JP2772013B2 - Medical image transmission system - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a medical image transmission system that displays medical images transmitted between each other on each monitor and uses the images for diagnosis.

(Prior Art) A doctor on a remote island or the like asks for diagnosis by sending an X-ray film photographed by an X-ray diagnostic apparatus to a central large hospital. More recently, a method of transmitting a medical image to a distant place using a communication circuit such as a telephone line to enable diagnosis at a remote place has been implemented. In this case, a so-called CRT diagnosis is performed in which the same medical image is displayed on a monitor such as a CRT on the transmitting side and the receiving side, and at the same time, the diagnosis is performed while reading the image on both sides and exchanging opinions by telephone.

Here, in order to make an effective CRT diagnosis, it is desirable to perform various types of image processing on both sides, and for this purpose, both doctors at remote locations must perform image processing conditions while discussing image processing conditions on each side. Cursor, region of interest (ROI)
And the like must be performed on both sides.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, conventionally, it is necessary to set and execute the various processing conditions as described above in both remote places, so that the operation becomes difficult and the same conditions are equal in both cases. There is a problem that it becomes practically impossible to interpret an image. In addition, since the processed image after processing is transmitted to the other party, the amount of information to be transmitted increases, resulting in a longer transmission time, and it becomes impossible to display an image in real time. Performance is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide a medical image transmission system capable of real-time image display on both sides to improve diagnostic performance. .

[Configuration of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a medical image generated by an image generating apparatus, which is used by one apparatus connected to the image generating apparatus to the other apparatus. Condition setting means provided in the one or other device for setting an image processing condition or a display condition in a medical image transmission system for transmitting to the display device and displaying on each display means of each device for diagnosis. Condition transmitting means for transmitting the condition set in the own apparatus to the other apparatus by the means, and processing means for performing a predetermined process based on the condition transmitted by the condition transmitting means. Is what you do.

(Operation) Since the image processing condition or the image display condition is transmitted to the other device each time the medical image of the own device is processed, it is not necessary to transmit the processed image unlike the related art, and the amount of transmitted information can be reduced. Can be. As a result, both sides can display images in real time, and can read the same image under the same conditions.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a medical image transmission system according to the present invention, showing an example of a configuration in which medical images are mutually transmitted by a pair of transmission devices A and B. Reference numerals 1A and 1B denote monitors which are constituted by a CRT or the like and display medical images to be diagnosed. Display I / F (interface) 2A, 2B is monitor 1A, 1B
It is for driving. The transmission I / Fs (interfaces) 3A and 3B are used to transmit graphics, processing conditions, display conditions, and graphics processing conditions such as a cursor and a region of interest (ROI) to a partner device. Done through. 4A and 4B are CPUs (central processing units)
Controls the overall control operation. 5A and 5B are for temporarily storing images received via the transmission I / Fs 3A and 3B in the image memory. Reference numerals 6A and 6B denote image processing units constituted by dedicated microprocessors for performing various types of image processing based on the respective conditions received by the transmission I / Fs 3A and 3B. 7A and 7B are paths for each data for performing various image processing on the data bus. 9 is a telephone line and each transmission device
This is a communication path between doctors who diagnose medical images at A and B.
It should be noted that the medical image is created by a medical image generating means such as an X-ray diagnostic apparatus in the same manner as in the prior art, and this medical image generating means is connected to the one device (for example, A in the figure). And

As shown in the following table, this image processing includes (1) processing conditions,
Based on (2) display conditions and (3) graphic processing conditions, it is possible to perform various types of processing corresponding to the respective conditions. Each time the condition is changed, it is transmitted to the other device and executed.

FIG. 4 (a) shows an example of a data format of (1) processing conditions in the table, for example, a. An example in which A is set in various filters. FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (c) each show an example of a data format of (3) graphic processing conditions, for example, an example in which b. Cursor and C. region of interest (ROI) are respectively set. . X, Y, X ₁ , Y ₁ , X ₂ , and Y ₂ each indicate a two-dimensional coordinate.

In order for each doctor of each of the transmission devices A and B to diagnose a medical image, it is necessary to first prepare the same medical image for each of the devices A and B. Since the image to be transmitted is desirably an image that has not been processed, a method of transmitting an original image (original image) from one device to the other device is desirable. Although image data may be transmitted after being compressed, in this case, it is desirable to adopt a reversible compression method so that the compressed data can be reproduced.

