JP2002171376A - Image transmitter and image transmission method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system which prevents forgetting of outputting by realizing processing such as consistency confirmation before outputting images in the same category. SOLUTION: In the processing of delivering the photographic image of modality to a destination device such as an archive from a transmitter, when accompanying information of an input image from the modality and the accompanying information on the image which is already stored in its own device and is not outputted to the archive yet are collated with each other and both of them are matched with each other, the transmitter stops a new picture with an already input picture. When they are not matched with each other, the new image is stopped and the already input image is outputted to the archive. The processing such as the consistency confirmation of plural images belonging to a single category such as the same inspection ID, e.g. is made possible and forgetting of outputting to the archive is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention executes a transfer process of a photographed image of various image photographing devices connected to a network, a processed image of an image processing device, or an image stored in an image storage device via a network. The present invention relates to an image transmitting apparatus and an image transmitting method, and particularly, when transmitting an image obtained by a medical image diagnostic apparatus to various destination devices such as a printer, a database, and a display device via a network, for example, one inspection unit. For example, the present invention relates to an image transmitting apparatus and an image transmitting method capable of confirming consistency or the like of images included in one group at a transmission source and preventing forgetting to transmit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various image diagnostic apparatuses have been used as medical diagnostic apparatuses. For example, typical devices include an ultrasonic diagnostic device, an MR (Magnetic Resonance) device, a CT (Computerized Tomography) device, and a CR (Comp
uted Radiography) device. These diagnostic imaging devices are called modality devices. Image data photographed by these various modality devices is printed out by a film printer, displayed on a display, or stored in a storage means such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, and data is stored.
The processing is performed in various modes.

For example, in a diagnosis using a CT apparatus,
A CT technician, which is an image diagnostic apparatus, is operated by a laboratory technician, and a tomographic image or the like of a patient is captured. This image can also be displayed on a video display on the console of the device. Further, by operating a film recorder called an imager connected to a modality (CT device), an image necessary for diagnosis is specified, and the specified image is input to the imager and printed on a large-format film by a printer, for example. Be out. This film is given to a doctor as a diagnostic image, and a patient is diagnosed.

In a hospital that handles a plurality of various modality devices, various modality devices, a printer, a display, an image storage archive as an image storage device, and the like are interconnected via a network, and a photographed image of the modality device and an image storage device are stored. The image data stored in the means can be displayed on a display or output to a printer as necessary at various places in the hospital.

In a system environment connected to a network, for example, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an MR (Magnetic Resona)
nce) device, CT (Computerized Tomography) device, CR
(Computed Radiography) Images captured by a device or the like are transferred by the user by designating various destination devices such as a printer, a display, a database, and the like, and image display,
Output and storage are performed.

[0006]

Generally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an MR (Magnetic resonance) apparatus, and a CT (Computeriz
Diagnostic images taken by various modalities such as edTomography and CR (Computed Radiography) devices are accompanied by attribute information such as patient name, patient ID, examination date and time, examination conditions, date of birth of the patient and name of doctor in charge. Then, a storage process for the storage device and the like are executed together with the attribute information. Further, parameters for setting the display and output modes of the display and the printer are stored together with the image.

In general hospitals having a plurality of medical departments, M
A large amount of various image data such as RI and X-ray CT is generated, and it is necessary to accumulate these in a database.
Usually, in one examination, a plurality of images are photographed, image transfer is performed for each of the plurality of images, and the images are individually stored in the database while having the accompanying information.

However, in such a network environment, for example, with respect to a series of image data photographed in one examination of one patient, an image inputted from the modality to the image transmitting apparatus is input when one image is inputted. This is performed in the procedure of transmitting one image. That is, the data transmission process from the image transmission device to the destination device (ex. Archive) is performed in individual image data units,
Even if a plurality of captured images are related to the same inspection,
In general, each is transmitted individually, and a data storage process is performed on the receiving side based on supplementary information added to individual images.

