JPH01107739A - Radiation-image-sensing diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the comparison between an image under observation and a past image without the necessity of producing a hard copy, by reproducing and displaying the images of the one for diagnostic purpose based upon the image signal for diagnostic use being read from a memory means, and the other one for comparison use based upon the image prepared for comparison obtained by a retrieval means, then, the two images are arranged side by side for reproduction and display. CONSTITUTION:An ID data S2 which correspond to radiation-image for diagnosis purpose is inputted to a detection part 2a from an instruction input part 2b both contained in a detection means 2. Then, based upon said data S2, a radiation-image signal S1 is selected and read from among the image signals stored in a first memory 1a and sent to a display means 3. In the meanwhile, image signal S3 (for comparison use) identical to the radiation image signal S1 (for diagnostic use) including the same object, is retrieved and read from the file containing a large number of image signals being stored so far in the second memory 1b and sent to a display means 3 together with the image signal S1. At the display means 3, the obtained two radiation-images, one for diagnostic use and the other for comparison use, are arranged side by side for simultaneous observation, and reproduced for display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a radiation image diagnostic apparatus that reproduces and displays a radiation image of a subject on a display means, and particularly relates to a radiation image diagnostic apparatus that reproduces and displays a radiation image of a subject on a display means, and particularly relates to a radiation image diagnostic apparatus that reproduces and displays a radiation image of a subject on a display means. The present invention relates to a radiation image diagnostic apparatus that can perform

(Prior art) A radiographic image signal carrying radiation image information of the subject is obtained by irradiating a subject with radiation such as X-rays, and various algorithms related to image processing are applied to this image signal. It has been conventionally practiced to reproduce and display the radiation image of the subject on a display means based on the above-mentioned radiation image.

The applicant also believes that when a stimulable phosphor is irradiated with radiation (X-rays, α-rays, β-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, ultraviolet rays, etc.), part of this radiation energy is accumulated in the phosphor, and then becomes visible. Taking advantage of the fact that when irradiated with excitation light such as light, the phosphor exhibits stimulated luminescence according to the accumulated energy, radiation image information of the human body is partially recorded on the sheet-shaped stimulable phosphor, and then , this stimulable phosphor sheet is scanned with excitation light such as a laser beam to generate stimulated luminescence light, this stimulated luminescence light is read photoelectrically to obtain an image signal, and this image signal is subjected to image processing. , has already proposed a radiation image information recording and reproducing system that outputs a radiation image of a subject as a visible image to a recording material such as a photographic light-sensitive material or a display means such as a CRT based on the image signal subjected to image processing. (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-
No. 12429, No. 5B-11395, etc.).

When this radiographic image information recording and reproducing system is used in a system that collects a large number of radiographic images while moving, such as in a traveling group examination by bus, the interior of the bus is small and there is no need to diagnose immediately on the bus, so it is usually This bus is equipped with only a radiographic image capturing and reading device, and inside the bus, the subject is photographed and the radiation image information accumulated and recorded by this photographing is read to obtain an image signal, and this image signal is transferred to a magnetic disk or magnetic tape. After returning to the hospital, etc., a radiation image diagnostic apparatus installed at the hospital, etc. displays an image based on the image signal stored in the storage medium, and performs a diagnosis. It is configured as follows.

