Mammography apparatus, display method of mammography apparatus, and display program of mammography apparatus

Abstract

To provide a mammography apparatus, a display method of the mammography apparatus, and a display program of the mammography apparatus, where the mammography apparatus comprises a support portion that rotatably supports a radiation source and a display unit that displays an ultrasound image, such that visibility of the display unit is maintained even if the support portion is rotated.SOLUTION: An apparatus comprises a first display unit 27A that is provided at a position of an arm part 42 in front of an examinee, and a second display unit 27B that is provided at a side surface of the arm part 42. Then, control of switching between the display units displaying an ultrasound image is performed according to a rotational position of the arm part 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mammography apparatus, a display method for a mammography apparatus, and a display program for a mammography apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes a radiographic imaging method in which radiation is irradiated to a subject from a plurality of different imaging directions by moving a radiation source and radiographic images are captured for each imaging direction by the irradiation of radiation, in which images are acquired using a modality that acquires images related to biological information of the subject other than the radiographic images while the radiation source moves from a predetermined imaging direction to the next imaging direction.

[0003] Patent document 2 proposes a medical image diagnostic system including a medical imaging device that irradiates a subject with radiation to obtain a radiological image of the subject projected onto a projection surface, and transmits and receives ultrasound toward the subject to obtain an ultrasound image of the subject, and generates first image data representing an ultrasound slice image along a slice surface approximately perpendicular to the projection surface, second image data representing the radiological image, and position data representing the position of the slice surface on the projection surface, a medical image storage device that stores these data in association with each other, and a medical image display device that displays an ultrasound slice image based on the first image data, and displays a radiological image on which a marker indicating the position of the slice surface on the projection surface is displayed based on the second image data and the position data.

[0004] Patent document 3 proposes an information processing device in a mammography device that captures radiological images by irradiating a breast compressed by a compression member arranged between a radiation source and a radiation detector, the information processing device controlling an image projection unit that projects an image for projection onto a first projection surface of the compression member to switchably project at least one of first information and second information onto the first projection surface.

[0005] Patent document 4 proposes a mammography device that has a certain basic structural part and a user interface configuration arranged on the basic structural part, and the user interface configuration is implemented so that the orientation of the view of the user interface can be adjusted to either an orientation in which the view can be viewed only by an operator of the device, or an orientation in which the view can be viewed by a patient positioned for imaging. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-29785 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2009-82402 A [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2022-57943 [Patent Document 4] JP 2016-538075 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In a mammography device that has a support section that rotatably supports a radiation source and a display section that displays an ultrasound image, depending on the rotational position of the support section, the ultrasound image displayed on the display section may be difficult to see.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned facts, and aims to provide a mammography device that has a support part that rotatably supports a radiation source and a display part that displays an ultrasound image, which can maintain the visibility of the display part even when the support part is rotated, a display method for a mammography device, and a display program for a mammography device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a mammography apparatus according to a first aspect of the present disclosure comprises a support unit that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates radiation at a plurality of shooting positions at which the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different from one another, a plurality of display units provided at different positions for displaying ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe, and at least one processor, wherein the processor performs processing to switch between the plurality of display units to display the ultrasound images depending on the rotational position of the support unit.

[0010] A mammography apparatus according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is a mammography apparatus according to the first aspect, in which, when switching between multiple display units depending on the rotational position, if there are multiple display units visible to the operator, the processor preferentially switches to the display unit closest to the breast to display the ultrasound image.

[0011] A mammography apparatus according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the mammography apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the multiple display units are direct-view electronic displays.

[0012] A mammography apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the mammography apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the multiple display units are projection-type electronic displays that display images projected from a projection unit.

[0013] A mammography apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the mammography apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein a support stand that supports the support portion has a reflective surface that functions as a projection-type electronic display.

[0014] A mammography apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the mammography apparatus according to the fourth aspect, in which the projection unit has a reflective member, and the projection position of the electronic display is switched by changing at least one of the angle and position of the reflective member.

[0015] A mammography apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is the mammography apparatus according to the sixth aspect, further comprising a plurality of reflective members.

