KR20230113123A - Apparatus and method for interlocking lesion locations between a guide image and a 3d tomosynthesis images composed of a plurality of 3d image slices - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for interlocking and providing a lesion location between a 2D medical image and a 3D tomosynthesis image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices.

Description

Apparatus and method for interlocking and providing lesion locations between guide images and 3D tomography images composed of a plurality of 3D image slices }

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for interlockingly providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices.

Existing cancer diagnosis has mainly used 2D medical images (2D MEDICAL IMAGE) in which X-rays are taken of body parts such as a breast and a chest in a single direction. However, in 2D medical images, the tumor in the region of interest is overlapped with the normal tissue. Therefore, there is a limitation in that there are many difficulties in detecting microcalcifications, which are important factors in early cancer diagnosis.

Therefore, in order to detect cancer early, 3D tomography imaging (3D TOMOSYNTHESIS IMAGES) method, which enhances the diagnostic effect by taking pictures of body parts from various angles and synthesizing the taken tomography images, supplements the method of using 2D medical images. has been developed

The 3D tomography image restores the image in three dimensions, so the overlapping area of tissues is reduced, and the tumor can be easily identified and identified from the tissue of the body part, so the tumor detection ability is high.

Meanwhile, recently, a technique for more efficiently reading a lesion using a 2D medical image and a 3D tomography image is required.

The foregoing background art is technical information that the inventor possessed for derivation of the present invention or acquired during the derivation process of the present invention, and cannot necessarily be said to be known art disclosed to the general public prior to filing the present invention.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for interlockingly providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices. The problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems and advantages of the present invention that are not mentioned can be understood by the following description and more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present invention. It will be. In addition, it will be appreciated that the problems and advantages to be solved by the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations indicated in the claims.

As a technical means for achieving the above-described technical problem, a first aspect of the present disclosure includes receiving a medical image set corresponding to at least one patient from a first server; identifying a patient being read in response to generation of a preset trigger signal, and determining a predetermined medical image set corresponding to the identified patient; identifying at least one 3D image slice constituting a 3D tomography image from among a plurality of medical images included in the predetermined medical image set; and providing the identified 3D image slice and a guide image corresponding to the identified 3D image slice and the 3D tomography image, wherein the guide image corresponds to a 2D medical image, to be simultaneously displayed. It is possible to provide a method in which the lesion location is interlocked and displayed between the 3D image slice and the guide image.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a server that provides a location of a lesion between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices in conjunction with each other, comprising: a memory in which at least one program is stored; and at least one processor that operates by executing the at least one program, wherein the at least one processor receives a medical image set corresponding to at least one patient from a first server and generates a preset trigger signal. In response to this, a patient being read is identified, a predetermined medical image set corresponding to the identified patient is determined, and a 3D tomography image is obtained from among a plurality of medical images included in the predetermined medical image set. Identifying at least one 3D image slice constituting the identified 3D image slice and a guide image corresponding to the 3D tomography image, wherein the guide image corresponds to a 2D medical image, is provided to be simultaneously displayed, It is possible to provide a server in which the lesion location is interlocked and displayed between the 3D image slice and the guide image.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is executed in response to generation of a preset trigger signal; Receiving a guide image (the guide image corresponds to a 2D medical image) and a plurality of 3D image slices constituting a 3D tomography image from a second server; and displaying the guide image and the plurality of 3D image slices at the same time, wherein the identified 3D image slice and the guide image are displayed in association with the location of the lesion.

A fourth aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for interlockingly providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices, comprising: a memory in which at least one program is stored; and at least one processor that operates by executing the at least one program, wherein the at least one processor is executed in response to generation of a preset trigger signal, and generates a guide image from a second server - the guide image is 2D Corresponding to a medical image - receiving a plurality of 3D image slices constituting a 3D tomography image, displaying the guide image and the plurality of 3D image slices simultaneously, and determining the location of a lesion between the identified 3D image slice and the guide image It is possible to provide a device that is displayed in conjunction with.

A fifth aspect of the present disclosure may provide a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for executing the method according to the first or third aspect on a computer.

In addition to this, another method for implementing the present invention, another system, and a computer readable recording medium storing a computer program for executing the method may be further provided.

Other aspects, features and advantages other than those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims and detailed description of the invention.

According to the problem solving means of the present disclosure described above, in the present disclosure, the location of a lesion between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices is provided in conjunction with each other, so that the user can quickly grasp the lesion with minimal motion. . In addition, by interlocking and providing the location of the lesion between the guide image and the 3D tomography image, it is possible to reduce reading time, improve accuracy, and reduce reader fatigue during lesion analysis.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a medical image confirmation system according to an embodiment.
2 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a server and a device according to an exemplary embodiment.
3 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a program and a server executed in a device according to an exemplary embodiment.
4 is an exemplary diagram for describing a screen displayed in a second program according to an exemplary embodiment.
5 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a screen on which a guide image is displayed according to an exemplary embodiment.
6 is an exemplary diagram for describing a screen on which a 3D image slice is displayed according to an exemplary embodiment;
7 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a function of a slice search tool according to an exemplary embodiment.
8A to 8D are exemplary diagrams for explaining a method of interlockingly providing a guide image and a location of a lesion between a plurality of 3D image slices according to an embodiment.
9 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a method of searching for a 3D image slice according to an exemplary embodiment.
10 is a flowchart of a method for operating a server that interlocks and provides lesion positions between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices according to an embodiment.
11 is a flowchart of a program operation method for interlockingly providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices according to an embodiment.
12 is a block diagram of a server according to an embodiment.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them will become clear with reference to the detailed description of embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented below, but may be implemented in a variety of different forms, and includes all conversions, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. . The embodiments presented below are provided to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention to which the present invention belongs. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technologies may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

