JP4825124B2 - Ultrasonic image communication system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasound image communication system that transmits and receives ultrasound image data via a network.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is suitable for diagnosis of a fetus, a heart, and the like, and is also used as a support apparatus for surgery and the like. As described above, attempts have been made to use an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus with extremely high utility value in telemedicine for telemedicine.

  For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic image data obtained by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus via a network or the like. In particular, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for encoding and transmitting an ultrasonic moving image using an image compression process such as MPEG2.

JP 2004-267301 A

  By sending and receiving ultrasound image data via a network, for example, a doctor in a hospital can diagnose a patient in a remote location based on ultrasound image data transmitted from a remote location to a hospital become.

  In diagnosis based on ultrasonic image data transmitted / received via a network or the like, it is desirable to consider the image quality of the transmitted / received ultrasonic image data. For example, a diagnosis with a good transmission / reception state and a clear ultrasonic image is more reliable than a diagnosis with a poor transmission / reception state and an unclear ultrasonic image. Therefore, in order to perform a diagnosis with higher reliability, for example, it is desirable that a doctor who makes a diagnosis using an ultrasonic image can grasp the image state of the ultrasonic image affected by the transmission / reception state or the like.

  Against such a background, the inventors of the present application have conducted research and development on a technique that allows a doctor or the like to grasp the image state of an ultrasonic image affected by a transmission / reception state or the like.

  The present invention has been made in the course of research and development, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for evaluating the image state of ultrasonic image data transmitted and received via a network.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic image communication system according to a preferred aspect of the present invention includes a transmission / reception unit that obtains echo data by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves, and ultrasonic waves of a plurality of frames based on the echo data. An image forming unit that forms image data, an encoding unit that forms communication data by encoding multiple frames of ultrasonic image data for each frame, and decoding communication data obtained via a network for each frame And a decoding unit that restores a plurality of frames of ultrasonic image data, and an image evaluation unit that calculates an index value according to the number of data losses in the restored ultrasonic image data for each frame. And

  In the above configuration, the encoding unit may compress the image data within each frame, for example, when encoding the ultrasonic image data. Further, as necessary, for example, image data of a plurality of frames may be compressed in the time axis direction within a range where it can be assumed that the image quality does not deteriorate. It should be noted that it is desirable not to make the compression rate of the data in the time axis direction variable in accordance with the network conditions. For example, it is particularly desirable not to compress data in the time axis direction during encoding. Furthermore, it is desirable that the encoding process and the decoding process are performed at the same frame rate. In the above configuration, the number of data loss is the number of image data that could not be restored normally due to the influence of the network environment or the like. In the form of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic image data by dividing it into a plurality of packets, the number of packet loss that is the number of packets that could not be restored normally may be used as the number of data loss.

  With the above configuration, an index value corresponding to the number of data loss in the ultrasound image data is calculated as an index for evaluating the image state of the ultrasound image data. Thereby, for example, a doctor or the like can grasp the image state of the ultrasonic image with reference to the index value.

  In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic image processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is an ultrasonic image processing apparatus that processes ultrasonic image data obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. A receiving unit that receives communication data obtained by encoding the ultrasonic image data of a plurality of frames for each frame, and restores the ultrasonic image data of the plurality of frames by decoding the received communication data for each frame A decoding unit; and an image evaluation unit that calculates an index value corresponding to the number of data losses in the restored ultrasound image data for each frame.

  In a preferred aspect, the image processing apparatus further includes a display unit that displays the index value of the ultrasound image data according to the display timing of the ultrasound image corresponding to the restored ultrasound image data for each frame. .

  The present invention provides a technique for evaluating the image state of ultrasonic image data transmitted and received via a network. For example, according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, an index value corresponding to the number of data loss in the ultrasound image data is calculated. Thereby, for example, a doctor or the like can grasp the image state of the ultrasonic image with reference to the index value.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic image communication system according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the overall configuration thereof.

  The ultrasonic image communication system in FIG. 1 is a system in which an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 and an image processing apparatus 200 are connected to each other via a network 300. Note that other medical devices, computers, and the like may be connected for communication via the network 300.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 is an apparatus that forms an ultrasonic image by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and includes each function described below.