Normally, in such a radiation image diagnostic apparatus, when reproducing and displaying radiation images on a display means such as a CRT display, only one image is displayed at a time, so two radiation images are displayed for purposes such as observing the progress of a disease. When I wanted to compare them, I made hard copies of each one and looked at them side by side.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In order to take a hard copy as described above for comparative observation, it is necessary to have a reproduction means capable of obtaining a hard copy. When hard copies are not required in daily work, a problem arises in that equipment costs are high if a reproduction means for obtaining hard copies is provided just for this comparative observation. Furthermore, even if a reproduction means for obtaining a hard copy is provided, it is not enough to take the trouble of making a hard copy and compare it, but there may be cases where one would like to make some comparative observations. The most frequent of these comparative observations is the comparison between the currently observed image and past images of the same subject.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a radiation image diagnostic apparatus that can compare the currently observed image with a past image of the same subject without making a hard copy. shall be.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The radiation image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention includes a storage means for storing a radiation image signal obtained from a radiation image of a subject and ID information corresponding to this radiation image signal; Based on the ID information corresponding to the diagnostic radiation image signal stored in the means, before the time when a diagnostic radiation image of the same subject as the subject of the diagnostic radiation image signal stored in the storage means is obtained. A search means for obtaining one or more obtained comparative radiographic image signals, and a diagnostic radiographic image based on the diagnostic radiographic image signal read out from the storage means and a comparative radiation image obtained by the searching means. The present invention is characterized by comprising display means for reproducing and displaying comparison radiation images based on image signals side by side so that they can be observed at the same time.

(Function) The radiographic image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention selects a diagnostic radiographic image signal from among a large number of past radiographic image signals stored in the storage means based on ID information corresponding to the diagnostic radiographic image signal. By having a search means for searching for past comparative radiation image signals of the same subject as the diagnostic radiation image signal, it is possible to find past comparative radiation image signals of the same subject as the diagnostic radiation image signal. In addition, this device
The display means reproduces and displays the diagnostic radiographic image based on the diagnostic radiographic image signal and the comparative radiographic image based on the comparative radiographic image signal found as described above so that they can be observed at the same time. Therefore, without having to make a hard copy, it is possible to compare the diagnostic radiographic image of the same subject currently being observed with the comparative radiographic image, which is a past image, and examine changes over time.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the radiation image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention.

For example, a large number of radiographic image signals and ID information of the subject of each radiographic image signal obtained by a radiographic image capturing/reading apparatus as shown in an example described later are stored in the storage means 1. This storage means 1 is a first storage unit that stores radiation image signals to be diagnosed (for example, those obtained on the above-mentioned bus and which have not yet been diagnosed) and ID information corresponding thereto. It is divided into a memory 1a and a second memory 1b that stores a large number of radiation image signals obtained in the past and ID information corresponding thereto. Of course, the first and second memories la and lb may or may not be physically separated, and here they are merely assumed to be separated conceptually for the convenience of the following explanation. It's something that doesn't exist.

Instruction input unit 2, such as a keyboard, in the search means 2
When the ID information S2 corresponding to the diagnostic radiation image to be displayed on the display means 3 is input from b to the search section 2a in the search means 2, the search section 2a searches the first memory based on this ID information S2. The diagnostic radiation image signal S1 corresponding to the input ID information S2 is read out from the radiation image signals stored in the memory 1a and sent to the display means 3. One or more comparative radiation images S3 of the same subject as the subject of the diagnostic radiation image signal S1 are retrieved and read out from among the large number of radiation image signals stored in the diagnostic radiation image signal S1. It is sent to the display means 3 together with the image signal S1. The display means 3 is configured to allow the diagnostic radiographic image and the comparative radiographic image to be observed simultaneously based on the transmitted diagnostic radiographic image signal S1 and comparative radiographic image signal S3 in a manner described below. Play and display them side by side.

Note that this radiation image diagnostic apparatus does not have an image processing means for performing image processing on radiation image signals, but for example,
If a radiographic image signal is obtained in a radiographic image capturing/reading device (described later) and subjected to appropriate image processing, then the radiographic image signal after image processing is passed to the radiographic image diagnostic device of the present invention. No image processing means is required in the device. Of course, it is also possible to configure a radiation image diagnostic apparatus having an image processing means.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a radiographic image capturing and reading device that obtains a radiographic image signal and ID information corresponding to the radiographic image signal to be transferred to the radiographic image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention. This example is a device using the stimulable phosphor sheet described above.

