JPS6119155B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an X-ray television apparatus used for X-ray diagnosis.

An X-ray television device is a device that is equipped with an X-ray television for fluoroscopy and a spot shot device for taking photographs on a bed that can be raised up and down. During observation, when a desired state is reached, a spot shot device is activated to take an image of the region to be observed on an X-ray film.

The configuration of a conventional device is shown in FIG.

In the figure, 1 is an X-ray tube, and 2 is the X of this X-ray tube 1.
A collimator is provided at the radiation emitting port, 3 is a bed top plate on which a subject 4 is placed, and 5 is provided facing the X-ray tube 1 via the bed top plate 3 and the patient 4. Spotshot device for taking X-ray photographs, 6
An X-ray image conversion device is provided behind the spot shot device 5 to convert an X-ray image into an optical image, and here an X-ray image intensifier (hereinafter referred to as II) is used. 7 is this II
6 is a television camera that takes an X-ray image converted into an optical image; 8 is an optical system (tandem lens) provided between the I.I 6 and the television camera 7 that guides the optical image to the television camera 7; 9 10 is a television camera controller that controls the sweep of the television camera 7 and supplies the video signal output from the television camera 7 to the television monitor; 10 obtains the sweep signal and video signal output from the television camera controller 9; 11 is a television monitor that displays an X-ray image as an image; 11 is an X-ray tube 1 that
an X-ray controller that sets the tube voltage, tube current, etc., and also controls the exposure time during imaging;
Reference numeral 2 designates an X-ray high voltage generator that operates according to the X-ray conditions given by the X-ray controller 11, generates tube voltage and tube current set by the X-ray controller 11, and supplies the generated tube voltage and tube current to the X-ray tube 1. .

In the apparatus having such a configuration, by operating the X-ray controller 11, a preset tube voltage and tube current are generated from the X-ray high voltage generator 12 and applied to the X-ray tube 1. As a result, the X-ray tube 1 emits X-rays with an intensity corresponding to the applied tube current and tube voltage. The emitted X-rays are collimated by a collimator 2 and transmitted through the patient 4 on the bed top 3.
6. Then, the X-ray image of the subject 4 caused by the transmitted X-rays is converted into an optical image by the I.I 6, and appears as an optical image on the output surface of the I.I 6.

This optical image is led to a television camera 7 by an optical system 8, where it is converted into a video signal, and then the video signal is sent to a television monitor 10 and displayed as a video.

When it is desired to perform X-ray photography, the spot shot device 5 is activated and at the same time the X-ray high pressure generator 12 is activated.
The tube voltage and tube current that meet the imaging conditions are generated, and X-rays that meet the imaging conditions are irradiated. As a result, an X-ray image of the subject 4 is exposed onto the film of the spot shot device 5, and an X-ray photograph is obtained.

In this way, the conventional X-ray television apparatus first confirms the part of the patient 4 for which a clinical X-ray photograph is to be taken using a fluoroscopic image, positions it, and then issues an X-ray photographing command from a console (not shown). Then, the spot shot device 5 is operated, and the X-ray film in the spot shot device 5 is sent to the photographing position to perform photographing. This takes several seconds. After the X-ray photography is completed, the X-ray film is transferred to the spot shot device 5.
It returns to the fluoroscopic position (standby position) inside the fluoroscopic X-ray operation, and returns to fluoroscopic X-ray operation only after that operation is completed. This takes several seconds.

On the other hand, the image displayed on the television monitor 10 during X-ray photography has conventionally been ignored functionally. In other words, the amount of X-rays during X-ray imaging is greater than the amount of X-rays during fluoroscopy, and during X-ray imaging, an X-ray film, an intensifying screen that holds the film, and an aluminum cassette or press plate that holds these are required. Even if X-ray attenuation elements such as I.
The amount of X-rays incident on I.I.6 is much higher than the amount of X-rays during fluoroscopy, and the ratio is generally said to be 10 to 20 times the amount of X-rays incident on I.I.6 during fluoroscopy.

