JPH10143627A - System for reproducing diagnostic picture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently reproduce a picture on which the taste of a picture observer is reflected on without successively inputting a picture processing condition or a reproduction format corresponding to the taste of the picture observer at each time of reproducing a picture in the reproduction system of a diagnostic picture. SOLUTION: The content of a picture processing condition or a reproduction format desired by each picture observer according to the classification of a picture is preliminarily set as lookup tables 71a, 71b, 71c,..., 71i,... for each picture observer, and the lookup tables 71a, 71b, 71c,..., 71i,... corresponding to the ID information of each picture observer are stored in a memory 70. When a picture reproduction processing part 20 operates a picture reproducing processing, ID information for specifying the picture observer is inputted to an ID information inputting part 50, and the lookup table corresponding to the ID information is referred to. Afterwards, the picture reproducing processing corresponding to the taste of the specified picture observer can be attained for each inputted picture information as long as the picture observer is not replaced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a diagnostic image reproducing system, and more particularly to an improvement in image reproducing processing including image processing when reproducing image information as a visible image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it has been common practice to convert an image into a signal, store the signal in a storage medium such as a magnetic tape or an optical disk, and store the image.

[0003] In the medical field, a diagnostic image of a patient is obtained by a CR device or a CT device.
A diagnostic image obtained by such a device is usually reproduced and recorded on a film or the like to be used for diagnosis, and is also stored in various storage media as image information such as a digital image signal, and changes over time are examined. It is widely used as diagnostic information. Such image information includes information for identifying the patient, such as the patient's name, age, gender, and ID number, and imaging menus, such as the imaging region and imaging direction, the type of imaging device, and the type of contrast agent. Information indicating the type of image and information such as image processing conditions (image processing parameters) (hereinafter referred to as additional information) are also added and stored in a storage medium.

[0004] Here, the image information obtained by the CR device or the CT device generally corresponds to the type of the image so that when the image represented by the image information is reproduced, the image information has a gradation suitable for observation and interpretation. Image processing such as gradation processing is automatically performed. This automatically performed image processing is a recommended image processing performed under processing conditions set to obtain an impression that an image observer such as a doctor is easy to observe, and a system for reproducing a diagnostic image. Is set so that an image reader who has little knowledge of image processing can automatically reproduce an image on which the image processing has been performed.
The conditions of the image processing performed in this manner (image processing conditions) are the image processing conditions as the additional information.

[0005] However, the above-mentioned recommended image processing is an average of the preferences of a large number of observing readers, so that not all readers can be satisfied. For this reason, in the above-mentioned reproduction system, first, the image subjected to the recommended image processing is reproduced,
It has a function to manually adjust the image processing conditions so that the radiologist can view the reproduced image and obtain his or her favorite image, and the user can perform additional image processing. ing.

[0006]

By the way, it has been found that the tendency of each observation and reading radiologist in image processing is generally constant for each type of image. That is, for example, the interpreter A prefers an image in which the gradation is raised by about one step over the recommended image processing for the chest image, prefers the recommended image processing image for the vertebral image, and recommends the mammoth image. There is a tendency that the image reader B prefers the image shifted to the high density side to the image processing of the image processing. For example, there is a tendency to prefer images in which components having higher spatial frequencies are emphasized.

That is, although the tendency of image processing desired by each observation interpreter is different from each other, the tendency of image processing desired by each image reader is substantially constant for each type of image. In the case of images of the same type, additional image processing is always performed by setting substantially the same image processing conditions.

[0008] On the other hand, each observation and reading radiographer observes the image on which the recommended image processing has been performed, and recognizes the tendency of the image processing desired by repeating the operation of performing additional image processing on the image. Therefore, the contents to be adjusted before the image processed by the recommended image processing is actually reproduced, that is, the contents of the additional image processing to be performed are grasped. When the user has grasped the tendency of the image processing desired by himself, it is troublesome to view the recommended image-processed image every time the image is reproduced.

[0009] Such preference of a reproduced image for each observer and interpreter of an image arises not only in image processing but also in a reproduction format such as image arrangement when an image is reproduced on a display device or an output device. . In other words, for each observation reader, for example, if one prefers a format in which one image is output as it is, if one prefers a format in which two images are output side by side, one of the two images is made larger and the other is made smaller, In some cases, a format in which two images are output side by side is preferred.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is not necessary to sequentially input image processing conditions and reproduction formats according to the preference of an image observer every time an image is reproduced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a diagnostic image reproducing system capable of efficiently reproducing an image reflecting the preference of the user.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a system for reproducing a diagnostic image, comprising the steps of: providing, for each image observer, image processing conditions desired by each image observer, contents of a reproduction format, and the like in accordance with the type of image; Make a look-up table in advance,
By specifying any one of the image observers in reproducing the image, referring to the look-up table corresponding to the specified image observer, and thereafter sequentially inputting the desired reproduction condition without sequentially inputting the desired reproduction condition Then, image processing according to the preference of the image observer is performed, and the image is reproduced in a reproduction format according to the preference of the image observer.

