Abstract:
Provided is a cooperation system ( 100 ) which is constituted of an information terminal ( 20 ) and a modality ( 30 ). The information terminal ( 20 ) generates cooperation information and stores the cooperation information in a predetermined storage medium. The modality ( 30 ) monitors the cooperation information stored in the storage medium. The cooperation system ( 100 ) comprises the information terminal ( 20 ) and the modality ( 30 ) connected to the information terminal ( 20 ), wherein the information terminal ( 20 ) generates the cooperation information including patient information or examination information, and the modality ( 30 ) obtains the generated cooperation information, registers the patient information or the examination information of a patient, whose image is to be taken, on the basis of the obtained cooperation information, displays a display screen at the start of the image taking, and is brought into a standby state.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a cooperation system and an information terminal. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    In recent years, techniques to share medical information are being developed. 
         [0003]    Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2008-188329 discloses a technique to record medical information obtained by a medical institute, such as medical images, in a medium so as to allow another medical institute to easily browse the same medical information. According to this technique, different medical institutes can share medical information. 
         [0004]    In medical sites, staff are very busy, and a small mistake could lead to a significant problem. Accordingly, such cooperation as described above can reduce the burden on healthcare workers and is very effective on preventing mistakes. 
       PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Literatures 
       [0000]    
       
         Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2008-188329 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
       [0006]    However, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2008-188329 does not describe as to cooperation before medical images are created. Before medical images are created, the following series of processes are performed. 
         [0000]    (1) At a terminal (a receipt computer) placed in a reception room, patient information is registered. The registration of the patient information is performed by a receptionist.
 
(2) At a modality placed in an examination room, patient information is registered, and medical images of patients are generated by the modality. The registration of the patient information is performed by an examiner.
 
(3) At an information terminal placed in a consultation room, the generated medical images are viewed. The viewing of the medical images is performed by a doctor or a doctor specializing in interpreting radiograms.
 
         [0007]    At large-scale medical institutes, the above steps (1) to (3) are individually assigned to specialized staffs to be processed, and there is no significant problem. 
         [0008]    At small-scale medical institutes, however, the above steps (1) to (3) are processed by one or a very few doctors. These steps are individually processed by specific terminals/devices which are not in cooperation, and doctors need to perform troublesome operations of entering the same patient information and the same examination information many times for the individual steps. 
         [0009]    Moreover, terminals/apparatuses which are not in use are turned off for electricity conservation. Each time the doctor uses a terminal/apparatus, the doctor needs to turn on the terminal/apparatus and wait for the terminal/apparatus to be activated. This reduces the work efficiency. 
         [0010]    An object of the invention is to provide a cooperation system including an information terminal generating cooperation information and a modality which registers patient information or examination information based on the cooperation information. 
       Solutions to Problems 
       [0011]    According to the present invention, provided is a cooperation system, comprising: 
         [0012]    an information terminal; and 
         [0013]    a modality connected to the information terminal, wherein 
         [0014]    the information terminal generates cooperation information including patient information or examination information, and 
         [0015]    the modality obtains the generated cooperation information; registers the patient information or examination information of a patient as a capturing target object based on the obtained cooperation information; and stands by with a start screen of image capturing being displayed. 
         [0016]    According to the present invention, provided is an information terminal, comprising: 
         [0017]    an image import button which obtains a medical image of a patient to be captured; 
         [0018]    a communication unit connected to a modality; and 
         [0019]    a controller which checks whether power supply of the modality is on when the image import button is pressed; and when the power supply is not on, turns on the power supply of the modality by a power supply cooperation command; and stores cooperation information including patient information or examination information of the patient as a capturing target object. 
       Advantageous Effect of Invention 
       [0020]    According to the present invention, the information terminal can generate cooperation information. The modality can automatically register patient information or examination information based on the cooperation information and can keep displaying a start screen of image capturing. This can save the effort of entering again at the modality, the patient information or the like which is once entered/checked at a receipt computer or an information terminal, and therefore can immediately start capturing an image. It is therefore possible to reduce troublesome works and prevent incorrect input. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an entire configuration view of a cooperation system. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of an information terminal. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a view showing a screen example. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a view showing a screen example. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a view showing a screen example. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a first cooperation process. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a conceptual view of the cooperation process. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing a second cooperation process. 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a flowchart showing a third cooperation process. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    A description is given of the configuration and operation of a cooperation system of this embodiment in detail using the drawings. The embodiment is an example of the invention, and the invention is not limited to this. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  shows a configuration of a cooperation system.  100 . 
         [0032]    The cooperation system  100  includes a receipt computer  10 , an information terminal  20 , a modality  30 , and the like. 
