JPH10108002A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform recording in a desired print format, other than standard formats by providing a preparation means, capable of preparing optional formats by an operator. SOLUTION: Format-switching means 210A and 210B and format preparation means 220A and 220B are provided on keypads 201A and 201B, and the setting signals are fetched to the control means 141 of a laser imager 100. By the setting signals, the fetching command to an input means 142 of photographic image information from medical diagnostic equipment 200A and 200B and a recording command to a storage means 143 are performed, and a write command is sent through a reproducing means 144 to an image formation part 130. In the case of performing the preparation for a new format, the preparation of the mixed formats of different combinations, the changes in a magnification and the changes of frame intervals, etc., the data of desired parameters are set by inputting into the format-preparing means 220A and 220B, the number of frames setting means 221A and 221B, into frame-interval setting means 222A and 222B and into magnification-setting means 223A and 223B.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for inputting diagnostic image data from a medical diagnostic apparatus and recording one or more images on one image recording sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A laser imager is a device for writing an image transferred from a medical diagnostic device (modality) such as CT or MRI on a film using a laser.

Usually, an operator of a medical diagnostic apparatus (modality) outputs an image using a laser imager.
Keys on the operation panel connected to the laser imager for setting the format information for setting the layout method for printing multiple images on one film, setting the LUT, storing images, starting printing, etc. Perform with a pad.

In a laser imager, a film supplied from a supply magazine is recorded according to a set format by a laser beam from an exposure section, and then developed by a directly connected automatic developing machine.

At this time, in the laser imager, format information (the number of recorded images,
The operator selects the presence / absence of image rotation processing and the presence / absence of mixed processing of the enlargement ratio from the keypad, according to the type of medical diagnostic device (modality), film size, shooting purpose, etc., and stores the data. I do.

The displayed format is 1, 2, 2,
Each normal format in which 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 16, 20 images, etc. are recorded on one film,
A standard format in which these images are rotated by 90 ° and a mixture of frames having different enlargement ratios is standard. The operator can select the most suitable one from these displayed formats. However, other formats could not be adopted.

The laser imager calculates and determines the enlargement ratio based on the selected format and film size, the size of the stored image from the medical diagnostic apparatus (modality) (the image size differs for each modality), and the like. Layout and print.

[0008] 90 ° other than the above standard format
The selection of a standard format involving rotation and mixing may be as follows.

(1) When the vertical direction of the shower is 14 inches or when the film is laid horizontally and the size of one frame is larger, the image is rotated by 90 degrees and the image is printed in the horizontal position. When selecting (2) Normally, select a format in which the size of all frames in the film is the same, but if you want to enlarge a part of the affected area, mix some frames at a higher magnification than other frames. When format is selected (3) When images are used not for clinical use but for research or reference materials, when selecting a slide format that matches the output for slides (4) When laying out many frames on film You want to adjust the distance between frames in relation to Schaukasten.

[0010]

In the above conventional example, several standard formats are set in advance by the manufacturer of the laser imager in consideration of the standard image size, the type of easy-to-use image layout, and the interval between frames. doing. However, there are not so many types of such standard formats, and practical users have often been disappointed and disappointed. In that case, it seems good to increase the number of standard formats, but if all the various requirements of each user are satisfied, there are too many types, it is difficult to select,
On the contrary, the operability deteriorates.

In the above situation, for example, the following functions are provided as functions desired by the user in addition to the general format.

A. Usually, the aspect ratio of the image size is often landscape, but for other image sizes, it is possible to increase the print size by using a format other than the standard format. Normally, there is a certain interval between print frames. However, when an image of a bone is captured by an RI image or the like, for example, the entire image cannot be included in one frame. C. Provide a function corresponding to it. Since there are cases where it is desired to change the layout including the enlargement ratio and the number of frames of the mix format depending on the purpose of the operator, a function corresponding thereto is provided.

[0013] Even if there is such a request, it was very inconvenient and difficult to deal with it if the manufacturer had to respond by changing the software or hardware.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus which can solve the above-mentioned drawbacks and can record an image by arbitrarily setting and inputting a print format desired by an operator in addition to a standard format. .

[0015]

This object is achieved by any one of the following technical means (1) to (3).