Terms used in this application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, the terms "include" or "have" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features It should be understood that the presence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not precluded.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure may be represented as functional block structures and various processing steps. Some or all of these functional blocks may be implemented as a varying number of hardware and/or software components that perform specific functions. For example, functional blocks of the present disclosure may be implemented by one or more microprocessors or circuit configurations for a predetermined function. Also, for example, the functional blocks of this disclosure may be implemented in various programming or scripting languages. Functional blocks may be implemented as an algorithm running on one or more processors. In addition, the present disclosure may employ prior art for electronic environment setting, signal processing, and/or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism", "element", "means" and "component" may be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical and physical components.

In addition, connecting lines or connecting members between components shown in the drawings are only examples of functional connections and/or physical or circuit connections. In an actual device, connections between components may be represented by various functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections that can be replaced or added.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a medical image confirmation system according to an embodiment.

The medical image confirmation system 100 includes a first server 110 , a second server 120 and a user device 130 .

The user device 130 includes a smart phone, a tablet PC, a PC, a smart TV, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop, a media player, a micro server, a global positioning system (GPS) device, an e-book reader, and a digital broadcasting terminal. , navigation, kiosks, MP3 players, digital cameras, consumer electronics, devices with cameras, and other mobile or non-mobile computing devices, but are not limited thereto. Also, the user device 130 may be a wearable device having a communication function and a data processing function, such as a watch, glasses, a hair band, and a ring. However, it is not limited thereto.

The first server 110 refers to a server that integrally processes the storage, reading, and search functions of medical image information. For example, the first server 110 may be a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) server, but is not limited thereto. The first server 110 transmits radiographic images taken by X-rays, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomograph (SPECT), ultrasound images, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. It can be converted into a digital image and stored in a mass storage device at the same time as shooting so that the user can read it through the monitor. Here, the user may mean a radiologist or a radiologist, but is not limited thereto, and may include a person who reads a medical image and makes a medical judgment or diagnosis.

The first server 110 may store and manage images according to a predetermined standard. For example, the first server 110 may store and manage images according to Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standards.

Meanwhile, the first program 131 installed in the user device 130 may be a program associated with the first server 110 . The user device 130 is connected to the first server 110 through the first program 131 to transmit/receive data. The user of the user device 130 can read the image and diagnose the patient's condition through the first program 131 . For example, the first program 131 may be a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) viewer program, but is not limited thereto.

The second server 120 refers to a server that stores, manages, and processes data for linking lesion locations between guide images and 3D tomosynthesis images composed of a plurality of 3D image slices.

The second server 120 may receive a medical image set corresponding to at least one patient from the first server 110 . The medical image set may include a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices and a guide image corresponding to the 3D tomography image. The guide image may be a 2D medical image (eg, combo 2D, synthetic 2D) or a predetermined 3D image slice (eg, a 3D image slice with the highest lesion score calculated through an artificial intelligence model), but is limited thereto It doesn't work.

The second server 120 may obtain information on one or more lesions by analyzing the medical image set received from the first server 110 using an artificial intelligence model. The second server 120 may predict the location and lesion score of the lesion on the guide image and the 3D image slice using an artificial intelligence model.

Meanwhile, the second program 132 installed in the user device 130 may be a program associated with the second server 120 . The user device 130 may be connected to the second server 120 through the second program 132 to transmit/receive data. The user device 130 may call the second program 132 when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

In one embodiment, the user device 130 may call the second program 132 in response to generation of a preset trigger signal while the first program 131 is running. A predetermined trigger signal may be generated by applying an input of pressing a shortcut key or a button to the user device 130 . For example, the second program 132 may be a viewer program, and may also be installed in the first program 131 in an in-app form.

After the second program 132 is called, the user device 130 may receive data by communicating with the second server 120 through the second program 132 . The user device 130 may receive a guide image on which lesion information is displayed and a plurality of 3D image slices from the second server 120 through the second program 132 . The second program 132 may configure a user interface (UI) such that a guide image and a plurality of 3D image slices are simultaneously displayed. Also, the second program 132 may configure a UI such that a guide image and a plurality of 3D image slices are displayed in parallel. A detailed method of displaying the guide image and the plurality of 3D image slices will be described later.

The user device 130, the first server 110, and the second server 120 may perform communication using a network. For example, the network may include a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Value Added Network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and any of these It is a comprehensive data communication network that includes mutual combinations and enables each network constituent entity shown in FIG. 1 to communicate smoothly with each other, and may include wired Internet, wireless Internet, and mobile wireless communication network. In addition, wireless communication, for example, wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (Bluetooth low energy), Zigbee, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct), UWB (ultra wideband), infrared communication (IrDA, infrared Data Association), NFC (Near Field Communication), etc. may be present, but are not limited thereto.

2 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a server and a device according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2 , each of the first server 210, the second server 220 and the user device 230 includes the first server 110, the second server 120 and the user device 130 of FIG. can correspond to

In operation 201 , the second server 220 may receive a medical image set corresponding to at least one patient from the first server 210 . The first server 210 stores medical image sets for a plurality of patients, and the second server 220 receives the medical image sets from the first server 210 when a predetermined condition is satisfied. A medical image set stored in 220 may be updated. The predetermined condition may include a predetermined period, a user's request signal, and the like.

