Information processing device, radiographic image capturing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing device, a radiographic image capturing system, an information processing method, and a program capable of assisting determination on whether a specific site of a subject is included in a radiation irradiation range.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes at least one processor. The processor recognizes a specific site of a subject from an optical image taken of the subject, derives a distance to the recognized specific site using a distance image taken of the subject, and derives a radiation irradiation range in a position in an irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an information processing device, a radiographic image capturing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] The following techniques are known for controlling the radiation irradiation range in a radiographic imaging device. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which whether or not a structure of a specific shape that has a lower radiation transmittance than a subject is present in the imaging area of ​​the radiographic imaging device is identified based on the specific shape, and if a structure is present, control is performed so that the imaging area is an area excluding the structure.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes an X-ray pre-exposure control device including a subject detection unit, a subject model unit, an interface unit, a processing unit, and a display unit. The subject detection unit detects subject data of a subject to be exposed. The subject model unit provides a subject model and refines the subject model based on the subject data to create a refined subject model. The interface unit provides setting data of an X-ray unit to be used to expose the subject. The processing unit calculates a virtual X-ray projection image based on the refined subject model and the provided setting data. The display unit displays the virtual X-ray projection image. The setting data are collimation parameters of the X-ray unit to be used to expose a partial region of the subject. The subject detection unit detects the positions of anatomical landmarks on the subject and detects the orientation of the subject based on the positions of the anatomical landmarks. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-191403 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2017-534401 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When capturing a radiographic image of a subject, the radiation irradiation range may be adjusted so as not to irradiate a specific part of the subject. For example, in a swallowing contrast examination using a radiographic imaging device, the radiation irradiation range is adjusted so as not to irradiate the subject's eyeballs.

[0006] In adjusting the radiation irradiation range, for example, collimated light for indicating the radiation irradiation range is irradiated onto the subject, and the radiation irradiation range is confirmed. However, if the irradiation range of the collimated light includes irregular parts of the subject (e.g., the nose and mouth), the edge position of the collimated light becomes unclear, and as a result, it becomes difficult to determine whether a specific part of the subject that should not be irradiated with radiation is included in the radiation irradiation range.

[0007] The disclosed technology has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to assist in determining whether a specific part of a subject is included in the radiation irradiation range. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The information processing device according to the disclosed technology includes at least one processor that recognizes a specific part of a subject from an optical image of the subject, derives a distance to the specific part using a range image of the subject, and derives a radiation irradiation range at a position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance.

[0009] The processor may display information indicating the derived irradiation range on the display screen superimposed on the optical image. The processor may display the optical image and the radiographic image side by side. The processor may issue an alert when the recognized specific part is included in the derived irradiation range.

[0010] When the recognized specific region is included in the derived irradiation range, the processor may, in response to a command, control the irradiation range of the radiation so that the recognized specific region is not included in the irradiation range of the radiation. The processor may control the irradiation range of the radiation by controlling the opening size of an opening of a collimator that forms an opening through which the radiation passes. The specific region may be the subject's eyeball.

[0011] A radiographic image capturing system according to the disclosed technique includes the information processing device described above, an optical camera that generates an optical image, a distance sensor that generates a distance image, and a radiation source unit that emits radiation.

[0012] The optical camera may be arranged outside the irradiation range of the radiation emitted from the radiation source. The optical camera may be arranged closer to the irradiation axis of the radiation emitted from the radiation source than the distance sensor. The distance sensor may be a ToF camera or a stereo camera.

[0013] The information processing method of the disclosed technology is such that at least one processor provided in the information processing device performs a process of recognizing a specific part of a subject from an optical image of the subject, deriving the distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image of the subject, and deriving the radiation irradiation range at a position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance.