In such a situation, even if the images input from the modality to the image transmitting apparatus are, for example, a plurality of images belonging to one examination, the transmitting process is executed every time one image is input. If it is desired to perform a process such as checking the consistency of a series of images before transmitting the series of images, it is necessary to perform a process of stopping the transmission of the images. However, if the stop processing of the image transmission is executed and the cancellation of the stop processing is neglected, the transmission is forgotten, and there is a possibility that necessary image data is not stored in the archive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the conventional image transfer network system. For example, a plurality of images in one inspection unit are stopped at a transmission source to check consistency. The present invention provides an image transmission apparatus and an image transmission method capable of preventing image data accumulation errors in an archive due to forgetting to transmit at an image transmission source even when a stationary process is always performed. With the goal.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to achieve the above-mentioned object, and a first aspect of the present invention is to input a captured image from an image capturing device and perform a process of transmitting the input image. In the image transmitting device to be executed, a storage unit for temporarily storing the input image as a stationary image, a stationary image stored in the storing unit, and a new input image newly input to the image transmitting device are set. A collation processing means for performing collation processing of at least a part of the supplementary information, and an output of the stationary image provided that the collation information of the stationary image and the new input image is different from each other in the collation by the collation processing means. Communication control means for executing processing.

Further, in one embodiment of the image transmitting apparatus according to the present invention, the collateral information to be collated by the collation processing means includes examination information, patient information,
The information includes at least one of the laboratory information.

Further, in one embodiment of the image transmitting apparatus of the present invention, the image transmitting apparatus further comprises an input unit for setting additional information to be collated in the collation processing unit.

Further, in one embodiment of the image transmitting apparatus according to the present invention, when there are a plurality of the stationary images, the communication control means transmits the plurality of images within one connection established with the image output destination device. It is characterized by having a configuration for executing a process of continuous transfer.

[0015] Further, in one embodiment of the image transmitting apparatus of the present invention, the image transmitting apparatus further includes an image output destination apparatus, wherein the output image is an image belonging to one category having common additional information. It is characterized by having a configuration for executing a process of notifying.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image transmitting method in an image transmitting apparatus for inputting a captured image from an image capturing apparatus and executing a transmission process of the input image, wherein the input image is stored as a stationary image. And a collation process of executing at least a part of collateral information set for each of the stationary image stored in the storage means and each of the new input images newly input to the image transmission device. And a communication control step of executing the output processing of the stationary image on condition that it is determined that the supplementary information of each of the stationary image and the new input image is different in the collation in the collation processing step. Image transmission method.

Further, in one embodiment of the image transmitting method according to the present invention, the supplementary information to be subjected to the collation processing in the collation processing step includes at least one of examination information, patient information, and examination room information attached to the image. It is characterized by information.

Further, in one embodiment of the image transmission method of the present invention, the image processing method further comprises a setting step of setting additional information to be collated in the collation processing step.

Further, in one embodiment of the image transmitting method of the present invention, when there are a plurality of the stationary images, the communication control step includes the step of transmitting the plurality of images within one connection established with the image output destination device. It is characterized by executing a process of continuous transfer.

Further, in one embodiment of the image transmitting method according to the present invention, a process for notifying the image output destination device that the output image belongs to one category having common additional information is executed. Features.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are:
It will become apparent from the following more detailed description based on the embodiments of the present invention and the accompanying drawings.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image transmitting apparatus and an image transmitting method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the system is a logical set configuration of a plurality of devices, and the devices of each configuration are not limited to those in the same housing.

[System Overview] FIG. 1 shows a network to which an image transmitting apparatus and an image transmitting method of the present invention can be applied.
1 schematically shows a configuration example of a system. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment, MR (Magnetic Resonance) equipment, CT (Computerized Tomography) equipment, CR (Comp
uted Radiography) various modality devices 50
A, 50B ... medical / diagnosis images are taken from workstations 70A, 70B as confirmation and delivery devices.
.., The image is confirmed, the transfer destination is confirmed, and transferred to the workstations 10A, 10B, and 10C for controlling image display, printing, and storage via a network. The processing is executed.

An MR (Magnetic Resonance) for magnetic resonance for computer tomography is provided on the network.
Device 50A, RI device 50B, US device 50C, DSA device 50D for digital subtraction angiography, CT
(Computed Tomography) device 50E, computer
There are a plurality of modality devices, such as CR (Computed Radiography) devices 50F for radiography, which are medical and diagnostic image capturing and supply sources, and these modality devices are:
Workstations 70A and 70 as confirmation delivery devices
Network connection via B.

