Abstract:
A system that provides an improved way of scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system is disclosed. The system enables a user (i.e. a technician or medical expert) to group different imaging tasks and executes them simultaneously to significantly reduce scan time. These imaging tasks are of different types or are related to different imaging techniques. If different imaging tasks need to be performed substantially at the same location and have substantially same scan time then they can be scheduled simultaneously so that overall scan time can be reduced.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to India patent application number 1591/CHE/2015, filed on Mar. 27, 2015, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system for managing imaging tasks in a medical imaging system. More specifically it relates to a system and method for scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system for performing imaging on a subject. 
         [0003]    Medical imaging systems with multiple imaging techniques combined in a single system are available for performing imaging on subjects. One of a kind of medical imaging system is PET-MR imaging system that allows user to simultaneously acquire PET and MR sequences leading to significant scan time reduction. The PET-MR and MR systems have user interface comprising of various user interface (UI) windows and controls. These UI windows and controls capture various kinds of patient prescription, image information, and user actions. The PET and MR imaging procedures or tasks may be performed at different imaging locations with respect to subject&#39;s body and their scan centers may be also different. In another scenario the imaging locations and the scan centers of different imaging tasks may be closer and thus these imaging tasks may be performed simultaneously. Present system enables these tasks such as MR and PET imaging tasks to be performed simultaneously. Currently the user reviews each and every imaging task and determines which of these imaging tasks can be grouped to be executed simultaneously. The grouping of the imaging tasks is performed manually by the user. For grouping the imaging tasks for example MR and PET imaging tasks, scan time needs to be manually calculated by the user which is time consuming. Once the scan time is calculated then the imaging tasks need to be made simultaneous manually. As manual grouping is performed it is prone to inaccuracy it also results in low user experience and throughput. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, a need exists for an improved system for managing and scheduling imaging tasks. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The object of the invention is to provide an improved system for scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system, which overcomes one or more drawbacks of the prior art. This is achieved by the system having the capability of as defined in the independent claim. 
         [0006]    One advantage with the disclosed system is that it provides an improved way of scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system. The system enables a user (i.e. a technician or medical expert) to group different imaging tasks and executes them simultaneously to significantly reduce scan time. These imaging tasks are of different types or are related to different imaging techniques. If different imaging tasks need to be performed substantially at the same location and have substantially same scan time then they can be scheduled simultaneously so that overall scan time can be reduced. 
         [0007]    In an embodiment a system for scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system is disclosed. The system includes an imaging task processor configured to analyze the plurality of imaging tasks, wherein the plurality of imaging tasks includes a plurality of first imaging tasks and a plurality of second imaging tasks. One or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks are grouped. An imaging task processor is configured to execute one or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks simultaneously for performing imaging. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment a method of scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system is disclosed. The method includes analyzing a plurality of imaging tasks, wherein the plurality of imaging tasks includes a plurality of first imaging tasks and a plurality of second imaging tasks. One or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks are grouped. Thereafter the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are executed simultaneously for performing imaging. 
         [0009]    A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages thereof, will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a system for scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system according to an embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of grouping of multiple first imaging tasks and multiple second imaging tasks according to an embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of grouping of multiple first imaging tasks and multiple second imaging tasks based on scanning location with respect to a subject&#39;s body according to an exemplary embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of an exemplary user interface (UI) presented to the user that presents grouping of multiple imaging tasks according to an exemplary embodiment; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of a method of scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system according to an embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates a flow diagram of a method for grouping the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks based on an imaging location associated with each imaging task according to an embodiment; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  illustrates a flow diagram of a method for grouping the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks based on an imaging center associated with each imaging task according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments that may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. 
         [0018]    As discussed in detail below, embodiments of a system for scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system is disclosed. The system includes an imaging task processor configured to analyze the plurality of imaging tasks, wherein the plurality of imaging tasks includes a plurality of first imaging tasks and a plurality of second imaging tasks. One or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks are grouped. An imaging task processor is configured to execute one or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks simultaneously for performing imaging. 
         [0019]    In another embodiment a method of scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system is disclosed. The method includes analyzing a plurality of imaging tasks, wherein the plurality of imaging tasks includes a plurality of first imaging tasks and a plurality of second imaging tasks. One or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks are grouped. Thereafter the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are executed simultaneously for performing imaging. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a system  100  for scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system according to an embodiment. The medical imaging system may include, but not limited to a positron emission transmission (PET)-magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system, a positron emission transmission (PET)-computed tomography (CT) imaging system, and so on. The imaging tasks may be associated but not limited to PET, CT and MR imaging techniques. A user (i.e. a technician or a medical expert) may schedule different imaging tasks that need to be performed on subject&#39;s body. For instance PET and MR imaging tasks may be performed on the subject&#39;s body using a PET-MR imaging system. The PET and MR imaging tasks may be performed at the same location or approximately closer locations on the subject&#39;s body. Further scan time for the PET imaging task and the MR imaging task may be substantially same in some instances and in other instances execution time of the MR imaging task may be less than execution time of the PET imaging task. Execution time of an imaging task may be a time required for performing the imaging task completely. If these imaging tasks can be grouped together based on their imaging location and the execution time then the time required for imaging tasks can be reduced. The imaging location refers to location or portion of subject&#39;s body where the imaging needs to be performed. 
