JPS6347751A - Radiographic image information recording and reproducing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically sort and extract recording sheets in accordance with required conditions by providing an image reproducing device with plural trays and distributing and carrying the recording sheets in the trays accordance with the prescribed sorting conditions such as requesters for photographing, operators, objects, and so on. CONSTITUTION:The image reproducing device 100 disposed with an image recording part 110 and a developing part 120 is provided with plural trays 131-133 and a developed recording sheet is distributed to any one of the trays 131-133 and carried in accordance with a prescribed sorting condition relating to image information reproduced on the sheet 3. Thus, the recording sheets 3 sorted in accordance with the prescribed conditions can be automatically obtained by providing the image reproducing device with plural trays, distributing and carrying the recording sheets 3 to respective trays in accordance with the prescribed conditions and then extracting the recording sheets 3 under the stored state in the trays. Thereby it is unnecessary to sort a recording sheet 3 extracted from the image reproducing device 100 prior to diagnosis or the like and sheet processing as the whole system can be made easy.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention stores and records image information on a stimulable phosphor sheet,
This stimulable phosphor sheet is irradiated with excitation light to generate stimulated luminescence light, this stimulated luminescence light is detected photoelectrically to read the image information, and the read image information is recorded as a visible image. Regarding the radiation image information recording and reproducing system that reproduces on a sheet, in particular, in the image reproducing device that performs the reproduction, the image information is reproduced as a visible image, and the recording sheet is separately photographed and carried into a plurality of trays, The present invention relates to a radiation image information recording and reproducing system that can classify and take out recording sheets.

(Technical background of the invention and prior art) Certain phosphors are exposed to radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays.

When irradiated with γ-rays, ultraviolet rays, electron beams, etc., a portion of this radiation energy is accumulated in the phosphor, and when this phosphor is irradiated with excitation light such as visible light, the phosphor changes depending on the accumulated energy. It is known that phosphors exhibit stimulated luminescence, and phosphors that exhibit this property are called stimulable phosphors.Using this stimulable phosphor, it is possible to temporarily store radiation image information of a subject such as a human body. The stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as a laser beam to generate stimulated luminescent light, and the resulting stimulated luminescent light is read photoelectrically to generate an image signal. Based on this image signal, the image of the subject is displayed on a recording material such as a photosensitive material or a display device such as a CRT. !
The applicant has already proposed a radiation image information recording and reproducing system that reproduces a J-ray image as a visible image. (
This method has the practical advantage of being able to record images over an extremely wide radiation exposure range compared to conventional radiographic systems using silver halide photography. have. In other words, in stimulable phosphors, it is recognized that the amount of emitted light that is stimulated and emitted due to excitation after accumulation is proportional to the amount of light emitted during radiation exposure over an extremely wide range. Even if the value varies considerably, the amount of stimulated luminescence light emitted from the stimulable phosphor sheet is read by the photoelectric conversion means by setting the reading gain to an appropriate value and converted into an electrical signal. A radiation image that is not affected by fluctuations between radiation exposures can be obtained by outputting a visible image to a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material or a display device such as a CRT.

In addition, according to this system, radiation image information stored and recorded on a stimulable phosphor sheet is converted into an electrical signal, then subjected to appropriate signal processing, and this electrical signal is used to produce recording materials such as photographic light-sensitive materials, CRTs, etc. By outputting a visible image on a display device such as the above, an extremely large effect can be obtained in that an excellent radiation image suitable for observation and interpretation (appropriate for diagnosis) can be obtained. After image information is recorded (photographed) on the body sheet in a copying device, it is sent to a reading device, and the image information is read by scanning the sheet with excitation light. The read image information is recorded on the recording sheet by scanning the recording sheet with recording light that has been modified based on this image information, and then is developed and reproduced, and used for various diagnostics. Served. Recording and development of the image information are performed in an image recording section and a developing section, respectively, and the image recording section and developing section may be integrated into one image reproducing device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, in the above-mentioned imaging device, @shadows requested by various clients such as doctors and various departments of hospitals are made by various operators such as technicians, and Performed on the subject. Further, in the image reproducing apparatus, the image information transmitted to the apparatus is sequentially reproduced, so that the plurality of recording sheets that are taken out from the image reproducing apparatus after the reproduction is completed are sent to the client.