The network-connected workstations 10 for electronically handling medical / diagnosis images, the workstations 10 for controlling archives, and the workstations 70 connected to each modality device for confirmation and delivery processing are usually connected to a network. ·interface·
Network connection is made by a card (NIC: Network Interface Card).

In FIG. 1, a network is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) laid in a single hospital.
It is. The LAN may be constituted by a single LAN segment 20, or may be constituted by a plurality of LAN segments 20A, 20B interconnected via a router (or gateway) 30. Further, the network may be a WAN (Wide Area Network) configured by connecting LANs of remote hospitals via a dedicated line or the like, or a wide area network such as the Internet.

Each workstation 1 on the network
0,..., The workstations 70 are transparently connected according to a predetermined communication protocol. For example, according to the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) reference standard model, the physical layer and the data link layer of the network are Ethernet (registered trademark), and the transport layer and the network layer are TCP / IP (Transmission Control).
Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). Further, for the upper layers above the session layer, each medical product maker prepares a dedicated protocol.

One of the typical upper layer protocols in the industry is DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communic).
ation for Machine). DICOM is a US A
CR (American College of Radiology) and NEMA
(The National Electrical Manufacturers Association
This is a communication protocol for medical images established by n).
In addition to DICOM, communication using a protocol unique to a modality device product manufacturer connected to the network is performed.

The workstations 70A, 70B ...
It is connected to one or more modality devices provided in a dedicated diagnostic room (not shown) in the hospital, and has a monitor for confirming images acquired by the connected modality devices, and temporarily stores images. Storage media such as a magnetic disk and a DVD. The user
Workstations 70A and 70 as confirmation delivery devices
In B, the image transfer is executed by designating, for example, an image viewer for executing image display, a printer for executing print output, and an archive for executing image storage as image transfer destinations.

The confirmation delivery device as a data transmission device is:
The image input from the modality is stored in the storage unit of the own device and stopped. By this input data retention, for example, it is possible to perform a process of displaying a plurality of images included in one examination on a display and confirming them, and a process of confirming consistency of incidental information of each image. In addition, the confirmation delivery device verifies the supplementary information of the image input from the modality to the confirmation delivery device, and if an image having supplementary information that matches the supplementary information of the already input image data is already input, If the stop processing of the input image is continued and there is no information matching the additional information of the image data newly input from the modality and the additional information of the already input image, the automatic processing for the archive of the stored images is performed. Execute transmission processing. With such a configuration, various verifications such as stopping of the related image and confirmation of consistency by the user can be performed,
The occurrence of an image accumulation error due to forgetting to transmit is prevented. This processing will be described later in detail.

The workstation 10A operates as an image viewer, and is used, for example, to retrieve a past diagnostic image from a database attached to a file server and confirm it on a display screen.

The workstation 10B prints
Act as a server. The workstation 10B is
One or more locally connected printers, printer # 1,
112, printers # 2 and 113 for printing image data.

The workstation 10C functions as a file server and stores image data in an image storage archive 122 as a database connected to the file server. Archive 122 for image storage
Is a large-capacity storage device for storing a huge amount of diagnostic image files, and usually stores compressed image data.

The display, printer, and archive are:
Ultrasound diagnostic equipment, MR (Magnetic resonance) equipment, CT
(Computerized Tomography) device, CR (Computed Rad)
iography) Various modality devices 50A, 50 such as devices
B are designated by the user as the output destination or storage destination of the medical image captured in B, that is, the transfer destination via the network. The user delivers the image acquired by the modality device to the workstations 70A and 70B as the confirmation delivery device via the network by specifying a display, a printer, and a database as one or more destinations, and displays, outputs, or stores the image.

At the workstation 10A operating as an image viewer, the user can change the display mode by changing the parameters of the image displayed on the CRT, for example. It is possible to specify an image storage archive as a transfer destination via a network and store it. In this case, the data can be overwritten or stored as another image.

