The novel medical diagnostic color monitor automatically distinguishing monochrome/color images and displaying these with their own optimal tone curves Poster No.: C-0655 Congress: ECR 2012 Type: Authors: Scientific Paper M. Kita 1, Y. Ohoto 1, S. Matsuda 2 ; 1 Hakusan, Ishikawa/JP, 2 Kawagoe, Saitama/JP Keywords: DOI: Computer applications, PACS, Instrumentation, Equipment, Technology assessment 10.1594/ecr2012/C-0655 Any information contained in this pdf file is automatically generated from digital material submitted to EPOS by third parties in the form of scientific presentations. References to any names, marks, products, or services of third parties or hypertext links to thirdparty sites or information are provided solely as a convenience to you and do not in any way constitute or imply ECR's endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation of the third party, information, product or service. ECR is not responsible for the content of these pages and does not make any representations regarding the content or accuracy of material in this file. As per copyright regulations, any unauthorised use of the material or parts thereof as well as commercial reproduction or multiple distribution by any traditional or electronically based reproduction/publication method ist strictly prohibited. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold ECR harmless from and against any and all claims, damages, costs, and expenses, including attorneys' fees, arising from or related to your use of these pages. Please note: Links to movies, ppt slideshows and any other multimedia files are not available in the pdf version of presentations. www.myesr.org Page 1 of 6
Purpose Development of medical diagnostic color monitor incorporating the function of automatically distinguishing monochrome and color images within the same screen; displaying monochrome images in DICOM Part 14 [1] adjusted mode (a GSDF tone characteristic) and color images in gamma 2.2 adjusted mode individually. Methods and Materials The monitor incorporates the signal processing circuit which automatically detects the edges of rectangular windows displaying medical images by analyzing the input signal. It then reads out the characteristics of monochrome images per area, which works to judge whether the image is color or monochrome. Eventually the optimal tone curve to respective color and monochrome area is assigned. Results Edge detection makes it possible to distinguish monochrome images with high recognition accuracy and to assign an optimal tone curve with ease. The existing medical monitors whose tone curve is uniform within the same screen has faced a problem that monochrome images such as X-ray images are too bright in gamma 2.2 mode or color shift occurs in color images with DICOM Part 14 mode. For example, as shown in Fig. 1 on page 3, when displaying the color R=255, G=150, B=100, it appears differently on color images on a gamma 2.2 monitor and on monochrome images with DICOM tones. In fact, actual endoscopy images appear normal with a gamma 2.2 monitor, however images with a DICOM monitor appear whiter. At the same time, when displaying monochrome radiography images on color gamma 2.2 monitors, there is a problem in that images appear overly-bright and low tone parts are hard to see ( Fig. 2 on page 3 ). In this way, displaying color and monochrome images simultaneously on conventional monitors causes color problems such as over-brightness and color shifts ( Fig. 3 on page 3 ). However, our monitor solves this problem without relying on any other system components by incorporating to itself the function of assigning the optical tone curve per respective color and monochrome area. Page 2 of 6
Images for this section: Fig. 1: Color shift in color images with DICOM Part 14 mode Fig. 2: Monochrome images are too bright in gamma 2.2 mode Page 3 of 6
Fig. 3: Displaying color and monochrome images simultaneously on conventional monitors causes color problems Page 4 of 6
Conclusion Medical diagnostic color monitor capable of automatically distinguishing monochrome and color images then displaying each of them with its own optimal tone curve has been developed ( Fig. 4 on page 5). This function is the effective solution to the existing medical monitor's problem caused by difference of required tone curve (DICOM part 14 or Gamma 2.2) when displaying monochrome and color images simultaneously. Also this function expands the usability of PACS applications constantly attaining sufficiency with mix of color and monochrome medical images. Images for this section: Fig. 4: The monitor (right) automatically distinguishing monochrome/color images and displaying these with their own optimal tone curves Page 5 of 6
References [1] Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Part 14: Grayscale Standard Display Function, 2004 Personal Information Masaki Kita Research and development, ASIC, EIZO NANAO CORPORATION, Hakusan, Ishikawa, Japan. E-mail : masaki@nanao.co.jp Yoichi Ohoto Research and development, Visual Products, EIZO NANAO CORPORATION, Hakusan, Ishikawa, Japan. Shigeo Matsuda Department of Radiology, Saitama medical center Saitama Medical University, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan. Page 6 of 6