JPH03188570A - Picture store communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To store the pictures in their high quality maintained by reversibly compressing some pictures of the inactive data via a selection means with other pictures undergoing the reversible expansion and transferring these pictures to a 2nd storage means after the irreversible compression when the reversible compression data stored in a 1st storage means becomes inactive. CONSTITUTION:The specific one of pictures equivalent to the inactive data that should be kept in a reversible compression state is decided by a preset or prescribed algorithm. Otherwise a selection means 8 performs a control operation under the conditions set with a proper operation performed based on the judgement of an operator. Thus some pictures equivalent to the inactive data which are transferred to a 2nd storage means 7 from a 1st storage means 6 are kept in a reversible compression state. Meanwhile other pictures equivalent to the inactive data are all reversibly expanded and irreversibly compressed and then transferred. In such a constitution, a small picture of a matrix like a CT image, for example, that is read out of a data base 2 and sent to a work station 3 for display can be stored for a fixed period in high quality.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention manages images sequentially obtained by a medical diagnostic device in a database, and sequentially reads out the images managed in this database. This invention relates to an image archiving and communication system for display on workstations, and in particular to improving the image archiving function in a database.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in an example of this type of image storage and communication system, each time an image is obtained by a medical diagnostic device, the obtained image is reversibly compressed, transferred to data, and reversibly compressed in a database. Images are stored sequentially on a magnetic disk.

As long as the image stored on this magnetic disk is active, it is called up to a workstation as needed and displayed.

When an image stored on a magnetic disk becomes inactive,
All images that have become inactive are irreversibly expanded, then irreversibly compressed and stored on the optical disc.

The images stored on this optical disk are also called up to the workstation as needed and are displayed on the workstation.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In such conventional cases, when an image that has been reversibly compressed and stored on a magnetic disk becomes inactive, there are cases where you do not want to cause image quality deterioration, or when the amount of data is small and irreversibly compressed images become inactive. Even if the data is not needed, it will be irreversibly compressed and stored on the optical disk.

Therefore, when a small matrix image, such as a CT image, which is called up from the database to a workstation for image display, is called up after a certain point, it will be displayed with unnecessary deterioration. A problem has occurred.

The present invention has been made with attention to such circumstances, and its purpose is to prevent unnecessary image deterioration from occurring in the images displayed on the workstation when images are called from the database to the workstation. The object of the present invention is to provide an image archiving and communication system that enables image archiving and communication.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention manages images sequentially obtained by a medical diagnostic device in a database, and sequentially manages images managed in this database. In an image storage system for reading and displaying on a workstation, the database includes a first storage means in which images sequentially obtained by the medical diagnostic apparatus are stored after being reversibly compressed, and images stored in the first storage means. When the image that is stored becomes inactive data, a second storage means that stores the image corresponding to the inactive data, and a second storage means that is interposed between the first and second storage means and that stores the image corresponding to the inactive data. selection means for determining whether to transfer the inactive data portion of the image from the means to the second storage means as it is reversibly compressed or to reversibly decompress and irreversibly compress the image and then transfer it to the second storage means; and transmitting an image corresponding to inactive data from the first storage means to the second storage means as it is reversibly compressed or after reversibly decompressing and irreversibly compressed, according to a control operation of the selection means. This is a characteristic feature.

(Operation) With the configuration according to the present invention, it is possible to select which images to leave reversibly compressed among the images of inert data using a preset or a predetermined algorithm, or to select an appropriate image based on the judgment of the operator. By controlling the selection means to operate under the conditions selected by the operation, the part of the image of the inactive data transferred from the first storage means to the second storage means by the transfer means is The image remains reversibly compressed, and all remaining images of the inactive data are reversibly decompressed and transferred after being irreversibly compressed.

In other words, even when displaying inert images on a workstation, images that do not require image quality deterioration or images that do not require irreversible compression due to their small amount of data can be stored in the second storage device without lossy compression. Store it as is.

Therefore, a small matrix image, such as a CT image, which is read out from the database to a workstation and presented for image display, can be saved in a high-quality state even after a certain period of time has elapsed.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a system wiring diagram showing the functional configuration of an image archiving and communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image storage and communication system of this embodiment includes a database 2 that manages images sequentially obtained by a medical diagnostic device 1 such as an X-ray CT device or an MHI device, and a database 2 that sequentially reads images managed by this database 2. This is a system configuration including a workstation 3 for display.

The medical diagnostic apparatus 1 includes a first compression means 5 that reversibly compresses an original image 4 reconstructed by photographing a subject. Note that the first compression means 5 may be omitted here, and the first compression means 5 may be provided inside the database 2.

The database 2 includes a first storage means 6 consisting of a hard disk device (HD), a second storage means 7 consisting of an optical disk device (OD), and first and second storage means 6, 7.
A selection means 8, a third storage means 9 consisting of an HD, a first decompression means 10, and a second compression means 11 interposed between the
It is equipped with In this database 2, a plurality of images reversibly compressed by the first compression means 5 of the medical diagnostic apparatus 1 are stored in the first storage means 6.

In the second storage means 7, when the image stored in the first storage means 6 becomes inactive data or when the first storage means 6 becomes full, the selection means 8 performs a control operation. The image stored in the first storage means 6 is written accordingly.

