Imaging control apparatus and imaging control method

Abstract

To provide an imaging control device and an imaging control method capable of setting appropriate imaging conditions in radiation dynamic imaging.SOLUTION: An imaging control apparatus that controls dynamic imaging of a subject by irradiating the subject with radiation, the imaging control apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the subject; and a control unit configured to control a dose of radiation to be irradiated to the subject, wherein the control unit lowers the dose of radiation below a set value based on the information on the subject.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging control device and an imaging control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in dynamic radiography in a radiation imaging system, radiography conditions are set to obtain images of appropriate image quality. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration for determining radiography conditions to achieve a target image quality determined based on order information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-106710 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, even if imaging conditions for obtaining an image of appropriate quality are set, the imaging conditions may not be appropriate depending on the subject or the imaging region of the subject. Therefore, the configuration described in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of setting appropriate imaging conditions.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging control device and an imaging control method that are capable of setting appropriate imaging conditions in dynamic radiography. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The imaging control device according to the present invention comprises: An imaging control device that controls dynamic imaging of a subject by irradiating the subject with radiation, an acquisition unit that acquires information about the subject; a control unit that controls a dose of radiation irradiated to the subject; Equipped with The control unit reduces the radiation dose below a set value based on information about the subject.

[0007] The shooting control method according to the present invention comprises: 1. An imaging control method for controlling dynamic imaging of a subject by irradiating the subject with radiation, comprising: obtaining information about the subject; controlling a dose of radiation irradiated to the subject; and Controlling the dose includes reducing the dose of radiation below a set value based on information about the subject. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, appropriate imaging conditions can be set in dynamic radiography. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a radiography system including an imaging support device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a main part of a radiography control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a table associating an imaging region with each control parameter. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a process performed by the radiation imaging control device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table associating age ranges with control parameters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a radiography system including an imaging support device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] A radiation imaging system is configured by a radiation imaging device 20 installed in an imaging room and a radiation imaging control device (console) 10 installed in an operation room. The radiation imaging system is installed in a predetermined facility (for example, a medical facility such as a hospital). The radiation imaging control device 10 corresponds to the "imaging control device" of the present invention.

[0012] Furthermore, external systems are connected via a communication network to the radiation imaging control device 10. The external systems include a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) 31, a hospital information system (HIS) 32, and a radiology information system (RIS) 33.

[0013] The PACS 31 manages image data captured by the radiation imaging device 20. The HIS 32 and the RIS 33 receive order information related to radiation imaging of a subject from, for example, a doctor, and transmit the received order information to the radiation imaging control device 10. The order information includes various information such as the subject's ID, imaging region, imaging direction, and physique.

[0014] Furthermore, the radiation imaging control device 10 may be connected to an external diagnostic console 34 via a communication network.

[0015] The diagnostic console 34 acquires image data (dynamic images) from the radiation imaging control device 10, analyzes the acquired image data, and generates images and various data as analysis results. The diagnostic console 34 then displays the generated analysis results and provides information to assist the doctor in making a diagnosis.

[0016] In the communication network including the radiography system, PACS 31, HIS 32, RIS 33, and diagnostic console 34, information is transmitted and received according to, for example, the DICOM (Digital Image and Communications in Medicine) standard.

[0017] The radiographic imaging device 20 is an apparatus capable of capturing dynamic images made up of a plurality of frame images, and includes a generator 21, an exposure switch 22, a radiation source 23, and an imaging unit 24. Based on the operation of the exposure switch 22, the generator 21 applies a voltage according to preset imaging conditions to the radiation source 23, which includes, for example, a tube. When a voltage is applied from the generator 21, the radiation source 23 generates radiation (e.g., X-rays) at a dose according to the applied voltage.

[0018] The generator 21 and the radiation source 23 generate radiation in a manner corresponding to the type of radiographic image (for example, a still image or a moving image). Specifically, in the case of a still image, the generator 21 and the radiation source 23 irradiate radiation once per pressing of the exposure switch 22. In the case of a moving image, for example, the generator 21 and the radiation source 23 irradiate pulsed radiation multiple times per predetermined time per pressing of the exposure switch 22.

[0019] The imaging unit 24 generates digital image data showing the imaging region of the subject. The imaging unit 24 may be, for example, a portable FPD.

[0020] In addition to this configuration, the radiation imaging apparatus 20 has a display device 25. The display device 25 serves as an output device for outputting guidance for guiding the movement of the subject when capturing a radiation image.

