JPS59214432A - Radiation diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a radiological diagnostic apparatus capable of displaying an ineffective image for medical diagnosis by detecting radiation transmitted through a subject.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Conventionally, radiological diagnostic devices such as X-ray diagnostic devices have been used in US Pat. No. 4,204,225 and US Pat. No. 42'042.
There is a device disclosed in No. 26.

However, the X-ray diagnostic apparatus has the following problems.

First of all, the X-ray diagnostic apparatus can observe, for example, the flow of blood using moving images, but due to the limited heat capacity of the X-ray tube, it is necessary to emit radiation to obtain one moving image. X
The dose is limited and as a result the density resolution of one image is reduced. Second, in cryophotography using pulsed X-ray exposure, the amount of X-rays emitted per image is higher than when obtaining a video, so although it is possible to improve the density resolution of the image, it is difficult to Since the flow of the agent in the blood is not strictly considered, images in which the contrast agent concentration is close to the maximum may be missed. As a result, one image's +;
This will reduce the resolution by y%. Sixth, when obtaining two types of images, a moving image and a frozen image, for the same subject,
The images of the two tumors were taken separately without being related to each other, so it was a waste of time. If a patient is subjected to radiation exposure, the timing of X-ray exposure may be incorrect and a low-resolution image may be obtained.

The above-mentioned problems also occur with X-ray diagnostic apparatuses that employ cine film photography, spot projection, or the like.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and while minimizing the exposure radiation +t:
A diagnostic method that can obtain a functional diagnostic image with high quality and obtain a high-quality morphological diagnostic image based on the functional diagnostic image.
? The purpose is to provide a highly efficient radiological diagnostic device.

[N of invention, essential]

The outline of the present invention is to improve the function of a region to be examined in a radiological diagnostic apparatus equipped with a radiation generating device, an electrocardiogram measuring device, a contrast agent injection device, a radiation detecting device, and an image display device. an image processing device having a functional test processing unit that obtains images and functional measurement values showing the shape of the body to be examined; and a morphology test processing unit that obtains images showing the morphology of the examined region; a system controller that controls the operation timing of the radiation generating device, the contrast agent injection device, the radiation detecting device, and the image processing device based on the wave;
The present invention is characterized in that it is possible to perform morphological examination using cryophotography based on pulsed X-ray exposure using a radiation generator, based on data obtained from functional inspection using video imaging based on radiation exposure. .

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a radiological diagnostic apparatus, such as an X-ray diagnostic apparatus, which is an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an X-ray generator, such as an X-ray tube, which generates X-rays to be irradiated to a subject 2 such as a patient, and 6 is an X-ray tube that generates X-rays to be irradiated to a subject 2 such as a patient. This is an X-ray detection device that detects an X-ray transmission image obtained by transmitting the X-ray and converts it into an analog electrical signal.
An image intensifier that converts an X-ray transmission image into an optical image, an optical system that adjusts the light intensity of the optical image, and an image pickup tube that converts the optical image into an analog video signal. Reference numeral 4 denotes an A/D converter that converts an analog electrical signal output from the X-ray detection device 6 into a digital electrical signal, and a functional test processing section 4A, which will be described later. This is an image processing device that includes a 77, i, 'H inspection processing section 4B, which will be described later, and a memory that stores various image data, and executes arithmetic processing between images and within images. is a D/D converter that converts the digital signal output from the image processing device 4 into an analog signal.
This image display device includes at least an A converter and a display that displays the analog signal as an image. Reference numeral 6 designates an X-ray generation controller, which emits continuous X-rays when performing a functional test, and pulses when performing a morphological test, in response to a trigger signal output from a system controller 9, which will be described later. The X-ray tube 1 is controlled to emit X-rays. 7 is an electrocardiogram measuring device with a built-in A/D converter that measures the electrocardiogram of the subject 2 and outputs the digital data to a system controller 9, which will be described later. Reference numeral 8 denotes a contrast agent injection device that injects a predetermined amount of angiographic contrast agent into the subject 2 at a predetermined time under the control of a system controller 9, which will be described later. 9 indicates an X-ray detection device 6, an image processing device 4, and an image display device 5.
, a system controller that controls the operation timings of the X-ray generation controller 6 and the contrast agent injection device 8 based on digital data output from the electrocardiogram measuring device 7.

Reference numeral 10 indicates the selection of the imaging conditions, imaging sequence, and image processing mode, which are preprogrammed in the system controller 9, according to the diagnostic site and contrast agent injection position within the subject 2. , a system console with a keyboard that can be specified.

