Case image search apparatus and system
An arbitrary cross-sectional image (MPR image) is used as an image for searching a case DB which has registered case images for a case image similar to an image to be diagnosed. A user terminal produces an axial image with reference to a diseased site in the MPR image, the axial image containing the diseased site, calculates a feature value (first feature value) of the diseased site contained in the axial image, and sends the feature value to the case DB. A case image server compares the received first feature value with a feature value (second feature value) for each case registered in a feature value DB, searches the case DB for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value based on the comparison result, and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.
1. A case image search apparatus comprising:
a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
a cross-sectional image producing device which produces a cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image with reference to a diseased site in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image, the cross-sectional image oriented in an axial direction set in advance and containing the diseased site;
a feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site contained in the produced cross-sectional image based on the cross-sectional image;
a database which stores a plurality of case images and a second feature value of each of the case images, which is associated with a case image, the second feature value for diseased site in a cross-sectional image oriented in the axial direction set in advance; and
a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value.
2. The case image search apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the database stores each of the case images as a three-dimensional image,
the case image search apparatus, further comprises:
a first cross-sectional image producing device which produces a first arbitrary cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image based on the specification by the cross-sectional image specifying device;
a first displaying device which displays the produced first arbitrary cross-sectional image;
a second cross-sectional image producing device which produces a second arbitrary cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image corresponding to the case image searched for by the searching device, the second arbitrary cross-sectional image containing a diseased site and angled by the same amount as that specified by the cross-sectional image specifying device; and
a second display device which displays the produced second arbitrary cross-sectional image.
3. The case image search apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a single display device functions as the first and second displaying devices, and the first and second arbitrary cross-sectional images are displayed at the same time or on separate screens.
4. The case image search apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the database stores case images along with diagnosis information for each of the case images, and
the second displaying device displays the second arbitrary cross-sectional image along with the diagnosis information corresponding to the second arbitrary cross-sectional image.
5. A case image search apparatus comprising:
a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies a first arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
a first feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of a diseased site in the specified first arbitrary cross-sectional image;
a database which stores a plurality of case images as three-dimensional images;
a second cross-sectional image producing device which produces a second arbitrary cross-sectional image for each of the case images registered in the database based on the three-dimensional image of the case image, the second arbitrary cross-sectional image containing a diseased site and angled by the same amount as that specified by the cross-sectional image specifying device;
a second feature value calculating device which calculates a second feature value of the diseased site in the second arbitrary cross-sectional image produced for each of the case images; and
a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value.
6. The case image search apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first cross-sectional image producing device which produces a first arbitrary cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image based on the specification by the cross-sectional image specifying device;
a first displaying device which displays the produced first arbitrary cross-sectional image; and
a second display device which displays the second arbitrary cross-sectional image produced by the second cross-sectional image producing device, the second arbitrary cross-sectional image corresponding to the case image searched for by the searching device.
7. The case image search apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein a single display device functions as the first and second displaying devices, and the first and second arbitrary cross-sectional images are displayed at the same time or on separate screens.
8. The case image search apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a single display device functions as the first and second displaying devices, and the first arbitrary cross-sectional image, the second arbitrary cross-sectional image, and the produced cross-sectional image are displayed at the same time or on separate screens.
9. The case image search apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the database stores case images along with diagnosis information for each of the case images, and
the second displaying device displays the second arbitrary cross-sectional image along with the diagnosis information corresponding to the second arbitrary cross-sectional image.
10. A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,
the user terminal including:
a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
a cross-sectional image producing device which produces a cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image with reference to a diseased site in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image, the cross-sectional image oriented in an axial direction set in advance and containing the diseased site;
a first feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site contained in the produced cross-sectional image based on the cross-sectional image; and
a first communication device which sends the calculated first feature value to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
the case image server including:
a database which stores a plurality of case images and a second feature value of each of the case images which is associated with a case image, the second feature value for diseased site in a cross-sectional image oriented in the axial direction set in advance;
a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value; and
a second communication device which receives the first feature value from the user terminal and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.
11. A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,
the user terminal including:
a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
a cross-sectional image producing device which produces a cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image with reference to a diseased site in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image, the cross-sectional image oriented in an axial direction set in advance and containing the diseased site; and
a first communication device which sends the produced cross-sectional image to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
the case image server including:
a feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site in the produced cross-sectional image based on the cross-sectional image;
a database which stores a plurality of case images and a second feature value of each of the case images which is associated with a case image, the second feature value for diseased site in a cross-sectional image oriented in the axial direction set in advance;
a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value; and
a second communication device which receives the reference cross-sectional image and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.
12. A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,
the user terminal including:
a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
a feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site contained in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image based on the cross-sectional image; and
a first communication device which sends the calculated first feature value and angular information on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
the case image server including:
a database which stores a plurality of case images as three-dimensional images;
a cross-sectional image producing device which produces an arbitrary cross-sectional image for each of the case images registered in the database based on the three-dimensional image of each of the case images, the cross-sectional image containing a diseased site and angled by the same amount as the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image;
a second feature value calculating device which calculates a second feature value of the diseased site in the arbitrary cross-sectional image produced for each of the case images;
a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value; and
a second communication device which receives the calculated first feature value and the angular information on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image from the user terminal and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.
13. A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,
the user terminal including:
a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled; and
a first communication device which sends the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image and angular information on the arbitrary cross-sectional image to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
the case image server including:
a first feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image based on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image;
a database which stores a plurality of case images as three-dimensional images;
a cross-sectional image producing device which produces an arbitrary cross-sectional image for each of the case images registered in the database based on the three-dimensional image of each of the case images, the cross-sectional image containing a diseased site and angled by the same amount as the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image;
a second feature value calculating device which calculates a second feature value of the diseased site in the arbitrary cross-sectional image produced for each of the case images;
a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value; and
a second communication device which receives the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image and the angular information on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image from the user terminal and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.