In this radiographic image capturing and reading device, three stimulable phosphor sheets 12 are fixed to an endless belt conveyor 11 at equal intervals. The conveyor 11 that fixes the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 has a driving roller 13 and a driven roller 1.
4 and rotated by a drive device (not shown), the drive roller 13 travels in the direction of the arrow in the figure. A radiation source 15 is disposed near the driven roller 14, facing the conveyor 1.1 stretched between the driven roller 14 and the drive roller 13. This radiation source 15 is composed of, for example, an X-ray source, and projects a transmitted radiation image of a subject 16 placed between the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 and this radiation source 15 onto the stimulable phosphor sheet 12. do. In the vicinity of the drive roller 13, there is an excitation light source 17 that emits excitation light such as a laser beam, and an excitation light source 1 that emits excitation light such as a laser beam.
an optical deflector 18 such as a galvanometer mirror that scans the excitation light emitted from the conveyor 11 in the width direction of the conveyor 11; and a photodetector that reads the stimulated luminescent light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 excited by the excitation light. A container 19 is provided. This photodetector 19 is, for example, a head-on type photomultiplier tube, a photomultiplier channel plate, etc.
The stimulated luminescence light guided by the light transmission means 20 is photoelectrically detected. The aforementioned radiation source 15 and excitation light source 17
, an erasing light source 21 is provided at a position facing the conveyor 11 on the opposite side to the side where the photodetector 19 and the like are provided. The erasing light source 2I irradiates the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 with light included in the excitation wavelength range of the phosphor sheet 12.
For example, a tungsten lamp, a halogen lamp, an infrared lamp, or a laser light source as shown in JP-A No. 56-11392 can be arbitrarily selected and used. . Note that the radiation energy stored in the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 can also be released by heating the stimulable phosphor sheet, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-12599, for example. The above erasing light source 21
may be replaced by heating means. A cylindrical cleaning roller 22 is provided at a position facing the driven roller 14 across the conveyor 11. This cleaning roller 22 is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing by a drive device (not shown), and the cleaning roller 22 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure to remove dust and debris adhering to the surface of the stimulable phosphor sheet I2 that moves while contacting the cleaning roller 22. The dust is removed from the surface of the body sheet, and if necessary, it may be formed to adsorb the dust and dirt using electrostatic phenomenon.

Regarding the material, structure, and usage of the light transmission means 20, please refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 55-87970 and 5B-11397.
issue.

5B-11396, 56-11394, 5G
-11398, 5B-11395, etc. can be used as they are.

The operation of the radiation image capturing and reading apparatus having the above structure will be described below. The conveyor 11 is intermittently fed by a driving roller 13 by 1/3 of its total length. Here, the stopping position of the conveyor II is set so that one stimulable phosphor sheet 12 faces the radiation source 15 when the conveyor is stopped. Radiation source 1 when conveyor conveyor 11 stops
5 is turned on, and a transmitted radiation image of the subject 1B is accumulated and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 12, which is stopped at a position facing the radiation source 15. After radiographic image recording is completed, the conveyor 11 is moved by 1/3 of a revolution and then stopped.

Then, the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 on which the radiation image has been recorded stops at a position facing the aforementioned optical deflector 18, photodetector 19, etc. The stimulable phosphor sheet 12 stopped at this position is scanned by excitation light emitted from the excitation light source 17. The excitation light is scanned in the width direction of the conveyor 1 by the optical deflector 18 (main scanning), and is also transmitted through the excitation light source 17, the optical deflector 18, the photodetector 19, and the optical transmission means 2.
By moving a stage (not shown) that fixes 0 in the length direction of the conveyor 11, the conveyor 11 is also scanned in the length direction (sub-scanning). A stage that moves as described above can be easily formed using a known linear movement mechanism.