To explain the image processing device 4 in more detail, the function test processing section 4A in the image processing device 4 performs continuous X@
Contrast is created from a group of images captured by n+ and h radiation, for example, a group of images taken before the contrast agent is injected (mask image group) and a group of images taken after the contrast agent reaches the target area (contrast image group). Generate a group of images (subtraction image group), analyze the generated subtraction image group, and create a contrast agent concentration time change diagram that shows changes in contrast agent concentration over time, cherry blossoms and Noh diagrams that indicate one cardiac function, and measured values. and is configured to store these, and the morphology inspection processing section 4B
selects a contrast image with the highest contrast agent concentration and both masks with the same pulse number from a group of mask images and a group of contrast images captured by pulsed X-ray exposure,
The functional inspection processing section 4A and the morphological inspection processing section 4B are configured to generate and store a subtraction image, and each of the functional inspection processing section 4A and the morphological inspection processing section 4B starts its operation in response to a processing start signal outputted from the system controller 9, which will be described later. Configured to start.

The system controller 9, as shown in FIG.
The R-fluid detection means 9A inputs the electrocardiographic data of the subject 2 outputted from the electrocardiographic measuring device 7 and detects the R-waves in the electrocardiographic data, and the R-wave detected by the R-fluid detection means 9A. When the number of R waves counted by the R wave counting means 9B reaches a number preset on the system console 10 with a keyboard, the X-ray generation controller 6 and the The number of R waves counted by the first trigger signal generating means 9' and the CXR wave counting means 9B outputs a trigger signal instructing each of the line detection devices 6 to start and end the operation.
A second trigger signal generating means 9 DXR wave counting means 9 outputs a trigger signal instructing the contrast agent injection device 8 to start and end its operation when the number reaches a preset value of 0.
When the number of R waves counted at B reaches the number preset on the system console 10 with keyboard, a signal is sent to the processing start toy that instructs the image processing device 4 and the image display device 5 to start predetermined operations. Processing start signal generating means 9E outputs.

X inputted on system console 1o with keyboard;
(Continuous X-ray exposure and pulse It is configured to have a command signal output means 9F.

The system console 1o with a keyboard displays a contrast agent concentration curve preset as a standard for the combination of a diagnosis site and a contrast agent injection site, and a heartbeat number that determines the timing for acquiring images before the contrast agent is injected. , the heartbeat number that determines when to collect images when the contrast agent has reached a predetermined site, and the heartbeat number that determines the timing of injecting the contrast agent are displayed on the monitor, and the heart rate number that determines when to inject the contrast agent is displayed on the monitor, and the heart rate number that determines when to inject the contrast agent is displayed on the monitor. The device is configured to be able to change the various standard heartbeat numbers and input either a functional test mode or a morphological test mode.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

First, a functional test is performed.

The system console 10 with a keyboard displays a list of diagnosis sites and contrast medium injection sites as a menu on the monitor screen, and requests the operator to specify the diagnosis site and contrast medium injection site. When the operator inputs, for example, the heart as the functional diagnosis site, the coronary artery as the morphological diagnosis site, and the brachio-jugular vein as the contrast medium injection site via the keyboard, the system console 10 with keyboard inputs the standard settings for the input information. The contrast agent concentration curve obtained, the heartbeat number that determines the timing to collect images, the heartbeat number that determines the timing to inject the contrast agent, etc. are displayed on the monitor, and you can judge whether this setting is suitable for performing functional diagnosis. request the operator. When the various setting values displayed on the monitor are inappropriate, the operator appropriately modifies the setting values displayed on the monitor via the keyboard. Through this interaction with the operator, various heartbeat numbers are input from the system console 10 with a gear board, which serve as the timing settings for the functional diagnosis 11J7 mode and the timing settings necessary for the functional diagnosis.

Next, the electrocardiograph side bag fp 7 outputs the electrocardiographic data of the subject 2 to the system controller 9 one by one. The keyboard is displayed as a graph on the monitor screen of the system console 10h.

When the fluctuation of i'-Jp'Q is small and the force is applied, a request to start a functional test is displayed on the monitor screen on the keyboard system console 10, and the operator inputs a command to start the test via the keyboard. tJl, the R fluid detection means 9 in the system controller 9 starts detecting the R wave in the electrocardiogram data, and the R wave = -1.
The number of R waves begins to be counted by the counting means 9B.

