JP2000105656A - Medical image management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique capable of preventing an input error of attached information. SOLUTION: The medical image managing system is composed of one or more image pickup devices for picking up the medical image of a subject, an image presserving device 103 for storing the images picked up by these image pickup devices and a report preparing device 105 for note information to the prescribed image stored in the image preserving device 103 this image and information on this image and said subject as a report. The report preparing device 105 is provided with a means for displaying the selected image in a prescribed display area, displaying the information on the subject attached to the image in the area set on the same display screen as the image, and a means 104 for collecting and preserving the selected image and information attached to the image as a report together with the note information inputted by the report preparing device 105.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a medical image management system, and more particularly to a report generating apparatus for generating reports relating to images captured by various medical image capturing apparatuses (image diagnostic apparatuses) and attaching them to each image. It is related to technology that is effective when applied to

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional medical image management systems employ various X
Medical imaging devices such as X-ray devices, nuclear magnetic resonance devices, and ultrasound imaging devices, and images (hereinafter, referred to as “medical images”) captured by these diagnostic imaging devices are collected and stored as digital image information. An image storage device, an image observation device for searching and displaying a medical image stored in the image storage device, and information (patient information) on findings and a subject (diagnosis result) based on the medical image and a medical image. A report creation device that creates data called a report in which examination information such as an imaging part and medical images used for diagnosis are combined into one, a report storage device that stores (saves) the report, And a network for interconnecting the devices.

In this conventional medical image management system, a medical image captured by an image diagnostic apparatus is stored in an image storage device connected via a network, and is read out for medical diagnosis or treatment. When the need arises, the examiner has to search the medical image stored in the image storage device from the image observation device, and read the medical image matching the search condition from the image storage device. As described above, the conventional medical image management system efficiently manages a large number of medical images captured by various image diagnostic apparatuses, thereby speeding up the search for medical images, simultaneously using the medical images at a plurality of locations, and preventing loss of the medical images. Development has been underway with a major goal of realizing prevention and improving diagnostic efficiency. To this end, a conventional medical image management system is configured by connecting an image-based management system centered on medical images and a character information-based management system centered on character information called findings to the same network. It had been.

Therefore, when a report is created by a conventional medical image management system, first, an image necessary for report creation is searched for by an image observation device in an image-based management system, and the obtained image is saved in a report creation device. Had been transferred to. Next, the image transferred by the report creation device was captured, collected into one data (report) together with patient information, examination information and findings regarding the image, and stored in the report storage device. For this purpose, the conventional report creation device includes a finding that is a doctor's diagnosis based on a medical image captured by a medical imaging device, and a name, a date of birth, gender, and the like, which are information of the subject regarding the image. The examiner or a full-time input user operates the report creating apparatus to input the information of the image and the examination information such as the examination part, the modality, and the examination date, which are information related to the image. That is, in the conventional medical image management system, the accompanying information attached to the medical image is not used at the time of creating a report, and the examiner or a dedicated worker inputs the information together with the findings from the report creating apparatus.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As a result of studying the above prior art, the present inventor has found the following problems.

In a conventional medical image management system, as described above, a doctor's findings based on a medical image captured by a medical image device, a name, a date of birth, and gender of subject data relating to the image are provided. It is necessary for the examiner or a full-time input person to input the information such as the examination site, the modality, and the examination date, which are information related to the image, by operating the report creating apparatus.

For this reason, there has been a problem associated with an input error by an input user, such as an input error or an omission of incidental information. As a method of solving this problem, two different persons input the same accompanying information for the same medical image, and the input results are collated,
Although a method of avoiding an input error is conceivable, this method has a problem that two workers have to input the same information, thereby lowering the work efficiency and consequently lowering the diagnosis efficiency. .

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of preventing an input error of accompanying information.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the input efficiency of accompanying information.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the efficiency of diagnosis.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, the outline of a representative one will be briefly described.
It is as follows.

(1) At least one imaging device for imaging a medical image of a subject, an image storage device for storing an image captured by the imaging device, and observations on a predetermined image stored in the image storage device In a medical image management system comprising: a report creation device that summarizes information and the image and the image and the information related to the subject as a report, the report creation device displays the selected image in a predetermined display area. Means for displaying information related to the subject accompanying the image in an area set on the same display screen as the image, together with the finding information input by the report creation device, the selected image and the Means for collecting and storing information accompanying the image as a report.

[0014] According to the above-described means, the report preparation device takes in the accompanying information accompanying the image together with the image selected by the examiner, and displays the taken-in accompanying information on the same display screen as the image. Along with the finding information input by the report creation device, the designated image and the information accompanying the image are collectively stored as a report, so that the input of the accompanying information at the time of report creation can be omitted, It is possible to prevent an input error of accompanying information at the time of creating a report. Therefore,
The efficiency of report creation, that is, work efficiency can be improved.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings together with embodiments (examples) of the invention.

In all the drawings for describing the embodiments of the present invention, components having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their repeated description will be omitted.

