Abstract:
This application discloses a system for recording medical image data for production on a portable digital recording medium such as CDs and DVDs. Aspects of this disclosure include a robotic disc burning system. The system comprises, among other components, a communication interface that can communicate with browsing terminals over a network. The communication interface is accessible by a remote user interface, such as a web browser. Additional aspects of this disclosure include an associated method for recording by a robotic disc burning system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/942,630, filed on Nov. 19, 2007, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/761,795, filed on Jan. 17, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,302,164, issued Nov. 27, 2007, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/181,985, filed on Feb. 11, 2000. The entire disclosure of these priority applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a system and method for the production of medical image data on portable digital recording media such as compact discs. More particularly, it relates to a system and method for receiving medical image data, processing medical image data, and transmitting medical image data to be recorded on a portable digital recording medium. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Since the invention of the x-ray film, film has been the predominant multipurpose medium for the acquisition, storage, and distribution of medical images. However, the storage and distribution of film often requires considerable expenses in labor and storage space. 
     Today&#39;s modern hospitals utilize computer-aided imaging devices such as Computed Tomography (CT), Digital Subtracted Angiography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). These digital devices can generate hundreds of images in a matter of seconds. Many hospitals require these images to be printed on film for storage and distribution. To print complete sets of medical images from these digital devices, the cost in film material, storage space, and management efforts is often very high. 
     Some radiology departments have installed digital image storage and management systems known as PACS (Picture Archive Communication Systems). PACS are capable of storing a large amount of medical image data in digital form. PACS are made by manufacturers including GE, Siemens, and Fuji. 
     To ease the communication of data, the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard was developed by ACR-NEMA (American College of Radiology-National Electrical Manufacturer&#39;s Association) for communication between medical imaging devices and PACS. In addition to the examined images, patient demographics, and exam information such as patient name, patient age, exam number, exam modality, exam machine name, and exam date can also be stored and retrieved in DICOM compatible data format. A DICOM file stores patient and exam information in the header of the file, followed by the exam images. PACS store medical image data in DICOM format. 
     Digital medical image data can be stored on PACS and distributed using the Internet. However, many physicians&#39; offices do not have the bandwidth suitable for fast download of medical image data. The concerns for medical data privacy and Internet security further reduce the desirability of Internet distribution. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The claimed system allows for digital medical image data to be produced on a portable digital recording medium such as a CD. A CD containing the medical image data can be distributed to physicians, hospitals, patients, insurance companies, etc. One embodiment of the claimed system allows for medical image data to be placed on a CD along with a viewing program, so that a user can use any computer compatible with the CD to view the medical image data on the CD. One embodiment of the claimed system allows for searching medical exam data that are related and placing such data on the same CD. 
     One embodiment of the claimed system comprises a receiving module configured to receive medical image data, a processing module configured to process the received medical image data, and an output module configured to transmit the processed medical image data to a production station configured to produce the transmitted medical image data on portable digital recording medium, such as a CD. In one embodiment, the output module transmits a viewing program configured to view medical image data to the production station so that the viewing program is produced on the same CD as the medical image data. In another embodiment, the CD already contains the viewing program before the medical image data is transmitted to the CD production station. 
     In one embodiment of the claimed system, the processing module is configured to create and store audit information of the portable digital recording medium produced by the production station. 
     In another embodiment of the claimed system, the processing module is configured to identify the originating image input device of the received medical image data, and determine, on the basis of the originating image input device, whether to transmit the received medical image data to a production station. The processing module also selects, on the basis of the originating image input device, one of multiple production stations as the target production station. 
     Yet another embodiment of the claimed system is configured to retrieve medical image data that are related to the received medical image data, and transmit the retrieved related image data to the production station. In one embodiment, exam images of the same patient are considered related. In another embodiment, exam images of the same patient and the same modality are considered related. For example, two x-ray exams on the left hand of the same patient are considered related. In yet another embodiment, exam images of the same patient, the same modality and taken within a specified date range are considered related. For example, two x-ray exams on the left hand of the same patient taken within a two-month period are considered related. A hospital may also determine other scenarios of relatedness. 
