WO2015044978A1

WO2015044978A1 - Information processing device, imaging system, information processing method and program

Info

Publication number: WO2015044978A1
Application number: PCT/JP2013/005695
Authority: WO
Inventors: 聖衛藤; 耕一井上; 淳也古市
Original assignee: テルモ株式会社
Priority date: 2013-09-26
Filing date: 2013-09-26
Publication date: 2015-04-02
Also published as: JP6100910B2; JPWO2015044978A1

Abstract

This information processing device allows quickly moving a transceiver unit of a tomography device probe to a blood vessel position of the surgeon's choice. In a fluoroscopic image of a blood vessel, which is configured from one or more frames and imaged while a probe having a transceiver unit is inserted into the blood vessel, the position of the image of the transceiver unit included in each frame is acquired. At least one of the frames of the fluoroscopic image is displayed. In the frame of the fluoroscopic image displayed, a user-indicated blood vessel position is acquired. A frame of the fluoroscopic image which contains an image of the transceiver unit which is in a position nearer the user-indicated blood vessel position is specified. The position of the transceiver unit in the blood vessel length direction when the specified frame was imaged is acquired, and a transceiver unit move command is sent to the tomography device so that the tomography device transceiver unit in the blood vessel length direction assumes the same position as that of the transceiver unit in the blood vessel length direction when the specified frame was imaged.

Description

Information processing apparatus, photographing system, information processing method, and program

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an imaging system, an information processing method, and a program, and more particularly, to imaging for medical diagnosis.

For example, an intravascular medical practice using a catheter including a balloon, a stent, or the like is usually performed while referring to a diagnostic image. Conventionally, during surgery using a catheter, stenosis or occlusion of blood vessels can be confirmed by observing fluoroscopic images, for example, X-ray images, taken continuously by angiography (angio, angio). Has been. In recent years, a tomographic image of a blood vessel obtained from an ultrasonic vascular endoscope (IVUS), an optical interference diagnostic imaging apparatus (OCT), or an optical interference diagnostic imaging apparatus (OFDI) using an improved wavelength sweep, etc. Techniques to check together are becoming widespread.

These fluoroscopic images and tomographic images are mainly used for diagnosis before surgery and confirmation of therapeutic effect after surgery. For example, when performing treatment to insert a stent into a blood vessel and widen the stenosis of the blood vessel, the operator (operator) confirms the overall shape of the target coronary artery from the X-ray image and specifies the stenosis of the blood vessel. . Furthermore, the surgeon grasps the pathological condition in the blood vessel using the tomographic image in the stenosis, and finally determines the placement position and size of the stent.

As a method for displaying the obtained image, for example, Patent Document 1 describes that the position of a transmission / reception unit used for imaging possessed by an IVUS probe inserted into a subject is displayed on an X-ray image. Patent Document 2 discloses a method for detecting a moving position of a transmission / reception unit of an ultrasonic probe from an X-ray fluoroscopic image. Patent Document 2 further discloses recording an ultrasonic image at a predetermined position and displaying the recorded ultrasonic image in accordance with the position designation by the user.

JP 2007-282974 A JP-A-5-64638

When the photographed tomographic image or fluoroscopic image of the blood vessel is confirmed, the operator may desire to re-photograph the tomographic image when a finer tomographic image is desired. However, due to the difficulty of position designation, it is not easy to quickly move the transmission / reception unit of the probe to the blood vessel position desired by the operator.

An object of the present invention is to quickly move a transmission / reception unit included in a probe of a tomography apparatus to a blood vessel position desired by an operator.