(First Embodiment) << Overall Configuration >> FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a schematic configuration of a medical image management system according to a first embodiment, wherein 101 is an image diagnostic apparatus (imaging apparatus), and 102 is Image observation device, 10
3 is an image storage device, 104 is a report storage device, 105
Denotes a report creation device, and 106 denotes a network.

In FIG. 1, an image diagnostic apparatus 101 includes, for example, an X-ray imaging apparatus such as a well-known X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus and an X-ray tomographic imaging apparatus, and a nuclear medicine such as a scintillation camera and an emission tomographic imaging apparatus (emission CT). apparatus,
Digital image diagnostic equipment represented by magnetic resonance imaging equipment (MRI) and ultrasonic diagnostic equipment such as ultrasonic tomography equipment and Doppler blood flow measurement equipment, and the conversion of images recorded on X-ray films etc. into digital information A known diagnostic device including a film digitizer for performing the above-mentioned operations is composed of one or more devices. In the first embodiment, the above-described diagnostic devices are connected to each other via a known network 106. Further, in the first embodiment, the image diagnostic apparatus 101 determines the subject name (patient name), the management number (patient ID) allocated to the subject, and the birth date of the subject, which are input by the image diagnostic apparatus 101. Subject information (patient information) such as date and sex of the subject
And the imaging date (examination date) of the image, the modality, the name of the doctor who is the examiner who instructed the imaging (name of the instructing doctor), the screening date,
The examination information such as the medical department and the name of the viewing doctor (the name of the viewing doctor) is transferred to the image storage device 103 together with the captured image and stored (stored). However, in the following description, each of the above-described diagnostic devices constituting the diagnostic imaging device 101 will be collectively referred to as a diagnostic imaging device. In addition, a generic term of the patient information and the examination information attached to the image is referred to as ancillary information.

The image observation device 102 is connected to the network 10
6 and retrieves and displays a medical image of the designated condition from the image stored in the image storage device 103 and the accompanying information accompanying the image, and transfers the medical image to the report creation device 105. An image observation device that searches and transfers a desired medical image by
For example, it comprises a well-known information processing device called a personal computer or a workstation.

The image storage device 103 includes the image diagnostic device 10
1 is a well-known image storage device for storing the medical image captured in the network 1 via a network 106. For example, an external storage device such as a well-known optical disk device or magnetic disk device for storing (storing) a medical image, and a medical image And an information processing device for controlling reading of medical images from the external storage device and storage of the medical image from the external storage device.

The report storage device 104 stores a report (report information) created by the report creation device 105, that is, data (report) in which character information such as patient information, examination information and findings and an image are combined into one, and the network 106 A known report storage device that stores (stores) a report via an external storage device such as a known optical disk device or a magnetic disk device that stores (stores) a report, and stores the report in the external storage device. And an information processing device that controls reading of a report from an external storage device.

The report creation device 105 divides the data transferred from the image observation device 102 into a medical image and accompanying information accompanying the medical image, analyzes the accompanying information, and displays the information together with the image on the same display screen. Means for displaying, and means for generating data (report) in which the image and accompanying information are combined into one together with the findings input by the examiner based on the displayed image, and the report is transferred to the report storage device 104. Store. The report creation device 105 can be realized by a well-known information processing device.
01, an image observation device 102, an image storage device 103, and a report storage device 104.

Next, the operation of the medical image management system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. A medical image captured by the image diagnostic apparatus 101 is stored in an image storage device connected via a network 106. The information is sequentially stored as digital image information in 103. At this time, the image diagnostic apparatus 1
The medical image input from 01 is provided with an identification ID number (patient ID) designated by the examiner in each diagnostic device or automatically given by each diagnostic device. Each medical image is managed based on the ID number. The medical image stored in the image storage device 103 is selected by the image observation device 102 prior to report creation. In the selection at this time, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a search character string input screen 203 having search items such as a patient name, a date of birth, sex, an examination date, an examination site, and a modality, and a start of the search are set. A search icon 201 for giving an instruction and a cancel icon 202 for giving an instruction to stop the search are displayed on the same screen. Next, after the examiner inputs at least one item in the imaging information as information for searching for the corresponding medical image from the image observation apparatus 102, a pointer (not shown) is displayed as a selection operation of the search icon 201 by the search icon. 201
The search is started by performing an instruction operation (selection operation indicating the start of the search) on top of. As a search result at this time, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, imaging information of medical images whose birth dates and examination dates as search conditions match the search conditions are displayed in a list on the display unit of the image observation device 102. You. Therefore, the examiner selects an item matching the desired condition from the imaging information displayed in the list,
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, medical images meeting the conditions can be displayed as a list display for each predetermined number of images. At this time, each medical image is a reduced image for displaying a plurality of images on the display screen, and a check box 40 for selecting an image to be displayed is provided above each image.
1 is provided. Therefore, the examiner selects the report creation icon 402 after selecting the switch with the pointer, and thereby transfers the selected medical image and the accompanying information to the report creation device 105.