     One claimed method comprises the steps of connecting a browsing terminal to a computer database configured to store medical image data, selecting medical image data from medical image data stored on the database, and recording the selected medical image data on portable digital recording medium. In one embodiment, the claimed method also comprises a step of recording a viewing program configured to view medical image data on the portable digital recording medium. 
     One embodiment of the claimed method further comprises the steps of finding and retrieving medical image data that are related to the selected medical image data, and recording related image data to portable digital recording medium. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of an image production system comprising an application server and portable digital recording medium production stations. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates sample records of one embodiment of an image input device profile table. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a process of receiving image data from image server, processing received image data, and transmitting such data to the production station. This process also retrieves and transmits related image data for production. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a process of a user selecting and ordering the production of image data stored on the application server. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a process of a user selecting and ordering the production of image data stored on the application server, with the option of selecting and ordering the production of related image data. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of an image production system  100  comprising an application server  110  and one or more portable digital recording medium production stations  300 A,  300 B and  300 C. In the preferred embodiment, the production stations  300 A,  300 B and  300 C are CD (Compact Disc) production stations. Digital portable recording medium comprises CDs and DVDs (Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc). CDs may comprise CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable), and CD-RW (Compact Disc Recordable and Writable). DVDs may comprise DVD-ROM (DVD Read Only Memory), DVD-R (DVD Recordable) and DVD-RAM (a standard for DVDs that can be read and written many times). Thus, although the following description refers primarily to CDs, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that any suitable portable digital recording medium can be substituted for CDs. 
     The application server  110  is connected to one or more physician browsing terminals  400 A,  400 B and  400 C through a computer network  600 . Each physician browsing terminal  400 A,  400 B or  400 C comprises a browsing program such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator. Physicians or their assistants launch the browsing program to access the application server  110  through the network  600  in order to select medical image data stored on the application server database  114  to be produced by a production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C. In the preferred embodiment, the physician browsing terminals  400 A,  400 B and  400 C are connected to the application server through an Intranet. One embodiment of the Intranet utilizes TCP/IP network protocol. The Intranet can connect one radiology department, multiple departments within a hospital, or multiple hospitals. In another embodiment the browsing terminals  400 A,  400 B and  400 C are connected to the application server  110  through the Internet. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the application server  110  is also connected to an image server  200 . The image server  200  is further connected to image input devices such as PACS  204 , MRI machines  206 , CT-scan machines  208 , ultrasound machines  210 , etc. In the preferred embodiment, the image server  200  is a DICOM image server configured to receive and store medical image data in DICOM format. In operation, the image server  200  receives medical image data from image input devices such as PACS  204 , MRI machines  206 , CT-scan machines  208  and ultrasound machines  210  and stores such image data in the image server database  202 . A high-resolution image scanner  500  is also connected to the image server  200 , so that medical image data stored on film can be scanned on the image scanner  500 , transmitted to the image server  200  and stored in the image server database  202 . In one embodiment, the image scanner  500  also converts the scanned image to DICOM format. The application server  110  receives input image data from the image server database  202 , processes the received image data, and sends the image data to one of the production stations  300 A,  300 B or  300 C to produce CDs. 
     The application server  110  comprises a viewing program  112 , an application server database  114  that stores image data received from the image server  200 , a production history database  116  that stores audit records on each CD produced, a display terminal  118  for programming and operating the application server  110  by a programmer or physician, and an image input device profile table  120 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the viewing program  112  is configured to allow users to read and manipulate medical image data. The viewing program  112  comprises multiple image manipulation functions, such as rotating images, zooming in and zooming out, measuring the distance between two points, etc. The viewing program  112  also allows users to read the patient demographics and exam information associated with the image data. The viewing program  112  used in the preferred embodiment is produced by eFilm Medical Inc. located in Toronto, Canada. The viewing program  112  used in the preferred embodiment is an abbreviated version with fewer functions and takes less storage space, in order to maximize the storage space for image data on a CD. The image server  200  used in the preferred embodiment is also made by eFilm Medical Inc. 
