KR20140104399A - Apparatus and method for photographing a radiography image - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for photographing a radiography image using an apparatus for photographing a radiography image. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method for photographing a radiography image includes a step of displaying the parameter value of an apparatus for photographing a radiography image with regard to the preset part of an object and a preview image corresponding to the parameter value; a step of changing the parameter value or the preview image based on the input of a user; and a step of changing the parameter value according to the changed preview image or changing the preview image according to the changed parameter value.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PHOTOGRAPHING A RADIOGRAPHY IMAGE [0002]

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for radiographic imaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to a radiographic imaging apparatus and method for displaying parameter values of a radiographic imaging apparatus together with a preview image.

Radiographic imaging equipment is a device that uses radiation to observe the internal structure of an organism. The radiographic imaging apparatus includes a computed tomography (CT) imaging apparatus, a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging apparatus, and the like.

The CT imaging device captures a CT image using a circular machine having an X-ray generator, and obtains a cross-sectional image of the human body, which is different from a simple X-ray imaging. CT images have a merit that structures and lesions can be clearly seen because the structures are not overlapped as compared with simple X-ray.

The PET imaging device is one of the nuclear medicine testing methods that can display the physiological, chemical, and functional images of the human body in three dimensions using radiopharmaceuticals that emit positron.

Since the radiographic imaging apparatus irradiates the human body with radiation, there is a problem that the human body is exposed to radiation. Depending on the radiographic imaging method, radiation of about 2 to 10 mSv is exposed to the human body, which corresponds to the amount of radiation exposed in daily life for about 8 months to 3 years. However, in the case of pregnant women, the radiation of the radiographic imaging apparatus can cause serious illness and complications to the fetus, and can significantly affect the growth and development of the fetus. Therefore, the radiation dose of the radiographic imaging apparatus is reduced A solution is required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a radiographic image capturing apparatus and method capable of efficiently reducing the amount of radiation exposed to a human body by displaying a preview image corresponding to parameter values and parameter values of a radiographic image capturing apparatus together do.

According to an embodiment of the present invention,

A radiographic image capturing method using a radiographic image capturing apparatus, the method comprising: displaying a preview image corresponding to a parameter value of the radiographic image capturing apparatus and a parameter value of a predetermined region of a target object; Changing the parameter value or the preview image based on a user input; And changing the preview image according to the changed parameter value or changing the parameter value according to the changed preview image.

The displaying the preview image may include displaying a preview image corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object.

The displaying of the preview image may include displaying the preview image including at least one of a tube voltage included in the parameter value, a tube current, a scan type, a number of images, an interval between images, a start and end point of an image, a scan field of view (SFOV) A thickness of the image, and a reconstruction algorithm.

The step of changing the preview image according to the changed parameter value may further include changing a noise amount, a spatial resolution, and a contrast resolution of the preview image according to at least one of a tube voltage and a tube current included in the parameter value. resolution of the image.

The step of changing the parameter value according to the changed preview image may include changing a parameter value according to at least one of a noise amount, a spatial resolution, and a contrast resolution of the preview image, And at least one of the tube voltage.

The displaying step may include displaying the parameter value in a first area of a display unit of the radiographic imaging apparatus and displaying the preview image in a second area of the display unit.

The step of displaying the preview image may include the step of displaying a preview image corresponding to the subject information.

The testee information may include at least one of age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI) index and gender of the testee.

The radiographic image capturing method may further comprise: obtaining a radiographic image of a predetermined region of the object according to the changed parameter value; Changing at least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount of the preview image based on at least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount of the obtained radiographic image; And storing the preview image in which at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount is changed as the updated preview image.

The radiographic image capturing method may further comprise: obtaining a radiographic image of a predetermined region of the object according to the changed parameter value; Receiving evaluation information on the preview image from the user; Changing at least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount of the preview image according to the received evaluation information; And storing the preview image in which at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount is changed as the updated preview image.

The preview image may include a graph image representing the radiation dose for the parameter value.

According to another aspect of the present invention,

A radiographic image capturing apparatus for capturing a radiographic image of a target object, comprising: a display unit for displaying a preview image corresponding to a parameter value and a parameter value of the radiographic image capturing apparatus with respect to a predetermined region of the target object; And a control unit for changing the parameter value or the preview image based on a user input, wherein the control unit changes the preview image according to the changed parameter value, or changes the parameter value according to the changed preview image And the like.

The display unit may display a preview image corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object.

The display unit displays the image data including the tube voltage, the tube current, the scan type, the number of images, the interval between images, the start and end points of the image, the scan field of view (SFOV) A preview image corresponding to at least one of the preview images can be displayed.

The controller may change at least one of a noise amount, a spatial resolution, and a contrast resolution of the preview image according to a change degree of at least one of a tube voltage and a tube current included in the parameter value.

