Image analysis – Applications – Biomedical applications
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-10
2003-02-04
Wu, Jingge (Department: 2623)
Image analysis
Applications
Biomedical applications
C378S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06516082
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a radiation image processing method and apparatus. This invention particularly relates to specifying of a portion, at which an abnormality occurs, and a cause of the abnormality in cases where the abnormality occurred during image processing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Image processing techniques have heretofore been used, in which a radiation image having been recorded on photographic film is photoelectrically read out, an image signal representing the radiation image being thereby obtained, appropriate image processing is carried out on the image signal, and then a visible image is reproduced from the processed image signal. Also, radiation image processing systems, in which stimulable phosphors are utilized, have heretofore been used. Specifically, a radiation image of an object, such as a human body, is recorded on a sheet provided with a layer of the stimulable phosphor (hereinafter referred to as a stimulable phosphor sheet). The stimulable phosphor sheet, on which the radiation image has been stored, is then exposed to stimulating rays, such as a laser beam, which cause it to emit light in proportion to the amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to the radiation. The light emitted by the stimulable phosphor sheet, upon stimulation thereof, is photoelectrically detected and converted into an electric image signal. The image signal is then subjected to appropriate image processing and used for the reproduction of the radiation image of the object as a visible image on a recording material, such as photographic material, or on a display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device. Such a radiation image processing system is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,264.
In the radiation image processing systems, various kinds of image processing are carried out such that a visible image suitable for use in making a diagnosis of an illness, or the like, can be obtained ultimately on photographic film, a CRT display device, or the like.
In general, in cases where image processing is carried out, it often occurs that an inappropriate visible image is obtained due to erroneous operations of image processing apparatuses, erroneous setting of image processing parameters, or the like. In such cases, ordinarily, the operator of the image processing apparatus investigates which step of the image processing was abnormal and why the abnormality occurred. The operator then eliminates the cause of the abnormality and again carries out the image processing.
In an image processing apparatus in which only one kind of simple image processing is carried out, it will not be very difficult to specify a portion, at which the abnormality occurred, or a cause of the abnormality. Also, in cases where complicated image processing is carried out, if the number of operations or settings carried out by the operator is small, a portion, at which an abnormality occurred, and a cause of the abnormality, can be specified by making reference to the operations or the settings. However, in cases where many kinds of image processing are carried out in accordance with many steps of operations or many setting parameters as in the aforesaid radiation image processing systems, it is difficult to ascertain a portion, at which the abnormality, occurred, and a cause of the abnormality by merely seeing an inappropriate visible image, which is Age obtained ultimately. Therefore, in the past, considerable time and labor were required to specify a portion, at which the abnormality occurred, or a cause of the abnormality by, for example, again carrying out a plurality of processes of the image processing one after another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a radiation image processing method wherein, in cases where an abnormality occurred during image processing carried out on a radiation image, a process, in which the abnormality occurred, is capable of being discriminated quickly, and a cause of the abnormality is capable of being specified quickly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for carrying out the radiation image processing method.
The present invention provides a first radiation image processing method for carrying out image processing, which is constituted of a plurality of processes, on a radiation image signal,
wherein an intermediate image signal obtained in at least one process is stored, which is among the processes other than a last process in the plurality of the processes constituting the image processing, the intermediate image signal being stored on a predetermined storage medium.
In the first radiation image processing method in accordance with the present invention, the storing of the intermediate image signal on the storage medium should preferably be carried out by repeating overwriting on a predetermined storage area of the storage medium. Also, the overwriting on the predetermined storage area should preferably be ceased and an intermediate image signal, which has been stored in the storage area, should preferably be retained in accordance with an instruction, which is given by an operator, or a signal, which represents the occurrence of abnormality in a preceding process.
The present invention also provides a second radiation image processing method for carrying out image processing, which is constituted of a plurality of processes, on a radiation image signal,
wherein an intermediate image signal having been obtained in a process is stored, which is among the plurality of the processes constituting the image processing and in which an abnormality occurred, the intermediate image signal being stored on a predetermined storage medium.
The present invention further provides an apparatus for carrying out processing in accordance with the aforesaid first radiation image processing method. Specifically, the present invention further provides a first radiation image processing apparatus, comprising:
i) a plurality of image processing means for successively carrying out different kinds of image processing on a radiation image signal, and
ii) a storage means for storing an intermediate image signal obtained from at least one image processing means, which is among the plurality of the image processing means and carries out image processing other than last image processing.
In the first radiation image processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the storage means should preferably store the intermediate image signal by repeating overwriting on a predetermined storage area. Also, the storage means should preferably cease the overwriting on the predetermined storage area and should preferably retain an intermediate image signal, which has been stored in the storage area, in accordance with an instruction, which is given by an operator, or a signal, which represents the occurrence of an abnormality in a preceding process.
The present invention still further provides a second radiation image processing apparatus, comprising:
i) a plurality of image processing means for successively carrying out different kinds of image processing on a radiation image signal, and
ii) a storage means for storing an intermediate image signal having been obtained from an image processing means, which is among the plurality of the image processing means and in which the abnormality occurred.
The term “last process” or the term “last image processing” as used herein means the process or the image processing such that an image signal obtained at the time, at which the process or the image processing is finished, may serve as the image signal fed out from the radiation image processing apparatus.
Also, the term “intermediate image signal obtained (or having been obtained) in a process” or the term “intermediate image signal obtained (or having been obtained) from image processing means” as used herein means the image signal, which is obtained when the processing to be carried out in the process or the image processing
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Wu Jingge
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