(1) input means for inputting an image signal;
An image recording apparatus comprising: an image storage unit that stores an input image signal; and an output unit that reproduces and outputs an image signal from the stored image storage unit, and records an image on a film by using the reproduced and output image signal. A frame number setting unit for setting the number of frames in the X and Y directions to be printed on the film, and a format generation unit capable of generating an arbitrary format by an operator other than a format switching unit for switching and selecting a standard format. An image recording apparatus configured to reproduce and output an image in an arbitrary required format.

(2) input means for inputting an image signal;
An image recording apparatus comprising: an image storage unit that stores an input image signal; and an output unit that reproduces and outputs an image signal from the stored image storage unit, and records an image on a film by using the reproduced and output image signal. A frame number setting means for setting the number of frames in the X and Y directions to be printed on the film, and a frame interval setting means for setting a distance between the frames, and operate in addition to the format switching means for switching and selecting the standard format. An image recording apparatus comprising a format creating means for enabling a user to create an arbitrary format, and reproducing and outputting an image in an arbitrary required format.

(3) input means for inputting an image signal;
An image recording apparatus comprising: an image storage unit that stores an input image signal; and an output unit that reproduces and outputs an image signal from the stored image storage unit, and records an image on a film by using the reproduced and output image signal. Frame number setting means for setting the number of frames in the X and Y directions to be printed on the film, frame interval setting means for setting the distance between frames, and setting of the number of frames and the frame intervals in a plurality of areas. And a format creation means for setting an enlargement rate for each area in the case of performing the above, and forming an arbitrary format by an operator other than the format switching means for switching and selecting the standard format. An image recording apparatus for reproducing and outputting an image in a required format.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A schematic system according to an embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic configuration diagram of FIG.

The laser imager 100 is CT, MRI
Medical diagnostic device 2 for taking a tomographic image of the affected part of a patient
The captured image information from 00A and 200B is taken into the image data input means 142 via the interface,
The information is stored in the storage unit 143, and the information is sent to the image forming unit 130 via the reproduction unit 144 according to a command from the control unit 141.

On the other hand, a keypad 201 as an operation panel
A, 201B, the format switching means 210A, 2
10B and format creation means 220A and 220B are provided, and the setting signal is taken into the control means 141 of the laser imager 100. According to the setting signal, the captured image information from the medical diagnostic apparatuses 200A and 200B is input to the input unit 142 and stored in the storage unit 143, and is written to the image forming unit 130 via the reproduction unit 144. A command signal is sent.

The control means 141, the input means 142, the storage means 143 and the reproduction means 144 constitute a control device 140 of the laser imager 100.

In response to the write signal command, one film is taken out of the supply magazine 137, and the film travels along the conveyance path 138A. The laser exposure unit 131 converts the modulated image signal from the laser beam through a polygon mirror. When the film is printed on the film on the transport path 138B and a predetermined number of tomographic images are scanned on the film and printed, the film is transported backward on the transport path 138B and enters the branch transport path 138C for development processing. It is sent to the unit 50. The film passes through a developing tank, a fixing tank, a washing tank, and a drying unit, and is sorted into a sorter 50A having a sorting bin, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. It is collected as a printed image with a simple layout.

FIG. 1 shows a keypad 2 serving as an operation panel.
01A and 201B are arranged, and the keypad is provided beside the medical diagnostic devices 200A and 200B.
A and 220B may be attached to the upper part of the laser imager 100.

Further, a plurality of medical diagnostic devices can be connected to the laser imager 100. In the present embodiment, a state in which two devices represented by reference numerals A or B are connected is illustrated.

First Embodiment As an embodiment 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, first, an example will be described in which the present invention is applied to a case where a film of a whole body bone is photographed in an MRI image in a 2 × 3 format.

A format in which the number of frames in the X direction is 2 and the number of frames in the Y direction is 3 (hereinafter referred to as 2 × 3) is selected by the keypad of the present invention, and a store operation is performed to print out. FIG. 2 shows a case where the standard format is selected and the image is taken. However, in the case of such an image, connecting the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 3 allows the whole body to be seen as one unit, and the gap between frames can be treated as an image, so that the print size can be increased accordingly. It is very desirable.

In this case, the keypad 201A or 2
01B format creation means 220A or 220B
The parameter data is set in the frame number setting means 221A or 221B and the frame interval setting means 222A or 222B as described below.