A printer is mounted on the workstation 10B functioning as a print server via an adapter card (not shown). The workstation 10B is connected to each modality device 50 on the network.
The image data transferred from... Is subjected to various image processing, such as gradation processing using an appropriate γ curve corresponding to the received image data, and is further subjected to format processing (for example, on a film of a predetermined size). After performing various processes such as an image enlargement or reduction process, the image is output by a printer. The user can change the output mode by changing the parameters of the image to be output to the printer. The image whose parameters have been changed is temporarily stored in the print server, and is again stored in the database ( (Archive).

According to the medical image communication system as shown in FIG. 1, by digitizing all medical diagnostic data acquired in the hospital, the diagnostic data can be distributed and shared between a plurality of terminal devices on the network. be able to.
That is, diagnostic data obtained in one diagnostic room can be browsed in another diagnostic room (or a diagnostic room of a remote hospital). In addition, by extracting past diagnostic images from the database as appropriate, it is possible to confirm the progress of recovery and the evolution of medical conditions.

As described in the above description with reference to FIG. 1, the diagnostic / medical image captured by the modality device is transmitted to a workstation 70 as a confirmation delivery device connected to the modality device, for example, by a printer,
After the destination of the archive etc. is specified as the destination device,
Delivered via network.

FIG. 2 shows each modality and the confirmation delivery device (W /
S: workstation) and the connection configuration of an archive, a printer, and a display device as destination devices.

The confirmation / delivery device (W / S: workstation) 202a includes two modalities 201a and 201b.
And these two modalities 201a, 201
b, the user receives the diagnostic / medical image taken by the user, and the user confirms and sends the image to the destination device such as the archive 203, the printer 204, or the display device (viewer) 205, or another network-connected device in the confirmation delivery device 202a. A transfer process to a destination device via a network is performed by designating a workstation, a server, and the like.

The confirmation / delivery device (W / S: workstation) 202 includes three modalities 201c, 201d,
201e connected to these three modalities 201
c, 201d, and 201e, the user receives the diagnostic / medical image captured by the confirmation / delivery device 202b.
A destination device as an image transfer destination is designated, and a transfer process to the destination device via the network is executed.

Confirmation / delivery devices (W / S: workstations) 202a and 202b are used to display images or display a response message from a destination device, and to display diagnostic / medical images taken by each connection modality. It has a database for temporary storage, and collects captured images in the modality for each predetermined unit such as an inspection unit, specifies a destination device, and transfers it via a network.

The confirmation / delivery device (W / S: workstation) 202a, b verifies the supplementary information of the image input from each connection modality and finds the supplementary information that matches the supplementary information of the already input image data. If an image that has been input is input, the pause processing of the already input image is continued, and there is no information that matches the additional information of the image data newly input from the modality and the additional information of the already input image data. Contains an archive 203 of stored images.
Execute automatic transmission processing for.

[Supplementary Information Structure of Image Data] In an image photographed by a modality, information input in each modality or information automatically set is set as supplementary information. FIG. 3 shows an example of the supplementary information of the image data. In the diagnostic / medical images taken by each modality, the accompanying information for each image includes patient information, examination information, series information, and image information. In the archive of the data storage means, hierarchical management is performed based on each of these pieces of information. However, the data management configuration in the archive is
Various aspects other than the configuration shown in FIG. 3 are possible, and there is a management configuration for each archive.

The patient information includes, for example, patient information on which diagnostic / medical images are to be captured, such as patient name, patient identifier (ID), gender, and date of birth. As the examination information, for example, the photographing date and time, the photographing method, the examination identifier (ID),
Information such as examination room information (examination room ID) is included. The series information is information of a part to be imaged, for example, front, side, and the like. The image information is an image identifier, an image parameter, and the like. Each image can be identified and extracted by an image identifier. One or more images having the information can be identified and extracted by designating each information in higher series information, examination information, or patient information. It is possible to do.

When the confirmation delivery device (W / S: workstation) 202a, b connected to each modality inputs an image from the modality, the confirmation delivery device receives the supplementary information of the input image and the input information of its own device. A comparison is made with the supplementary information of the image stored in the storage means. As a result of the comparison,
If the supplementary information of the input image matches the additional information of the new input image, the input image is left as it is, and if different, the stored image is automatically transmitted to the archive.

