Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/20080247676
Timestamp: 2019-08-18 19:00:44
Document Index: 758731498

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 401', 'art 401', 'art 401', 'art 402', 'art 402', 'art 402', 'art 401', 'art 402', 'art 402', 'art 406', 'art 406', 'art 406', 'art 406', 'art 406', 'art 406', 'art 402']

US Patent Application for IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, REPORT CREATION TERMINAL, MEDICAL IMAGE MANAGEMENT SERVER, AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT METHOD Patent Application (Application #20080247676 issued October 9, 2008) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Image Storage Or RetrievalUS Patent Application for IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, REPORT CREATION TERMINAL, MEDICAL IMAGE MANAGEMENT SERVER, AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT METHOD Patent Application (Application #20080247676)
IMAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, REPORT CREATION TERMINAL, MEDICAL IMAGE MANAGEMENT SERVER, AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT METHOD
The report creation terminal 4 may be one computer, or may be a terminal composed of two computers: a report creation device 4a creating an interpretation report, and an image display device 4b displaying medical image data. In a case in which the report creation terminal is composed of the report creation device 4a and the image display device 4b, a monitor for displaying a report creation screen is incorporated into the report creation device 4a, a monitor for displaying medical image data is incorporated into the image display device 4b, and the report creation device 4a and the image display device 4b are communicated and interlocked with each other via a LAN connection or the like. For example, through the LAN connection, mutual data communication is established so that the report creation device 4a and the image display device 4b operate in an interlocked manner. As the interlocked operation, for example, a cursor is made to be movable from the monitor of the report creation device 4a to the monitor of the image display device 4b. Further, the report creation device 4a is caused to take over the dragged state of the dragged medical image data. Moreover, the link data of the medical image data is transmitted to the report creation device 4a from the image display device 4b. In addition, the image display device 4b is caused to receive the medical image data in response to an operation performed by the report creation device 4a for requesting the link data.
The report creation terminal 4 comprises an operation part 401. The operation part 401 is composed of an input device operated mainly by an interpreting doctor. The operation part 401 inputs signals indicating a report creation operation and a linking operation to the report creation device 4a and the image display device 4b.
Further, the report creation terminal 4 comprises a report creation part 402, a report display controller 403 and a report display 404, for assisting display of a report creation screen and creation of an interpretation report. Each of these components is implemented by execution of an operating system or a control application by the report creation device 4a of a computer. Each of these components is implemented specifically by a report creation program. The report creation part 402 includes mainly the CPU incorporated into the report creation device 4a. The report creation part 402 creates an interpretation report. In accordance with a press signal inputted from the operation part 401, characters such as letters and symbols associated with the press signal having been inputted are embedded into an interpretation report. The report display controller 403 includes mainly a CPU or GPU incorporated into the report creation device 4a. The report display controller 403 generates drawing data representing a report creation screen and causes the report display 404 to display the drawing data. The report display 404 includes mainly a monitor. The report display controller 403 reflects an interpretation report being created by the report creation part 402 into the drawing data. The interpretation report updated by the report creation part 402 is reflected to the drawing data created by the report display controller 403 in real-time, and is displayed on the report display 404.
Further, the report creation terminal 4 comprises an image receiver 405, an image expansion part 406, an image display controller 407 and an image display 408, for displaying the medical image data 111 to be interpreted. Each of these components is implemented by execution of an operating system or a control application by the image display device 4b of a computer. Each of these components is implemented specifically by a viewer program. The image receiver 405 mainly includes a communication interface. The image receiver 405 receives the normal image data or the enhanced image data 100 from the image management server 3. The image expansion part 406 mainly includes a CPU. The image expansion part 406 deconstructs the enhanced image data into the medical image data 111 included in the enhanced image data 100, and analyzes the enhanced image data 100 to create a file structure management table. The file structure management table is a group of a memory address indicating an expansion destination of the expanded medical image data 111, the image sequence information 132 of the medical image data 111, and the existing location information within the enhanced image data 100. The existing location information is information indicating the location in the enhanced image data 100 where the linked medical image data 111 exists. The existing location information is an offset value indicating on what byte the enhanced image data 100 exists from the beginning. The image display controller 407 mainly includes a CPU or a GPU. The image display controller 407 causes the image display 408 to display each medical image data 111 deconstructed in the image expansion part 406. The image display 408 is a monitor provided in the image display device 4b. The image display controller 407 refers to the file structure management table to display the medical image data 111 in a display sequence according to the in-group sequence information 134, for each group of the medical image data 111. For example, a display region in the monitor is set for each group, and the medical image data 111 of the same group are displayed in the display region so as to be superimposed in accordance with the arrangement sequence. Because the definitions of the “Stack ID” and “Tindex ID” differ depending on the enhanced image data 100, the image expansion part 406 acquires information for identifying the medical image diagnosis apparatus 2 used for imaging, or the Image Type, from the common incidental information region 120 of the enhanced image data 100. Then, the image data is expanded after it is determined which of the group information 133 and the in-group sequence information 134 the Stack ID and the Tindex ID correspond to, by referring to a table showing which of the Stack ID and the Tindex ID represent a group and a sequence, for each of the medical image diagnosis apparatuses 2.
Moreover, the report creation terminal 4 includes a link generator 409 and a link processor 410, for process of linking the displayed medical image data 111 to a character string within an interpretation report. The link generator 409 is provided in the image display device 4b. The link processor 410 is provided in the report creation device 4a. Each of these components is implemented by execution of an operating system (OS) or a control application by the report creation device 4a and the image display device 4b, both of which are computers. Each component of this image display device 4b and the report creation device 4a is implemented specifically by a control program for linking stored in accordance with each role.