[0014] The program related to the disclosed technology is a program for causing at least one processor provided in an information processing device to execute a process of recognizing a specific part of a subject from an optical image of the subject, deriving the distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image of the subject, and deriving the radiation irradiation range at a position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The disclosed technology makes it possible to assist in determining whether a specific part of a subject is included in the radiation irradiation range. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a radiographic image capturing system according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a radiographic image capturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique. [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the irradiation range of radiation and the imaging range of an optical camera according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique. [Figure 4A] 1 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between an optical camera and a distance sensor according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 4B] 1 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between an optical camera and a distance sensor according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a method for deriving a radiation irradiation range according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a display form of information indicating a radiation irradiation range according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the irradiation range of radiation and the imaging range of an optical camera. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a CPU of an information processing device executing a processing program according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device according to another embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a CPU of an information processing device according to another embodiment of the disclosed technology executing a processing program. [Figure 13]FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device according to another embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a configuration of a collimator according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by executing a processing program according to another embodiment of the disclosed technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the disclosed technology will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0018] [First embodiment] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a radiographic image capturing system 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technique. The radiographic image capturing system 1 includes an information processing device 10, a radiographic image capturing device 20, an optical camera 30, and a distance sensor 40.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a radiological image capturing device 20. The radiological image capturing device 20 is capable of capturing radiological images using radiation such as X-rays. The radiological image capturing device 20 has an imaging table 21. The imaging table 21 is supported on the floor by a stand 22. A radiation source unit 24 is attached to the imaging table 21 via a support 23. The radiation source unit 24 is configured to include a radiation source 25 and a collimator 26. A radiation detector 27 is built into the imaging table 21.

[0020] The radiation source 25 has a radiation tube (not shown) that emits radiation. The collimator 26 limits the irradiation range of the radiation emitted from the radiation tube. The radiation detector 27 has a plurality of pixels that generate signal charges according to the radiation that has passed through the subject P. The radiation detector 27 is called an FPD (Flat Panel Detector).

[0021] The radiation source unit 24, together with the support column 23, can be moved back and forth along the long side of the imaging table 21 by a moving mechanism such as a motor (not shown). The radiation detector 27 can be moved back and forth along the long side of the imaging table 21 in conjunction with the movement of the radiation source unit 24. The imaging table 21 and the support column 23 can be rotated between an upright position shown in FIG. 2 and a lying position (not shown) by a rotating mechanism such as a motor (not shown). In the lying position, the surface of the imaging table 21 is parallel to the floor, and the extension direction of the support column 23 is perpendicular to the floor. On the other hand, in the upright position, the surface of the imaging table 21 is perpendicular to the floor, and the extension direction of the support column 23 is parallel to the floor. In the upright position, fluoroscopic imaging can be performed on a subject P sitting in a wheelchair 50, as shown in FIG. 2. In the following explanation, an example will be described in which radiation is irradiated from the side of the subject P to capture a radiographic image (LR imaging), as shown in FIG. 2. The direction of the radiation irradiation axis is the Y direction, the vertical direction is the Z direction, and the front-to-back direction of the subject P is the X direction.

[0022] The optical camera 30 is an imaging device capable of generating an optical image (RGB image). The optical camera 30 captures an optical image of the subject P. The optical camera 30 is attached to the radiation source unit 24. While FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the optical camera 30 is attached to the housing of the collimator 26, the optical camera 30 may also be attached to the housing of the radiation source 25.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows the irradiation range R of the radiation emitted from the radiation tube 28. a and the photographing range R of the optical camera 30. b In order to prevent the optical camera 30 from appearing in the radiation image, the optical camera 30 is configured to project radiation within a radiation irradiation range R a Therefore, the optical axis of the optical camera 30 and the irradiation axis of the radiation are parallel to each other but do not coincide with each other. a The entire image is captured by the optical camera 30 within the range R b is included in.

[0024] The distance sensor 40 is a device capable of generating a distance image that indicates the distance to the surface of an object. The distance sensor 40 captures a distance image of the subject P. The distance sensor 40 may be, for example, a ToF (Time of Flight) camera that generates a distance image using infrared light. Alternatively, the distance sensor 40 may be a stereo camera that generates a distance image based on the principle of triangulation using two cameras. The distance sensor 40 is attached to the radiation source unit 24, similar to the optical camera 30. While FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the distance sensor 40 is attached to the housing of the collimator 26, the distance sensor 40 may also be attached to the housing of the radiation source 25.