That is, a diagnostic image reproducing system according to the present invention comprises: a supplementary information detecting section for detecting supplementary information from image information having supplementary information indicating a type of an image; and an observation section for observing an image represented by the image information. An ID information input unit for inputting ID information for specifying an image interpreter; and image reproduction conditions for the image desired by the observation image interpreter set according to the type of the image, which are individually set for each of the ID information. A plurality of lookup tables respectively defined, and the ID
A table selection unit that selects a look-up table corresponding to the ID information input to the information input unit from the plurality of look-up tables, according to the look-up table selected by the table selection unit, An image reproduction processing unit that performs the image reproduction processing, and an image reproduction unit that reproduces, as a visible image, the image information that has been subjected to the image reproduction processing by the image reproduction processing unit. .

Here, the type of image includes an identification number indicating a shooting menu such as a shooting direction when the diagnostic image is shot, in addition to a type according to a shooting site such as a chest, a breast, and a vertebra.
It includes symbols and the like.

The image reproduction conditions include various types of image processing conditions such as gradation processing conditions, frequency processing conditions, enlargement / reduction processing conditions, etc., image reproduction formats, etc., which can be set when reproducing an image. Means conditions, format, etc. Note that the image reproduction format is, for example, 1
One image is output as it is, two images are output side by side, one of the two images is enlarged,
An output format such as a format in which these two images are arranged and output after reducing the size of the other.

Further, image reproduction processing includes image processing for performing processing on the image itself, such as the above-described gradation processing, and image arrangement and image arrangement when the image is reproduced on an image reproducing unit (including a recording medium). This refers to processing including image reproduction format processing for determining numbers and the like.

The image reproducing unit includes an image display unit such as a CRT and an image output unit such as a printer for outputting an image to a recording medium such as a film. Therefore, reproduction of an image includes both displaying an image on an image display unit and outputting an image to a recording medium by an image output unit.

As the ID information input section, various input means such as a keyboard and an ID card reader can be applied. It should be noted that the ID information in the diagnostic image reproduction system of the present invention is not the ID number of the patient who is the subject recorded in the image or the ID number in the supplementary information, but is unique to the observation interpreter such as a doctor who observes the image. Means the ID number.

[0018]

According to the diagnostic image reproducing system of the present invention, for each image observer, the image processing conditions desired by each image observer, the contents of the reproduction format, and the like are looked up in advance according to the type of the image. It is an up-table, and by performing image reproduction, by specifying an image observer, a look-up table corresponding to the specified image observer is referred to, and thereafter, unless the image observer is replaced,
Image processing is performed according to the specified image observer's preference for each input image information, and the image is reproduced in the reproduction format. Therefore, for each image to be reproduced, the image observer's preference is sequentially obtained. It is not necessary to input the image processing conditions and the reproduction format according to the above, and it is possible to efficiently reproduce the image reflecting the preference of the image observer.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A specific embodiment of a diagnostic image reproducing system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a diagnostic image reproducing system according to the present invention.

The diagnostic image reproducing system 100 shown in FIG.
From the image information having the additional information indicating the type of the image, the additional information detecting unit 10 for detecting the additional information, and the ID information for inputting the ID information of the observation interpreter (for example, a doctor) of the image represented by the input image information An input unit 50, a plurality of look-up tables 71a, 71b, each set for each ID information,
.., 71i,... And a look-up table corresponding to the ID information input to the ID information input unit 50 is selected from a plurality of look-up tables stored in the memory 70. Table selection unit 60 to be
In accordance with one of the look-up tables selected by the table selection unit 60, an image reproduction processing unit 20 that performs image reproduction processing on the input image information, and an image reproduction processing unit 20 after the image reproduction processing is performed by the image reproduction processing unit 20. The configuration includes an image display unit 30 that displays image information as a visible image, and a printer 40 that outputs the image information to a film.

Here, the look-up table 71a corresponds to the ID information indicating the observation interpreter A, the lookup table 71b corresponds to the ID information indicating the observation interpreter B, and the lookup table 71c corresponds to the observation interpreter. This is a look-up table dedicated to each observation interpreter, such as one corresponding to ID information indicating C. Each of these look-up tables includes a gradation processing condition, a frequency processing condition, an enlargement / reduction processing condition, a density shift amount, an image display format, and an image print format desired by a corresponding observation interpreter. Is set corresponding to.

The image reproduction processing unit 20 performs gradation processing based on gradation processing conditions according to a look-up table, frequency processing based on frequency processing conditions, enlargement / reduction processing based on enlargement / reduction processing conditions, and based on a density shift amount. Image processing called density shift processing and setting of a reproduction format such as setting of an image display format based on the image display format and setting of an image print format based on the image print format are performed.

Further, the ID information input section 50 is, specifically, an ID card reader for reading the ID information from an ID card in which the ID information possessed by the observing reader is recorded. Here, the ID information includes a number, a symbol, and the like, and is information unique to the observing radiogram interpreter. The ID information input unit 50 may be a keyboard, and ID information may be obtained by inputting an observer name and a password.