     The CD production stations  300 A,  300 B and  300 C in the preferred embodiment are produced by Rimage Corporation in Edina, Minn. Details about the Rimage CD production stations can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,542,768, 5,734,629, 5,914,918, 5,946,276, and 6,041,703, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     The application server  110  in the preferred embodiment runs on a personal computer running a 400 MHz Celeron or Pentium II/III chip, with Windows 98 or NT as the operating system. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates sample records of one embodiment of an image input device profile table  120 . The image input device profile table  120  contains a profile record for each image input device. Each image input device&#39;s profile record comprises: (1) an “auto-produce” logical field  250  indicating whether medical image data from this image input device should be produced on CD automatically by the image production system  100 , (2) a “target production station” field  252  identifying one of the production stations  300 A,  300 B or  300 C on which medical image data is to be produced, and (3) a “related data storage”  254  field identifying the medical image data storage units in which to search for the related image data. A medical image data storage unit is a storage unit that stores medical image data and is connected to the application server  110 . In one embodiment, a medical image data storage unit is connected to the application server  110  through the image server  200 . In the preferred embodiment, PACS  204  is such a medical image data storage unit. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the sample profile table  120  contains profile records for MRI Machine I, MRI Machine II, and Ultrasound Machine I. For MRI Machine I, the “auto-produce” field  250  contains a “yes” value, directing the image production system  100  to automatically produce image data originating from MRI Machine I on portable digital recording medium. Its “target production station” field  252  contains a “Production Station A” value, directing the image production system  100  to produce image data originating from MRI Machine I on production station A. Its “related data storage” field  254  is “PACS I”, directing the image production system  100  to retrieve related medical image data from PACS I. For MRI Machine II, the “auto-produce” field  250  is “no”, directing the image production system  100  to not automatically produce image data originating from MRI Machine II on portable digital recording medium. Since image data from MRI Machine II will not be automatically produced, the “target production station” field  252  and the “related data storage” field  254  are irrelevant. For Ultrasound Machine I, the “auto-produce” field  250  is “yes”, and its “target production” filed  252  is “Production Station B”. Its “related data storage” field  254  contains a value of “PACS I, PACS II”, directing the image production system  100  to search PACS I and PACS II for related medical image data. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a process of the application server  110  receiving image data from the image server  200 , processing the received image data, and transmitting such data to the production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C. The application server  110  continuously monitors the image server database  202  in step  122 . In one embodiment, the application server continuously “pings” the network address corresponding to the image server  200  on the network that connects the application server  110  with the image server  200 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the application server  110  determines if the image server database  202  is changing, in step  124 . In the preferred embodiment, the application server  110  makes that determination by detecting whether the image server database  202  is increasing in size. If there is no change in the image server database  202 , then the application server  110  returns to step  122  to continue monitoring. If there is change in the image server database  202 , then the application server  110  proceeds to step  126  and time-stamps the moment that the change started. The application server  110  then proceeds to step  128  and waits for an interval, typically 35 to 65 seconds. After the interval, the application server  110  checks whether the image server database  202  is still changing, in step  130 . If the image server database  202  is still changing then the application server  110  returns to step  128  to wait for another interval. If the image server database  202  is no longer changing, then the application server  110  proceeds to step  132  and copies the data changed since the time-stamped moment. This changed data is copied from the image server database  202  to the application server database  114 . 
     The application server  110  proceeds to step  134  and finds the input image device name or identification number from the newly received image data. In the preferred embodiment, image data from the image server database  202  are stored in DICOM format, and the input image device name or identification number is stored in the header of the DICOM format image data file. The input image device name/ID indicates the origin of the newly received data. The application server  110  proceeds to step  136  and uses the found input image device name/ID to find a corresponding profile record in the image input device profile table  120 . If the profile record has an “auto-produce” field  250  with a “no” value, the application server  110  returns from step  138  to step  122  to continue monitoring the image server database  202 . If the “auto-produce” field  250  contains a “yes” value, the application server  110  proceeds from step  138  to step  140 , and determines the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C from the “target production station” field  252  of the profile record. In step  140 , the application server  110  also determines the value in the “related data storage” field  254  of the profile record. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , in step  142 , the application server  110  sends a copy of the newly received data, along with a copy of the viewing program  112 , to the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C identified in step  140 . With the viewing program attached, the image data on each CD produced by the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C can be viewed on any computer that accepts the CD, regardless of whether that computer has its own viewing program installed. In one embodiment, the data received in step  132  is stored in the application server database  114  before it is transmitted to the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C in step  142 . In another embodiment, the application server  110  transmits the data received in step  132  to the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C, without storing a copy of the data in the application server database  114 . 
