JPH0690938A - Digital radiography device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute photographing by correct exposure by utilizing a photographing condition related to the same part photographed previously, when an operator determines the photographing condition and executes photographing. CONSTITUTION:To a storage device 5 for storing image data photographed by a video camera 3, and ID information recorder 8 for recording not only discriminating information related to an examinee 10 but also a photographing condition related to photographing of the examinee 10 is connected, and at the time of photographing in a second time and thereafter with regard to a photographing object part of the same examinee, the photographing condition at the time of the previous photographing is read our of the ID information recorder 8, and photographing is executed by controlling an X-ray tube 1 by its photographing condition. In such a way, when an operator determines the photographing condition and executes photographing, photographing can be executed by correct exposure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital radiography apparatus for irradiating a subject with X-rays for fluoroscopy and radiography of a target site, and in particular, an operator performs radiography by determining shooting conditions. The present invention relates to a digital radiography device capable of taking an image with proper exposure by utilizing the image taking conditions for the same region taken before.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional digital radiography apparatus of this type is arranged so as to face an X-ray tube for radiating X-rays to a subject and the X-ray tube with the subject being sandwiched therebetween so that a transmitted X-ray image can be seen. An X-ray detector for converting an optical image, a television camera for scanning a visible light image converted by the X-ray detector and outputting a video signal, and an A for converting a video signal from the television camera into a digital signal. A / D converter, a storage device for storing a digital signal from the A / D converter as image data, and an image display device for converting the image data read from the storage device into an analog signal and displaying it on a display. , And a central processing unit for controlling each of the above components.

For photographing the digestive tract or the chest of the subject, for example, the photographing conditions are automatically determined by an automatic photographing condition control device provided for that purpose. Regarding the imaged region, the operator decides the imaging conditions such as the imaging tube voltage, tube current, exposure time, etc., considering the imaging target part of the subject, the thickness of the target part, the imaging dose, etc. I decided and was shooting.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional digital radiography apparatus, the operator considers the situation of the object to be imaged of the subject when the imaged area other than the digestive tract, the chest, etc. is taken. Since the shooting conditions are determined by themselves, the judgment is not always correct, and the exposure state may change each time shooting is performed.
Therefore, there are cases where the obtained photographed image does not have proper exposure, and in such a case, the operator has to slightly correct the photographing condition and set it again, and photograph again. When such re-imaging is repeated several times, the efficiency of X-ray examination may decrease and the exposure dose to the subject may increase. Therefore, the present invention addresses such a problem, and when the operator determines the shooting conditions and performs shooting, the shooting conditions for the same region that were previously shot are used to shoot with proper exposure. It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital radiography device capable of performing the above.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a digital radiography apparatus according to the present invention includes an X-ray tube for emitting X-rays to an object and an X-ray tube with the object interposed therebetween. An X-ray detector which is arranged to face the X-ray detector and which converts a transmitted X-ray image into a visible light image; a TV camera which scans the visible light image converted by the X-ray detector and outputs a video signal; A / D converter for converting the video signal of the above into a digital signal, a storage device for storing the digital signal from this A / D converter as image data, and the image data read from this storage device for conversion into an analog signal. In a digital radiography device including an image display device for displaying on a display unit and a central processing unit for controlling each of the above-mentioned components, the storage device is provided with identification information regarding a subject. In addition to this, an ID information recording device that records the imaging conditions for imaging the subject is connected, and in the second and subsequent imagings for the imaging target site of the same subject, the previous imaging from the ID information recording device is performed. The conditions are read out, and the X-ray tube is controlled according to the imaging conditions to perform imaging.

[0006]

In the digital radiography apparatus configured as described above, the ID information recording apparatus connected to the storage device for storing the image data of the subject is used to image the subject in addition to the identification information about the subject. Is recorded, and the imaging conditions at the time of the previous imaging are read from the ID information recording device and the X-ray tube is controlled according to the imaging conditions in the second and subsequent imaging of the imaging target region of the same subject. Then it works like shooting.
As a result, it is possible to take an image with proper exposure for the imaging target part of the subject.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital radiography apparatus according to the present invention. This digital radiography apparatus irradiates a subject with X-rays to fluoroscopically and image a target site. As shown in the figure, an X-ray tube 1, an X-ray detector 2, and a television camera 3 are provided. , A / D converter 4, a storage device 5, an image display device 6, and a central processing unit (CPU) 7, and further has an ID.
An information recording device 8 is provided.