In order to achieve the object of the present invention, for example, an information processing apparatus of the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is,
A probe having a transmission / reception unit is inserted into a blood vessel, and connected to a tomography apparatus that takes a tomographic image of the blood vessel using the transmission / reception unit while controlling the position of the transmission / reception unit in the blood vessel length direction. An information processing apparatus,
First acquisition means for acquiring a position of an image of a transmission / reception unit included in each frame of a perspective image of a blood vessel composed of one or more frames taken while the probe is inserted into the blood vessel When,
Display control means for displaying at least one of the frames of the fluoroscopic image on a display means;
Second acquisition means for acquiring a blood vessel position designated by a user on a frame of the fluoroscopic image displayed on the display means;
A specifying means for specifying a frame of the fluoroscopic image including an image of a transmission / reception unit located closer to a blood vessel position specified by the user;
For the identified frame, the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged is obtained, and the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit of the tomographic imaging apparatus is identified. Transmitting means for transmitting an instruction to move the transmission / reception unit to the tomographic imaging apparatus so that the position of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged is similar to the position in the blood vessel length direction;
It is characterized by providing.

The transmission / reception unit of the probe of the tomography apparatus can be quickly moved to the blood vessel position desired by the operator.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The accompanying drawings are included in the specification, constitute a part thereof, show an embodiment of the present invention, and are used to explain the principle of the present invention together with the description.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the OFDI apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for specifying a blood vessel position on a fluoroscopic image.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[Embodiment 1]
The information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes an image collection unit 110, a correspondence acquisition unit 120, a detection unit 125, a user instruction acquisition unit 130, a display control unit 140, a frame specification unit 145, and an instruction transmission unit. 150. The information processing apparatus 100 is communicably connected to the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 and the display apparatus 190, and can control these operations.

The image collection unit 110 collects tomographic images and fluoroscopic images of blood vessels. The type of tomographic image of the blood vessel is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an ultrasonic tomographic image or an optical tomographic image. In the present embodiment, the tomographic image collected by the image collection unit 110 is taken by inserting a probe having a transmission / reception unit into a blood vessel. Further, in the present embodiment, the fluoroscopic images collected by the image collecting unit 110 are taken while taking a tomographic image of a blood vessel by inserting a probe having a transmission / reception unit into the blood vessel. This transmission / reception unit is used to take a tomographic image of a blood vessel at the position of the transmission / reception unit. In one embodiment, the transceiver transmits and receives diagnostic waves. For example, the transmission / reception unit transmits / receives ultrasonic waves when imaging an ultrasonic tomogram, and the transmission / reception unit transmits / receives light when imaging an optical tomogram. In the present embodiment, the image collecting unit 110 is connected to the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 and the fluoroscopic imaging apparatus 180, and collects a tomographic image and a fluoroscopic image from these apparatuses. These devices usually acquire a transverse cross-sectional image in the blood vessel radial direction, but a vertical cross-sectional image in the blood vessel length direction can also be obtained from the cross-sectional image.

The ultrasonic tomographic image can be acquired by, for example, an intravascular ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (IVUS: Intra Vascular Ultra Sound). The optical tomographic image can be acquired by, for example, an optical coherence tomography diagnostic apparatus (OCT: Optical Coherence Tomography) or an optical interference image diagnostic apparatus (OFDI: Optical Frequency Imaging) using a wavelength sweep. In the following description, it is assumed that the image collection unit 110 collects an optical tomographic image obtained using an OFDI apparatus.

In the present embodiment, the tomographic image collected by the image collecting unit 110 is composed of a plurality of frames. For example, an optical probe of an OFDI apparatus is inserted into a blood vessel such as a coronary artery through a catheter, and a tomographic image is continuously captured using a transmission / reception unit of the optical probe while pulling the optical probe. A tomographic image composed of frames can be obtained.

Further, the type of fluoroscopic image of the blood vessel is not particularly limited, but may be an X-ray image taken using a contrast agent by an angiography method, for example. That is, by continuously capturing X-ray images while pulling the optical probe of the OFDI apparatus, it is possible to obtain a perspective image composed of a plurality of frames.