On the other hand, the system controller 9 inputs the functional diagnosis 1/1 mode from the system controller 10 with a keyboard, and sends the continuous X-ray exposure 9 conditions to the X-ray generation controller 6 from the mode command signal output section 9F. The number of R waves counted by the R wave counting means 9B is
When the heartbeat number K matches the first heartbeat number K preset in the control 10, as shown in FIG. At the same time, a processing start signal is output from the processing start signal generating means 9E to the function test processing section 4A in the image processing device [64]. When the trigger signal and processing start signal synchronized with the first heartbeat number K are output, X-ray @1 is controlled by the XM generation controller B.
The subject 2 is exposed to continuous X-rays. The image processing device 4 outputted to the processing unit 4A uses the R wave as a base ring based on the input video signal. Exposure of X-rays and capture of images are carried out by means of pre-emission R wave G1 number means 9
The number of R waves counted in step B 75E is the trigger signal that is output when the number matches the second heartbeat number pre-set on the system console with keyboard 10, and the trigger signal is output from the first trigger signal generation means 9C. It will be done until it is done.

Next, when the number of R waves counted by the R wave counting means 9B matches the sixth heart rate number O preset in the system console with keyboard 10, a second trigger is activated as shown in FIG. A trigger signal is output from the signal train generating means 9D to the contrast medium injection device 8, and the contrast medium is injected into the subject 2 by the contrast medium injection bag ff8 for a predetermined period from the time of input of the trigger signal.

After the contrast medium is injected, when the number of R waves counted by the R wave counting means 9B matches the fourth heart rate number M preset in the keyboard equipped system controller 10, as shown in FIG. , a trigger signal is outputted from the first trigger signal generation means 9D to the X-ray generation controller 6 and the X-ray detection device 6, and at the same time, a processing start signal is outputted from the processing start signal generation means 9E to the image processing device 4. The outputted fourth heartbeat number M indicates the heartbeat clinically determined in advance until the contrast medium reaches the target site by the injection site of the contrast medium.

When a trigger signal and a processing start signal synchronized with the fourth heartbeat number are output, continuous X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray tube 1 to the subject 2 under the control of the X-ray generation controller 6. The X-rays that have passed through the X-ray detector 2 are converted into digital video signals by the X-ray detector 6, and the video signals are output to the image processing device 4. A large number of images of each phase are captured, and these are stored as a plurality of images (contrast images) after the contrast agent reaches a predetermined site. Further, the image processing device 4 generates a large number of contratraction images of each phase based on the R wave based on the processing start signal, and after once storing the contratraction images, displays them continuously on the image display device 5. do.

Next, the function test processing unit 4A creates a performance diagram and measured values for the next step. First, the image density is extracted for each heartbeat cycle for the subtrough-shock strongly elevated portion displayed on the image surface water device 15, and a graph showing the i'1jij image density for each heartbeat over time is drawn using the contrast agent.
1;-1 Displayed on the image display device 5 as a time change chart.

Data on the image density that changes over time is necessary to determine the X-ray [1q% irradiation and image presentation timing when performing the morphological diagnosis described later.
~ Not stored in memory. Next, based on the displayed contrast agent time change diagram, time filtering is applied to the subtraction image for one heartbeat in which the part whose function is desired is close to the maximum, to create a subtraction image for functional analysis for one heartbeat. Performing a Fourier transform on the created subtraction image for functional analysis for one heartbeat to obtain the amplitude and phase for each pixel, creating, storing, and displaying an amplitude image and a phase image.
Then, when a pixel matching a predetermined pixel density value is detected from the functional analysis subtraction image for one heartbeat, which has been obtained from the amplitude image and phase image, a heart contour image is created with the detected pixel as an outline. is created for one heartbeat cycle. From the created heart contour image, a heart volume time change diagram for one heartbeat is created by integrating the density values within the area surrounded by the contour. Functional measurements such as ejection fraction, contraction and expansion of the myocardium are performed 11 from the created cardiac volume time change diagram, and the functional diagram and measured values are displayed on the image display device 5.

Next, a morphological examination is performed based on the contrast medium intensity time change diagram obtained in the functional examination.

First, what is the contrast agent required in the functional test? When the μ degree time change diagram is displayed on the image display device 5, the operator c, via the system console 10 with a keyboard, specifies the heartbeat number that allows X-ray exposure necessary for performing the morphological examination. and a heartbeat number that specifies the start of contrast medium injection. The mode command signal output means 9F in the system controller 9 stores the heartbeat number qfF, and sets the period between Mi and Jlli specified by the heartbeat number as one X-return generator and a contrast medium injection period.