The controller may change at least one of a tube current and a tube voltage included in the parameter value according to a degree of change of at least one of a noise amount, a spatial resolution, and a contrast resolution of the preview image.

The display unit may display the parameter value in a first area of the display unit and display the preview image in a second area of the display unit.

The display unit may display a preview image corresponding to the subject information.

The testee information may include at least one of age, height, weight, BMI index, and gender of the testee.

The radiographic image capturing apparatus may further include an image acquiring unit that acquires a radiographic image of a predetermined region of the object according to the changed parameter value, wherein the control unit sets the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount At least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount of the preview image may be changed based on at least one of the preview image and the preview image.

The radiographic image capturing apparatus may further include an image acquiring unit that acquires a radiographic image of a predetermined region of the object according to the changed parameter value, At least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image may be changed and stored as an updated preview image.

The preview image may include a graph image representing the radiation dose for the parameter value.

A program for executing the radiographic imaging method may be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium.

1 is a view showing a display unit for setting parameter values of a conventional radiological image capturing apparatus.
FIG. 2 (a) is a block diagram showing the configuration of a radiographic image capturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 (b) shows a configuration of a radiographic image capturing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention Block diagram.
3 is a view illustrating a display unit for setting parameter values of a radiographic imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 (a) and 4 (b) are views showing a radiation image photographed using a radiographic image capturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a radiographic imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a method of updating a preview image in a radiographic imaging method according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a method for updating a preview image in a radiographic imaging method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention, and the manner of achieving them, will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

The term " part " used in this embodiment means a hardware component such as software, FPGA, or ASIC, and 'part' performs certain roles. However, 'minus' is not limited to software or hardware. The " part " may be configured to be in an addressable storage medium and configured to play back one or more processors. Thus, by way of example, and by no means, the terms " component " or " component " means any combination of components, such as software components, object- oriented software components, class components and task components, Subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays and variables. The functions provided in the components and parts may be combined into a smaller number of components and parts or further separated into additional components and parts.

In the present specification, the term " object " includes a person or an animal that takes a radiographic image.

1 is a diagram showing a display unit 10 for setting parameter values of a conventional radiographic imaging apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 1, a display unit 10 for setting parameter values of a conventional radiographic apparatus can display protocol information, subject information 11, parameter values 13, or a tool bar 15.

The protocol information includes information on a predetermined region of a target object from which the radiographic image is captured. For example, the protocol information may include information about each part of the human body such as the head, abdomen, and chest of the human body.

The testee information includes information on the subject itself to which the radiographic image is captured, and may include at least one of the age, weight, key, BMI index, and sex of the testee. Here, the BMI index is a body mass index, which means the amount of fat estimated using the height and weight.

The parameter value 13 is a set value of the radiological image capturing apparatus for operating the radiographic image capturing apparatus and can be set differently for each part of the target body.

The parameter value 13 includes a scan type indicating a radiographic imaging method, a number of images acquired through the radiographic imaging apparatus, an interval between images, a starting point indicating a starting point of radiographic imaging in the object, A scan field of view (SFOV) indicating a region of interest used to acquire data during a scan, a reconstruction method of a CT image, and an end point indicating the end point of the radiography A tube voltage which is a potential difference applied between a cathode and an anode of the X-ray tube, and a tube current which is an anode current flowing by an electron beam impinging on the anode of the X-ray tube during X-ray irradiation. The scan type may include an axial scan, a spiral scan, or a cine scan.

An axial scan is a method in which a radiographic image is taken while an X-ray tube rotates around a patient while a table of the examinee is fixed, and a radiographic image is taken again after the table of the examinee moves. Spiral scanning is a method of taking a radiographic image through a high-speed continuous spiral scan using a slip ring technique instead of a high-voltage cable. Cine scan is a method of continuously photographing one section of the same position of the object at a predetermined time interval.

The reconstruction algorithm may include filtered back projection, iterative reconstruction, etc. Generally, the reconstructed radiation image is reconstructed by the filter correction inverse correction method, Resolution is better than video.

The parameter value 13 may be preset by the manufacturer of the radiographic imaging apparatus for each part of the object and may be arbitrarily set by the user.

The tool bar 15 is an interface for changing the protocol information or the parameter value 13.

The conventional user has arbitrarily set the parameter value 13 for each part of the object depending on the user's experience or used the parameter value 13 set by the manufacturer. Among the parameter values (13), the tube voltage and the tube current are closely related to the radiation dose, and the user tends to set the tube voltage and the tube current to be high in order to improve the image quality of the radiological image.

Conventionally, the user sets the tube voltage and the tube current to be high in order to prevent the radiation image from being photographed more than once, but this increases the amount of radiation exposure to the subject. The present invention displays a parameter value and a preview image corresponding to the parameter value to the user so that the user can efficiently adjust the radiation dose.

