Medical imaging apparatus and method of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10966675-B2
Application number	US-201715722554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2017
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A medical imaging apparatus is provided. The medical image apparatus includes an output unit; and a controller configured to control the output unit to display an image obtained by photographing an object and to display, over the image, a top indicator for setting a top limit for an area to be X-rayed and at least one guideline indicating a bottom limit for the area to be X-rayed according to the top indicator and the number of partial photographing operations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical imaging apparatus comprising:
a display device;
a camera configured to obtain an image of an object by photographing the object; and
a controller configured to:
control the display device to display, in a first region of a screen of the display device, the image and a plurality of Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) markers that respectively indicate positions of a plurality of AEC chambers on the image, and
control the display device to display, in a second region of the screen, a user interface (UI) for setting on/off states of the plurality of AEC markers while the image and the plurality of AEC markers are displayed in the first region of the screen,

wherein the UI includes a plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of AEC markers.

2. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an input device configured to receive a user input for selecting at least one icon from among the displayed plurality of icons,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
set an on/off state of each of at least one AEC marker from among the plurality of AEC markers corresponding to the selected at least one icon by the user input, and
turn on or off each of at least one respective AEC chamber based on the set on/off state of the each of the at least one AEC marker.

3. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the display device to display a state of each of the at least one icon corresponding to the on/off state of the each of the at least one AEC marker.

4. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect, from among the plurality of AEC markers displayed on the image, an AEC marker which is located outside the object, and
control the display device to display a turn off state of an AEC chamber corresponding to the detected AEC marker.

5. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display device is further configured to display, on the image, a collimation area that corresponds to a region to be irradiated with X-rays radiated by an X-ray radiator.

6. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising an input device configured to receive a user input that relates to adjusting the collimation area on the image.

7. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a collimator included in the X-ray radiator based on the adjusted collimation area.

8. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an input device configured to receive a user input that relates to an instruction for turning on of a lamp of a collimator,
wherein the display device is further configured to display the plurality of AEC markers on the image that is obtained by photographing the object when the lamp of the collimator is turned on.

9. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an input device configured to receive a user input for selecting at least one AEC marker from among the plurality of AEC markers displayed on the image, and setting an on/off state of each of the selected at least one AEC marker.

10. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
control the display device to display, on the image, a top indicator that relates to setting a top limit for an area to be X-rayed and a bottom indicator that relates to setting a bottom limit for the area,
divide an area between the top indicator and the bottom limit in the image into a plurality of regions for partial photographing operations based on a number of the partial photographing operations, and
control the display device to display the plurality of AEC markers in each of the plurality of regions for the partial photographing operations displayed on the image.

11. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
set an on/off state of each of the plurality of AEC markers, and
turn on or off each of the respective plurality of AEC chambers based on the set on/off state of the each of the plurality of AEC markers during the partial photographing operations.

12. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an input device configured to receive a user input for selecting a region from among the plurality of regions for the partial photographing operations,
wherein the controller is further configured to:
control the display device to display a tab menu user interface including a plurality of tab menus corresponding to each of the plurality of regions,
select a region from among the plurality of regions based on the user input received by the input device, and
control the display device to display AEC markers displayed on a first tab corresponding to the selected region.

13. The medical imaging apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the display device to display a tab menu user interface including a plurality of tab menus corresponding to each of the plurality of regions,
the medical imaging apparatus further comprises an input device configured to receive a user input for selecting a tab menu from among the plurality of tab menus, and
wherein the controller is further configured to:
select a first tab from among the plurality of tab menus based on the received user input received by the input device,
select a region from among the plurality of regions for the partial photographing operations corresponding to the selected first tab, and
control the display device to display user interfaces for setting on/off states of AEC markers displayed on the region.

14. A method for operating a medical imaging apparatus, the method comprising:
obtaining an image obtained by photographing an object;
displaying, in a first region of a screen of a display device of the medical imaging apparatus, the image and a plurality of Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) markers that respectively indicate positions of a plurality of AEC chambers on the image; and
displaying, in a second region of the screen, a user interface (UI) for setting on/off states of the plurality of AEC markers while the image and the plurality of AEC markers are displayed in the first region of the screen,
wherein the UI includes a plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of AEC markers.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving a user input for selecting at least one icon from among the displayed plurality of icons;
setting an on/off state of each of at least one AEC marker from among the plurality of AEC markers corresponding to the selected at least one icon by the user input; and
turning on or off each of at least one respective AEC chamber based on the set on/off state of the each of the at least one AEC marker.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising displaying a state of each of the at least one icon corresponding to the on/off state of the each of the at least one AEC marker.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising displaying, on the image, a collimation area that corresponds to a region to be irradiated with X-rays radiated by an X-ray radiator.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising receiving a user input that relates to adjusting the collimation area on the image.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising adjusting a collimator included in the X-ray radiator based on the adjusted collimation area.

20. The method of claim 14 , furth

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Seung-Hoon
• Park Si-Won
• Kim Se-Hui
• Hwang Do-Hyeong
• Park Sung-Jin

Classifications

• A61B6/463

  characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display · CPC title

• A61B6/469 Primary

  for selecting a region of interest [ROI] · CPC title

• A61B6/06

  Diaphragms · CPC title

• A61B6/5241 Primary

  combining overlapping images of the same imaging modality, e.g. by stitching · CPC title

• A61B6/465 Primary

  adapted to display user selection data, e.g. graphical user interface, icons or menus · CPC title