In one embodiment, the second server 220 may further receive a medical image captured by an external medical imaging device. The second server 220 may further receive medical images other than the medical image set from the first server 210 and other external devices. The external medical imaging device may refer to a medical imaging device of a different type from the medical imaging device that acquires the guide image and the plurality of 3D image slices included in the medical image set.

Alternatively, the external medical imaging device corresponds to the same type of medical imaging device as the medical imaging device that acquired the guide image or the plurality of 3D image slices included in the medical image set, and the second server 220 is included in the medical image set. A medical image photographed at a different time from the recorded medical image may be further received. For example, the external medical imaging device may include an X-ray device, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) device, a Computed Tomography (CT) device, and an Ultra Sound (US) device.

In step 202, the user device 230 may execute a first program. A user using the user device 230 may execute the first program to store, read, and retrieve medical image information.

In step 203, a trigger signal preset in the user device 230 may be generated. A predetermined trigger signal may be generated by applying an input of pressing a shortcut key or a button to the user device 230 .

In step 204, in response to generation of a preset trigger signal, the user device 230 may execute a second program. In one embodiment, the user device 230 may execute the second program 132 in response to generation of a preset trigger signal while the first program 131 is being executed.

In operation 205 , the second program may communicate with the second server 220 and request transmission of the medical image set to the second server 220 .

In step 206, the second server 220 may identify the patient being read in the first program, and determine a predetermined medical image set corresponding to the identified patient. For example, when a second program is executed and a request signal is transmitted to the second server 220 while the first program is checking medical image information of patient A, the second server 220 responds to patient A. It is possible to determine a predetermined set of medical images to be used. The medical image set may include a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices and a guide image corresponding thereto. The guide image may be a 2D medical image.

In one embodiment, the second server 220 may obtain information on one or more lesions by analyzing the medical image set received from the first server 210 using an artificial intelligence model. The analysis process may be performed when the second server 220 receives the medical image set from the first server 210 in step 201 . Alternatively, the analysis process may be performed on a predetermined set of medical images corresponding to the patient identified after step 206 .

In step 207, the second server 220 may identify at least one 3D image slice constituting a 3D tomography image from the medical image set determined in step 206. In one embodiment, the second server 220 may identify a first image slice among a plurality of 3D image slices constituting a 3D tomography image. In another embodiment, the second server 220 may identify the 3D image slice being read in the first program at the time when a predetermined trigger signal is generated in step 203 .

In another embodiment, the second server 220 may identify a 3D image slice including predetermined lesion information among one or more lesion information acquired by analyzing a medical image set using an artificial intelligence model. Here, the 3D image slice including predetermined lesion information may refer to a 3D image slice in which corresponding specific lesion information is best viewed among at least one 3D image slice including specific lesion information. For example, a 3D image slice including predetermined lesion information may refer to a 3D image slice in which a lesion score of a specific lesion is detected with the highest value among at least one 3D image slice including specific lesion information. there is.

Meanwhile, the second server 220 may identify a predetermined 3D image slice among a plurality of 3D image slices when lesion information is not confirmed as a result of analyzing the medical image set using an artificial intelligence model. A predetermined 3D image slice may be a first 3D image slice among a plurality of 3D image slices, but is not limited thereto.

In operation 208 , the second server 220 may transmit guide images corresponding to the plurality of 3D image slices and the 3D tomography image to the user device 230 . In addition, the second server 220 may obtain information on one or more lesions by analyzing the medical image set received from the first server 210 using an artificial intelligence model, and the second server 220 may obtain information on one or more lesions. Information may be transmitted to the user device 230 . Specifically, the second server 220 may predict the location and lesion score of the lesion on the guide image and the 3D image slice using an artificial intelligence model. The second server 220 may transmit the location of the lesion and the lesion score on the guide image and the 3D image slice to the user device 230 .

The lesion information may be displayed on the guide image and the plurality of 3D image slices transmitted from the second server 220 to the user device 230 . In one embodiment, information on one or more acquired lesions may be all displayed on the guide image, and information on some of the information on one or more acquired lesions may be displayed on a predetermined 3D image slice.

In step 209, the second program running on the user device 230 may simultaneously display at least one 3D image slice included in the plurality of 3D image slices and a guide image. In addition, the second program may configure the UI so that the guide image and the 3D image slice are displayed in parallel. In one embodiment, the second program may simultaneously display the guide image and the first image slice. In another embodiment, the second program may simultaneously display the guide image and the 3D image slice being read by the first program at the time when a predetermined trigger signal is generated.

In one embodiment, the second program may write feedback notes to guide images or 3D image slices based on user input. The feedback note may include what the user has marked, recorded, etc. on the guide image and/or 3D image slice. The user device 230 may generate and store a separate single image by merging the feedback notes in the form of an overlay on the guide image and/or the 3D image slice through the second program. Here, the single image may be implemented in the form of SC (Secondary Capture) or GSPS (Grayscale Softcopy Presentation State) of DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format, and various DICOM formats. may include storage. Also, the user device 230 may transmit a single image to the second server 220 . The second server 220 may transmit a single image to the first server 210 . Also, the user device 230 may transmit a single image to the first server 210 .

The second server 220 may update the medical image set by storing a single image connected to the plurality of 3D image slices so that the plurality of 3D image slices constituting the 3D tomography image are searched for. For example, the second server 220 may update the 3D tomography image by storing a single image following the last slice of the 3D tomography image. The second server 220 may provide an updated 3D tomography image to be displayed in response to the occurrence of a preset trigger signal again.

The second program may receive and display the updated medical image set from the second server 220 in response to the occurrence of the preset trigger signal again.

