Image analysis – Applications – Biomedical applications
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2002-07-09
Patel, Jayanti K. (Department: 2721)
Image analysis
Applications
Biomedical applications
C382S190000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06418237
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an abnormal pattern detection processing method and system and an image display terminal adapted to the utilization of image signals received from the abnormal pattern detection processing system. This invention particularly relates to an improvement in processing of image signals to be fed into the image display terminal, or the like, and an improvement in processing of image signals performed in the image display terminal having received the image signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In medical fields, various kinds of image forming modalities (i.e., image input apparatuses), such as computed tomography (CT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatuses, and computed radiography (CR) apparatuses, have become popular as apparatuses for forming images to be used in making a diagnosis. Also, abnormal pattern detection processing systems (computer aided medical image diagnosing systems) have heretofore been proposed, wherein an abnormal pattern embedded in an image of an object represented by an image signal, which has been acquired with one of the image forming modalities, is detected automatically by the utilization of a computer and from the image signal. The abnormal pattern detection processing systems are described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 8(1996)-294479 and 8(1996)-287230.
The proposed abnormal pattern detection processing systems primarily aim at detecting an abnormal pattern (i.e., a tumor pattern, a small calcified pattern, or the like), which suggests the presence of breast cancer, or the like, from a mamma image. As abnormal pattern detecting means for automatically performing processing for detecting an abnormal pattern, the abnormal pattern detection processing systems are provided with abnormal pattern detecting means utilizing an iris filter, wherein image density gradients (or luminance gradients) in an image are represented by image density gradient vectors, and an image area, which is associated with a high degree of centralization of the image density gradient vectors, is detected as an abnormal pattern. Alternatively, the abnormal pattern detection processing systems are provided with abnormal pattern detecting means utilizing a morphology filter, wherein a multi-structure element in accordance with the size of an abnormal pattern to be detected is utilized, and an image area, at which the image density changes in a range spatially narrower than the multi-structure element, is detected as an abnormal pattern. With the abnormal pattern detecting means utilizing the iris filter, a tumor pattern (a form of the abnormal pattern), which is a form of breast cancer, or the like, can be detected automatically. With the abnormal pattern detecting means utilizing the morphology filter, a small calcified pattern (a form of the abnormal pattern), which is a different form of breast cancer, or the like, can be detected automatically.
In the abnormal pattern detection processing systems, when an image signal representing an image (i.e., an original image, such as a mamma image) to be subjected to abnormal pattern detection processing, is received, the abnormal pattern detecting means described above detects an abnormal pattern, and region-of-interest setting means sets a local area limited region, which contains the detected abnormal pattern and a neighboring region, as a region of interest (hereinbelow referred to as the ROI). Also, local area limited image processing means performs specified image processing, such as enhancement processing in accordance with an attribute of the detected abnormal pattern (i.e., whether the detected abnormal pattern is a tumor pattern or a small calcified pattern), on the ROI image. Further, entire area image processing means performs predetermined image processing on an entire area image representing the original image, such that a visible image may be obtained, which has good image quality and can serve as an effective tool in, particularly, the efficient and accurate diagnosis of an illness. Furthermore, layout image forming means forms a single layout image from the entire area image, which has been obtained from the predetermined image processing, and the ROI image, which has been obtained from the specified image processing, and in accordance with a layout having been set previously. An image signal (hereinbelow referred to as the layout image signal) representing the layout image is fed into an image display terminal, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or an image printing terminal, such as a laser printer (LP).
FIG. 9
is an explanatory view showing an example of a layout of an entire area image and a region-of-interest image displayed on an image display terminal. Specifically, in the cases of the mammography, for example, as illustrated in
FIG. 9
, an entire area image P of the right mamma of a patient and an ROI image W, which contains an abnormal pattern P
1
having been detected and a neighboring region P
2
, may be superposed each other and displayed on the right half of a display screen of a CRT display device
300
. Also, an entire area image P′ of the left mamma of the patient, from which no abnormal pattern has been detected, may be displayed on the right half of the display screen. A signal representing an layout image L, which has been laid out in this manner, is fed into the CRT display device
300
.
However, it is demanded that radiation images, and the like, given to medical doctors for making diagnoses can be formed so as to conform to preference of the respective medical doctors. The preference is based upon a difference in habit and experience between medical doctors, who see the radiation images. The demand is strong with respect to, particularly, a layout of a reproduced image, image processing conditions, and the like.
However, layout image signals, which are fed from the abnormal pattern detection processing systems described above into CRT terminals, and the like, are the fixed image signals having been processed in accordance with a layout, image processing conditions, and the like, which have been set previously. Therefore, on the side of a CRT terminal, which is operated by a medical doctor in a consultation room, it is impossible to perform new image processing by taking out only the image signal components, which represent the ROI image, from the given image signal, and to alter the layout of the ROI image with respect to the entire area image in various ways.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an abnormal pattern detection processing method wherein, in cases where an image signal output destination is an image display terminal, alteration of an image displaying layout and image processing on each image (an entire area image or an ROI image) are capable of being performed freely at the image display terminal into which the image signal is fed out.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for carrying out the abnormal pattern detection processing method.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an image display terminal, wherein a layout and image processing of an image, which is represented by an image signal having been received from the abnormal pattern detection processing system, are capable of being altered arbitrarily.
An abnormal pattern detection processing method and system in accordance with the present invention are characterized by, in cases where an output destination is an image display terminal, feeding out an image signal, which represents an ROI image containing an abnormal pattern having been detected by abnormal pattern detecting means, and an image signal, which represents an entire area image, or an image signal, which represents an embedding entire area image, respectively as components into the image display terminal, such that the ROI image and the entire area image or the embedding entire area image are capable of being subjected to desired image
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