JPH03224062A - Image filing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the image retrieving time by storing a secondary retrieving data base which is produced based on the retrieving key inputted from an input part and shows the image data accordant with the retrieving key. CONSTITUTION:The patient information S2, the photographing informations S3, etc., are transferred to a system controller 51 from an imageprocessor 30 and recorded successively in a magnetic disk 65 for construction of a retrieving data base. At the same time, the image data S1, the information S2 following the information S1, the information S3, the image processing conditions S4, etc., are successively recorded in an optical disk 67D for each image. When the retrieving data base is periodically copied, the disk 67D is put on an optical disk unit and the retrieving data base stored in the disk 65 is copied. Meanwhile the names are given to a pair of secondary retrieving data based obtained based on the retrieving data base with an instruction given from a keyboard 61A. These secondary retrieving data bases are stored in a floppy disk 66. Thus the image retrieving efficiency is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention stores a large amount of image data, creates and stores a search database for searching the image data, and searches the database as needed. The present invention relates to an image filing device that performs an image search based on a search database by inputting a key.

(Prior Art) Image filing devices that file image data are used in various fields. For example, in medical institutions such as hospitals, many medical images are used for medical treatment or research.

Most of these medical images are X-ray transmission images, but recently, C7 images and MR images have also been increasingly used.

By the way, it is necessary to keep such medical images in order to know the changes in the patient's injury and disease, and the law requires that they be kept for a specified period of time. will increase day by day. Conventionally, these medical images have been stored in the form of hard copies, so securing storage space, management work, and search work have become a heavy burden on each hospital.

However, in recent years, images such as medical images have been recorded (filed) in a searchable manner on recording media in the form of image data.
A so-called image filing device has been proposed. If medical images are recorded on a recording medium using this image filing device, space and labor savings will be realized in image storage, and image retrieval operations will be facilitated and speeded up.

In the image filing device that records image data as described above, a database is constructed by recording search data for searching the image corresponding to each image data, and the image search is performed based on this database. It is done.

To perform an image search in the image filing device, a search key is input using input means such as a keyboard. Examples of search keys for the above-mentioned image filing device that files medical radiation images include patient name, patient number, imaging area (head, neck, abdomen, etc.), imaging method (normal imaging, enlarged imaging, The search data is one or more of search data such as tomography, contrast radiography, etc.), imaging date, etc., and the input means inputs all or part of these search data.

If all of the search data corresponding to the desired image is input as a search key, the address of the image data corresponding to the desired image is found in the database based on the input search key (hereinafter referred to as " If only some of the search data is specified as the search key (for example, if only the patient number and year of imaging are specified as the search keys from the above example search data), All one or more images taken within a particular year of a particular patient will be specified.

When multiple images are specified, information for identifying the specified images, such as a list of all search data for multiple images that match the above patient number and year of photography, is usually displayed on the display means. The desired images are further narrowed down based on instructions from the operator who has confirmed the displayed information. The finally narrowed down images are read out by this image filing device and placed on a CRT for image display.
The image is transferred to a display device, a laser printer device, etc., and a visible image is output (displayed or hard copy).

(Problem to be solved by the invention) By the way, when a large amount of image data is filed and there are also many types of search data, the database built based on it becomes enormous, and it is difficult to input a search key. However, it takes a considerable amount of time until the corresponding image is designated, and there is a problem that the efficiency of the search operation decreases as the number of filed images increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image filing device having a function that can shorten search time as a whole.

(Means for Solving the Problems) An image filing device of the present invention includes: a first storage section that stores a large amount of image data;
a second storage unit that stores a search database for searching a large number of image data stored in the storage unit; and an input unit that inputs a search key into the search database; The search database stored in the second storage unit is searched based on the search key, and the desired image data is selected from among the large number of image data stored in the first storage unit based on the search results. In an image filing device that reads image data, one or more search keys matching the search key are created using the search database stored in the second storage unit based on the search key input from the input unit. The present invention is characterized by comprising a third storage section that stores a secondary search database indicating image data of.