Also, the user device 230 may display an updated medical image set through the first program. In this case, the user device 230 may display the feedback note recorded through the second program when the first program is executed without separately executing the second program.

3 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a program and a server executed in a device according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the second server 320 and the user device 330 may respectively correspond to the second server 120 and the user device 130 of FIG. 1 . Meanwhile, a first program 331 and a second program 332 may be installed and executed in the user device 330 .

The first program 331 may be a program associated with a first server (not shown). The user of the user device 330 can read the image and diagnose the patient's condition through the first program 331 . For example, the first program 331 may be a Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) viewer program, but is not limited thereto.

The second program 332 may be a program associated with the second server 320 . For example, the second program 332 may be a viewer program, and may also be installed in the first program 331 in an in-app form.

In step 301, the first program 331 installed in the user device 330 may be executed. A user using the user device 330 may execute the first program 331 to store, read, and retrieve medical image information.

In step 302, a preset trigger signal may be generated while the first program 331 is being executed. The first program 331 may determine that a predetermined trigger signal is generated by recognizing an input of pressing a shortcut key or a button.

In step 303, the first program 331 may transmit an execution request for executing the second program 332 to the second program 332 in response to the generation of a preset trigger signal.

In step 304, in response to receiving an execution request from the first program 331, the second program 332 installed in the user device 330 may be executed.

Steps 305 to 309 of FIG. 3 may correspond to steps 205 to 209 of FIG. 2 , respectively.

In step 305 , the second program 332 may request transmission of the medical image set to the second server 320 .

In step 306, the second server 320 may identify the patient being read by the first program 331, and may determine a predetermined medical image set corresponding to the identified patient.

In step 307, the second server 320 may identify at least one 3D image slice constituting a 3D tomography image from the medical image set determined in step 306.

In operation 308 , the second server 320 may transmit guide images corresponding to the plurality of 3D image slices and the 3D tomography image to the user device 330 .

In addition, the second server 320 may obtain information on one or more lesions by analyzing the medical image set received from the first server (not shown) using an artificial intelligence model. The second server 320 may transmit, to the user device 330 , information on one or more acquired lesions together with a plurality of 3D image slices and a guide image associated therewith. Specifically, the second server 320 may predict the lesion location and lesion score on the guide image and the 3D image slice by using an artificial intelligence model. The second server 320 may transmit the location of the lesion and the lesion score on the guide image and the 3D image slice to the user device 330 .

In operation 309, the second program 332 may simultaneously display at least one 3D image slice and a guide image included in the plurality of 3D image slices.

4 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a screen displayed when a second program is executed according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4 , a screen 400 displayed when the user device executes the second program is shown.

The second program may receive 3D tomography images and guide images matched for each patient from the second server. A 3D tomography image may be composed of a plurality of 3D image slices. The guide image may be a 2D medical image (eg, combo 2D, synthetic 2D) or a predetermined 3D image slice (eg, a 3D image slice with the highest lesion score calculated through an artificial intelligence model), but is limited thereto It doesn't work.

The second program may simultaneously display a guide image and a 3D tomography image on the screen 400 . Referring to FIG. 4 , the UI may be configured such that a guide image is displayed on the left area 410 of the screen 400 and a 3D tomography image is displayed on the right area 420.

Meanwhile, since a 3D tomography image is composed of a plurality of 3D image slices, any one 3D image slice among the plurality of 3D image slices may be displayed on the right area 420 .

The second program may configure the UI so that the slice number of the 3D image slice and a slice navigation tool are displayed on the right area 420 . The second program may search the 3D tomography image in the depth direction through the slice search tool. The second program may display any one 3D image slice among a plurality of 3D image slices based on a user input to the slice search tool. A description of the slice search tool will be described later with reference to FIG. 7 .

Meanwhile, in the following drawings, for convenience of description, guide images (eg, 2D mammography images (2D MAMMOGRAPHY IMAGE)) and 3D breast tomography images (3D BREAST TOMOSYNTHESIS IMAGES) are shown, but the present disclosure The content according to is not limited to images of the breast, and may equally be applied to other body parts such as the chest.

5 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a screen on which a guide image is displayed according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5 , a screen 500 on which a guide image is displayed is shown.

The second program may display the title 510 of the guide image on the screen 500 . The second program can provide various types of guide images and display titles 510 suitable for the types of provided guide images. For example, the second program may describe "combo 2D", "Synthetic 2D", and "3D image slice with the highest lesion score" as the title 510 according to the guide image type.

Also, the second program may display patient information 520 on the screen 500 . The patient information 520 may include a patient identification number, date of birth, age, date of examination, and the like, but is not limited thereto.

Also, the second program may display one or more lesion information 530 on the guide image. As described above with reference to FIG. 1 , the second server that transmits and receives data with the second program may obtain information on one or more lesions by analyzing the medical image set received from the first server using an artificial intelligence model. Specifically, the second server may predict the location of the lesion and the lesion score on the guide image and the 3D image slice using the artificial intelligence model. Based on the lesion information received from the second server, the second program may display the locations and scores of all lesions on the guide image.

Also, the second program may display an abnormality score 540 on the screen 500 . The abnormal score 540 may be determined as the highest lesion score among lesion scores for a plurality of lesions displayed on the guide image. Referring to FIG. 5 , since the lesion scores for each detected lesion are 84 points and 15 points, the second program may determine the highest score of 84 as the abnormality score 540 and display it on the screen 500 .

6 is an exemplary diagram for describing a screen on which a 3D image slice is displayed according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 6 , a screen 600 on which a predetermined 3D image slice is displayed is shown.

