JPS6057076B2 - image display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image display device used for displaying images in a so-called CT (computer tomography) device or the like.

For example, in a CT device, the CT displayed on the display screen
This is useful if you want to know the actual distance within the object from the image.

That is, it is very important to know the distance from a specific site in a tomographic plane of a subject, for example, the distance from a tumor site to the body surface, the size of a tumor, etc. for treatment or treatment planning. Conventionally, even in such cases, it has not been possible to directly determine the actual distance from the image plane, and when you want to know the actual distance, for example, you need to know the magnification ratio for the actual size of the image plane, and then draw the desired position on the image plane. Measure the distance of the point and convert it using the magnification factor, or if the magnification factor is not known, measure the dimension of the point that is easy to measure from the subject;
After determining the magnification ratio from this and the dimensions on the image plane, the above conversion is performed.

The present invention was made based on these circumstances, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image display device that can easily and rationally grasp the actual distance of a desired point in any angular direction from a displayed image.

That is, the present invention is characterized by: a display device for displaying an image; an image display control means for displaying image information on the display screen of the display device; Circle or arc indicators centered on this point and having a radius corresponding to the distance information regarding the display image displayed by the image display control means are superimposed on the display screen, and the positions of these indicators on the screen are externally displayed. It is equipped with an index display control means that can be set as desired by operation, and it becomes possible to tell the distance in any angular direction at a glance.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The figure is a block diagram showing the configuration of essential parts of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an image display device in a CT apparatus.

In the figure, 1 is a CPU (central processing unit) that operates in conjunction with the imaging unit of the main body of the CT apparatus (not shown) to perform image processing and also handles processing, control, etc. in this apparatus;
is the memory connected to CPUl, 3 is 1 used for display
a frame buffer in which a screen worth of CT image data is stored; 4 a position setting means for setting the position on the screen of a point index serving as a distance measurement reference point, that is, the center point; 5 a position setting means for setting the point index on the screen; radius setting means for setting the radius of the circle index; reference numeral 6 is a pattern generator that generates pattern display signals for the point index and circle index based on the position and radius set by the position setting means 4 and the radius setting means 5, respectively; 7 generates a numerical character display signal corresponding to the radius set by the radius setting means 5 based on a signal from the CPU 1 that receives the setting signal. A character generator 8 converts the image data read out from the frame buffer 3, the pattern display signal output from the pattern generator 6, and the character display signal output from the character generator 7 into analog signals, and also converts these into analog signals. A synthesizer for synthesizing and obtaining a synthesized image signal; 9 is a CRT (CathOd) serving as a display for displaying the synthesized image signal output from the synthesizer 8;
10 is a synchronization circuit for synchronizing the frame buffer 3, pattern generator 6, character generator 7, and CRT monitor 9 during display on the CRT monitor 9. As the position setting means 4, the position is set by using a joystick or the like while looking at point indicators on the screen;
Alternatively, it may be possible to directly indicate a desired point on the screen using a light pen or the like. Further, as the radius setting means 5, it is conceivable to use a digital switch or the like, or to use a keyboard or the like for input to the CPU1. Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained.

The image data of the CT image to be displayed is matrix image data consisting of gradation information for each pixel, and is, for example, a digital image consisting of Nxm matrix data. Generally, one screen (one frame) of this image data to be displayed is transferred from the memory 2 and stored in the frame buffer 3. On the other hand, based on the settings made by the position setting means 4 and the radius setting means 5, the pattern generator 6 sets display patterns for point indicators and circle indicators corresponding thereto. Further, the radius setting value by the radius setting means 5 is also given to CPUl'',
The result of the conversion performed in PUl to correspond to the actual distance is given to the character generator 7, and this character generator 7 sets a display character for displaying the actual distance corresponding to the radius of the display circle index using numbers, etc. be done. The image data of the frame buffer 3, the display pattern data of the pattern generator 6, and the character display data of the character generator 7 are read out in synchronization with the scanning of the CRT monitor 9 by the operation of the synchronization circuit 10, and are read out in the synthesizer 8. After being D/A (digital-to-analog) converted and combined with each other, the signals are provided to the CRT monitor 9. In this way,
A CT image based on the information read out from the frame buffer 3 is displayed on the screen of the CRT monitor 9, and point markers and point markers are displayed at locations set by the position setting means 4 based on the signal output from the pattern generator 6. A circle index centered on this point index and having a radius set by the radius setting means 5 is displayed on the screen overlapping with the previous & consecutive T images, and furthermore, based on the output from the character generator 7, the CT of the circle index The radius on the image is converted into an actual distance, and the value is displayed numerically on the same screen.

