JP6537786B2 - Medical image processing apparatus, medical image processing method and X-ray CT apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a medical image processing apparatus, a medical image processing method, and an X-ray CT apparatus.

  As a means for treating a patient's tissue defect or dysfunction, there is a cultured cell piece transplantation medical treatment. Cultured cell pieces are produced by culture cell piece engineering techniques. The cells collected from the patient itself or from others are cultured to produce cultured cell pieces, which are collected as slices while maintaining the adhesion between the cells. It is known that a treatment that compensates for defects in the skin, cornea, basement membrane of the fundus, etc. is effective by implanting it into a patient.

  In addition, medical treatment has been studied in which cultured cell pieces (cultured periodontal membrane) to be used as substitutes for periodontal membrane are prepared by cultured cell piece engineering, and transplanted to the root portion of the tooth. The periodontal membrane is a membrane which is located at the root of a tooth (periodontal membrane) and which separates the gum / tooth interface. For example, when pyorrhea progresses, a gap, so-called periodontal pocket, is formed between the gum and the tooth, and epidermal cells of the gum spread to the root and replace the periodontal membrane that should be present. Since the epidermal cells do not adhere to the teeth, the gaps created between the gums and the teeth do not naturally fill. Since bacteria continue to propagate in this gap, the teeth and jaw bones are attacked and teeth are lost. In such a case, cultured cell pieces are engineered to prepare cultured cell pieces (cultured periodontal membrane) as a substitute for periodontal membrane, and transplanted to the root portion. Usually, at the time of transplantation, the gum is incised by surgery to open a gap between the gum and the tooth, the cultured cell piece is attached to the surface of the root portion, and the gum is covered again and sutured.

  In addition, similar procedures may be required other than transplantation of cultured cell fragments. For example, when surgery is performed to exfoliate the adhered tissue, a slice of paraffin or a synthetic resin may be indwelling for the purpose of preventing adhesion again after the operation. Such an operation is not only performed when adhesion is expected to cause a failure, but when re-surgery is scheduled, it is time-consuming and does not require a dangerous peeling process in the next operation. It is done for the purpose of

  However, in the conventional medical image processing apparatus, it is necessary to manually determine the display position in order to observe the area including the cultured cell piece. For this reason, there is a problem that the load for displaying the region including the cultured cell piece increases after the cultured cell piece is embedded.

An object of the present embodiment is to provide a medical image processing apparatus, a medical image processing method, and an X-ray CT apparatus capable of reducing the workload for displaying an area including a cultured cell piece.

The medical image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is volume data related to a subject to which a cultured cell piece provided with a marker is transplanted, and the volume data obtained by imaging the subject with an X-ray CT apparatus. a storage unit which stores, detected by thresholding the marker region from the volume data, a cultured cell debris area corresponding to said culture cell debris include the marker area, the marker and the attenuation coefficient of the cultured cell debris and the marker area detection section which detect the volume data whether we based on the difference with the surrounding cells attenuation factor of the attenuation coefficient and the cultured cell debris, and the marker area, and the cultured cell debris region containing the marker region An image generation unit that generates an image obtained by visualizing the image from the volume data, and a display unit that displays the image.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a medical image analysis system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the medical image diagnostic apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the medical image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functions implemented by the processor 1 executing a medical image processing program PR. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of displaying a three-dimensional image including a marker area and a cross-sectional image by the medical image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a view showing a three-dimensional image generated by the three-dimensional image generator shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 5 is a view showing a cross-sectional image generated by a cross-sectional image generation unit shown in FIG. 4;

  Hereinafter, a medical image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a medical image analysis system 100 according to the present embodiment.