Therefore, the monitor image displayed on the television monitor 10 at the time of shooting is in a halation state, and the
Since it is not possible to observe a ray image, it has conventionally been used only to confirm whether or not X-rays have been irradiated. In addition, since X-rays are not irradiated while switching from fluoroscopy to radiography or from radiography to fluoroscopy, the television monitor 10 is in a black level state, making it difficult to check the state of the image being photographed. Can not. For this reason, it is not known whether or not a photograph has been obtained that meets the intended purpose until after it has been developed, and it is often necessary to retake the photograph.
This results in wasted time and unnecessary exposure of the patient to radiation.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and
The optical system is equipped with a neutral density filter mechanism to attenuate the light intensity of the II output image during radiography and guide it to the television camera, and a recording device is installed to record the video signal during X-ray radiography and transmit it to the next X-ray. The recorded images are played back and displayed on the television monitor until the fluoroscopy starts, and can be played back and displayed at any time afterwards, making it possible to immediately confirm the captured image, improving diagnostic efficiency. An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray television device that can improve accuracy.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in Figures 2 to 5.
This will be explained with reference to the figures. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is an X-ray tube, 4 is a subject, 5 is a spot shot device, and 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
is II, 7 is a television camera, 8 is an optical system using a tandem lens, 9 is a television camera controller, 10 is a television monitor, 11 is an X-ray controller, and 12 is an X-ray high-pressure generator, which are the same as described above. They are exactly the same. This device is basically the same as the device shown in FIG. 1, but the optical system 8 includes a light reduction filter 21.
A filter mechanism 21 for inserting and removing a is provided, and
The difference is that a recording device 22 such as a magnetic sheet recorder is provided which records the video signal output from the television camera 7 and provides the reproduced video signal to the television monitor 10 via the television camera controller 9.

That is, the X-ray image at the time of imaging is displayed on the television monitor 1.
In order to be able to display this at zero and observe it, it is necessary to take into account the difference in the X-ray dose during imaging, which is approximately 10 to 20 times greater than when using fluoroscopy. By providing a filter mechanism 21 in the optical system 8 for inserting and removing a neutral density filter 21a and activating it upon receiving a timing signal during imaging from the X-ray controller 11, a filter mechanism 21 for inserting and removing a neutral density filter 21a is provided in the optical system 8, so that a filter mechanism 21 is provided in the optical system 8 only during imaging. A neutral density filter 21a is interposed. This attenuating filter 21a measures the amount of light transmitted through the optical system 8 during photography by 1/10 to 1/20 of the amount of light transmitted through the optical system 8.
This refers to colored filters such as so-called optical ND filters or green filters. By doing this, the filter mechanism 21 is activated by the signal from the X-ray controller 11 during the period when switching to imaging, and the neutral density filter 21a is switched to the optical system 8.
The light intensity of the image appearing on the output surface of the I.I 6 is reduced to about 1/10 to 1/20 and guided to the television camera 7. As a result, light whose intensity has been reduced to the optimum amount for imaging is guided to the television camera 7, so that X-ray television images, which were conventionally unusable due to halation during photographing, can be displayed on the television monitor 10.

By the way, in this state, although the image is good, the X-ray imaging time is several tens to 100 msec.
It lasts for a very short time and cannot be observed by the caster. Therefore,
A video signal at the time of imaging recorded during a blank time of several seconds from the end of imaging to the start of fluoroscopy is played back by a recording device 22, so that the operator can sufficiently confirm the image at the time of imaging. For this purpose, the TV camera controller 9
causes the recording device 22 to enter a recording state according to a timing signal at the time of imaging given from the X-ray controller 11;
Play immediately after recording ends. Then, the reproduction is continued until the timing signal for fluoroscopy output from the television camera controller 9 is obtained. At this time, simultaneously with the recording, the video signal from the television camera 7 is sent to the television monitor 10 to display the image itself at the time of photography.

Next, a detailed explanation of the operation will be explained with reference to the time chart of FIG. The television camera controller 9 operates in synchronization with a synchronization signal VD as shown in FIG. 3a. Now, suppose that a fluoroscopy command is given to the X-ray controller 11 from an operation console (not shown).
This X-ray controller 11 sets the tube voltage and tube current of the fluoroscopy conditions to the X-ray high voltage generator 12, and then
A timing signal for radiation exposure is applied, and the X-ray high voltage generator 12 generates tube voltage and tube current under fluoroscopy conditions and supplies them to the X-ray tube 1. As a result, the X-ray tube 1 emits X-rays F ₁ under fluoroscopic conditions as shown in FIG.
is exposed. This X-ray passes through subject 4
6, and an optically converted image of the X-ray image appears on the output surface of the I.I. This optical image is guided to the television camera 7 via the optical system 8, where it is output as a video signal as shown in FIG. 3c. This video signal is sent to a television monitor 10 via a television camera controller 9 and displayed as a television image.