  The probe 102 is an ultrasonic probe that transmits / receives an ultrasonic wave to / from a subject, and includes a plurality of vibration elements (not shown). The plurality of vibration elements transmit and receive ultrasonic waves in a two-dimensional plane, for example, by being arranged in a row and electronically controlled. Further, ultrasonic waves may be transmitted and received three-dimensionally by arranging a plurality of vibration elements two-dimensionally in a lattice shape and being electronically controlled.

  The transmission / reception unit 104 outputs a transmission signal corresponding to each of the plurality of vibration elements included in the probe 102. The transmission / reception unit 104 applies a delay process or the like corresponding to the vibration element to the transmission signal of each vibration element. Then, each vibration element is driven in accordance with the transmission signal formed by the transmission / reception unit 104, an ultrasonic transmission beam is formed, and scanning control of the transmission beam is performed. That is, the transmission / reception unit 104 functions as a transmission beamformer.

  In addition, the transmission / reception unit 104 forms an ultrasonic reception beam based on reception signals of a plurality of vibration elements included in the probe 102. The transmission / reception unit 104 performs delay processing or the like corresponding to the vibration element on the reception signal of each vibration element, and adds a plurality of reception signals obtained from the plurality of vibration elements to receive a beam (reception beam data). Form. That is, the transmission / reception unit 104 functions as a reception beamformer.

  The ultrasonic image forming unit 106 forms image data of an ultrasonic image based on the reception beam data formed in the transmission / reception unit 104. For example, image data of a two-dimensional B-mode image is formed based on reception beam data obtained by two-dimensionally scanning an ultrasonic transmission beam. Of course, image data of a three-dimensional ultrasonic image may be formed based on received beam data obtained by three-dimensionally scanning an ultrasonic transmission beam. Further, image data such as a Doppler image may be formed as the image data.

  Then, an ultrasonic image corresponding to the image data formed in the ultrasonic image forming unit 106 is displayed on the monitor 108. Further, the image data formed by the ultrasonic image forming unit 106 is output to the encoding unit 110.

  The encoding unit 110 encodes image data to form communication data suitable for transmission / reception via the network 300. The encoding unit 110 encodes image data of a plurality of frames for each frame. When encoding, data compression processing may be performed within each frame. Note that it is desirable not to perform data compression processing in the time axis direction over a plurality of frames. However, if data compression processing in the time axis direction is performed, it is desirable not to make the compression rate variable according to the status of the network 300 or the like.

  For example, the encoding unit 110 preferably uses streaming software that does not use RTCP (real-time data transfer control protocol). For example, the encoding unit 110 performs encoding corresponding to DVTS (Digital Video Transport System).

  The transmission unit 112 transmits the communication data formed by the encoding unit 110 to the network 300 according to a protocol corresponding to the network 300.

  The network 300 is the Internet or an intranet, and may be a wired network or a wireless network. Of course, the network 300 may be formed by combining some of the Internet, an intranet, a wired network, and a wireless network.

  The image processing apparatus 200 is an apparatus that restores image data of an ultrasound image transmitted from the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 100 via the network 300, and includes each function described below.

  The receiving unit 202 receives communication data transmitted from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 via the network 300 according to a protocol corresponding to the network 300.

  The decoding unit 204 decodes the received communication data for each frame to restore a plurality of frames of ultrasonic image data. The decoding unit 204 performs decoding corresponding to the encoding by the encoding unit 110 in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100. For example, when encoding corresponding to DVTS is performed in the encoding unit 110, the decoding unit 204 performs decoding corresponding to DVTS to restore ultrasonic image data.

  Then, an ultrasonic image corresponding to the image data restored by the decoding unit 204 is displayed on the monitor 206. Further, information regarding the decoding process in the decoding unit 204 is output to the image evaluation unit 208.

  The image evaluation unit 208 calculates the number of data loss in the image data for each frame restored by the decoding unit 204, and further calculates an index value corresponding to the number of data loss. Note that the number of data loss is, for example, the number of image data that could not be restored normally due to the load status of the network 300 or the like. For example, when the ultrasonic image data is divided into a plurality of packets and transmitted / received, a packet loss number that is the number of packets that could not be restored normally is used as the data loss number.