The supplementary information to be compared is, for example, an examination ID as examination information or a patient I as patient information.
One or more pieces of supplementary information such as D, and the supplementary information to be subjected to the collation processing can be set by the user in the confirmation delivery device. For example, before sending various image data for the same patient to the archive, the confirmation delivery device displays on the display and selects only necessary images, changes parameters of each image, and checks consistency of collateral information of images. If the user wants to confirm the information, the collation processing target is set as the patient ID. If verification of a plurality of images in the same examination is to be performed, the examination ID is set as the collateral information to be subjected to the collation processing.

The confirmation / delivery device executes collateral information collation processing between the input image and the newly input image with respect to the collateral information to be collated, and if the collation information matches, maintains the accumulated state of the inputted image. If different, the input image is transferred to the archive via the network, and the new input image is stored in the storage unit.

That is, an image newly input to the confirmation and delivery device is stored in the storage means of the confirmation and delivery device without exception, but if there is a new input image with different incidental information to be collated, Then, a process is executed in which the stationary image stored in the storage means is automatically transmitted to the archive. Therefore, as for the image data stored in the confirmation delivery device, that is, the image data to be stopped, only a series of related data in which the collateral information which is the target of the matching process is accumulated,
The user can execute various confirmations and corrections such as a matching process and a parameter changing process by displaying a series of stored images on a display or the like. In addition, these stationary images are automatically transmitted to the archive when there is a new input image of different collateral information to be collated in the confirmation delivery device, so that a data accumulation error due to forgetting to transmit occurs. The fear is eliminated.

[Data transmission device configuration] Confirmation delivery device (W
/ S: workstation) 202a, b are shown in FIG. A confirmation / delivery device (W / S: workstation) 202 includes an interface 305 for receiving a captured image of a modality, and an interface 30 for transmitting / receiving an image to / from a device such as an archive via a network.
6. Storage means 30 for temporarily storing a modality photographed image
3. Display means 302 for displaying a captured image of a modality, displaying a setting screen for setting additional information for executing the above-described collation processing, or displaying message data from another device via a network. Input means 304 for executing a command or data input, such as designating a processing mode of an image displayed on the display means 302, changing incidental information, and inputting setting information of incidental information for executing the above-described collation processing; And control means 301.

The control means 301 executes the collation processing of the supplementary information set as the collation target between the already inputted image and the newly inputted image which are already stored in the storage means 303 and have already been inputted to the confirmation delivery apparatus 202. Collation processing means 307 for performing Further, on the condition that the collateral information in the collation processing unit 307 does not match, the stationary image data that has been input to the confirmation and delivery device and stored in the storage unit 303 is set via the interface 306 and the network to the destination device set in advance as a data storage destination. And a communication control unit 308 for executing a transmission process to the archive as a communication device.

As the supplementary information set as the collation target, information set as supplementary information of each image, such as examination information, patient information, examination room information, or a combination of these pieces of information, may be arbitrarily set. Is possible.

The collation processing means 307 executes a collation process on the stationary input image and the new input image only for the collateral information set as collation targets, and the collateral information to be collated in both images. If they are different, the stationary image data stored in the storage unit 303 is output to the archive, and the storage process of the new input image in the storage unit 303 is executed, and the collateral information to be compared is the same in both images. In some cases, the output processing of the stationary image is not performed, and only the processing of storing the new input image is executed. In this case, the stationary image and the newly input image are recognized as images of the same category and stored in the storage unit 303. Thereafter, when a new image having collateral information to be subjected to a matching process different from these stored images is input, a plurality of stationary images stored in the storage unit 303 are output together to the archive.

When the confirmation delivery device (W / S: workstation) 202 transmits a plurality of images belonging to one category to the archive, the confirmation delivery device (W / S: workstation)
S: workstation) 202 continuously transmits a plurality of images belonging to one category within one communication connection set with the image transmission destination. Therefore, the archive, which is an image receiving apparatus, can perform processing of storing a plurality of images received by one connection as images belonging to the same category.

[Configuration of Data Receiving Apparatus] FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the archive side as the destination apparatus in the image transfer processing.
This will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 5 also shows the configuration of an archive as a large-capacity storage unit, and the configuration of an archive server that performs data reception via a network and data storage processing for the archive.