Next, use the console to switch to shooting. Then, the X-ray controller 11 sets the X-ray high voltage generator 12 so that the tube current and tube voltage match the imaging conditions. At this time, the X-rays have stopped as shown in FIG. 3b. Also,
The spot shot device 5 is operated in response to a signal from the console and sends the X-ray film to the imaging position. Next, the X-ray controller 11 generates a timing signal for imaging, and the X-ray high voltage generator 12 generates a tube current and tube voltage for imaging conditions and applies them to the X-ray tube 1. As a result, the X-ray tube 1 emits X-rays _R1 under the imaging conditions as shown in FIG. 3b. Since this exposed X-ray is 10 to 20 times as strong as during fluoroscopy, even after the film of the spot shot device 5 at the imaging position is exposed, a much larger amount of X-rays than during fluoroscopy enters the I.I 6. . Therefore, the brightness of the output surface of the I.I 6 becomes high, and if the output surface remains as it is, the level of the video signal becomes high as shown in _R1 in FIG. 3c, causing halation.

Since this apparatus is provided with a filter mechanism 21 that operates according to the imaging timing signal from the X-ray controller 11, the filter mechanism 21 operates at the same time as the timing signal is generated. Then, the filter mechanism 21
A neutral density filter 21a is inserted into the optical path of the optical system 8. Therefore, the output image of the I.I 6 guided to the television camera 7 via the optical system 8 is filtered through the neutral density filter 21.
The light is attenuated to 1/10 to 1/20 by a. Therefore, the video signal output from the television camera 7 is as shown in FIG. 3d.
As shown by R ₁ ′, the level is the same as that of the video signal during fluoroscopy.

On the other hand, the TV camera controller 9 is the X-ray controller 11
The recording device 22 is operated in a recording state by the photographing timing signal outputted by the camera. Then, the recording device 22 records the video signal (FIG. 3d, R ₁ ') output from the television camera 7 as shown in FIG. 3e, and also sends the video signal R ₁ ' to the television monitor 10 as it is. Therefore, the television monitor 10
As soon as X-ray photography starts, the image at that time is displayed in the optimum condition. Shooting takes several tens of milliseconds
Because the time is as short as 100msec, TV camera 7
Although the video signal R ₁ ′ from R 1 ′ stops at the end of shooting, since the recording device 22 uses a magnetic sheet recorder, it is possible to immediately switch to the playback mode and play back the image as soon as the recording ends. With this setting, even if the video signal R ₁ ' from the television camera 7 stops, the video signal (FIG. 3f) resulting from recording and reproduction will be output from the recording device 22.

When the X-ray imaging is completed, the filter mechanism 21 is reset in response to an X-ray exposure stop signal from the X-ray controller 11, and the attenuation filter 21a is immediately removed from the optical path of the optical system 8. Furthermore, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the completion of X-ray imaging, the X-ray controller 11 switches the X-ray high-pressure generator 12 to perform X-ray exposure under fluoroscopic conditions.
Activate. As a result, a high voltage under fluoroscopy conditions is generated from the X-ray high voltage generator 12 and applied to the X-ray tube 1. Therefore, X-rays under fluoroscopic conditions are emitted from the X-rays, and an X-ray image of the subject 4 is incident on the I.I 6. Then, it is converted into an optical image by I.I6.
This optical image enters the television camera 7 through the optical system 8 from which the attenuation filter 21a has been removed, and is converted into a video signal. This video signal is then given to the television monitor 10 and displayed. Thereafter, the above-described operation is repeated every time a photographing command is given.

The operation of the recording device 22 immediately shifts to the playback operation after recording, but the playback is performed for enough frames to fill in the time until fluoroscopy starts, as shown in Figure 3f, and the recorded image is then erased. and prepare for the next recording. Then, the reproduced video signal R ₁ ' _M is mixed with the video signal from the television camera 7 to fill in the blank period using a suitable gate circuit or the like as shown in FIG. It will be done. Therefore, the blank period of the video signal output of the television camera 7 that occurs during the switching period from the end of imaging to the restart of fluoroscopy is filled with the recorded and reproduced video signal, so that the image during X-ray imaging is displayed on the television monitor 10 during this period. Since the images can be observed with good image quality, it is possible to check whether the desired X-ray photograph has been obtained, which is useful for diagnosis, and improves diagnostic efficiency.

In the above, the output image of the I.I 6 is corrected to an appropriate light intensity by applying the attenuating filter 21a to the television camera 7 at the time of photography, and the video signal is recorded by the recording device 22 for each X-ray photography. The image is recorded, played back, and erased, and the recorded and played back image is displayed on the television monitor 10 after the end of the X-ray imaging until the fluoroscopy is restarted, so the observation of the image during the X-ray imaging takes only a few seconds. It is.