         [0021]    The system  100  includes an imaging task processor  102  for analyzing the plurality of imaging tasks. The plurality of imaging tasks includes a plurality of first imaging tasks and a plurality of second imaging tasks. In an exemplary scenario a first imaging task may be associated with a PET imaging technique and a second imaging task may be associated with a MR imaging technique. Based on the analysis, the imaging task processor  102  groups one or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks. In an embodiment the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are grouped based on imaging locations of these tasks. The imaging task processor  102  determines an imaging location of a first imaging task and an imaging location of the second imaging task. If a first imaging task is performed in an imaging location similar or substantially similar to an imaging location where a second imaging task may be performed then these tasks may be grouped. The grouped first imaging tasks and the second imaging tasks are executed simultaneously for performing imaging on the subject&#39;s body. 
         [0022]    In another embodiment the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks may be grouped based on execution time of these tasks. A first imaging task and a second imaging task may have different execution time. For example a first imaging task (i.e. a PET imaging task) may have higher execution time as compared to a second imaging task (i.e. a MR imaging task). Thus multiple MR imaging tasks may be grouped with the PET imaging task. A cumulative execution time of MR imaging tasks may be lesser than the execution time of the PET imaging task. In another instance cumulative execution time of MR imaging tasks may be equal to the execution time of the PET imaging task. Once the first imaging tasks and the second imaging tasks are grouped they are stored in a memory  104 . 
         [0023]    The technician or user can group multiple first imaging tasks and second imaging tasks in different groups according to an embodiment.  FIG. 2  illustrates grouping of multiple first imaging tasks such as a first imaging task  200 , a first imaging task  202 , and a first imaging task  204 ; and multiple second imaging tasks such as a second imaging task  206 , a second imaging task  208  and a second imaging task  210 . The first imaging tasks  200 ,  202  and  204  may be associated with PET imaging technique. Further the second imaging tasks  206 ,  208  and  210  may be associated with MR imaging technique. The imaging task processor  102  analyzes these first imaging tasks and the second imaging tasks to determine their execution time and imaging locations. The imaging task processor  102  group the first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the first imaging task  202  in a group  212 . The first imaging task  200  and the first imaging task  202  may need to be performed at an imaging location same as an imaging location of the second imaging task  208 . This is further explained in conjunction with  FIG. 3 . Further cumulative execution time of the first imaging task  200  and the first imaging task  202  may be less than an execution time of the second imaging task  208 . For example execution time of the first imaging task  200  may be 18 seconds, and the execution time of the first imaging task  202  may be 1 minute. The second imaging task  208  may have its associated execution time as 3 minutes. The cumulative execution time of the first imaging tasks  200  and  202  can be accommodated within the execution time of the second imaging task  208 . Thus the first imaging tasks  200  and  202  can be executed simultaneously while executing the second imaging task  208 . So when the second imaging task  208  is being performed the first imaging tasks  200  and  202  can be completed simultaneously thereby saving time. 