The X-ray tube 1 is a top plate 9 of an X-ray fluoroscopic imaging stand.
X-rays are radiated to the subject 10 lying on the
Under the control of the line controller 11, the tube voltage and the tube current are supplied and the exposure time is determined. X
The line detector 2 is for inputting an X-ray image emitted from the X-ray tube 1 and transmitted through the subject 10 and converting it into a visible light image.
For example, the X-ray tube 1 is made of an X-ray image intensifier, and the subject 10 lying on the top plate 9 is sandwiched therebetween.
It is arranged opposite to. The television camera 3 scans the visible light image converted and output by the X-ray detector 2 and outputs a video signal.

The A / D converter 4 inputs a video signal output from the television camera 3 and converts it into a digital signal. The storage device 5 receives the digital signal output from the A / D converter 4 and stores it as image data, and is composed of, for example, a frame memory. Further, the image display device 6 converts the image data read from the storage device 5 into an analog signal and displays it as an image, and a D / A converter 12 for inputting a digital signal and converting it into an analog video signal. , A display 13 such as a television monitor for inputting the video signal from the D / A converter 12 and displaying it as an image.

The CPU 7 controls the operation of each of the above-mentioned components, and the operator inputs an operation command through the operation console 14 connected thereto. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 15 denotes an automatic imaging condition control device that determines the X-ray condition at the time of imaging from a visible light image of fluoroscopic imaging, and is connected between the X-ray detector 2 and the television camera 3. Has been done.

Here, in the present invention, an ID information recording device 8 is connected to the storage device 5. The ID information recording device 8 is an I-key for identifying the subject 10.
In addition to identification information such as D number, name, shooting date, target part,
It records the imaging conditions such as tube voltage, tube current, exposure time, etc. for the imaging of the subject 10 and comprises a conventionally known memory or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, an ID assigned to each subject memory areas _81, 82 corresponding to the number, ..., 8 _n have the area E of the identification information in each memory area 8 _1-8 in _n
An area E ₂ of ₁ and shooting conditions is provided. The ID information recording device 8 is also connected to the X-ray control device 11 described above.

Next, the overall operation of the digital radiography apparatus thus constructed will be described. In FIG. 1, X-rays radiated from the X-ray tube 1 are incident on the X-ray detector 2 as an X-ray image having a certain distribution by passing through a subject 10 lying on a top plate 9. To do. The transmitted X-ray image incident on the X-ray image intensifier as the X-ray detector 2 is converted into a visible light image and output. Next, the obtained visible light image is scanned by the television camera 3 to be converted into a video signal and output.
Then, this video signal is input to the next A / D converter 4, converted into a digital signal, and stored in the storage device 5 as image data. At this time, the ID number of the subject 10,
The ID information recording device 8 records the name, the date of photographing, the identification information such as the target region, and the photographing conditions such as the tube voltage, the tube current, and the exposure time.

To read an image, an operator such as a doctor reads out the desired image data of the desired subject from the storage device 5, converts it into a video signal again by the D / A converter 12, and The image may be displayed on the display unit 13 for interpretation and diagnosis.

Next, the photographing procedure of the digital radiography apparatus of the present invention as described above will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. First, the operator inputs the ID number, name, and the like of the subject 10 before taking an image using the console 14 shown in FIG. 1 (step in FIG. 3). Next, the operator determines whether or not to use the automatic imaging condition control device 15 in consideration of the circumstances of the imaging target region of the subject 10 (step). Now, if it is assumed that the digestive tract is photographed and it is determined that the automatic photographing condition control device 15 is used,
The step proceeds to the “Yes” side. Then, the apparatus is in a fluoroscopic imaging state, and in FIG. 1, an X-ray is emitted from the X-ray tube 1 to perform fluoroscopic imaging of the subject 10 (step).