In the report creation device 105 to which the image and the accompanying information have been transferred, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the medical image and the accompanying information associated therewith are taken in and displayed at predetermined positions. That is, in the report creation apparatus 105 according to the first embodiment, the patient I which is the patient information captured as the accompanying information together with the medical image 501 is displayed.
D, patient's name and patient's date of birth, and examination information, examination date, modality, instructing doctor's name, interpretation day, medical examination department, interpretation doctor's name, etc., as input area 5 for finding by the examiner
04 on the same screen. At this time, a save icon 505 for instructing saving of the currently displayed information, a cancel icon 506 for canceling the screen shown in FIG. 5, and an end for ending the report creation operation are displayed on the screen at this time. By displaying the icon 507 in a selectable manner on the same screen, the workability of the examiner is improved. Next, when the examiner selects and instructs the end icon 507, the report creation apparatus 105 according to the first embodiment causes the examiner to input the diagnosis result, that is, the findings and the medical image 501, in the finding section 504, and display Area 50
2 is stored as a report in the report storage device 104 as a report in which the patient information displayed in the display area 2 and the examination information displayed in the display area 503 are combined into one. It is possible to prevent an input error of accompanying information at the time of creation. In addition, by using the patient information and examination information captured as accompanying information as report information, it is possible to greatly reduce the number of input items at the time of report creation, thereby improving the efficiency of inputting information required for report creation. Can be improved. That is, the work efficiency of the examiner at the time of creating a report, that is, the diagnosis efficiency can be greatly improved.

On the other hand, when the examiner instructs to select the save icon 505 instead of the end icon 507, the report such as during input is temporarily stored in the report storage device 104, and the report is immediately input from the storage time of the same report. Becomes
It is possible to cope with a correction due to the discovery of an input error at the time of saving confirmation, a device failure during input, and the like.

<< Configuration of Report Management Apparatus >> FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the hardware configuration of the report creation apparatus according to the first embodiment, where 601 is a display device, 602 is a manual input device,
603, a coordinate pointing device; 604, an MPU; 605, a memory; 606, an external storage device; 607, a system bus;
08 indicates a communication interface.

As is apparent from FIG. 6, the hardware configuration of the report creation device 105 according to the first embodiment is the same as that of the conventional report creation device. For example, a manual input device 602 including a well-known keyboard or a mouse is used. M based on an input instruction from the coordinate indicating device 603
The PU 604 compiles the medical image and its accompanying information obtained via the communication interface 608 and the findings input by the examiner into one into the report storage device 104 via the communication interface 608 in a procedure described later. Transfer and save. At this time, the display device 601 displays, for example, a screen for creating a report (report input screen) shown in FIG. 5 according to a display instruction from the MPU 604. Also, the external storage device 60
Reference numeral 6 stores programs executed by the MPU 604 and temporarily stores image information read via the communication interface 608. At this time, the memory 605 operates as a main memory of the MPU 604, and uses a known semiconductor memory. However, the display device 601,
Manual input device 602, coordinate pointing device 603, MPU 60
4. Operation instructions and data transfer between the memory 605 and the external storage device 606 are performed via the system bus 607.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a functional block configuration of the report creation device according to the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the function is realized by a program operating on the MPU 604. However, 701 is an information conversion unit, 702 is an accompanying information reading unit, 703 is a report generation unit, 704 is a transfer unit, 705 is a display screen generation unit,
706 is an information search unit, 707 is an image search unit, 708
Indicates search means.

In FIG. 7, an information conversion means 701 is a means for separating information of an image portion and accompanying information which is character information relating to the image from information transferred from the image observation device 102 via the network 106. Yes,
This is realized by a program executed by the MPU 604.

The accompanying information reading means 702 is a means for analyzing the accompanying information separated by the information converting means 701 and outputting it to the report generating means 703 as patient information 502 and examination information 503 in the report. This is realized by a program executed by the MPU 604.

The report generation means 703 receives the character information output from the accompanying information reading means 702, the image information output from the information conversion means 701, and the manual operation input 602 which is a character input device of the report creation apparatus 105. This is a means for collecting character information such as findings into one and generating a report, and is realized by a program executed by the MPU 604.

The transfer unit 704 is a well-known transfer unit that transfers the created report to the report storage device 104 via the network 106 and stores the report based on the save instruction of the examiner.

The display screen generating means 705 is a well-known video converting means for converting the report information generated by the report generating means 703 into a video signal and outputting it to a display device.

The information retrieving means 706 is provided in the image observation device 10
2, which is a means realized by a program operating on the image storage device 103 based on the search value input by the examiner, and displays a list of matching accompanying information in a search.

The image retrieving means 707 comprises:
6. A means for searching the image storage device 103 based on the search result of No. 6 and displaying the designated medical image (image), and transferring the image selected on this display screen to the report creation device 105 together with the accompanying information. Yes, it can be realized by a program operating on the image observation device 102.

