Abstract: The present invention intends to easily perform arithmetic operations for determining flow velocities without making phase correction and to reduce the aliasing error. To this end, a plurality of data pieces having phase sensitivity are measured using phase contrast pulse sequences in a magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus. When four data pieces having phase sensitivity of tetrahedral type are acquired, four measured images are obtained. Individual measured images have vector values at corresponding points. Predetermined pair images are subjected to an arithmetic operation for determining an angle between two vectors at individual points on the images, the thus obtained phase images are added and a sum image is multiplied by a suitable coefficient to produce an x-direction flow velocity image. Flow velocity images in y and z directions are similarly obtained and images determining the magnitudes of flow velocities can also be produced.

Abstract: The present invention is a wide area medical information system and a method using thereof comprising a wide area network, a plurality of doctor terminals and patient terminals connected to the wide area network, and a management server including at least an electronic case record file storing clinic information for patient's and a doctor database storing data of a plurality of doctors, wherein the system searches the doctor database on the basis of patient information including the condition of the disease of a certain patient input from the patient terminal, selects the corresponding doctor, requests that the selected doctor take charge of examination and treatment for the aforementioned certain patient, registers the correspondence between the approved doctor and the aforementioned certain patient in the electronic case record file, gives the right to access the clinic information of the patient to the approved doctor, and executes the online examination and treatment via the doctor terminal and patient te

Abstract: A multi-language compatible service offering/receiving system. A service server and a service client are connected to a translation rule managing server is connected for managing translation rules for translating information expressing forms by way of an intermediate expression form. Upon sending of information from the service server to the service client, the service server translates a specific language contained in the data to be sent out into a language of the intermediate expression by referencing the translation rules. The service client translates the intermediate expression into specific expression by using the translation rules for displaying the data resulting from the translation. When the translation rules are unavailable in the service server and the service client, the translation rule is acquired from the translation rule managing server.

Abstract: Three-dimensional image data of an object is generated by an x-ray CT or magnetic resonance imaging system, and used to produce a flat pattern of the whole surface image of the object. An imaginary slit is provided in a three-dimensional space of the three-dimensional image data, and the image seen through this slit is generated by volume rendering. The above operation is repeated as this imaginary slit is moved along the periphery of the object of the three-dimensional image data. The generated image data are arranged laterally to produce a flat pattern. All the three-dimensional image data are not processed by volume rendering, but only the portion limited to a depth is processed to prevent the structure information of the rear side of the object from being mixed in the flat pattern.

Abstract: In order to realize multi-level gradation representation with reduced crosstalk in a display apparatus of STN method, one horizontal interval is divided uniformly by the bit length n of a gradation level display in a display apparatus of STN method having a display panel of simple matrix type and having display luminance depending upon the root-mean-square value of applied voltage. Each of sections resulting from division is associated with a display bit. The applied voltage value of the display panel in each divisional section is adjusted so that the root-mean-square voltage value difference on a divisional section may become the density difference meant by the display bit. Since time is divided into nearly equal n parts to represent a gradation level, the minimum time interval resulting from division becomes longer that of the conventional technique. Since the frequency band in use is narrowed, the crosstalk is reduced. As a result, false images and flicker on the display screen can be suppressed.

Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge with reduced tape pack deformation and more spatially homogeneous tape tension. The belt driven tape cartridge has a supply side tape hub and a winding side tape hub both rotatably mounted on the base. The tape is wound around the hubs to form a tape pack about each hub. A drive roller is rotatably mounted on the base. First and second rollers are rotatably mounted on the base. The drive belt is engaged on the drive roller, the tape pack on the supply side tape hub, the first and second corner rollers, and the tape pack on the winding side tape hub. The pack belt is engaged between the first and second corner rollers and disposed on the inner side of the drive belt. The drive belt has a width less than a width of the pack belt such that tape pack deformation is reduced and the tape tension is more spatially homogeneous.

Abstract: A tape cartridge with minimal tape tension variation and a method of making the same. The tape cartridge includes a supply-side tape reel around which a tape is wound and a winding-side tape reel both rotatably mounted to a base. At least one pin having a first end is attached to the base. At least one roller having a through-hole is rotatably engaged with the pin. Grease is interposed between the at least one pin and the through-hole. A second end of the pin includes a recess opening in an axial direction of the pin. The recess has a volume greater than a volume of excess grease accumulated on an end portion of the pin during mounting the roller on the pin. The roller may be an idler or drive roller for a belt-driven tape cartridge or a tape reel.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image producing method of determining, as display candidates, voxel data having a value exceeding a display threshold set for density, and voxel data of a specified classification selected from among voxel data classified into a plurality of display classifications, and projecting the voxel data as the display candidates onto a projection plane on the basis of predetermined display conditions to form a three-dimensional image.

Abstract: A pack belt or similar mechanism is provided in a two hub, belt-driven data cartridge to press against the tape pack on the take-up hub side of the cartridge when approximately half of the tape has wound onto that hub. The added load from this pressure reduces the speed of the tape-up hub, which in turn reduces the speed differential between the two hubs. Since the speed differential between the hubs causes a gradient in tape tension (bow-tie) as the tape is moved from BOT to EOT, this reduces or eliminates the bow-tie. Adjustment of the relative tensions between the drive belt and the pack belt allows adjustment of the bow-tie, ranging from the normal bow-tie, to near zero bow-tie, to a negative bow-tie. Coating one side each of the drive belt and the pack belt, then having the coated side of the drive belt contact the uncoated side of the pack belt further reduces bow-tie.

