JPS636666A - Medical picture retrieving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the output of pictures with no second retrieving action even when the output of pictures is impossible immediately after retrieval, by securing reservation for the output of the desired picture obtained through retrieval. CONSTITUTION:When a user inputs the prescribed retrieving conditions through a retrieving condition input means 1, a system control means 23 reads the retrieving data out of a magnetic disk 7 and detects the pictures corresponding to the retrieving conditions. Then these retrieved pictures are displayed on a character display 3 in the form of a list of retrieved pictures. The reservation key of a console panel is operated to write the preserved pictures for the output to the reservation table 51 of a memory means 5. Then the data on the pictures reserved for output are read out of an optical disk 8 based on the contents stored in the means 5 and sent to a picture output device 9.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention searches for images that meet predetermined search conditions on a recording medium that records and stores medical image search data, and records the image data. The present invention relates to a medical image retrieval device having a function of outputting image data of a predetermined image among the retrieved medical images from a stored recording medium to an image output device.

(Prior art) Traditionally, many medical images have been used for medical treatment or research in medical facilities such as hospitals, but most of these medical images have been teaching line images, but recently, In addition, both CT images and MR images are increasingly being used.

By the way, it is necessary to keep such medical images in order to know the changes in the patient's injury or disease, and the law requires that they be kept for a specified period of time, so hospitals etc. have to keep the number of medical images to keep. will increase day by day. Conventionally, these medical images have been stored in the form of hard copies, so securing storage space, management work, and search work have become a heavy burden on each hospital.

Recently, medical images have been stored in the form of image data on optical discs.
Searchable records are stored on recording media such as magnetic disks.
A so-called electronic filing system has been proposed.

If medical images are recorded and stored (filed) in a recording medium in this manner, space and labor savings are realized in image storage, and image retrieval work is also facilitated and speeded up. In addition, when storing radiographic images as described above, the present applicant has already disclosed Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-12429 and No. 56-11.
A radiation image information recording and reproducing system using a stimulable phosphor sheet proposed in No. 395 and the like can be suitably used. In other words, in this radiation image information recording and reproducing system, the radiation image information recorded on a sheet of stimulable phosphor (stimulable phosphor) is directly read in the form of an electrical signal, so it is not necessary for medical use for filing purposes. There is no need to read a hard copy of the image to form an electrical image signal, which is extremely convenient.

In addition, the electronic filing system for medical images as described above includes an image storage device that records and stores medical images on a recording medium, and a search condition that is selected from among the images recorded in the image storage device. It is considered appropriate to have a search device that searches for a corresponding image, and an image output device that outputs a predetermined image selected from the searched images as a visible image.

The image output device is not only connected to the image storage device for outputting the search image, but also connected to an image reading device that reads radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet, or a CT device, etc. It is also connected to an image input device, and the image data output from the output device is input directly to the image output device as well as to the image storage device as necessary via an image processing device, etc., and the image is immediately output. It is desirable that the device be used for medical diagnosis.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the electronic filing system for medical images that is composed of a combination of at least an image storage device, an image search device, and an image output device as described above, it is necessary to perform an image search using the image search device. Even if a suitable image is found, it may not be possible to output the image immediately.

For example, image retrieval data, such as Tadataka's name and patient number, is stored on a recording medium consisting of a magnetic disk.

Patient information such as gender, date of birth, imaging number,
A search database is constructed by recording and accumulating only formal data related to images, such as the date of transportation, copying information related to the imaging part, etc., and image data that directly carries the content of the image is searched as described above. If you want to record and store the image data on another recording medium, such as an optical disc, use the search database to search for the necessary images.
Even if it is possible to know on which optical disk the image data of the image is stored, for example, the optical disk is not currently set in the optical disk drive of the image search device, or the optical disk is set but currently Because the image data output from the image input device is being recorded and accumulated on the optical disk, the image data of the search image cannot be immediately output to the image output device, and the search The search results may be wasted, or the search results, especially the Moeki format data necessary to specify the image to be output, such as the image number, the date of shooting, and the optical disk number on which the image data is recorded and stored, etc. It is extremely troublesome for the user to keep a record of the data and input formal data for specifying the image to be output, such as the image number, once again when the image becomes available for reproduction.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a search device used in a medical image electronic filing system such as the one described above, in which the search operation can be performed even when the searched image is not ready for immediate output. is wasted or
Alternatively, to provide a medical image retrieval device that solves the problem of having to record necessary items to specify an image to be outputted from search results and then inputting the necessary items when outputting the image later. There is a particular thing.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the medical image search device according to the present invention particularly provides a character database that displays search results, that is, a list of medical images found by the search. A display means such as a display, an output reservation input means such as a console capable of inputting an output reservation for a predetermined image in the displayed search image list, and a reservation table for recording the output reserved images. a reserved image storage means, and an image data output means for reading image data of an image reserved for output from a recording medium in which image data is recorded and accumulated based on the contents stored in the storage means, and outputting the image data to an image output device. It is characterized by comprising the following.