[0016] A mammography device according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a mammography device according to the first aspect, further comprising a detection unit that detects the rotation angle of the support unit, and when the detection unit detects a rotation angle equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the processor switches between multiple display units to display an ultrasound image.

[0017] A mammography device according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the mammography device according to the first aspect, further comprising a detection unit that detects the rotation angle of the support unit, and the processor switches to a predetermined display unit among the multiple display units depending on the angle detected by the detection unit to display an ultrasound image.

[0018] A display method for a mammography device according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure involves a computer performing a process of displaying ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe at a plurality of shooting positions at which the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different, by switching between a plurality of display units provided at different positions to display the ultrasound images depending on the rotational position of a support unit that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates radiation.

[0019] A display program for a mammography apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute a process of displaying ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe at a plurality of shooting positions at which the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different, by switching between a plurality of display units provided at different positions to display ultrasound images depending on the rotational position of a support unit that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates radiation. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present disclosure, in a mammography apparatus including a support section that rotatably supports a radiation source and a display section that displays an ultrasound image, visibility of the display section can be maintained even when the support section is rotated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1]1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a mammography system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a side view showing an example of the appearance of a mammography apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an example of a compression member according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a moving mechanism of the ultrasonic probe according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a mammography apparatus and a console of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram showing the state in which the angle of the arm part of the mammography apparatus of the present embodiment is 0 degrees. [Figure 7] 2 is a diagram showing the state in which the angle of the arm of the mammography apparatus of the present embodiment is 90 degrees. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by a control unit of a mammography device in the mammography system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] 13 is a diagram illustrating an example in which switching is preferentially performed on a display unit closer to the breast when the angle of the arm unit is 0 degrees. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example in which switching is preferentially performed on a display unit closer to the breast when the angle of the arm unit is 90 degrees. [Figure 11] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a projection unit and a first reflecting surface when a projection-type electronic display is applied. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] 2A is a diagram showing a state in which an image is projected from the projection unit onto the second reflecting surface when the angle of the arm unit of the mammography device of this embodiment is 90 degrees. FIG. [Figure 15] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating switching of the projection position by rotating a reflecting member. [Figure 16] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating switching of the projection position by moving the optical unit. [Figure 17]13 is a diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the projection unit, the first reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a mammography apparatus in which a biopsy unit and a moving mechanism are omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

[0023] First, an overview of an example of the overall configuration of a mammography system 2 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example of the overall configuration of a mammography system 2 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the mammography system 2 includes a mammography apparatus 10 and a console 12.

[0024] The mammography device 10 is capable of taking radiological and ultrasonic images of a subject's breast as a subject, and also capable of taking a biopsy of the breast. As an example, the mammography device 10 of this embodiment is a device in which a function of taking ultrasonic images is added to a mammography device capable of taking a biopsy.

[0025] Fig. 2 shows a side view of an example of the appearance of the mammography device 10 of this embodiment. Note that Fig. 2 is a side view of the mammography device 10 as seen from the right side of the subject. As shown in Fig. 2, the mammography device 10 includes a radiation source 36R, a radiation detector 30, an imaging stand 40 disposed between the radiation source 36R and the radiation detector 30, and a compression member 34 that compresses the breast between the imaging stand 40.

[0026] A radiation detector 30 is disposed inside the imaging table 40. The radiation detector 30 detects radiation R that has passed through the breast, which is the subject. In the mammography apparatus 10 of this embodiment, when imaging is performed, the breast of the subject is positioned on the imaging surface 40A of the imaging table 40 by an operator such as a doctor or technician. The imaging surface 40A, etc., with which the subject's breast comes into contact, is formed of, for example, carbon, etc., from the viewpoints of the transmittance and strength of radiation R.

[0027] The radiation detector 30 detects radiation R that has passed through the subject's breast and the imaging table 40, generates a radiographic image based on the detected radiation R, and outputs the generated radiographic image. The type of radiation detector 30 in this embodiment is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an indirect conversion type radiation detector that converts radiation R into light and then converts the converted light into electric charges, or a direct conversion type radiation detector that directly converts radiation R into electric charges.