The search means 708 searches the report stored in the report storage device 104 for a report specified by the examiner based on the search instruction of the examiner, and displays the report obtained by the search on the display device. Means to
For example, it consists of a well-known database.

Next, FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an image selecting operation in the image observation apparatus according to the first embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 10 shows an operation flow for explaining a report generation operation in the report generation device of the first embodiment.
FIG. 11 shows an operation flow for explaining the storage processing operation in the report storage device according to the first embodiment.
The operation of the report creation device 105 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the first embodiment
Is configured to generate a report for the image selected by the image observation device 102, so that the image generation device 105
Will be described in order starting from the image selection operation. For the sake of simplicity, in the following description, the image observation device 1 will be described.
The search items in 02 are only the patient name and the patient ID. However, your search is not limited to this,
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, all or some of the items of the patient information such as the patient name, the patient ID and the date of birth of the patient, and the test information such as the test date, the test site and the modality are used. be able to.

The start of the operation flow shown in FIG. 8 is the start of a search by the image observation apparatus 102 by the examiner. First, the information search means 706 of the image observation apparatus 102 prompts the user to input search conditions on the display screen. For this purpose, a search screen in a window format (for example, as shown in FIG. 2 described above) is displayed, and input of search conditions from the examiner is awaited (step 8).
01). Here, if the examiner selects the search icon 201 for instructing the start of search after inputting search conditions, the information search means 706 searches the image storage device 103 and displays a list of those which match the conditions (step 802).
However, the display form at this time is as shown in FIG. 3 by listing only the character information accompanying the image,
Facilitate retrieval of subject images to create reports.

Next, the examiner selects the target accompanying information from the attached information listed (step 80).
3) The image search means 707 displays a list of images corresponding to the selected incidental information in a window different from the window for displaying the incidental information list (step 804). However,
In this case, for example, in the case of a multi-window system in which a plurality of display areas called windows can be simultaneously defined on the same display screen, the window for list display is a window for displaying a list of accompanying information. It goes without saying that the window for displaying the list of images and the window for displaying images can be displayed simultaneously.

Next, when the examiner selects a predetermined image from among the images displayed in the list and instructs to create a report (step 805), the image and the accompanying information are transmitted via the network 106 to the report creating apparatus. 105 (8
06), report creation by the report creation device 105 is started.

The flow for explaining the report creation operation shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 starts with the image observation device 102.
First, the information conversion means 701 separates the image and the accompanying information from the transferred information, outputs the image to the report generating means 703, and outputs the accompanying information to the accompanying information reading means. 702 (step 901). Next, the accompanying information reading unit 702 analyzes the input accompanying information and outputs only the data necessary for the report to the report generating unit 703 (step 9).
02). However, in the medical image management system according to the first embodiment, since the incidental information input by each image diagnostic apparatus 101 and the incidental information used in the report match,
The accompanying information reading unit 702 outputs the information to the report generating unit 703 without reducing the number of items of the accompanying information separated by the information converting unit 701.

Next, the report generation means 703 displays an image on the same screen together with the accompanying information which is character information, and simultaneously generates an input area 504 for inputting a finding in a predetermined area in the screen. It waits for the input of the examiner (step 903). Here, after the examiner inputs a finding in this input area (step 904), the examiner selects the report saving icon 505 or the end icon 507 displayed on this screen (step 905),
The report generation means 703 displays a window for prompting the examiner to confirm the contents of the report (step 906), and waits for the input of the examiner (step 907). The window in this case is, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, an icon for displaying a patient name and a patient ID, which are part of the accompanying information, and for confirming whether or not the input report content is correct. "Yes" 1201 and "No" 1202
Is displayed. However, the display items in the window for this confirmation are not limited to this, and it goes without saying that, for example, all information including findings may be displayed.

Here, if the examiner determines that the input content is correct and selects the icon 1201 displayed as "Yes", the report generation means 703 determines the findings entered by the examiner together with the accompanying information and the image as one. And the data is output to the transfer means 704. The transfer unit 704 outputs data that summarizes the input accompanying information, image, and findings to the report storage device 104 (step 908). At this time,
The transfer unit 704 determines whether the transfer of the report was successful based on the reception signal returned from the report storage device 104 (step 909). If the reception of the transferred data is successful (normal), then the transfer unit 7
04 receives a recording signal for confirming whether recording in the report storage device 104, that is, storage of data in the external storage device, has been completed normally (step 91).
0). If the transfer unit 704 determines that the recording operation is normal (step 911), the report generation unit 70
It is determined whether the input in step 905 is the selection of the save icon 505 or the selection of the end icon 507. If it is determined that the save icon 505 has been selected, the process returns to step 904 to make a finding by the examiner. It is possible to continue inputting. (Step 912). On the other hand, in step 912, if the report generation unit 703 determines that the end icon 507 has been selected, the report generation processing ends.

