JPH04295342A - Medical image diagnostic system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable image display to follow the input of angle data by displaying the process of rotation of an image within an auxiliary screen having an area smaller than that of a main screen, and switching and displaying a desired image under the process of rotation onto the main screen. CONSTITUTION:An auxiliary screen 303 is formed independently of a main screen 301 and a three-dimensionally rotating transient image is displayed on the auxiliary screen 303: An operator is therefore capable of selecting an image seen from a desired angle while observing the auxiliary screen 303. In this case, the auxiliary screen 303 is smaller in area than the main screen 302 and so arithmetic processes required for the three-dimensionally rotating display of the screen are facilitated and the time required for the processes can be shortened, and image display can be made to follow the input of angle data.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical image diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to a medical image diagnostic apparatus capable of three-dimensionally rotating an image displayed on a monitor and fixedly displaying a desired image during the rotation process. .

0002

2. Description of the Related Art This type of medical image diagnostic apparatus is extremely effective for diagnosis because it can observe the head of a subject three-dimensionally from various angles.

[0003] Such functions are available in X-ray computed tomography (XCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and single photon emission C
It is included in a medical image diagnostic apparatus that obtains slices of a subject, such as T (SPECT).

A conventional method for three-dimensionally rotating an image displayed on a monitor and displaying the image during the rotation process is as follows.

For example, slice images of the head of a subject are sequentially obtained along the body axis direction. As shown in FIG. 10(a), these slice images are I1, I2, I3
,..., obtained as In. Then, each slice image I1
, I2, I3, . . . , In, three-dimensional image information corresponding to the slice position of the subject is obtained by calculation, as shown in FIG. 10(b).

Then, based on the three-dimensional image information obtained in this way, two-dimensional image information that can be observed from the angle is obtained using angle designation information from, for example, a track ball, and based on this two-dimensional image information, It is designed to display images.

[0007] At this time, by linearly converting the angle using the track ball, the image displayed on the monitor can be rotated three-dimensionally.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, a medical image diagnostic apparatus having such a configuration cannot perform calculations to convert three-dimensional image information into two-dimensional image information based on angle designation information from a track ball, etc. It was getting complicated.

[0009] Therefore, as the calculations are complicated, the conversion process takes time, and there is a problem that the image display cannot follow the angle data input by the track ball.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to rotate a three-dimensional image and obtain an image viewed from any angle. The object of the present invention is to provide a medical image diagnostic apparatus in which the arithmetic processing required for the rotation is performed simply and in a short period of time, and thereby the image display can follow the input of angular data.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve such an object, the present invention basically provides an image displayed on the main screen of a monitor, as described in claim 1 above. 3
In a medical image diagnostic apparatus that can rotate three-dimensionally and display a desired image fixedly during the rotation process, when rotating an image three-dimensionally, the image displayed on the main screen is fixed to the image before the rotation. A sub-screen having a smaller area than the main screen is constructed separately from the main screen, and the process of rotating the image is displayed within this sub-screen, and a desired image in the rotation process is switched and displayed on the main screen. The invention is characterized in that it includes a means for causing the

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention provides three solid model images displayed on a monitor as described in claim 2 above.
In a medical image diagnostic apparatus that can rotate dimensionally and fixedly display a desired image during the rotation process, when rotating the solid model image three-dimensionally, the solid model image is rotated while being converted into a surface model image. The present invention is characterized by having means for displaying the process and switching and displaying a desired surface model image in the rotation process to a solid model image.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a medical image diagnostic apparatus capable of three-dimensionally rotating a shadow-processed image displayed on a monitor and fixedly displaying a desired image in the rotation process. When the shading-processed image is three-dimensionally rotated, the process of rotating the shading-processed image with the shading removed is displayed, and a desired image in the rotation process is switched and displayed as the shading-processed image. The invention is characterized in that it includes a means for causing the

[0014]

[Operation] The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the invention as set forth in claim 1 configured as described above forms a sub-screen separately from the main screen, and displays an image in the process of three-dimensional rotation on this sub-screen. It is designed to be displayed. This allows the operator to select an image viewed from a desired angle while observing the sub-images.