[0028] The radiation source 36R is provided in the radiation irradiation unit 36. As shown in FIG. 2, the radiation irradiation unit 36 ​​is provided on an arm 42, which is an example of a support unit, together with an imaging table 40 and a compression unit 46. As shown in FIG. 2, the mammography device 10 of this embodiment includes the arm 42, a base 44, which is an example of a support table, and an axis 45. The arm 42 is held by the base 44 so as to be movable in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). The axis 45 connects the arm 42 to the base 44. The arm 42 rotatably supports the radiation source 36R at a plurality of imaging positions where the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different from one another. Specifically, the arm 42 is rotatable relative to the base 44 around the axis 45 as a rotation axis by the radiation source moving unit 37 (see FIG. 5). By rotating the arm unit 42 relative to the base 44, the angle of incidence of radiation on the breast placed on the imaging surface 40A of the imaging table 40 can be changed. In this way, the mammography device 10 of this embodiment is capable of so-called stereo imaging and tomosynthesis imaging. The radiation source moving unit 37 functions as an example of a detection unit, and has a function of detecting the rotational position of the arm unit 42. For example, it may include a sensor that detects the rotational position of the arm unit 42, or the rotational position may be detected by detecting the drive amount of the radiation source moving unit 37.

[0029] 2, the compression member 34 is attached to the compression unit 46. The compression unit 46 and the arm 42 can rotate separately relative to the base 44 with the shaft 45 as a rotation axis. In this embodiment, the shaft 45, the arm 42, and the compression unit 46 are each provided with a gear (not shown), and the arm 42 and the compression unit 46 are each connected to the shaft 45 by switching between an engaged state and a non-engaged state of these gears. One or both of the arm 42 and the compression unit 46 connected to the shaft 45 rotates integrally with the shaft 45.

[0030] The compression member 34 in this embodiment is a plate-shaped member that is moved in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) by a compression member drive section 32 (see FIG. 5) provided in the compression unit 46, and compresses the subject's breast between itself and the imaging table 40.

[0031] The compression member 34 is preferably optically transparent so that alignment and compression state can be confirmed during compression of the breast, and is made of a material with excellent transparency to radiation R. Furthermore, the compression member 34 of this embodiment is a compression member for biopsy, and as shown in Fig. 3, the compression member 34 has an opening 34B at a bottom 34A that comes into contact with the breast when compressing the breast. A biopsy needle 66 and an ultrasonic probe 70 can be inserted into the opening 34B.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the mammography apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes a biopsy unit 60. The biopsy unit 60 includes a positioning mechanism 62, a biopsy needle 66, and a biopsy needle unit 64. The biopsy needle 66 is provided in the biopsy needle unit 64 and is inserted into the breast to collect tissue. The positioning mechanism 62 has a function of moving the biopsy needle 66 in the X, Y, and Z directions to position the biopsy needle 66 at the target insertion position. In this embodiment, the X direction is the left-right direction of the subject, and the Y direction is the front-back direction of the subject. The Z direction is the direction perpendicular to the XY plane and is the up-down direction of the subject. Therefore, hereinafter, the X direction will be referred to as the "left-right direction", the Y direction will be referred to as the "front-back direction", and the Z direction will be referred to as the "up-down direction".

[0033] The positioning mechanism 62 includes a needle position controller 63, and the position of the tip of the biopsy needle 66 is controlled by the needle position controller 63. When the needle position controller 63 receives position information of the target, it moves the position of the tip of the biopsy needle 66 to a target insertion position corresponding to the position of the target, and tilts the biopsy needle 66 according to the target insertion angle. The biopsy needle 66 thus positioned by the positioning mechanism 62 is inserted into the breast, and the target is sampled by the biopsy needle 66, i.e., a biopsy is performed.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the mammography apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes an ultrasonic probe 70 to which an acoustic matching body 71 is attached, and a movement mechanism 72.

[0035] The ultrasonic probe 70 is used to obtain an ultrasonic image of the breast by scanning the breast with ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic probe 70 includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers (not shown) arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally. Each ultrasonic transducer transmits ultrasonic waves based on an applied drive signal, and outputs a reception signal by receiving ultrasonic echoes. The ultrasonic probe 70 is provided with an acoustic matching body 71 so as to cover at least the transmission surface of the ultrasonic waves that contacts the breast. The acoustic matching body 71 is made of a member having an acoustic impedance close to that of a living body (breast), and in this embodiment, is in the form of a gel or sheet. An acoustic coupler or the like can be used as such an acoustic matching body 71. A specific example is an acoustic coupler in which a polyurethane gel pad is fixed to the ultrasonic probe 70 by a fixing jig.