At this time, the light quantity of a portion of the visible light image output from the X-ray detector 2 is measured by a built-in optical sensor, and the measurement signal is sent to the automatic photographing condition control device 15 and measured. The photographing conditions are determined so that the photographed image is properly exposed depending on the intensity of the light (step).
Then, according to the determined photographing condition, X shown in FIG.
X-ray controller 11 controls X-ray controller 11
A required tube voltage, tube current, exposure time, etc. are applied to the X-ray tube 1 to radiate X-rays to the subject 10 for imaging (step). After that, the photographing conditions at the time of photographing are recorded in the photographing condition area E ₂ in the ID information recording device 8 shown in FIG. 2 (step).

Next, if it is determined that the region other than the digestive tract or the chest is to be imaged, and it is determined in the above step that the automatic image capturing condition control device 15 is not used, the step proceeds to the "No" side. At this time, the ID number of the subject 10 input in the step is compared with the ID number already recorded in the ID information recording device 8 to determine whether the imaging target part of the subject 10 is imaged for the first time. Determine if it has been photographed before (step).

Now, assuming that the part of the subject 10 to be imaged is imaged for the first time, the step proceeds to the "Yes" side. In this case, the operator is
The imaging conditions such as tube voltage, tube current, exposure time, etc. are determined and determined by themselves considering the thickness of the target part, the imaging dose, etc. (step). Then, under this photographing condition, photographing is performed in the same manner as described above (step), and then the photographing condition at that time is recorded in the ID information recording device 8 (step). In this case, if an image with proper exposure cannot be obtained under the shooting conditions determined in the above step, the operator corrects and resets the shooting conditions, re-takes the image, and displays the image with proper exposure. Get it.

If the part to be imaged of the subject 10 has been imaged before, this time it will be the second and subsequent images, and the step proceeds to the "No" side. And
The shooting condition at the previous shooting is read from the area E ₂ in the ID information recording device 8 (step), and this is determined as the current shooting condition. Then, under this photographing condition, photographing is performed in the same manner as described above (step), and then the photographing condition at that time is recorded in the ID information recording device 8 (step 6). This completes the imaging of the subject 10.

[0019]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above,
An ID information recording device connected to a storage device that stores image data of an image of the subject records the imaging conditions of the image of the subject in addition to the identification information about the subject, and the image of the same subject is imaged. In the second and subsequent photographings of the target region, the photographing condition at the previous photographing can be read from the ID information recording device, and the X-ray tube can be controlled for photographing according to the photographing condition. This allows
It is possible to take an image of an object to be imaged of the subject with proper exposure. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the X-ray examination of the subject without reducing the number of times of re-imaging by modifying the photographing conditions as in the conventional case, and reduce the radiation dose to the subject. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital radiography apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an internal configuration of an ID information recording device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a photographing procedure of the digital radiography device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 X-ray tube 2 X-ray detector 3 TV camera 4 A / D converter 5 Storage device 6 Image display device 7 CPU 8 ID information recording device 10 Subject 11 X-ray control device 13 Display device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An X-ray tube that radiates X-rays to a subject, and an X-ray detector that is arranged so as to face the X-ray tube with the subject interposed therebetween and that converts a transmitted X-ray image into a visible light image. A television camera that outputs a video signal by scanning a visible light image converted by this X-ray detector, an A / D converter that converts a video signal from this television camera into a digital signal, and this A / D converter A storage device for storing the digital signal from the device as image data, an image display device for converting the image data read from the storage device into an analog signal and displaying the analog signal on the display device, and a central processing unit for controlling the above-mentioned respective components. In the digital radiography apparatus including the above, the same storage device is connected to an ID information recording device that records the imaging conditions for imaging the subject in addition to the identification information regarding the subject. The digital radiography is characterized in that, in the second and subsequent photographings of the photographing target region, the photographing condition at the previous photographing is read out from the ID information recording device, and the X-ray tube is controlled according to the photographing condition for photographing. apparatus.