of only the left ventricle portion LV is performed in order to perform the cardiac function analysis while focusing on the left ventricle LV, the right ventricle portion RV is unnecessary.

Therefore, in step S6, the operator draws a boundary line for separating unnecessary portions.
Specifically, the boundary line is designated in step S61 of FIG. This is performed by operating the cursor or the like with the operating device 5 and drawing a boundary line B on the display image as shown in FIG. 9, for example. The drawing of the boundary line B is performed based on the anatomical knowledge of the operator regarding the heart.

The boundary line B is divided into line segments (step S6).
2), the logical value of the pixel of the binary image 102 corresponding to the position where the line segment is drawn is replaced with "0" (step S63),
This is repeated for all line segments (step S6).
4, S63). As a result, in the binary image 102, the pixel logical value of the portion corresponding to the boundary line B is replaced with "0", and the binary image 102 is divided there.

Next, in step S7, the operator designates a landmark, that is, an object center, on the binary image 102 through the operating device 5. This state is shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, C is the object center.

The object center C is designated to designate a binary image from which contour lines are to be drawn. At the same time, the pixel density value search for contour line drawing described below is performed. To give you a starting point. The position of the object center C is 2
It may be anywhere on the value image 102, but it is preferable to specify it as close to the center as possible for convenience of contour drawing for images of other layers later.

Next, in step S8, a contour line is drawn. Specifically, in step S81 of FIG. 5, first, the near end search is performed. The near-end search is, in this embodiment,
It is stipulated to find the position where the first true value exists when the pixel density value is searched in the right direction from the object center C on the screen.

The result of the search is determined in step S82. If the near end is not reached, that is, if the true value is not found even after going to the right end of the screen, an error (error)
Ends (step S14). This is a phenomenon that occurs when, for example, the binary image 102 is removed and the object center C is set.

If the setting of the object center C is correct, the position where the near end is reached and the first true value of the binary image exists is always found. In fact, in most cases, the pixel density value of the object center C itself or its immediate vicinity is at the near end.

When the near end is reached, the far end search is performed in step S83. In the present embodiment, the far-end search is stipulated to find the position where the last true value exists when the true value search is further continued in the right direction of the screen after reaching the near end. .

When searching from the near end to the right, the true value is continuous as long as the binary image remains. Therefore, if the position where this last true value exists is found, it can be considered as the right end of the binary image 102. That is, the far end search is a work for finding the right end of the binary image.

The result of the search is determined in step S84. If the far end has not been reached, the process ends as an error (step S14). This is a case where the binary image does not end even if the right end of the screen is searched, and it is an error because the contour cannot be obtained.

11 and 12 are conceptual diagrams of such near-end search and far-end search. In FIG. 11, the near end N coincides with the object center C, and the binary image 102
Is continuous from the object center C to the far end F without a break.

FIG. 12 is a partial view of a myocardial image M for the part 2
The value of the value image is a false value, that is, "0", and
This is the case when the object center C is specified on the myocardial image M by chance. In this case, the position where the true value is first found in the right direction of the object center C is the near end N, and the end of the binary image 102 in the further right direction is the far end F. This allows the near end and the far end to be correctly obtained even if the object center C happens to be designated at a position that is not a true value.

Since the near end and the far end are obtained based on the true value of the binary image data, there is no ambiguity that causes a problem when obtaining the gradation data, and the determination can be made clearly and quickly. When the far end is reached, contour line search is performed in step S85. Details of the contour line search in step S85 are shown in FIG. In step S851 of FIG. 6, first, initial position acquisition is performed. The initial position is the position at the far end obtained in the above step S83, and its coordinates are fetched.

Then, using this initial position as a starting point, in step S852, it is searched in which of the up, down, left and right directions the true values of the binary image are adjacent. In the present embodiment, in order to give the true value search a left-priority tendency, a fixed search order based on the traveling direction is prescribed.

That is, for example, as shown in FIG.
If a true value is found in the pixel position P2 to the right in the previous search with the pixel position P1 as the starting point, this search uses this pixel position P2 as the starting point and the previous search came from the left. Then, from there, search clockwise for the true value in the order of top, right, and bottom. Similarly, when the previous search came from the top, right, bottom, left order, when it came from the right, bottom,
Find the true value in the order of left, top, and left, top, right when coming from the bottom.