     In one embodiment, the application server  110  does not send a copy of the viewing program  112  to the target production station during step  142 . Rather, the application server  110  sends a copy of the received medical image data to the production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C to be recorded on pre-burned CDs. Each pre-burned CD contains a viewing program already recorded onto the CD before step  142 . 
     In step  142 , the application server  110  also sends configuration data to the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C. The configuration data comprises a label-printing file comprising the specification for printing labels on top of the CDs, and a “number of copies” value indicating the number of copies of CDs to be produced. A typical specification in the label-printing file may specify information such as patient name, exam modality, hospital name, physician name, production date, etc. to be printed by the target production station as a label on the top of each CD produced. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , in step  143 , the application server  110  searches the application server database  114  for image data related to the newly received data. The application server  110  then searches the PACS systems identified in the “related data storage” field  254  in step  140  for data related to the newly received data. Some PACS systems each comprise a primary image data storage and an archive image data storage, and the application server  110  searches both the primary image data storage and the archive image data storage on these PACS systems. The application server  110  is connected to the PACS systems through the image server  200 . The application server  110  retrieves found related data from the PACS systems and stores a copy of such found related data in the application server database  114 . The application server  110  sends a copy of related data that are found from the application server database  114  or the PACS systems to the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C. The medical image data originally received in step  132  and the related medical image data are produced by the target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C on the same CDs for comparative study. 
     For each CD to be produced, the application server  110  adds one audit record to the production history database  116  in step  144 . The new audit record comprises the identification number of the CD and other relevant information about the CD, such as the physician who requested the production (if any), and the names of the patients whose exam images are on that CD. 
     Steps  142 ,  143  and  144  may be executed immediately before, concurrent with, or immediately after one another. 
     The target production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C produces the CDs containing the medical image data and the viewing program sent to it, and prints a label on top of every CD, corresponding to the specification in the label-printing file. The number of CDs produced corresponds to the “number of copies” number sent by the application server  110  in step  142 . When the target production station has produced the CDs, the production station returns a “completed” signal to the application server  110 . The application server  110  waits for this signal in step  146 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , in step  148 , the application server  110  updates the audit records in the production history database  116  that were created in step  144 . For each CD produced, the application  110  server updates the date and time of production for that CD&#39;s audit record. The application server  110  also updates the status value for that CD&#39;s audit storage record from “processing” to “successful”. The application server  110  then continues monitoring the image server database  202  as in step  122 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a process of a user selecting and ordering the production of image data stored on the application server  110 . A user, typically a physician or physician&#39;s assistant, accesses the application server database  114  from a browsing terminal  400 A,  400 B or  400 C connected to a network  600 . In one embodiment, the user launches a browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator, and specifies a network address corresponding to the application server  110 , in step  150 . In another embodiment, the user clicks a pre-defined icon that directly launches a browser connecting to the application server  110 . The application server  110  prompts the user to enter a password or an identification name coupled with a password, in step  152 . The application server  110  checks if the entered identification/password is authorized in step  154 . If the entered identification/password is not authorized the user is returned to step  152  to re-enter the identification/password, or disconnected from the application server  110 . If the entered identification/password is authorized then the user is allowed access to the application server database  114  and the application server  110  proceeds to step  156 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 4 , in step  156  the user is prompted to select a patient from a list of patients with exam images in the application server database  114 . The user is then shown a list of the selected patient&#39;s exams, and is prompted to select one or more exams of that patient, in step  158 . When the user indicates that he/she has completed selecting all exams for that patient, the user is asked in step  160  whether to select another patient from the list of patients. If the user answers “yes”, the user is returned to step  156  to select another patient. If the user answers “no”, the user proceeds to step  162 . 
