JP5313625B2 - Cassette management apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cassette management apparatus and method for managing a cassette used for radiographic imaging.

  Conventionally, in the medical field, a radiographic imaging system using a portable cassette containing a photostimulable phosphor sheet is known. This system includes an imaging device that captures a radiographic image of a subject using a cassette, a reading device that reads a medical image from the cassette, and a console that manages the operation of radiographic imaging in this system.

  In this system, at the preparatory stage before imaging, the imaging engineer captures imaging order information (including patient information such as the name and sex of the subject patient and imaging condition information such as imaging site and imaging direction) Perform registration (cassette registration) in association with the cassette ID used in the console. At the time of photographing, the photographing engineer carries the registered cassette to a place (such as a photographing room) where the photographing apparatus is located, and performs photographing using the registered cassette. In the photographing apparatus, radiation is irradiated and a radiation image is recorded in the cassette. Thereafter, the photographer attaches the cassette to the reading device. In the reading device, the radiographic image data and the cassette ID are read from the cassette.

In Patent Document 1, in a system in which a cassette transmits radiographic image data obtained by radiography to a console, the presence or absence of a cassette having untransmitted image data in the console before the console control unit stops the console power supply Only when it is determined that it does not exist, by stopping the console power supply, it is possible to prevent the console power supply from being stopped when there is untransmitted radiation image data in the cassette. Has been proposed to prevent being left unchecked for a long time.
JP 2006-263320 A

  However, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, since the presence / absence of a cassette having untransmitted image data is determined only when the console power is stopped, the cassette is not transmitted when the console power is not stopped. There is a possibility that the image is left in a state having the radiation image data.

  Further, there is a high risk that the radiation image data will be lost while left unattended for a long time.

  In view of the circumstances described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a cassette management apparatus and method that can reduce the risk of loss of radiation image data.

  The cassette management apparatus of the present invention acquires the registration time registered in the information storage unit in which the cassette identification information is associated with the imaging order information performed using the cassette, and the registered cassette identification information A registration information acquisition unit; a reading information acquisition unit that acquires identification information of a cassette from which a medical image is read by a reading unit that reads a medical image recorded in the cassette; and the registration time and cassette A determination unit that determines whether or not the registered cassette is read by the reading unit within a predetermined time from the registration time based on the identification information and the identification information of the cassette acquired by the reading information acquisition unit; And a warning means for outputting a warning when it is determined by the judging means that the data has not been read. It is.

  The cassette management method of the present invention obtains the registration time when the cassette identification information is registered in the information storage unit in association with the imaging order information performed using the cassette, and the registered cassette identification information. , Acquiring the identification information of the cassette from which the medical image is read by the reading means for reading the medical image recorded in the cassette, and based on the acquired registration time, the identification information of the cassette, and the acquired identification information of the cassette, It is determined whether or not the registered cassette is read by the reading means within a predetermined time from the registration time. If it is determined that the cassette is not read, a warning is output.

  According to the cassette management apparatus and method of the present invention, the registration time when the cassette identification information is registered in the information storage unit in association with the imaging order information performed using the cassette, and the registered cassette identification information And acquiring the identification information of the cassette from which the medical image is read by the reading means for reading the medical image recorded in the cassette, and acquiring the acquired registration time and the identification information of the cassette and the acquired identification information of the cassette. Based on the registration time, it is determined whether or not the registered cassette has been read by the reading means within a predetermined time. If it is determined that the cassette has not been read, a warning is output. The cassette can be prevented from being left in a state having untransmitted radiation image data, and the risk of loss of radiation image data can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the radiographic imaging system 1, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of a cassette 6 used in this system.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the radiographic imaging system 1 performs radiography using a portable information terminal 2 that specifies a cassette 6 used for radiographic imaging and the specified cassette 6, and the radiographic image is recorded on the cassette 6. The radiographic imaging device 3 for recording the radiography, the radiographic image reading device 4 for reading the radiographic image recorded in the cassette 6, and the cassette management device 5 for managing the cassette 6 are communicable via the network 9. It is connected.

  Here, the cassette 6 includes a radiation detector 40 that detects radiation transmitted through the subject, a battery 44 that is a power source of the cassette 6, and a cassette control unit 46 that drives and controls the radiation detector 40 using electric power supplied from the battery 44. When the cassette 6 is loaded in the radiation image reading device 4, a transceiver 48 and the like for transmitting and receiving a radiation image detected by the radiation detector 40 to and from the radiation image reading device 4 are provided.

  FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration block diagram of the radiation detector 40. In the radiation detector 40, a photoelectric conversion layer 53 made of a substance such as amorphous selenium (a-Se) that senses radiation and generates charges is arranged on an array of thin film transistors (TFTs) 54 in a matrix form. After the generated charge is stored in the storage capacitor 55, the TFT 54 is sequentially turned on for each row, and the charge is read as an image signal. In FIG. 3, only the connection relationship between one pixel 52 including the photoelectric conversion layer 53 and the storage capacitor 55 and one TFT 54 is shown, and the configuration of the other pixels 52 is omitted.