2 (a) is a block diagram showing a configuration of a radiological image capturing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 (a), a radiographic imaging apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a display unit 110 and a control unit 120.

The display unit 110 displays a preview image corresponding to a parameter value and a parameter value of the radiographic image capturing apparatus 100 for a predetermined region of the object. The preview image may be stored in a memory unit (not shown) of the radiological image capturing apparatus 100 according to parameter values for each part of the object.

As described above, the parameter values of the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 may include tube voltage, tube current, scan type, number of images, inter-image spacing, start and end points of an image, SFOV, image thickness and reconstruction algorithm And the display unit 110 may display a preview image corresponding to these parameter values.

For example, when the abdomen of the subject is selected as the radiographic image capturing site by the user, the display unit 110 is expected to be obtained by the parameter value of the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 set for the abdomen and the parameter value A preview image of the abdomen can be displayed.

If the preview image corresponding to the abdomen is not stored in the memory unit of the radiographic imaging apparatus 100, a preview image corresponding to only a part of parameter values of the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 may be displayed. That is, the display unit 110 may display a preview image of the head corresponding to at least one of the tube voltage and the tube current included in the parameter value.

On the other hand, the preview image displayed by the display unit 110 may include a graph image representing the amount of radiation according to the parameter value. Specifically, the display unit 110 displays the radiation amount of the tube voltage and the tube current in a graphical image, so that the user can easily know the radiation amount according to the tube voltage and the tube current.

Also, the display unit 110 may display a preview image corresponding to the parameter value and the subject information. Specifically, a preview image corresponding to at least one of the age, key, weight, BMI index, and gender of the examinee among the preview images corresponding to the parameter values can be displayed. For example, if the testee is a child, the preview image can be displayed in consideration of the age, height, weight, and BMI index of the child. If the testee is an adult, age, height, weight, BMI index The preview image may be displayed. In this case, the preview image can be stored in the memory unit according to the parameter value and the subject information for each part of the object. Thus, a more reliable preview image can be provided to the user.

The control unit 120 changes the parameter value or the preview image based on the input of the user. 2 (a), the control unit 120 may be connected to input means such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, which allow a user to control the radiological imaging apparatus 100. [ The control unit 120 receives the user's input through the input means.

The user can select any one of the parameter values using the keyboard or the mouse and change the selected parameter value. In addition, the user can change at least one of the resolution and the noise amount of the preview image using the mouse or the keyboard as the preview image displayed on the display unit 110. [

The control unit 120 changes the preview image displayed on the display unit 110 according to the parameter value changed by the user's input. Alternatively, the control unit 120 may change the parameter value according to the preview image changed by the user's input. That is, the parameter value and the preview image can be changed in association with each other.

Specifically, the control unit 120 may change at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image according to at least one degree of change in the tube current and tube voltage included in the parameter value. In addition, the controller 120 controls the spatial resolution of the preview image according to the parameter value, the scan type, the number of images, the interval between images, the start and end points of the image, the SFOV, a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount.

For example, when the tube current or tube voltage is changed by the user, a preview image with reduced resolution or increased noise amount can be displayed. In addition, when the user changes the scan type from an axial scan to a spiral scan, a preview image including a spiral artifact may be displayed.

The spatial resolution means the distance or angle between two objects that can be distinguished using the radiographic imaging apparatus 100, and the contrast resolution means a degree of distinguishing the difference in brightness in the image.

The control unit 120 may change at least one of the tube current and tube voltage included in the parameter value according to the degree of change of at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image. That is, it is possible to change at least one of the tube voltage and the tube current so as to acquire the same or similar radiation image as the preview image changed by the user. In addition, the controller 120 controls the scan type, the number of images, the interval between the images, the start of the image, and the like, which are other parameter values except the tube voltage and the tube current, according to the degree of change of at least one of the spatial resolution, And the end point, the SFOV, the image thickness, and the reconstruction algorithm.

The user can confirm the radiographic image to be actually obtained through the preview image displayed on the display unit 110. The user can change the parameter value to such a degree that the user can identify the preview image so that the tube voltage or tube current is set high . Thereby, the amount of radiation exposure to the testee can be reduced.

The radiographic imaging apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes an X-ray generating apparatus 130, a data collecting apparatus 140, or an image forming apparatus 150 as shown in FIG. 2 (b) can do. The X-ray generator 130, the data collection device 140, or the image composition device 150 are configurations for acquiring a radiation image according to a parameter value set by a user.

The X-ray generator 130 is configured to accelerate the electrons emitted from the filament in the vacuum tube to a high voltage between metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, and copper, and to collide the accelerated electrons with the metal target to generate X-rays.

The data collecting apparatus 140 collects predetermined data from a target object using X-rays, converts the collected data into an electrical signal, and converts the electrical signal into a digital image signal.

