Abstract:
In a medical imaging apparatus having a medical data acquisition scanner operated by a control computer, and an operating method therefor a gesture detector in communication with the control computer detects at least one input gesture made by a user and provides an electronic signal, in response to the at least one input gesture, to the control computer that causes the control computer to control an aspect of operation of said data acquisition scanner dependent on said at least one input gesture. Detection of the at least one input gesture by the gesture detector is activated by providing an activation signal to the gesture detector from an activation status controller in response to a manual input to the activation status controller made by the user, with the gesture detector being enabled to detect the at least one input gesture only after being provided with the activation signal.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    The present invention concerns a method for detecting at least one input gesture of a user for operation of a medical imaging apparatus. The present invention also concerns a medical imaging apparatus having a data acquisition scanner, which is designed for detecting medical image data. The invention also concerns a user interface, which is arranged inside an examination room, and concerns an activation status controller designed for activating detection of at least one input gesture. 
       Description of the Prior Art 
       [0002]    In the case of interventions guided by medical imaging examinations, for example in the case of biopsy examinations and/or ablations on a patient, it is necessary for a user, in particular for a physician, to interact with the medical imaging apparatus. The consequence of this is that a sterile working method of the user is necessary, and a user interface of the medical imaging apparatus must also be operated. During the medical imaging, examination information is presented as an output to the user and/or information and/or parameters are entered as an input by the user via the user interface. If, for hygiene reasons, information is entered solely by an input gesture of the user, the situation can occur where a random gesture of the user is incorrectly identified as an input gesture, or an input gesture effected by the user is not recognized and/or identified as an input gesture. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An object of the present invention is to enable simple operation for a user and clear recognition of input gestures at a user interface during a medical imaging examination. 
         [0004]    The above object is achieved in accordance with the invention by a method for detecting at least one input gesture of a detector for operating a medical imaging apparatus, which includes detection of the at least one input gesture of the user with a gesture detector, and that also includes activating detection of the at least one input gesture by a gesture detector by placing the gesture detector in an activated state by a signal supplied thereto from an activation status controller, in response to a manual input made by the user to the activation status controller. 
         [0005]    As used herein, activating detection of the at least one input gesture means that the activation status controller is in an activation state in which the activation status controller activates the units required for gesture detection, for example a gesture detector having a camera, so these are in a detection mode in which input gestures can be detected. The activation status controller preferably has at least two activation states, wherein in a first activation state the activation status controller is designed to activate all units required for detection of an input gesture of the user and to put them into a detection mode. In a second activation state the activation status controller is designed to deactivate all units required for detection of an input gesture of the user and to put them into a non-detection mode. In non-detection mode detection of an input gesture, in particular a control gesture for controlling the medical imaging apparatus, of the user is precluded, but detection of an activation gesture can still occur in the non-detection mode. The activation status controller controls the units required for gesture detection dependent on the current activation state, so these units always have a current operating mode for detecting input gestures. The units for detecting input gestures of the user preferably include a user interface that is designed for presenting output information and for receiving input information and/or parameters, and that is arranged inside the examination room in which a scanner of the medical imaging apparatus is also situated. The activation signal preferably is a signal containing information as to which activation state of the activation status controller should be set in the activation status controller. 
         [0006]    The gesture detector is configured to detect an input gesture of the user. The gesture detector for this purpose has a detection region within which the input gesture of the user can be detected. The gesture detector is preferably incorporated in a user interface of the medical imaging apparatus. An input gesture of the user means a gesture by which an input can be effected by the user at a user interface, with the detected input gesture containing information as to operation and/or control of the medical imaging apparatus. 
         [0007]    The user is normally a medical operator who prepares and/or supervises the pending medical imaging examination. The medical operator can be, for example, a physician carrying out treatment. 
         [0008]    The invention enables simple operation and clear recognition of input gestures at a user interface during, for example, an interventional medical imaging examination. This has the advantageous consequence that hygiene regulations, in particular with respect to sterility, during such an interventional medical imaging examination, can be easily and reliably maintained. Furthermore, additional input devices, such as a keyboard and/or a touch display, can be foregone and laborious cleaning of such input devices thus is also avoided. Furthermore, the medical imaging examination can be carried out solely from an examination room, since operation and control of the medical imaging examination can occur in the examination room. A continual change in position between the examination room and the control room, in which system control computer and console of the medical imaging apparatus are situated, is thus advantageously avoided. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, misinterpretation of input gestures of the user can be precluded in this way. The workflow can be simplified because information and/or parameters can be easily input in a time-saving manner by an input gesture. 
         [0010]    The activation status controller has at least one activation state and this at least one activation state is visually depicted for the user. As used herein, an activation state means an operating state and/or an operating mode of the activation status controller. Detection of the at least one input gesture is preferably dependent on a current activation state of the activation status controller. The activation status controller preferably has at least two different activation states, with an input gesture of the user can being detectable in a first activation state, and the activation status controller is in a non-detection state in a second activation state. This embodiment of the invention enables simple detection of an activation state for the user, so the user can optionally also change this activation state. 
         [0011]    In a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one activation state is depicted within a field of view that the user has while implementing the image data acquisition procedure. 
         [0012]    Advantageous visibility of the at least one activation states can be achieved thereby. The visual depiction of the at least one activation state of the activation status controller can be displayed directly in a viewing region and/or working region of the user and/or a medical operator. Such a field of view means a region of the body of the patient that is to be examined by the medical imaging apparatus. Alternatively or additionally, the field of view can be a projection region of a projector of the activation status controller and/or the field of view can encompass a detection region for detecting gesture data, in particular position data of the user, by the gesture detector. 
         [0013]    In a further embodiment of the invention, the activation status controller has at least two different activation states, with the at least two different activation states being respectively depicted by different symbols and/or different colors. This enables intuitive and simple detection of a current activation state of the activation status controller. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment, the activation status controller has at least two different activation states, with an activation si g nal for activating at least one activation state of the at least two activation states being triggered by an activation gesture within field of view. A particularly time-saving workflow for changing the activation state of the activation status controller, for example, from a non-detection state into a detection state can be achieved, thereby. The activation state of the activation status controller is preferably activated and/or triggered by the activation gesture within the field of view by the at least one activation gesture can detected. The activation gesture can be, for example, the user placing a hand in the field of view. Any other activation gesture that is considered reasonable to those skilled in the art is suitable for triggering the at least one activation state. 
         [0015]    In another embodiment, the activation status controller has at least two different activation states, with an activation signal for activating at least ones activation state of the at least two activation states being triggered by actuation of at least one operating element. This can prevent misinterpretation of input gestures. The operating element can be any type of operating element considered reasonable to those skilled in the art, such as a button and/or an operating panel. The operating element is particularly advantageously formed by a pedal, which is operated by the user&#39;s foot, so the workflow of the user does not have to be interrupted. 
         [0016]    The invention also encompasses a medical imaging apparatus having an image data acquisition scanner, which is designed for detection of raw data that are converted into medical image data, a user interface which is situated inside an examination room, and an activation status controller, wherein the medical imaging apparatus is designed to implement the method for detecting at least one input gesture of a user for operating the medical imaging as described above. In this apparatus, a gesture detector is provided that is configured to detect at least one input gesture of the user which serves an input command to set at least one aspect of operation of the scanner. The gesture detector, in addition to being in communication with the control computer for the scanner, is in communication with an activation status controller. The activation status controller is configured to activate the gesture detector, so as to enable the gesture detector to detect the input gesture, in response to a manual input made by the user to the activation status controller. 
         [0017]    The apparatus according to the invention enables simple operation and clear recognition of input gestures at a user interface during, for example, an interventional medical imaging examination. The advantageous consequence of this is that hygiene regulations, in particular with respect to sterility, during, for example, an interventional medical imaging examination, can also be easily and reliably maintained. Furthermore, additional input devices, such as, for example, a keyboard and/or a touch display, are advantageously not needed and so laborious cleaning of such input devices is avoided. Furthermore, the medical imaging examination can be carried out solely from an examination room, since operation and control of the medical imaging examination can occur in the examination room. Continually changing position between the examination room and a control room, in which a system control computer and console of the medical imaging apparatus are situated, is thereby avoided. 
         [0018]    In addition, misinterpretation of input gestures of the user can be avoided in this way. The workflow can also be simplified because information and/or parameters can be entered simply and in a time-saving manner by an input gesture. 
         [0019]    The advantages of the inventive medical imaging apparatus substantially correspond to the advantages of the inventive method for detecting at least one input gesture as described above in detail. Features, advantages or alternative embodiments mentioned in connection with the method are applicable to the apparatus as well. 
