Medical image metadata processing

• US 10,430,550 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virtual Radiologic Corporation (Mednax Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Virtual Radiologic Corporation (Mednax Incorporated)
• Inventors: Backhaus, Brent, Backhaus, Lorna, Ebesu, Dean, Gleeson, Tom J., Weinblatt, Deke
• Primary Examiner(s): Pauls, John A
• Application Number:
  US14/079,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2, 382131
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

Enhanced techniques for the extraction and use of metadata from medical images are disclosed herein. Based on the information in the metadata, specific processing may be performed within an image order management system, radiology information system (RIS), or like system. A radiology read order may be created, pre-populated, and transmitted via a processing system (e.g., a teleradiology image order management system) based on the metadata within the radiology image. For example, this metadata may exist within the header of a DICOM-formatted image data file or a DICOM communication protocol transmission. The processing system may then provide the prepopulated read order back to the source of the medical images for verification and submission. Other processing actions may also occur based on information extracted from the image metadata, such as custom workflows and handling based on an originating facility, or transferring the images to a particular radiologist or location.

Claims

1. A data processing system, comprising:

at least one hardware processor;

an image processing component implemented by a first plurality of instructions executed with the at least one hardware processor, the image processing component to, under computerized control;

extract data values from a set of electronic imaging data that includes a plurality of digital medical images, the plurality of digital medical images originating from a medical imaging procedure performed by a medical imaging modality at a medical facility;

an order processing component implemented by a second plurality of instructions executed with the at least one hardware processor, the order processing component to, under computerized control;

extract data values from electronic order data, wherein the electronic order data includes data provided to the data processing system that originates from the medical facility, and wherein the electronic order data specifies characteristics of a diagnostic evaluation task for the plurality of digital medical images;

associate the plurality of digital medical images in the data processing system with the electronic order data based on data values provided in the electronic imaging data;

a medical data processing component implemented by a third plurality of instructions executed with the at least one hardware processor, the medical data processing component to, under computerized control;

generate data values that identify characteristics of the diagnostic evaluation task for the plurality of digital medical images, based on the data values extracted from the electronic order data; and

perform an evaluation of parameterized qualification characteristic data values for a plurality of evaluators to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, using the identified characteristics of the diagnostic evaluation task, the evaluation to apply rules which identify respective evaluators that are credentialed or licensed to perform the diagnostic evaluation task for the medical facility;

a workflow component implemented by a fourth plurality of instructions executed with the at least one hardware processor, the workflow component to;

generate data values to provide electronic worklists associated with respective evaluators, the electronic worklists to list pending diagnostic evaluation tasks designated for performance by the respective evaluators, wherein the data values to provide the electronic worklists are communicated to computing systems of the respective evaluators;

initiate a command to designate a particular evaluator of the respective evaluators to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, wherein the particular evaluator is designated based on a match of at least one qualification of the particular evaluator with at least one requirement of the diagnostic evaluation task, using the parameterized qualification characteristic data values; and

update the electronic worklist for the particular evaluator in response to the command to designate the particular evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the particular evaluator is updated to include a pending state for the diagnostic evaluation task; and

a data transmission component implemented by a fifth plurality of instructions executed with the at least one hardware processor, the data transmission component to, under computerized control;

transmit the plurality of digital medical images, via a network, to a computing device associated with the particular evaluator, in response to a command received from the particular evaluator via the electronic worklist to accept the diagnostic evaluation task from the pending state;

wherein the plurality of digital medical images are transmitted and made accessible to the computing device associated with the particular evaluator for performance of the diagnostic evaluation task, based on the acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task and management of the electronic worklist for the respective evaluators, such that the plurality of digital medical images are not transmitted to the computing systems of the respective evaluators before acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an order verification processing component implemented by a sixth plurality of instructions executed with the at least one hardware processor, the order verification processing component to, under computerized control;

electronically transmit the electronic order data to the medical facility that performed the medical imaging procedure for verification of an evaluation order indicated in the electronic order data; and

receive the verification of the electronic order data from the medical facility.

3. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein the electronic imaging data is received in a first HL7-compliant communication, and wherein the electronic order data is transmitted to the medical facility for verification in a second HL7-compliant communication.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an order population component implemented by a sixth plurality of instructions executed with the at least one hardware processor, the order population component to, under computerized control;

electronically populate at least one field of the electronic order data using at least one data value provided by the electronic imaging data.

5. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the medical data processing component determines the at least one requirement of the evaluator for the diagnostic evaluation task on a basis of at least one requirement that includes:

licensing, credentialing, or specialization of the evaluator.

6. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic evaluation task of the plurality of digital medical images involves a radiological image interpretation, wherein the particular evaluator is a qualified radiologist and wherein the plurality of evaluators includes a plurality of remotely located radiologists, and wherein the workflow component designates the particular evaluator based on a match of characteristics tracked for the particular evaluator with at least one assignment criterion, and wherein the at least one assignment criterion assists the designation of the qualified radiologist from the plurality of remotely located radiologists.

7. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein the workflow component designates the particular evaluator based on a match of characteristic information stored for the particular evaluator with information stored for the at least one assignment criterion, wherein the information stored for the at least one assignment criterion relates to at least one of:

connection information for connectivity of the remotely located radiologists, scheduling information for scheduled availability of the remotely located radiologists, forecasting information for projected availability of the remotely located radiologists, preference information of the remotely located radiologists, or preference information of the medical facility providing the electronic imaging data.

8. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic evaluation task of the plurality of digital medical images involves a pathological image examination, wherein the plurality of digital medical images are pathology images, wherein the particular evaluator is a pathologist and wherein the plurality of evaluators includes a plurality of remotely located pathologists, and wherein the diagnostic evaluation task includes a pathological examination of the digital medical images by the pathologist.

9. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic worklists for the respective evaluators include the electronic worklist for another evaluator from the plurality of evaluators, and wherein the workflow component is additionally to:

initiate a command to designate the another evaluator to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, wherein the another evaluator is designated based on a match of at least one qualification of the another evaluator with the at least one requirement of the evaluator for the diagnostic evaluation task;

update the electronic worklist for the another evaluator in response to the command to designate the another evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the another evaluator is updated to indicate a pending state for the performance of the diagnostic evaluation task; and

update the electronic worklist for the another evaluator in response to acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task by the particular evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the another evaluator is updated to remove the pending state for the performance of the diagnostic evaluation task.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions to process medical imaging data, the instructions which when executed by a computing machine cause the computing machine to perform operations that:

extract data values from a set of electronic imaging data that includes a plurality of digital medical images, the plurality of digital medical images originating from a medical imaging procedure performed by a medical imaging modality at a medical facility;

extract data values from electronic order data, wherein the electronic order data is associated with the plurality of digital medical images based on data values provided in the electronic imaging data, and wherein the electronic order data specifies characteristics of a diagnostic evaluation task for the plurality of digital medical images;

generate data values that identify characteristics of the diagnostic evaluation task for the plurality of digital medical images, based on the data values extracted from the electronic order data;

perform an evaluation of parameterized qualification characteristic data values for a plurality of evaluators to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, using the identified characteristics of the diagnostic evaluation task, the evaluation to apply rules which identify respective evaluators that are credentialed or licensed to perform the diagnostic evaluation task for the medical facility;

generate data values to provide electronic worklists associated with respective evaluators, the electronic worklists to list pending diagnostic evaluation tasks designated for performance by the respective evaluators, wherein the data values to provide the electronic worklists are communicated to computing systems of the respective evaluators;

initiate a command to designate a particular evaluator of the respective evaluators to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, wherein the particular evaluator is designated based on a match of at least one qualification of the particular evaluator with at least one requirement of the diagnostic evaluation task, using the parameterized qualification characteristic data values;

update the electronic worklist for the particular evaluator in response the command to designate the particular evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the particular evaluator is updated to include a pending state for the diagnostic evaluation task; and

transmit the plurality of digital medical images, via a network, to a computing device associated with the particular evaluator, in response to a command received from the particular evaluator via the electronic worklist to accept the diagnostic evaluation task from the pending state;

wherein the plurality of digital medical images are transmitted and made accessible to the computing device associated with the particular evaluator for performance of the diagnostic evaluation task, based on the acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task and management of the electronic worklist for the respective evaluators, such that the plurality of digital medical images are not transmitted to the computing systems of the respective evaluators before acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, the computing machine to further perform operations that:

electronically transmit the electronic order data to the medical facility that performed the medical imaging procedure for verification of an evaluation order indicated in the electronic order data, and receive the verification of the evaluation order from the medical facility.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, the computing machine to further perform operations that:

electronically populate at least one field of the electronic order data using at least one data value provided by the electronic imaging data.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, the computing machine to further perform operations that:

determine the at least one requirement of the evaluator for the diagnostic evaluation task on a basis of at least one requirement that includes;

licensing, credentialing, or specialization of the evaluator.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, the computing machine to further perform operations that:

designate the particular evaluator based on a match of characteristics tracked for the particular evaluator with at least one assignment criterion, wherein the diagnostic evaluation task of the plurality of digital medical images involves a radiological image interpretation, wherein the particular evaluator is a qualified radiologist and wherein the plurality of evaluators includes a plurality of remotely located radiologists, and wherein the at least one assignment criterion assists the designation of the qualified radiologist from the plurality of remotely located radiologists.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, the computing machine to further perform operations that:

designate the particular evaluator based on a match of characteristic information stored for the particular evaluator with stored information indicating at least one assignment criterion for a pathology study, wherein the diagnostic evaluation task of the plurality of digital medical images involves a pathological image examination, wherein the plurality of digital medical images are pathology images, wherein the particular evaluator is a pathologist and wherein the plurality of evaluators includes a plurality of remotely located pathologists, and wherein the diagnostic evaluation task includes a pathological examination of the digital medical images by the pathologist.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the electronic worklists for the respective evaluators include the electronic worklist for another evaluator from the plurality of evaluators, and wherein the instructions cause the computing machine to further perform operations that:

initiate a command to designate the another evaluator to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, wherein the another evaluator is designated based on a match of at least one qualification of the another evaluator with the at least one requirement of the evaluator for the diagnostic evaluation task;

update the electronic worklist for the another evaluator in response to designate the another evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the another evaluator is updated to indicate a pending state for the performance of the diagnostic evaluation task; and

update the electronic worklist for the another evaluator in response to acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task by the particular evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the another evaluator is updated to remove the pending state for the performance of the diagnostic evaluation task.

17. A method for processing medical data in a workflow through use of a data processing system, the data processing system comprising at least one hardware processor performing electronic operations, the electronic operations including:

extracting data values from a set of electronic imaging data that includes a plurality of digital medical images, the plurality of digital medical images originating from a medical imaging procedure performed by a medical imaging modality at a medical facility;

extracting data values from electronic order data, wherein the electronic order data is associated with the plurality of digital medical images based on data values provided in the electronic imaging data, and wherein the electronic order data specifies characteristics of a diagnostic evaluation task for the plurality of digital medical images;

generating data values that identify characteristics of the diagnostic evaluation task for the plurality of digital medical images, based on the data values extracted from the electronic order data;

performing an evaluation of parameterized qualification characteristic data values for a plurality of evaluators to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, using the identified characteristics of the diagnostic evaluation task, the evaluation to apply rules which identify respective evaluators that are credentialed or licensed to perform the diagnostic evaluation task for the medical facility;

generating data values to provide electronic worklists associated with respective evaluators, the electronic worklists to list pending diagnostic evaluation tasks designated for performance by the respective evaluators, wherein the data values to provide the electronic worklists are communicated to computing systems of the respective evaluators;

initiating a command to designate a particular evaluator of the respective evaluators to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, wherein the particular evaluator is designated based on a match of at least one qualification of the particular evaluator with at least one requirement of the diagnostic evaluation task, using the parameterized qualification characteristic data values;

updating the electronic worklist for the particular evaluator in response the command to designate the particular evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the particular evaluator is updated to include a pending state for the diagnostic evaluation task; and

transmitting the plurality of digital medical images, via a network, to a computing device associated with the particular evaluator, in response to a command received from the particular evaluator via the electronic worklist to accept the diagnostic evaluation task from the pending state;

wherein the plurality of digital medical images are transmitted and made accessible to the computing device associated with the particular evaluator for performance of the diagnostic evaluation task, based on the acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task and management of the electronic worklist for the respective evaluators, such that the plurality of digital medical images are not transmitted to the computing systems of the respective evaluators before acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

electronically transmitting the electronic order data to the medical facility that performed the medical imaging procedure for verification of an evaluation order indicated in the electronic order data, and electronically receiving the verification of the evaluation order from the medical facility.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

electronically populating at least one field of the electronic order data using at least one data value provided by the electronic imaging data.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one requirement of the evaluator for the diagnostic evaluation task is determined on a basis of at least one requirement that includes:

licensing, credentialing, or specialization of the evaluator.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

designating the particular evaluator based on a match of characteristics tracked for the particular evaluator with at least one assignment criterion, wherein the diagnostic evaluation task of the plurality of digital medical images involves a radiological image interpretation, wherein the particular evaluator is a qualified radiologist and wherein the plurality of evaluators includes a plurality of remotely located radiologists, and wherein the at least one assignment criterion assists the designation of the qualified radiologist from the plurality of remotely located radiologists.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

designating the particular evaluator based on a match of characteristic information stored for the particular evaluator with stored information indicating at least one assignment criterion for a pathology study, wherein the diagnostic evaluation task of the plurality of digital medical images involves a pathological image examination, wherein the plurality of digital medical images are pathology images, wherein the particular evaluator is a pathologist and wherein the plurality of evaluators includes a plurality of remotely located pathologists, and wherein the diagnostic evaluation task includes a pathological examination of the digital medical images by the pathologist.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic worklists for the respective evaluators include the electronic worklist for another evaluator from the plurality of evaluators, and wherein the electronic operations further include:

initiating a command to designate the another evaluator to perform the diagnostic evaluation task, wherein the another evaluator is designated based on a match of at least one qualification of the another evaluator with the at least one requirement of the evaluator for the diagnostic evaluation task;

updating the electronic worklist for the another evaluator in response to designate the another evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the another evaluator is updated to indicate a pending state for the performance of the diagnostic evaluation task; and

updating the electronic worklist for the another evaluator in response to acceptance of the diagnostic evaluation task by the particular evaluator, wherein the electronic worklist for the another evaluator is updated to remove the pending state for the performance of the diagnostic evaluation task.