JPH06348863A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To display the movement of an entire localization to be observed along with time change by generating three-dimensional picture data as the time change of a CT image from the CT image data of plural frames, and displaying the arbitrary cut cross-section or direction of the data. CONSTITUTION:The plural image data are preserved in a data holding device 1, and the CT image data of the continuous plural frames on the same cross-section whose photographing time is different from among the preserving CT image data, are read and stored in a memory 11 controlled by a memory controller 12. When the CT image data are stored in the memory 11, a three- dimensional picture processor 14 arranges the CT image data for (n) frames in order of the time, smooths the localization having the same luminance, and generates the three-dimensional picture data. Moreover, the generated three- dimensional stereoscopic picture data are written in a video memory (VRAM) 15, and displayed on a display device 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to C in an image processing apparatus.
The present invention relates to improvement of stereoscopic image display of T image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art X-ray CT irradiates X-rays over the entire circumference or half circumference of a subject, detects the X-rays transmitted through the subject, reconstructs an image, and obtains a tomographic image on an image display device. It is a display device.

A mass screening is performed by the X-ray CT for the early detection of lung cancer, for example. In this mass screening, in order to detect lung cancer at an early stage, it is necessary to search from many tomographic images obtained by slicing the lung at a short pitch. A method of obtaining an image of the surface is desirable, and imaging by a helical scan is considered as a method of projecting the image.

[0004]

There is a need for a method by which many images obtained in this way can be easily diagnosed and diagnosed. If a three-dimensional image can be obtained from these many images, a diagnosis can be made. Can be done easily and accurately.

When the time-dependent changes such as the blood vessel contrast effect and the movement of the heart are observed using such a CT image, the two-dimensional CT image display is sequentially and continuously reproduced and displayed on the CRT display device in the cine mode. Was being done.

However, even if the CT images are successively displayed in the cine mode, there is a problem that continuous temporal changes are difficult to grasp. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to realize an image processing apparatus capable of displaying the movement of the entire region to be observed together with time change.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The above-mentioned problems include data storage means for storing a plurality of CT image data generated by image reconstruction and CT image data of a plurality of frames taken at different times in the same section. A memory for storing, a three-dimensional image generating means for generating a three-dimensional image including a time axis from the CT image data of a plurality of frames stored in the memory, an instruction setting means for giving an instruction of an arbitrary cut section or direction, and an instruction An image processing apparatus comprising: a display control unit that controls a three-dimensional image generation unit to generate a three-dimensional image having an instructed cut section or direction based on an instruction from the setting unit. Will be resolved.

[0008]

The stored CT image data is accumulated in a plurality of frames, and from this, the three-dimensional image generation means generates a three-dimensional image as a temporal change of the same cross section of the CT image. Then, if there is an instruction from the instruction setting means to display the cut cross section or the direction at an arbitrary position, the three-dimensional image generation means controlled by the display control means generates a three-dimensional image including the specified cut cross section or direction. Is displayed on the display device.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a data storage device 1 stores CT image data reconstructed by an X-ray diagnostic device (not shown). The three-dimensional image generation unit 10 includes a memory 11 for accumulating CT image data of a plurality of frames having different imaging times and having the same section read from the data storage device 1, and the memory 11 has the latest CT.
A memory controller that controls the memory so as to store a plurality of frames including image data, a display control unit 13 that controls display according to an instruction from the outside, three-dimensional data based on the stored data in the memory 11 and the instruction of the display control unit 13. 3D image processor for generating images, video memory (VRAM) 15 for storing data of generated 3D images
It consists of Further, the instruction setting unit 20 is connected so as to give various instructions to the three-dimensional image generation unit 10, and the three-dimensional image generated by the three-dimensional image generation unit 10 is supplied to the display device 30. Then, the three-dimensional image generation unit 1
0 is controlled by the system control unit 40.

The operation of the apparatus of this embodiment thus configured is as follows. Here, description will be given with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 and the explanatory views of FIGS. 3, 4, and 5.
The data storage device 1 stores a plurality of CT image data. From the CT image data stored in this manner, CT image data of a plurality of consecutive frames having the same cross section and different imaging times are read and accumulated in the memory 11 controlled by the memory controller 12. The memory 11 has a plurality of data areas for n frames, and the latest CT image data for n frames (or less than n frames) is constantly stored under the control of the memory controller 12 (see FIG. 2 steps). When stored in the memory 11 in this way,
The three-dimensional image processor 14 arranges the CT image data for n frames in time order, and smoothes the parts having the same brightness to generate three-dimensional image data (step in FIG. 2). FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing this state, and CT images (slice images) obtained at different times.
Are arranged in time order (z axis = time axis). C like this
Three-dimensional image data is generated from the T image data such that the same pixel of a plurality of CT images is viewed from a certain direction as indicated by an arrow in FIG. still,
This direction depends on the instruction from the instruction setting unit 20.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the three-dimensional image generated in this way. Here, the CT images of the heart wall are arranged in time order, and the latest CT image is displayed in front. The three-dimensional image processor 14 also generates three-dimensional stereoscopic image data by connecting edges of the same brightness portion of CT images of a plurality of frames by smoothing. The three-dimensional stereoscopic image data thus generated is written in the VRAM 15 and then displayed on the display device 30.