In some cases, images of different operators and subjects may be mixed together. Therefore, in that case, when providing multiple recording sheets with reproduced image information for diagnosis, it is necessary to classify the recording sheets by specific types such as client, operator, and subject in advance. It was extremely troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a radiation image information recording and reproducing system that can classify and open recording sheets as necessary before taking them out from an image reproducing apparatus.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In the radiation image information recording and reproducing system of the present invention, an image reproducing apparatus including an image recording section and an imaging section is provided with a plurality of trays, and a developed recording sheet is It is characterized in that the recording sheets are sorted and conveyed to one of a plurality of trays, and the recording sheets are sorted or classified according to predetermined classification conditions regarding the image information reproduced on the recording sheets. be.

The image reproducing device in the screw stem is equipped with an image recording section that records image information as described above, and a developing section that develops the image information recorded on the recording sheet. The sections may be integrated into the same unit, or if the recording sheet carried out from the image recording section is directly carried into the developing section, the sheet conveying means etc. may be used. It may be a separate entity via the Further, the number of reading devices and photographing devices connected to the image reproduction device can be set arbitrarily, and may be one or more.

Further, the predetermined classification conditions include the person requesting the imaging (such as a doctor), the operator of the photographing device (such as a technician), and the subject (patient, etc.) as described in (a) above.

(Function) If multiple trays are installed in the image reproducing device as described above, and recording sheets are taken and loaded into each tray according to predetermined classification conditions, the recording sheets can be taken out while being stored in the trays. Accordingly, recording sheets classified according to predetermined conditions can be automatically cleared. Therefore, there is no need to classify the recording sheets taken out from the image reproducing device prior to diagnosis, etc., and the processing of the sheets becomes easier for the entire system.

(Example) Hereinafter, a 1!1 ray image information recording and reproducing system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a radiation image information recording and reproducing system according to the present invention.

First, image information is recorded (photographed) on the stimulable phosphor sheet 1 in a photographing device.
Up to 10 imaging devices are provided, and each imaging device 10-19 has a radiation source 10A-19 such as an X-ray source.
A, and one each of controllers 10B to 1913. Furthermore, in these photographing devices 10 to 19, photographs are taken of a large number of subjects by a large number of operators at the request of a large number of clients. To explain recording of image information using the first photographing device 10 as an example, sheet 1
is arranged in the first @shoso@10 at a position facing the radiation source 10A with the subject 2 in between, and in this state, the radiation source 10Δ is activated and the transmitted radiation image of the subject 2 is displayed on the sheet 1. The radiation image information of the subject 20 is stored and recorded on the sheet 1. Sheet 1 when performing shadowing
The sheets may be stored one by one in a cassette that transmits radiation and has light-shielding properties, or in the case of continuous @ imaging, multiple sheets are stored in a sheet supply magazine and the sheets are loaded from this magazine. The sheets may be taken out one by one and sent for transportation. After the photographing is completed, the sheet 1 is taken out from the photographing device 10 and loaded into the reading device, and the image information is read. However, the sheet that has been stored in the cassette and has been photographed remains stored in the cassette when the sheet is fed. The sheets that have been taken out from the magazine and photographed are stored in the sheet storage magazines that are sequentially brought in after the end of the year, and then loaded into the reading device.
be done.

In this system, as an example, the first reading device 20,
Image information is read using three reading devices @ consisting of a second reading device 20' and a third reading device 20''. The configuration is similar to the one described above, and the configuration will be explained below by taking the first reading device 20 as an example.
Is the sheet 1 on which the image was taken in the 10-1 beam reading device on the stand the three reading devices? Q, 20', 20"
Reading may be performed in any of the above. Also each reading device 20.20'.

20'' are respectively provided with panels 21, 21' and 21'', and when loading a photographed sheet into each reading device, predetermined information regarding the image information recorded on the sheet is displayed from this panel. Conditions, ie, the person requesting photography, the operator, the subject, etc., are input (hereinafter, data regarding the above conditions will be referred to as classification data). As the classification data, the corresponding name or the like may be input as is, or the name may be associated with a symbol 1 number etc. in advance and input as a symbol or number. The classification data thus input from the panels 21, 21', 21'' are stored in the memories 22, 22', 22u provided in the respective reading devices 20, 20', 20'', respectively.