Hereinafter, the OFDI apparatus will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The OFDI apparatus 300 includes a probe unit 301, a scanner / pullback unit 302, and an operation control device 303. The scanner / pullback unit 302 and the operation control device 303 are connected via a signal line 304 so that various signals can be transmitted. ing.

The probe unit 301 is directly inserted into a blood vessel and continuously transmits the transmitted light (measurement light) into the blood vessel, and includes an optical transmission / reception unit that continuously receives reflected light from the blood vessel. Is interpolated. Usually, an imaging core including a transmission / reception unit is provided near the tip of the probe unit 301. In the OFDI apparatus 300, the state inside the blood vessel is measured by using the imaging core.

The scanner and pullback unit 302 is detachably attached to the probe unit 301, and operates in the axial direction and rotational direction in the blood vessel of the imaging core inserted in the probe unit 301 by driving a built-in motor. It prescribes. In the present embodiment, the scanner and pullback unit 302 can control the position of the transmission / reception unit in the blood vessel length direction by controlling the insertion length of the probe into the blood vessel, for example, in accordance with an instruction from the operation control device 303. The probe unit 301 measures a state inside the blood vessel at a position controlled by the scanner and the pull back unit 302, and a tomographic image is generated according to the measurement result. In addition, the scanner and pullback unit 302 acquires the reflected light received by the optical transmission / reception unit and transmits it to the operation control device 303.

The operation control device 303 performs a function for inputting various set values and processes data obtained by the measurement to generate a tomographic image, and generates each frame (intravascular vessel) of the generated tomographic image. Of the horizontal cross-sectional image and the vertical cross-sectional image). The generated tomographic image can be transmitted to the information processing apparatus 100.

In the operation control device 303, reference numeral 311 denotes a main body control unit, which generates line section images by processing line data generated based on reflected light obtained by measurement.

Reference numeral 311-1 denotes a printer and a DVD recorder, which print out processing results in the main body control unit 311 and store them as data. Reference numeral 312 denotes an operation panel, and the user inputs various setting values and instructions via the operation panel 312. Reference numeral 313 denotes an LCD monitor as a display device, which displays a cross-sectional image generated by the main body control unit 311.

The information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment collects tomographic images and fluoroscopic images from the tomographic image and fluoroscopic image capturing apparatus. The information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is incorporated in the tomographic image or fluoroscopic image capturing apparatus. It may be. For example, the main body control unit 311 illustrated in FIG. 3 may include each component of the information processing apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. In this case, the display control unit 140 can control the display on the LCD monitor 313, and the user instruction acquisition unit 130 can acquire a user instruction from the operation panel 312. An imaging system including a tomographic imaging apparatus 170 that captures a tomographic image and a fluoroscopic imaging apparatus 180 that captures a fluoroscopic image may further include the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment.

The correspondence acquisition unit 120 acquires the correspondence between each frame constituting the fluoroscopic image and each frame constituting the tomographic image. Specifically, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 determines, for each frame constituting the fluoroscopic image, a tomographic image frame that is captured substantially simultaneously with this frame. The method for acquiring the correspondence relationship is not particularly limited. The tomographic image frame photographed substantially simultaneously with the fluoroscopic image frame may be a tomographic image frame photographed within a predetermined time interval from the photographing time of the fluoroscopic image frame. When there is no tomographic image frame captured at substantially the same time as the frame constituting the fluoroscopic image, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 can record that there is no corresponding tomographic image frame.

For example, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 can acquire this correspondence by image processing on a tomographic image and a fluoroscopic image. As an example, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 detects the position of the transmission / reception unit included in the probe from the fluoroscopic image, calculates the insertion length of the transmission / reception unit, and determines the tomographic image corresponding to the calculated insertion length. it can. The correspondence acquisition unit 120 can also acquire this correspondence according to the branch position of the blood vessel detected from the fluoroscopic image and the branch position of the blood vessel detected from the tomographic image. Furthermore, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 refers to the time stamp attached to each frame constituting the fluoroscopic image and the time stamp attached to each frame constituting the tomographic image to obtain this correspondence relationship. Can do. As a further method, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 can acquire the correspondence relationship with reference to the frame rate of the fluoroscopic image and the frame rate of the tomographic image.