As described above, by generating and displaying the stereoscopic image, in this case, it is possible to see the time change of the surface having the heart wall. Here, the operator sets an arbitrary cut section through the instruction setting unit 20 while viewing the stereoscopic image displayed on the display device 30 as needed (step in FIG. 2). For example, the cut cross section is instructed on a surface such as zt, xt, xz or the like, and at which position the cut is performed. It also sets thresholds, viewpoints, and rotational movements.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a stereoscopic image of a cut section on the zt plane generated by giving a cut instruction at a position on the xz plane. On the zt plane of this figure, an image similar to the conventional M-mode image can be seen. In addition, by setting the boundary by setting the threshold value, the heart wall inside the cut section is displayed, and the temporal change of the heart wall can be observed. That is, by setting an arbitrary position on the xy plane from the instruction setting unit 20, the display control unit 13 controls the memory 11 and the three-dimensional image processor 14 to generate a stereoscopic image of an arbitrary cut section. In addition, by setting the threshold value from the instruction setting unit 20, the three-dimensional image processor 14 displays only the image that is equal to or more than (less than) the threshold value, and the other portions are processed transparently. The movement is displayed more clearly.

It is also possible to generate a three-dimensional image from a direction different from the direction shown in FIG. 3 by an instruction from the instruction setting section 20. If there is such an instruction,
The three-dimensional image processor 14 is controlled by the display controller 13.
Generates a three-dimensional image viewed from an arbitrary direction.

As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, three-dimensional image data as a time change of a CT image is generated, so that a lesion such as a blood vessel or a heart can be clearly shown. it can.

In the above embodiment, the description was made assuming that a dedicated three-dimensional image processor is used as the three-dimensional image generation means, but three-dimensional image generation is performed by software processing using an image processing program such as a workstation. It is also possible to do

[0017]

As described in detail above, three-dimensional image data as a temporal change of a CT image is generated from CT image data of a plurality of frames, and further an arbitrary cut section or direction of this three-dimensional image is displayed. With such a configuration, it is possible to realize an image processing device capable of displaying the movement of the entire region to be observed together with time change.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of generating three-dimensional image data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing how a three-dimensional stereoscopic image is generated according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a three-dimensional stereoscopic image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a cut cross section of a three-dimensional stereoscopic image according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 data storage device 10 three-dimensional image generation unit 11 memory 12 memory controller 13 display control unit 14 three-dimensional image processor 15 VRAM 20 instruction setting unit 30 display device 40 system control unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of CTs generated by image reconstruction
Data storage means (1) for storing image data, memory (11) for storing CT image data of a plurality of frames taken at different times in the same cross section, and CT image data of a plurality of frames stored in the memory (11) An image processing apparatus comprising: a three-dimensional image generation means (14) for generating a three-dimensional image including a time axis from the image processing apparatus. 2. A plurality of CTs generated by image reconstruction
Data storage means (1) for storing image data, memory (11) for storing CT image data of a plurality of frames taken at different times in the same cross section, and CT image data of a plurality of frames stored in the memory (11) A three-dimensional image generating means (14) for generating a three-dimensional image including a time axis from the instruction and an instruction setting means (20) for giving an instruction of an arbitrary cut section.
And a display control means (1) for controlling the three-dimensional image generating means (14) to generate a three-dimensional image having the instructed cut section based on the instruction from the instruction setting means (20).
3) An image processing device comprising: 3. A plurality of CTs generated by image reconstruction
Data storage means (1) for storing image data, memory (11) for storing CT image data of a plurality of frames taken at different times in the same cross section, and CT image data of a plurality of frames stored in the memory (11) A three-dimensional image generation means (14) for generating a three-dimensional image including a time axis, an instruction setting means (20) for giving an instruction in an arbitrary direction, and an instruction based on an instruction from the instruction setting means (20) An image processing apparatus, comprising: a display control means (13) for controlling a three-dimensional image generation means (14) so as to generate a three-dimensional image in a predetermined direction.