Medical image display apparatus, method, and program

• US 8,625,867 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2010
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Moriya, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): BHATNAGAR, ANAND P
• Application Number:
  US13/496,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20120183188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/128, 382/129, 382/130, 382/131, 382/132, 382/133, 128/922, 707/609, 707/705, 707/713, 707/715
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5217 extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

Storing a second image reconstructed from a plurality of images, including a first image, and an image reading report that includes a lesion character representing a lesion area in the first image. Associating the lesion character with a position of the lesion area and storing the position in the second image corresponding to the position of the lesion area as a link position. Displaying a link character constituted by the lesion character, a position indicator indicating the link position corresponding to the position of the lesion area represented by the link character, and an association indicator indicating the link character and position indicator in association with each other in the second medical image.

Claims

1. A medical image display apparatus, comprising:

a medical image storage unit for storing a first medical image and a second medical image reconstructed from a plurality of medical images, including the first medical image;

an image reading report storage unit for storing an image reading report that includes a lesion character representing lesion contents of a lesion area in the first medical image;

a lesion storage unit for storing the lesion character and a position of the lesion area in association with each other;

a link position storage unit for calculating a position in the second medical image corresponding to the position of the lesion area and storing the calculated position as a link position;

a medical image display unit for obtaining the second medical image from the medical image storage unit and displaying the obtained image; and

a link information display unit for displaying a link character constituted by the lesion character and a position indicator indicating the link position corresponding to the position of the lesion area represented by the link character in the second medical image in association with each other.

2. The medical image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second medical image is a three-dimensional medical image.

3. The medical image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the link position storage unit is a unit that stores the lesion character and a word or phrase before and after the lesion character from the image reading report stored in the image reading report storage unit; and

the link information display unit is a unit that displays the word or phrase before and after the lesion character in addition to the link character.

4. The medical image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a link character specifying unit for specifying the link character in the second medical image and an image reading report display unit for displaying the image reading report;

the link character is a character linked to the lesion character in the image reading report by a hyperlink; and

the image reading report display unit is a unit that, in response to the specification of the link character in the second medical image, additionally displays the entirety of the image reading report that includes the lesion character corresponding to the specified link character with the lesion character corresponding to the specified link character in the additionally displayed image reading report being highlighted.

5. The medical image display apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the lesion character is a character linked to the first medical image by a hyperlink;

the medical image display unit is a unit that displays the first medical image, other than the second medical image, in response to the specification of the lesion character in the additionally displayed image reading report; and

the link information display unit is a unit that further displays an indicator indicating the position of the lesion area in the first medical image.

6. The medical image display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the image reading report display unit is a unit that displays, in conjunction with the image reading report, an attached image which is a reduced image of the medical image that includes the lesion area corresponding to the specified link character.

7. The medical image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image reading report comprises a plurality of image reading reports with respect to past medical images or with respect to a plurality of different lesion positions.

8. A medical image display method, comprising the steps of:

storing a first medical image and a second medical image reconstructed from a plurality of medical images, including the first medical image;

storing an image reading report that includes a lesion character representing lesion contents of a lesion area in the first medical image;

storing the lesion character and a position of the lesion area in association with each other;

calculating a position in the second medical image corresponding to the position of the lesion area and storing the calculated position as a link position;

obtaining the second medical image from the medical image storage unit and displaying the obtained image; and

displaying a link character constituted by the lesion character and a position indicator indicating the link position corresponding to the position of the lesion area represented by the link character in the second medical image in association with each other.

9. A non-transitory recording medium on which is recorded a medical image display program for causing a computer to function as:

a medical image storage unit for storing a first medical image and a second medical image reconstructed from a plurality of medical images, including the first medical image;

an image reading report storage unit for storing an image reading report that includes a lesion character representing lesion contents of a lesion area in the first medical image;

a lesion storage unit for storing the lesion character and a position of the lesion area in association with each other;

a link position storage unit for calculating a position in the second medical image corresponding to the position of the lesion area and storing the calculated position as a link position;

a medical image display unit for obtaining the second medical image from the medical image storage unit and displaying the obtained image; and

a link information display unit for displaying a link character constituted by the lesion character and a position indicator indicating the link position corresponding to the position of the lesion area represented by the link character in the second medical image in association with each other.