A reading device 20 scans the sheet 1 with excitation light 2 such as a laser beam.
4A, and the light emitted from the sheet 1 by the scanning is photoelectrically read by an optical NWF having a photodetector such as a photomultiplier, and an electrical signal for outputting a visible image. This is to obtain a high-quality image signal. In the figure, 24 is an excitation light source, 23 is a light deflector such as a galvanometer mirror, and 26 is an optical N
It is a reflecting mirror that reflects the light toward a light guide 25a of the reading means (the light guide 25a serves to guide the stimulated luminescence light to a photodetector 25b such as a photomultiplier while totally reflecting it). After the sheet 1 loaded in the reading device 20 is taken out from the above-mentioned cassette or magazine, it is transported in the direction of the arrow by the sheet transport means 27, and the entire surface of the sheet is 2 Dimensionally scanned a! Stimulated luminescent light is generated, and this stimulated luminescent light is detected by the photodetector 25b via the light guide 25a. Photodetector 25b 1
．． : The stimulated luminescent light is converted into an electrical signal, and the obtained electrical signal is sent to the image information processing circuit 28 for image processing, and then sent to an image reproducing device to be described later. The sheet that has been read is taken out from the reading device 20 and sent to an erasing device (not shown), where it is irradiated with erasing light to release residual radiation energy from the sheet and become ready to be photographed again.

The three reading devices 20.20', 20'' are all connected to the image reproduction device 100, and the image information read by each of the reading devices 20.20', 20'' as described above is used for image reproduction. The image is reproduced on a recording sheet 3 such as a photographic film in an apparatus 1100k. Therefore, the above 10
All the image information photographed by the photographing devices 10 to 19 of the stand is reproduced by the image reproduction device 100. This image reproducing device 100 is provided with a CPU (central processing unit) 101, and under the control of this CPJj 101, three reading devices 20, 20' are read.

? The image information read in Q" is sequentially reproduced. The image reproducing apparatus 100 also includes recording sheets 3 that are conveyed one by one by a sheet conveying means 111.
For modulator 11? an image recording section 110 that records image information by scanning the recording light 113A that is modulated by the optical deflector 114 and then deflected by the optical deflector 114; and a developing section 120 that develops the recording sheet 3 carried out from the image recording section 110. ．． Three trays 131 that can store a plurality of recording sheets 3. A tray storage section 130 is provided which holds trays 132 and 133 in a detachable manner.

The electrical signal (image signal) based on the image information output from the image information processing circuit 28 of the first reading device 20 is stored in the first frame memory 102 in the image reproduction device 100.
The image signal output from the image information processing circuit 28' of the second reading device 20' is stored in the second frame memory 103, and the image information processing circuit 28'' of the third reading device 20'' is stored in the image information processing circuit 28'' of the third reading device 20''.
The image signal output from the third frame memory 10
4 respectively. When an image signal is stored in any one of the three frame memories, that frame memory outputs the signal to the CPU as shown by the solid line in the figure. Further, the frame memory 102. 103. 104 is the switch 10
5 selectively modulator 11? of the image recording section 110.
and the modulator is driven based on the stored image signal. Said CPIJ 1
01 receives a signal indicating that an image signal has been stored in the frame memory from any one of the three frame memories, and sends a control signal S to the switch 105.
1, and the switch 105 is controlled to take a position where the modulator 112 is connected to the frame memory in which the image signal is stored.

As described above, under the control of CPtJlol, three frame memories 102. 103. 104 as modulator 11
If the image recording unit 110 is selectively connected to the three reading devices 20 and 20',
.

? The image information read at O'' can be sequentially reproduced. Note that if the light source 113 of the recording light 113A is a semiconductor laser capable of analog direct modulation,
The modulator 112 may be eliminated and the semiconductor laser drive circuit and each frame memory may be selectively connected.

The recording sheet 3 on which image information has been recorded in the image recording section 110 is sent to the developing section 120 and subjected to development processing. The developing section 120 includes a developing zone 121 and a fixing zone 12? , a washing zone 123, and a drying zone 124, and the recording sheet 3 is sent to each zone in order and developed.
It is carried out from the developing section 120.