Therefore, a neutral density filter 21 is used for each X-ray image.
If the video signal corrected by step a is recorded on a recording device with multiple recording tracks, each with a different track, and images corresponding to the number of tracks can be stored, then any image can be played back and observed later. .

As a recording device used for this purpose, for example, a magnetic sheet recorder (magnetic disk recorder) as shown in FIG. 4 is used. In the figure, 41 is a magnetic sheet holding plate, 42 is a magnetic sheet, 43 is a shaft for fixing and driving the video head, and 44 is a video head at a predetermined position (track) on the magnetic sheet 42.
The image is traced and recorded on the magnetic sheet 42, or played back. Reference numerals 44' and 44'' are schematic representations of the positional relationship when the same video head 44 is traced on different tracks by the movement of the shaft 43. 45 is a rotation axis for rotating the magnetic sheet, 46 is a motor that rotationally drives this rotating shaft 45. Note that the explanation of the structure of the peripheral part of the magnetic sheet, the drive mechanism of the shaft 43, etc. is omitted here. It operates according to the X-ray imaging timing signal from the TV camera 7, receives the video signal shown in FIG. 5a from the television camera 7, and records it as shown in FIG. In response to this, the video head 44 is moved to the next track.This operation is performed sequentially for each X-ray exposure, and is possible until the track is full.Recording is performed sequentially as shown in Figures 5b and 5c. If the capacity of the recorded track is full, this function can be terminated or the recorded track can be deleted and the video head 4
Return 4 to the starting position and repeat the same action.

For example, in gastrointestinal diagnosis such as gastrointestinal imaging, the number of X-rays taken per patient is approximately 6 to 10, so by setting the number of tracks to 10 to 20, it is possible to obtain X-rays for one patient. It is sufficient to save recorded images during radiography, and after the completion of the X-ray diagnosis, it is possible to confirm the quality of the X-ray radiography using the reproduced images in a sufficient amount of time.
It is convenient to configure the video head 44 so that the track to be played back can be arbitrarily selected by manual operation.

In the above case, it is not possible to check the condition of the X-ray image at the time of taking the image, so as a modification, two video heads are provided, the first video head is fixed and the second video head is movable. .
Then, the first video head is made to occupy a specific track on the magnetic sheet, and the video signal is recorded every time the image is taken.The recorded image is immediately played back after the image is taken, and fluoroscopy starts from the end of the image. The period during which X-ray exposure is stopped is displayed on the television monitor 10. Then, in the second video head, video signals for each X-ray imaging are sequentially recorded on other tracks. In this way, it is possible to sufficiently observe the image at the time of X-ray photography and any reconstructed image at a later stage, and it is possible to completely compensate for the respective drawbacks of the above-mentioned two methods.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the gist thereof.For example, the case where a magnetic sheet recorder is used as a recording device will be described. However, this is possible with other storage means such as IC memory, and as a correction means to prevent halation, a liquid crystal may be inserted in the optical system in addition to a neutral density filter, or the gain of a television camera may be used as a correction means to prevent halation. It is also possible to do this by correcting.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to immediately check the state of the image at the time of X-ray photography, and it is possible to judge whether or not to take the image again, improving diagnostic efficiency. Therefore, it is possible to provide an X-ray television apparatus having excellent features such as allowing sufficient time for observation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional device, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional device.
Figures a to g are time charts for explaining its operation, Figure 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording device used in this apparatus, and Figures 5 a and b are time charts for explaining its operation. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... X-ray tube, 4... Subject, 5... Spotshot device, 7... Television camera, 8... Optical system, 9... Television camera controller, 10... Television monitor,
21... Filter mechanism, 21a... Neutral density filter, 2
2...Recording device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Converting the X-ray image of the subject obtained by exposed X-rays into an optical image, capturing this image with an imaging means to convert it into a video signal, and sending the film to the television system and X-ray imaging area for display on the television monitor. A spot shot device that photographs the X-ray image on a film is provided, and during fluoroscopy, X-rays under fluoroscopic conditions are emitted from an X-ray tube, and during imaging, the X-rays are temporarily stopped and the spot shot device is activated to take an X-ray image of the film. After moving the film to the X-ray imaging area, the X-ray film is exposed to X-rays under the imaging conditions from an X-ray tube to perform imaging, and after the imaging is completed, the film is moved out of the X-ray imaging area before returning to fluoroscopy. In the television apparatus, there is provided a light attenuation means which operates at the time of photographing and corrects attenuation of the amount of light incident on the imaging means to a predetermined level; An X-ray television apparatus characterized in that it is provided with a recording device for reproducing the recorded video signal during the image loss period before exposure.