The detection unit 125 detects the position of the image of the transmission / reception unit included in each frame constituting the fluoroscopic image. For example, by attaching a member having high X-ray absorption to the transmission / reception unit included in the optical probe of the OFDI apparatus, the position of the transmission / reception unit can be detected from the frame of the fluoroscopic image. In this case, the position of the transmission / reception unit is detected as a more absorbable part in the blood vessel. However, the information processing apparatus 100 does not have to include the detection unit 125. For example, the image collection unit 110 may acquire information indicating the position of the transmission / reception unit in each frame constituting the fluoroscopic image together with or separately from the fluoroscopic image.

The user instruction acquisition unit 130 acquires a user instruction for specifying a blood vessel position. The user instruction is given on the frame of the fluoroscopic image displayed on the display device 190. For example, the user can specify a blood vessel at a predetermined position on the displayed fluoroscopic image using an input device (not shown) such as a mouse, and in this case, the user instruction acquisition unit 130 acquires the specified blood vessel position. To do. FIG. 4 shows an example of designation by the user. In FIG. 4, one point on the blood vessel shown in the fluoroscopic image is designated by the mouse pointer. In FIG. 4, the position of the blood vessel is highlighted for explanation, but it is not essential to emphasize the position of the blood vessel. When the display device 190 includes a touch screen, the user may input a position designation via the touch screen.

The display control unit 140 causes the display device 190 to display a tomographic image and a fluoroscopic image. In the present embodiment, in order to enable a surgeon (operator) to make a more accurate determination, the display control unit 140 includes a frame of a tomographic image and a fluoroscopic image captured substantially simultaneously with the frame of the tomographic image. The frame is simultaneously displayed on the display device 190. In the present embodiment, the display control unit 140 displays the cross-sectional image on the display device 190, but can further display the vertical cross-sectional image on the display device 190. Specific processing of the display control unit 140 will be described later.

The frame specifying unit 145 specifies a frame of a fluoroscopic image including the image of the transmitting / receiving unit located closer to the blood vessel position indicated by the user instruction acquired by the user instruction acquiring unit 130. Specific processing of the frame specifying unit 145 will be described later.

The instruction transmission unit 150 transmits a movement instruction of the transmission / reception unit to the tomography apparatus 170. The instruction transmission unit 150 also transmits a tomographic image capturing instruction to the tomographic image capturing apparatus 170. Specific processing of the instruction transmission unit 150 will also be described later.

Next, an example of processing performed by the information processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step S210, the image collection unit 110 collects a tomographic image and a fluoroscopic image of the blood vessel as described above. In step S220, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 acquires the correspondence relationship between the fluoroscopic image and the tomographic image of the blood vessel as described above. In step S230, the detection unit 125 detects the position of the transmission / reception unit from each frame constituting the fluoroscopic image as described above. For example, when the frame number of the perspective image to be symmetric is k and the coordinates of the detected position of the transmission / reception unit are (x, y), the detection unit 125 records a plurality of sets of (x, y, k). .

In step S240, the display control unit 140 causes the display device 190 to simultaneously display at least one frame of the fluoroscopic image and the frame of the corresponding tomographic image. The method for selecting a frame to be displayed in step S240 is not particularly limited. For example, the display control unit 140 may display the first frame among the frames constituting the fluoroscopic image. When there is no tomographic frame corresponding to the selected perspective image frame, the display control unit 140 may not display the tomographic image. As another method, if there is no tomographic frame corresponding to the selected perspective image frame, the display control unit 140 captures a tomographic image captured at the time closest to the imaging time of the perspective image frame. The frame may be displayed.

