Medical Image Display Apparatus with Scan Time Chart
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional X-ray CT apparatuses lack the ability to visually display time information for medical images during scanning, making it difficult for operators to understand the timing of image acquisition and sequence, especially in dynamic scans.
Innovation Solution
A medical image display apparatus that includes a time information obtaining unit, an image storage unit, a display unit, and an indicating unit, which simultaneously displays medical images with corresponding scan time information and a time chart of the scan sequence, allowing operators to visually confirm the timing of image acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If images are displayed only in order of reconstruction on an image confirmation screen, then the display interface is simple, but time information of the images cannot be visually checked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a time dimension to the conventional image display interface by introducing a time chart that visualizes scan timing information. This allows operators to view both spatial (image) and temporal (scan time) information simultaneously, resolving the contradiction by expanding the display interface into a new dimensional space without making it overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The display interface is segmented into multiple functional areas: the image confirmation screen for displaying medical images and the time chart for displaying scan timing information. This segmentation allows each component to serve its specific purpose independently, making the overall system easier to understand while preserving complete time information.
2Loss of information
If images are made into a bundle in time direction, then time information can be organized, but time information cannot be visually checked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual differentiation (such as color coding or distinct visual markers) on the time chart to represent different scan timing information. This makes the time information visually distinguishable and easily checkable at a glance, allowing operators to quickly verify timing without complex interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The time chart creates a visual copy or representation of the scan sequence timing information, separate from the actual image data. This copy allows operators to visually check time information independently from the image content, making both functions accessible simultaneously.
3Productivity
If multi-slice CT with 256 or more rows of detectors is used, then imaging speed is high and scan mode options are numerous, but planning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables operators to plan scan sequences in advance by visualizing the time chart before actual scanning. This preliminary visualization allows operators to review and adjust scan timing and sequencing, reducing on-the-fly planning complexity even when using high-speed multi-slice CT with numerous scan mode options.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a medical image display apparatus includes at least a time information obtaining unit, an image storage unit, a display unit, a display unit, and an indicating unit. The time information obtaining unit obtains information on a scan sequence and obtains scan time information as information of a time when a medical image is picked up in accordance with the scan sequence. The image storage unit stores the scan time information in association with the medical image. The display unit simultaneously displays the medical image including the scan time information stored in the image storage unit and a time chart indicating the scan sequence. When a predetermined medical image displayed on the display unit is selected, the indicating unit displays an image indicating a time position on the time chart corresponding to the scan time information included in the medical image.