Medical image processing apparatus and computer-readable storage medium

1. A medical image processing apparatus comprising:

an emphasizing processing unit which performs processing to emphasize a specific structure among structures composing a subject on each of a first image and a second image obtained by capturing the same subject at different points in time;

a positioning unit which matches a position of the specific structure in the first image and the second image based on the first image and the second image with the specific structure emphasized; and

a difference image generating unit which generates a difference image between the first image without emphasizing processing and the second image without emphasizing processing with the position of the specific structure matched,

wherein, the first image and the second image are thoracic portion X-ray images and the specific structure is a back rib bone, and

wherein the emphasizing processing unit performs filtering processing which emphasizes an edge of a vertical component on the first image and the second image, and emphasizes the back rib bone by adding an image on which the filtering processing is performed and an original image.

2. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display unit which displays the difference image.

3. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein,

a plurality of different structures among the structures composing the subject are set as the specific structures and a plurality of difference images are generated by the emphasizing processing unit, the positioning unit and the difference image generating unit with the position of each of the plurality of specific structures matched,

the medical image processing apparatus further comprising a display control unit which controls the display unit so that display of the plurality of difference images with the position of each of the plurality of specific structures matched can be switched according to user operation.

4. A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:

an emphasizing processing unit which performs processing to emphasize a specific structure among structures composing a subject on each of a first image and a second image obtained by capturing the same subject at different points in time;

a positioning unit which matches a position of the specific structure in the first image and the second image based on the first image and the second image with the specific structure emphasized; and

a difference image generating unit which generates a difference image between the first image without emphasizing processing and the second image without emphasizing processing with the position of the specific structure matched,

wherein the first image and the second image are thoracic portion X-ray images and the specific structure is a blood vessel and a bronchus, and

wherein the emphasizing processing unit performs filtering processing which emphasizes a shadow radially spreading from a pulmonary hilum on the first image and the second image, and emphasizes the blood vessel and the bronchus by adding the image on which the filtering processing is performed and an original image or by performing emphasizing processing which emphasizes a high frequency component.

5. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, the positioning unit specifies corresponding positions of the first image and the second image by performing local matching processing on the first image and the second image with the specific structure emphasized, calculates a movement amount vector showing a shift, deforms the first image or the second image based on the movement amount vector, and matches the position of the specific structure in the first image and the second image.

6. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein, the positioning unit specifies corresponding positions of the first image and the second image by performing local matching processing on the first image and the second image with the specific structure emphasized, calculates a movement amount vector showing a shift, deforms the first image or the second image based on the movement amount vector, and matches the position of the specific structure in the first image and the second image.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon for controlling a computer to function as:

an emphasizing processing unit which performs processing to emphasize a specific structure among structures composing a subject on each of a first image and a second image obtained by capturing the same subject at different points in time;

a positioning unit which matches a position of the specific structure in the first image and the second image based on the first image and the second image with the specific structure emphasized; and

a difference image generating unit which generates a difference image between the first image without emphasizing processing and the second image without emphasizing processing with the position of the specific structure matched,

wherein, the first image and the second image are thoracic portion X-ray images and the specific structure is a back rib bone, and

wherein the emphasizing processing unit performs filtering processing which emphasizes an edge of a vertical component on the first image and the second image, and emphasizes the back rib bone by adding an image on which the filtering processing is performed and an original image.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon for controlling a computer to function as:

an emphasizing processing unit which performs processing to emphasize a specific structure among structures composing a subject on each of a first image and a second image obtained by capturing the same subject at different points in time;

a positioning unit which matches a position of the specific structure in the first image and the second image based on the first image and the second image with the specific structure emphasized; and

a difference image generating unit which generates a difference image between the first image without emphasizing processing and the second image without emphasizing processing with the position of the specific structure matched,

wherein the first image and the second image are thoracic portion X-ray images and the specific structure is a blood vessel and a bronchus, and

wherein the emphasizing processing unit performs filtering processing which emphasizes a shadow radially spreading from a pulmonary hilum on the first image and the second image, and emphasizes the blood vessel and the bronchus by adding the image on which the filtering processing is performed and an original image or by performing emphasizing processing which emphasizes a high frequency component.

9. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a display unit which displays the difference image.

10. The medical image processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein,

a plurality of different structures among the structures composing the subject are set as the specific structures and a plurality of difference images are generated by the emphasizing processing unit, the positioning unit and the difference image generating unit with the position of each of the plurality of specific structures matched,

the medical image processing apparatus further comprising a display control unit which controls the display unit so that display of the plurality of difference images with the position of each of the plurality of specific structures matched can be switched according to user operation.