The tray storage section 130 is arranged adjacent to the developing section 120, and the recording sheet 3 carried out from the developing section 120 is stored in the developing section 120.
are the three trays in this tray storage section 130 131.
132. The images are taken separately and transported to one of the 133. Further, the recording sheets are sorted according to the aforementioned classification data regarding the image information reproduced on the recording sheets. For example, if the above classification data is the person requesting the radiography (doctor), the record sheets related to the radiography requested by doctors A and B are carried into the first tray 131, and the record sheet related to the radiography requested by doctor C1 is transferred to the first tray 131. The sheets are carried into the second tray 132, and the record sheets regarding the imaging requested by doctors E, F, and G are carried into the third tray 1.
The classification is carried out in this way. Also, these trays 131. 132. In order to carry a predetermined recording sheet into the tray 133, a carry-in roller 134 is provided above the tray and is movable in the direction of the arrow. This carry-in roller 134 is first located at the position shown by the solid line in the figure, and after receiving the recording sheet 3 carried out from the developing section 120, moves in the direction of the arrow, stops on a predetermined tray, and then moves to the position indicated by the solid line in the figure. The recording sheet 3 is carried inside. Further, the movement of the carry-in roller 134 is controlled by a pulse motor 135 driven based on instructions from the CPU 101.

That is, when transmission of an image signal from the image information processing circuit 28 of one of the reading devices 20.20', 20'', for example, the first reading device 20, to the frame memory 102 is started, the first reading starts. A signal indicating the client (doctor) stored in the memory 22 in the device 20 is sent as CPtj.
101. The CPU 101 receives this signal and outputs a control signal 82 to the pulse motor 135 according to the predetermined combination. The pulse motor 135 moves the carry-in roller 134 above a predetermined tray in accordance with this control signal 82, so that the carry-in roller 134 moves the recording sheet 3 according to the requester who requested the photographing of the reproduced image information. Each tray 131. It is classified and concentrated into 132 and 133.

Note that the combination of client and tray may be arbitrarily set other than the above, and the number of trays is not limited to three. For example, you can have the same number of trays as clients, so that clients and trays correspond one-to-one, or you can have more trays than clients, so that one client and multiple trays correspond. You can. In addition to the above-mentioned client, the recording sheet classification condition may be an operator such as a technician who performs imaging, or a subject such as a patient. Further, in this embodiment, a plurality of photographing devices and reading devices are provided for one image reproducing device, but one or both of the photographing device and the reading device may be one.

In addition, each reading device @20.20', 20'' memory 22
．． 22'.

22'' outputs the input classification data as described above to the CPU 101, and the CPU 1
The correspondence between classification data and trays may be performed in 01, or the combinations of classification data and trays may be stored in each memory 22.22', 22n in advance, and the combinations may be input into the memories 22.22', 22''. Based on the classification data, the tray numbers may be output from the memories 22, 22', 22'' and sent to the CPU 101. In any case, according to this system, by simply taking out each tray from the sheet storage section, it is possible to automatically obtain recording sheets classified according to predetermined conditions. There is no need to manually sort recording sheets according to desired classification conditions.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Incidentally, the same parts as in the above-mentioned embodiment are denoted by the same numbers, and the explanation thereof will be omitted. In the second embodiment, classification data is input not when reading image information but when photographing image information.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 1 is usually provided with a bar code on its back surface, and in this embodiment, each vlL shadow device 10 to
The 19 controllers 1013 to 19B are equipped with a function to read this barcode.

Further, the first to fifth photographing devices 10 to 14 are first reading devices @20.
, the sixth and seventh photographing devices 15 and 16 are the second reading device @20
', the eighth to tenth image transport devices 17 to 19 are connected to the third reading device 20'', and each reading device 20, 20',
20'' is configured to read only the sheet that has been photographed by the photographing device connected to it.

In each photographing H@io~19, the controller 10B~1 is
93 reads the barcode of the sheet, and the read barcode is stored in the memories 22, 22 of the reading devices 20, 20' and 20'' to which the respective photographing devices are connected.
', 22''. Also sent to controllers 10B~
Reference numeral 193 has an input means for inputting predetermined classification data, and when performing WL shadowing, predetermined classification data such as a doctor's name, a technician's name, or a patient's name is input to the controllers 1013 to 19.
13. The input classification data is also sent to the memories 22, 22', 22'', and each memory 22.
．． 22' and 22'' store a bar code and classification data as a set.

The sheet photographed by each of the photographing devices 10 to 19 is transferred to the reading devices 20 and 20 connected to the respective photographing devices.
', 20'' and reading is performed.