(Effects of the Invention) The medical image retrieval device according to the present invention has a search result display means as described above, an output reservation input means, a reservation image storage means, and a system based on the contents stored in the storage means. The image data output means reads and outputs the image data of the image reserved for output from the image data recording medium, so that when a necessary image (desired output image) is found by searching, the image can be immediately reproduced. Even if it is not possible to output the desired image, it is possible to make an output reservation for the desired image, and this reservation is stored in the storage means, and when output is possible, the image output means makes the output reservation based on the contents of this storage means. It is possible to read out the searched image from the image data recording medium and output it, so even if it is not possible to output the image immediately after the search, the search will be in vain and the search will have to be performed again.
It is possible to avoid troublesome work such as the user having to separately record the search results and input the search results when output is possible.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, the non-invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

The illustrated embodiment of the medical image search device according to the present invention includes a search condition input means 1, a search execution means 2, a search result display means 3, an image output reservation input means 4, and an output reservation image storage means 5. and output reservation image data reading means 6.

The search condition input means 1 is a means for inputting search conditions into the medical image retrieval apparatus, and is specifically constituted by an operation console equipped with input keys that can input various search conditions. . FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the keyboard of this console, and numeral 11 in the figure indicates a search condition type key.

The above search conditions are patient name and patient number.

Among the search data that includes patient information such as the patient's gender and date of birth, imaging number, imaging date, imaging information such as the body part, etc., I would like to search for images related to that data. For example, when you want to search for images of a certain patient whose body part is the head, it refers to the patient's name and the envy of the body part (head). It is.

The search execution means 2 executes a search for images corresponding to the input search conditions on a recording medium that records the search data (the various patient information, various photographic information, etc.) for each medical image. means, specifically, CP
A system control means 23 comprising a U 21 and a memory 22 having a program for the CPU 21; ) Driver 24 of the search data recording medium 7 consisting of a plurality of magnetic disks on which the search data of ) is stored and recorded.
It is made up of. The driver 24 records and accumulates the search data transmitted from the search data input means (not shown) for each image on the magnetic disk 7 according to instructions from the system control means 23 .
It can be used to read search data that has been recorded and stored.

The CP tJ 21 has a function of operating the driver 24 to read search data for each image from the magnetic disk 7, and selecting and retrieving images that correspond to the input search conditions.

The search result display means 3 is for displaying the results searched by the search execution means 2, that is, a list of images (search images) that meet the search conditions, and is specifically constructed of a character display. There is. The list of search images is formed by displaying appropriately selected search data for each search image. In this case, the search image can be specified, and the search data necessary to later read the image data of the corresponding image from the optical disc 8, such as the shooting date, @shadow number (the shooting number is set for each shooting date). It is preferable to include at least the number of the optical disk on which the image is stored (assigned sequentially starting from 1) and the number of the optical disc on which the image is stored, and to display something that roughly guides the content of the image, such as the patient's name and the area to be imaged.

The image output reservation input means 4 is a means by which an output reservation for a predetermined image to be outputted from the search image list displayed on the display means 3 can be input, and specifically, the image output reservation input means 4 is a means for inputting an output reservation for a predetermined image to be outputted from the search image list displayed on the display means 3. It also serves as an operator console constituting the input means 1, and the keyboard of the operator console displays information on the search result display means 3 attached to the operator console, as shown in FIG. the specified image in the search image list (
cursor movement key 41 for specifying the desired output image)
and a reservation key 42 are provided. This reservation key 4
When 2 is operated again, it functions as a reservation cancellation key.

The output reservation image storage means 5 stores an image reserved for output by the image output reservation input means 4, that is, a photographing date for specifying the output reservation image.

It is a means for storing search data such as shooting numbers and numbers of optical discs on which images are stored, and specifically includes a reservation table (reservation image list) 51 in which such image search data is written. .

The reservation table 51 can write a plurality of output reservation images, and of course, in addition to the above-mentioned search data for identification, patient names can be written as necessary.

It is desirable to write something that will serve as a guide to the contents of the output reservation image, such as the part to be imaged, and in this case, it is desirable to write the same contents as the search image list displayed as the search result, for example.

The output reserved image data succession means 6 includes the storage means 5.
means for reading the image data of the image reserved for output from a recording medium in which image data has been recorded and accumulated based on the contents stored in the image output apparatus, and transmitting the image data to the image output apparatus. It is composed of a system control means 23 of the parsing execution means 2 and a driver 61 for the optical disc 8 on which image data of each image is recorded and accumulated. The driver 61 receives the search data transmitted from the above-mentioned search data input means (not shown) and the image for reading radiation image information from the above-mentioned stimulable phosphor sheet according to instructions from the system control means 23. Image data of each image transmitted from an image input device (not shown) such as an information reading device or a CT device is recorded and accumulated on the optical disk 8, and the data stored and distributed from the optical disk 8 is searched. It is used to read out data and image data. Both of these read data are output to the image output device @9 by the system control means 23, and are output there.