The second program may display the title 610 of the 3D image slice on the screen 600 . For example, the second program may describe "tomosynthesis" as title 610 .

Also, the second program may display slice information 620 on the screen 600 . The slice information 620 may include a slice number and a lesion score. Specifically, since a 3D tomography image is composed of a plurality of 3D image slices, a slice number indicating which slice is the current slice among all slices displayed on the screen 600 may be displayed on the screen 600 . Also, the lesion score of the corresponding slice may be displayed together on the screen 600 .

Also, the second program may display one or more lesion information 630 on the guide image. In FIG. 5, the second program displays all lesion information on the guide image, whereas in FIG. 6, the second program can display only partial lesion information on a predetermined 3D image slice.

Referring to FIG. 6 , it can be confirmed that the slice currently displayed on the screen 600 is the 5th slice out of a total of 50 slices, and the corresponding slice includes a lesion with a lesion score of 84 points.

Also, the second program may display a slice search tool 640 on the screen 600 . The second program may perform depth-direction search on the 3D tomography image through the slice search tool 640 . The slice search tool 640 may include, but is not limited to, a slider bar, a slider handle, and “slice number/lesion score”.

7 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a function of a slice search tool according to an exemplary embodiment.

A 3D tomography image is composed of a plurality of 3D image slices, and a slice search tool 700 may be used to move to a 3D image slice desired by the user.

The second program may search the 3D tomography image in the depth direction through the slice search tool 700 . The second program may display any one 3D image slice among a plurality of 3D image slices based on a user input to the slice search tool 700 .

Referring to FIG. 7 , the slice search tool 700 may include a slice number 710, a slider bar 720, and a slider handle 730, but elements included in the slice search tool 700 are not limited thereto. don't

The slice number 710 may include the total number of 3D image slices constituting the 3D tomography image and the slice number currently being displayed on the screen. Referring to FIG. 7 , it can be seen that there are a total of 50 3D image slices constituting a 3D tomography image, and the slice currently displayed on the screen corresponds to the 17th slice.

The slider bar 720 includes an indicator for distinguishing each of a plurality of 3D image slices. Indicators as many as the number of 3D image slices may be displayed on the slider bar 720 . In FIG. 7 , indicators in the form of scales are shown, and since the number of 3D image slices is 50, it can be seen that 50 indicators are displayed.

Also, information on the focus slice may be displayed on the slider bar 720 . The focus slice refers to a slice in which a predetermined lesion is best seen among a plurality of 3D image slices. As information on the focus slice, the slice number of the focus slice and lesion scores of lesions included in the focus slice may be displayed on the slider bar 720 . Referring to FIG. 7 , it can be seen that the lesion score of the lesion included in the 17th slice is 15 points, the lesion score of the lesion included in the 21st slice is 27 points, and the lesion score of the lesion included in the 40th slice is 84 points. there is.

In one embodiment, when an input for selecting any one of the at least one focus slice information displayed on the slider bar 720 is received, the second program may display the corresponding focus slice on the screen 600 . For example, if the user clicks '#21/27', the second program may display the 21st slice on the screen 600 .

A slider handle 730 may be displayed adjacent to the slider bar 720 to indicate the slice currently being displayed. A slider handle 730 may be positioned at an indicator corresponding to a currently displayed slice. The user may perform a search in the depth direction for the 3D tomography image using the slider handle 730 . For example, the user may select a 3D image slice to check through a click and drag operation on the slider handle 730 . The second program may provide the selected 3D image slice to the user in real time.

8A to 8D are exemplary diagrams for explaining a method of interlockingly providing a guide image and a location of a lesion between a plurality of 3D image slices according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 8A to 8D , a guide image is shown on the left area 810 of the screen 800 and a 3D image slice is shown on the right area 820 of the screen 800 .

Referring to FIG. 8A , a plurality of lesion information 811 and 812 may be displayed on the guide image. Specifically, the location, shape, and lesion score (84 points) of the first lesion information 811 and the location, shape, and lesion score (15 points) of the second lesion information 812 may be displayed on the guide image. At this time, the 3D image slice displayed on the right area 820 may be an arbitrary slice. In the right area 820 , the slice number of the currently displayed slice may be displayed together on the screen 800 .

Meanwhile, a 3D image slice displayed on the right area 820 may be changed in response to an input for selecting one of the plurality of lesion information 811 and 812 . The second program may display on the right area 820 a 3D image slice having the highest lesion score in the lesion information selected from among the plurality of 3D image slices.

Referring to FIG. 8B , in response to an input for selecting the second lesion information 812, the second program displays a 3D image slice having the highest lesion score in the second lesion information 812 on the right area 820. can do. That is, the 10th slice is displayed on the right area 820 in FIG. 8A, but the 34th slice is displayed on the right area 820 in FIG. 8B after the second lesion information 812 in the guide image is selected. You can check. Second lesion information 812 may be displayed together with the 3D image slice displayed on the right area 820 .

Referring to FIG. 8C , the second program may display whether a medical image related to lesion information displayed on a 3D image slice of a right region 820 exists. The second program may receive an image captured by an external medical imaging device from the second server. If there is a medical image captured by the external medical imaging device, the second program may display the medical image captured by the external medical imaging device in response to selection of lesion information displayed in the right area 820 . The external medical imaging device may include an MRI device, a CT device, and an ultrasound imaging device. In FIG. 8C , it can be confirmed that an ultrasound image exists as a medical image related to the second lesion information 812 displayed on the right area 820 .