An archive (archive server) 203 shown in FIG. 5 includes an interface 402 for transmitting and receiving data from a network-connected device such as an image confirmation / delivery device via a network, a storage unit 403 as a large-capacity storage unit, It has control means 401. The control unit 401 includes a communication control unit 404 that executes a control process of communication via a network, and an image storage control unit 405 that executes a data storage control for a storage unit.

When the communication control means 404 of the archive (archive server) 203 establishes a connection with, for example, the image confirmation and delivery device via a network and receives an image from the image confirmation and delivery device, the received data is transferred to the image storage control means 405. In step (3), data storage processing is performed according to the supplementary information of the image based on the data management configuration (ex. The configuration in FIG. 3) in the storage unit 403. However, as described above, the received image in one connection has the same category as the data transmission side, for example, the category set by the confirmation delivery device (W / S: workstation) 202 such as the same examination ID and the same patient ID. Since it is guaranteed that the images are the same, the archive on the data receiving side, when a plurality of images are included in one connection, categorizes them all into the same category (ex.
It is determined that the image belongs to D), and verification of any additional information such as an examination ID and a patient ID for each image can be omitted to execute the data storage process. For example, the inspection ID of the first received image is verified, and it is determined that all the image data continuously received through the same connection belong to the same inspection ID, and the storing process is performed.

The rule that all image data continuously received in the same connection belongs to the same category is set as a unique rule in data transfer via a network. The data storage process can be executed by omitting the verification of the test ID. However, a notification process is executed from the data transmission source to the destination device before the data transfer, and
The image transfer may be started after notifying the archive that the images in the connection belong to the same category to the archive.

[Data Transmission / Reception Processing] FIG. 6 shows a data communication sequence between the confirmation delivery device which is the image transmission source and the destination device such as the archive which is the image transmission destination. The confirmation delivery device performs collation of the supplementary information set as the collation target between the new input image and the stationary image, and when these are different, as a preparation for outputting the archive of the stationary image, the image to be transmitted to the destination device Submit information. The transmission-scheduled image information includes auxiliary information in which all transmission images are the same, for example, the same examination ID or the same patient ID,
Alternatively, the message is a message notifying that the test rooms have the same examination room ID. This message may be transmitted as header information when transmitting an image.

On the data receiving side, the above message confirms that all data received within one connection belong to the same category, and verification of any additional information such as an examination ID and a patient ID for each image is omitted. Then, data storage processing can be executed. When the archive which is the data receiving side receives the notification message, an acknowledgment (ACK) may be transmitted to the data transmitting side.

The confirmation delivery device on the data transmission side then continuously transfers one or more image data belonging to the same category to the archive in one connection. On the archive side, the received image is stored as data belonging to the same category.

As described above, the data transmission side notifies the data receiving apparatus that all the data to be transmitted in one connection belong to the same category, and then executes the image transfer, thereby receiving the data. It is not necessary for the side to perform the process of confirming the additional information for each image, and the storage process on the archive side can be executed reliably and promptly.

Next, referring to FIG. 7, a description will be given of the procedure of the collation processing of the supplementary information between the stationary image and the newly input image and the image output processing of the stationary image with respect to the archive in the confirmation delivery device which is the image transmission source.

First, in step S101, the confirmation delivery device, which is an image transfer device, executes the input of a new image from the connected modality.

When a new image is input, next, in step S102, the confirmation and delivery device determines whether or not there is any image data that is stored in the storage means. If there is no stationary image, the process proceeds to step S105, and a process of storing the new input image in the storage unit of the own device is executed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S102 that there is image data retained in the storage means, the flow advances to step S103, and additional information to be subjected to the collation processing, for example, an examination ID, a patient ID, an examination room ID, or For these pieces of combination information, a matching process is performed between the newly input image and the stationary image.

If the supplementary information matches in the collation processing, the new input image and the stationary image are determined to belong to the same category, and the flow advances to step S105 to store the new input image in its own storage means. Execute. The new input image and the stationary image are both stored in the storage unit.

On the other hand, if the collateral information does not match in the collation processing, the new input image and the stationary image are determined to be images that do not belong to the same category, and step S106 is performed.
The output process for the archive of the stationary image is executed. Note that, in the flow of FIG. 7, the process of notifying the archive at the time of image output is omitted. If necessary, a notification process to the destination device is executed before step S106 or in conjunction with image transmission to notify the category of the transfer image within one connection.
When the image is output, the process proceeds to step S105, and a process of storing the new input image in the storage unit of the own device is executed. In this case, only the new input image is stored in the storage unit.