If the report generation means 703 determines in step 905 that the cancel icon 506 has been selected, the report generation means 703 determines that the cancel icon 506 has been selected.
Stops the report creation process and ends. Similarly, in step 907 described above, the report generation unit 703
If it is determined that the icon 1202 indicating “No” has been selected, the report generation unit 703 determines whether the input in step 905 is the selection of the save icon 505 or the input of the end icon 507 as in step 912 described above. If it is determined that the icon is selected, and if it is determined that the save icon 505 has been selected, the process returns to step 904 to continue the finding input by the examiner, and the report generation unit 703 determines that the end icon 507 has been selected. Then, the report creation processing is terminated.

On the other hand, in step 909 described above, when the transfer unit 704 determines that there is an abnormality in the transfer, that is, a reception signal (reception signal) indicating that the reception of the data transferred from the report storage device 104 has occurred. When the transfer unit 704 receives an abnormal signal), or when it is not possible to detect a received signal (received normal signal) indicating that the data received by the report storage device 104 is normal, the transfer unit 70
Reference numeral 4 outputs to the report generation means 703 that an error has occurred in the transfer of the report, and the report generation means 703 performs a display to inform that the abnormality has occurred in the transfer. Similarly,
In step 911 described above, when the transfer unit 704 determines that there is an abnormality in the recording, that is, transmits a recording signal (recording abnormality signal) indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the recording of the data transferred from the report storage device 104. Means 70
4 or the report storage device 104
Signal indicating that the recording was completed normally (recording normal signal)
If the error cannot be detected, the transfer unit 704 outputs to the report generation unit 703 that an error has occurred in the recording of the report, and the report generation unit 703 performs a display to notify that the abnormality has occurred in the recording.

Next, a procedure for saving the report transferred from the report creating apparatus 105 will be described based on a flow for explaining a report saving processing operation in the report creating apparatus shown in FIG.

The start of this flow is performed by the report creation device 10.
In the report storage device 104, first, the report storage device 104 performs a process of receiving the report transferred via the network 106, that is, data including images, accompanying information, and findings (step 1101). Next, the report storage device 104 checks whether the received data is normal (step 110).
2) If it is normal, the received data is recorded, and a signal indicating that the received data is normal (received normal signal) is transferred to the report creation device 105 (step 1103). However, the recording in this case is an external storage device such as a magnetic disk device, an optical disk device, a magneto-optical disk device, or a tape device connected to the report storage device 104.

Thereafter, the report storage device 104 checks whether or not the data has been normally stored (step 11).
04) If the data can be stored normally, a signal (normal recording signal) indicating that the recording has been performed normally is transferred to the report creation device 105 (step 1105), and the recording process in the report storage device 104 is performed. It ends.

On the other hand, if there is an abnormality in the data transferred from the report creation device 105 in step 1102 described above, a signal (reception abnormality signal) indicating that there is an abnormality in the received data is sent to the report creation device 105. (Step 1106), and the process ends. If the data cannot be normally stored in the external storage device in step 1104 described above, a signal (recording abnormality signal) indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the data storage process is transferred to the report creation device 105. (Step 1107), the process ends.

As described above, the report storage device 104 according to the first embodiment transfers a signal indicating whether data reception and recording to the external storage device have been completed normally to the report creation device 105. In addition, it is possible to notify the examiner whether or not the report was successfully saved, and to improve the reliability of the report.

<< Search Processing of Saved Report >> FIG. 13 is a view for explaining a report search operation in the medical image management system according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, based on FIG. 7 and FIG. A search operation of the report stored in the report storage device in the report creation device of the first embodiment will be described.

In the medical image management system according to the first embodiment, the report search is performed from the report creation device 105, and the report creation device 105
Is the start of the report search in the medical image management system of the first embodiment.

First, the search means 708 opens a window 1301 for prompting the display screen generation means 705 to input a search item, and displays the window 1301 on the display device. As the window at this time, as shown in FIG. 13, a region 1302 for displaying a searchable item, a region 1303 for inputting a search character corresponding to the search item, and a window for instructing the start of the search Icon 1304 marked "Yes"
And an icon 1305 marked "No" for canceling the search are displayed in the same window. Here, as shown in FIG. 13, the examiner uses “HIT” as the patient name.
When “ACHI *” is specified as a search character, the search unit 708 outputs the specified search character and a search instruction for a report that matches the search character to the transfer unit 704. However, “* (asterisk)” written in the patient name is a symbol indicating a match with a plurality of characters or character strings called a wild card.

Here, the transfer means 704 transfers the search character and the search instruction to the report storage device 104 via the network 106. The report storage device 104 searches the report stored in the external storage device for a report that matches the search character based on the transferred search instruction, and transfers the result to the transfer unit 704 via the network 106. However, the search processing in this case in the report storage device 104 is performed only for the patient name and the patient ID displayed by the search means 708.