Here, the selection means 8 selects among the images for the inactive data.
Which images should be left as reversibly compressed or reversibly decompressed and irreversibly compressed can be selected using a preset or predetermined algorithm, or under conditions selected by appropriate operations based on the operator's judgment. It is something that will be done.

Therefore, when the image stored in the first storage means 6 becomes inactive according to the control operation of the selection means 8, the inactive data is transferred from the first storage means 6 to the second storage means 7. While a part of the image is transferred as it is reversibly compressed, the rest of the inactive data is reversibly decompressed by the first decompressing means 10 and transferred after being irreversibly compressed by the second compressing means 11. can.

In this way, the images for the inactive data transferred from the first storage means 6 to the second storage means 7 by the selection means 8 and stored in this second storage means 7 are transferred from the first storage means 6 to the second storage means 7 when called from the workstation 3. Then, it is transferred to the workstation 3 via the third storage means 9 or directly, and at the workstation 3, it is reversibly decompressed by the second decompression means 12 or irreversibly decompressed by the third decompression means 13. The image is then displayed as an original image 14.

Next, the flow of processing for the system configuration described according to FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2.

Images generated in the medical diagnostic device 1 are reversibly compressed by the first compression means 5 in the device, transferred to the database 2, and stored in the first storage device 6 (step 201).
). When the first storage means 6 is readable in this state (Yes at step 202), the reversibly compressed image stored in the first storage means 6 can be read out to the workstation 3 (step 203). For example, the first
when the image stored in the first storage means 6 is in a state before becoming inactive (step 204, negative), or when the first storage means 6 is in a state before becoming full (step 205, negative). , if there is a read request from the workstation 3 (Yes at step 206), a process is performed to read the reversibly compressed data from the first storage means 6 to the workstation 3 (steps 202 and 203).
.

However, if the image stored in the first storage means 6 becomes inactive (step 204 affirmative) or the first storage means 6 becomes full (step 205 affirmative), the control action of the selection means 8 Accordingly, those with small image matrices or those with a small number of generated images of that modality (medical diagnostic equipment) are selected for reversible compression in the selection means 8 (Yes at step 207), so the first image is stored without lossless compression. 2 is stored in the storage means 7 (step 208).

On the other hand, since images with large image matrices such as X-ray images are not selected (No in step 207), they are reversibly expanded by the first expansion means 10 (step 209), and the second
After being irreversibly compressed by the compression means 11 (step 2
10), stored in the second storage means 7 (step 20)
8).

At this time, there are two methods for reading out images in the second storage means 7 at the workstation 3.

This first method predicts the image to be read out in advance and
(Step 211 is negative, Step 212), and is transferred from there to the work station 3 (Step 213). Another method is to read directly from the second storage means 7 to the workstation 3 (step 211 affirmative, step 213).

In either of these two methods, the image is expanded within the workstation 3 by the first expansion means 12 or the second expansion means 13 and displayed as an original image 14.

In this way, according to this embodiment, when the reversibly compressed image stored in the first storage means 6 becomes inactive,
For images whose image quality should not be degraded or images whose data amount is small and which do not require irreversible compression, the selection means 8 directly transfers them to the second storage means 7 as they are reversibly compressed. In the storage means 7 of No. 2, images whose image quality should not be degraded or whose data amount is small and which do not require irreversible compression can be stored in a high-quality state.

Furthermore, since a part of the inactive data is stored in the second storage means 7 as it is reversibly compressed, the third storage means 9
There are also advantages such as being able to reduce the storage capacity required.

In this embodiment, the first compression means 5 is provided in the medical diagnostic device 1, but the first storage device 5 may be provided on the network between the medical diagnostic device 1 and the database 2. It is something. In addition, in database 2, the first
The storage means 6 and the third storage means 9 may be physically the same. Further, the buffer memories constituting the first storage means 6 and the third storage means 9 are not limited to node disks, but any large-capacity, high-speed memory can be used.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the image archiving and communication system of the present invention, when the reversibly compressed data stored in the first storage means becomes inactive, the selection means stores data corresponding to the inactive data. Some images remain reversibly compressed, while all the remaining images are reversibly decompressed and transferred to the second storage device after being irreversibly compressed, so images that do not want to cause image quality deterioration or data volume in the second storage device are small. Images can be stored in a high quality state using irreversible compression.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system wiring diagram showing the functional configuration of an image archiving and communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the process flow of the entire system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1...Medical diagnostic equipment 2...Database 3...
・Workstation 5...first compression means 6.-
-First storage means 7...Second storage means 8...Selection means 9...Third storage means 10...First
Expansion means 11...Second compression means/eFI' human interventionist Hidekazu Miyoshi Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an image storage and communication system in which images sequentially obtained by a medical diagnostic device are managed in a database, and the images managed in this database are sequentially read out and displayed on a workstation, the database is A first storage means in which sequentially obtained images are reversibly compressed and stored, and when the images stored in this first storage means become inactive data, images corresponding to this inactive data are stored. and a second storage means interposed between the first and second storage means, the second storage means being interposed between the first storage means and the second storage means, and storing the image corresponding to the inactive data from the first storage means in a reversibly compressed state. a selection means for determining whether to transfer the information to the second storage means after being reversibly decompressed and irreversibly compressed; An image storage and communication system characterized in that an image corresponding to inactive data is transmitted to a second storage means as it is reversibly compressed or after being reversibly expanded and irreversibly compressed.