Case image search apparatus and system

A case image search apparatus comprising:

• a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies a first arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
• a first feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of a diseased site in the specified first arbitrary cross-sectional image;
• a database which stores a plurality of case images as three-dimensional images;
• a second cross-sectional image producing device which produces a second arbitrary cross-sectional image for each of the case images registered in the database based on the three-dimensional image of the case image, the second arbitrary cross-sectional image containing a diseased site and angled by the same amount as that specified by the cross-sectional image specifying device;
• a second feature value calculating device which calculates a second feature value of the diseased site in the second arbitrary cross-sectional image produced for each of the case images;
• and
• a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value.

A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,

• the user terminal including:
• a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
• a cross-sectional image producing device which produces a cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image with reference to a diseased site in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image, the cross-sectional image oriented in an axial direction set in advance and containing the diseased site;
• a first feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site contained in the produced cross-sectional image based on the cross-sectional image;
• and
• a first communication device which sends the calculated first feature value to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
• the case image server including:
• a database which stores a plurality of case images and a second feature value of each of the case images which is associated with a case image, the second feature value for diseased site in a cross-sectional image oriented in the axial direction set in advance;
• a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value;
• and
• a second communication device which receives the first feature value from the user terminal and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.

A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,

• the user terminal including:
• a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
• a cross-sectional image producing device which produces a cross-sectional image from the three-dimensional image with reference to a diseased site in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image, the cross-sectional image oriented in an axial direction set in advance and containing the diseased site;
• and
• a first communication device which sends the produced cross-sectional image to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
• the case image server including:
• a feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site in the produced cross-sectional image based on the cross-sectional image;
• a database which stores a plurality of case images and a second feature value of each of the case images which is associated with a case image, the second feature value for diseased site in a cross-sectional image oriented in the axial direction set in advance;
• a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value;
• and
• a second communication device which receives the reference cross-sectional image and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.

A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,

• the user terminal including:
• a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
• a feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site contained in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image based on the cross-sectional image;
• and
• a first communication device which sends the calculated first feature value and angular information on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
• the case image server including:
• a database which stores a plurality of case images as three-dimensional images;
• a cross-sectional image producing device which produces an arbitrary cross-sectional image for each of the case images registered in the database based on the three-dimensional image of each of the case images, the cross-sectional image containing a diseased site and angled by the same amount as the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image;
• a second feature value calculating device which calculates a second feature value of the diseased site in the arbitrary cross-sectional image produced for each of the case images;
• a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value;
• and
• a second communication device which receives the calculated first feature value and the angular information on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image from the user terminal and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.

A case image search system comprising a user terminal and a case image server connected to the user terminal via a network,

• the user terminal including:
• a cross-sectional image specifying device which specifies an arbitrary cross-sectional image obtained by cutting a three-dimensional image to be diagnosed with a cutting plane arbitrarily positioned and angled;
• and
• a first communication device which sends the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image and angular information on the arbitrary cross-sectional image to the case image server and receives a case image searched for by the case image server, and
• the case image server including:
• a first feature value calculating device which calculates a first feature value of the diseased site in the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image based on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image;
• a database which stores a plurality of case images as three-dimensional images;
• a cross-sectional image producing device which produces an arbitrary cross-sectional image for each of the case images registered in the database based on the three-dimensional image of each of the case images, the cross-sectional image containing a diseased site and angled by the same amount as the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image;
• a second feature value calculating device which calculates a second feature value of the diseased site in the arbitrary cross-sectional image produced for each of the case images;
• a searching device which compares the first feature value with the second feature value and searches the database for a case image having a second feature value similar to the first feature value;
• and
• a second communication device which receives the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image and the angular information on the specified arbitrary cross-sectional image from the user terminal and sends the searched case image to the user terminal.