         [0024]    The first imaging tasks  204  and  206  can also be grouped with the second imaging task  210  in a group  214 . The execution time of the first imaging task  204  and the first imaging task  206  may be 1 minute and 1 minute respectively. Further the execution time of the second imaging task  210  may be 2 minutes. The first imaging tasks  204  and  206  can be accommodated along with the second imaging task  210 . Accordingly the first imaging tasks  204  and  206  are grouped with the second imaging task  210  in grouped in group  214  and executed. The first imaging tasks  204  and  206  are performed are simultaneously when the second imaging task  210  is performed. As a result the first imaging tasks  204  and  206 , and the second imaging task  210  can be completed within 2 minutes thereby saving the time. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates grouping the first imaging tasks and the second imaging tasks based on scanning location with respect to a subject&#39;s body according to an exemplary embodiment. The scanning locations as described herein is a mere exemplary scenario where the system  100  can operate to identify the first imaging tasks and the second imaging tasks that need to be arranged in different groups. The scanning locations include a head  300 , a chest  302 , an abdomen  304  and a lower body  306 . The scanning locations as described herein are mere examples and there can be other scanning locations as part of the subject&#39;s body. The imaging task processor  102  analyzes these imaging tasks and identifies that the first imaging task  200  is associated with a scanning location i.e. the head  300 , and the second imaging task  208  is associated with a scanning location which is between or overlapping with the head  300  and the chest  302 . Moreover the second imaging task  210  is associated with a scanning location i.e. chest  302  which is closer to the scanning location of the second imaging task  208 . In an embodiment an imaging centers within the scanning locations of the first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the second imaging task  210  are analyzed. In an instance execution time of the first imaging task  200  may be less than execution time of the second imaging task  208  or in another instance the execution time of the first imaging task  200  and the second imaging task  208  are substantially same. However the cumulative execution time of the second imaging tasks  208  and  210  may be substantially same or less than the execution time of the first imaging task  200 . Accordingly these imaging tasks i.e. the first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the second imaging task  210  are grouped in a group  308 . The imaging task processor  102  analyzes the first imaging task  202  and other imaging tasks which can be grouped. The imaging task processor  102  identifies that there are no imaging tasks having its scanning locations same or substantially same as the first imaging task  202 . Thus the first imaging task  202  is included in a group  310 . Explaining by way of an example, the first imaging task  200  may be a PET imaging task and the second imaging tasks  208  and  210  may be MR imaging tasks. The MR imaging tasks are non-simultaneous imaging tasks. The execution time of the PET imaging task is usually more than the execution time of the MR imaging tasks. So if the scanning location of the PET imaging task and the MR imaging tasks are same or substantially the same then it is checked whether the MR imaging tasks can be accommodated along with the PET imaging tasks based on their execution time. In another scenario, the scanning location and the execution time of the PET imaging task and the MR imaging tasks are analyzed simultaneously. However it may be noted that scanning location and the execution time of the PET imaging tasks and the MR imaging tasks can be analyzed in order or simultaneously in order to group these tasks without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. More specifically a cumulative execution time of the MR imaging tasks is substantially same or less than an execution time of the PET imaging task. For instance the second imaging tasks  208  and  210  may have execution time 2 minutes and 1 minute and the first imaging task  200  may have execution time 3.5 minutes. The cumulative execution time of the second imaging tasks  208  and  210  is 3 minutes which is less than the execution time of the first imaging task  200 . The first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the second imaging task  210  are grouped in the group  308  to be performed simultaneously so that time required for completing these imaging tasks can be efficiently managed and higher throughput of the medical imaging system. In an embodiment a suggestion is provided to the user to group the first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the second imaging task  210  in the group  308 . The suggestion is presented and based on the suggestion these imaging tasks can be grouped by the user. In another embodiment the first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the second imaging task  210  may be grouped automatically in the group  308 . In yet another embodiment the first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the second imaging task  210  may not grouped to form any group however these imaging tasks may be performed simultaneously. The suggestion for simultaneously executing the first imaging task  200 , the second imaging task  208  and the second imaging task  210  may be presented to the user. Upon receiving the user&#39;s confirmation these imaging tasks may be simultaneously executed. 
         [0026]    Further another PET imaging task i.e. the first imaging task  202  may have an execution time of 4 minutes and as there are no MR imaging tasks that can be grouped along with the PET imaging task may performed alone at its time slot in the medical imaging system. A suggestion for grouping the first imaging task  202  may be presented to the user. Alternately the first imaging task  202  may be grouped automatically. The first imaging task  202  may not be grouped to form any group however the imaging task may be performed alone at its appropriate time slot in the medical imaging system. 