Each reading device 20.20', 20'' is provided with barcode reading means ?9.29', 29'',
When the sheet 1 is loaded into the reading device, its barcode is read, and the read barcode is sent to the memory 22.22', 22'' in the reading device.The barcode is sent to the memory 22. Classification data of the sheet to be read is extracted from 22' and 22'', and a signal indicating this data is sent to the C in the image reproducing device 100.
As an example, the eCPU 101 sent to PUlol has three trays 131. 132. 133 and the classification data is registered in advance, and the CPU 101
sends a signal $2 to the pulse motor 135 in accordance with the input classification data, and the recording sheets on which the image information has been reproduced are taken and conveyed into predetermined trays in accordance with the classification data. Also, the memory 2? .

The correspondence between classification data and trays is stored in advance in the memories 22' and 22''.
From here, a message indicating the tray number may be output to the CP (J 101).However, as described above, the controller 1013 to
19B, each photographing device 10-19 is provided with a terminal section 10C-19C separate from the controller 10B-19B, as shown by the broken line in FIG. The bar code and the classification data may be read and input into the terminal sections 10C to 19C, and the bar code and the classification data may be outputted from the terminal section to the memory 22, 22', 22'' of each reading device. In this embodiment, a signal indicating the barcode and classification data is input directly from each imaging device to the reading device, and the classification data is extracted by comparing it with the barcode read by the reading device. The reading device that performs reading is determined for each device, but the memory 22.2 of each reading device
By making it possible to share the information stored between 2' and 22'', any reading device can read the sheet imaged by each photographing device. Even if a failure occurs in a mechanism such as an excitation light scanning system or a sheet conveyance system of a certain reading device, as long as the memory is functioning, the sheet can be read using the other reading device.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the third embodiment, the first to tenth transport equipment @10
The barcodes and classification data output from the ~19 controllers 10i3 to 19F3 are all sent to the -H data controller 40 and stored in the data controller 40. Sheet 1, which has been photographed, is sent to the reading device 20.20'
, 20'' for reading, and at that time, the barcode reading means 2g,
The barcode of the sheet is read by 2g' and 2g''. In this embodiment, the sheet photographed by each imaging device may be read by any reading device.

The reading means 2g, 2g', 2g'' output the stolen barcode to the data controller 40,
Classification data corresponding to the barcode is extracted from the data controller 40 and input into the memories 22.22', 22'' in the reading device that is reading the sheet. The input classification data is output to the CPU 101 when each reading device starts outputting image information to the image reproduction device @ 100, and the CPU 101 performs classification based on the correspondence relationship registered in advance. Recording sheets are placed on the tray 131 according to the data. 132. A signal S2 is output to cause the camera to separately take pictures and carry them into any one of 133. According to this embodiment, the data controller 40 is provided, and the barcode and classification data of each sheet are inputted to the -H data controller 40, so that the sheet that has been photographed can be used regardless of the number of the photographing device. It is convenient because it can be read with any reading device at any time. The correspondence between classification data and trays is in each memory 22°22' of the reading device.
, 22", each memory 22.22',
22'' may output a signal indicating the tray number.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the radiation image information recording and reproducing system of the present invention, the image reproducing device is provided with a plurality of trays, and a person requesting imaging is placed in the tray.

By sorting and transporting recording sheets according to predetermined classification conditions such as operator and subject, it is possible to automatically classify and take out recording sheets according to desired conditions.

Therefore, even if a single image reproducing device reproduces image information from a large number of various sheets, it is possible to prevent the task of sorting the recording sheets from becoming complicated after one reproduction is completed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a radiation image information recording and reproducing system of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams showing other examples of the configuration of the system of the present invention.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A stimulable phosphor sheet is irradiated with radiation having image information in an imaging device to accumulate and record the image information on the sheet, and then this sheet is scanned by excitation light in a reading device to make it shine. By generating exhaustion light, photoelectrically reading the stimulated emission light, and scanning the read image information on a recording sheet with recording light modulated based on the image information in an image reproducing device. In a radiation image information recording and reproducing system that records, develops, and reproduces the image, the image reproducing device includes a plurality of trays, and the developed recording sheet is distributed to one of the plurality of trays and conveyed. A radiation image information recording and reproducing system characterized in that the recording sheets are sorted according to predetermined classification conditions regarding image information reproduced on the recording sheets. (2) The radiation image information recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the classification condition is an operator of the imaging device. (3) The radiation image information recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the classification condition is a subject photographed by the photographing device. (4) The radiation image information recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein the classification condition is a requester for imaging using the imaging device.