In the description of the embodiment of the present invention, the unit of the length and width of a film or an image is represented by a pixel, and one pixel is 0.08 mm.

The number of frames in the X direction 2 The number of frames in the Y direction 3 The frame interval in the X direction 25 pixels (2 mm) The frame interval in the Y direction 0 pixels (0 mm) 8
As shown in the flowchart, the store key of the keypad is pressed, and the image signal is taken in the laser imager 100 and is repeated by the set number of frames. Thereafter, when the print key is pressed, the laser imager 10 is pressed.
Reference numeral 0 denotes the control device 140 which analyzes page information such as the film size of the corresponding page, the number of frames of the format, and frame specifications, and determines the layout of the print format.

Next, the stored LUT designation information of the first frame and frame information such as an interpolation method for enlargement are analyzed, and the frame is enlarged based on the frame enlargement ratio and the like in accordance with the determined print format. Layout at specified location.

This process is repeated for the number of stored frames. When the process is completed, print exposure processing is actually performed on the film.

The analysis of the page information is performed as follows.

Film size Half cut (Maximum print area: 4096 ×
Original pixel size 540 × 512 Number of frames in the X direction 2 Number of frames in the Y direction 3 Frame interval in the X direction 25 pixels (2 mm) Frame interval in the Y direction 0 pixels (0 mm) based on page information of (1) The calculation of the image enlargement size is: horizontal size = 4096− (number of frames in X direction−1) × frame interval in X direction Vertical size = 5120− (number of frames in X direction−1) × frame interval in Y direction (2) The calculation of the limiting direction of the enlargement ratio is as follows: horizontal enlargement ratio = horizontal size / (number of frames in X direction × 540) vertical enlargement ratio = vertical size / (number of frames in Y direction × 512) Adopt as rate.

(3) Layout In the case where the vertical direction is the restricted direction, the coordinates of the position of the first frame shown in (X1, Y1) or (X2, Y2) in FIG. 3 are calculated as follows. .

X1 = (4096− (540 × magnification × X)
The number of frames in the direction + 25)) / 2 Y1 = 0 X2 = X1 Y2 = 512 × magnification In this way, a new required format, not an existing format, is input to the laser imager 100, and the image is recorded and collected.

If this format is always required by the user, it is registered and incorporated in the format switching means 210A or 210B, and when this format is used again, the format switching means 2 is used.
This format can be switched and selected from 10A or 210B and input to the control means 141 of the control device 140 of the laser imager 100 becomes possible. Of course, it is also possible to set and input the above-mentioned parameters again in the format creation means 220A or 220B.

When the film size is half cut (print image size 4096 × 5120 pixels), the MRI image size is 5
In the case of 40 × 512 pixels, in the example of FIG. 2, when the frame interval in the X and Y directions in the standard format is 2 mm (25 pixels),
Although the effective print size is 4071 × 5070 pixels and the magnification is 3.30 times, in the example of FIG. 3, the frame interval in the X direction is 25 pixels, the frame interval in the Y direction is 0, and the effective print size is 4071 × 5120 pixels. And the expansion rate is 3.3
3 times. The film surface can be used more effectively,
There is a great advantage that observation and diagnosis can be performed without dividing a wider range of images.

In the first embodiment, the number of frames in the X and Y directions is of a standard format, and only the frame interval in the Y direction is different from the standard format. It is equivalent. Therefore, in this case, the format creation means 220A or 220B is composed of the frame number setting means 221A or 221B and the frame interval setting means 2
It may be composed of only 22A or 222B.

On the other hand, the number of frames in the X direction and the Y direction is not the standard format of 2 × 3, for example, and the image size is not standard as shown in FIG.
There is a case where it is desired to convert a horizontally long original image of 80 × 512 pixels into a format having 1 × 3 frames. In this case, the purpose is achieved by setting 1 × 3 and size parameters in the frame number setting means 221A or 221B in the format creation means 220A or 220B. In this case, the format creating means 220A or 220B may be constituted only by the frame number setting means 221A or 221B. This is Example 2 as an example of the first embodiment.

In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a horizontally long original image having a non-standard number of frames in the X and Y directions is, for example, a 1.times.3 format. The format is different from the standard by setting the interval to zero. This is an example of the second embodiment as in the first embodiment.

Next, a third embodiment will be described.