Here, the "search key" refers to search data corresponding to each image used when specifying a desired one or more images among a large number of images stored in the first storage unit, Although not limited to specific data, it refers to, for example, the patient name, patient number, imaging site, imaging method, imaging date, etc. in the above-mentioned medical radiation image. Note that the search key entered from the input section can be used to search for multiple types of search data for each image (for example, patient name, patient number, imaged area, etc.).
..., etc.), it is not always necessary to enter all of these search data; for example, in the above example, only the patient number and year of imaging were entered, and one or all of the search data may be entered as necessary. Search data may be input as a search key.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned "secondary search database" refers to a database that shows one or more image data as a result of an image search based on the search key input from the input section, and this also refers to a database that shows one or more image data as a result of an image search based on the search key input from the input section. For example, if only the patient number and imaging year are entered as search keys, other search data (image area, imaging method, etc.) and data representing the addresses at which those image data are stored in the first storage unit.

Note that this secondary search database may be automatically stored in the third storage section, or may be stored based on instructions from the operator. Also,
If it is necessary to further narrow down the desired images based on the secondary search database, you can perform the secondary search by further inputting a part of the secondary search database (for example, the body part to be photographed, etc.) as a search key. The system may be configured to obtain a further narrowed-down search database from the database, or may be configured to include display means for displaying the secondary search database so that the operator can directly instruct desired image data. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure a device that serves both of these functions.

Furthermore, when storing the secondary search database in the third storage unit, one set of the secondary search database may be stored with a name or a serial number may be automatically assigned based on instructions from the operator. If a plurality of sets of secondary search databases are stored, it is convenient to specify a desired secondary search database.

In addition, multiple sets of secondary search databases can be combined into one set according to instructions from the operator.
It would be more convenient to configure the system so that a part of one set of the secondary search database can be extracted and made into an independent set.

(Function) Image data that has been retrieved once is retrieved because it is useful, and the case that the image data is needed again occurs quite frequently. For example, when displaying a visible image based on searched image data on a CRT display device for observation, the searched image data is searched as a candidate for display and observation;
For example, it often happens that the image data is needed again at a later date. With conventional devices, if a situation arises where the image data is needed again, it is necessary to enter the same search key again and perform the image search again.
This has been a factor in reducing the efficiency of image retrieval. The present invention focuses on this point. As a countermeasure to this problem, it is conceivable to store the image data itself once retrieved in some kind of storage medium. However, the image data itself requires a huge amount of storage capacity compared to search keys, etc. Therefore, even if it is only for one specific image data or some image data, it is possible to store images that may be needed again. Storing all data poses a major problem in terms of storage capacity and the like.

Since the image filing device of the present invention includes a third storage unit that stores a secondary search database created based on the search key input from the input unit, it is possible to avoid having to perform the same search again from the beginning. , desired image data can be efficiently obtained based on the secondary search database. Furthermore, storing the secondary search database requires an incomparably smaller capacity than storing the image data itself, and there is almost no problem in this respect.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an image filing device 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. This image filing device 50 includes a system control device 51, an optical disk device 52 as an example of a first storage section of the present invention, which records data on an optical disk and reads data recorded on the optical disk. It is composed of a keyboard filA and an operation console 61 consisting of a display unit 81B such as a CRT. Further, an image processing device 30 is connected to this image filing device 50. The image processing device 30
inputs image data S1 from a radiation image information recording/reading device 10, which is an example of an image data supply source, performs predetermined image processing on the pig S1, and outputs it to an image output device 70.

The radiation image information recording/reading device 10 is, for example,
No. 1-29834, No. 61-94035, etc., in which a stimulable phosphor sheet 11 is circulated and conveyed along a circulation path 12 and stopped at a position facing an imaging platform 13. By irradiating the sheet 11 with radiation 15 emitted from the radiation [14], a transmitted radiation image of a subject (patient) 16 is accumulated and recorded on the sheet 11.