         [0027]    The imaging task processor  102  analyzes other imaging tasks such as the second imaging task  216  and the first imaging task  204 . The first imaging task  204  is associated with a scanning location overlapping the abdomen  304  and the lower body  306  of the subject. Whereas the second imaging task  216  needs to be performed at the lower body  306 . As the scanning locations are overlapping then execution time of the first imaging task  204  and the second imaging task  216  are analyzed. The second imaging task  216  and the first imaging task  204  are grouped in a group  312 . The user may be presented the suggestion for grouping the second imaging task  216  and the first imaging task  204 . In another embodiment the second imaging task  216  and the first imaging task  204  are not grouped to form any group however these imaging tasks may be simultaneously executed in the medical imaging system. The suggestion for simultaneously executing the second imaging task  216  and the first imaging task  204  is presented to the user and these imaging tasks are simultaneously executed based on user&#39;s confirmation. As explained earlier the first imaging task  200 , the first imaging task  202 , the first imaging task  204 , the second imaging task  206 , a second imaging task  208 , the second imaging task  210  and the second imaging task  216  may not be grouped to form any separate groups however these imaging tasks can be selected appropriately as explained in conjunction with  FIGS. 2 and 3  to be performed simultaneously within the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary user interface (UI)  400  presented to the user that presents grouping of multiple imaging tasks according to an exemplary embodiment. The UI  400  is associated with a PET-MR imaging system. The UI  400  presents imaging tasks such as a PET  402 , a MR  404 , a magnetic resonance attenuation correction (MRAC)  406 , a MR  408 , a MR  410  and a PET  412 . The PET  402  have an execution time of 5:56 minutes. As the PET  402  task has higher execution time, multiple imaging tasks can be made simultaneous to the PET  402  task for simultaneously execution. The system analyzes the imaging tasks i.e. the MR  404 , the MRAC  406 , the MR  408  and the MR  410  one by one to determine their scanning location and execution time. The MR  404  task, the MRAC  406  task and the MR  408  task have scanning locations same or substantially same as a scanning location of the PET  402  task. Further execution time of each of the MR  404  task, the MRAC  406  task and the MR  408  are also compared with the execution time of the PET  402  task. The execution time associated with the MR  404  task, the MRAC  406  task and the MR  408  task are 1:56 minutes, 0.18 minutes and 2 minutes respectively. The cumulative execution time for these imaging tasks 4 minutes 14 seconds which is less than execution time of the PET  402 . Thus the MR  404  task, the MRAC  406  task and the MR  408  task can be made simultaneous to the PET  402  task. In an embodiment the MR  404  task, the MRAC  406  task and the MR  408  task can be grouped with the PET  402  task as a group  414 . These MR imaging tasks are executed simultaneously with the PET  402  task thereby improving the efficiency and throughput of the medical imaging system. Similarly other imaging tasks such as the MR  408 , the MR  410  and the PET  412  tasks can be grouped or made simultaneous based on their scanning location and execution time. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flow diagram of a method  500  of scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system according to an embodiment. At block  502  the plurality of imaging tasks are analyzed. The plurality of imaging tasks includes a plurality of first imaging tasks and a plurality of second imaging tasks. The first imaging tasks may be associated with a PET imaging technique and the second imaging tasks may be associated with a MR imaging task. Based on the analysis, one or more first imaging tasks and one or more second imaging tasks are grouped at block  504 . The grouping is presented as a suggestion to the user. The user can confirm the grouping based on the suggestion. In an embodiment grouping of the first imaging tasks and the second imaging tasks may be imaginary however these imaging tasks may be made simultaneous for execution. Each imaging tasks such as the first imaging tasks and the second imaging tasks have associated execution time. The execution time refers to time required for executing an imaging task in the medical imaging system. Further these imaging tasks may be performed at an imaging location or scanning location associated with the subject&#39;s body. The imaging location and the execution time associated with the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are analyzed. Based on the analysis the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are executed simultaneously for performing imaging at block  506 . The one or more second imaging tasks may have a cumulative execution time substantially equal to a cumulative execution time associated with the one or more first imaging tasks. 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  illustrates a flow diagram of a method  600  for grouping the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks based on an imaging location associated with each imaging task according to an embodiment. At block  602  an imaging location on a subject&#39;s body where imaging is performed is determined for each imaging task. Further it is identified whether the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are grouped based on one or more imaging locations associated with subject&#39;s body where the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are performed at block  604 . Here one or more imaging location where the one or more first imaging task is performed is substantially near to one or more imaging locations where the one or more second imaging locations are performed. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  illustrates a flow diagram of a method  700  for grouping the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks based on an imaging center associated with each imaging task according to another embodiment. At block  702  an imaging center where imaging is performed for each imaging task is determined. Further it is identified whether the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are grouped based on one or more imaging centers where the one or more first imaging tasks and the one or more second imaging tasks are performed at block  704 . Here one or more imaging centers where the one or more first imaging task is performed are substantially near to one or more imaging centers where the one or more second imaging locations are performed. 
         [0032]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the above disclosed is a system for scheduling a plurality of imaging tasks in a medical imaging system. The system presents automatic suggestion for making the imaging tasks for example PET imaging tasks and MR imaging tasks, simultaneous to a user. The user can confirm these suggestions and different imaging tasks may be executed simultaneously. For instance one or more MR imaging tasks may be made simultaneous along with a PET imaging task thereby improving the throughput of the medical imaging system. Here non-simultaneous MR imaging tasks are made simultaneous with respect to a PET imaging task. Thus the system provides intelligent feedback or suggestions for making MR imaging tasks simultaneous with respect to a PET imaging task. Usually the PET imaging task has higher execution time and to make the system efficient non-simultaneous MR imaging tasks having cumulative execution time same or less than execution time of the PET imaging task are made simultaneous with respect to the PET imaging task. 
         [0033]    This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any computing system or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.