         [0033]    The devices ( 10  to  30 ) are connected through a LAN so as to communicate with each other. The communication standard thereof is HL7 or DICOM MWM (Modality Worklist Management), for example. 
         [0034]    The receipt computer  10  is a general PC (personal computer). 
         [0035]    The receipt computer  10  is installed in a reception room. The receipt computer  10  registers patient information and transmits the registered patient information to the information terminal  20  or modality  30 . 
         [0036]    The patient information is information which includes patient IDs, names, dates of birth, and sexes of patients and the like, to specify patients. 
         [0037]    The information terminal  20  is a terminal including functions as a general PC and moreover including functions of obtaining/managing medical images and the like. 
         [0038]    The information terminal  20  receives or registers the patient information and receives or registers examination information. 
         [0039]    The examination information is information which includes examination IDs, examination modes, probe types (only for ultrasound examination), image processing parameters, and the like, to specify examinations. 
         [0040]    The information terminal  20  is installed in a consultation room and outputs the patient or examination information (hereinafter, referred to as cooperation information) to a shared folder. 
         [0041]    The shared folder may be included in the information terminal  20  or may be included in a storage medium which is connected to the LAN and is externally installed. 
         [0042]    In  FIG. 1 , one information terminal  20  is installed in the consultation room, but not limited to this. Two information terminals  20  may be installed in the consultation room, or one of the two information terminals  20  may be installed in the examination room, for example. 
         [0043]      FIG. 2  shows a functional configuration of the information terminal  20 . 
         [0044]    The information terminal  20  includes a controller  21 , an operation unit  22 , a display unit  23 , a communication unit  24 , a storage unit  25 , and the like. 
         [0045]    The controller  21  includes a CPU (central processing unit), a RAM (random access memory), and the like. 
         [0046]    The controller  21  performs various calculations in cooperation with a program stored in the storage unit  25  and centrally controls the operation of each unit ( 22  to  25 ). 
         [0047]    The operation unit  22  includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. 
         [0048]    The operation unit  22  is operated by a user to generate an operation signal and outputs the generated operation signal to the controller  21 . 
         [0049]    The display unit  23  includes a display and the like and displays various operation screens and medical images according to display control by the controller  21 . 
         [0050]      FIGS. 3 to 5  show displayed screen examples. 
         [0051]    A screen D 1  of  FIG. 3  is a list screen showing patient information registered by the receipt computer  10 . The same screen is displayed also at the receipt computer  10 . 
         [0052]    In a lower region D 11  of the screen D 1 , a list of the patient information transmitted from the receipt computer  10  is displayed. 
         [0053]    In an upper region D 12  of the screen D 1 , detailed patient information of one patient selected in the region D 11  is displayed. 
         [0054]    A screen D 2  of  FIG. 4  is a viewer screen for a patient selected in the screen D 1 . 
         [0055]    In a region D 21  located in an upper part of the screen D 2 , buttons indicating the kinds of modalities are displayed. The buttons in the region D 21  function as image import buttons. 
         [0056]    When one of the buttons in the region D 21  (for example, US) is pressed, a medical image taken by an ultrasonographic device (US device) is displayed. 
         [0057]    A screen D 3  of  FIG. 5  is a viewer screen for a patient displayed when the image import button of the region D 21  is pressed to import a medical image. 
         [0058]    Back in  FIG. 2 , the communication unit  24  includes an interface for communication and the like. 
         [0059]    The communication unit  24  receives the patient information from the receipt computer  10  installed on the same network. The communication unit  24  receives a medical image from the modality  30 . 
         [0060]    The storage unit  25  includes a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a ROM (read only memory). 
         [0061]    The storage unit  25  stores a system program and various processing programs and stores data obtained by the various processing programs. The storage unit  25  stores the medical image received by the communication unit  24 . 
         [0062]    The storage unit  25  includes a shared folder  25   f.    
         [0063]    The shared folder  25   f  stores cooperation information generated by the controller  21 . 
         [0064]    Back in  FIG. 1 , the modality  30  is an apparatus which captures a medical image, such as a computed radiographic device (a CR device)  31 , an ultrasonographic device (a US device)  32 , and an endoscope device (an ES device)  33 . 
         [0065]    The modality  30  is installed in an examination room  1  or  2 . 
         [0066]    The modality  30  displays a start screen of image capturing in a not-shown display unit based on the cooperation information stored by the information terminal  20  in the shared folder  25   f , and stands by. 
         [0067]    At normal time, the start screen of image capturing is displayed after the patient information and examination information are input by user&#39;s operation. 
         [0068]    The modality  30  captures an image of a patient in an image capture screen and transmits the obtained medical image to the information terminal  20 . 
         [0069]    With reference to  FIG. 6 , a first cooperation process is described. 