  The image evaluation unit 208 calculates, for example, an average value of the number of packet losses between a plurality of frames as an index value corresponding to the number of data losses. Then, the index value calculated by the image evaluation unit 208 is displayed on the monitor 206 together with the ultrasonic image, for example.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the calculation process of the average value of the number of packet losses by the image processing apparatus 200 of FIG. Hereinafter, the flowchart of FIG. 2 will be described for each step. The part (configuration) shown in FIG. 1 will be described using the reference numerals in FIG.

  First, reception of a packet is started by the receiving unit 202 (S201). That is, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100, the image data of the ultrasonic image is divided into a plurality of packets for each frame and transmitted via the network 300 by the communication data, and the reception unit 202 of the image processing apparatus 200 receives the plurality of packets. Receive communication data corresponding to.

  Then, for example, frame information included in the communication data is acquired by a control unit (not shown) (S202). The frame information includes, for example, information such as the frame rate of image data and the number of packets per frame. The control unit calculates the number of packets A per frame based on the frame information (S203). When the frame information includes data on the number of packets per frame, the control unit may acquire the data.

  Then, after receiving and buffering (S204) and acquiring a plurality of packets one after another, the decoding unit 204 decodes the plurality of packets for each frame.

  Information related to the decoding process in the decoding unit 204 is output to the image evaluation unit 208, and the image evaluation unit 208 calculates the number of valid packets B, which is the number of packets normally restored by the decoding unit 204, for each frame based on the information. (S205). Further, the image evaluation unit 208 calculates the number of packet losses for each frame by subtracting the number of valid packets B for one frame from the number of packets A for one frame (S206).

  If the image processing apparatus 200 can normally receive all the packets transmitted from the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 100, the number of packet losses is 0 (zero). However, for example, when a plurality of packets are transmitted from the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 100 at a predetermined frame rate (for example, 30 frames per second) and the image processing apparatus 200 restores a plurality of image data at the frame rate, the network There may be a situation in which a packet cannot be transmitted at a transmission rate in time for the frame rate due to the large load of 300 or the like.

  In the situation as described above, for example, when some of the packets constituting the frame are not sent to the image processing device 200 at the timing when the image data of a certain frame should be restored, or the image data of a certain frame is restored. There may be a case where it is difficult to store all the packets in the reception buffer of the image processing apparatus 200 in time for the power. Thus, for example, when the decoding unit 204 cannot decode some of the packets constituting the frame due to the influence of the network 300, the number of packet losses occurs.

  After calculating the number of packet losses for each frame, the image evaluation unit 208 calculates an average value of the number of packet losses for a plurality of frames as an index value corresponding to the number of data losses (S207). For example, the average value of the number of packet losses per frame for 30 consecutive frames is calculated. For example, the number of frames for calculating the average value may be changed according to a user operation.

  When the average value of the packet loss numbers is calculated, the packet loss number (average value) is displayed on the monitor 206 (S209). When the average value of the number of packet losses is calculated, the calculated value (average value) of the number of packets is reset (S208), the process returns to step S202, and the subsequent processing is executed again. Then, the processing from S202 to S209 is repeatedly executed, and when the end of packet reception is confirmed (S210), this flowchart ends.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a display image 30 displayed on the monitor of the image processing apparatus. A display image 30A shown in FIG. 3A includes an ultrasonic image 32A. The ultrasonic image 32A is an image corresponding to the image data restored by the decoding unit (reference numeral 204 in FIG. 1). Furthermore, “loss number 5” is displayed in the upper right of the display image 30A. The loss number 5 is an average value of the packet loss numbers of the ultrasonic image 32A, that is, a value calculated in S207 of FIG.

  One frame of image data is composed of, for example, about several hundred packets to about one thousand packets. Therefore, even when five of the packets cannot be restored (the number of losses is 5), the entire ultrasound image 32A can be maintained in an almost perfect image state. Therefore, when the number of losses is relatively small as shown in FIG. 3A, for example, a doctor or the like can determine that an appropriate diagnosis is possible from the ultrasound image 32A.