     In another embodiment, when a user selects a patient, all exams belonging to that patient will be automatically selected without prompting for user selection. In yet another embodiment, the user is not prompted to select patients, but is only prompted to select exams from a list of all exams for all patients contained in the application server database  114 . 
     When the user indicates that he/she has completed selecting, the user is prompted to select a production station from a list of production stations  300 A,  300 B and  300 C in step  162 . The user is also prompted to enter additional label text to be printed as labels on the CDs to be produced, to supplement the text printed according to the specification of the label-printing file. The user can advantageously select the production station located closest to his/her office. In one embodiment, only one production station is connected to the application server  110 , and the lone production station will be the selected production station without prompting for user selection. 
     In one embodiment, the user is also prompted to select the number of copies of CDs to be produced. In another embodiment, the number of copies is set at one without prompting for user direction. As described above in connection with  FIG. 3 , in step  164 , the application server  110  sends a copy of the image data of the selected exams for the selected patients to the selected production station, along with a copy of the viewing program  112 , and configuration data comprising a label-printing file, additional label text, and a number indicating the number of copies of CDs to be produced. The production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C then produces one or more CDs containing the selected exams for the selected patients and the viewing program, with labels printed on top of the CDs according to the specification in the label-printing file and the user-entered additional label text. 
     In another embodiment, a user accesses the application server database  114  not from a browsing terminal  400 A,  400 B or  400 C, but directly from the display terminal  118 . In this embodiment the user directly proceeds from step  152 . In this embodiment the user is typically a programmer or operator of the image production system  100 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a process of a user selecting and ordering the production of image data stored on the application server  110 , with the additional option of selecting and ordering the production of related data for comparative study. As described above in connection with  FIG. 4 , a user connects to the application server  110  from a browsing terminal  400 A,  400 B or  400 C in step  170 . The user enters identification information and a password in step  172 . Step  174  determines whether the user is authorized to access the application server database  114 . If authorized, the user is prompted to select a patient in step  176 , and selects exams of the selected patient in step  178 . The user is then asked in step  180  if he/she desires to find related data of that patient for comparative study. 
     If the user answers yes, the application server  110  then searches for related data. The application server  110  finds the image input device profile table  120  profile record corresponding to the image input device from which the selected data originates, identifies the list of PACS systems stored in the “related data storage” field  254 , and searches these PACS systems for related data. In another embodiment, once the user has selected a patient/exam combination, the application server  110  automatically searches for related data without asking for user direction. In this embodiment, the application server  110  alerts the user if related data are found. In one embodiment, the application server  110  also searches the application server database  114  for related medial image data. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 5 , the user is then prompted to select all or some of the related data from the list of found related data for production, in step  184 . In another embodiment, all found related data are automatically selected by the application server  110  for production, without prompting for user selection. 
     The user is then prompted to select another patient in step  186 . After the user has completed selecting all patients, the user is prompted to select a CD production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C in step  188 . The user is also prompted to enter additional label text. In step  190 , the application server  110  then sends a copy of the original and selected related data, along with a copy of the viewing program  112 , a number indicating the number of copies to be produced, additional label text, and a label-printing file to the selected production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C for production. 
     The above paragraphs describe the application server  110  with one database  114  for image data storage. In another embodiment, the application server  110  includes two databases for image data storage: a new data database and a storage data database. The new data database stores only the most recent batch of new data just received from the image server  200 . After the data in the new data database is sent to a production station  300 A,  300 B or  300 C, the application server  110  erases data in the new data database. The storage data database stores all data that has ever been received from the image server database  202 . In the processes described by  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , a user selects images for production from the storage data database. 
     Several modules are described in the specification and the claims. The modules may advantageously be configured to reside on an addressable storage medium and configured to execute on one or more processors. The modules may include, but are not limited to, software or hardware components that perform certain tasks. Thus, a module may include, for example, object-oriented software components, class components, processes methods, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Modules may be integrated into a smaller number of modules. One module may also be separated into multiple modules. 
     Although the foregoing has been a description and illustration of specific embodiments of the invention, various modifications and changes can be made thereto by persons skilled in the art, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.