In other words, the true value search is always performed in the order of left, front, and right when viewed from the direction of advance of the previous search. As a result, the left in the traveling direction is searched first, the previous is searched if not found, and the right is searched last if there is not found either, so a left-valued true value search is performed. The left-priority true value search is performed in order to determine the true or false of the contour by using the vector cross product as described later.

If the true value is not found in such a search, the process returns to the starting point of the previous search and the same true value search is performed from there. However, when performing the first contour line search starting from the far end, there is no previous search direction (the far end search is not a contour line search), so the first search direction is set downward. For convenience, it is assumed that it came from the right.

Then, at the position where the true value is first found,
The starting point of the next search is moved (steps S853 to S85).
6). Next, in step S587, the vector cross product of the position vector at the previous starting point and the position at which the true value is found this time, that is, the position vector at the next starting point is calculated, and the calculated values are integrated. . The origin of the position vector is set to the origin of the coordinates on the display screen, for example.

Next, in step S858, it is determined whether or not the initial position, that is, the far end is returned. If the initial position is not returned, step S852 is returned to the initial position.
~ 858 is repeated. Thereby, the binary image 10
The positions of the pixels forming the two contours are sequentially obtained. And
When it returns to the initial position, it means that it has gone around the contour. Further, at this time, the integrated value of the vector cross product is the integrated value when the closed loop is completed.

As described above, since the contour line search is performed based on the true value of the binary image data, it is possible to perform a clear and quick contour line search without ambiguity which is a problem when performing the gradation data. It

As a result of performing the contour line search according to the above rules, when the far end F is on the right side of the closed loop L as shown in FIG. 14, a clockwise clockwise contour line search is carried out, whereas in FIG. When the far end N is on the left side of the closed loop F as described above, a counterclockwise contour line search is performed. Then, the integrated value of the vector cross product becomes positive when the contour makes a right turn, and becomes negative when the contour makes a left turn.

Next, in step S859, the contour line is formed. Next, in step S86 of FIG. 5, it is determined whether the contour line is true or false. The determination is made based on the sign of the integrated value of vector cross products. The contour is true when the sign of the integrated value of the vector cross product is positive, and false when the sign is negative.

This is because, when the near end search and the far end search are performed rightward from the object center C as described above, the far end on the correct contour line should be on the right side of the loop L as shown in FIG. This is because, as a result of the contour search being performed clockwise from there, the integrated value of the vector cross product should be positive.

On the other hand, the integrated value of the vector cross product becomes negative because, for example, as shown in FIG.
That is when the value of the binary image of that part becomes "0", and the far end F is obtained before this, and the contour line search is performed counterclockwise from this far end F according to the above rules. As a result, the pseudo contour P is obtained as shown in FIG. 17, and the integrated value of the vector cross product becomes negative.

If the contour is determined to be false, step S8
Return to 1 and start over from the near end search. As a result,
A new near end N2 and a far end F2 are obtained as shown in FIG. 17, a contour line search is performed clockwise from the new far end F2, and a true contour P2 is obtained as shown in FIG.

With respect to the contour line determined to be true, contour line drawing is performed in step S87. As a result, FIG.
Thus, the contour line 103 of the right interior wall is obtained. Contour 1
03 is displayed in, for example, an orange color so that the binary image 102 and the ventricular image 100 can be easily identified.
When the display device 4 is monochrome, it is preferable to display it with a characteristic line such as a broken line or a chain line.

Next, in step S9 of FIG. 2, the operator
The degree of coincidence between the contour line 103 and the inner wall of the ventricle is checked by reviewing the image, and it is determined whether or not the contour line 103 is satisfactory (step S10).

If not satisfied, for example, if the degree of coincidence with the intraventricular wall is unsatisfactory, the process returns to step S4 to change the threshold value to adjust the pattern of the binary image to obtain a new pattern. Causes the contour line to be drawn.