[0025] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the positional relationship between the optical camera 30 and the distance sensor 40. FIG. 4A shows a case where the distance sensor 40 is a ToF camera, and FIG. 4B shows a case where the distance sensor 40 is a stereo camera. The optical camera 30 is disposed at a position closer to the irradiation axis AX of the radiation emitted from the radiation tube 28 than the distance sensor. When the distance sensor 40 is a stereo camera having two cameras 41 and 42, the optical camera 30 may be disposed between the two cameras 41 and 42 constituting the distance sensor 40, as shown in FIG. 4B. It is preferable that the optical axis of the optical camera 30 and the irradiation axis AX of the radiation coincide in the Z direction (vertical direction).

[0026] The information processing device 10 has a function of deriving the radiation irradiation range at a position on the irradiation axis where a specific part of the subject P is located, based on the optical image of the subject P output from the optical camera 30 and the distance image of the subject P output from the distance sensor 40. The "specific part" is a part of the body of the subject P that has been predetermined as a part to which radiation irradiation should be avoided. In the following, an example will be described in which the specific part to which radiation irradiation should be avoided is the eyeball.

[0027] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 102, a non-volatile memory 103, an input device 104 including a keyboard and a mouse, a display 105, and a communication interface 106. These pieces of hardware are connected to a bus 108.

[0028] The display 105 may be a touch panel display. The communication interface 106 is an interface through which the information processing device 10 communicates with the optical camera 30, the distance sensor 40, and the radiographic image capturing device 20. The communication method may be either wired or wireless. For wireless communication, a method conforming to existing wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be applied.

[0029] The nonvolatile memory 103 is a nonvolatile storage medium such as a hard disk or flash memory. A processing program 110 is stored in the nonvolatile memory 103. The RAM 102 is a work memory for the CPU 101 to execute processing. The CPU 101 loads the processing program 110 stored in the nonvolatile memory 103 into the RAM 102 and executes processing in accordance with the processing program 110. The CPU 101 is an example of a "processor" in the disclosed technology.

[0030] 6 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of information processing device 10. Information processing device 10 has optical image acquisition unit 11, distance image acquisition unit 12, specific part recognition unit 13, distance derivation unit 14, irradiation range derivation unit 15, and display processing unit 16. When CPU 101 executes processing program 110, information processing device 10 functions as optical image acquisition unit 11, distance image acquisition unit 12, specific part recognition unit 13, distance derivation unit 14, irradiation range derivation unit 15, and display processing unit 16.

[0031] The optical image acquisition unit 11 acquires an optical image of the subject P output from the optical camera 30. The distance image acquisition unit 12 acquires a distance image of the subject P output from the distance sensor .

[0032] The specific part recognition unit 13 recognizes the eyeballs, which are specific parts of the body of the subject P that should be avoided from being exposed to radiation, from the optical images acquired by the optical image acquisition unit 11. The specific part recognition unit 13 recognizes the specific parts (eyeballs) from the optical images by using a classifier constructed by machine learning using optical images with correct answer information about the specific parts as training data.

[0033] The distance derivation unit 14 uses the distance image acquired by the distance image acquisition unit 12 to derive the distance to the specific part (eyeball) recognized by the specific part recognition unit 13. More specifically, the distance derivation unit 14 converts the coordinate position on the optical image where the specific part (eyeball) recognized by the specific part recognition unit 13 exists into a coordinate position on the distance image. This coordinate conversion can be performed by geometric calculation based on the installation positions of the optical camera 30 and the distance sensor 40. The distance derivation unit 14 derives the distance to the specific part (eyeball) from the pixel value at the coordinate position on the distance image where the specific part (eyeball) exists.

[0034] The irradiation range deriving unit 15 derives the irradiation range of radiation at a position in the irradiation axis direction (Y direction) corresponding to the distance to the specific site (eyeball) derived by the distance deriving unit 14. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method for deriving the irradiation range of radiation. The radiation emitted from the radiation tube 28 is limited to the range of an opening 60 of a collimator disposed in front of the radiation tube 28. The dimensions a and b of the opening 60 and the distance c from the radiation tube 28 to the opening 60 are known. The distance D from the radiation tube 28 to the specific site (eyeball) of the subject P can be obtained by correcting the distance to the eyeball derived by the distance deriving unit 14 in accordance with the positional relationship between the distance sensor 40 and the radiation tube 28. The irradiation range deriving unit 15 derives the irradiation range of radiation at a position in the irradiation axis direction (Y direction) corresponding to the distance to the eyeball by calculating W expressed by the following equation (1) and T expressed by the following equation (2). That is, the irradiation range deriving unit 15 derives a rectangular area having a length W in the X direction and a length T in the Z direction, centered on the irradiation axis AX of the radiation, as the irradiation range of the radiation at the eyeball position of the subject P. W = a × D / c (1) T = b × D / c (2)