[0036] The moving mechanism 72 has a function of moving the ultrasonic probe 70 in the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions. As shown in Fig. 4, the moving mechanism 72 includes one moving rail 72X and two moving rails 72Y. The moving rail 72X is a rail that extends in the left-right direction, and the ultrasonic probe 70 is attached to the moving rail 72X. The moving mechanism 72 changes the position of the ultrasonic probe 70 in the left-right direction by moving the ultrasonic probe 70 along the moving rail 72X.

[0037] The moving rails 72Y are rails extending along the front-rear direction and provided on both ends of the imaging surface 40A of the imaging table 40. The moving mechanism 72 changes the position of the ultrasonic probe 70 along the front-rear direction by moving the moving rails 72X, to which the ultrasonic probe 70 is attached, along the front-rear direction.

[0038] Moreover, the movement mechanism 72 can also change the height of the ultrasonic probe 70 by moving the movement rails 72X and 72Y in the up and down directions.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the ultrasonic probe 70 can be rotated (at a rotation angle φ) by the movement mechanism 72 to change the direction in which the probe is brought into contact with the breast.

[0040] Meanwhile, the console 12 in this embodiment has a function of controlling the mammography apparatus 10 using imaging orders and various information acquired from a RIS (Radiology Information System) 5 or the like via a wireless communication LAN (Local Area Network) or the like, and instructions given by a user via an operation unit 56 (see FIG. 5 ) or the like. The console 12 is also connected to an image storage system 19 by wireless or wired communication, and has a function of transmitting radiographic images and ultrasound images obtained by the mammography apparatus 10 to the image storage system 19 such as a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) for storage.

[0041] The configuration of the mammography apparatus 10 and the console 12 will be further described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 shows a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the mammography apparatus 10 and the console 12.

[0042] 5, the mammography apparatus 10 further includes a control unit 20, a memory unit 22, an I / F unit 24, an operation unit 26, and a display unit (first display unit 27A and second display unit 27B) 27. The control unit 20, the memory unit 22, the I / F unit 24, the operation unit 26, the first display unit 27A, the second display unit 27B, the radiation detector 30, the compression member driving unit 32, the radiation irradiation unit 36, the radiation source moving unit 37, the biopsy unit 60, the ultrasonic probe 70, and the moving mechanism 72 are connected via a bus 29 such as a system bus or a control bus so that various information can be exchanged between them.

[0043] The control unit 20 of this embodiment controls the overall operation of the mammography apparatus 10. The control unit 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 20A, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 20B, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 20C. The ROM 20B stores in advance various programs executed by the CPU 20A, such as an imaging processing program executed when controlling imaging and a display processing program 21. The RAM 20C temporarily stores various data.

[0044] The storage unit 22 stores radiographic images captured using the radiation detector 30, ultrasonic images captured using the ultrasonic probe 70, and various other information. Specific examples of the storage unit 22 include an HDD and an SSD.

[0045] The operation unit 26 is used by the user to input instructions and various information related to imaging and biopsy, etc. The operation unit 26 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include various switches, a touch panel, a touch pen, and a mouse.

[0046] The first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B are provided at different positions, and display an ultrasound image of the subject's breast acquired by the ultrasound probe. In this embodiment, the first display unit 27A is provided at a position of the arm unit 42 in front of the subject, as shown in FIG. 6, and the second display unit 27B is provided on a side of the arm unit 42. In this embodiment, the first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B are switched to display an ultrasound image depending on the rotation position of the arm unit 42 relative to the base 44. Note that the first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B may display other images such as radiation images other than ultrasound images. The second display unit 27B may be provided on one side of the arm unit 42 or on both sides of the arm unit 42. As an example, a direct-view electronic display is applied to the first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B. In addition, the space for providing the display unit 27 is limited, and in order for the user to check the ultrasound image without significantly moving their line of sight from the actual observation target (breast), it is considered particularly effective to provide the display unit 27 on the arm unit 42. However, in that case, depending on the rotation position of the arm unit 42, it may become very difficult to see, and even in such a case, it is preferable to be able to change the display position according to the rotation position as in this embodiment.