Therefore, at this time, for example, if one point index and one circle index corresponding to it are displayed on the screen of the CRT monitor 9, (a) between any two points (of interest) on the CT image If you want to know the distance (including the width, diameter, etc.) of a part, region, etc., set the position 7 setting means 4 at a location corresponding to one of the two points on the CT image displayed on the screen of the CRT monitor 9. By adjusting the position of the point index by operation and operating the radius setting means 5 while looking at the circle index displayed overlappingly on the image so that the circle index passes through the location corresponding to the other of the two points, The numerical value displayed at that time becomes the desired distance between two points.

(b) If you want to know the region at a desired distance from an arbitrary point on the CT image or the area within the distance, adjust the position of the point index by operating the position 7 setting means 4, The radius setting means is operated so that the numerically displayed value of the radius becomes a desired value.

Various actual distances on the CT image table can be obtained extremely easily.

In addition, a plurality of systems such as position setting means and radius setting means 5 are provided, and one each corresponds to a plurality of circle indicators.
If each circle index is displayed, it becomes possible to grasp various distances over a wider range.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be implemented with various modifications without changing the gist thereof.

For example, there is no way to display multiple circular indicators concentrically with respect to the same point indicator, or to display multiple circular indicators concentrically at predetermined intervals to vary the radius dimension. It may also be possible to grasp the actual distance between the two, or to make it possible to variably set the intervals between a plurality of concentric circles at regular intervals. In addition, when the display magnification rate etc. is constant and there is no need for conversion, the digital switch of the radius setting means 5,
If the numerical values of keyboard switches, etc. are made to directly correspond to the radius dimension, there is no need to display the radius numerical value. Furthermore, the circle index may extend beyond the display screen due to its radius dimension, position, etc., and in that case, it becomes an arc index. Of course, the same effect can be obtained by using a partial circular arc index or a set thereof (such as a broken line circle index) instead of using a complete circle as the circle index. In addition to CT image display, the present invention can also be used to display an RI (RadioisOtOpe) distribution image in an ultrasonic tomographic image display nuclear medicine device, a weather map display, etc. in substantially the same manner as described above.

In these cases, image information may be provided directly without the frame buffer 3. Furthermore, when various image display means other than a CRT television monitor (such as an X-Y monitor or a liquid crystal display) are used as a display device, l is basically the same as described above in principle. As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image display device that can easily and rationally grasp the actual distance to a desired point from the display screen.

The simple explanatory diagram in FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of essential parts of an embodiment of the present invention.

1...CPU12...Memory, 3...
... Frame buffer, 4 ... Position setting means, 5 ... Half radius setting means, 6 ...
・Pattern generator, 7...Character generator, 8...Synthesizer, 9...CR
T monitor, 10... Synchronous circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A display device for displaying an image, and an image display control means for displaying image information on the display screen of the display device;
Displaying an index of a circle or an arc centered on a point on the display screen of the display device and having a radius corresponding to distance information regarding the display image displayed by the image display control means in a superimposed manner on the display screen; An image display device comprising: index control means capable of setting the positions of these indexes on a screen as desired by external operation. 2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator display control means can set the radius of the circle or arc indicator as desired by external operation. 3. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein the indicator display control means is capable of simultaneously displaying a plurality of circular or arcuate indicators concentrically. 4. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator display control means concentrically displays a plurality of scheduled indicators of circles or arcs having different radii. 5. The image according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the indicator display control means can simultaneously display on the display screen a numerical value corresponding to the radius of the indicator of a circle or an arc. Display device. 6. The image display device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the indicator display control means is capable of displaying a plurality of circular or arcuate indicators.