In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which an archive as a large-capacity storage device is used as a data receiving device. The configuration of the present invention can be applied to output.

The present invention has been described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments. However, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can modify or substitute the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. That is, the present invention has been disclosed by way of example, and should not be construed as limiting. In order to determine the gist of the present invention, the claims described at the beginning should be considered.

[0071]

As described above, according to the image transmission apparatus and the image transmission method of the present invention, an image photographed by a modality is delivered from an image transmission apparatus such as a confirmation delivery apparatus to a destination apparatus such as an archive. In the processing to perform the additional information of the image input from the modality by the confirmation delivery device,
If the collation information is already stored in the storage means of the confirmation delivery device and the collation information of the image which has not been output to the archive is matched and the collateral information matches, the new input image is added together with the already input image. When the incidental information does not match, the new input image is stopped, and the output of the already input image to the archive is executed. Therefore, the same category, for example, the same examination, the same patient, the same examination room, etc. It is possible to perform processing such as consistency check in the confirmation delivery device for a plurality of image data belonging to a certain predetermined category, and to prevent a storage error due to forgetting to output to the archive.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a transmission / reception network of diagnostic / medical image data to which the system of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 shows a confirmation delivery device which is an image transmission device of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a connection configuration with a modality and various destination devices.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data management configuration in the system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a confirmation delivery device that is an image transmission device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an archive which is an image receiving device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a notification process and an image transfer process sequence executed between the image transmitting / receiving apparatuses according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing flow in the image transmitting apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 workstation 20 LAN 30 router 50 modality device 70 confirmation delivery device 201 modality 202 confirmation delivery device 203 archive 204 printer 205 display device 301 control means 302 display means 303 storage means 304 input means 305, 306 interface 307 collation processing means 308 communication control Means 401 Control means 402 Interface 403 Storage means 404 Communication control means 405 Image storage control means

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An image transmitting apparatus that receives a captured image from an image capturing apparatus and executes a transmission process of the input image, wherein: a storage unit for temporarily storing the input image as a stationary image; and a stationary unit stored in the storage unit. An image, a matching processing unit that executes a matching process of at least a part of the supplementary information set for each of the new input images newly input to the image transmitting apparatus; A communication control unit that executes the output processing of the stationary image on the condition that it is determined that the incidental information of each of the input images is different. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supplementary information to be subjected to the collation processing by the collation processing means is information including at least one of examination information, patient information, and examination room information attached to the image. The image transmission device according to any one of the preceding claims. 3. The image transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image transmitting apparatus further comprises input means for setting additional information to be collated in said collating processing means. 4. The communication control means according to claim 1, wherein, when there are a plurality of stationary images, the communication control means is configured to execute a process of continuously transferring the plurality of images within one connection established with an image output destination device. The image transmission device according to claim 1, wherein: 5. The image transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a step of notifying an image output destination apparatus that the output image belongs to one category having common incidental information. The image transmission device according to claim 1. 6. An image transmitting method in an image transmitting device for inputting a captured image from an image capturing device and executing a transmission process of the input image, wherein: a storing step of storing the input image as a stationary image in a storage unit; A collation processing step of performing collation processing of at least a part of additional information set for each of the stationary image stored in the means and a new input image newly input to the image transmitting apparatus; and collation in the collation processing step A communication control step of executing the output processing of the stationary image on condition that it is determined that the supplementary information of the stationary image and the additional information of the new input image are different from each other. 7. The collateral information to be collated in the collation processing step is information including at least one of examination information, patient information, and examination room information attached to an image. The described image transmission method. 8. The image transmission method according to claim 6, wherein said image transmission method further comprises a setting step of setting additional information to be collated in said collation processing step. 9. The communication control step, in the case where there are a plurality of stationary images, executing a process of continuously transferring the plurality of images within one connection established with an image output destination device. The image transmission method according to claim 6. 10. The image transmitting method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying an image output destination device that the output image belongs to one category having common incidental information. Item 7. The image transmission method according to Item 6.