  A medical image analysis system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a medical image diagnostic apparatus 200 and a medical image processing apparatus 300 which are controlled by a system control apparatus 400 that controls all the components in the system. In the present embodiment, a configuration of an X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging apparatus is shown as an example of the medical image diagnostic apparatus 200.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the medical image diagnostic apparatus 200 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 200 includes a gantry 10, a gantry / bed control unit 20, a high voltage generation unit 30, a data acquisition unit 40, a preprocessing unit 50, a reconstruction unit 60, and scan control. A unit 70 is provided. In the gantry 10, an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector form one body, and a rotation / rotation (ROTATE / ROTATE) type in which the periphery of the subject is rotated, and a large number of detection elements in a ring are arrayed. There are various types such as a fixed / rotated (STATIONARY / ROTATE) type in which only the X-ray tube rotates around the subject, but the present invention is applicable to any type. In the present embodiment, the rotation / rotation type is described.

  The gantry 10 rotatably supports an annular or disk-like rotating frame 11. The rotating frame 11 has an X-ray tube 13 and an X-ray detector 14 so as to face each other across the subject placed on the top 12 in the imaging region.

  The X-ray tube 13 receives the application of the high voltage from the high voltage generator 30 and the supply of the filament current to generate the X-ray.

  The X-ray detector 14 is connected to a data acquisition unit (DAS: Data Acquisition System) 40. The X-ray detector 14 detects X-rays generated from the X-ray tube 13.

  The gantry / bed control unit 20 continuously rotates the rotating frame 11 at a constant angular velocity. Further, the gantry / bed control unit 20 moves the bed in a desired direction.

  The high voltage generation unit 30 generates a tube voltage applied to the X-ray tube 13 and a filament current supplied to the X-ray tube 13 under the control of the scan control unit 70 described later. The high voltage generation unit 30 may be provided inside the gantry 10.

  The data acquisition unit 40 acquires current signals of each channel of the X-ray detector 14 under the control of the gantry / bed control unit 20. The data acquisition unit 40 converts the acquired current signal into a digital signal. The converted digital signal is called raw data. The data acquisition unit 40 outputs the raw data to the preprocessing unit 50 via a noncontact or slip ring data transmission unit (not shown) using light or magnet.

  The pre-processing unit 50 performs pre-processing on raw data such as correction of uneven sensitivity between channels and correction of signal strength reduction or signal dropout mainly by X-ray strong absorbers such as metal parts. Run. The preprocessing unit 50 generates projection data by preprocessing the raw data. The preprocessing unit 50 outputs the projection data to the reconstruction unit 60.

  The reconstruction unit 60 reconstructs volume data based on the projection data output from the preprocessing unit 50. The reconstruction unit 60 outputs volume data to the storage unit 6 of the medical image processing apparatus 300.

  The scan control unit 70 controls the gantry / bed control unit 20 and the high voltage generation unit 30 under the control of the system control device 400.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the medical image processing apparatus 300 shown in FIG.

  The medical image processing apparatus 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a processor 1, a memory 2, a communication unit 3, an input unit 4, a display unit 5, a storage unit 6, and a bus line 7. The bus line 7 includes an address bus and a data bus which communicably connect the processor 1, the memory 2, the communication unit 3, the input unit 4, the display unit 5 and the storage unit 6.

  The processor 1 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and realizes various processes by executing a computer program.

  The memory 2 is a main memory including a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM). The memory 2 stores a medical image processing program PR and the like for causing the processor 1 to implement main processing in the present embodiment. In addition, the memory 2 forms a working storage area for temporarily storing various types of information.

  The communication unit 3 communicates with an external device by wire or wirelessly. The external apparatus is, for example, a modality such as an X-ray CT apparatus, a server included in a system such as a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System), or another work station.

  The input unit 4 is an interface for inputting a command or the like according to the user's operation, and includes, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, a trackball, various buttons, and the like.

  The display unit 5 displays a CT image or the like on a display device. As a display device, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display (LCD: Liquid Crystal Display), an organic EL display (OELD: Organic ElectroLuminescence Display), a plasma display, or the like can be appropriately used.

