Abstract:
A system having a first data storage element storing a first set of data including patient images and a second data storage element storing a second set of data that is derived from the first set of data, the second set of data including searchable data that is descriptive of the first set of data and excludes the patient images.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Existing medical image storage systems typically store images indexed by patient identifiers. Such systems are well suited to searching for images for a particular patient using simple database queries. However, they are not suited to more complicated search criteria and advanced searches, because more detailed information is not available. Medical professionals may wish to be able to perform more advanced searches. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A system having a first data storage element storing a first set of data including patient images and a second data storage element storing a second set of data that is derived from the first set of data, the second set of data including searchable data that is descriptive of the first set of data and excludes the patient images. 
         [0003]    A method for storing a first set of data including patient images, extracting, from the first set of data, searchable data that is descriptive of the first set of data to create a second set of data, the second set of data excluding the patient images and storing the second set of data. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary system for providing a medical database with enhanced search features. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary method for creating and using a medical database with enhanced search features. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    The exemplary embodiments may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments describe systems and methods for providing databases of medical information that support advanced search queries. 
         [0007]    Existing systems for storing patient images, such as Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (“PACS”) are typically indexed by patient information. This information may include patient name and birth date, other patient identifiers, or study identifiers. Querying such an index for data using patient or study identifiers is simple and effective; however, searching based on other criteria is difficult or impossible. Therefore, though such databases are useful for some purposes, additional utility can be achieved by adapting existing databases to be queried in newer, more complex ways. 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system  100 . The system  100  includes a repository database  110 , which stores patient information and is, for example, a PACS database, a pathology information system, etc. As described, the repository database  110  stores patient images indexed by, for example, a patient identifier, a study identifier, or other similar criteria. Typically, such data is stored according to the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (“DICOM”) standard. The user&#39;s ability to query the database  110  alone is limited as described above. However, the system  100  also includes a search database  120 , which is created from the repository database  110  as will be described herein. The format of the search database  120  may be any database that is appropriate for this purpose; it may be as simple as a spreadsheet, but preferably is a database built specifically for this purpose. The system  100  also includes a bot  130  and a filter  140 , which are used to create the search database  120 . 
         [0009]    The bot  130  and the filter  140  are typically software applications that reside on the system  100 , although they may be located elsewhere, and may be stored in separate locations from one another. For example, different portions of a hospital may have separate PACS databases or there may be separate PACS databases at a series of affiliated hospitals. The bot  130  and the filter  140  may reside at one of these hospitals or portions of the hospital, but may have access to all the PACS databases. Additionally, the search database  120  may be located remotely from the patient image repository database  110  or may be located at the same location. The operation of these elements will be described in further detail below. The system  100  also includes a search interface  150 , which may be part of a clinical application provided so that users may access the search database  120  through a user interface. 
         [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary method  200 . The method  200  will be described with reference to the process for constructing the search database  120  from the patient image repository database  110 ; however, the broader concepts illustrated by the exemplary method  200  are also applicable to systems other than that of  FIG. 1 . In step  210 , the patient image repository database  110  is queried by the bot  130  to determine whether it contains new images that have not yet been indexed in the search database  120 . As will be understood, when the search database  120  is being created, an initial query will retrieve all images from the repository database  110 ; subsequent queries will retrieve at least those images that have been added to the repository database  110  since the most recent previous query, and may be performed at regular intervals (e.g., weekly). In alternative implementations, the query may be structured to retrieve all images from the repository database  110 , including those that have recently been added. Preferably, queries are performed during time periods when system and network usage is low, such as overnights or weekends. It should be noted that the bot  130  may automatically query the database  110  based on a schedule or an event, or may be started manually by a user. In step  220 , new images are retrieved by the bot  130  from the repository database  110  and passed to the filter  140 . 
         [0011]    In step  230 , the filter  140  processes the images retrieved from the repository database  110  in order to provide searchable information for the search database  120 . This processing step includes filtering images stored in the repository database  110  to extract searchable data. The data may be stored in the images (e.g., in a DICOM format) or derivable therefrom. The exact nature of the data to be extracted depends on the purpose for which the search database  120  is to be used; further, the extracted data is typically limited to that data which is relevant to the purpose of the search database  120 . Pixel data stored in the images in the repository database  110  is typically removed from the data in order to obtain a search database  120  of a more manageable size; for a repository database  110  storing images in a DICOM format, pixel data may comprise 95% to 99% of the stored data volume. Thus, removal of the pixel data will result in a manageably sized database. 
         [0012]    In step  240 , the extracted data is added to the searchable search database  120 . The first time the method  200  is performed, this step  240  includes the creation of a new searchable search database  120 ; subsequently, data is added to an existing search database  120 . As discussed above, the search database  120  may be of any type suitable for storing this data, but preferably is of a type dedicated to this task. Thus, at the completion of step  240 , the search database  120  is current and can be searched by a user. As described above, the search database  120  will be significantly smaller than the repository database  110  and is also optimized based on the data that is included. That is, as described herein, the exemplary embodiments create smaller databases that have new searchable indexes from the larger database. However, these new searchable indexes are created using existing indices that are previously generated based on knowledge of the field in the original database resulting in an optimized database. Thus, searching the search database  120  becomes faster and easier than searching the repository database  110 . Further, many types of searches may be possible using the search database  120  that could not be accomplished at all using solely the repository database  110 . 
         [0013]    In step  250 , the search database  120  is queried by the search interface  150 . As described above, the query may take a more detailed form than what would be possible with the patient image repository database  110 . For example, a user may search for all mammography structured reports containing more than three findings, or all dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI scans of the prostate with a temporal resolution of better than two seconds. The specific form of the query may vary from embodiment to embodiment, and may take any of various forms depending on the specific information that a user desires. For example, in one embodiment, the query may be text-based; in another, it may use a set of filters. 
         [0014]    In step  260 , the results of the query of step  250  are provided to the user. This may involve displaying results as a list, in a table, or in various other formats known in the art. Results will typically include references to entries in the patient image repository database  110 , which can then be retrieved by the user via methods that are known in the art. 
         [0015]    By the implementation of the above exemplary embodiments, users may be able to search for patient information using queries that are more detailed than those possible with existing methods. Further, such searches may utilize multiple search terms in a manner not allowed by existing methods. In addition, since the search database  120  contains only the relevant data (e.g., with image data being removed), faster searches may be performed. 
         [0016]    In the above example, the search database  120  contains data for a single image repository database  110 . However, it should be understood that the search database  120  may include data from multiple image databases or from other types of databases, allowing a user to search multiple storage locations using a single search database  120 . 
         [0017]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made, without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0018]    It is also noted that the claims may include reference signs/numerals in accordance with PCT Rule 6.2(b). However, the present claims should not be considered to be limited to the exemplary embodiments corresponding to the reference signs/numerals.