A stimulable phosphor sheet 1 on which a radiation image is recorded in this way
1 is an image reading unit, and a laser beam 18 emitted from a laser light source 17 and deflected by a light deflector 19 causes 2 to be detected.
Scanned dimensionally. In this way, the sheet 11 irradiated with the laser beam 18 as excitation light emits stimulated luminescence light that carries radiation image information, and this stimulated luminescence light passes through the light guide 20 to a photomultiplier or the like. It is photoelectrically detected by a photodetector 21. The analog output of the photodetector 21 is amplified, A/D converted, and outputted from the radiation image information recording/reading device 10 as digital image data S1 carrying a radiation image of the subject I6.

The stimulable phosphor sheet H1 whose image has been read is then sent to the erasing section 22, where it is irradiated with erasing light and is reproduced to a state in which radiation image information can be recorded again.

In addition, an ID terminal 25 is connected to the radiation image information recording/reading device IO, and information such as the patient's name, gender, date of birth, etc. written in the ID card 26 of the patient 16 (hereinafter referred to as the patient's Information) is read, and various conditions related to radiography, such as image number, date of imaging, region to be imaged, size of imaging, reading sensitivity, and other information (hereinafter referred to as imaging information) are input. The patient information S2 and imaging information S3 are transferred to the image processing device 30 together with the image data S1. In this embodiment, an example of a search database is configured by the patient information S2, the imaging information S3, and other incidental information.

The image processing device 30 can perform, for example, 20 or more types of gradation processing or 10 or more types of frequency processing on the digital image data S1. All of these image processing conditions are tabulated, and the optimum conditions are automatically selected according to the photographing conditions set at the ID terminal 25 described above. Image data Sl' subjected to image processing under optimal conditions in the image processing device 30 is transferred to the image output device 70.

This image output device 70 is comprised of, for example, a CRT display device for image display, and a visible image based on the image data 81' is displayed on its screen.

The visible image displayed on the CRT screen is used for diagnosis of the patient 16. Note that the image output device 70 may be a CRT display device for image display, or a laser printer device or the like.

Next, recording (filing) of radiation images by the image filing device 50 will be explained. The system control device 51 of this image filing device 50 consists of a known computer system, including a CPU (central processing unit) 53,
Memory 54, interfaces 55, 56, and magnetic disk unit 59 constituting an example of the second storage section of the present invention
, a control unit 57 that controls this, a bus 58 that connects each of the above sections, and a floppy disk unit 60 that constitutes an example of the third storage section of the present invention. Incidentally, the floppy disk unit 60 is also controlled by the control unit 57. The aforementioned keyboard 61
A and the display device BIB are connected to the CPU 53,
Further, the interface 55 is connected to the interface 31 of the image processing device 3o. Note that this keyboard 6LA is an example of an input section of the present invention.

Further, the optical disk device 52 includes an interfnis 62 connected to the interface 56 of the system control device 51, an optical disk control unit 63, and an optical disk unit 64.

The aforementioned patient information S2. The photographic information 83 and the like are transferred from the image processing device 30 to the system control device 51, and are sequentially recorded on a magnetic disk 65 driven by a magnetic disk unit 59 to construct a search database. The patient information s2, photographing information 83, etc. are also transferred to the optical disk device 52, and are recorded and accumulated on the optical disk 67 driven by the optical disk unit 64 along with the image data s1 transferred together from the image processing device 30. Ru. The image data S1 bypasses the image processing device 30 and is recorded on the optical disc 67 in a so-called raw data state without being subjected to image processing. Furthermore, this image data S1 is sent from the image processing device 30.
Image processing conditions S4 when image processing is performed on the image data are also output and recorded on the optical disc 67.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the recording format of the optical disc 67. As shown in FIG. With reference to this figure, the above image data S1
, an optical disc 67 containing patient information S2, photographing information 83, etc.
I will explain in detail about recording.

In the figure, one scale on the vertical axis indicates one track on the optical disc.
One scale on the horizontal axis indicates one sector.

The image data S1 is recorded one image at a time in a sufficiently wide image data recording area 80 on the optical disc 67. Before and after one piece of image data 81, a header 81A1 and an image processing device 30 are provided for recording patient information S2, imaging information 83, etc. corresponding to the image data 81.
Block 8 for recording image processing conditions S4 in
1B and 81C are provided.