The link generator 409 mainly includes a CPU. The link generator 409 generates link data of the medical image data 111 embedded in an interpretation report. When one or a plurality of medical image data 111 displayed on the monitor of the image display device 4b are dragged and dropped into a character string in the interpretation report, the link generator 409 generates each link data for specifying the medical image data 111 having been dragged and dropped. If the medical image data 111 is derived from the enhanced image data 100, the link generator 409 generates image specification information indicating the dragged and dropped medical image data 111 is equivalent to which of the plurality of medical image data 111 recorded in the enhanced image data 100, and includes the same in the link data. The image specification information indicating which of the medical image data 111 among the enhanced image data 100 is linked is either existing location information or image sequence information 132. If an existing data row is specified as the medical image data 111 from a location corresponding to the existing location information, and read from the enhanced image data 100, it is assumed that the linked medical image data 111 is extracted. Further, by counting the arrangement sequence within the frame information region 130 of the image sequence information 132 included in the link data, specifying, from the image information region 110, a data row recorded in the same number of record sequence as the arrangement sequence, as medical image data 111, and is read in from the enhanced image data 100, it is assumed that the linked medical image data 111 has been extracted. “To extract” means to specify the medical image data 111 and the specified medical image data 111. According to the file structure management table created in the image expansion part 406, the image sequence information 132 or the existing location information of the medical image data 111 that is being displayed is specified. By referring to the file generator table, the link generator 409 includes the existing location information or the image sequence information 132 of the linking medical image data in the link data for generating link data.
The link processor 410 mainly includes a CPU. The link processor 410 is implemented by a control program for linking on the report creation device 4a side, which is included in a report creation program for realizing the report creation part 402. The link processor 410 receives, from the image display device 4b side, the link data generated in the link generator 409, and the received link data is linked to a character string subject to dropping and is dropped into an interpretation report. In other words, the link data is included in the data of the interpretation report while being linked to the character string data. Further, when the link is established by the link processor 410, the report display controller 403 causes the report display 404 to display, so as to be able to visually recognize that linking has been done. For example, the report display controller 403 changes the display color of the character string, which was subject to linking, to a blue color or the like, and drawing data with an underlined character string is created and displayed on the report display 404.
a specification processor configured to specify medical image data indicated by the image specification information in the enhanced image data, from the enhanced image data stored in the storage, based on the link data, in response to an operation of requesting a linked medical image; and
an output part configured to output the specified medical image data to a requesting destination of the linked medical image.
the generator includes existing location information representing an existing location within the enhanced image data of medical image data to link, into the link data, as the image specification information; and
3. The image management system according to claim 2, wherein:
4. The image management system according to claim 1, wherein:
6. The image management system according to claim 5, wherein:
7. The image management system according to claim 2, further comprising:
8. The image management system according to claim 4, further comprising:
10. The image management system according to claim 7, wherein:
11. The image management system according to claim 1, wherein:
12. The image management system according to claim 11, wherein:
13. A report creation terminal configured to display a plurality of medical image data contained in enhanced image data, and display a report creation screen for an interpretation report, the report creation terminal comprising:
a generator configured to generate link data containing image specification information specifying medical image data to link in the enhanced image data, in response to a linking operation; and
a link processor configured to include the link data generated by the generator, into data of the interpretation report.
14. The report creation terminal according to claim 13, wherein:
the generator includes existing location information representing an existing location in the enhanced image data of medical image data to link, into the link data, as the image specification information.
15. The report creation terminal according to claim 13, wherein:
the enhanced image data contains image sequence information of the medical image data; and
the generator includes the image sequence information of medical image data to link, into the link data, as the image specification information.
16. A medical image management server that has a storage configured to store enhanced image data containing a plurality of medical image data in one file, and transmits, to a terminal displaying an interpretation report, medical image data linked to the interpretation report, the medical image management server comprising:
a specification processor configured to, when receiving the link data, specify medical image data specified by the image specification information contained in the link data, from the enhanced image data stored in the storage; and
an output part configured to output the medical image data specified by the specification processor to the terminal.
17. The medical image management server according to claim 16, wherein:
the link data contains existing location information representing an existing location in the enhanced image data of medical image data to link, as the image specification information; and
the specification processor specifies medical image data existing in a location represented by the existing location information contained in the link data, from the enhanced image data stored in the storage.
18. The medical image management server according to claim 16, wherein:
the image sequence information of medical image data to link is contained in the link data;
19. The medical image management server according to claim 16, further comprising:
20. The medical image management server according to claim 16, further comprising:
21. The medical image management server according to claim 16, wherein:
22. The medical image management server according to claim 18, wherein:
the specification processor comprises a number-of-transmitted-sheet table that stores a pair of terminal identification information identifying a terminal and the specific number of sheets, and further specifies medical image data of the specific number of sheets paired with the terminal identification information identifying the terminal having requested linked medical image data, in the number-of-transmitted-sheet table.
23. An image management method, comprising:
storing enhanced image data containing a plurality of medical image data in one file, into a storage;
displaying the medical image data contained in the enhanced image data and a screen for creating an interpretation report, on a monitor;
in response to a linking operation using an input device, generating link data containing image specification information specifying medical image data to link in the enhanced image data, and including the generated link data into data of the interpretation report; and
in response to an operation of requesting a linked medical image using an input device, specifying medical image data indicated by the image specification information within the enhanced image data, from the enhanced image data, based on the link data, and outputting the specified medical image data to a requesting destination of the linked medical image.
Publication number: 20080247676
Patent Grant number: 8233750
Inventors: Maki MINAKUCHI (Otawara-shi), Kenichi Niwa (Otawara-shi), Akira Goto (Otawara-shi), Ichirou Maeda (Otawara-shi)
Application Number: 12/062,209