[0035] The display processing unit 16 displays information indicating the radiation irradiation range derived by the irradiation range derivation unit 15 on the display screen of the display 105, superimposed on the optical image of the subject P acquired by the optical image acquisition unit 11. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the display form of information indicating the radiation irradiation range displayed on the display screen 200. The display screen 200 may be a screen of a console installed outside the imaging room, or a display screen of a monitor cart placed inside the imaging room.

[0036] The display processing unit 16 displays a bounding box 211 as information indicating the radiation irradiation range derived by the irradiation range derivation unit 15 (i.e., the radiation irradiation range at a position in the irradiation axis direction (Y direction) corresponding to the distance to the eyeball), superimposed on the optical image 210 of the subject P acquired by the optical image acquisition unit 11. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the display processing unit 16 may display a radiographic image 220 of the subject P and the optical image 210 side by side. The radiographic image 220 may be a fluoroscopic image (video) acquired by fluoroscopic imaging using the radiographic imaging device 20. The optical image 210 and the radiographic image 220 are displayed on the display screen 200 in real time.

[0037] 9 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the irradiation range of the radiation emitted from the radiation tube 28 and the imaging range of the optical camera 30. As described above, the optical axis of the optical camera 30 and the irradiation axis of the radiation do not coincide with each other, so the position and size of the irradiation range of the radiation within the imaging range of the optical camera 30 change depending on the distance from the radiation tube 28. That is, the irradiation range R of the radiation at a position at a distance D1 from the radiation tube 28 is a1 The photographing range R of the optical camera 30 at the same position b1 and the radiation irradiation range R at a position at a distance D2 from the radiation tube 28. a2 The photographing range R of the optical camera 30 at the same position b2 The positions and sizes within the regions will be different from each other.

[0038] Taking the above points into consideration, when the display processing unit 16 displays the bounding box 211 superimposed on the optical image 210, the display processing unit 16 derives the position and size of the bounding box 211 in the optical image 210 based on the distance (distance D from the X-ray tube 28 to the eyeball of the subject P) derived by the distance derivation unit 14. The position and size of the bounding box 211 in the optical image 210 can be derived by performing geometric calculations that take into account the positional relationship between the X-ray tube 28 and the optical camera 30.

[0039] By checking the display screen 200 shown in FIG. 8, the person taking the radiographic image can ascertain whether or not a specific part (eyeball) of the subject P is included in the radiation irradiation range.

[0040] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing carried out by the CPU 101 executing the processing program 110.

[0041] In step S1 , the optical image acquisition unit 11 acquires an optical image of the subject P output from the optical camera 30 .

[0042] In step S2, the distance image acquisition unit 12 acquires a distance image of the subject P output from the distance sensor 40.

[0043] In step S3, the specific part recognition unit 13 recognizes the eyeballs, which are specific parts of the body of the subject P that should be avoided from being irradiated with radiation, from the optical image acquired in step S1.

[0044] In step S4, the distance derivation unit 14 uses the distance image acquired in step S2 to derive the distance to the specific part (eyeball) recognized in step S3.

[0045] In step S5, the irradiation range deriving unit 15 derives the irradiation range of the radiation at the position in the irradiation axis direction (Y direction) corresponding to the distance to the specific site (eyeball) derived in step S4.

[0046] In step S6, the display processing unit 16 displays the information indicating the radiation irradiation range derived in step S5 on the display screen of the display 105, superimposed on the optical image of the subject P acquired in step S1.

[0047] As described above, the information processing device 10 according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology recognizes a specific part of a subject from an optical image of the subject, derives the distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image of the subject, derives the radiation irradiation range at a position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance, and displays information indicating the derived irradiation range on the display screen, superimposed on the optical image.

[0048] When capturing a radiographic image of a subject, the radiation irradiation range may be adjusted so as not to irradiate a specific part of the subject. For example, in a swallowing contrast examination using a radiographic imaging device, the radiation irradiation range is adjusted so as not to irradiate the subject's eyeballs.