When irradiated with the excitation light, the stimulable phosphor (see) 12
emits stimulated luminescence according to the image information stored and recorded. This stimulated luminescent light is input to the photodetector I9 via the light transmission means 20, and the photodetector I9 outputs a radiation image signal S corresponding to the radiation image stored and recorded on the stimulable phosphor sheet 12. Output. This radiation image signal S is input to the pixel processing means 23, subjected to necessary image processing by the image processing means 23 in response to instructions from the keyboard 24, and stored in a storage medium such as a magnetic disk by the storage means 25. be done. Also, from the keyboard 24,
ID information for identifying the radiographic image signal S, such as the name of the subject of the read radiographic image signal S, the date of imaging, etc., is input, and the storage means 25 stores the radiographic image signal S together with the radiographic image signal S on a magnetic disk or the like. stored on the medium.

When the image is read in this manner, the conveyor 1 is further moved by 1/3 of a turn and stopped, and the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 from which the image has been read is stopped facing the erasing light source 21. Stimulable phosphor sheet 1 stopped at this position
2 is caused by radiation energy irradiated by the erasing light source 21 and remaining after the reading operation, radiation emitted from radioactive isotopes such as 22sRa and 40 contained in trace amounts in the stimulable phosphor, or environmental radiation. emits radioactive energy. Therefore, the radiation image formed on the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 will be erased, and if the device has not been used for a long time, the radiation image that has been accumulated on the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 will be erased. Radiation energy based on radiation from radioactive isotopes or environmental radiation is also released and returned to a reusable state. Next, the conveyor 11 is moved by 1/3 of a turn, and the erased stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is transferred to the radiation source 1.
During the movement, the stimulable phosphor sheet 12 is swept away by a cleaning roller 22 to remove fine dust and lumps from the surface.

The stimulable phosphor sheet 12 from which the radiation image has been erased and dust and lumps have been removed in this way is transferred to the radiation source 1
5 and is reused for radiographic image recording. Note that the character display 26 is used to check whether the information input from the keyboard 24 is correct.

The radiation pixel signal S and its corresponding ID information stored in a storage medium such as a magnetic disk by the storage means 25 in this manner are transmitted to the radiation image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. is stored in the storage means 1 of.

Note that the radiographic image capturing and reading device is not limited to a device that uses a stimulable phosphor sheet as in this example; for example, after recording an X-ray image on a conventional X-ray photographic film, It may also be a device that scans and reads X-ray image information.

Further, as described above, it is not always necessary to store the radiation image signal and ID information in the storage means 1 via a storage medium such as a magnetic disk. It is also possible to connect the image capturing and reading device with a communication line and to directly store the obtained radiation image signal in the storage means 1 via this communication line.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams showing six examples of display means. Here, for simplicity, the symbols sl and s3, which represent image signals, are also used when representing an image.

FIG. 3A is an example in which a diagnostic radiographic image S1 based on the diagnostic radiographic image signal S1 and a comparative radiographic image S3 based on the comparative radiographic image signal s3 are displayed side by side on one CRT display.

If there are multiple comparative radiation images S3 to be displayed, 1
Although each image may be made smaller and a plurality of comparative radiological images S3 may be displayed simultaneously on one CRT display along with the diagnostic radiographic image S1, if each image becomes too small, Diagnostic radiological image S!
is always displayed, and multiple comparison radiological images S
3 may be sequentially displayed one by one. When displaying this sequentially, among the plurality of comparative radiation images S3,
If the comparative radiographic image S3 closest to the imaging date of the diagnostic radiographic image S1 is displayed first, and then the past comparative radiological images S3 are sequentially displayed while going back over time, the diagnostic radiographic image Changes over time between S1 and comparison radiographic image S3 are easy to understand.

FIG. 3B shows an example in which a diagnostic radiation image Sl is displayed on one of two CRT displays, and a comparative radiation image S3 is displayed on the other. If there are multiple comparative radiographic images S3, the plurality of images may be displayed on one CRT display as shown in FIG. 3A, or the comparative radiographic images S3 may be displayed one by one as described above. It may also be displayed.