  On the other hand, the display image 30B shown in FIG. 3B includes an ultrasonic image 32B, and “loss number 100” is displayed on the upper right of the display image 30B. The loss number 100 is an average value of the packet loss numbers of the ultrasonic image 32B. For example, when the ultrasound image 32B is composed of about several hundred packets to a thousand packets, and 100 of those packets cannot be restored (loss number 100), the image portion corresponding to the packets that cannot be restored is, for example, FIG. As shown in FIG. 5B, a plurality of black rectangular image missing portions 34 appear and appear conspicuously on the entire ultrasound image 32B.

  Therefore, when the number of losses is relatively large as shown in FIG. 3B, for example, a doctor or the like determines that an appropriate diagnosis cannot be made based on the ultrasound image 32B. For example, after waiting for the loss number to become small and the image state to be good, it is possible to perform an appropriate diagnosis.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described, embodiment mentioned above is only a mere illustration in all the points, and does not limit the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 100 and the image processing apparatus 200 in FIG. 1 encode and decode image data with the same frame rate. The common frame rate may be changeable. That is, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 and the image processing apparatus 200 may perform encoding and decoding at 30 frames per second, or the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 100 and the image processing apparatus 200 may encode at 60 frames per second. Decoding may be performed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the “number of losses” is displayed as shown in FIG. 3, but the apparatus may determine the effectiveness of diagnosis based on the number of losses. For example, based on a threshold relating to the number of losses, it is determined that the diagnosis is valid if the number of losses is equal to or less than the threshold, and it is determined that the diagnosis is invalid if the number of losses is greater than the threshold. If the diagnosis is invalid, for example, a warning message may be displayed. Further, the display of the ultrasonic image may be stopped together with the warning message or separately from the warning message.

  Further, the “number of losses” may be displayed on a display different from the monitor that displays the ultrasonic image. For example, the image processing apparatus 200 of FIG. 1 may include an LCD or the like separately from the monitor 206 that displays an ultrasonic image, and the “number of losses” may be displayed on the LCD.

  Note that the image processing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 1 may be incorporated in a recorder that stores an ultrasonic image in a storage medium or the like, may be incorporated in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, or may be incorporated in a computer. May be incorporated.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes various modifications other than those described above without departing from the essence thereof.

1 is a functional block diagram showing an overall configuration of an ultrasonic image communication system according to the present invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating calculation of the average value of the number of packet losses. It is a figure for demonstrating the display image displayed on the monitor of an image processing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, 106 Ultrasonic image formation part, 110 Encoding part, 200 Image processing apparatus, 204 Decoding part, 208 Image evaluation part.

Claims (3)

A transmission / reception unit that obtains echo data by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves;
An image forming unit that forms ultrasonic image data of a plurality of frames based on echo data;
An encoding unit that forms communication data by encoding ultrasonic image data of a plurality of frames for each frame;
A decoding unit that decodes communication data obtained via a network for each frame and restores ultrasonic image data of a plurality of frames;
An index value corresponding to the number of data loss in the restored ultrasound image data for each frame, and an index value provided to the user so that the user can grasp the image state of the restored ultrasound image data An image evaluation unit for calculating
Have
Encoding and decoding are performed so that the ultrasonic image data before encoding in the encoding unit and the ultrasonic image data after decoding in the decoding unit have the same frame rate,
An ultrasonic image communication system. An ultrasonic image processing apparatus that processes ultrasonic image data obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves,
A receiving unit that receives communication data obtained by encoding ultrasonic image data of a plurality of frames for each frame;
A decoding unit that decodes received communication data for each frame to restore ultrasonic image data of a plurality of frames;
An index value corresponding to the number of data loss in the restored ultrasound image data for each frame, and an index value provided to the user so that the user can grasp the image state of the restored ultrasound image data An image evaluation unit for calculating
Have
The decoding section performs the decoding as ultrasound image data after the decoding and ultrasound image data before the encoding becomes the same frame rate with each other,
An ultrasonic image processing apparatus. The ultrasonic image processing apparatus according to claim 2,
A display unit that displays the index value of the ultrasound image data according to the display timing of the ultrasound image corresponding to the restored ultrasound image data for each frame;
An ultrasonic image processing apparatus.

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