[0049] In adjusting the radiation irradiation range, for example, collimated light for indicating the radiation irradiation range is irradiated onto the subject, and the radiation irradiation range is confirmed. However, if the irradiation range of the collimated light includes an uneven part of the subject (for example, the nose and mouth), the edge position of the collimated light becomes unclear, and as a result, it becomes difficult to determine whether a specific part of the subject that should not be irradiated is included in the radiation irradiation range.

[0050] According to the information processing device 10 of the embodiment of the disclosed technology, the radiation irradiation range at a position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the distance to a specific part of the subject can be derived regardless of the presence or absence of unevenness, making it easy to determine whether the specific part is included in the radiation irradiation range. In other words, according to the information processing device 10 of the embodiment of the disclosed technology, it is possible to assist in determining whether the specific part is included in the radiation irradiation range.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, by positioning the optical camera 30 closer to the radiation irradiation axis AX than the distance sensor 40, the parallax between the optical image and the radiation image can be reduced, making it easier to align information indicating the radiation irradiation range when superimposing it on the optical image.

[0052] [Second embodiment] 11 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device 10 according to a second embodiment of the disclosed technology. The information processing device 10 according to the second embodiment differs from the information processing device 10 according to the first embodiment described above in that it further includes a determination unit 17.

[0053] The determination unit 17 determines whether or not the eyeball of the subject P, which is the specific part recognized by the specific part recognition unit 13, is included in the radiation irradiation range derived by the irradiation range derivation unit 15. When the determination unit 17 determines that the eyeball of the subject P is included in the radiation irradiation range, it issues an alert. The alert may be issued, for example, by displaying on the display 105, outputting a sound, illuminating a lamp, or the like.

[0054] 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the CPU 101 of the information processing device 10 according to the second embodiment by executing the processing program 110. Note that the processing from step S1 to step S6 is the same as the processing according to the first embodiment described above, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0055] In step S7, the determination unit 17 determines whether the specific part (eyeball) recognized in step S3 is included in the radiation irradiation range derived in step S5. If it is determined that the specific part (eyeball) is included in the radiation irradiation range, the process proceeds to step S8, and if it is determined that the specific part (eyeball) is not included in the radiation irradiation range, this routine ends.

[0056] In step S8, the determination unit 17 issues an alert to notify that a specific part (eyeball) is included in the radiation irradiation range.

[0057] According to the information processing device 10 of the second embodiment, an alert is issued when a specific part (eyeball) of the subject P is included in the radiation irradiation range, thereby making it possible to reduce the risk of radiation being irradiated to the specific part (eyeball).

[0058] [Third embodiment] 13 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device 10 according to a third embodiment of the disclosed technology. The information processing device 10 according to the third embodiment differs from the information processing device 10 according to the second embodiment described above in that it further includes an irradiation range control unit 18.

[0059] When the eyeball of subject P, which is the specific part recognized by specific part recognition unit 13, is included in the radiation irradiation range derived by irradiation range derivation unit 15, irradiation range control unit 18 controls the radiation irradiation range in response to a command so that the specific part (eyeball) is not included in the radiation irradiation range. Irradiation range control unit 18 controls the radiation irradiation range by controlling the opening amount of the opening of collimator 26, which forms an opening through which radiation passes.

[0060] 14 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the collimator 26. The collimator 26 has four blades 61A, 61B, 61C, and 61D. The blades 61A to 61D are plate-like members made of a radiation-shielding material such as lead or tungsten. The blades are arranged such that one side of the blade 61A faces one side of the blade 61B, and one side of the blade 61C faces one side of the blade 61D. An opening 60 that is rectangular in plan view is formed in the area surrounded by the blades 61A to 61D. Radiation emitted from the radiation tube 28 passes through the opening 60 and is irradiated onto the subject P.

[0061] Each of the blades 61A to 61D can be moved by a linear motion mechanism (not shown) including a motor, a rack, and a pinion. When the radiation source unit 24 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the blades 61A and 61B can be moved in the Z direction, and the blades 61C and 61D can be moved in the X direction. The irradiation area control unit 18 controls the opening amount of the opening 60 by moving the blades 61A to 61D so that the specific site (eyeball) is not included in the irradiation area of ​​the radiation. The movement amount of the blades 61A to 61D to prevent the specific site (eyeball) from being included in the irradiation area of ​​the radiation can be derived from the positional relationship (distance) between the irradiation area of ​​the radiation derived by the irradiation area derivation unit 15 and the specific site (eyeball) recognized by the specific site recognition unit 13.