Referring to FIG. 8D , the second program may also display a pre-stored medical image 822 in response to an input for selecting the second lesion information 812 displayed on the right area 820 . For example, the second program may display a pre-stored medical image through a separate sub window and display it together with a 3D image slice.

In one embodiment, the second program may process a medical image captured by an external medical imaging device to correspond to depth information of a currently displayed 3D image slice and location information of a lesion displayed on the 3D image slice. To this end, the second program may obtain photographing location information when capturing a medical image. Specifically, the second program may compare and analyze depth information and lesion location information of a 3D image slice and photographing location information of a medical image. Based on the analysis result, the second program may extract and display only the region corresponding to the depth information of the 3D image slice and the location information of the lesion from among regions of the medical image.

9 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a method of searching for a 3D image slice according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 9 , a guide image is displayed on a left area 910 of the screen 900 and a 3D image slice is displayed on a right area 920 of the screen 900 .

In one embodiment, the second program may set a partial area of the 3D image slice being displayed on the right area 920 as the enlarged area 930 . For example, when a user hovers a mouse over a 3D image slice in a state in which the magnification function is executed, an area of the hovered position may be set as the magnification area 930 . The location, size, and shape of the magnification area 930 may be set in various ways according to user settings. The enlarged area 930 may be displayed as a separate window or may be displayed as an overlay on a designated area on a 3D image slice.

In response to the user input being received, the second program may change the 3D image slice displayed in the enlarged area 930 . In addition, while a user input is received, an existing 3D image slice may be displayed in an area other than the enlarged area of the second program. User input includes, but is not limited to, mouse wheel scrolling.

Specifically, an enlargement area 930 for a 3D image slice (hereinafter referred to as a reference slice) currently displayed in the right area 920 may be set, and a mouse wheel scroll input for the enlargement area 930 may be received. The second program may change the 3D image slice displayed in the enlarged area 930 such that a 3D image slice adjacent to the reference slice is displayed forward or backward according to the scroll direction. In this case, the reference slice image may be displayed in the remaining areas other than the enlarged area 930 . For example, when the reference slice is the 5th slice, even if another slice is displayed in the enlarged area 930 , the 5th slice may be maintained and displayed in areas other than the enlarged area 930 .

Meanwhile, a slice number representing the slice number of the currently displayed 3D image slice may be displayed together in the enlarged area 930 .

In the present disclosure, it is possible to conveniently check adjacent 3D slice images for the area set as the enlarged area 930, thereby increasing the efficiency of image reading and the accuracy of diagnosis.

10 is a flowchart of a method for operating a server that interlocks and provides lesion positions between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 10 , in step 1010, the server may receive a medical image set corresponding to at least one patient from an external server.

Also, the server may receive a medical image captured by an external medical imaging device.

In operation 1020, the server may identify a patient being read in response to generation of a preset trigger signal, and may determine a predetermined medical image set corresponding to the identified patient.

In operation 1030, the server may identify at least one 3D image slice constituting a 3D tomography image from among a plurality of medical images included in a predetermined medical image set.

In step 1040, the server may provide guide images corresponding to the identified 3D image slice and the 3D tomography image to be simultaneously displayed.

The server may obtain information on one or more lesions obtained by analyzing a predetermined set of medical images using an artificial intelligence model.

All information on one or more lesions may be displayed on the guide image, and predetermined lesion information corresponding to the identified 3D image slice among the one or more lesion information may be displayed on the identified 3D image slice.

In addition, when there is a plurality of lesion information obtained from a predetermined medical image set, all of the plurality of lesion information may be displayed on the guide image, and some lesion information of the plurality of lesion information may be displayed on the identified 3D image slice. there is.

Coordinate information of an area where some lesion information is displayed on the identified 3D image slice and coordinate information of an area where some lesion information is displayed on the guide image may be set to correspond to each other.

The server may provide a slice search tool to be displayed on a display area related to the identified 3D image slice, and perform a search for the 3D tomography image in a depth direction using the slice search tool.

In one embodiment, the slice search tool may include an indicator for distinguishing each of the plurality of 3D image slices. In addition, for each of the plurality of lesion information displayed on the guide image, identification information of the focus slice and a score of the predetermined lesion information may be displayed at a position corresponding to the indicator of the focus slice on which the predetermined lesion information is displayed. .

The server may receive a separate single image in which the identified 3D image slice and the feedback note recorded on the identified 3D image are merged. Also, the server may receive a separate single image in which the guide image and the feedback note recorded in the guide image are merged.

The server may update the 3D tomography image by storing a single image connected to the plurality of 3D image slices so as to be searched together with the plurality of 3D image slices constituting the 3D tomography image. The server may provide an updated 3D tomography image to be displayed in response to the re-occurrence of a preset trigger signal.

Also, the user device may display an updated medical image set through the first program. In this case, the user device may display the feedback note recorded through the second program when the first program is executed without separately executing the second program.

11 is a flowchart of a program operation method for interlockingly providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 11 , in step 1110, a program may be executed in response to generation of a preset trigger signal.

In operation 1120, the program may receive a guide image and a plurality of 3D image slices constituting a 3D tomography image from the second server.

The guide image may correspond to a 2D medical image.

In operation 1130, the program may simultaneously display a guide image and at least one 3D image slice included in a plurality of 3D image slices.

The program may identify at least one 3D image slice among the plurality of 3D image slices. When there is a plurality of lesion information, all of the plurality of lesion information may be displayed on the guide image, and some lesion information of the plurality of lesion information may be displayed on the identified 3D image slice.

The program may display coordinate information of a region where some lesion information is displayed on the identified 3D image slice and coordinate information of a region where some lesion information is displayed on the guide image, corresponding to each other.