[0021] The radiography device 20 is a device that controls dynamic radiography of a subject by irradiating the subject with radiation, and is connected to the radiography control device 10 via a communication cable. The radiography control device 10 controls the radiography operation of the radiography device 20 by controlling the generator 21. The radiography control device 10 also performs image analysis of the radiographic images obtained by the imaging unit 24. The radiography device 20 may be installed in an imaging room, or may be configured to be mobile by being incorporated into a medical cart or the like.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of the radiation imaging control device 10 according to this embodiment.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the radiography control device 10 is also called a console (radiography console) and is configured, for example, by a personal computer. The radiography control device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. In the radiography control device 10, the CPU reads a program corresponding to the processing content from the ROM and loads it into the RAM. The radiography control device 10 then cooperates with the loaded program to centrally control the operation of each unit. The radiography control device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, a storage unit 14, a control unit 15, etc.

[0024] The communication unit 11 acquires order information input to an external system such as the HIS 32 or the RIS 33, and inputs the order information to the display unit 12. The display unit 12 is, for example, a display device of the radiation imaging control device 10, and displays the order information on a screen.

[0025] The operation unit 13 is a user interface in the radiation imaging control device 10. A user (e.g., a radiologist) controls and operates the radiation imaging device 20 based on the displayed order information via the operation unit 13. The radiation imaging control device 10 may also have a function to automatically control the radiation imaging device 20 based on the order information.

[0026] The storage unit 14 is configured with a non-volatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, etc. The storage unit 14 stores various programs executed by the control unit 15, parameters required for executing processes by the programs, data such as processing results, etc. The various programs are stored in the form of readable program code. The control unit 15 sequentially executes operations in accordance with the program code.

[0027] The storage unit 14 may also store a table in which the settings of the radiation imaging apparatus 20 are associated with each imaging region. For example, the table shown in Fig. 3 shows shoulder joints, lateral elbow joints, lateral hip joints, and lateral lumbar vertebrae as imaging regions. The table also associates each imaging region with values ​​of the distance from the focus of the radiation source to the detector (SID), frame rate, imaging time, tube voltage, tube current, and pulse time.

[0028] The control unit 15 sequentially executes operations in accordance with the above program code to control each block of the radiation imaging control device 10. The control unit 15 also acquires information about the subject and controls the radiation dose irradiated to the subject. Specifically, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging device 20 to reduce the radiation dose below a set value based on the age information of the subject when performing dynamic imaging by irradiating the subject with radiation.

[0029] The radiation dose may be controlled by adjusting at least one of the tube current time product (mAs value), which is the product of the tube current and the pulse time, the frame rate of dynamic images, and the like.

[0030] For example, when the age of the subject is within an age range that includes childhood, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging apparatus 20 to reduce the radiation dose below a set value. The age range that includes childhood may be, for example, under 15 years old (under a first predetermined age).

[0031] For example, the pulse time setting value for the shoulder joint among the imaging sites in the table shown in FIG. 3 is 4 msec, but if the subject is under 15 years old, the control unit 15 reduces the pulse time from 4 msec to 2 msec.

[0032] By doing so, for example, it is possible to reduce the radiation dose for subjects in an age range that includes childhood. Subjects in this age range tend to move faster than adult subjects in the age range from 15 to under 65 years old. Therefore, subjects in this age range complete the movements required for the examination more quickly than adult subjects, and if they continue to be irradiated with radiation at the set value, there is a possibility that the amount of radiation exposure will be unnecessarily high.

[0033] In this embodiment, when the subject is in an age range that includes childhood, the radiation dose is reduced below the set value, thereby preventing the subject from being unnecessarily exposed to a large amount of radiation. That is, in this embodiment, imaging conditions can be set that can reduce the subject's exposure to radiation in dynamic radiography.

[0034] Next, a description will be given of the flow of processing performed by the radiation imaging control device 10 according to this embodiment. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of processing performed by the radiation imaging control device 10 according to this embodiment.

[0035] 4, the control unit 15 acquires information about the subject (step S101). After step S101, the control unit 15 determines whether to reduce the radiation dose from the set value (step S102). Specifically, if the subject is 15 years old or older, the control unit 15 determines not to reduce the radiation dose from the set value, and if the subject is younger than 15 years old, the control unit 15 determines to reduce the radiation dose from the set value.