  A TFT line 54 connected to each pixel 52 is connected to a gate line 56 extending in parallel to the row direction and a signal line 74 extending in parallel to the column direction. Each gate line 56 is connected to a line scan driving unit 60, and each signal line 74 is connected to a multiplexer 68 constituting a reading circuit. Control signals Von and Voff for controlling on / off of the TFTs 54 arranged in the row direction are supplied from the line scanning drive unit 60 to the gate line 56. In this case, the line scan driving unit 60 includes a plurality of switches SW1 for switching the gate lines 56 and an address decoder 62 for outputting a selection signal for selecting one of the switches SW1. An address signal is supplied from the cassette control unit 46 to the address decoder 62. In addition, the charge held in the storage capacitor 55 of each pixel 52 flows out to the signal line 74 via the TFTs 54 arranged in the column direction. This charge is amplified by the amplifier 64. A multiplexer 68 is connected to the amplifier 64 via a sample and hold circuit 66. The multiplexer 68 includes a plurality of switches SW2 for switching the signal line 58, and an address decoder 70 for outputting a selection signal for selecting one of the switches SW2. An address signal is supplied from the cassette control unit 46 to the address decoder 70. An A / D converter 72 is connected to the multiplexer 68, and radiation image information converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 72 is supplied to the cassette control unit 46.

  The cassette controller 46 is detected by the radiation detector 40 and an address signal generator 82 that supplies an address signal to the address decoder 62 of the line scan driver 60 and the address decoder 70 of the multiplexer 68 that constitute the radiation detector 40. An image memory 84 for storing the radiographic image information, and a cassette ID memory 86 for storing cassette ID information (identification information) for specifying the cassette 6.

  The transceiver 48 receives the transmission request signal from the radiation image reading device 4, while the cassette ID information stored in the cassette ID memory 86 and the radiation image information stored in the image memory 84 are received from the radiation image reading device 4. Is to send.

  The portable information terminal 2 performs operations such as setting the cassette 6 in the radiation image capturing device 3 to perform radiation imaging, or setting the cassette 6 already captured in the radiation image reading device 4 to perform reading of the radiation image. This is an information terminal carried by users such as radiologists and doctors who are involved in radiology, and stores imaging order information including imaging information such as patient information to be imaged, imaging region, imaging method, etc. distributed at the request of the doctor Information storage unit 11, an input unit 12 that allows a user to input various instructions, and each shooting order stored in the information storage unit 11 in accordance with a user instruction input via the input unit 12. The ID of the cassette 6 used for photographing of the photographing order is associated with the information and stored in the information storage unit 11 (hereinafter referred to as ID registration), and the ID of the cassette 6 on which the ID registration has been performed information And a transmitter / receiver 14 that transmits the registration time to the cassette management device 5 and receives ID information of the cassette 6 that is determined to be forgotten to be read from the cassette management device 5, and the main body of the portable information terminal 2. Provided with a display unit 15 for displaying information registered by the ID registration unit 13, a warning for notifying that the cassette 6 has been read, a speaker (not shown), and the like.

  For example, the ID registration unit 13 displays a list of shooting order information stored in the information storage unit 11 on the display unit 15, and for each shooting order information displayed, the user corresponds to the shooting order information. When ID information of the cassette 6 is input, ID registration is performed by causing the information storage unit 11 to store the input ID information of the cassette 6 and the imaging order information to which the ID information is input in association with each other.

  The radiographic imaging device 3 is, for example, an X-ray imaging device, and includes an imaging table on which a cassette 6 is loaded, an X-ray source that irradiates a subject with X-rays, and the like. An image memory of the cassette 6 is irradiated with X-rays transmitted through the subject according to the imaging conditions automatically set by the imaging order information registered in association with the cassette 6 and loaded on the imaging table. Record the radiographic image of the subject in 84.

  The radiographic image reading device 4 includes a cassette loading unit in which the cassette 6 is loaded, an ID information reading unit that reads cassette ID information from the cassette ID memory 86 of the loaded cassette 6, and a radiographic image from the image memory 84 of the cassette 6. An image reading unit to be read and a transmitter / receiver for transmitting the ID information of the cassette 6 from which the radiographic image has been read to the cassette management device 5 immediately after the radiographic image is read by the image reading unit.

  The cassette management device 5 receives the ID information and registration time of the cassette 6 for which ID registration has been performed from the portable information terminal 2, and the cassette 6 from which the radiation image has been read by the reading device from the radiation image reading device 4. Transceiver 21 (registration information acquisition means, reading information acquisition means) that receives ID information, and whether each ID registered cassette has been read by the radiation image reading device 4 within a predetermined time td from the registration time And a warning output unit 23 that outputs a warning when the determination unit 22 determines that it has not been read.

  Specifically, the determination process by the determination unit 22 is based on the cassette ID information received from the portable information terminal 2 and its registration time, and the cassette ID information received from the radiation image reading device 4. 2 is performed by determining whether or not the cassette ID information that matches the cassette ID information received from 2 is received from the radiation image reading device 4 within a predetermined time td from the ID registration time. Here, the fixed time td is a time that can be arbitrarily set by the user, for example, 5 minutes.