[0062] 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the CPU 101 of the information processing device 10 according to the third embodiment by executing the processing program 110. Note that the processing from step S1 to step S8 is the same as the processing according to the second embodiment described above, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0063] In step S9, the irradiation range control unit 18 determines whether or not there is a control command to control the radiation irradiation range. The control command for the radiation irradiation range is input to the information processing device 10, for example, by the user operating the input device 104. If it is determined that there is a control command, the process proceeds to step S10, and if it is determined that there is no control command, this routine ends.

[0064] In step S10, the irradiation area control unit 18 controls the irradiation area of ​​the radiation so that the specific part (eyeball) recognized in step S2 is not included in the irradiation area of ​​the radiation. The irradiation area control unit 18 controls the opening amount of the opening 60 of the collimator 26 to control the irradiation area of ​​the radiation.

[0065] According to the information processing device 10 of the third embodiment, when a specific part of the subject P is included in the radiation irradiation range, the radiation irradiation range is controlled so that the part is not included in the radiation irradiation range, thereby reducing the workload involved in adjusting the irradiation range to avoid irradiating the specific part with radiation.

[0066] In the above description, the "specific region" is an eyeball, but the disclosed technology is not limited to this. For example, the "specific region" may be a region to which radiation exposure should be avoided, such as the subject's gonads or the photographer's hands. The disclosed technology can also be applied to a region other than the eyeball as the "specific region." Furthermore, the disclosed technology is not limited to swallowing contrast examinations, but can be applied to any examination using a radiographic imaging device.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above explanation, an example has been given in which the specific part recognition unit 13 recognizes a specific part from an optical image by using a classifier constructed by machine learning, but the specific part may be recognized directly using the results learned from the optical image, or may be recognized secondarily by taking into account anatomical geometric relationships from parts that are easy to extract directly, such as joints.

[0068] In each of the above embodiments, the following various processors can be used as the hardware structure of processing units that perform various processes, such as the optical image acquisition unit 11, distance image acquisition unit 12, specific part recognition unit 13, distance derivation unit 14, irradiation range derivation unit 15, display processing unit 16, determination unit 17, and irradiation range control unit 18. As described above, the various processors include CPUs and GPUs, which are general-purpose processors that execute software (programs) and function as various processing units, as well as dedicated electrical circuits, such as programmable logic devices (PLDs) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, such as FPGAs, and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), which are processors with a circuit configuration designed specifically to perform specific processes.

[0069] A single processing unit may be configured with one of these various processors, or may be configured with a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, a combination of multiple FPGAs, or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). Also, multiple processing units may be configured with a single processor.

[0070] Examples of configuring multiple processing units with a single processor include, first, a form in which one processor is configured with a combination of one or more CPUs and software, and this processor functions as multiple processing units, as typified by computers such as client and server. Second, a form in which a processor is used to realize the functions of the entire system including multiple processing units with a single IC (Integrated Circuit) chip, as typified by systems on chips (SoCs). In this way, various processing units are configured using one or more of the above-mentioned various processors as a hardware structure.

[0071] Furthermore, more specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors can be an electric circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the processing program 110 is pre-stored (installed) in the non-volatile memory 103, but the present invention is not limited to this. The processing program 110 may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The processing program 110 may also be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0073] The following additional notes are further disclosed regarding the first to third embodiments described above. (Appendix 1) An information processing device having at least one processor, The processor: Recognizing a specific part of the subject from an optical image of the subject; deriving a distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image obtained by photographing the subject; The irradiation range of the radiation at the position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance is derived. Information processing device.

[0074] (Appendix 2) The processor: The information indicating the derived irradiation range is displayed on the display screen superimposed on the optical image. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1.