[0036] As a result of the determination, if it is determined that the radiation dose should not be reduced from the set value (step S102, NO), the control unit 15 sets the dose to the set value (step S103). On the other hand, if it is determined that the radiation dose should be reduced from the set value (step S102, YES), the control unit 15 sets the dose to a value reduced from the set value (step S104).

[0037] After step S103 or step S104, the control unit 15 executes the radiation imaging control (step S105). After step S105, this control ends.

[0038] According to the present embodiment configured as described above, imaging conditions can be set that can reduce the amount of radiation exposure to the subject in dynamic radiation imaging.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the set value is set regardless of the age of the subject, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the set value may be set for each age range of the subject.

[0040] For example, FIG. 5 shows an example of a table that associates age ranges with dose settings when the imaging site is the shoulder joint.

[0041] The table in Figure 5 shows two age ranges: 15 to under 65 years old and under 15 years old, and the setting values ​​for the age range from 15 to under 65 years old are the same as the setting values ​​in the table shown in Figure 3. The setting value for the age range under 15 years old is a pulse time of 2 msec, which is a smaller value than the setting value for the pulse time for the age range from 15 to under 65 years old.

[0042] In this case, for example, when the age range of the subject is between 15 and 65 years old, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging device 20 so that the radiation dose is at the set value. When the age range of the subject is under 15 years old, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging device 20 so that the radiation dose is reduced from the set value.

[0043] When the set value is based on the table shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging apparatus 20 by setting the pulse time set value of 2 msec to 1 msec, for example.

[0044] In this way, for example, it is possible to further reduce the radiation dose for subjects in an age range including childhood, thereby further reducing the radiation exposure dose of subjects in dynamic radiography.

[0045] In this case, the control unit 15 may determine whether or not to reduce the radiation dose from the set value based on the examination status of the subject.

[0046] The inspection situation includes, for example, a first situation in which a detailed and in-depth inspection is performed, and a second situation in which a simple confirmation inspection is performed.

[0047] For example, when the examination situation is the first situation, the control unit 15 determines not to reduce the radiation dose from the set value. When the examination situation is the second situation, the control unit 15 determines to reduce the radiation dose from the set value.

[0048] This allows the setting of the set value or a value lower than the set value depending on the examination situation, thereby enabling an appropriate radiation dose to be set. In addition, a determination as to whether or not to lower the dose from the set value may also be made for subjects in the age range of 15 to under 65 years old.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control parameter for reducing the radiation dose is the pulse time (tube current time product), but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the control parameter may be the frame rate.

[0050] In this case, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging apparatus 20 to reduce the frame rate from the set value when the age range of the subject is an age range that includes elderly people aged 65 or older. Specifically, for example, in the case of the table shown in Fig. 3, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging apparatus 20 to reduce the frame rate from 15 fps to 6 fps when the age of the subject is 65 or older (second predetermined age or older).

[0051] Elderly people move slower than adult subjects aged 15 to under 65, so if the frame rate remains at the set value, there will be an increase in frames in which the subject takes approximately the same posture in all or some of the frames of dynamic imaging. Therefore, by lowering the frame rate from the set value, it is possible to reduce the amount of radiation exposure while suppressing the increase in frames in which the subject takes approximately the same posture in all or some of the frames of dynamic imaging.

[0052] Furthermore, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging apparatus 20 to reduce the frame rate from the set value when the age range of the subject is under 10 years old. Specifically, for example, in the case of the table shown in Fig. 3, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging apparatus 20 to reduce the frame rate from 15 fps to 6 fps when the age range of the subject is under 10 years old.

[0053] Among the age ranges that include childhood, subjects under the age of 10 not only move faster, but also have smaller physiques than adult subjects and other subjects aged 10 and over. Therefore, if the frame rate is set to the same as that for adult subjects, the amount of radiation exposure may be higher, so it is necessary to reduce the amount of radiation exposure as much as possible.

[0054] Therefore, when the age range of the subjects is under 10 years old, the frame rate can be lowered from the set value to reduce the radiation exposure of subjects in the age range under 10 years old.

[0055] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the subject's age information is exemplified as the information about the subject, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the information may be information about the subject's imaging region.

[0056] For example, when the part of the subject to be imaged is close to an important organ in the human body, such as the hip joint or lumbar vertebrae, the radiation dose must be reduced as much as possible to prevent the organ from being affected by exposure.

