Abstract: A coloration state of a test region is read out as image density values by a readout device. A calculation is made to find a similarity degree between template information for the test region, which template information represents a state of coloration of the test region, and which has been stored previously in a pattern storing device, and the coloration state of the test region, which coloration state has been read out by the readout device. An analysis of an analyte is performed by a judgment device in accordance with the similarity degree, which has been calculated.

Abstract: Viscosity of a test body solution spotted onto a test piece is detected. The test piece has an insoluble support, through which the test body solution is developed, and a test region formed on the insoluble support, the test region reacting with an analyte in the test body solution and undergoing coloration. A washing liquid is fed to the test region and its neighboring regions at the time between a stage, at which the test body solution has been developed through the test region, and a stage, at which a liquid for amplifying the coloration state of the test region is fed to the test piece, such that the quantity of the washing liquid fed to the test region and its neighboring regions is set to be large as the detected viscosity becomes high.

Abstract: A biological substance detecting apparatus that enables stable detection and quantitative analysis of biologically derived target substances is provided. The biological substance detecting apparatus employs a sensor chip provided with a fine flow channel through which a sample liquid is caused to flow, and a sensor surface that adsorbs a biologically derived target substance. Light is irradiated onto the sensor surface, and light emitted by the adsorbed target substance or a labeling substance bound thereto is detected. A flow speed controlling means, for controlling the flow speed of the sample liquid that flows through the fine flow channel to a value within a range such that the adsorption speed of the target substance is not controlled by dispersion.

Abstract: A medical image of a subject and detection information including positions of abnormal shadow candidates and degrees of malignancy of abnormal shadows detected from the medical image are acquired. The medical image is divided into a plurality of regions of interest, and images of the regions of interest are sequentially displayed with displaying images of the regions of interest containing the abnormal shadow candidates in descending order of the degree of malignancy based on the detection information prior to images of the regions of interest containing no abnormal shadow candidate.

Abstract: A motor controller determines a drive speed of a motor for driving a filter such that an area shifting cycle of the filter synchronizes with a cardiac cycle. The filter starts to rotate before radiation emission, and continues to rotate at a constant speed during two successive radiation emissions. An emission controller controls timing of two emissions in accordance with a phase of the filter. The area shifting cycle of the filter and the cardiac cycle are previously synchronized, and thus a high-performance filter switching device for switching or shifting the filter in synchronization with the emission timing becomes unnecessary. Adjusting the area shifting cycle of the filter in accordance with the cardiac cycle realizes two radiation emissions in two successive cardiac cycles. As a result, an exposure time is shortened.

Abstract: A radiation image photographing apparatus is formed with a photographing unit that includes a radiation emission means for emitting radiation, a radiation image detection means for recording a radiation image, a region of interest indication means for indicating a mark on a site of a subject corresponding to the region of interest specified in the radiation image, and the like; a computer having an input means, such as a mouse; and a monitor, in which a radiation image obtained by photographing is displayed on the monitor to have the user to specify a region of interest through the input means, and when coordinate information of the region of interest in the image is received from the computer, photographing unit, based on this, controls the region of interest indication means to automatically indicate a mark on a site of the subject corresponding to the region of interest.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining a dynamic radiographic image with enhanced resolution, in which an electrocardiogram of a subject is obtained, and five time phases are allocated to each cardiac beat period (1 second). The initial X-ray irradiation is performed at 1st time phase of 1st beat to obtain a radiographic image. Thereafter, X-ray irradiations are performed sequentially at 2nd time phase of 2nd beat, at 3rd time phase of 3rd beat, at 4th time phase of 4th beat, and at 5th time phase of 5th beat to obtain respective radiographic images. The five radiographic images obtained are combined at the time interval of 0.2 seconds to be displayed as a motion image. The time interval between the irradiations of the X-ray is 1.2 seconds, so that image signals corresponding to 1st to 5th time phases may be obtained with high resolution.

Abstract: A plurality of radiation images of an object are acquired by iterating the steps of: beginning driving of a rotation driving unit at the time at which a breathing signal having been detected by a breathing sensor has come into a predetermined state, performing a radiation imaging operation with a set of a radiation source and a radiation detector at the time, at which the heart has come into a predetermined state, in accordance with a heartbeat signal having been detected by a heartbeat sensor within a rotation driving period, during which the rotation driving unit performs the rotation driving, and ceasing the rotation driving of the rotation driving unit at the time at which the breathing of the object has come into a state other than the predetermined state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining a dynamic radiographic image with enhanced resolution, in which an electrocardiogram of a subject is obtained, and five time phases are allocated to each cardiac beat period (1 second). The initial X-ray irradiation is performed at 1st time phase of 1st beat to obtain a radiographic image. Thereafter, X-ray irradiations are performed sequentially at 2nd time phase of 2nd beat, at 3rd time phase of 3rd beat, at 4th time phase of 4th beat, and at 5th time phase of 5th beat to obtain respective radiographic images. The five radiographic images obtained are combined at the time interval of 0.2 seconds to be displayed as a motion image. The time interval between the irradiations of the X-ray is 1.2 seconds, so that image signals corresponding to 1st to 5th time phases may be obtained with high resolution.

Abstract: Placement of a marker is performed efficiently, when performing a plurality of radiation imaging operations of a subject with different imaging angles. An operator inputs a region of interest within a subject on a bed, via an operating section. The region of interest and a peripheral region thereof are set as an irradiation range, and the marker is placed in the peripheral region. A radiation source control section causes a radiation source to emit radiation toward the subject within the set irradiation range. Radiation which passes through the subject is obtained by a radiation image detector as a radiation image.

Abstract: An image displaying system includes an image processor and a display unit. The image processor moves and/or deforms a first radiographic image and a second radiographic image that has been captured after the first radiographic image such that the first radiographic image and the second radiographic image are aligned. The display unit displays the first radiographic image and the second radiographic image that have been aligned, allows one of the first and second radiographic image to be viewed by the right eye, and allows the other of the first and second radiographic image to be viewed by the left eye.

Abstract: There is provided a radiographic imaging device including: a radiation source that irradiates radiation and can move to a directly-facing position at which the radiation source directly faces the object of imaging in a directly-facing direction, a first diagonal incidence position that is at an angle to the directly-facing position, and a second diagonal incidence position that is at an angle at a side opposite the first diagonal incidence position to the directly-facing position; a radiation detector; and a control section that acquires radiologist information relating to an radiologist and, on the basis of the acquired radiologist information, selects one of the first diagonal incidence position and the second diagonal incidence position, wherein the radiographic imaging device captures radiographic images at the directly-facing position and at one of the first diagonal incidence position and the second diagonal incidence position selected by the control section.

Abstract: A tomographic image generation apparatus for generating tomographic images appropriate for diagnosis from radiation images obtained by tomosynthesis imaging. Tomographic images of a subject are generated with a first slice interval by reconstructing a plurality of radiation images obtained by the tomosynthesis imaging. A region of interest is detected from the tomographic images generated with the first slice interval. Tomographic images are generated with a second slice interval, which is smaller than the first slice interval, adjacent to the slice position of a tomographic image from which a region of interest is detected.

Abstract: A region of interest information obtaining section obtains the size and position of a region of interest within a radiation image of a subject. A position calculating section calculates positions for a radiation source and a detecting panel that enable appropriate radiation imaging of the region of interest, employing the region of interest information. A moving section moves the radiation source and the detecting panel to the positions calculated by the position calculating section. Radiation images of the subject are obtained while rotating the radiation source and the detecting panel about a rotating axis that passes through a predetermined position at which the subject is placed.

Abstract: The time for obtaining ultrasonic images can be reduced by using a two-dimensional transducer array and good radiation images can be obtained even when radiation imaging is performed with the fixed array. The medical imaging apparatus includes a radiation generating unit for generation radiation, a radiation detecting unit for detecting radiation, an ultrasonic transducer array provided between the radiation generating unit and the radiation detecting unit and including two-dimensionally arranged ultrasonic transducers, a radiation image data generating unit for generating radiation image data based on a detection result of the radiation detecting unit, and an image processing unit for performing image processing on the radiation image data generated based on a detection result of radiation transmitted through an object to be inspected and the ultrasonic transducer array, thereby removing an image of the ultrasonic transducer array from a radiation image represented by the radiation image data.

Abstract: A breast radiation imaging and therapy apparatus for performing radiation imaging of a breast and having a therapy function of applying radiation to an affected part in the breast. The apparatus includes: (i) a table formed with an opening for allowing a breast of an examinee to pass through; (ii) an imaging unit including a first radiation generating unit for applying an imaging radiation beam and a radiation detecting unit for detecting the radiation beam to output detection signals; (iii) a therapy unit including a second radiation generating unit for applying a therapeutic radiation beam, the second radiation generating unit being movable in a tangential direction of a rotational track around a rotational axis and movable in a direction substantially orthogonal to the table; and (iv) at least one rotational driving device for rotating the imaging unit and the therapy unit around the rotational axis.

Abstract: An imaging section includes a radiation source that emits radiation, a detecting panel for detecting the radiation, and a rotating section for integrally rotating the radiation source and the detecting panel about a rotating axis. The radiation source and the detecting panel face each other with the rotating axis that passes though a predetermined position interposed therebetween. The imaging section sequentially images a subject placed at the predetermined position while rotating the radiation source and the detecting panel about the rotating axis, and image signals are read out for each imaging operation. A control section refers to a necessary readout region set by a setting section and controls a readout switching means such that image signals recorded in detection pixels within the necessary readout region are read out by a normal readout section, and image signals recorded in other detection pixels are read out by a high speed readout section.

Abstract: A fluorescence detecting system includes a stimulating light projector which projects onto an object part which has been dosed with a fluorescence agent first stimulating light in the exciting wavelength range of the fluorescence agent and second stimulating light which differs from the first stimulating light in the wavelength band and is in the exciting wavelength range of the auto-fluorescence material contained in the object part, and a fluorescence information obtainer which obtains the fluorescence from the fluorescence agent information based on the fluorescence from the fluorescence agent emitted from the object part in response to projection of the first stimulating light and the auto-fluorescence information based on the auto-fluorescence emitted from the object part in response to projection of the second stimulating light. The fluorescence agent is a fluorescence agent which does not emit fluorescence in response to projection of the second stimulating light.

Abstract: The time for obtaining ultrasonic images can be reduced by using a two-dimensional transducer array and good radiation images can be obtained even when radiation imaging is performed with the fixed array. The medical imaging apparatus includes a radiation generating unit for generation radiation, a radiation detecting unit for detecting radiation, an ultrasonic transducer array provided between the radiation generating unit and the radiation detecting unit and including two-dimensionally arranged ultrasonic transducers, a radiation image data generating unit for generating radiation image data based on a detection result of the radiation detecting unit, and an image processing unit for performing image processing on the radiation image data generated based on a detection result of radiation transmitted through an object to be inspected and the ultrasonic transducer array, thereby removing an image of the ultrasonic transducer array from a radiation image represented by the radiation image data.

Abstract: A mammography apparatus capable of obtaining a breast image having an optimum density with reduced burden on the subject. The apparatus includes a radiation irradiation section and an object table connected to an arm such that they face each other, and the breast compressed onto the object table using a compression paddle is imaged by rotating the arm by an arm rotation means according to the imaging direction. In the apparatus, the size of the breast is detected, and the position of a dose detector is moved along the side of the object table facing the chestwall of the subject according to the detected size of the breast and the angle of rotation of the arm when rotated by the arm rotation means.