         [0020]    When the user interface has a gesture detector, simple and fast detection of an input gesture of the user can advantageously be achieved. The gesture detector preferably has a camera for this purpose. 
         [0021]    In an embodiment of the inventive apparatus, the user interface has at least one manual operating element for activating detection of at least one input gesture. Misinterpretation of input gestures can advantageously be prevented thereby, since the gesture recognition has to be activated first and therefore random gestures of the user are not detected. The operating element is particularly advantageously formed by a pedal that is operated by the user&#39;s foot, so the workflow of the user does not have to be interrupted. 
         [0022]    In a further embodiment of the invention the user interface has a depiction unit, so a current activation state for detection of input gestures can be depicted for the user. The depiction unit preferably is a projector since information, in particular activation information, can be directly projected into a viewing region and/or a working region of the user thereby. The projector is designed to project the activation information into a field of view that the user can see during the image data acquisition procedure. 
         [0023]    The invention also encompasses a non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with program code, the storage medium being loaded directly into a memory of a programmable system control computer of a medical imaging apparatus. The program code causes the control computer to implement the method for detecting at least one input gesture in accordance with the invention, when the program code is executed in the system control computer of the medical imaging apparatus. The program code may need peripheral support, such as libraries and help functions, in order to implement the corresponding embodiments of the method. The program code may be a source code, which has still to be compiled and embedded or that only has to be interpreted, or an executable software code that for execution then only has to be loaded in the corresponding processor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates an inventive medical imaging apparatus in accordance with the invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of an inventive method for detecting at least one input gesture of a user. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  shows a first exemplary embodiment for depicting an activation state of an activation status controller. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a second exemplary embodiment for depicting an activation state of an activation status controller. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]      FIG. 1  schematically shows a medical imaging apparatus  10 . In the exemplary embodiment, the medical imaging apparatus  10  is formed as a magnetic resonance apparatus  11 . The design of the medical imaging apparatus  10  is not limited to a magnetic resonance apparatus  11 . The medical imaging apparatus  10  can be formed by any medical imaging apparatus that is considered expedient to those skilled in the art, such as a computed tomography apparatus, a positron emission tomography apparatus, etc. 
         [0029]    The magnetic resonance apparatus  11  has a scanner  13 , formed by a magnetic unit. The scanner  13  has a superconductive basic field magnet  14  for generating a strong and constant basic magnetic field  15 . The magnetic resonance scanner  13  has a patient-receiving region  16  for receiving a patient  17 . In the exemplary embodiment the patient-receiving region  16  is cylindrical and is cylindrically surrounded in the circumferential direction by the scanner  13 . A different design of the patient-receiving region  16  is also conceivable. The patient  17  can be moved by a patient-positioning device  18  of the magnetic resonance device  11  into the patient-receiving region  16 . The patient-positioning device  18  has for this purpose an examination table  19  designed to move within the patient-receiving region  16 . 
         [0030]    The scanner  13  also has a gradient coil arrangement  20  for generating magnetic field gradients, which are used for spatial encoding during data acquisition. The gradient coil arrangement  20  is controlled by a gradient control processor  21  of the magnetic resonance apparatus. The scanner  13  also has a radio-frequency antenna  22 . The radio-frequency antenna  22  is controlled by a radio-frequency antenna control processor  23  of the magnetic resonance apparatus so as to irradiate radio-frequency pulse sequences into the patient-receiving region  15  of the scanner  13  so as to cause nuclear spins in the patient  17  to deviate from the polarization produced by the basic field  15 . 
         [0031]    For controlling the basic field magnet  14 , the gradient control processor  21 , and for controlling the radio-frequency antenna control processor  23 , the magnetic resonance apparatus has a system control computer  24 . The system control computer  24  centrally controls the magnetic resonance apparatus, such as to execute a predetermined imaging gradient echo sequence. Furthermore, the system control computer  24  has an evaluation processor (not shown) for evaluation of medical image data acquired during the magnetic resonance examination. The magnetic resonance apparatus also has a control console  25  connected to the system control computer  24 . Control information, such as imaging parameters, and reconstructed magnetic resonance images, can be displayed on a display unit  26 , for example on at least one monitor, of the control console  25  for a user  28 , such as a medical operator. The control console  25  also has an input unit  27  via which information and/or parameters can be entered by the medical operator during a scanning process. 
         [0032]    The system control computer  24  is situated together with the operating console  25 , gradient control processor  21  and radio-frequency antenna control processor  23  inside a control room  30 . The scanner  13  is situated inside an examination room  29 , with the examination room  29  preferably being shielded outwardly and inwardly in order to shield against disruptive effects that can affect a medical imaging examination and that may be caused by the medical imaging apparatus  10 . In particular, the examination room  29 , in one embodiment of the medical imaging apparatus  10  as a magnetic resonance apparatus, is shielded with respect of magnetic fields and against electromagnetic radiation, in particular radio-frequency radiation. Preferably all units and modules for controlling the medical imaging apparatus  10  are arranged in the control room  30 . The control room  20  is designed separately and so as to be shielded from the examination room  29  with respect to an exchange of electromagnetic radiation and/or magnetic fields. 
         [0033]    For exchange of information between the magnetic resonance apparatus and the user  28  within the examination room  29  and/or for controlling and/or monitoring the magnetic resonance apparatus and/or a magnetic resonance examination, the magnetic resonance apparatus has a user interface  31  that is situated inside the examination room  29 . For detection of input gestures of the user  28 , the user interface  31  has a gesture detector  32 . In the exemplary embodiment, the gesture detector  32  has a camera, by which a position and/or movements of the user  28  can be detected. The position data and/or movement data detected by the gesture detector  32  are transmitted via a data transmission bus (not shown) to a gesture evaluation processor  36  of the system control computer  24  and are evaluated therein. The gesture detector  32  is situated inside the examination room  29 ; the gesture evaluation processor  36  is situated inside the control room  30 . 
         [0034]    The user interface  31  also has a depiction unit  34  formed by a projector which is provided for projection of information and/or data within the examination room  29 . 
         [0035]    To avoid misinterpretation of individual input gestures of the user  28 , the user interface  31  also has an activation status controller  33  by which detection of input gestures by means of the gesture detector  32  is activated. In the present exemplary embodiment the activation status controller  33  is incorporated by the system control computer  24  and is arranged inside the control room  30 . Gesture detection is activated by the gesture detector  32  by the activation status controller  33 . 
         [0036]    An activation signal for activating detection of at least one input gesture of the user  28  can be detected by the depictor  34 , in particular the projector, in collaboration with the gesture detector  32 , with detection of the activation signal being controlled by the activation status controller  33 . 
         [0037]    Furthermore, the user interface  31  has an additional operating element  35 , which in the exemplary embodiment is formed by a pedal. With this operating element  35 , an activation signal can likewise be entered, with detection of the activation signal by the operating element  35 , in particular the pedal, being controlled by the activation status controller  33  here as well. 
         [0038]    In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the activation status controller  33  is designed without the operating element  35 . Furthermore, it is also possible for the activation status controller  35  to have only the operating element  35  available for activating detection of at least one input gesture of the user  28  and for the activation status controller  33  to not have a projector. 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the inventive method for detecting at least one input gesture of the user  28  for operating the medical imaging apparatus  10 , in particular the magnetic resonance apparatus, during the medical imaging examination, in particular a magnetic resonance examination. This method is implemented by the activation status controller  33  in collaboration with the user interface  31 . For this purpose, the activation status controller  33  has appropriate software and/or computer programs that are stored in a memory (not shown) of the system control computer  24 , For implementing the method, the software and/or computer programs is/are run by a processor (not shown) of the system control computer  24 . 
         [0040]    At the beginning of the method, detection of the at least one input gesture of the user  28  is activated by the activation status controller  33  in a first method step  100 . The activation status controller  33  for this purpose has two activation states. In a first activation state of the two activation states the activation status controller  33  controls the gesture detector  32  such that the gesture detector  32  is in a detection mode. This detection mode of the gesture detector  32  puts the gesture detector  32  in an operating state in which the gesture detector is active. Furthermore, in the first activation state of the activation status controller  33 , the gesture detector  32  is also designed to detect activation gestures. 
         [0041]    In a second activation state of the two activation states of the activation status controller  33 , the gesture detector  32  is controlled by the activation status controller  33  so as to put the gesture detector  32  is in a non-detection mode. In this non-detection mode, the gesture detector  32  is not enabled for detection of an input gesture, for example a control gesture for controlling the magnetic resonance apparatus. In this non-detection mode, the gesture detector  32 , and therewith input gesture detection, is inactive. In other words, no input gesture of the user  28  can be detected. In this second activation state of the activation status controller  33 , the gesture detector  32  is configured solely to detect activation gestures. 
