Image processing apparatus and X-ray computer tomography apparatus

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit which stores data of a plurality of images including an examination target organ of an object;

a reference point determining unit which determines, from each of the images, a reference point which is located in or near a region of the examination target organ and undergoes a relatively small displacement accompanying respiratory motion; and

a moving amount calculation unit which determines a position of each of a plurality of points of interest included in the region of the examination target organ relative to the reference point for each of the images, and calculates, directly based on the determined positions and the reference point, moving amounts for the corresponding points of interest between the images accompanying the respiratory motion.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reference point determining unit determines the reference point at a bifurcation point of a bronchus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the reference point determining unit extracts a region of the bronchus by threshold processing, obtains a bronchus axis line by thinning processing, and determines the bifurcation point from the bronchus axis line.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a point-of-interest determining unit which determines the point of interest at one of a lung contour, a lung node, and a tumor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a designating operation unit with which an operator designates the point of interest on each of the images.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the moving amount calculation unit calculates the moving amount as an absolute distance.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the moving amount calculation unit calculates a plurality of vectors from the reference point to the plurality of points of interest on each of the images, and calculates the moving amount by subtracting vectors of corresponding points of interest between the images.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image is one of a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image including the examination target organ.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the images differ in phase of the respiratory motion.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the images are substantially equal in phase of the respiratory motion.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit which superimposes and displays the moving amount on the image.

12. An X-ray computer tomography apparatus comprising:

an X-ray tube which generates X-rays;

an X-ray detector which generates projection data by detecting X-rays transmitted through an object;

a reconstruction processing unit which reconstructs a plurality of images based on the projection data; and

an image processing unit which processes the images, the image processing unit including

a storage unit which stores data of the plurality of images,

a reference point determining unit which determines, from each of the images, a reference point which is located in or near a region of the examination target organ and undergoes a relatively small displacement accompanying respiratory motion, and

a moving amount calculation unit which determines a position of each of a plurality of points of interest included in the region of the examination target organ relative to the reference point for each of the images, and calculates, directly based on the determined positions and the reference point, moving amounts for the corresponding points of interest between the images accompanying the respiratory motion.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the reference point determining unit determines the reference point at a bifurcation point of a bronchus.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a point-of-interest determining unit which determines the point of interest at one of a lung contour, a lung node, and a tumor.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the moving amount calculation unit calculates a plurality of vectors from the reference point to the plurality of points of interest on each of the images, and calculates the moving amount by subtracting vectors of corresponding points of interest between the images.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the images differ in phase of the respiratory motion.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the images are substantially equal in phase of the respiratory motion.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a display unit which superimposes and displays the moving amount on the image.

19. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store data of at least 3-dimensional X-ray CT images which include an examination target organ of an object and which are taken in different phases of respiration;

a reference point determining unit configured to determine a reference point located in or near the examination target organ, from the 3-dimensional X-ray CT images; and

a moving amount calculation unit configured to determine a plurality of points of interest on the 3-dimensional X-ray CT images of the examination target organ, and to calculate a moving amount by which each of the points of interest moves as a result of a phase change of respiration, relative to the reference point.