This image output device 9 outputs a visible image based on input image data, and is, for example, an optical scanning recording device that scans a photosensitive film with a variable beam modulated based on input image data. It is conceivable to use a device consisting of an automatic processor for developing the exposed film, or a CRT device or the like.

It should be noted that a magnetic disk 7 is set in the magnetic disk driver 24, and all of the search data for all recorded images are recorded and accumulated on this magnetic disk 7. - On the other hand, the optical disk driver 61 has one
Only one optical disc 8 is set, and therefore, if the image data of the output reserved image is recorded and accumulated on another optical disc 8, it is necessary to replace the optical disc 8.

Next, the operation of the search device configured as described above will be explained.

First, the user inputs a predetermined search condition by operating the search condition input key 11 on the console using the search condition input means 1. Then, what about the system control means for searching execution means? Is 3 a driver? 4 to read out the search data recorded and accumulated on the magnetic disk 7, and search for a search image that meets the search conditions. The search images searched in this manner are displayed as a search image list on the Chiyarakuta display 3, which is a search result display means. The user looks at this search image list and specifies the desired image from it using the cursor 41 on the console, which is the output reservation input means (this specification is not necessary when there is only one search image). Then, using the same reservation key 42 on the console, the user inputs an output reservation for the specified image (output reservation for multiple images is also possible). The output reserved images are stored in the reservation table 51 of the storage means 5.
will be written to.

Next, the content stored in the storage unit 5 (the content of the reserved image stored) is processed by the image data succession unit 6.
The image data of the image reserved for output is read out from the optical disc 8 based on the above, and transferred to the image output device 9, where the image is output. In this embodiment, the optical disc 8 on which reserved images are recorded and stored is set in the driver 61, and new image data is being recorded and stored on the optical disc 8. If this is done under conditions where there is no problem with the output image, and if the output is not possible at the time when the output image is reserved, the storage of image data will be completed, or the optical disc on which the reserved image has been recorded will be automatically deleted. This is done after the user replaces it manually or after it becomes ready for output.

The above-mentioned image output is automatically performed by the system control means 23 based on the stored contents of the storage means 5, that is, while collating the stored contents. That is, when it becomes possible to output an image, it checks whether there is a reserved image recorded and accumulated on the optical disk 8 currently set in the driver 61 while comparing it with the stored contents, and if so, that optical disk is stored again. The image data is read while checking the content, and when the image data of the corresponding reserved image is found, the image data is transferred to the image output device and output as an image.

Of course, if there are a plurality of reserved images on the optical disc, all of the plurality of reserved images are output.

When a reserved image is output in this manner, the reserved image is deleted from the reservation table 51 in the storage means, and image data of other reserved images are read out.

In the above embodiment, the image data reading means 6 is configured to automatically read the image data when the reserved image can be output. Output oysters as shown in -6
2, and the image data cannot be read or output unless an output command is issued by operating this key.

In that case, the contents of the reservation table 51 are displayed on the character display 3 of the search result display means, and any reservation image in the reservation table displayed using the cursor 41 of the keyboard of the operation console is displayed. It may be configured such that the specified reserved image is output by specifying the reserved image and then operating the output key 62 described above.

Furthermore, as the recording medium for the search data and image data, media other than those mentioned in the embodiment may be used, and in particular, for image data, it is not limited to large-capacity re-ejection type recording media such as optical disks. , or may be a large-capacity fixed recording medium. Furthermore, both data may be recorded and accumulated on the same recording medium, and the image search may also be performed on that recording medium.

Further, the optical disk driver 61 is capable of accommodating a plurality of optical disks, and automatically selects the optical disk on which the image reserved for output is recorded from among these, and reads out the image data of the reserved image. If it were, it would be possible to output multiple images without having to convert each optical disc.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but in short, the present invention includes an image output reservation input means, a storage means for storing the desired output image inputted by the input means, and the storage contents of the storage means ( and an image data successive means for reading image data of the desired output image from the image data recording medium based on the desired output image) and transferring the image data; Any device that can read data and output an image may be used, and the steps to output the image are not limited to those described in the above embodiments, and various different procedures can be adopted. It goes without saying that there is.

Furthermore, the constituent elements of the present invention are not limited to those of the above embodiments,
Of course, many different ones can be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the medical image retrieval device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an example of the keyboard of the operation console that constitutes the search condition input means and reservation input means of the device shown in FIG. This is a plan view showing...Search condition input means 2...Search execution means 3...Search result table D4...Output reservation input means 5...Output reservation image storage means 6...Image Data continuous means

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A search condition input means into which a search condition can be input, and a search for performing a search for a medical image that corresponds to the input search condition on a recording medium that records and stores medical image search data. execution means; display means for displaying the search results; output reservation input means for inputting an output reservation for a predetermined image among the search images displayed on the display means; a storage means for storing, and an image data transfer means for reading image data of an image reserved for output from a recording medium in which image data is recorded and accumulated based on the contents stored in the storage means, and transmitting the image data to an image output device. A medical image retrieval device comprising: