Systems and methods for viewing medical images

• US 10,437,444 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merative US LP
• Original Assignee: Merge Healthcare Solutions Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Reicher, Murray A., Fram, Evan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ge, Jin
• Application Number:
  US15/799,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20180059918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 345501
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

For certain medical images, it is important and/or required that a user view all of a medical image at full resolution so that minute, but important, indicia in the medical image are not missed. A computing systems monitor the portions of the medical image that are displayed on the display device, notates those portions that have been displayed at full resolution (or other user-defined display parameters), and provides the user with information indicating portions that have not been viewed at full resolution and/or provides information indicating for which images of a multiple image examination full pixel display has been accomplished. The process reduces the possibility of missing an abnormality in a medical image due to the viewer not viewing a portion of the image at full resolution or using other user-defined display parameters.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for medical image display and analysis, the method comprising:

by one or more processors executing program instructions,

determining user-defined display parameters for display of an image on a display device, wherein the user-defined display parameters are associated with a user of the computing system, and wherein the image comprises a medical image;

selectively displaying, in response to inputs by the user, regions of the image on the display device, wherein the regions of the image are displayed according to the user-defined display parameters and at a first resolution;

storing tracking information indicating portions of the image that have been displayed on the display device according to the user-defined display parameters and at the first resolution;

displaying a reduced resolution version of the image on the display device, and

in response to determining, by the one or more processors and based on at least the stored tracking information and the user-defined display parameters, that a relevant portion of the image has not been displayed, providing a visible and/or audible notification to a user,

wherein;

the reduced resolution version of the image is displayed at a second resolution that is lower than the first resolution,

the reduced resolution version of the image includes visual indications, based on the tracking information, of the portions of the image that have been displayed on the display device according to the user-defined display parameters and at the first resolution,

the selectively displayed regions of the image are displayed in a first viewing pane,

the reduced resolution version of the image is displayed in a second viewing pane, and

the first and second viewing panes are displayed on the display device simultaneously.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visible and/or audible notification indicates that at least the relevant portion of the image has not been displayed according to the user-defined display parameters and at the first resolution.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visible and/or audible warning notification further indicates at least a second portion of the image that has been displayed according to the user-defined display parameters and at the first resolution.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input from the user adding to and/or removing portions of the image determined to be relevant by the computing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduced resolution version of the image that is displayed includes the entire reduced resolution version of the image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters are associated with an identity or role of a user, and wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate a percentage of pixels or portions of the image that must be displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate one or more of an image window, a level, a brightness, a contrast, an opacity, or a color look-up table.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate more than one lung window or more than one bone window.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate one or more image processing functions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more image processing functions include one or more of edge enhancement, automated image analysis, or computer-aided detection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters vary depending on one or more of a type of image, an area imaged, a clinical indication, a source of the image, a display device, and/or a user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the regions of the image and the reduced resolution version of the image are displayed on the display device simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically analyzing, by the one or more processors, the image to determine portions of the image that are irrelevant for display according to the user-defined display parameters and at the first resolution.

14. A system configured for medical image display and analysis, the system comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium operatively coupled to the one or more hardware processors and storing executable instructions configured for execution by the one or more processors in order to;

determine a characteristic associated with an image to display, wherein the image comprises a medical image;

determine required display parameters for display of the image, wherein the required display parameters are associated with the determined characteristic, and wherein the required display parameters indicate a first resolution at which the image is to be displayed;

store tracking information indicating portions of the image that have been displayed on a display device according to the required display parameters including at the first resolution;

causing display of a reduced resolution version of the image on the display device, and

in response to determining, based on at least the stored tracking information and the required display parameters, that a relevant portion of the image has not been displayed, provide a notification to a user of the system,

wherein;

the reduced resolution version of the image is displayed at a second resolution that is lower than the first resolution,

the reduced resolution version of the image includes visual indications, based on the tracking information, of the portions of the image that have been displayed on the display device according to the required display parameters including at the first resolution,

the portions of the image are displayed in a first viewing pane,

the reduced resolution version of the image is displayed in a second viewing pane, and

the first and second viewing panes are displayed on the display device simultaneously.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the executable instructions are further configured for execution by the one or more processors in order to:

determine the relevant portion of the image.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the relevant portion of the image includes all of the image.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the relevant portion excludes areas of the image that represent air.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the required display parameters further indicate one or more image processing functions, and wherein the one or more image processing functions include one or more of edge enhancement, automated image analysis, or computer-aided detection.