[0047] The I / F unit 24 communicates radiological images, ultrasound images, and various types of information with the console 12 via wireless or wired communication.

[0048] 5, the console 12 includes a control unit 50, a storage unit 52, an I / F unit 54, an operation unit 56, and a display unit 58. The control unit 50, the storage unit 52, the I / F unit 54, the operation unit 56, and the display unit 58 are connected via a bus 59 such as a system bus or a control bus so as to be able to transmit and receive various information to and from each other.

[0049] The control unit 50 of this embodiment controls the overall operation of the console 12. The control unit 50 includes a CPU 50A, a ROM 50B, and a RAM 50C. The ROM 50B stores in advance various programs executed by the CPU 50A, such as a biopsy processing program 51 executed when controlling a biopsy. The RAM 50C temporarily stores various data.

[0050] The storage unit 52 stores radiographic images, ultrasound images, and various other information captured by the mammography apparatus 10. Specific examples of the storage unit 52 include an HDD and an SSD.

[0051] The operation unit 56 is used by the user to input instructions and various information related to imaging and biopsy. The operation unit 56 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include various switches, a touch panel, a touch pen, and a mouse. The display unit 58 displays various information. The operation unit 56 and the display unit 58 may be integrated into a touch panel display.

[0052] The I / F unit 54 communicates radiological images, ultrasound images, and various information with the RIS 5, the mammography apparatus 10, and the image storage system 19 via wireless or wired communication.

[0053] However, in the mammography device 10 configured as described above, when checking the ultrasound image while checking the position of the ultrasound probe 70, depending on the position of the display unit 27 that displays the ultrasound image, the ultrasound image may be difficult to see when the arm unit 42 is rotated.

[0054] Therefore, in the mammography device 10 according to this embodiment, a plurality of display units (two display units, a first display unit 27A and a second display unit 27B, in this embodiment) 27 are provided at different positions. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the first display unit 27A is provided at a position of the arm unit 42 in front of the subject, and the second display unit 27B is provided on the side of the arm unit 42. Then, the display unit that displays the ultrasound image is controlled to be switched according to the rotation position of the arm unit 42. For example, in CC imaging (angle of the arm unit 42 is 0 degrees), as shown in Fig. 6, an ultrasound image is displayed on the first display unit 27A. Also, in MO imaging (angle of the arm unit 42 is 90 degrees), as shown in Fig. 7, an ultrasound image is displayed on the second display unit 27B. Also, in MLO imaging (angle of the arm unit 42 is 50 to 70 degrees), an ultrasound image is displayed on the second display unit 27B. In other words, when the rotational position of the arm section 42 is 50 degrees or more, the display unit 27B is switched to, and when the rotational position of the arm section 42 is greater than -50 degrees and less than 50 degrees, the display unit 27A is switched to. In other words, when a rotational angle of the arm section 42 equal to or greater than a preset threshold is detected, the display unit 27 is switched to display an ultrasound image, and among the multiple display units, a display unit 27 that is predetermined according to the rotational angle of the arm section 42 is switched to display the ultrasound image.

[0055] Next, specific processing performed by the control unit 20 of the mammography apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described. Figure 8 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the control unit 20 of the mammography apparatus 10 in the mammography system 2 according to this embodiment. The processing in Figure 8 is performed by the CPU 20A executing the display processing program 21, and starts, for example, when an instruction to capture an ultrasound image is given.

[0056] In step 100, the CPU 20A detects the rotational position of the arm unit 42, and the process proceeds to step 102. For example, the rotational position of the arm unit 42 is detected by a function of the radiation source moving unit 37 for detecting the rotational position of the arm unit 42.

[0057] In step 102, the CPU 20A judges whether the absolute value of the detected rotation angle of the arm unit 42 is an angle equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. For example, the judgment is made by judging whether the angle is equal to or greater than 50 degrees or equal to or less than -50 degrees of MLO imaging. If the judgment is negative, the process proceeds to step 104, and if the judgment is positive, the process proceeds to step 106.