The transfer means 704 outputs the transferred search results to the search means 708. The search unit 708 that has received the search result opens a window 1401 for displaying a list of the search results and provides an area 1402 for displaying the search results in the window 1401, as shown in FIG. Search results 140 in area 1402
3 is displayed in a list. At this time, the search means 708 has a check box 1404 at the front of the list of search results for selecting a report corresponding to the search information.
And a display icon 1405 for displaying the selected report in the window 1401 and outside the area 1402 for displaying the search result.
And a cancel icon 1406 for ending the display of the report. Here, the search result 1403
Is displayed in the area 1402 at once, the scroll bar 14 for scrolling the search results is displayed.
07 is provided at the end of the search result display area, whereby a plurality of search results are displayed within the limited area 1402.

Here, when the examiner instructs (selects) display on the coordinate indicating device 603 of the report creating device 105, the search means 708 selects the check box 1
The patient name and patient ID checked in 404 are transferred from the transfer means 704 to the report storage device 104 via the network 706. The report storage device 104 transfers the report matching the transferred patient name and patient ID to the transfer unit 704 via the network 706, and the transfer unit 704 searches the report for the search unit 708.
Output to The search means 708 receiving the report,
For example, as shown in FIG.
5, a window 1501 for displaying a report is opened, and the report is displayed in this window 1501.
However, as shown in FIG. 15, when a plurality of images and finding information exist and cannot be displayed in the predetermined display area 1502 at one time, the search unit 708 determines whether to display the image and the finding information. By providing a scroll bar 1503 for scrolling the image and the finding information in the area 1502 at the end of the display area 1502, a plurality of images and finding information are displayed in the limited display area 1502. Search means 708
Is a region 1504 for displaying patient information such as a patient name, a patient ID and the patient's date of birth,
An area 1505 for displaying the inspection information such as the modality and the date of reading is also provided in the same window 1501, and is displayed together with the image and the finding information. In addition, the search unit 708 according to the first embodiment uses the display area 1504 of the patient information.
Outside the display area 1505 for examination information and the display area 1502 for image and finding information,
For example, an icon 1506 indicating "previous report" and an icon 1507 indicating "next report", which are icons for displaying a report in a case where test information and the like are different, and a window The configuration is such that an icon 1508 written as “close”, which is an icon for closing 1501, that is, ending the report display, is provided. Further, in search means 708 of the first embodiment, display area 1509 is provided on one side of window 1501, and operation mode 1510, selection condition 1511, and a report matching the selection condition are provided in display area 1509. The number of sheets and the order 1512 of the displayed reports are displayed. Therefore, if the examiner selects the icon 1507 labeled "Next Report" in FIG. 15, the search means 708 causes the window 1501 to display the next report as shown in FIG. However, in this case, since the patient information and the examination information cannot be displayed in a preset display area, the search unit 708 has one area 1504 for displaying the patient information and one area 1505 for displaying the examination information. The configuration is such that patient information and examination information are displayed in a limited display area 1601 by providing scroll bars 1602 for scrolling the display area 1601 at the end portion. That is, the first embodiment
In the report creation device 105 of the first embodiment, when all the information (image, finding information, patient information and examination information) cannot be displayed in the window opened by the search means 708 for displaying the report, each area (image and The area for displaying the finding information and the area for displaying the patient information and the examination information) are scrolled, and a scroll bar is displayed at one end of each display area, and each area is displayed according to the moving position of the scroll bar. Is configured to display information in a window, thereby displaying one report in a limited window, that is, on the same screen. However, if the icon 1507 marked "Next Report" is selected in the window 1501 shown in FIG. 15, the search means 708 may open another window and display the report shown in FIG. 16 in that window.

As described above, in the medical image management system according to the first embodiment, the image selected by the image observation device 102 and accompanying information accompanying the image are transferred to the report generation device 105, and the report generation device At 105, a window for creating a report that captures the accompanying information together with the image is displayed, and the examiner inputs a finding in an area for inputting the finding information provided in the window, and summarizes the image and the accompanying information together with the finding. By storing the report as a report in the report storage device 104,
Since it is possible to omit the input of the accompanying information at the time of creating the report, it is possible to prevent the input error of the accompanying information at the time of creating the report. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of report creation in the report creation device 105, that is, the work efficiency.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 17 shows Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
18 is a diagram for explaining a screen configuration of an image search screen in the image observation device in the medical image management system of FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a screen configuration of a report input screen in a report creation device according to a second embodiment.
The operation of the medical image management system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the image observation device 102 and the report creation device 105 according to the second embodiment
Since the hardware configuration (shown in FIG. 6) and the functional block configuration (shown in FIG. 7) are the same as those of the first embodiment,
In the second embodiment, only the image search unit 707 and the report generation unit 703 having different operations will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The information retrieval means 706 of the image observation apparatus 102 according to the second embodiment is, as described in the first embodiment,
A window for searching for image information is opened, the image storage device 103 is searched based on search conditions specified in the window, and a list of matching information is displayed. Next, in the image observation device 102 of the present embodiment, the image search unit 707 searches the image storage device 1 for an image corresponding to the information displayed in the list.
03, image display area 1 of window 1701
702, and a display image selection field 1 for selecting additional information in another area of the window 1701.
703 is displayed. Display information selection field 170 at this time
3 is a patient ID which is an item stored as accompanying information;
In addition to displaying the patient's name, the patient's gender, the examination date, the examination site, and the like, a check box is provided for each item, and only the information of the item designated by the examiner is transmitted to the report creation device 105 together with the image as accompanying information. However, in the image observation apparatus 102 according to the second embodiment, a check box for instructing selection or non-selection of an image is provided above the display area of each image in order to improve the efficiency of search by the examiner for images. Have been. Also, a display information selection field 1703
If the accompanying information cannot be displayed at one time, a scroll box for scrolling and displaying the accompanying information is provided so that the display information selection field 1 of a limited size is provided.
703 displays more items. Furthermore, an image area and display information selection field 1703
Icons 1705 to 1708 describing instructions that can be executed from the image search window are displayed in an area outside the image search window, and the examiner performs processing on the selected icon, thereby improving the image selection efficiency. .