Next, the electrocardiograph manufactured by Jyun NZ collects the electrocardiogram data of subject 2.
The heart rate is then output to the system controller 9, and the system controller 9 displays the heart rate value and its fluctuations moment by moment on the screen on the system console 10 with a keyboard. When the heart rate decreases, the system console with keyboard 10.1: sends the system controller 9 the pulse width of the pulsed X-ray, the delay time from the R wave, and the pulse repetition time. Enter. Mode command signal output means 9F in the system controller 9
calculates the maximum number of pulses within a heartbeat based on the input time and average heart rate, and displays this maximum number of pulses on the monitor screen of the system console 1o with a keyboard. Based on the display on the monitor screen, the operator selects an appropriate number of pulses, for example two, which is less than or equal to the maximum number of pulses, and inputs this.

After inputting the number of two pulses, when a test start command is input via the system console 1o with a keyboard, the R wave counting means 9B starts counting the number of R waves, similarly to the above functional test.

When the number of R waves counted by the R wave counting means 9B matches the first heartbeat number K preset on the system console with keyboard 1o, the X-ray generation controller B generates a first trigger signal. A trigger signal which is multiple outputted from the means 9C is input, and in synchronization with the trigger signal, a mode signal for instructing pulse X-ray exposure is sent from the means 9F (mode command signal ratio), and the processing start signal generating means 9E performs image processing. A processing start signal is output to the morphology inspection processing section 4B in the device 4. Then, as shown in FIG.
The X-ray tube 1 under the control of the ray generation controller 6 generates R waves.
From the start of the tsuba sound survival period T2 of 1, pulsed X-rays with a pulse interval T3 are emitted, for example, two times per heartbeat.

When pulsed X-rays are irradiated and the number of R waves divided by the R wave counting means 9B matches the second heart rate number preset on the keyboard system console 10, the output is performed. This is performed after a period of T1 has elapsed since the trigger signal. On the other hand, the morphology inspection processing unit 4B in the image processing device 4 captures images for each pulsed X-ray exposure and stores them as a plurality of images (mask images) before contrast agent injection.

Next, in the same way as the platform for the functional test, the contrast medium injection device 8 is operated in synchronization with the sixth heart rate number, and the contrast medium is injected into the subject 2. After the contrast medium is injected, a mask image is captured. In the same manner as above, a large number of contrast images are obtained by irradiating pulsed X-rays based on the fourth heartbeat number M and the fifth heartbeat number ηN, and these contrast images are stored in the morphological examination processing section 4B. stored in memory.

Then, the morphological examination processing unit 4B generates a subtraction image from the contrast image and the mask image, and the generated subtraction image is displayed on the image display device 5 as an image for morphological diagnosis.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.1. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above, and that the gist of the present invention can be modified and implemented as appropriate within the scope of modification.

In the embodiment described above, the morphology inspection is performed only once, but the morphology inspection may be performed two or more times. The time interval between the functional test and the morphological test may be arbitrary.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to this invention, the electrocardiogram measuring device counts the R waves of the subject that are output in large numbers, and calculates the predetermined R waves that are input interactively through the system console with a gear board.
When the wave and the counted R wave match, the system controller outputs the signal 11. In response to the trigger signal and processing start signal, XWJ is irradiated, images resulting from the X-ray exposure are captured, and image processing is performed between images with matching heartbeat phases. - It is possible to reduce the number of unnecessary radiation meters and display high-quality images. Moreover, it is an organic 4tl method that conducts a 4" function test and conducts a morphological test based on the obtained data such as functional diagrams.
Combined tests will be conducted, so from this point of view as well, radiation exposure) +i
It is possible to reduce the amount of j to f:", and to provide an omniscient diagnostic scale with high temporal resolution, functional measurement values, and high-quality diagnostic data. Therefore, accurate medical diagnosis can be performed using the pig stumbling diagnosis device according to the present invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

No. 11 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
t; 21yn I:1: r+iT Block diagram showing the system controller in the same implementation, and Figures 3 and 4.
11 is a time chart for explaining operation f:HfN. 1... X-ray generator, 6... X-ray detector,
4... Image processing device H15... Image display device J
:, 7... Heart ri4i device i''<, 8...
- Contrast medium injection device, 9... system controller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a radiological diagnostic apparatus equipped with a radiation generating device, an electrocardiogram measuring device, a contrast agent injection device, a radiation detecting device, and an image display device, a functional test processing unit that obtains images and functional measurement values indicating the function of the test site and a patient to be tested an image processing device having a morphological examination processing unit that obtains an image showing the morphology of a region; and the radiation generating device and the contrast agent injection device based on R waves in electrocardiographic data outputted from the electrocardiographic measuring device. , a system controller that controls the operation timing of the radiation detection device and the image processing device, and based on data obtained from a functional test using a video imaging method based on continuous X-ray exposure by the radiation generation device 1t, A radiological diagnostic device characterized by being capable of performing morphological examination using cryophotography based on pulsed X-ray exposure by a radiation generator.