[0058] In step 104, the CPU 20A switches the display of the ultrasound image to the first display unit 27A and ends the series of processes. That is, when the rotation angle of the arm unit 42 is CC imaging as shown in Fig. 6, the ultrasound image is displayed on the first display unit 27A, which is located in front of the subject on the arm unit 42. This allows an operator such as a doctor or technician to check the ultrasound image on the first display unit 27A at an easy-to-view position while checking the position of the ultrasound probe 70.

[0059] On the other hand, in step 106, the CPU 20A switches the display of the ultrasonic image to the second display unit 27B and ends the series of processes. That is, when the rotation angle of the arm unit 42 is MO imaging or MLO imaging as shown in FIG. 7, the ultrasonic image is displayed on the second display unit 27B provided on the side of the arm unit 42. This allows the operator to check the ultrasonic image on the second display unit 27B, which is located in a position that is easier to view than the first display unit 27A, while checking the position of the ultrasonic probe 70.

[0060] 8, the rotation angle of the arm unit 42 is detected and the display is switched to the first display unit 27A or the second display unit 27B, but the display may be switched between the first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B based on the contents of the imaging instruction. That is, in step 100, the imaging instruction corresponding to the rotation angle may be confirmed, and in step 102, it may be determined whether the imaging instruction is MO imaging or MLO imaging.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B are provided, but three or more display units may be provided. In this case, when switching between the multiple display units according to the rotational position of the arm unit 42, if there are multiple display units that the operator can view, the ultrasonic image may be preferentially switched to the display unit closer to the breast. For example, when observing the right breast N of a patient in the positional relationship of FIG. 9, the technician G stands on the right side of the patient K, so that the display unit 27A is closer to the breast position than the display unit 27B. Therefore, it is preferable to display the ultrasonic image on the display unit closer to the breast N, that is, the display unit 27A, because the technician G can check the ultrasonic image without moving his / her eyes much after checking the breast N that is the actual observation target. In addition, when observing the right breast N of the patient K in the positional relationship of FIG. 10, the technician G stands on the left side of the patient K, so that the display unit 27B is closer to the breast position than the display unit 27A. Therefore, among these, it is preferable to display the image closer to the breast N, i.e., on display unit 27B, because this allows technician G to check the ultrasound image without moving his / her eyes significantly after confirming the actual observation target, breast N.

[0062] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example of a direct-view type electronic display is described as an example of the first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B, but the first display unit 27A and the second display unit 27B may also be a projection type electronic display that displays a projected image from a projection unit.

[0063] 11, for example, a projection unit 80 that displays a projected image is provided near the radiation source 36R on the upper part of the arm unit 42, and a first reflecting surface 82 that serves as a projection surface is disposed in front of the subject. In this way, by projecting an ultrasound image from the projection unit 80 onto the first reflecting surface 82, it is possible to display the ultrasound image in the same position as the first display unit 27A.

[0064] 12, in which the arm section 42 is viewed from above, and FIG. 13, in which the arm section 42 is viewed from the front, an inclined surface 84 inclined toward the subject is provided on the side of the arm section 42, and a second reflecting surface 86 serving as a projection surface is disposed on the inclined surface 84. As a result, by projecting an ultrasound image from the projection section 80 onto the second reflecting surface 86, as shown in FIG. 14, the ultrasound image can be displayed at the same position as the second display section 27B. The second reflecting surface 86 may be provided on both sides of the arm section 42. Preferably, the first reflecting surface 82 and the second reflecting surface 86 are planar and have diffusely reflective surfaces (e.g., textured surfaces).

[0065] In addition, the switching between the first reflecting surface 82 and the second reflecting surface 86 may be performed, for example, by rotating a reflecting member 90 such as a rotatable optical mirror by driving a driving unit 91 including a motor or the like, as shown in FIG. 15 to switch the projection position.

[0066] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 16, an optical unit 92 may be provided that includes a plurality of reflective members 90A, 90B arranged so that each reflective member has a different reflection direction. The projection position may be changed by moving the optical unit 92 by driving a drive unit 94 including a motor or the like, as shown in FIG. 16, thereby switching the reflective members 90A, 90B that reflect the projected image.

[0067] Alternatively, the projection position may be switched by changing the angle and position of the reflecting member 90.