In the report creation device 105 that has received the selected image and the accompanying information of the image, first, the information conversion unit 701 of the second embodiment separates the image and the accompanying information, and then the image is output to the report generation unit 703. And the accompanying information is output to the accompanying information reading means 702. The incidental information reading unit 702 according to the second embodiment analyzes the incidental information and divides the transferred incidental information into patient information on the subject and examination information on the image.
03 is output. The report generation means 703 opens a window 1801 for inputting a report as shown in FIG.
Into two regions 1802 and 1803. The report generation unit 703 is configured to display patient information and examination information, which are incidental information accompanying an image, in one area 1802, and to view information and an image in the other area 1803. Also, the report generation means 703
A configuration in which icons 1804 to 1806 for instructing to save or cancel the display contents or to finish creating a report are displayed outside the two areas 1802 and 1803, and perform the corresponding processing based on the examiner's selection instruction. It has become. Further, report generation means 703
Is configured to perform scrolling display for each area in order to display information that cannot be displayed in each area in the same window 1801, as in the first embodiment. However, the subsequent report creation operation and the report search operation by the search unit 708 are the same as those of the report creation device 105 according to the first embodiment, and will not be described.

As described above, the medical image management system according to the second embodiment has a configuration in which the image search means 707 of the image observation device 102 can arbitrarily select accompanying information accompanying an image. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the medical image management system according to the first embodiment, there is an effect that the examiner can create a report having only the accompanying information that is optimal for creating and managing the report. As a result, there is an effect that the efficiency of report creation, that is, the work efficiency in the report creation device 105 can be further improved.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 19 shows Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
19 is a functional block diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a report creation device in the medical image management system of the third embodiment. As is apparent from FIG. 19, the report creation device 105 of the third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the first embodiment. The second embodiment is the same as the medical image management systems of the first and second embodiments except for the point of having the function of the image observation device 102 of the second embodiment. Only the configuration and operation of 105 will be described.

In FIG. 19, an information search means 1901 is a means for searching the image storage device 103 and displaying a list of accompanying information corresponding to the search item input by the examiner, and comprises, for example, a well-known database. In the third embodiment, the information search unit 1901 is realized by a program operating on the MPU 604 included in the report creation device 105, and the accompanying information obtained by the search is output via the display screen generation unit 705. It is displayed on the display device 601 of the report creation device 105.

The image search means 1902 is the information search means 1
A unit 901 searches for and displays an image corresponding to the information selected by the examiner from among the search information searched and displayed in a list. In the third embodiment, the report creation device 1
05 is realized by a program operating on the MPU 604 constituting the MPU 605. Therefore, the image search means 1902
Is displayed on the display device 601 of the report creation device 105 via the display screen generation means 705 in the same manner as the information search means.

Next, FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a display screen when an image is searched for while a report is being displayed. Hereinafter, based on FIG. 20, the report creation device 105 of the third embodiment will be described. The operation will be described. However, the following explanation
A case in which the examiner instructs a search for a new image during report creation by the report generation unit 703 will be described.

As described in the first embodiment, during the creation of a report, the report generation means 703
By opening a window 2002 for generating a report, displaying patient information and examination information in an upper region 2003 in the window 2002, and displaying input finding information and a selected image in a lower region 2004. In addition, patient information, examination information, finding information, and images are displayed on the same display screen without the examiner switching screens or generating a new window.

Here, when the examiner selects the icons 2005 to 2007 for instructing the report generation means 703 to perform an operation, and instructs the report creation apparatus 105 to generate a report again instead of instructing the report generation device 105 to perform the next operation. First, the information search unit 1901 opens a window 2001 for performing a search based on the accompanying information, and displays searchable items (two items of a patient name and a patient ID in FIG. 20) 2008 in the window 2001. Then, an input area 2009 for inputting a search value corresponding to this item is displayed. In addition, the information search unit 1901 determines that the window 2001
Within the window, an icon 2010 written with “Yes” for instructing the execution of the search and an icon 2011 written with “No” for canceling the search, that is, for stopping the creation of the report by the window 2001 are displayed. . However, the report creation device 105 of the third embodiment
Then, since the window 2001 for information search by the information search unit 1901 and the window 2002 for report input by the report generation unit 703 are displayed on the same display device 601, the window 2002 for inputting a report is displayed. The window 2001 is opened again.
In addition, since such a wind system becomes well-known,
A detailed description of the window generation operation is omitted.