In step S250, the user instruction acquisition unit 130 acquires a user instruction for specifying a blood vessel position as described above. The position acquired by the user instruction acquisition unit 130 in step S250 is hereinafter referred to as (x _u , _yu ).

In step S260, the frame specifying unit 145 specifies the frame of the fluoroscopic image corresponding to the blood vessel position specified by the user instruction in accordance with the user instruction of the user instruction acquiring unit 130. As a specific example, the frame specifying unit 145 can select a frame of a fluoroscopic image including an image of a transmission / reception unit located closer to the blood vessel position specified by a user instruction. For example, the frame identification unit 145, among the set of recorded multiple (x, y, k) in step S220, the coordinates _(x 0, _{y 0)} and obtained in step S240 coordinates _(x u, _{y u} ) (X ₀ , y ₀ , k ₀ ) can be selected such that the distance between them is shorter. Specifically, the frame specifying unit 145 selects (x ₀ , y ₀ , k ₀ ) so that the distance between the coordinates (x ₀ , y ₀ ) and the coordinates (x _u , _yu ) is the shortest. can do. The frame k ₀ determined in this way becomes the frame of the fluoroscopic image selected in step S260. The frame selected in this way corresponds to a frame photographed when the transmission / reception unit exists in the vicinity of the blood vessel position designated by the user instruction.

The frame specifying unit 145 selects (x ₀ , y ₀ , k ₀ ) so that the distance between the coordinates (x ₀ , y ₀ ) and the coordinates (x _u , _yu ) is closest. At this time, the frame specifying unit 145 may further determine whether or not the distance between the coordinates (x ₀ , y ₀ ) and the coordinates (x _u , _yu ) is within a predetermined threshold. If the distance exceeds the predetermined threshold, the process may return to step S250 without moving the position of the transmission / reception unit, and the user instruction may be acquired again. In this case, the display control unit 140 can notify the user via the display device 190 that the movement has not been performed.

In step S270, the instruction transmission unit 150 acquires the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when the frame specified in step S260 is captured. Then, the instruction transmission unit 150 provides a movement instruction to move the transmission / reception unit so that the position of the transmission / reception unit is the same as the position of the transmission / reception unit when the frame specified in step S260 is captured. To device 170. For example, the instruction transmission unit 150 can generate a movement instruction with reference to information indicating the pressing length of the probe with respect to the reference position at the time of imaging for each frame of the tomographic image. The image collection unit 110 can acquire such information from the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 together with the tomographic image. Specifically, the instruction transmission unit 150 determines the tomographic image frame k ₁ corresponding to the fluoroscopic image frame k ₀ according to the correspondence acquired in step S 220. The instruction transmitting unit 150, pushing the length of the probe, so that similar to the indentation length corresponding to the frame k ₁ of the tomographic image, the probe is moved to the tomography apparatus 170. Then, with the movement of the probe, the transmission / reception unit is also moved to a desired position.

When there is no tomographic frame k ₁ corresponding to the fluoroscopic image frame k ₀ , the instruction transmission unit 150 may not transmit an instruction to move the probe. In this case, the process may return to step S250 and the user instruction may be acquired again. In this case, the display control unit 140 can notify the user via the display device 190 that the movement has not been performed.

When the tomographic frame k ₁ corresponding to the fluoroscopic image frame k ₀ does not exist, the frame specifying unit 145 selects another frame imaged when the transmitting / receiving unit exists in the vicinity of the blood vessel position designated by the user instruction. A new selection may be made. The newly selected frame can be, for example, an arbitrary frame in which the distance between the coordinates (x ₀ , y ₀ ) and the coordinates (x _u , _yu ) is within a predetermined threshold. The instruction transmission unit 150 can determine the tomographic image frame k ₁ corresponding to the new perspective image frame k ₀ in accordance with the correspondence acquired in step S 220.