In this case, since the area of the sub-screen is smaller than that of the main screen, the calculation process when rotating the screen three-dimensionally is simplified, and the time required for the process can be shortened. Become. However, when configuring a small sub-screen on a monitor surface with a fixed number of pixels and displaying the image on this sub-screen, the screen information needs to be less than the image information of the image displayed on the main screen. Because it will be.

[0016] If the image information is small in this way, the calculation process becomes easier when forming images of each process of three-dimensional rotation of the image by calculation, and the time required for the processing is shortened. You will be able to do this.

[0017] Furthermore, when an image viewed from a desired angle is selected on the sub-screen, that image is switched and displayed on the main screen, making it possible to perform the same diagnosis as before based on that image. .

Further, according to the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the invention as claimed in claim 2, since the image to be rotated is in a hollow state called a so-called surface model, when the image is displayed in rotation, The calculation process can be performed more easily and in a shorter time. This is because image information of the contents of the object to be rotated is no longer required as image information for calculation, and calculation processing can be performed using only image information of the epidermis.

Further, according to the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the invention as claimed in claim 3, since the rotated image is performed with the shadow conversion canceled, the image information corresponding to the shadow is removed. You will be able to perform the calculations required for rotation. Therefore, calculation processing can be performed easily and in a short time.

[0020]

[Example] Example 1. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the subject's head is imaged over the entire display surface of the monitor. This video image is one in which image data as a three-dimensional image has already been calculated and stored in a memory (not shown), but the head image viewed from an arbitrary angle is videoed. FIG. 2 shows, for example, a front view.

There is also a trackball 302 that can be operated while observing the display surface of the monitor. By operating this track ball 302, as shown in FIG. 3, a relatively small screen (referred to as a sub-screen 303) appears on the lower left side of the display surface (referred to as a main screen 301) of the monitor. It is supposed to be done. This sub-screen is constructed so as to be included in a part of the main screen 301 that is cut out.

[0022]The sub-screen 303 displays a reduced front view of the subject's head imaged on the main screen 303.

The track ball 302 is capable of continuously inputting data up to the target setting value of the rotation angle, and by operating the track ball 302 in this way, the data input can be followed. The head on the sub-screen 303 changes from a front view to a left side view while rotating. This process is shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(d). Note that at this time, the image of the subject's head displayed on the main screen 301 remains displayed as a front view, and is not rotated and displayed.

Once the head image viewed from the desired angle has been obtained in this way, an operation is performed to transfer the image on the sub-screen 303 to the main screen 301. The state of the monitor display surface at this time is shown in FIG. As is clear from FIG. 5, the sub-screen 303 disappears, leaving only the main screen 301 as the monitor display surface, and the main screen 302 displays a left-sided view of the subject's head. .

Incidentally, such a configuration is made by a system as shown in FIG. 9, for example.

Next, the operation of such a configuration will be explained using the above-mentioned drawings and FIG. 1.

(1) A three-dimensional image at an arbitrary display angle is displayed on the entire screen (main screen 301) of the monitor of the medical image diagnostic apparatus (step 201). For example, assume that the head of the human body is facing forward and exactly facing the operator.

(2) A track ball 3 is used to rotate the three-dimensional image and convert the front image of the head of the human body into a left side image.
Input begins at 02 (step 202).

(3) When the track ball 302 is operated, a screen (sub-screen 303) in which the three-dimensional image on the main screen 301 is appropriately reduced is displayed on a portion of the main screen 301 that is cut out. (Step 203).

(4) The track ball 302 can continuously input data up to the target setting value of the rotation angle. Therefore, when the track ball 302 is being operated, a three-dimensional rotated image of the intermediate progress is redisplayed on the sub-screen 303 in a manner that follows the input (step 204).
).

(5) After setting the rotation angle to the target value,
Stop the trackball 302 (step 205)
.

(6) The angle data of the three-dimensional image on the sub-screen 303 is transferred to the main screen 301, and the three-dimensional image on the main screen 301 is displayed (step 206).

According to the embodiment configured as described above, a sub-screen 303 is formed separately from the main screen 301, and an image in the process of three-dimensional rotation is displayed on this sub-screen 303. This is what I did. This allows the operator to select an image viewed from a desired angle while observing the sub-image 303.