[0057] Therefore, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging device 20 to reduce the radiation dose from the set value when the region to be imaged is located between the waist and crotch of the subject (for example, the hip joint, lumbar vertebrae, etc.). In this case, the set value may be, for example, the radiation dose value required for examining the specified imaging region.

[0058] For example, when the imaging site is the lateral side of the hip joint, the control unit 15 sets the radiation dose so that the radiation dose is reduced from the set value shown in Fig. 3. For example, the control unit 15 sets the radiation dose so that the pulse time is reduced from the set value of 14 msec to 10 msec.

[0059] By doing this, when the imaging area is close to an organ important to the human body, the radiation dose can be reduced from the set value, thereby reducing the impact of exposure to the organ.

[0060] In this case, the decision as to whether or not to reduce the radiation dose from the set value may be made based on the age range of the subject, or based on the examination status of the subject.

[0061] Furthermore, the information about the subject may be information about the subject's radiation exposure history. For example, a subject who has been examined many times will have a larger total radiation exposure dose.

[0062] Therefore, the control unit 15 may control the radiation imaging device 20 to reduce the radiation dose below a set value when the cumulative radiation exposure dose of the subject in past examinations is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. Specifically, the control unit 15 controls the radiation imaging device 20 to reduce the radiation dose below a set value when the cumulative radiation exposure dose of the subject over the past year is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount (e.g., 20 mSv).

[0063] 3, the setting values ​​for the tube voltage, tube current, and pulse time for lateral lumbar dynamic radiography are 85 kV, 200 mA, and 12 msec. In this case, if the subject has been exposed to radiation at least once a year, the control unit 15 sets the setting values ​​for the tube voltage, tube current, and pulse time to 100 kV, 400 mA, and 4 msec.

[0064] This allows the radiation dose to be set so that the tube current time product is lower than the set value for a normal subject, thereby preventing the total radiation exposure from becoming too high for subjects who undergo a large number of examinations.

[0065] Furthermore, the information about the subject may be information about the subject's physique. For example, even among adult subjects aged 15 to under 65, there are subjects whose physique is the same as that of a subject under 10 years of age. Therefore, when a subject has a physique similar to that of a subject under 10 years of age, the control unit 15 may control the radiation imaging apparatus 20 to reduce the radiation dose from the set value.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the radiation dose is controlled by adjusting either the frame rate or the parameter related to the tube current time product, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 15 may control the radiation dose by adjusting both the frame rate and the parameter related to the tube current time product.

[0067] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are merely examples of specific embodiments for carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by these embodiments. In other words, the present invention can be carried out in various forms without departing from the gist or main features thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 10 Radiography control device 11 Communications Department 12 Display section 13 Control section 14 Storage section 15 Control Unit 20 Radiography equipment 21 Generator 22 Exposure switch 23 Radiation Source 24 Filming Department 25 Display device 31 PACS 32 HIS 33RIS 34 Diagnostic Console

Claims

1. An imaging control device that controls dynamic imaging of a subject by irradiating the subject with radiation, an acquisition unit that acquires information about the subject; a control unit that controls a dose of radiation irradiated to the subject; Equipped with the control unit reduces the dose of the radiation below a set value based on information about the subject. Shooting control device.

2. the control unit determines whether to reduce the radiation dose below the set value based on information about the subject. The imaging control device according to claim 1 .

3. the control unit controls the dose by adjusting at least one of parameters related to a frame rate and a tube current time product. The imaging control device according to claim 1 .

4. The information about the subject is information about the age of the subject. The imaging control device according to claim 1 .

5. the control unit reduces the dose below the set value when the subject is younger than a first predetermined age. The imaging control device according to claim 4 .

6. the control unit reduces the dose below the set value when the subject is at least a second predetermined age. The imaging control device according to claim 4 .

7. The information about the subject is information about an imaging region of the subject. The imaging control device according to claim 1 .

8. the control unit reduces the dose below the set value when the imaging region is a region located between the waist and the crotch of the subject. The imaging control device according to claim 7 .

9. The information about the subject is information about the subject's radiation exposure history. The imaging control device according to claim 1 .

10. the control unit reduces the dose below the set value when the cumulative radiation exposure dose of the subject in past examinations is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The imaging control device according to claim 9 .

11. 1. An imaging control method for controlling dynamic imaging of a subject by irradiating the subject with radiation, comprising: obtaining information about the subject; controlling a dose of radiation irradiated to the subject; and controlling the dose includes reducing the dose of radiation below a set value based on information about the subject. Shooting control method.

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