In step S280, the instruction transmission unit 150 gives a photographing instruction for causing the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 to capture a tomographic image in a state where the transmission / reception unit is moved to a position according to the movement instruction generated in step S270. Send to. Thus, a tomographic image is taken at the blood vessel position according to the user instruction acquired in step S250. The photographed tomographic image may be stored in the tomographic image photographing apparatus 170 or may be collected by the image collecting unit 110. The display control unit 140 may cause the display device 190 to display the collected tomographic image. In this case, the display control unit 140 may cause the display device 190 to display the frame of the fluoroscopic image specified in step S260 simultaneously with the collected tomographic image.

In step S280, the instruction transmission unit 150 can cause the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 to capture a tomographic image with a higher resolution than the tomographic image collected in step S210. Specifically, the resolution in the blood vessel circumferential direction may be high, or the resolution in the blood vessel radial direction may be high.

According to the present embodiment described above, it is possible to take a tomographic image at a position specified on the fluoroscopic image by operating the probe so that the transmission / reception unit moves to the position specified on the fluoroscopic image. Become.

[Modification 1]
As another embodiment, in step S270, the instruction transmission unit 150 causes the tomography apparatus 170 so that the transmission / reception unit moves within a predetermined range from the position of the transmission / reception unit when the frame specified in step S260 is captured. A movement instruction may be transmitted to In step S280, the instruction transmission unit 150 may transmit an imaging instruction to the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 so that a tomographic image is captured at a plurality of positions within the predetermined range. In this case, a tomographic image composed of a plurality of frames can be re-photographed around the blood vessel position designated on the fluoroscopic image. Also in this case, the instruction transmission unit 150 can cause the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 to capture a tomographic image with a higher resolution than the tomographic image collected in step S210. Specifically, the blood vessel circumferential direction resolution may be high, the blood vessel radial direction resolution may be high, or the blood vessel length direction resolution may be high.

Also, in step S250, the user instruction acquisition unit 130 may acquire a user instruction that specifies two blood vessel positions. In this case, in step S260, the frame specifying unit 145 can specify corresponding fluoroscopic image frames for each of the two blood vessel positions in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in step S270, the instruction transmission unit 150 can acquire the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when each of the two specified frames is captured. In this case, the instruction transmission unit 150 can transmit a photographing instruction to the tomographic imaging apparatus 170 so as to re-photograph a tomographic image between the two acquired positions.

[Modification 2]
As another embodiment, in step S260, the frame specifying unit 145 may select two or more frames of a fluoroscopic image including an image of a transmission / reception unit located closer to the blood vessel position specified by a user instruction. In step S270, the instruction transmission unit 150 uses the relationship between the coordinates at which the transmission / reception unit is detected for each of two or more frames and the position of the transmission / reception unit in the blood vessel length direction to specify the blood vessel position. The position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit corresponding to can be obtained by interpolation.

[Modification 3]
Since the blood vessel can move due to the movement of the body, the position of the blood vessel on each frame of the fluoroscopic image may change. In particular, the coronary arteries move greatly as the heart beats. In such a case, according to the position of the blood vessel on the fluoroscopic image, the position of the transmission / reception unit detected in step S230 and the user-specified position on the image acquired in step S250 can be corrected.

As a specific example, coordinates on the fluoroscopic image designated by the user can be converted into relative coordinates with respect to the blood vessel image. For example, the user instruction acquisition unit 130 can detect a feature point of a blood vessel from a frame of a fluoroscopic image. This feature point is, for example, a blood vessel branch point or the like, and may be automatically detected by the user instruction acquisition unit 130 or may be input by the operator. Then, the user instruction acquisition unit 130 can convert the coordinates on the fluoroscopic image designated by the user into a relative coordinate system based on the detected feature points. Similarly, the detection unit 125 can also convert the detected position of the transmission / reception unit into a relative coordinate system based on the detected feature point. In this case, the process of selecting a perspective image frame in step S260 can be performed using relative coordinates.