When the image data 81 is recorded on the optical disc 67 as described above, the image directory 83 (8
3A, 83B, 83C...) were recorded 15 times.

This image directory 83 basically contains the start address of the header 81A of each image data 81 and the image data 81.
The sector length of the image data 81 and characteristic information regarding the image data 81 are also recorded.

In addition to the areas 80 and 82 mentioned above, the optical disc 67 has
Replacement directories 89A, 89B, 89 for replacing the recorded contents of the image directory 83 with the changed contents when the recorded contents of the image directory 83 are changed.
There are provided an area 84 for forming C. . . , and an area 85 for forming a directory corresponding to new data when, for example, medical chart contents are newly recorded. In addition, the first track of the optical disc 67 includes a block 86 for recording the serial number of each disc and the identification code of sides A and B, and a block 86 for recording when the optical disc has reached a state (fixed amount) in which it is no longer possible to record. Along with the block 87 shown, a number of directory entry blocks 88A, 88B, 88C, . . . are provided. The first directory entry block 88A indicates that a group of image directories 83A, 83B, 83C, . . . is formed, and the start address and sector length of the image directory group formed in the area 82 are recorded. The second directory entry block 88B records the start address and sector length of the replacement directory group (89A, 89B, 89C-), and the third and subsequent directory entry blocks 88C... sequentially record each directory that will be formed in the future. This space is provided to record the start address and sector length of the group.

As described above, the image data S1 is stored on the optical disk 67.
and patient information S2 accompanying this image data S1. Shooting information S3. Image processing conditions 84 and the like are sequentially recorded for each image. Note that if the image data S1 is compressed using a known image data compression technique and then recorded on the optical disc 67,
The number of images that can be stored on the optical disc 67 can be increased. The optical disc 67 contains patient information S2 and imaging information S.
3. In addition to the image processing conditions 84, etc., image data S1 with a very large amount of data is recorded, but if data compression technology is applied, it is possible to record and accumulate 0 images on one optical disk 67, for example, on about 1000 sheets. . On the other hand, the magnetic disk drive 5 has a smaller recording capacity than the optical disk 67, but only the search database consisting of the patient information S2 and photographic information 83 is recorded therein.
It is possible to record and store a search database of about 1,000,000 pages.

By the way, it is conceivable that the search database recorded on the magnetic disk 65 may be destroyed due to mechanical damage to the magnetic disk 65 or destruction of the stored contents due to a lightning strike or the like.

In this case, patient information S2. which constitutes the search database.
Although the photographing information 83 and the like are recorded on the optical disk 67 along with the image data, it becomes extremely difficult to search for images. Although it is possible to build the search database again based on the patient information S2 and photographic information 83 recorded on the optical disk 67, it takes a lot of time if there are a large number of images. There is a problem that it can no longer be used for its purpose. As a countermeasure for this, you can add another storage device such as a magnetic disk and record and accumulate the search database on the magnetic disk 65 and the added storage device at the same time, or store the search database only on the magnetic disk 65 at all times. A predetermined amount of patient information S2 is stored on the magnetic disk 65, periodically, or on a magnetic disk 65.
．． It is preferable to adopt a method of copying the search database stored on the magnetic disk 65 to an added recording device each time photographing information 83 or the like is added or at other timings. In this embodiment, the optical disk device 52, which is normally used for storing and reading image data, is also used as a storage device for this purpose.

That is, when an optical disk 87D for storing a database is prepared and a search database is copied periodically (for example, once every month), this optical disk 67D is mounted on an optical disk unit and the search database stored on the magnetic disk 65 is copied. be done.

Incidentally, even if copies are made periodically in this way, the search database stored on the magnetic disk 65 is stored on the optical disk 67 until the search database stored on the magnetic disk 65 is destroyed after the last copy.
Although it is not copied to S2.D, that part is only a part of the entire search database, and that part is not copied to patient information S2. The search database is rebuilt in a short time based on the photographic information S3.

Next, image search and re-output of reproduced images will be explained.