The supplementary information included in the image information includes the name, age, gender, patient ID number, and the like of the patient, in addition to the type of the image.

Next, the operation of the diagnostic image reproducing system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described.

First, a predetermined observation interpreter B who intends to reproduce a diagnostic image and observe and interpret the image passes an ID card through an ID information input unit (ID card reader) 50, and the ID information input unit 50 And reads the ID information unique to the observation interpreter B recorded in the. Then, the read ID information is input to the table selection unit 60.

The table selecting section 60 selects a lookup table (for example, a lookup table 71b) corresponding to the input ID information from the memory 70 and reads it out. The read-out look-up table 71b is used as an image reproduction processing unit.
Entered in 20.

On the other hand, image information S representing a diagnostic chest image that the observation interpreter B intends to observe is input to the image reproduction processing unit 20 and the incidental information detection unit 10.

Here, the supplementary information detecting section 10 detects the supplementary information Sa from the input image information S. This additional information S
a includes the type of the image, the name of the patient,
The incidental information detecting unit 10 reproduces information on the type of the image among the detected incidental information Sa, that is, information indicating that the imaging region is a chest image. Input to the processing unit 20.

Next, based on the information indicating that the image is a breast image input from the incidental information detection unit 10, the image reproduction processing unit 20 displays the breast image indicated in the lookup table 71b input from the table selection unit 60. With reference to the image reproduction processing conditions related to the input image information (chest image information) S, the image reproduction processing according to the image reproduction processing conditions for the referred breast image is performed.

Therefore, the image reproduction processing performed on the chest image information S at this time is the image processing and the setting processing of the reproduction format desired when the observation radiologist B observes the breast image.

As described above, when the observing radiologist B observes the chest image, the chest image information after the desired image reproduction processing is performed is output to the image display unit 30, and the visible image of the desired display format is displayed. Displayed as an image and also a printer
It is output to 40 and output to a film as a visible image in its desired output format. And these display units 30
The visible image displayed on the film and the visible image output on the film are both subjected to the image processing desired by the observing reader B.

Thereafter, when the observing radiologist B continues to observe another type of image (for example, an image of a vertebra), the image reproduction processing unit 20 stores a look-up table 71b corresponding to the observing radiologist B. Since the state has already been input and held, there is no need to make the ID information input unit 50 read the ID card again, and image information (vertebral image information) representing the image of the vertebra is used as the auxiliary information detection unit 10 and What is necessary is just to input to the image reproduction processing unit 20, and the supplementary information detection unit 10 and the image reproduction processing unit 20 perform the same processing as that performed on the chest image information described above. When observing the image of the vertebra, the vertebra image information subjected to the desired image reproduction processing is output to the image display unit 30, displayed as a visible image in the desired display format, and output to the printer 40. Is, is output as a visible image of the desired output format film. Each of the visible image displayed on the display unit 30 and the visible image output to the film has been subjected to image processing desired by the observing and interpreting person B.

When the observing interpreter changes from B to C,
By inputting the ID card owned by the new observing interpreter C into the ID information input unit 50, the table selecting unit 60 sets the table corresponding to the ID information of the observing interpreter C in the same manner as in the case of the observing interpreter B described above. 71c is selected and read from the memory 70, and is input to the image reproduction processing unit 20. At this time, the image reproduction processing unit 20 overwrites the held table 71b corresponding to the interpreter B with the table 71c corresponding to the interpreter C. Thereafter, until the interpreter is replaced, the interpreter C
The image reproduction processing for the input image information is performed under the desired image reproduction processing conditions.

As described above, according to the diagnostic image reproducing system 100 of the present embodiment, it is not necessary to sequentially input the image processing conditions and the reproducing format according to the preference of the image observer for each image to be reproduced. Thus, an image reflecting the preference of the image observer can be efficiently reproduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a diagnostic image reproduction system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Additional information detection unit 20 Image reproduction processing unit 30 Image display unit 40 Printer 50 ID information input unit 60 Table selection unit 70 Memory 71a, 72b, 72c, ... Look-up table 100 Diagnostic image reproduction system

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An incidental information detecting section for detecting incidental information from image information having incidental information indicating a type of an image, and inputting ID information for identifying an observation interpreter who observes an image represented by the image information. An ID information input unit, a plurality of look-up tables, each of which is individually set for each of the ID information, and a plurality of lookup tables in which image reproduction conditions for the image desired by the observation radiologist are defined according to the type of the image; A table selection unit that selects a look-up table corresponding to the ID information input to the ID information input unit from the plurality of look-up tables; and the image processing unit according to the look-up table selected by the table selection unit. An image reproduction processing unit that performs the image reproduction processing on the information; and an image information that has been subjected to the image reproduction processing by the image reproduction processing unit. Reproduction system diagnostic image, characterized in that an image reproduction unit for reproducing the visual image.