As another method, there is a method in which an image captured in one of the systole and relaxation periods of the heart is not processed, and an image captured in the other is processed. Specifically, in step S260, the display control unit 140 can select a frame of a fluoroscopic image corresponding to a blood vessel position according to a user instruction, which is captured during the relaxation period of the heart, as a frame to be displayed. it can. According to this method, it is possible to prevent the image of the systole of the heart in which the blood vessel is moving greatly from being selected, and to display an unintended image. Further, the user instruction acquisition unit 130 may be configured to acquire a blood vessel position designated on a fluoroscopic image of the heart in the relaxation period and not to acquire a blood vessel position designated on the fluoroscopic image of the heart in the systole. it can.

As a further method, an image taken during the systole of the heart and an image taken during the relaxation of the heart can be handled independently. That is, when the user instruction acquisition unit 130 acquires the designated blood vessel position on the fluoroscopic image of the heart in the relaxation period, the display control unit 140 displays an image taken in the relaxation period of the heart. Can be selected as a frame. On the other hand, when the user instruction acquisition unit 130 acquires the designated blood vessel position on the perspective image of the heart in the systole, the display control unit 140 displays the image captured in the heart systole. Frame can be selected. In such a case, the detection unit 125 can record a set of (x, y, k) separately for each of the fluoroscopic image in the relaxation period and the fluoroscopic image in the contraction period.

[Modification 4]
In the first embodiment, in step S210, the image collection unit 110 collects fluoroscopic images of blood vessels. In step S220, the correspondence acquisition unit 120 acquires the correspondence between the fluoroscopic image and the tomographic image of the blood vessel. However, if the position of the transmission / reception unit in the blood vessel length direction when the frame of the fluoroscopic image specified in step S260 is taken is known, the processing in steps S210 and S220 can be omitted. In this case, the information processing apparatus 100 may not have the correspondence acquisition unit 120.

Specifically, for each frame of the fluoroscopic image captured by the fluoroscopic image capturing device 180, if the position of the transmitting / receiving unit at the time of capturing is associated and stored, the instruction transmitting unit 150 refers to the fluoroscopic image and the correspondence relationship. do not have to. For example, the fluoroscopic image capturing apparatus 180 or other information processing apparatus can record each frame of the fluoroscopic image captured while associating the position of the transmission / reception unit by communicating with the tomographic image capturing apparatus 170.

Further, the display of the tomographic image in step S240 may be omitted. Further, the fluoroscopic image collected by the image collecting unit 110 in step S210 may be a one-frame image.

[Embodiment 2]
Each of the embodiments described above can also be realized by a computer executing a computer program. That is, a computer program that realizes the function of each unit according to each embodiment described above is supplied to a system or apparatus including a computer via a network or a storage medium. Then, the above-described embodiments can be realized by a computer including a processor and a memory reading a computer program into the memory and the processor operating according to the computer program on the memory.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, in order to make the scope of the present invention public, the following claims are attached.