The program may display a slice navigation tool in a display area associated with the identified 3D image slice. The program may perform a depth-direction search for a 3D tomography image using a slice search tool.

The slice search tool may include an indicator for distinguishing each of the plurality of 3D image slices. For each of the plurality of lesion information displayed on the guide image, the program may display the identification information of the focus slice and the score of the predetermined lesion information at a position corresponding to the indicator of the focus slice on which the predetermined lesion information is displayed. .

The program may set a partial area of the identified 3D image slice as an enlarged area and change a 3D image slice displayed in the enlarged area in response to receiving a user input. Also, the program may cause the identified 3D image slice to be displayed in an area other than the enlarged area while receiving a user input.

The program may display pre-stored medical images in response to selection of some lesion information on the identified 3D image slice. The pre-stored medical image may be an image captured by an external medical imaging device.

The program may search for a focus slice corresponding to the selected lesion information among a plurality of 3D image slices in response to selection of some lesion information among a plurality of lesion information displayed on the guide image. Also, the program may display the searched focus slice.

The program may record feedback notes on the guide image or the identified 3D image slice based on user input. The program may transmit the single image to the second server after saving the feedback note as a separate single image together with the guide image or the identified 3D image slice. Specifically, the program may merge the guide images or the identified 3D image slices in an overlay form, save them as a separate single image, and transmit the single image to the second server.

The program may receive an updated 3D tomography image from the second server and display the updated 3D tomography image in response to the occurrence of the preset trigger signal again. The updated 3D tomography image may be a 3D tomography image in which a plurality of 3D image slices and a single image are connected.

12 is a block diagram of a server according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 12 , a server 1200 may include a communication unit 1210, a processor 1220, and a DB 1230. In the server 1200 of FIG. 12 , only elements related to the embodiment are shown. Accordingly, those skilled in the art can understand that other general-purpose components may be further included in addition to the components shown in FIG. 12 .

The communication unit 1210 may include one or more components that enable wired/wireless communication with an external server or external device. For example, the communication unit 1210 may include at least one of a short-distance communication unit (not shown), a mobile communication unit (not shown), and a broadcast reception unit (not shown).

The DB 1230 is hardware for storing various data processed in the server 1200, and may store programs for processing and controlling the processor 1220.

The DB 1230 includes random access memory (RAM) such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and CD-ROM. ROM, Blu-ray or other optical disk storage, hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), or flash memory.

The processor 1220 controls the overall operation of the server 1200. For example, the processor 1220 may generally control an input unit (not shown), a display (not shown), a communication unit 1210, and the DB 1230 by executing programs stored in the DB 1230. The processor 1220 may control the operation of the server 1200 by executing programs stored in the DB 1230.

The processor 1220 may control at least some of the operations of the server 1200 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11 . The server 1200 may be the same as the second servers 120, 220, and 320 of FIGS. 1 to 3, or implemented as a device that performs some of the operations of the second servers 120, 220, and 320.

The processor 1220 may include application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, and microcontrollers. It may be implemented using at least one of micro-controllers, microprocessors, and electrical units for performing other functions.

The server 1200 may be implemented as a computer device or a plurality of computer devices that communicate over a network to provide commands, codes, files, contents, services, and the like.

Embodiments according to the present invention may be implemented in the form of a computer program that can be executed on a computer through various components, and such a computer program may be recorded on a computer-readable medium. At this time, the medium is a magnetic medium such as a hard disk, a floppy disk and a magnetic tape, an optical recording medium such as a CD-ROM and a DVD, a magneto-optical medium such as a floptical disk, and a ROM hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as RAM, flash memory, and the like.

Meanwhile, the computer program may be specially designed and configured for the present invention, or may be known and usable to those skilled in the art of computer software. An example of a computer program may include not only machine language code generated by a compiler but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between sellers and buyers as commodities. A computer program product is distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (eg compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or through an application store (eg Play Store™) or between two user devices. It can be distributed (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) directly or online. In the case of online distribution, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created in a device-readable storage medium such as a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or a relay server's memory.

The steps constituting the method according to the present invention may be performed in any suitable order unless an order is explicitly stated or stated to the contrary. The present invention is not necessarily limited according to the order of description of the steps. The use of all examples or exemplary terms (eg, etc.) in the present invention is simply to explain the present invention in detail, and the scope of the present invention is limited due to the examples or exemplary terms unless limited by the claims. it is not going to be In addition, those skilled in the art can appreciate that various modifications, combinations and changes can be made according to design conditions and factors within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof.

Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments and should not be determined, and all scopes equivalent to or equivalently changed from the claims as well as the claims described below are within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. will be said to belong to

Claims (22)