The image diagnosis is started while the doctors of the devices A and B interact with each other via the telephone line 9. In this case, the devices A and B are set to the communication mode in advance. This communication mode is necessary for operating various conditions in synchronization with both devices. When the doctor of one device operates the keyboard of the device to set image processing conditions and display conditions, and interacts with the doctor of the other device to change those conditions and make a diagnosis, the diagnosis results and symptoms There is a case where it is desired to perform a diagnosis by changing a graphic processing condition such as a cursor and an ROI according to the condition. In this case, an arbitrary condition can be selected from the various conditions shown in the table as needed, and a corresponding process can be performed. The image processed in this way has a smaller amount of information to be transmitted than the conventional processed image because only necessary conditions are transmitted to the other party only when image processing is desired.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to flowcharts.

FIG. 2A shows an example of transmitting the processing condition (1) in the table. First, in step A, it is determined whether or not the communication mode is set. In the case of the communication mode, the flow proceeds to a step, in which the image processing conditions are transmitted to the other party. Based on this, image processing is performed in step C.

FIG. 2B shows an example of transmitting (2) image display conditions in the table. First, in step A, it is determined whether or not the communication mode is set. In the case of the communication mode, the flow proceeds to the step, and in this step B, the image display condition is transmitted to the other party. Based on this, an image is displayed in step C. Similarly, it can be applied to (3) graphic processing conditions.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 shows a flowchart on the receiving side. First, it is determined in step H whether or not the communication mode is set. If the communication mode is set, data reception is performed in step A and then (1) in step B It is determined whether an image processing condition is satisfied. If it is a processing condition, the flow proceeds to step C, and image processing is performed based on the processing condition received in step C. On the other hand, if the processing condition is not satisfied, the flow proceeds to step D, where it is determined whether (2) the image display condition is satisfied. If it is a display condition, the flow proceeds to step E, and an image is displayed based on the display condition received in step E. On the other hand, if the display condition is not satisfied, the flow proceeds to step F, where it is determined whether (3) the graphic processing condition (cursor, ROI, etc.) is satisfied. If it is a graphic processing condition, the flow proceeds to step G, where a cursor, ROI, etc. are displayed based on the processing condition. It is determined again in step H whether or not the communication mode is set. If the communication mode is not set, the flow returns to step A again, and the above-described series of operations is repeated. In the case of the communication mode, the diagnosis is performed by reading the displayed image based on the above conditions.

According to the present embodiment, the image processing conditions, display conditions, graphic processing conditions, and the like are transmitted to the other party each time a medical image is processed, and the receiving side automatically performs image processing based on these conditions. To display the same image. In this case, the information to be transmitted to the other party is not a processed image as in the conventional case but only necessary conditions, so that the amount of transmitted information can be reduced. As a result, the transmission time can be shortened, so that the other party can display the same image under the same conditions in real time, perform image interpretation, and improve diagnostic performance. In addition, since the setting of each condition need not be performed on both sides but only on one side, operability can be improved.

Further, the transmission direction can be selected on either side, and each device can independently perform image processing except in the communication mode.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, only necessary conditions are transmitted to the other party only when image processing is desired. Since the display can be performed, the diagnostic ability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a medical image transmission system according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are flow charts each explaining a case where image processing conditions and display conditions are transmitted according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the case of receiving various conditions according to the present embodiment, and FIGS. 4 (a), (b) and (c) are data format examples of each condition transmitted in the present embodiment. is there. 3A, 3B ... transmission interface, 4A, 4B ... CPU (central processing unit), 6A, 6B ... image processing unit, 8 ... transmission line.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A medical image transmission for transmitting a medical image generated from an image generating apparatus from one apparatus connected to the image generating apparatus to the other apparatus and displaying the same on each display means of each apparatus for diagnosis. In the system, a condition setting means provided in the one or the other device for setting an image processing condition or a display condition, and a condition for transmitting the condition set in the own device to the other device by the condition setting device A medical image transmission system, comprising: a transmission unit; and a processing unit that performs a predetermined process based on the condition transmitted by the condition transmission unit. 2. The medical image transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted image is an original image. 3. A communication mode setting means for setting a communication mode, wherein the condition transmitting means sets a condition set by the condition setting means on its own apparatus only when the communication mode is set. The medical image transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the medical image transmission system transmits the medical image. 4. When the communication mode is not set,
3. The medical image transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the condition set by the condition setting unit is valid only in an apparatus provided with the unit.