The image composing device 150 is a configuration for reconstructing data obtained from the data collecting device, and performs preprocessing, convolution, and back-projection steps. The preprocessing, convolution, and backprojection steps are technological contents that are obvious in the field of radiation, so that a detailed description is omitted here.

3 is a diagram illustrating a display unit 110 for setting a parameter value 113 of a radiographic imaging apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. May be displayed in the first area of the display unit 110 and the preview image 112 may be displayed in the second area of the display unit 110. [

The radiological image capturing apparatus 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention can continuously update the preview image stored in the memory unit to provide a reliable preview image.

In detail, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include an image acquisition unit 160 (not shown). The image obtaining unit 160 obtains a radiation image of a predetermined region of the target object according to a parameter value changed by a user.

The control unit 120 changes at least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount of a preview image stored in the memory unit based on at least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount of the obtained radiological image, The preview image in which at least one of the resolution and the noise amount is changed can be stored in the memory unit as an updated preview image.

For example, when a user sets a parameter value with reference to a preview image displayed on the display unit 110 and radiographs a radiographic image of a predetermined region of the target object in accordance with the set parameter value, Images may be different from each other. In this case, in order to improve the similarity between the actually captured radiographic image and the preview image, the controller 120 controls at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image according to the spatial resolution, contrast resolution, Change.

Also, the control unit 120 may receive the evaluation information on the preview image from the user, and may change at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image according to the received evaluation information. The control unit 120 may store the preview image in which at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount is changed, as an updated preview image in the memory unit.

For example, the user can evaluate the similarity between the radiological image and the preview image based on the radiographic image obtained by the image obtaining unit 160. In this case, based on the evaluation information received from the user, the control unit 120 changes at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image so as to improve the similarity between the actually captured radiographic image and the preview image, .

4 (a) and 4 (b) are views showing radiographic images photographed using the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 (a) is a radiation image taken by a user at a tube current of 640 mA, and FIG. 4 (b) is a radiation image taken by a user at a tube current of 20 mA. Although the radiation image of FIG. 4 (b) has a larger amount of noise than that of FIG. 4 (a), the radiation image can be identified by the user and the tube current is set low.

5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a radiographic imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the radiographic image capturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is comprised of steps that are processed in a time-series manner in the radiological image capturing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. Therefore, it is understood that the contents described above with respect to the radiographic image capturing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 2 apply to the radiographic image capturing method of FIG. 5, even if omitted from the following description.

In step S500, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 displays a parameter value of the radiographic image capturing apparatus 100 for a predetermined region of the object and a preview image corresponding to the parameter value. The radiographic imaging apparatus 100 may display parameter values in a first area of the display unit 110 and display a preview image in a second area of the display unit 110. [

In step S510, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 changes a parameter value or a preview image based on a user's input. The user can change a parameter value or a preview image using a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, or the like.

In step S520, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 changes the preview image according to the changed parameter value or changes the parameter value according to the changed preview image. Specifically, the radiological image capturing apparatus 100 may change at least one of the noise amount, the spatial resolution, and the contrast resolution of the preview image according to the degree of change of at least one of the tube current and tube voltage included in the parameter value, At least one of the tube current and tube voltage included in the parameter value may be changed according to the degree of change of at least one of the amount, the spatial resolution, and the contrast resolution.

The user can reduce the radiation dose by adjusting the preview image corresponding to the parameter value and the parameter value.

6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a method of updating a preview image in a radiographic imaging method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In step S600, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 acquires a radiation image of a predetermined region of the target object according to a parameter value set by the user.

In step S610, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 changes at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image based on at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the obtained radiological image.

In step S620, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 stores a preview image in which at least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount is changed as an updated preview image.

7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a method for updating a preview image in a radiographic imaging method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In step S700, the radiographic image capturing apparatus 100 acquires a radiographic image of a predetermined region of the object according to the parameter value set by the user.

In step S710, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 receives evaluation information on the preview image from the user. The user can input the evaluation information by using input means such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel.

In step S720, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 changes at least one of the spatial resolution, the contrast resolution, and the noise amount of the preview image according to the received evaluation information.

In step S730, the radiographic imaging apparatus 100 stores a preview image in which at least one of a spatial resolution, a contrast resolution, and a noise amount has been changed as an updated preview image.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention can be embodied in a general-purpose digital computer that can be embodied as a program that can be executed by a computer and operates the program using a computer-readable recording medium.

The computer readable recording medium may be a magnetic storage medium such as a ROM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, etc., an optical reading medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD and a carrier wave such as the Internet Lt; / RTI > transmission).

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive.

100: Radiographic imaging apparatus
110:
120:
160:

Claims (1)

An apparatus supported by the present disclosure.

Images