A method for interlocking and providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomosynthesis image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices,
receiving a medical image set corresponding to at least one patient from a first server;
identifying a patient being read in response to generation of a preset trigger signal, and determining a predetermined medical image set corresponding to the identified patient;
identifying at least one 3D image slice constituting a 3D tomography image from among a plurality of medical images included in the predetermined medical image set; and
providing the identified 3D image slice and a guide image corresponding to the 3D tomography image, wherein the guide image corresponds to a 2D medical image, to be simultaneously displayed;
including,
Wherein the lesion location is interlocked and displayed between the identified 3D image slice and the guide image. According to claim 1,
The method,
obtaining information on one or more lesions obtained by analyzing the predetermined medical image set using an artificial intelligence model;
Including more,
All of the one or more lesion information is displayed on the guide image, and predetermined lesion information corresponding to the identified 3D image slice among the one or more lesion information is displayed on the identified 3D image slice. According to claim 2,
The method of claim 1 , wherein coordinate information of an area where the partial lesion information is displayed on the identified 3D image slice and coordinate information of an area where the partial lesion information is displayed on the guide image are set to correspond to each other. According to claim 2,
The step of providing,
providing a slice navigating tool to be displayed on a display area related to the identified 3D image slice;
including,
The method,
performing depth-direction search on the 3D tomography image using the slice search tool;
Further comprising a method. According to claim 4,
The slice search tool includes an indicator for distinguishing each of the plurality of 3D image slices,
For each of the one or more lesion information displayed on the guide image, the identification information of the focus slice and a score of the predetermined lesion information are located at a position corresponding to an indicator of a focus slice on which predetermined lesion information is displayed. wherein is displayed. According to claim 2,
The method,
receiving a medical image captured by the external medical imaging device to display the medical image captured by the external medical imaging device in response to selection of the information on the part of the lesion on the identified 3D image slice;
Further comprising a method. According to claim 1,
The method,
A separate first single image in which the identified 3D image slice and a feedback note recorded in the identified 3D image slice are merged, and a separate first single image in which the guide image and the feedback note recorded in the guide image are merged receiving at least one single image of the second single image;
Further comprising a method. According to claim 7,
The method,
storing the at least one single image in association with a predefined set of medical images corresponding to the identified patient, such that the at least one single image is searched with a predefined set of medical images corresponding to the identified patient;
Further comprising a method. In a server that interlocks and provides a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices,
a memory in which at least one program is stored; and
at least one processor that operates by executing the at least one program;
The at least one processor,
Receiving a medical image set corresponding to at least one patient from a first server;
Identifying a patient being read in response to the occurrence of a preset trigger signal, determining a predetermined medical image set corresponding to the identified patient,
Identifying at least one 3D image slice constituting a 3D tomography image among a plurality of medical images included in the predetermined medical image set;
The identified 3D image slice and a guide image corresponding to the 3D tomography image, wherein the guide image corresponds to a 2D medical image, are provided to be simultaneously displayed,
The server, wherein the lesion location is interlocked and displayed between the identified 3D image slice and the guide image. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for executing the method of claim 1 on a computer. A method for interlocking and providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomosynthesis image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices,
Executed in response to generation of a preset trigger signal;
Receiving a guide image (the guide image corresponds to a 2D medical image) and a plurality of 3D image slices constituting a 3D tomography image from a second server; and
simultaneously displaying the guide image and at least one 3D image slice included in the plurality of 3D image slices;
including,
Wherein the lesion location is interlocked and displayed between the identified 3D image slice and the guide image. According to claim 11,
The method,
identifying at least one 3D image slice among the plurality of 3D image slices;
Including more,
Wherein all information on one or more lesions is displayed on the guide image, and predetermined lesion information corresponding to the identified 3D image slice is displayed on the identified 3D image slice. According to claim 12,
The displaying step is
displaying coordinate information of a region where the partial lesion information is displayed on the identified 3D image slice and coordinate information of a region where the partial lesion information is displayed on the guide image, corresponding to each other;
Including, method. According to claim 12,
The displaying step is
displaying a slice navigating tool in a display area associated with the identified 3D image slice;
Including more,
The method,
performing depth-direction search on the 3D tomography image using the slice search tool;
Further comprising a method. 15. The method of claim 14,
The slice search tool includes an indicator for distinguishing each of the plurality of 3D image slices,
The displaying step is
For each of the one or more lesion information displayed on the guide image, the identification information of the focus slice and a score of the predetermined lesion information are located at a position corresponding to an indicator of a focus slice on which predetermined lesion information is displayed. displaying;
Including, method. 15. The method of claim 14,
The method,
setting a partial area of the identified 3D image slice as an enlarged area; and
changing a 3D image slice displayed in the enlarged area in response to receiving a user input;
Including more,
And while the user input is received, the identified 3D image slice is displayed in an area other than the enlarged area. According to claim 12,
The displaying step is
displaying a pre-stored medical image in response to selection of the partial lesion information on the identified 3D image slice;
Including more,
Wherein the medical image is captured by an external medical imaging device. According to claim 12,
The method,
searching for a focus slice corresponding to the selected lesion information among the plurality of 3D image slices in response to selection of predetermined lesion information among one or more lesion information displayed on the guide image; and
displaying the searched focus slice;
Further comprising a method. According to claim 13,
The method,
based on a user input, recording a feedback note on the guide image or the identified 3D image slice; and
merging the feedback notes in an overlay form on the guide image or the identified 3D image slice, storing them as a separate single image, and then transmitting the single image to the first server or the second server;
Including, method. According to claim 19,
The method,
Receiving and displaying an updated 3D tomography image from the first server or the second server in response to the occurrence of the preset trigger signal again;
Including more,
Wherein the updated 3D tomography image is a 3D tomography image in which the plurality of 3D image slices and the single image are connected. An apparatus for interlocking and providing a lesion location between a guide image and a 3D tomography image composed of a plurality of 3D image slices,
a memory in which at least one program is stored; and
at least one processor that operates by executing the at least one program;
The at least one processor,
It is executed in response to the occurrence of a preset trigger signal,
Receiving a guide image from a second server, wherein the guide image corresponds to a 2D medical image, and a plurality of 3D image slices constituting a 3D tomography image;
simultaneously displaying the guide image and at least one 3D image slice included in the plurality of 3D image slices;
The apparatus, wherein the location of the lesion is interlocked and displayed between the identified 3D image slice and the guide image. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for executing the method of claim 11 on a computer.

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