[0068] 17 , the projection unit 80, the first reflecting surface 82, and the second reflecting surface 86 may be provided at positions other than the arm unit 42. For example, as shown in FIG. 17 , the projection unit 80 may be provided on the floor below the base 44, the first reflecting surface 82 may be provided near the center of the base 44, and the second reflecting surface 86 may be provided near the upper part of the base 44, and the reflecting surface onto which the projection unit 80 projects may be switched depending on the rotational position of the arm unit 42.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 70 is moved by the moving mechanism 72, but the moving mechanism 72 may be omitted and the operator may manually operate the ultrasonic probe 70. The biopsy unit 60 may also be omitted. When the biopsy unit 60 is omitted, the opening 34B of the bottom 34A of the compression member 34 is also unnecessary, and the operator operates the ultrasonic probe 70 on the compression member 34 to obtain an ultrasonic image. When the opening 34B is omitted, it is desirable that the compression member 34 is formed of a material that easily propagates ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 70. For example, resins such as polymethylpentene, polycarbonate, acrylic, and polyethylene terephthalate can be used as the material of the compression member 34. In particular, polymethylpentene has low rigidity, excellent elasticity and flexibility, and has suitable values ​​for acoustic impedance that affects the reflectance of ultrasonic waves and attenuation coefficient that affects the attenuation of ultrasonic waves, and is therefore suitable as the material of the compression member 34. The material constituting the compression member 34 is not limited to the above. For example, the member constituting the compression member 34 may be a film-like member. Figure 18 shows an example of a mammography apparatus 11 in which the biopsy unit 60 and the moving mechanism 72 are omitted.

[0070] In the mammography device 11 shown in Figure 18, the operator checks the ultrasound image while operating the ultrasound probe 70, so by switching the display unit according to the rotational position of the arm portion 42, the operator can check the ultrasound image displayed in an easy-to-see position while operating the ultrasound probe 70.

[0071] In addition, the various processes performed by the CPU executing the software (program) in the above embodiment may be executed by a computer equipped with various processors other than the CPU. In this case, examples of the processor include a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, and a dedicated electric circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) which is a processor having a circuit configuration designed exclusively for executing a specific process. In addition, the various processes may be executed by one of these various processors, or may be executed by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, a plurality of FPGAs, a combination of a CPU and an FPGA, etc.). In addition, the hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electric circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0072] In the above embodiment, various programs such as the display processing program are prestored (installed) in the ROM 20B, but the present invention is not limited to this. The various programs may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The various programs may be downloaded from an external information processing device or the like via a network.

[0073] In addition, the configurations, operations, etc. of the mammography system 2, mammography apparatus 10, and console 12 described in the above embodiments are merely examples, and it goes without saying that they can be modified according to the circumstances within the scope of the gist of this disclosure.

[0074] The following supplementary notes are further disclosed regarding the above embodiment. (Appendix 1) a support unit that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates radiation at a plurality of imaging positions at which the radiation is incident on the breast of a subject at different angles; a plurality of display units provided at different positions to display ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe; at least one processor; A mammography device in which the processor performs processing to switch between the multiple display units to display the ultrasound image depending on the rotational position of the support unit.

[0075] (Appendix 2) A mammography device as described in Appendix 1, in which, when switching between the multiple display units in accordance with the rotational position, if there are multiple display units visible to the operator, the processor preferentially switches to the display unit closest to the breast to display the ultrasound image.

[0076] (Appendix 3) A mammography device as described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2, wherein the multiple display units are direct-view electronic displays.

[0077] (Appendix 4) A mammography apparatus as described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2, wherein the multiple display units are projection-type electronic displays that display projected images from a projection unit.

[0078] (Appendix 5) A mammography apparatus as described in Appendix 4, wherein a support stand supporting the support part has a reflective surface that functions as the projection-type electronic display.

[0079] (Appendix 6) The projection unit has a reflecting member, and the angle of the reflecting member and position At least one of 6. A mammography apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the projection position of the electronic display is switched by changing the

[0080] (Appendix 7) 7. A mammography apparatus as described in claim 6, comprising a plurality of the reflective members.

