JPH08154244A - Image storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To automatically select an image format for an output. CONSTITUTION: The output of a diagnostic device such as a fundus camera 11, an electronic endoscope 12 and an ultrasonic diagnostic device 13 is given to an image storage device 17 together with outputs of image output form setting sections 14-16 to set respectively an output form of the diagnostic device. Furthermore, an output of the image storage device 17 is given to an output device such as a computer 19, a printer 20 and a monitor 21. When the diagnostic device inputs an image to the image storage device, the diagnostic device receives an image format including the output device from the image output form setting section 14-16 to allow the diagnostic device to select an optimum image format automatically.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ophthalmic image storage device for storing a fundus image as a digital image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent advances in digital image technology have raised expectations for digital images in the medical field as well.
It is being put to practical use.

For example, a digital image system as shown in FIG. 5 has been proposed, and the outputs of the fundus camera 1, the electronic endoscope 2 and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 3 are connected to an image storage device 4, and further the image storage device. The output of 4 is connected to a computer 5, a printer 6, and a monitor 7 via a digital interface or the like.

A medical image produced by any one of the fundus camera 1, the electronic endoscope 2, and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 3 is digitized in the image storage device 4 and stored as a digital image. When the image in the image storage device 4 is transferred to the computer 5, first, a transfer start signal is transmitted by a switch or the like (not shown) provided in the image storage device 4, and the computer 5 receives the transfer start signal, Images are transferred according to a preset image format.

When outputting an image to the printer 6, the image is transferred and printed in the same procedure as when transferring the image to the computer 5. Further, when an image is displayed on the monitor 7, the digital / analog conversion unit in the image storage device 4 is displayed in accordance with the preset image format.

[0006]

However, in the above-described conventional example, when the image in the image storage device 4 is transferred to the computer 5, the image is transferred in a preset image format or a plurality of image formats are transferred. If it exists, it is necessary to select the target image format for each transfer by switching the switch or connector of the image storage device 4.

Similarly, when transferring to the printer 6, it is necessary to print in a preset image format, or select an image format for each transfer according to the purpose. Further, when displaying on the monitor 7, an image output connector suitable for the monitor 7 prepared in advance is selected and displayed, or gamma correction or lookup is performed by a switch of the image storage device 4 as necessary. It is necessary to set the table etc.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems,
An object is to provide an image storage device capable of automatically selecting an image format for output.

[0009]

An image storage device according to the present invention for achieving the above object comprises at least one image input means for inputting an image, and an image storage means for storing the image. Image output means for outputting the image,
Image output format setting means for setting an image format to be output to the image output means, corresponding to the image input means,
Image output format storage means for storing the image format, and image output format selection means for selecting the image format to be output to the image output means from the image format stored in the image output format storage means It is characterized by

[0010]

In the image storage device having the above-described structure, when an image is input from the image input means to the image storage means, the image output format setting means outputs the image format to the image output means corresponding to the image input means. This image format is set and stored in the image output format storage means, and when the image is output by the image output means, the image output format selection means automatically selects the image format to be output to the image output means.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment, and an output of a diagnostic device such as a fundus camera 11, an electronic endoscope 12, an ultrasonic diagnostic device 13 is an image output format setting unit that sets an image format of each of these diagnostic devices. The outputs 14 to 16 are connected to the image storage device 17. The image output format setting units 14 to 16 and the image storage device 1
Input means such as a keyboard or a mouse (not shown) are connected to the respective 7. The image storage device 17 is also connected to the output of the image output format storage unit 18 that stores the output format of each diagnostic device. Further, the output of the image storage device 17 is connected to output devices such as a computer 19, a printer 20 and a monitor 21 via a digital interface.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a specific operation procedure when photographing with the fundus camera 11. First, in step S1, the examiner operates the fundus camera 11 to obtain a fundus (retinal) image of the eye to be examined. To shoot. The captured image is input by the CCD camera of the fundus camera 11 and stored in the image storage device 17. At this time, the imaging information such as the date and ID data that accompanies the imaging and the patient information are also stored in the image storage device 17 at the same time.

Next, in step S2, the examiner uses the input means of the image output format setting section 14 to make the image storage device 17
Sets the image format for output. More specifically, the image photographed by the fundus camera 11 is usually photographed in an oval or circular mask as shown in FIG. 3, and the image is printed by a printer in an image format as shown in FIG. 4, for example. When outputting to 20, the following data may be set. (1) Output device name (2) Position of the ROI (region of interest) to be cut out in the original image for cutting out the image only in the mask (3) Position where the image cut out in (2) is inserted (4) Date and ID data Display position and display format

The image format thus set is transferred to the image storage device 17 in step S3 and then stored in the image output format storage unit 18 for each diagnostic device. Further, in step S4, when the examiner uses the input means of the image storage device 17 to select to output the image stored in the image storage device 17 to the printer 20, the image is generated in the image storage device 17. An image format corresponding to both the diagnostic device and the printer 20 is automatically read from the image output format storage unit 18, and an image is output to the printer 20 according to this image format.

In step S2, the image output format setting units 14 to 16 corresponding to each diagnostic device are provided to individually set the image formats. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one image output format setting unit is used. May be connected to the image storage device 17 and the image formats of all diagnostic devices may be collectively set. Further, when the image format is not changed, step S2 may be omitted.

In step S3, the fundus image is stored in the image storage device 17 by the CCD camera connected to the fundus camera 11, but not limited to the CCD camera, another two-dimensional image pickup device may be used. . Furthermore, a fundus image recorded on a still video (not shown) or a VTR (video tape recorder) may be input, or a fundus image captured on a film by a fundus camera may be converted into a digital image by a film scanner or the like. However, it is also possible to input to the image storage device 17.

The image format setting in step S3 has been described by taking the fundus camera 11 as an example.
Also in the case of performing imaging or measurement using the electronic endoscope 12 or the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 13, the image output format setting unit 15,
Of course, the same can be done by using 16.

In the embodiment, the image output to the printer 20 has been described as an example, but when the image is transferred to the computer 19 using a general-purpose interface such as GP-IB or SCSI, or when the image is displayed on the monitor 21. Also about
You can do the same. In particular, when the image is transferred to the computer 19, information such as the image size, the image format, the presence or absence of compression, and interleaving may be transferred at the same time.

[0019]

As described above, in the image storage device according to the present invention, it is necessary to reset the image format unique to each image input device by setting the image format for each image input device. Since it does not exist, image output can always be performed automatically and quickly in the optimum image format.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example.

FIG. 3 is a fundus image.

FIG. 4 is an example of an image format.

FIG. 5 is a device configuration diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 fundus camera 12 electronic endoscope 13 ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 14-16 image output format setting unit 17 image storage device 18 image output format storage unit 19 computer 20 printer 21 monitor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. At least one image input means for inputting an image, and image storing means for storing the image,
Image output means for outputting the image; image output format setting means for setting the image format output to the image output means corresponding to the image input means; and image output format storage means for storing the image format, An image storage device, comprising: an image output format selection unit that selects the image format to be output to the image output unit from the image format stored in the image output format storage unit. 2. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein the image input unit is a medical image input unit. 3. The image storage device according to claim 1, wherein incidental information related to the image is input from the image input unit to the image storage unit.