Abstract: A noise filtering method including the steps of calculating a magnitude E.sub.i of density change for each of a plurality of linear direction components i in a local region around each of pixels of an inputted two-dimensional image, detecting such a direction as to minimize the magnitude E.sub.i of density change, conducting smoothing processing by deriving an arithmetic mean of densities of pixels in the local region arranged in the detected direction, and thereby reducing noise of the inputted image.

Abstract: In a region extraction to be achieved by a concatenated region expansion processing, to improve reliability of extraction results and to reduce loads imposed on the operator, when a region other than an objective region is extracted as a result of the region extraction, a point belonging to the region other than the objective region is specified in a three-dimensional display image to execute deletion of the overflow region.

Abstract: Physical quantities representing six kinds of freedom relating to parallel movement and rotation of an inspection object are detected during repetition of a measurement sequence of magnetic resonance imaging, and a direction and a position of a desired slice moved with parallel movement and rotation of the inspection object are calculated in accordance with the detection result. An intensity ratio of gradient magnetic fields in x-, y- and z-axes directions for synthesizing a slice direction gradient magnetic field, an intensity of a phase encoder gradient magnetic field and a read direction gradient magnetic field are determined so that a direction of an excitation slice coincides with the direction of the desired slice after movement. Similarly, a center frequency of excitation pulses is determined so that a position of the excitation slice coincides with the position of the desired slice after movement. Magnetic resonance signals are measured by imaging parameters so updated, and an image is reconstructed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for automatically determining the median line of a selected region of a human body so as to simplify complex imaging required hithero for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, and, in the method, an artifact of the imaged selected region of the human body is utilized to automatically determine the median line. For example, two artifacts 1010 and 1020 intersecting each other appear from the superior sagittal sinus as shown in FIG. 1 when the direction of phase encoding is changed. By subtracting one of these artifacts 1010 and 1020 from the other and calculating the absolute value of the result of subtraction, the point 1030 of intersection of the artifacts determines the location of the superior sagittal sinus which is the source of apperance of the artifacts, so that the median line can be automatically determined on the basis of the result of determination of location of the superior sagittal sinus.

Abstract: To accomplish double-slice imaging by a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging apparatus having an ordinary radio frequency magnetic field generator, two radio frequency magnetic field waveforms are used and slices are separated by subsequent calculation. More definitely, two slice portions are excited in a REAL direction by a COS waveform and are excited in an IMAG direction by a SIN waveform. When one of the slices is S1 with the other being S2, the signal SC when the COS waveform is used is S1+S2 while the signal SS when the SIN waveform is used is i.S1-i.S2. Therefore, the calculation for separating the slices proves SC+i.SS and SC-i.SS. The present invention can avoid the increase in the production cost of the apparatus due to the addition of hardwares.

Abstract: In order to ensure that region extraction for extracting a specified internal organ can be effected with high reliability, a region expansion method is applied by using a combination of an expansion condition taking the local density change into consideration and an expansion condition taking the global density change into consideration.

Abstract: A method for imaging the coronary artery of a living body using nuclear magnetic resonance, wherein a patient is located in a static magneic field and the heart cycle of the patient is detected with the heart dilation period of the patient being determined in accordance with the detected heart cycle. Then, the coronary artery of the patient is portrayed on the nuclear magnetic resonance signal generated by applying high-frequency energy to the patient during the determined heart dilation period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for MRI imaging capable of reducing the time between end of measurement and completion of image reconstruction by performing part of image reconstruction calculation in parallel with measurement of magnetic resonance signals, which particularly performs image reconstruction calculation up to (N-1) dimensions of N-dimensional image reconstruction calculation in parallel with measurement of signals and performs the image reconstruction calculation for the remaining one-dimensional direction after the measurement has been finished.

Abstract: In order to eliminate the degradation of NMR image caused by a body motion due to breathing or the like, one of measured image signals is selected as a reference, correlation is calculated between each measured image signal and the reference, and the image signal is modified on the basis of the value of correlation.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus selects a partial region of a slice in a subject with a radio frequency magnetic field and generates echo signals only from the partial region. The echo signals are collected from the subject by using an ultra-high speed data acquisition technique. An image of a partial region is reconstructed from the echo signals.

Abstract: A slice selection gradient magnetic field used in a pulse sequence for generating a spin echo signal is applied in such a fashion that its polarity at the time of a 90.degree. pulse becomes opposite to the one at the time of 180.degree. pulse, in order to expand a dynamic range of blood flow speed measurement. When the blood flow speed contains a component in a slice vertical direction, the gradient magnetic field in the slice vertical direction is adjusted so that the phase changes of two sets of flow encoded pulses contained in the slice vertical direction are opposite to each other.The flow speed in the direction of the readout gradient magnetic field, which is a lateral direction of the slice plane, is purely measured by canceling influences of the flow in the slice vertical direction.