  The storage unit 6 is a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or the like capable of storing relatively large-capacity data. The storage unit 6 stores CT images, analysis results, and the like in the process of processing realized by the processor 1 executing the medical image processing program PR. The storage unit 6 stores a dedicated program for CT image generation. In addition to the magnetic disk such as HDD, the storage unit 6 uses an optical disk such as a magneto-optical disk, a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a Blu-ray (Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc). You may The storage unit 6 stores volume data output from the reconstruction unit 60, a plurality of projection data sets, and the like.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing functions implemented by the processor 1 executing the medical image processing program PR.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the processor 1 functions as a data input unit 1-1, a marker area detection unit 1-2, an area determination unit 1-3, a three-dimensional image generation unit 1-4, and a cross-sectional image generation unit 1-5. To realize the function of The processor 1 operates as these units according to the medical image processing program PR.

  Here, a method of displaying a region including a marker region by the medical image processing apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment will be described by giving a specific example.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of displaying a three-dimensional image including a marker area and a cross-sectional image by the medical image processing apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment.

  The data input unit 1-1 inputs the volume data stored in the storage unit 6 (step ST1).

  The marker area detection unit 1-2 performs threshold processing on the input volume data, and detects a marker area of a marker provided in the cultured cell piece (step ST2). Here, the marker is an X-ray absorber having an attenuation coefficient different from that of the cultured cell fragment and the peripheral cells into which the cultured cell fragment is embedded. In this embodiment, gold or the like which is harmless to the human body and has a characteristic voxel value as compared to the human body or cultured cell fragments is used as the marker.

  Here, the above-mentioned cultured cell pieces are cells that regenerate human cells. As cultured cell fragments, for example, iPS cells and the like are included. The cultured cell pieces are provided with the above marker at the early growth stage. Cultured cell pieces are cultured such that markers are embedded as they grow.

  The area determination unit 1-3 determines the coordinates of the area including the marker area in the volume data, based on the detection result of the marker area detected by the marker area detection unit 1-2 (step ST3).

  The three-dimensional image generator 1-4 executes rendering processing on the input volume data to generate a three-dimensional image (step ST4). The three-dimensional image generation unit 1-4 outputs the generated three-dimensional image to the display unit 5.

  Here, in the three-dimensional image generated by the three-dimensional image generation unit 1-4, the area other than the area including the marker area has transparency higher than the transparency of the area including the marker area. In the present embodiment, the display unit 5 displays the area other than the area including the marker area in a transparent or semi-transparent manner.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing a three-dimensional image generated by the three-dimensional image generation unit shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the display unit 5 displays a three-dimensional image generated by the rendering process. Further, the display unit 5 displays the marker area detected together with the three-dimensional image. The display unit 5 makes the area other than the area including the marker area transparent.

  In addition, since the cultured cell piece has an attenuation coefficient different from the attenuation coefficient of the marker and the peripheral cell in which the cultured cell piece is embedded, it can be detected as a cultured cell piece region from volume data. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the display unit 5 may display the cultured cell piece region together with the three-dimensional image and the marker region based on the detection result of the cultured cell piece region.

  The cross-sectional image generation unit 1-5 generates a cross-sectional image including the marker area based on the volume data (step ST5). The cross-sectional image is, for example, a multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) image and a curved planar reconstruction (CPR) image, which are cross-sectional images at arbitrary positions and angles including a marker area. Cross-sectional image generation unit 1-5 outputs the generated cross-sectional image to display unit 5.

  FIG. 7 is a view showing a cross-sectional image generated by the cross-sectional image generation unit 1-5 shown in FIG.

  The cross-sectional image shown in FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional image corresponding to the position of the detected marker area (the cross-sectional position shown in FIG. 7A).

  Thereby, the medical image processing apparatus 300 can display the three-dimensional image and the cross-sectional image including the marker area on the display unit 5.

