Three dimensional image processing apparatus and x-ray diagnosis apparatus

1. A three dimensional image processing apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit which stores data of a plurality of images having different radiographing directions;

a feature point designation unit which designates, with operation by an operator, a respective feature point on at least two selected images selected from said plurality of images;

an operation support unit which generates information for supporting the operation of the operator to designate the respective feature points, wherein the operation support unit determines a predictive area in which a feature point on another selected image of the at least two selected images is located, on the basis of a two dimensional position of a feature point designated on at least one selected image of the at least two selected images and a radiographing direction of the another selected image;

a three dimensional position calculation unit which calculates a three dimensional position associated with the respective feature points on the basis of (1) a radiographing direction corresponding to the at least two selected images, and (2) two dimensional positions of the designated respective feature points on the at least two selected images;

a two dimensional position calculation unit which calculates a two dimensional position of a calculated feature point on an unselected image of said plurality of images on the basis of (1) a radiographing direction corresponding to the unselected image, and (2) the calculated three dimensional position of the respective designated feature points;

a feature point extraction unit which extracts an extracted feature point from the unselected image;

a positional shift calculation unit which calculates a positional shift of a two dimensional position of the extracted feature point with respect to the calculated two dimensional position of the calculated feature point;

a correction unit which corrects a position of the unselected image on the basis of the calculated positional shift; and

an image reconstruction unit which reconstructs a three dimensional image on the basis of the at least two selected images and the corrected unselected image.

2. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation support unit displays the determined predictive area together with the another selected image.

3. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selected images correspond to a same cardiac phase.

4. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation support unit calculates a predictive position of the feature point on the another selected image on the basis of the radiographing direction corresponding to the another selected image and a plurality of two dimensional positions associated with the respective feature points designated on said at least two selected images.

5. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation support unit calculates a predictive position of a feature point on the another selected image on the basis of the radiographing direction corresponding to the another selected image and a plurality of two dimensional positions associated with the respective feature points designated on said at least two selected images, and superimposes and displays a mark representing the predictive position or a mark representing a predictive area including the predictive position on the another selected image.

6. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation support unit calculates a predictive line of the feature point on the another selected image on the basis of the radiographing direction corresponding to the another selected image and a plurality of two dimensional positions associated with the respective feature points designated on said at least two selected images, and superimposes and displays a mark representing the predictive line or a mark representing a predictive area including the predictive line on the another selected image.

7. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation support unit specifies a blood vessel area from said at least two selected images, and superimposes and displays a mark representing a blood vessel center line or a blood vessel model on the another selected image on the basis of the blood vessel area.

8. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation support unit generates a warning when a position of a feature point designated on the another selected image in accordance with operation by an operator falls outside the predictive area.

9. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operation support unit displays a message which prompts a change of the at least two selected images when projection lines to the respective feature points designated on said at least two selected images separate from each other by a predetermined distance.

10. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an image processing unit which performs image processing for the at least two selected images.

11. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the image processing unit converts a density of the at least two selected images.

12. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an image processing unit which enlarges the at least two selected images, and a display unit which displays the enlarged selected images with a focus on the designated feature point.

13. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit which displays a single selected image on which a feature point has been designated, together with a selected image on which a feature point has not been designated.

14. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit which displays a plurality of selected images on which feature points have been designated, together with a selected image on which a feature point has not been designated.

15. An X ray diagnosis apparatus including a three dimensional image processing apparatus defined in claim 1 , comprising:

an X ray tube which generates X rays;

an X-ray collimator which variably narrows X rays from the X ray tube;

an X ray detector which detects X rays transmitted through a subject;

a rotating mechanism which rotates the X ray tube around the subject together with the X ray detector;

a region of interest setting unit which sets a region of interest on an image of at least one frame by the X ray detector; and

a control unit which controls an opening degree of the x-ray collimator on the basis of the set region of interest.

16. A three dimensional image processing apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit which stores data of a plurality of images having different radiographing directions;

a feature point designation unit which designates, with operation by an operator, a respective feature point on at least two selected images selected from said plurality of images;

a three dimensional position calculation unit which calculates a three dimensional position associated with the respective feature points on the basis of (1) a radiographing direction corresponding to the at least two selected images, and (2) two dimensional positions of the designated respective feature points on the selected images;

a two dimensional position calculation unit which calculates a two dimensional position of a calculated feature point on an unselected image of said plurality of images on the basis of (1) a radiographing direction corresponding to the unselected image, and (2) the calculated three dimensional position of the respective designated feature points;

a feature point extraction unit which extracts an extracted feature point from the unselected image;

a display unit which displays a feature point extraction result obtained by the feature point extraction unit, wherein the display unit displays a graph representing a change in coordinates of the extracted feature point extracted by the feature point extraction unit;

a positional shift calculation unit which calculates a positional shift of a two dimensional position of the extracted feature point with respect to the calculated two dimensional position of the calculated feature point;

a correction unit which corrects a position of the unselected image on the basis of the calculated positional shift; and

an image reconstruction unit which reconstructs a three dimensional image on the basis of the at least two selected images and the corrected unselected image.

17. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the display unit superimposes and displays one of a dot mark, a circular mark, a crosshair mark, and a rectangular mark representing the extracted feature point extracted by the feature point extraction unit on the unselected image.

18. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the display unit superimposes and displays the extracted feature point extracted by the feature point extraction unit on the unselected image, together with a feature point extracted from another unselected image.

19. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the display unit enlarges and displays the unselected image with a focus on the extracted feature point extracted by the feature point extraction unit.

20. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the display unit displays a plurality of feature points extracted from a plurality of unselected images by the feature point extraction unit, together with said plurality of unselected images.

21. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising an operation unit configured to perform a correcting operation for a position of the extracted feature point extracted by the feature point extraction unit.

22. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the image reconstruction unit reconstructs a first three dimensional image on the basis of the unselected image whose position is corrected in accordance with the positional shift calculated from the extracted feature point extracted by the feature point extraction unit and the at least two selected images, and reconstructs a second three dimensional image on the basis of an unselected image whose position is corrected in accordance with a positional shift calculated from the feature point corrected and extracted by the operation unit and the at least two selected images.

23. The three dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising a determination unit which determines on the basis of a correlation value between unselected images whether the extracted feature point extracted by the feature point extraction unit is adapted to be added.

24. An X ray diagnosis apparatus including a three dimensional image processing apparatus defined in claim 16 , comprising:

an X ray tube which generates X rays;

an X-ray collimator which variably narrows X rays from the X ray tube;

an X ray detector which detects X rays transmitted through a subject;

a rotating mechanism which rotates the X ray tube around the subject together with the X ray detector;

a region of interest setting unit which sets a region of interest on an image of at least one frame by the X ray detector; and

a control unit which controls an opening degree of the x-ray collimator on the basis of the set region of interest.