         [0042]    At the beginning of the method, the activation status controller  33  is in the second activation state in which the gesture detector  32  is also in non-detection mode. 
         [0043]    A current activation state of the activation status controller  33 , and therewith a current operating mode of the gesture detector  32 , is visually depicted and/or displayed for the user  28  by means of the depiction unit  34 . For this purpose, the current activation state of the activation status controller  33  is depicted in a field of view. The field of view preferably encompasses a region of the patient  17  to be examined and/or is situated inside a working region and/or a viewing direction of the user  28 . Alternatively or additionally, the field of view can encompass a depiction region of the depiction unit  34  and/or a detection region of the gesture detector  32 . In the present exemplary embodiment the measuring field comprises a central and/or middle region of a surface of the body of the patient  17 . The activation state in the central and/or middle region of the surface of the body of the patient  17  is therefore depicted for the user  28 . 
         [0044]    The activation state is depicted (visualized) by the depiction unit  34 , in particular the projector. For this purpose a corresponding graphics symbol  37  is depicted ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) on the surface of the body of the patient  17 . There are different graphics symbols  37  available for the different activation states of the activation status controller  33 . The different graphics symbols  37  each include a circle, wherein for the different activation states of the respective circles are identified by a different color of an area of the respective circle. This is shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  where one of the two different activation states is projected onto the patient  17  in each case.  FIG. 4  visually depicts the second activation state in which the gesture detector is in non-detection mode. This activation state is depicted by the color red and symbolizes the second activation state to the user  28 .  FIG. 3  visually depicts the first activation state in which the gesture detector  32  is in a detection mode. This activation state is depicted by the color green and symbolizes the first activation state to the user  28 . 
         [0045]    To detect an input gesture of the user  28  a change in the activation state of the activation status controller  33  is necessary. In this connection the activation status controller  33  must change from the second activation state, in particular from the non-detection state, into the first activation state, in particular into the detection state. This change in the activation state of the activation status controller  33  is triggered by the user  28 . 
         [0046]    For this purpose, the user  28  can perform an activation gesture, causing an activation signal to be detected by the gesture detector  32 , and this triggers the first activation state and thereby brings about a change in the activation status controller  33  from the second activation state into the first activation state. The activation gesture is a clearly defined gesture and it is only by recognition of this defined activation gesture that the change in the activation status controller  33  from the second activation state into the first activation state is triggered. In the exemplary embodiment the activation gesture is a hand  38  of the user  28  being placed on the graphics symbol, in particular on the area of the circle marked with red, which symbolizes the second activation state for the user  28 . Any other activation gesture that is considered expedient to those skilled in the art is possible. Alternatively, the user  28  can trigger an activation signal by actuating the pedal, and thereby bring about a change in the activation status controller  33  from the second activation state into the first activation state. 
         [0047]    Once the activation status controller  33  has been changed into the first activation state, input gestures and/or control gestures of the user  28  can be detected by the gesture detector  32 . After activating detection of the input gestures and/or control gestures in a subsequent method step  101 , input gestures and/or control gestures of the user  28  are detected. The input gesture and/or control gesture can be a gesture for controlling the magnetic resonance device and/or a gesture for inputting information and/or parameters for the magnetic resonance examination. 
         [0048]    This method facilitates control of the medical imaging apparatus  10  during a medical imaging examination of the examination room  29 . Activating gesture recognition is intuitive for the user  28  and enables quick and immediate detection of a current activation state of the activation status controller  33 , so the user  28  can clearly see at any time whether gesture recognition is active or not. Furthermore, this method enables simple activation of gesture recognition for the user  28 . In this way workflows for controlling the medical imaging examination can be optimized since, for example a physician who is carrying out an interventional examination on the patient  17 , can control the medical imaging examination directly within the examination room  19 . Furthermore, misinterpretations of input gestures for controlling the medical imaging apparatus  10  can be reduced and/or prevented. 
         [0049]    Depiction of the symbols for displaying the current activation state of the activation status controller  33  can be adjusted by the activation status controller  33  to an examination region of the patient  17 , so a size and/or spatial arrangement of the depicted symbols can also vary. 
         [0050]    Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventors to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of their contribution to the art.