Next, as shown in FIG. 20, after the examiner inputs the patient name and the patient ID and selects the icon 2010 marked “Yes”, the information search means 1901 causes the image storage device 103 to And search for the associated information stored in the search result list. However,
The list display in this case is, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the information search means 1901 opens a window for displaying the search result, and in the window, a check box for displaying the search result and an image corresponding to the information obtained by the search, and the next An icon for instructing an operation is displayed. Here, if the examiner selects an icon for searching and displaying an image, the image search unit 1902 reads the image corresponding to the selected information from the image storage device 103 and displays the list of search images. Is displayed in a predetermined number of windows in the window. However, in this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment, a check box is provided at the top of each image, an icon for giving an instruction to stop the report creation process, and a selected image are displayed. To display an icon for giving an instruction to create a report and an icon for giving an instruction to switch to the next screen or the previous screen to display another image. Next, if the examiner selects a predetermined image and then selects an icon for giving an instruction to create a report, the image search means 1902
Reads the image selected by searching the image storage device 103 and accompanying information accompanying the image, and outputs the image to the report generating unit 703 and the accompanying information to the accompanying information reading unit 702, respectively.

The subsequent operation is the same as that of the report creation device 105 according to the first and second embodiments, and thus the description is omitted. Further, it goes without saying that the window for displaying the search result in the third embodiment is superimposed on the window 2002 for inputting the report, similarly to the window for inputting the search item.

As described above, in the medical image management system according to the third embodiment, the information search means 1901 and the image search means 1902, which are means for realizing the image search function of the image observation apparatus, are replaced by the report creation apparatus 105. The reporter 105
Since the report can be created only by operating the, the efficiency of the report creation in the report creation device 105, that is, the work efficiency, is further improved in addition to the effects of the medical image management systems of the first and second embodiments. There is an effect that can be.

As described above, the invention made by the present inventor is:
Although specifically described based on the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of the present invention, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. .

[0072]

The effects obtained by typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.

(1) It is possible to prevent an input error of accompanying information.

(2) The efficiency of inputting incidental information can be improved.

(3) The diagnostic efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a medical image management system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a window configuration for inputting search conditions at the time of searching for incidental information in the image observation device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a window configuration for displaying a search result of accompanying information in the image observation device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a window configuration for displaying an image search result in the image observation device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a window configuration for creating a report in the report creating apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a hardware configuration of a report creation device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a functional block configuration of the report creation device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an image selecting operation in the image observation device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an operation flow for explaining a report generation operation in the report creation device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an operation flow for describing a report generation operation in the report creation device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an operation flow for describing a storage processing operation in the report storage device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a window configuration for allowing the user to select whether to save a report in the report creating apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a report search operation in the medical image management system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a window configuration for displaying a search result of a report in the search means of the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a window configuration for displaying a list of reports in the search means of the first embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a window configuration for displaying a list of reports in the search means of the first embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining a screen configuration of an image search screen in the image observation device in the medical image management system according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a screen configuration of a report input screen in the report creation device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a functional block diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a report creation device in the medical image management system according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a display screen in the case where an image is searched for while a report is being displayed in the report creating apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 image diagnostic device, 102 image observation device, 103
... Image storage device, 104 ... Report storage device, 105 ...
Report creation device 106 Network 601 Display device 602 Manual input device 603 Coordinate pointing device
604: MPU, 605: memory, 606: external storage device, 607: system bus, 608: communication interface, 701: information conversion means, 702: accompanying information reading means, 703: report generation means, 704: transfer means, 7
05: display screen generation means, 706, 1901: information search means, 707, 1902: image search means, 708: search means.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B050 AA02 BA06 BA10 BA15 BA16 DA02 DA05 DA09 EA20 FA02 FA09 FA12 FA13 FA19 GA08 5B057 AA07 BA03 BA07 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB02 CB08 CB12 CB16 CC03 CE08 DA04 DA16 DB02 DB09

Claims (1)

[Claims] At least one imaging device for capturing a medical image of a subject, an image storage device for storing an image captured by the imaging device, and observation information for a predetermined image stored in the image storage device In a medical image management system comprising a report creation device that summarizes the image and the image and information related to the subject as a report, the report creation device displays the selected image in a predetermined display area, Means for displaying information related to the subject accompanying the image in an area set on the same display screen as the image, and the finding information input by the report creation device, the selected image and the image Means for collecting and storing information associated with the medical image as a report.