X-ray diagnosis apparatus and image processing apparatus

Abstract

When a plurality of X-ray images in a time sequence is stored in an image data storing unit (25), a marker coordinate detecting unit (26a) detects coordinates of a stent marker in each X-ray image, and a motion vector calculating unit (26b) calculates, with coordinates of the stent marker detected in a first frame as reference coordinates, a motion vector of the coordinates of the stent marker detected in each X-ray image of a second and subsequent frames with respect to the reference coordinates. Then, a filter application range determining unit (26c) moves and determines an application range of a smoothing filter in each X-ray image based on the motion vector, and the filtered image generating unit (26d) generates a filtered image by performing a process by the smoothing filter between application ranges determined in a process target image and a reference image.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An X-ray diagnosis apparatus, comprising:
 an image data generating unit configured to generate X-ray images in a time sequence by detecting, with a detector, an X-ray that is radiated from an X-ray tube and is transmitted through a subject; and 
 a processor configured to detect a position of an X-ray impermeable feature point included in a treatment equipment for an interventional treatment from at least a first image and a second image included in the X-ray images generated in a time sequence by the image data generating unit, determine an application range of a smoothing filter in the first image and the second image based on the detected position of the feature point in the first image and the detected position of the feature point in the second image, and perform a smoothing filter process by using the first image and the second image based on the determined application range of the smoothing filter. 
 
     
     
       2. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 separate each of the X-ray images into a high-frequency component image and a low-frequency component image, 
 perform a position detecting process of the feature point and a determining process of the application range on the high-frequency component images, and 
 perform the smoothing filter process between application ranges in high-frequency component images of the first image and the second image and combine with a corresponding low-frequency component image. 
 
     
     
       3. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a smoothing filter process of adding to a pixel value of an image as a process target a value that is obtained by performing a predetermined weighting on a pixel value of an image other than the process target for a corresponding pixel between application ranges of the first image and the second image. 
     
     
       4. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a difference value between a pixel value of a pixel in a predetermined range in a spatial direction in an image to be a process target and a pixel value of a corresponding pixel in an image other than the process target between application ranges of the first image and the second image, and perform a smoothing filter process of calculating a new pixel value by changing weighting of each pixel in the image to be the process target in accordance with a size of calculated difference value. 
     
     
       5. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a smoothing filter process of adding to a pixel value of an image as a process target a value that is obtained by performing a predetermined weighting on a pixel value of an image other than the process target for a corresponding pixel between application ranges of the first image and the second image. 
     
     
       6. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a difference value between a pixel value of a pixel in a predetermined range in a spatial direction in an image to be a process target and a pixel value of a corresponding pixel in an image other than the process target between application ranges of the first image and the second image, and perform a smoothing filter process of calculating a new pixel value by changing weighting of each pixel in the image to be the process target in accordance with a size of calculated difference value. 
     
     
       7. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
 a storage storing a plurality of medical images; and 
 a processor configured to
 detect a position of an X-ray impermeable feature point included in a treatment equipment for an interventional treatment from at least a first image and a second image included in a the plurality of medical images generated in a time sequence, 
 determine an application range of a smoothing filter in the first image and the second image based on the detected position of the feature point in the first image and the detected position of the feature point in the second image, and 
 perform a smoothing filter process by using the first image and the second image based on the determined application range of the smoothing filter. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the treatment equipment is a guide wire inserted into the subject. 
     
     
       9. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:
 a display configured to sequentially display each of the X-ray images,   wherein each of the X-ray images is a fluoroscopic image.   
     
     
       10. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the guide wire is inserted into a cardiac blood vessel of the subject and moves due to heartbeats. 
     
     
       11. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to generate an image to be displayed by performing the smoothing filter process, which includes an adding process of the application range of the first image and the application range of the second image. 
     
     
       12. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the treatment equipment is a stent inserted into the subject. 
     
     
       13. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the treatment equipment is a catheter inserted into the subject. 
     
     
       14. A method, comprising:
 generating X-ray images in a time sequence by detecting, with a detector, an X-ray that is radiated from an X-ray tube and is transmitted through a subject;   detecting a position of an X-ray impermeable feature point included in a treatment equipment for an interventional treatment from at least a first image and a second image included in the X-ray images generated in a time sequence;   determining, without a registration process between the first image and the second image, an application range of a smoothing filter in the first image and the second image based on the detected position of the feature point in the first image and the detected position of the feature point in the second image; and   performing a smoothing filter process between the determined application range in the first image and the determined application range in the second image.   
     
     
       15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising separating each of the X-ray images into a high-frequency component image and a low-frequency component image, wherein
 a position detecting process of the feature point and a determining process of the application range are performed on the high-frequency component images,   the smoothing filter process is performed between application ranges in high-frequency component images of the first image and the second image and combine with a corresponding low-frequency component image.   
     
     
       16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the smoothing filter process is a process of adding to a pixel value of an image as a process target a value that is obtained by performing a predetermined weighting on a pixel value of an image other than the process target for a corresponding pixel between application ranges of the first image and the second image. 
     
     
       17. The method according to claim 15, wherein a difference value is calculated between a pixel value of a pixel in a predetermined range in a spatial direction in an image to be a process target and a pixel value of a corresponding pixel in an image other than the process target between application ranges of the first image and the second image, and the smoothing filter process is a process of calculating a new pixel value by changing weighting of each pixel in the image to be the process target in accordance with a size of calculated difference value. 
     
     
       18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the smoothing filter process is a process of adding to a pixel value of an image as a process target a value that is obtained by performing a predetermined weighting on a pixel value of an image other than the process target for a corresponding pixel between application ranges of the first image and the second image. 
     
     
       19. The method according to claim 14, wherein a difference value is calculated between a pixel value of a pixel in a predetermined range in a spatial direction in an image to be a process target and a pixel value of a corresponding pixel in an image other than the process target between application ranges of the first image and the second image, and the smoothing filter process is a process of calculating a new pixel value by changing weighting of each pixel in the image to be the process target in accordance with a size of calculated difference value. 
     
     
       20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the treatment equipment is a guide wire inserted into the subject, a stent inserted into the subject, or a catheter inserted into the subject.