[0081] (Appendix 8) A detection unit that detects a rotation angle of the support unit is further provided, A mammography device as described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 7, wherein the processor unit switches the multiple display units to display the ultrasound image when the detection unit detects a rotation angle greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.

[0082] (Appendix 9) A detection unit that detects a rotation angle of the support unit is further provided, A mammography device as described in any one of Appendix 1 to Appendix 7, wherein the processor switches to a predetermined display unit among the multiple display units depending on the angle detected by the detection unit to display the ultrasound image.

[0083] (Appendix 10) The computer A display method for a mammography device that displays ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe at a plurality of shooting positions where the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different, depending on the rotational position of a support part that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates the radiation, and switches between a plurality of display parts provided at different positions to display the ultrasound images.

[0084] (Appendix 11) On the computer, A display program for a mammography device that causes a process to be executed in which ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe are displayed at a plurality of shooting positions where the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different, depending on the rotational position of a support part that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates the radiation, and the ultrasound images are displayed by switching between a plurality of display parts provided at different positions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 2 Mammography System 5.RIS 10, 11 Mammography equipment 12 Console 19 Image storage system 20, 50 Control unit 20A, 50A CPU 20B, 50B ROM 20C, 50C RAM 21 Display Processing Program 22, 52 storage section 24, 54 I / F section 26, 56 Operation section 27 Display section, 27A 1st display section, 27B 2nd display section 29, 59 Bus 30 Radiation detector, 30A detection surface 32 Compression member drive unit 34 compression plate, 34A bottom, 36B opening 36 Radiation irradiation section, 36R radiation source 37 Source moving part 40 Shooting table, 40A Shooting surface 42 Arm section 44 Foundation 45 Shaft 46 Compression Unit 51 Biopsy Processing Program 58 Display section 60 Biopsy Units 62 Placement mechanism 63 Needle Position Controller 64 Biopsy Needle Unit 66 Biopsy Needle 70 Ultrasound Probe 71 Acoustic matching body 72 Moving mechanism 72X, 72Y Moving rail 80 Projection section 82 1st reflection section 84 Slope 86 2nd reflection section 90, 90A, 90B Reflective material 91, 94 Drive unit 92 Optical Unit Engineer G K patient N Breast R Radiation φ Angle

Claims

1. a support unit that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates radiation at a plurality of imaging positions at which the radiation is incident on the breast of a subject at different angles; a plurality of display units provided at different positions to display ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe; At least one processor; A mammography device in which the processor performs processing to switch between the multiple display units to display the ultrasound image depending on the rotational position of the support unit.

2. The mammography device of claim 1, wherein when the processor switches between the multiple display units according to the rotational position, if there are multiple display units visible to the operator, the processor preferentially switches to the display unit closest to the breast and displays the ultrasound image.

3. The mammography apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of display units are direct-view electronic displays.

4. 2. The mammography apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of display units are projection-type electronic displays that display images projected from a projection unit.

5. 5. The mammography apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a support table supporting the support portion has a reflective surface that functions as the projection-type electronic display.

6. The mammography apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the projection unit has a reflecting member, and the projection position of the electronic display is switched by changing at least one of an angle and a position of the reflecting member.

7. The mammography apparatus according to claim 6 , comprising a plurality of said reflecting members.

8. A detection unit that detects a rotation angle of the support unit is further provided, The mammography apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor switches between the plurality of display units to display the ultrasound image when the detection unit detects a rotation angle equal to or greater than a preset threshold value.

9. A detection unit that detects a rotation angle of the support unit is further provided, The mammography apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor switches to a predetermined display unit among the plurality of display units depending on the angle detected by the detector to display the ultrasound image.

10. The computer A display method for a mammography device that displays ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe at a plurality of shooting positions where the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different, depending on the rotational position of a support part that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates the radiation, and switches between a plurality of display parts provided at different positions to display the ultrasound images.

11. On the computer, A display program for a mammography device that causes a process to be executed in which ultrasound images of the breast acquired by an ultrasound probe are displayed at a plurality of shooting positions where the angles of incidence of radiation on the subject's breast are different, depending on the rotational position of a support part that rotatably supports a radiation source that irradiates the radiation, and the ultrasound images are displayed by switching between a plurality of display parts provided at different positions.

Images