         [0070]    First, the process of the information terminal  20  is described. 
         [0071]    The controller  21  displays a list screen (D 1  in  FIG. 3 ) in the display unit  23  (step S 1 ). 
         [0072]    The controller  21  then judges whether one of patients to be displayed in the viewer screen (D 2  in  FIG. 4 ) is selected (step S 2 ). 
         [0073]    If no patient is selected (N in the step S 2 ), the controller  21  keeps displaying the list screen. 
         [0074]    If a patient is selected (Y in the step S 2 ), the controller  21  displays a viewer screen for the selected patient (step S 3 ). 
         [0075]    In the viewer screen displayed in the step S 3 , a medical image for the patient is not displayed yet. The medical image for the patient is displayed in the viewer screen when the image import button (S 21  in  FIG. 4 ) is pressed. 
         [0076]    The controller  21  judges whether any one of the image import buttons is pressed (step S 4 ). 
         [0077]    If no button is pressed (N in the step S 4 ), the controller  21  keeps displaying the viewer image. 
         [0078]    If one of the buttons is pressed (Y in the step S 4 ), the controller  21  judges whether the power supply of the modality  30  is on (step S 5 ). 
         [0079]    Whether the power supply of the modality  30  is on is judged by using a command such as a ping or ACK. Alternatively, such determination may be performed by using a special protocol set in advance between the information terminal  20  and modality  30 . 
         [0080]    When the power supply of the modality  30  is not on (N in the step S 5 ), the controller  21  transmits a power supply cooperation command (Wake on LAN) to the modality  30  (step S 6 ). 
         [0081]    After transmitting the command, the controller  21  proceeds to step S 7 . 
         [0082]    When the power supply of the modality  30  is on (Y in the step S 5 ), the controller  21  stores the cooperation information in the shared folder  25   f  (step S 7 ), and the processing of the information terminal  20  is terminated. 
         [0083]    Note that, as described above, the cooperation information is information including patient information or examination information. 
         [0084]    Next, the processing of the modality  30  is described. 
         [0085]    Herein, the description is given of a case where the power supply of the modality  30  is off before the processing starts. 
         [0086]    The modality  30  receives the power supply cooperation command to be turned on (step S 8 ). 
         [0087]    The modality  30  constantly executes a cooperation information monitoring process when the power supply of the modality  30  is on (step S 9 ). 
         [0088]    By the cooperation information monitoring process, the modality  30  obtains the predetermined cooperation information stored in the shared folder  25   f  according to the path of the shared folder  25   f.    
         [0089]    The modality  30  judges whether a patient registered as a capturing target object in the cooperation information is registered also in the modality  30  (step S 10 ). 
         [0090]    When the patient registered in the cooperation information is not registered in the modality  30  (N in the step S 10 ), the modality  30  registers the patient specified in the cooperation information as a new patient (step S 11 ). 
         [0091]    After the registration, the modality  30  proceeds to step S 12 . 
         [0092]    If the patient registered in the cooperation information is already registered in the modality  30  (Y in the step S 10 ), the modality  30  displays the start screen of image capturing for the registered patient in the not-shown display unit (step S 12 ). 
         [0093]    As described above, the start screen of image capturing is a screen displayed after the patient or examination information is entered and registered at the modality  30  by the user. 
         [0094]    Herein, the modality  30  automatically enters the patient or examination information and displays the image capture screen based on the cooperation information. 
         [0095]    The modality  30  keeps displaying the start screen of image capturing and captures an image when a predetermined image capture button or the like is pressed (step S 13 ). The processing of the modality  30  is thus terminated. 
         [0096]    Hereinabove, the cooperation system  100  terminates the first cooperation process. 
         [0097]      FIG. 7  shows a conceptual view of the first cooperation process. 
         [0098]    At first, a description is given of processes ( 1  to  6 ) of the information terminal  20 . 
         [0099]    In the information terminal  20 , the list screen is displayed (process  1 ). When one patient is selected, the display is changed to the viewer screen (process  2 ). 
         [0100]    Next, when the image import button (the US button herein) is pressed (process  3 ), it is checked whether the power supply of the modality  30  is on or off (process  4 ). 
         [0101]    When the power supply to the modality  30  is off, the power supply cooperation command is transmitted (process  5 ), and the cooperation information is output to the shared folder  25   f  (process  6 ). 
         [0102]    Next, a description is given of processes ( 7 ,  8 ) of the modality  30 . 
         [0103]    In the modality  30 , when the power supply to the modality  30  is off, the power supply cooperation command is received to turn on the power supply of the modality  30 . 
         [0104]    The cooperation information monitoring process is executed, and the cooperation information is obtained (process  7 ). 