FIG. 3C shows an example in which three CRT displays are arranged side by side for display. If there is only one comparison radiographic image S3, it is sufficient to use only two CRT displays instead of one CRT display. When there are a plurality of comparative radiological images S3, the number (in this example, two) of comparative radiological images S3 that can be simultaneously displayed together with the diagnostic radiographic image S1 by this display means is displayed simultaneously with the diagnostic radiographic image S1. Is displayed. As the comparative radiation images S3 to be displayed at the same time, it is preferable to select images sequentially traced back over time from the most recently photographed images in order to examine recent changes as much as possible. Furthermore, the comparative radiation images S3 that cannot be displayed simultaneously may be displayed sequentially as described above.

In addition, although all of FIGS. 3A to 3C use CRT display devices as display means, the number of CRT display devices constituting the display means is not limited to 1 to 3, and the number can be changed as necessary. can be determined. The display means is not limited to a CRT display device either.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above in detail, the image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention selects from past radiation image signals stored in the storage means based on ID information corresponding to the diagnostic radiation image signal. , has a search means for obtaining one or more comparative radiographic image signals of the same subject as the subject of the diagnostic radiological image, and the display means can simultaneously observe the diagnostic radiographic image and the comparative radiographic image. Since the images are reproduced and displayed side by side, it is possible to easily compare the currently observed image of the same subject with past images without having to make a hard copy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the radiation image diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a radiation image capturing and reading device that obtains a radiation image signal and ID information, and FIG. 3A ~3rd C
The figure is a diagram showing the collapse of the display means. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Storage means 2...Search means 3...Display means 12...Stormable phosphor sheet 15...
・Radiation source 1B...Subject 17...Excitation light source 18...Light deflector 19...Photodetector
21...Erasing light source 22...Cleaning roller 23...Calculating means 24...Keyboard 25
...Storage means 2B...Character Dis Breath

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) Storage means for storing a radiation image signal obtained from a radiation image of a subject and ID information corresponding to this radiation image signal, and ID information corresponding to a diagnostic radiation image signal stored in this storage means. one or more comparison radiographic images of the same subject as the subject of the diagnostic radiographic image signal, which are stored in the storage means and obtained before the time when the diagnostic radiographic image was obtained; a search means for obtaining a signal; a diagnostic radiographic image based on the diagnostic radiographic image signal read from the storage means; and a comparative radiographic image based on the comparative radiographic image signal obtained by the searching means. What is claimed is: 1. A radiation image diagnostic apparatus characterized by comprising display means for reproducing and displaying the images side by side so that they can be observed at the same time. (2) When a plurality of comparative radiographic image signals are obtained by the searching means, the display means displays a plurality of comparative radiographic image signals based on the plurality of comparative radiological image signals together with the diagnostic radiographic image. Among the images, the display means simultaneously displays one or more comparison radiographic images that can be displayed simultaneously with the diagnostic radiographic image. The radiographic diagnostic imaging device described. (3) The display means displays a comparative radiographic image based on a comparative radiographic image signal obtained at a time closest to this point before the diagnostic radiographic image signal, or this comparative radiation image. The radiation image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of comparative radiation images sequentially traced back over time are arranged chronologically and simultaneously displayed together with the diagnostic radiation image. . (4) When a plurality of comparative radiological image signals are obtained by the searching means, the displaying means reproduces and displays the diagnostic radiological image and displays a plurality of comparative radiological image signals based on the plurality of comparative radiological image signals. 3. The radiation image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation image diagnosis apparatus sequentially displays comparative radiation images. (5) The display means reproduces and displays a comparative radiographic image based on a comparative radiographic image signal obtained at a time closest to this point before the time when the diagnostic radiographic image signal is obtained; 5. The radiographic image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the radiographic image diagnosis apparatus reproduces and displays past comparative radiological images sequentially going back over time.