  According to the above configuration, the medical image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment attaches a marker harmless to the human body to the cultured cell piece. The marker area detection unit 1-2 detects a marker area of the marker embedded in the cultured cell piece. As a result, the medical image processing apparatus can eliminate the trouble of manually determining the area including the cultured cell piece.

  Therefore, the medical image processing apparatus 300 can reduce the work load for displaying the area including the cultured cell piece.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, although the X-ray CT apparatus was shown as an example of the medical image diagnostic apparatus 200, it does not restrict to this. The medical image processing apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment irradiates a living body with radiation such as X-rays, detects radiation generated from radioactive isotopes, and obtains information in the body as an image. MRI (Magnetic (Magnetic) The present invention is also applicable to imaging diagnostic devices and stand-alone image processing devices such as Resonance Imaging devices, ultrasonic diagnostic devices, PET (Positron Emission Tomography) devices, and SPECT.

  In addition, the storage unit 6 of the medical image processing apparatus 300 may be installed in the system as one independent apparatus.

  While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The embodiment and the modification thereof are included in the scope and the gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

  100 ... medical image analysis system, 200 ... medical image diagnostic device, 300 ... medical image processing device, 400 ... system control device, 10 ... gantry (gantry), 11 ... rotating frame, 12 ... top plate, 13 ... X-ray tube , 14: X-ray detector, 20: gantry, bed control unit, 30: high voltage generation unit, 40: data acquisition unit (DAS: Data Acquisition System), 50: pre-processing unit, 60: reconfiguring unit, 70: Scan control unit, 1 ... processor, 1-1 ... data input unit, 1-2 ... marker area detection unit, 1-3 ... area determination unit, 1-4 ... three-dimensional image generation unit, 1-5 ... cross-sectional image generation Sections 2 memory 4 communication section 4 input section 5 display section 6 storage section 7 bus line.

Claims (7)

A storage unit storing volume data of a subject to which a cultured cell piece provided with a marker is transplanted, the volume data obtained by imaging the subject with an X-ray CT apparatus ;
Detected by thresholding the marker region from the volume data, a cultured cell debris area corresponding to the cell culture piece includes the marker area, the attenuation coefficients and the cultured cell debris and attenuation coefficient of said culture cell debris said marker and the marker area detection section for the detect volume data whether et based in the difference between the attenuation coefficient of the surrounding cells,
An image generation unit that generates an image obtained by visualizing the marker area and the cultured cell piece area including the marker area from the volume data;
And a display unit configured to display the image.   The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is a cross-sectional image.   The medical image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is a three-dimensional image generated from the volume data by a rendering process. It is volume data about a subject to which a cultured cell piece provided with a marker is transplanted, and the marker region is extracted from the volume data with respect to the volume data obtained by imaging the subject with an X-ray CT apparatus. detected by thresholding, a cultured cell debris area corresponding to the cell culture piece includes the marker area, the attenuation coefficients of the cells around the attenuation coefficient and the cultured cell debris and attenuation coefficient of said culture cell debris said marker the out volume data whether we examined on the basis of the difference between,
An image visualizing the marker area and the cultured cell piece area including the marker area is generated from the volume data;
A medical image processing method for displaying the image. A scanning unit for scanning a subject into which a cultured cell piece provided with a marker is implanted;
A volume data generation unit that generates volume data related to the subject based on an output from the scanning unit;
Detected by thresholding the marker region from the volume data, a cultured cell debris area corresponding to the cell culture piece includes the marker area, the attenuation coefficients and the cultured cell debris and attenuation coefficient of said culture cell debris said marker and the marker area detection section for the detect volume data whether et based in the difference between the attenuation coefficient of the surrounding cells,
An image generation unit that generates an image obtained by visualizing the marker area and the cultured cell piece area including the marker area from the volume data;
An X-ray CT apparatus comprising: a display unit for displaying the image. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image is a cross-sectional image. The X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image is a three-dimensional image generated from the volume data by a rendering process.

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