For example, in a DSA image used for angiography, a part of a large number of frames is often divided into another region so as to highlight frames important for reading, and is thus larger than those in other regions. I want to print. This is also a standard format in a laser imager, as shown in FIG. 6, where the number of frames in two regions is 3 × 3/2 × 1 (one region has 3 × 3 frames and the other region has 2 × 3 frames). (Indicating that the number of frames is 1). However, this is not enough, and if a user wants to perform a 4 × 3/2 × 2 mix format as a user, the following settings are made.

In this case, the keypad 201A or 2
01B format creation means 220A or 220B
The parameter data is set as follows in the frame number setting means 221A or 221B, the frame interval setting means 222A or 222B, and the enlargement ratio setting means 223A and 223B for each area.

In this case, the format as shown in FIG. 7 is supported.

First area Number of frames in X direction 4 Number of frames in Y direction 3 Frame interval in X direction 2 mm (25 pixels) Frame interval in Y direction 2 mm (25 pixels) Magnification ratio 2 Second area Number of frames in X direction 2 Number of frames in Y direction 2 Frame spacing in X direction 2 mm (25 pixels) Frame spacing in Y direction 2 mm (25 pixels) Magnification 3 As described above, parameters other than the standard format are set according to the operator's conditions. Thus, it is possible to freely create a new format, create a mix format having a different combination, change an enlargement ratio, change a frame interval, etc., without having to change software or hardware with the help of a manufacturer.

[0047]

According to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to create a new format, create a mix format having a different combination, change an enlargement ratio, change a frame interval, etc. in accordance with the conditions of the operator in addition to the standard format. This allows the user to freely and easily do this, and eliminates the time and expense of having to change the software and hardware on the manufacturer side each time a non-standard format is required, as in the past. I came to need it.

Since the type of the standard format to be mounted on the image recording apparatus may be set to the minimum necessary, the manufacturing cost of the image recording apparatus is reduced and the operability of the apparatus is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus to which a laser imager system is connected.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of a standard format 2 × 3.

FIG. 3 is a layout diagram of a custom format 2 × 3.

FIG. 4 is a layout diagram of a custom format 1 × 3.

FIG. 5 is a layout diagram of a custom format 1 × 3.

FIG. 6 is a layout diagram of a standard mix format 3 × 3/2 × 1.

FIG. 7: Custom mix format 4 × 3/2 × 2
Layout diagram.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation inside the laser imager after a format is input from a format creating unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 50 development processing unit 100 laser imager 130 image forming unit 131 laser exposure unit 137 supply magazine 138A, 138B transport path 141 control unit 142 input unit 143 storage unit 144 reproduction unit 200A medical diagnostic device (for CT) 200B medical diagnostic device (for CT) 201A, 201B Keypad 210A, 210B Format switching means 220A, 220B Format creation means 221A, 221B Frame number setting means 222A, 222B Frame interval setting means 223A, 223B Magnification rate setting means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image signal that has input means for inputting an image signal, image storage means for storing the input image signal, and output means for reproducing and outputting the image signal from the stored image storage means. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a film by using a frame number setting means for setting the number of frames in the X and Y directions to be printed on the film, and operating in addition to the format switching means for switching and selecting a standard format. An image recording apparatus comprising a format creating means for enabling a user to create an arbitrary format, and reproducing and outputting an image in an arbitrary required format. 2. An image signal which has input means for inputting an image signal, image storage means for storing the input image signal, and output means for reproducing and outputting the image signal from the stored image storage means. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a film according to the present invention, comprising: frame number setting means for setting the number of frames in the X and Y directions to be printed on the film; and frame interval setting means for setting a distance between the frames. In addition to the format switching means for switching and selecting a standard format, a format creation means capable of creating an arbitrary format by an operator is constituted, and an image is reproduced and output in an arbitrary required format. apparatus. 3. An image signal which has an input means for inputting an image signal, an image storage means for storing the input image signal, and an output means for reproducing and outputting the image signal from the stored image storage means. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a film by means of a frame number setting means for setting the number of frames in the X and Y directions to be printed on the film; a frame interval setting means for setting a distance between the frames; Enlarging rate setting means for setting an enlarging rate for each area when the setting of the number of frames and the frame interval are specified in a plurality of areas is provided. An image recording apparatus comprising a format creating means capable of creating a format, wherein an image is reproduced and output in an arbitrary required format.