The operator inputs a desired search key by operating the keyboard 6LA while observing the display unit BIB of the console 61. As a general rule, the search keys that can be entered from the keyboard 61A include patient information S.
2 and photographing information S3 can be used. Based on the search database built on the magnetic disk 65, the system control device 51
A secondary search database indicating one or more image data corresponding to the input search key is obtained. In this embodiment, this secondary search database includes patient information S2. of the image corresponding to the input search key other than the input search key. It consists of photographing information S3, the number of the optical disk where the image data is stored, and the address within the optical disk where the image data is stored. Patient information S2 that constitutes the secondary search database other than the search key input from the keyboard 81A. The photographing information S3 is displayed as a list on the display unit 61B. For example, when a patient name in the patient information S2 is input as a search key, the display device 81B displays an image list showing the image numbers of all images related to the specified patient, patient information S2 other than the name, and imaging information S3. Is displayed. The searcher views this displayed image list and selects a desired image. When such a selection is made, the system control device 51 drives the optical disk device 52 to read out the reserved image from the optical disk 67. When reading this image, the first directory entry block 88A serves as a pointer and an instruction to read the image directory group (area 82) is given, and the image directories 83A, 83
B, 83C... are read. One image directory 83 in which the reserved image number is recorded becomes a pointer, and one header 8LA indicated by the image directory 83 is specified, and the header 81A and the corresponding image data 81 and blocks 81B and 181C are recorded. The contents are read.

Image data 81 (Sl) read out as described above
Then, patient information S2 and imaging information S3 recorded in header IIIA, and data S4 indicating image processing conditions recorded in blocks 81B and 81C are transferred from system control device 51 to image processing device 30. The image processing device 30 performs image processing such as gradation processing and frequency processing on the image data 81 according to the image processing conditions indicated by the data S4, and then sends the image data Sl' after the image processing to the image output device 70. In the image output device 70, the CR7
A visible image based on the image data Sl' after image processing is displayed on the screen. In addition, in parallel with the display of such visible images, a set of secondary search databases obtained based on the search database are given names and stored on the floppy disk 66 according to instructions from the operator via the keyboard 61A. Ru. By storing the secondary search database on the floppy disk 66 in this way, if you need the secondary search database again, you can search by entering the same search key you entered last time from the keyboard 61A. Instead of finding the secondary search database based on the database, it is only necessary to read the secondary search database stored on the floppy disk 66, which greatly improves the efficiency of image search work.

In the above embodiment, the obtained secondary search database is stored on the floppy disk 66, but the storage area is not limited to the floppy disk. For example, a part of the storage area of the magnetic disk 65 or the like may be used. . Further, in the above embodiment, the secondary search database is stored according to instructions from the operator, but it is also possible to automatically store the secondary search database when the secondary search database is requested. It's good. Furthermore, the above embodiment is an image filing device that files medical radiation images, or the present invention is not limited to an image filing device that files medical images such as CT and MR images other than radiation images, and is not limited to medical images. It can be widely applied to image filing devices that file general images.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above in detail, the image filing device of the present invention is capable of generating one or more image data that is created based on a search key input from the input unit and matching the search key. Since the third storage unit stores the secondary search database shown in FIG. Search time can be reduced overall.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image filing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the recording format of an optical disc. lO... Radiographic image information recording/reading device 30... Image processing device 50... Image filing device 51... System control device 52... Optical disk device 59... Magnetic disk unit 60... Floppy Disk unit 64... Optical disk unit 65... Magnetic disk 66... Floppy disk 67... Optical disk for recording image data 67D... Optical disk for recording search data 70... Image output device

Claims (1)

[Claims] a first storage section that stores a large number of image data;
a second storage unit that stores a search database for searching a large number of image data stored in the storage unit; and an input unit that inputs a search key to the search database, and an input unit that inputs a search key from the input unit. The search database stored in the second storage unit is searched based on the search key, and the desired image data is selected from among the large number of image data stored in the first storage unit based on the search results. In an image filing device that reads image data, one or more search keys matching the search key are created using the search database stored in the second storage unit based on the search key input from the input unit. An image filing device characterized by comprising a third storage section that stores a secondary search database indicating image data of.