Claims

A probe having a transmission / reception unit is inserted into a blood vessel, and connected to a tomography apparatus that takes a tomographic image of the blood vessel using the transmission / reception unit while controlling the position of the transmission / reception unit in the blood vessel length direction. An information processing apparatus,
First acquisition means for acquiring a position of an image of a transmission / reception unit included in each frame of a perspective image of a blood vessel composed of one or more frames taken while the probe is inserted into the blood vessel When,
Display control means for displaying at least one of the frames of the fluoroscopic image on a display means;
Second acquisition means for acquiring a blood vessel position designated by a user on a frame of the fluoroscopic image displayed on the display means;
A specifying means for specifying a frame of the fluoroscopic image including an image of a transmission / reception unit located closer to a blood vessel position specified by the user;
For the identified frame, the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged is obtained, and the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit of the tomographic imaging apparatus is identified. Transmitting means for transmitting an instruction to move the transmission / reception unit to the tomographic imaging apparatus so that the position of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged is similar to the position in the blood vessel length direction;
An information processing apparatus comprising:
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit further transmits an imaging instruction for imaging a tomographic image of a blood vessel at a position according to the movement instruction to the tomographic imaging apparatus.
A collecting means for collecting a fluoroscopic image of a blood vessel composed of a plurality of frames, which is taken while the probe is inserted into the blood vessel;
The said 1st acquisition means acquires the position of the image of this transmission / reception part by detecting the image of the said transmission / reception part from each flame | frame of the said fluoroscopic image, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. Information processing device.
A perspective image of a blood vessel composed of a plurality of frames taken while the probe is inserted into the blood vessel, and a plurality of frames photographed by inserting the probe into the blood vessel. A collecting means for collecting a tomographic image of a blood vessel;
For each frame of the fluoroscopic image, further comprising third acquisition means for acquiring information indicating the frame of the tomographic image taken substantially simultaneously with the frame;
3. The display control unit according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to simultaneously display the frame of the fluoroscopic image and the frame of the tomographic image captured substantially simultaneously with the frame. Image processing device.
The transmission means further transmits an imaging instruction for imaging a tomographic image of a blood vessel at a position according to the movement instruction at a higher resolution than the tomographic image of the blood vessel to the tomographic imaging apparatus. 5. The information processing apparatus according to 4.
The transmission means further transmits to the tomographic imaging apparatus an imaging instruction for imaging a tomographic image of a blood vessel at a plurality of positions within a predetermined range from a position according to the movement instruction. 5. The information processing apparatus according to 5.
The transmission unit transmits the movement instruction when a distance between an image position of the transmission / reception unit included in the frame specified by the specifying unit and a blood vessel position specified by the user is within a predetermined threshold. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus.
8. An imaging system comprising: the information processing apparatus according to claim 1; the tomographic imaging apparatus; and an imaging apparatus that captures the fluoroscopic image.
A probe having a transmission / reception unit is inserted into a blood vessel, and connected to a tomography apparatus that takes a tomographic image of the blood vessel using the transmission / reception unit while controlling the position of the transmission / reception unit in the blood vessel length direction. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus,
A first acquisition step of acquiring a position of an image of a transmission / reception unit included in each frame for a fluoroscopic image of a blood vessel composed of one or more frames taken while the probe is inserted into the blood vessel When,
A display control step of displaying at least one of the frames of the fluoroscopic image on a display means;
A second acquisition step of acquiring a blood vessel position designated by a user on a frame of the fluoroscopic image displayed on the display means;
A specifying step of specifying a frame of the fluoroscopic image including an image of a transmission / reception unit located closer to a blood vessel position specified by the user;
For the identified frame, the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged is obtained, and the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit of the tomographic imaging apparatus is identified. A transmission step of transmitting a movement instruction of the transmission / reception unit to the tomographic imaging apparatus so as to be the same as the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged;
An information processing method comprising:
A probe having a transmission / reception unit is inserted into a blood vessel, and connected to a tomography apparatus that takes a tomographic image of the blood vessel using the transmission / reception unit while controlling the position of the transmission / reception unit in the blood vessel length direction. On the computer,
First acquisition procedure for acquiring a position of an image of a transmission / reception unit included in each frame of a fluoroscopic image of a blood vessel composed of one or more frames taken while the probe is inserted into the blood vessel When,
A display control procedure for causing the display means to display at least one of the frames of the fluoroscopic image;
A second acquisition procedure for acquiring a blood vessel position designated by a user on a frame of the fluoroscopic image displayed on the display means;
A specifying procedure for specifying a frame of the fluoroscopic image including an image of a transmitting / receiving unit located closer to a blood vessel position specified by the user;
For the identified frame, the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged is obtained, and the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit of the tomographic imaging apparatus is identified. A transmission procedure for transmitting a movement instruction of the transmission / reception unit to the tomographic imaging apparatus so as to be the same as the position in the blood vessel length direction of the transmission / reception unit when the frame is imaged;
A program for running