If the boundary B is not satisfactory, the process returns to step S6, the boundary B is designated again, and the contour line is drawn again based on the designation. When a satisfactory contour line is obtained, a contour line confirmation command is given through the operation device 5 (step S12), and the binary image having the contour line confirmed is stored in the binary image storage area 22 of the storage device 2.

Next, the operator determines whether or not there is another image for which the contour line should be drawn (step S1).
3). In the case of cardiac function analysis, it is necessary to draw the contours of the ventricles for multiple tomographic images with different layers and time phases, so there are other images for which contour lines should be drawn.
Therefore, the process returns to step S1 to call another image, and the contour line of the other image is determined by the procedure of steps S2 to S12. The above operation is repeated to treat all required tomographic images, and the process ends (step S14).

Then, based on the thus-obtained ventricular contours, the ventricular cross-sectional area in the tomographic image of each layer is obtained by the cardiac function analysis means 14, and the ventricular volume is obtained from the ventricular cross-sectional area and slice thickness of each layer, Using it, cardiac function data such as ejection fraction, stroke volume, cardiac output, and volume change graph are obtained.

Although the above embodiment is an example of obtaining the contour of the ventricle, the myocardial 2
It is possible to display a value image and obtain its contour. Then, the volume of the myocardium can be obtained from the cross-sectional area of the myocardium of each layer, and the myocardial weight can be obtained based on the volume.

Further, although the embodiment has been shown in which the contour is drawn on the tomographic image of the heart taken by the medical magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, the present invention is not limited to the medical image but draws the contour line of the image having gradation. Can be generally applied to.

[0086]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, an image having gradation is made into a binary image according to a threshold value, and the binary image and the original image having gradation are superposed and displayed. Since this is done, there is an effect that the contour line of the image having gradation can be accurately obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, an image having gradation is made into a binary image based on a threshold value, and the contour line of this binary image is drawn. The effect that the line can be obtained in a short time is obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, since the shape of the binary image can be collated with the original image having gradation, it is possible to obtain a satisfactory contour line at all times.

Further, according to the present invention, since an accurate contour line of a heart image can be used, it is possible to obtain an effect that a heart function analysis apparatus for performing accurate heart function analysis can be realized. Further, according to the present invention, an end point of the binary image is obtained by a search in one direction using the marked point as a starting point, and a contour is drawn from the end point along the end of the binary image. The effect that the contour line drawing can be efficiently performed is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a part of the procedure of the method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a part of the procedure of the method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of the procedure of the method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a part of the procedure of the method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram of a display image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram of a display image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of a display image according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of a display image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram of a display image according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 11 Binary image forming means 12 Boundary line drawing means 13 Contour line drawing means 14 Core function analysis means 2 Storage device 21 Original image storage area 22 Binary image storage area 3 Image input / output device 4 Image display device 5 Operation apparatus

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A gradation-based image is converted into two images based on a threshold value.
An image processing method in which a binary image is displayed as a binary image and an original image having gradation is superimposed on the binary image. 2. With respect to an image in which an original image having gradation and a binary image created from the original image based on a threshold value are displayed in an overlapping manner, marker points are designated on the binary image. An image processing method for drawing a contour line for a binary image with marked points. 3. An image having gradation is set to 2 based on a threshold value.
An image processing apparatus comprising: a binary image forming means for forming a value image; and a display means for displaying the binary image formed by the binary image forming means and an original image having a gradation in an overlapping manner. 4. An image having gradation is set to 2 based on a threshold value.
A binary image forming means for forming a value image, a display means for displaying the binary image formed by the binary image forming means on an original image having gradation and an indicator image on the binary image. An image processing apparatus comprising: a marked point designating means for designating; and a contour line drawing means for rendering a contour line of the binary image in which the marked point is designated by the marked point designating means. 5. A binary image forming means for converting an image having gradation with respect to a tomographic image of a heart into a binary image based on a threshold, and a binary image formed by the binary image forming means and gradation. Display means for displaying the original image having
Marker point specifying means for specifying a marker point on the binary image;
The above-mentioned 2 in which the marking point is designated by the marking point designating means.
A heart function analysis device comprising: a contour line drawing unit that draws a contour line of a value image; and a heart function analysis unit that performs a heart function analysis based on an area of a portion surrounded by the contour line of the binary image.