X-ray diagnosis apparatus

• US 7,505,549 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohishi, Satoru, Aoki, Kunio
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMIREZ, JOHN FERNANDO
• Application Number:
  US10/162,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20020151781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600407-431, 382130-132, 378/4, 378/21, 378/62
• US Class Current: 378/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 adapted to display 3D data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/469 for selecting a region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2211/404 Angiography
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

In a storing unit of a medical image processing apparatus, first 3D image corresponding to a first period and second 3D image data corresponding to a second period are stored. The first 3D image data corresponds to a period before contrast agent injection operation and/or therapeutic operation. The second 3D image data corresponds to a period after the contrast agent injection operation and/or therapeutic operation. A 3D subtracting unit subtracts the first 3D image data from the second 3D image data. In 3D subtraction image data, a portion having undergone a change due to contrast agent injection operation and/or therapeutic operation is emphasized. A pseudo 3D image data generating unit generates pseudo 3D image data on the basis of 3D subtraction image data. A displaying unit displays the pseudo 3D image data.

Claims

1. An X-ray diagnosis apparatus, comprising:

an X-ray tube configured to irradiate a subject with an X-ray;

an X-ray detection unit configured to detect an X-ray transmitted through the subject;

an image data generating unit configured to generate 3D image data based on an output from said X-ray detection unit during a first radiographic operation;

a storage unit configured to store the generated 3D image data and associated radiographic conditions;

a 3D image processing unit configured to generate projection image data from the stored 3D image data and the associated radiographic conditions based on a current projection angle and position of the X-ray tube and the X-ray detection unit during a second radiographic operation; and

a display unit configured to display the projection image data,

wherein said 3D image processing unit comprises an extraction unit configured to extract a surface of a target region from the 3D image data, a distance calculating unit configured to calculate a distance from a projection surface to the surface, and a unit configured to project the 3D image data based on the calculated distance.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a unit configured to add the X-ray image data and the projection image data to form addition image data, upon positioning the projection image data, and

said displaying unit displays the addition image data of the X-ray image data and the projection image data.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said 3D image processing unit projects the 3D image data along projection lines corresponding to rays of light dispersing from an X-ray focal point of said X-ray tube toward a detection surface of said X-ray detection unit.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said 3D image processing unit generates the projection image data from part of the 3D image data corresponding to a region of interest set in accordance with a user instruction.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a unit configured to set a plurality of sub-regions of interest with respect to the 3D image data, and a unit configured to add the plurality of sub-regions of interest to obtain the region of interest.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distance calculating unit includes a unit configured to select a distance associated with a surface which is selected in accordance with a user instruction and located near said X-ray tube or said X-ray detection unit when a plurality of surfaces overlap.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distance calculating unit includes a unit configured to extract a central line of a tubular region from the 3D image data, a unit configured to calculate a distance from a projection surface to the central line, and a unit configured to project the 3D image data on the basis of the calculated distance.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said distance calculating unit includes a unit configured to project only a region located on the central line on the basis of the calculated distance to obtain first projection image data, and a unit configured to project a region other the region located on the central line to obtain second projection image data, the first projection image data being added to the second projection image data.