In this case, the sub-screen 303 is the main screen 30.
Since the area is smaller than that of 2, the arithmetic processing when rotating and displaying the screen three-dimensionally becomes easier, and the time required for the processing can be shortened. A small sub-screen 30 on the monitor surface with a fixed number of pixels.
3 and display the image on the sub-screen 303, the screen information will be less than the image information of the image displayed on the main screen 301.

[0035] If the image information is small in this way, the calculation process becomes easier when forming images of each process of three-dimensional rotation of the image by calculation, and the time required for the processing is shortened. You will be able to do this.

Example 2. In the embodiment described above, the main screen 3
Although there are no particular restrictions on the head image of the subject imaged in 01, in the case of a so-called solid model, the following configuration will be more effective. Here, the solid model is one in which not only the skin but also the contents are subject to calculation as image information when constructing a three-dimensional image by calculation.

In this embodiment, when such a solid model is displayed on the main screen 301, the head image displayed on the sub-screen 303 is a so-called surface model. Here, the surface model is one in which there is no content image information at all, and a three-dimensional image is constructed from image information only of the epidermis.

Next, the operation of such a configuration will be explained using FIG. 1.

(1) Solid display at any display angle on the entire display screen (main screen 301) of the monitor of the medical image diagnostic apparatus. Displays a 3D image of the model. For example, assume that the head of the human body is facing forward and exactly facing the operator (step 201).

(2) Start input using the track ball 302 to rotate the three-dimensional image and convert the front image of the human head into a left side image (step 202).

(3) When the track ball 302 is operated, the solid model on the main screen 301 is surface modeled on a cut out part of the main screen 301, and a three-dimensional image made of the surface model is created. Display the appropriately reduced image (sub-screen 303) (step 203)
).

(4) Track ball 302 can continuously input data up to the target setting value of the rotation angle. Therefore, when the track ball 302 is being operated, a three-dimensional rotated image of the intermediate progress is redisplayed on the sub-screen 303 in a manner that follows the input (step 204).
).

(5) After setting the rotation angle to the target value,
Stop the trackball 302 (step 205)
.

(6) The angle data of the three-dimensional image on the sub-screen 303 is transferred to the main screen 301, and the three-dimensional image on the main screen 301 is displayed. In this case, the sub-screen 303 disappears and the head image on the main screen 301 is displayed as a solid model image (step 206).

As in the embodiment described above, by making the image displayed on the sub-screen 302 (rotation target) in a hollow state called a surface model, the calculation processing when rotating and displaying this image can be simplified. It can be done more easily and in a shorter time. This is because image information of the contents of the object to be rotated is no longer required as image information for calculation, and calculation processing can be performed using only image information of the epidermis.

Example 3. Further, the image displayed on the main screen 301 may be displayed with shading. In this case, the same effect can be obtained even if the image displayed on the sub-screen is an image with the shadow removed.

The operation will be explained below with reference to FIG.

(1) A three-dimensional image that has been subjected to shade conversion processing is displayed on the entire display screen (main screen 301) of the monitor of the medical image diagnostic apparatus at an arbitrary display angle (step 201).
. For example, assume that the head of the human body is facing forward and exactly facing the operator.

(2) Start inputting with the track ball 302 to rotate the three-dimensional image and convert the front image of the human head into a left side image (step 202).

(3) When the track ball 302 is operated, an appropriately reduced image (sub-image 303) of the three-dimensional image that is not subjected to the shading conversion process is displayed on a portion cut out from the main screen 301. (Step 203).

(4) Track ball 302 can continuously input data up to the target setting value of the rotation angle. Therefore, when the track ball 302 is being operated, a three-dimensional rotated image of the intermediate progress is redisplayed on the sub-screen 303 in a manner that follows the input (step 204).
).

(5) After setting the rotation angle to the target value,
Stop the trackball 302 (step 205)
.

(6) The angle data of the three-dimensional image on the sub-screen 303 is transferred to the main screen 301, and the three-dimensional image on the main screen 301 is displayed (step 206). In this case, the head image displayed on the main screen 301 is displayed after undergoing shading conversion processing.

Example 4. In the embodiment described above, the sub screen 3
03 is displayed as one, but the display is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. Each may be displayed sequentially.

The operation will be explained below with reference to FIG.

(1) A three-dimensional image at an arbitrary display angle is displayed on the entire display screen (main screen 301) of the monitor of the medical image diagnostic apparatus. For example, assume that the human head is facing forward and facing the operator (step 2).
01).