  The warning output unit 23 determines that the cassette whose ID has been registered by the determination unit 22 has not been read by the radiation image reading device 4 within a predetermined time td from the registration time. A warning is output in such a way that it is possible to inform a user, such as a radiographer or doctor who is engaged in the work of setting a cassette that has already been photographed, to read a radiographic image, that the cassette is determined not to be read. For example, information (for example, ID information) specifying a cassette that has been determined not to be read is displayed on a display unit provided in the cassette management device 5, or the user can use the portable information terminal 2. Is always carried, the information is transmitted to the portable information terminal 2 and displayed on the display unit 15 of the portable information terminal 2, and the portable information terminal is also displayed. And or to output a warning sound speaker are provided at two, inform the reading forgetting of the cassette to the user.

  The cassette management device 5 captures a radiographic image when it is determined that the cassette whose ID has been registered by the determination unit 22 has not been read by the radiation image reading device 4 within a predetermined time td from the registration time. It may further include a control unit that restricts radiographic image capturing, such as temporarily prohibiting X-ray exposure in the apparatus 3.

  Next, an example of processing performed in the cassette management apparatus 5 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the transceiver 21 receives from the portable information terminal 2 the ID information of the cassette for which ID registration has been performed and its registration time t1 (step ST31). Next, the determination unit 22 determines whether or not a predetermined time td has elapsed from the received registration time t1 (step ST32). If the predetermined time td has not elapsed, it is further determined whether or not the ID information of the cassette that has been read is received from the radiation image reader 4 in the transceiver 21 (step ST33), and the ID information of the cassette that has been read Is not received, the processing after step ST32 is continued. On the other hand, when the ID information of the read cassette is received, it is determined whether the received ID information of the read cassette matches the ID information of the registered cassette received in step 31. (Step ST34) If it is determined that they do not match, the processing from step ST32 is continued. If it is determined that they match, the registered cassette that received the ID information in step 31 is registered. Before a certain time td has elapsed from time t1, it is determined that the radiation image reading device 4 is reading, and the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if the predetermined time td has elapsed in step ST32, the warning output unit 23 transmits the ID information of the registered cassette received in step 31 to the portable information terminal 2 to be read by the user. A warning notifying that the cassette is determined not to be output is output (step ST35), and the process is terminated.

  In the above embodiment, the case where both the ID registration unit and the information storage unit for storing the contents of ID registration are integrally provided in the portable information terminal 2 has been described. May be provided integrally with the radiation image capturing apparatus 3, the cassette management apparatus 5, the console for managing the operation of radiation imaging in the radiation image capturing system 1, or the like.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the warning output unit 23 is configured integrally with the cassette management device 5 has been described. However, the warning output unit 23 is provided as a separate unit outside the cassette management device 5. It may be a thing, and may be provided integrally with the management server which manages the some radiographic imaging system connected via the network centrally.

The block diagram which shows the outline | summary of the radiographic imaging system which is one embodiment of this invention Block diagram showing the outline of the cassette Radiation detector circuit configuration block diagram The flowchart which shows an example of the process performed in a cassette management apparatus

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Radiographic imaging system 2 Portable information terminal 3 Radiographic imaging apparatus 4 Radiation image reading apparatus 5 Cassette management apparatus 6 Cassette
11 Information storage
12 Input section
13 ID registration department
15 Display section
21 Transceiver
22 Judgment part
23 Warning output section
40 Radiation detector

Claims (4)

A cassette management device for managing a cassette,
A registration time which is registered identification information of the cassette is associated with the radiographing order information performed using the cassette, the registration information acquiring means for acquiring the identification information of the cassette, which is the registration,
Read information acquisition means for acquiring the identification information of the cassette from which the medical image is read by the image reading means for reading the medical image recorded in the cassette;
Identification information of the cassette to be consistent with previous Kito recording has been cassette identification information, within a predetermined time from the registration time, and determining means for determining whether acquired by the reading information acquiring unit,
If the identification information of the cassette to the match in 該判 cross section is determined not to be acquired by the reading information acquiring unit, the cassette management apparatus characterized by comprising a warning means for outputting a warning.   2. The cassette management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the warning means displays identification information of the registered cassette as the warning output. A cassette management method for managing a cassette,
Identification information of the cassette is associated with the radiographing order information performed using the cassette acquired and registered by the registration time, and identification information of the cassette, which is the registration,
Obtaining identification information of the cassette from which the medical image is read by an image reading means for reading the medical image recorded in the cassette;
Identification information of the cassette to be consistent with previous Kito recording has been cassette identification information, within a predetermined time from the registration time, whether the medical image has been acquired in the process of acquiring identification information of the cassette read Judgment
A cassette management method comprising: outputting a warning when it is determined that the identification information of the matching cassette is not acquired .   4. The cassette management method according to claim 3, wherein identification information of the registered cassette is displayed as the warning output.

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