[0075] (Appendix 3) The processor causes the optical image and the radiographic image to be displayed side by side. 10. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

[0076] (Appendix 4) The processor issues an alert when the recognized specific part is included in the derived irradiation range. 4. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

[0077] (Appendix 5) When the recognized specific part is included in the derived irradiation range, the processor controls the irradiation range of the radiation in response to a command so that the recognized specific part is not included in the irradiation range of the radiation. 5. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

[0078] (Appendix 6) The processor controls the irradiation range of the radiation by controlling the opening amount of the opening of a collimator that forms an opening through which the radiation passes. 6. The information processing device according to claim 5.

[0079] (Appendix 7) The specific site is the subject's eyeball. 7. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

[0080] (Appendix 8) An information processing device according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 7; an optical camera for generating the optical image; a distance sensor for generating the distance image; a radiation source unit that emits radiation; A radiation imaging system including:

[0081] (Appendix 9) The optical camera is disposed outside the irradiation range of the radiation emitted from the radiation source unit. 9. A radiation imaging system according to claim 8.

[0082] (Appendix 10) The optical camera is disposed at a position closer to the irradiation axis of the radiation emitted from the radiation source than the distance sensor. 10. A radiation imaging system according to claim 8 or 9.

[0083] (Appendix 11) The distance sensor is a ToF camera or a stereo camera. 11. A radiographic imaging system according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

[0084] (Appendix 12) Recognizing a specific part of the subject from an optical image of the subject; deriving a distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image obtained by photographing the subject; The irradiation range of the radiation at the position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance is derived. An information processing method in which processing is executed by at least one processor included in an information processing device.

[0085] (Appendix 13) Recognizing a specific part of the subject from an optical image of the subject; deriving a distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image obtained by photographing the subject; The irradiation range of the radiation at the position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance is derived. A program for causing at least one processor included in an information processing device to execute a process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1. Radiography system 10. Information processing equipment 11 Optical image acquisition unit 12 Range image acquisition unit 13 Specific part recognition unit 14 Distance derivation part 15 Irradiation range derivation part 16 Display processing section 17 Judgment section 18 Irradiation range control unit 20 Radiation imaging device 21 Camera stand 22 Stand 23 Pillar 24 Source section 25 Radiation source 26 Collimator 27 Radiation detector 28 Radiation tube 30 Optical Camera 40 Distance Sensor 41, 42 Camera 50 Wheelchair 60 Opening 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D blades 101 CPU 102 RAM 103 Non-volatile memory 104 Input Device 105 Display 106 Communication Interface 108 Bus 110 Processing Program 200 display screen 210 Optical Images 211 Bounding Box 220 Radiological Images

Claims

1. An information processing device including at least one processor, The processor: Recognizing a specific part of the subject from an optical image of the subject; deriving a distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image obtained by photographing the subject; The irradiation range of the radiation at the position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance is derived. Information processing device.

2. The processor: The information indicating the derived irradiation range is displayed on the display screen superimposed on the optical image. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The processor causes the optical image and the radiographic image to be displayed side by side. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. The processor issues an alert when the recognized specific part is included in the derived irradiation range. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. When the recognized specific part is included in the derived irradiation range, the processor controls the irradiation range of the radiation in response to a command so that the recognized specific part is not included in the irradiation range of the radiation. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. The processor controls the irradiation range of the radiation by controlling the opening amount of the opening of the collimator that forms an opening through which the radiation passes. The information processing device according to claim 5 .

7. The specific site is the subject's eyeball. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

8. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; an optical camera for generating the optical image; a distance sensor for generating the distance image; a radiation source unit that emits radiation; A radiation imaging system including:

9. The optical camera is disposed outside the irradiation range of the radiation emitted from the radiation source unit. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 8 .

10. The optical camera is disposed at a position closer to the irradiation axis of the radiation emitted from the radiation source than the distance sensor. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 8 .

11. The distance sensor is a ToF camera or a stereo camera. The radiation image capturing system according to claim 8 .

12. Recognizing a specific part of the subject from an optical image of the subject; deriving a distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image obtained by photographing the subject; The irradiation range of the radiation at the position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance is derived. An information processing method in which processing is executed by at least one processor included in an information processing device.

13. Recognizing a specific part of the subject from an optical image of the subject; deriving a distance to the recognized specific part using a distance image obtained by photographing the subject; The irradiation range of the radiation at the position in the irradiation axis direction corresponding to the derived distance is derived. A program for causing at least one processor included in an information processing device to execute a process.

Images