# US 11,998,378 B2 · Image transmission apparatus, image transmission method, and image transmission program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,378 B2 - Document ID: US11998378B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/467,300 - Filed: 2021-09-06 - Published: 2021-12-23 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-26 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation - Applicants: Fujifilm Corporation - Inventors: Masataka Sugahara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998378B2 ## CPC - A61B 6/463: {characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display} - G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS - A61B 6/025: {Tomosynthesis} - A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]} - G16H 30/40: for processing medical images, e.g. editing - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract A reconfiguration unit sequentially generates a plurality of tomographic images on each of a plurality of tomographic planes of a subject by reconfiguring a plurality of projection images corresponding to each of a plurality of radiation source positions. A determination unit determines whether or not at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by an operator. A transmission unit transmits the plurality of tomographic images to an external apparatus in a case where it is determined that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image transmission apparatus comprising at least one processor, wherein the processor is configured to: sequentially generate a plurality of tomographic images on each of a plurality of tomographic planes of a subject by reconfiguring a plurality of projection images corresponding to each of a plurality of radiation source positions, the plurality of projection images being generated by causing an imaging apparatus to perform tomosynthesis imaging of relatively moving a radiation source with respect to a detection surface of a radiation detector and irradiating the subject with radiation at the plurality of radiation source positions according to movement of the radiation source; determine whether or not at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by an operator; and transmit the plurality of tomographic images to an external apparatus in a case where it is determined that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the plurality of tomographic images to the external apparatus before an instruction of completion of examination including the tomosynthesis imaging is input from the operator or before an instruction of transmission of the plurality of tomographic images to the external apparatus is input from the operator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where a simple two-dimensional image of the subject is acquired by simply imaging the subject with the same positioning as the tomosynthesis imaging, the processor is configured to transmit the plurality of tomographic images to the external apparatus before an instruction of completion of examination including the tomosynthesis imaging is input from the operator or before an instruction of transmission of the plurality of tomographic images to the external apparatus is input from the operator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to sequentially display, on a display, the tomographic images which are sequentially generated; and determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where the last tomographic image is displayed on the display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to sequentially display, on a display, the tomographic images which are sequentially generated; and determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where the last tomographic image is displayed on the display and a predetermined number of the tomographic images on the tomographic planes that are different from the last tomographic image are displayed on the display according to an instruction of the operator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where the predetermined number of the tomographic images are displayed on the display and then a certain time has passed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where the predetermined number of the tomographic images are displayed on the display and then a predetermined operation is received. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to sequentially display, on a display, the tomographic images which are sequentially generated; and determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where the last tomographic image is displayed on the display and two or more tomographic images among the plurality of tomographic images are displayed on the display at the same time according to an instruction of the operator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where two or more tomographic images among the plurality of tomographic images are displayed on the display at the same time and then a certain time has passed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where two or more tomographic images among the plurality of tomographic images are displayed on the display at the same time and then a predetermined operation is received. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to sequentially display, on a display, the tomographic images which are sequentially generated; detect a line-of-sight of the operator; and determine that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator in a case where it is detected that the operator looks at the display for a certain time while the tomographic images are being displayed on the display. ### Claim 12 An image transmission method comprising: sequentially generating a plurality of tomographic images on each of a plurality of tomographic planes of a subject by reconfiguring a plurality of projection images corresponding to each of a plurality of radiation source positions, the plurality of projection images being generated by causing an imaging apparatus to perform tomosynthesis imaging of relatively moving a radiation source with respect to a detection surface of a radiation detector and irradiating the subject with radiation at the plurality of radiation source positions according to movement of the radiation source; determining whether or not at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by an operator; and transmitting the plurality of tomographic images to an external apparatus in a case where it is determined that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores an image transmission program causing a computer to execute: a procedure of sequentially generating a plurality of tomographic images on each of a plurality of tomographic planes of a subject by reconfiguring a plurality of projection images corresponding to each of a plurality of radiation source positions, the plurality of projection images being generated by causing an imaging apparatus to perform tomosynthesis imaging of relatively moving a radiation source with respect to a detection surface of a radiation detector and irradiating the subject with radiation at the plurality of radiation source positions according to movement of the radiation source; a procedure of determining whether or not at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by an operator; and a procedure of transmitting the plurality of tomographic images to an external apparatus in a case where it is determined that at least one of the tomographic images is visually recognized by the operator.