         [0105]    After the registration of patients is confirmed, the start screen of image capturing is displayed for the patient as a target object (process  8 ). 
         [0106]    Thereafter, image capture is performed, and fixed medical image is transmitted to the information terminal  20 . 
         [0107]    In the information terminal  20 , the medical image is received, or the patient information is confirmed. Eventually, the medical image is displayed on the viewer screen (process  9 ). 
         [0108]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , a second cooperation process is described. 
         [0109]    The second cooperation process differs from the first cooperation process in that the information terminal  20  uses a patient information notification message to transmit the cooperation information to the modality  30 . 
         [0110]    Hereinafter, specific processing thereof is described. 
         [0111]    Steps S 21  to S 26  are the same as the steps S 1  to S 6  in the first cooperation process, respectively, and the description thereof is omitted. 
         [0112]    The controller  21  transmits the cooperation information to the modality  30  by the patient information notification message (step S 27 ). 
         [0113]    The patient information notification message is an HL7 ADT message, for example. HL7 is a standard format used to exchange electronic data of healthcare-related information between different systems. 
         [0114]    Using the HL7 ADT message, the cooperation information can be exchanged between different systems (between the information terminal  20  and modality  30  herein). 
         [0115]    The modality  30  receives the power supply cooperation command to be turned on (step S 28 ) and then receives the patient information notification message (step S 29 ). 
         [0116]    Upon receiving the HL7 ADT message, the modality  30  transmits an HL7 ACK message (a patient information notification acknowledge message) to the information terminal  20 . 
         [0117]    Steps S 30  to S 33  are the same as the steps S 10  to S 13  of the first cooperation process, respectively, and the description thereof is omitted. 
         [0118]    Hereinabove, the cooperation sytsem 100  terminates the second cooperation processing. 
         [0119]    With reference to  FIG. 9 , a description is given of a third cooperation process. 
         [0120]    The third cooperation process is the same as the first cooperation process in that the information terminal  20  outputs the cooperation information to the shared folder  25   f  and differs from the first cooperation process in that the modality  30  inquires examination reservation information by DICOM MWM. Hereinafter, the processing thereof is described in detail. 
         [0121]    Steps S 41  to S 49  are the same process as the steps S 1  to S 9  of the first cooperation process, respectively, and the description thereof is omitted. 
         [0122]    The modality  30  makes an inquiry by DICOM MWM, and obtains the examination reservation information from the information terminal  20  (step S 50 ). 
         [0123]    The modality  30  judges whether the patient registered in the obtained examination reservation information is registered also in the modality  30  (step S 51 ). 
         [0124]    Steps S 52  to S 54  are the same as the steps S 11  to S 13  of the first cooperation processing, respectively, and the description thereof is omitted. 
         [0125]    The cooperation system  100  thus terminates the third cooperation processing. 
         [0126]    As described above, according to the embodiment, the information terminal  20  can generate cooperation information. On the other hand, the modality  30  can automatically register the patient or examination information of a patient as a capturing target object based on the cooperation information and can stand by with the start screen of image capturing being displayed. 
         [0127]    Moreover, the information terminal  20  can turn on the power supply of the modality  30  at the time of importing a medical image. 
         [0128]    Furthermore, when importing a medical image, the information terminal  20  can store the cooperation information in the shared folder  25   f . On the other hand, the modality  30  can obtain the cooperation information from the shared folder  25   f.    
         [0129]    Still furthermore, the information terminal  20  can cause the modality  30  to obtain examination reservation information according to an inquiry from the modality  30 . On the other hand, the modality  30  can automatically register the patient or examination information of a patient as a capturing target object based on the examination reservation information and cooperation information and can stand by with the start screen of image capturing being displayed. 
         [0130]    Still furthermore, when importing a medical image, the information terminal  20  can cause the modality  30  to obtain the cooperation information through a patient notification message (HL7 ADT message). On the other hand, the modality  30  can obtain the cooperation information by the patient notification message. 
         [0131]    The patient information is information including at least one or all of the patient ID, name, date of birth, and sex. The examination information is information including at least one or all of the examination ID, examination mode, probe type, and image processing parameter. The examination information may include other information. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0132]    The invention can be used in the medical field and can be applied to information terminals including a function to obtain/manage medical images. Moreover, the invention is applicable to a cooperation system including the information terminal and modality connected to each other. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           100 : COOPERATION SYSTEM 
           10 : RECEIPT COMPUTER 
           20 : INFORMATION TERMINAL 
           21 : CONTROLLER 
           22 : OPERATION UNIT 
           23 : DISPLAY UNIT 
           24 : COMMUNICATION UNIT 
           25 : STORAGE UNIT 
           25   f : SHARED FOLDER 
           30 : MODALITY