BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a medical image processing system using an analysis result of a medical image.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the current medical field, medical image processing systems using medical images, such as an endoscope system including a light source device, an endoscope, and a processor device, are widely used. In recent years, diagnostic information regarding the state of a disease has been acquired by extracting a region of interest containing a potential lesion portion from a medical image and performing image analysis on the extracted region of interest.

For example, in WO2017/216922A (corresponding to US2019/0114738A1), an image of a region of interest detected from a medical image is stored, and the stored image of the region of interest is displayed in a part different from a part to be observed displaying the medical image at a timing at which the detection of the region of interest on the medical image is interrupted/ceased. In JP2011-160848A (corresponding to US2012/0274754A1), when a region of interest is detected, alert information indicating the detection of the region of interest is displayed for a certain period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As disclosed in JP2011-160848A, displaying the alert information for a certain period of time can prevent a user from overlooking the region of interest. In a case where the region of interest appears for a moment in a medical image, displaying the alert information can prevent the region of interest from being overlooked. However, the alert display is displayed over the entire peripheral portion of the medical image, and it is not possible to grasp in which direction the region of interest has disappeared. Since it takes time for the user to grasp the direction of disappearance of the region of interest, it may not be possible to ensure that diagnosis is performed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical image processing system capable of preventing, when detecting a region of interest from a medical image, the region of interest from being overlooked and capable of grasping, even if the region of interest has disappeared from the medical image, the direction of disappearance of the region of interest.

A medical image processing system of the present invention includes a medical image acquisition unit, a region-of-interest detection unit, and a display control unit. The medical image acquisition unit acquires a medical image obtained by imaging of an observation target. The region-of-interest detection unit detects a region of interest from the medical image. The display control unit keeps displaying a detection result of the region of interest for a certain period of time on a display unit, in a case where a position of the region of interest is changed in accordance with a movement of the region of interest, at a detection position of the region of interest detected by the region-of-interest detection unit before the position of the region of interest is changed.

Preferably, the display control unit keeps displaying the detection result of the region of interest for a certain period of time at a specific detection position among detection positions of the region of interest. Preferably, the display control unit changes a display style of the detection result of the region of interest according to a timing at which the region of interest is detected.

Preferably, the display style of the detection result of the region of interest is a region-of-interest geometric shape representing the detection result of the region of interest as a geometric shape including at least the region of interest, and the display control unit changes a display style of the region-of-interest geometric shape according to a timing at which the region of interest is detected. Preferably, the display style of the region-of-interest geometric shape includes a shape, a size, or a color of the region-of-interest geometric shape or a line of the region-of-interest geometric shape.

Preferably, the display style of the detection result of the region of interest is region-of-interest highlighting for highlighting the region of interest, and the display control unit changes a degree of highlighting for the region-of-interest highlighting according to a timing at which the region of interest is detected. Preferably, the region-of-interest highlighting includes pseudo-color highlighting for highlighting the region of interest in pseudo-color, and the display control unit changes the degree of highlighting for the region-of-interest highlighting or a proportion of a color component of the region-of-interest highlighting according to a timing at which the region of interest is detected.

Preferably, the display control unit displays the detection result of the region of interest in at least one of a first display region of the display unit that displays the medical image or a second display region different from the first display region of the display unit that displays the medical image. Preferably, a display style of the detection result of the region of interest displayed in the first display region is identical to or different from a display style of the detection result of the region of interest displayed in the second display region. Preferably, the display control unit displays the detection result of the region of interest in a portion of an outer peripheral portion of a first display region of the display unit that displays the medical image, the portion of the outer peripheral portion being a portion corresponding to the detection position of the region of interest.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent, when detecting a region of interest from a medical image, the region of interest from being overlooked, and to grasp, even if the region of interest has disappeared from the medical image, the direction of disappearance of the region of interest.