(2) The track ball 3 is used to rotate the three-dimensional image so that the front image of the head of the human body becomes a left side image.
Input begins at 02 (step 202).

(3) When the track ball 302 is operated, a plurality of appropriately reduced images (sub-screens 303) of the three-dimensional image on the main screen 301 are displayed on a portion of the main screen 301 that is cut out. (Step 203).

(4) The track ball 302 can continuously input data up to the target setting value of the rotation angle. Therefore, when the track ball 302 is being operated, a three-dimensional rotated image of the intermediate progress is redisplayed on the sub-screen 303 in a manner that follows the input (step 204).
).

(5) After setting the rotation angle to the target value,
Stop the trackball 302 (step 205)
.

(6) The angle data of the three-dimensional image on the sub-screen is transferred to the main screen 301, and the three-dimensional image on the main screen 301 is displayed (step 206).

Among the embodiments described above, Example 2. In the content explained in , the rotated image is displayed on the sub-screen 303 as a surface model, but it is not necessarily necessary to display the image on the sub-screen 303 and the image may be displayed on the main screen 301. . In other words, when rotating the image from a solid model image, it is converted to a surface model image, and the converted surface model image is displayed on the same main screen 301.
It may also be rotated at the top.

[0063] In this case, the image information required for calculation during rotation is only information on the epidermis of the three-dimensional image, which simplifies the processing and significantly reduces the processing time. .

Similarly, Example 3. The content explained above is based on the sub screen 303 with the rotated image in a shade-converted state.
Although the image is shown above, it is not necessarily the sub screen 30.
It is not necessary to display the image on the main screen 301, and the image may be displayed on the main screen 301. That is, when rotating an image from a state where it is displayed as an image that has been subjected to shading conversion, even if the shading conversion is canceled and the image in that state is rotated on the same main screen. good.

[0065] Even in this case, since there is no image information corresponding to shading in the image information required for calculation during rotation, the processing becomes simpler and the processing time can be reduced.

Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the entire display area of the monitor is used as the main screen 301, and a partial area of the main screen 301 is cut out, and the cut out area is used as the sub screen 30.
3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a part (most part) of the entire display area of the monitor may be used as the main screen, and the remaining area may be used as the sub-screen. This is because even in this case, the object of the present invention can be achieved as long as the area of the sub-screen is smaller than the main screen.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the trackball 302 is used as an input device, but the input device is not limited to the trackball 302. Needless to say, this is a good thing.

[0068]

As described above, according to the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, when a three-dimensional image is rotated to obtain an image viewed from any angle, the calculation processing required for the rotation can be easily and easily performed. Moreover, it is possible to perform the image display in a short time, thereby making it possible to follow the image display in response to the angle data input.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of an embodiment of a medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state before rotating an image in the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state when an image starts to be rotated in the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the process of rotating an image in the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state when an image has been rotated in the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a system of a medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional medical image diagnostic apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

301 Main screen 302 Track ball 303 Sub screen

Claims (3)

[Claims] Claim 1: A medical image diagnostic apparatus capable of three-dimensionally rotating an image displayed on the main screen of a monitor, and fixedly displaying a desired image in the rotation process.
When rotating dimensionally, the image displayed on the main screen is fixed to the image before rotation, and a sub-screen having a smaller area than the main screen is constructed separately from the main screen, and the image within this sub-screen is A medical image diagnostic apparatus characterized by comprising means for displaying a rotation process of an image on the main screen and for switching and displaying a desired image in the rotation process on the main screen. 2. In a medical image diagnostic apparatus capable of three-dimensionally rotating a solid model image displayed on a monitor and fixedly displaying a desired image in the rotation process, when the solid model image is three-dimensionally rotated; A medical image diagnosis system comprising means for displaying a rotation process in a state in which the solid model image is converted into a surface model image, and for switching and displaying a desired surface model image in the rotation process to the solid model image. Device. 3. In a medical image diagnostic apparatus capable of three-dimensionally rotating a shading-processed image displayed on a monitor and fixedly displaying a desired image in the rotation process, when the shading-processed image is three-dimensionally rotated; displays the process of rotating the shading-processed image with the shading removed, and
A medical image diagnostic apparatus characterized by comprising means for switching and displaying a desired image in a rotation process into an image subjected to shading processing.