Method and computer system for screening of medical cases

• US 20020193676A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MeVis BreastCare GmbH & Co. KG (Varex Imaging Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MeVis BreastCare GmbH & Co. KG (Varex Imaging Corporation)
• Inventors: Dechow, Dietmar, Bodicker, Anke
• Granted Patent: US 7,050,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• 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

Abstract

A method and computer system for screening of medical cases in which the computer system has a user interface which enables pre-programming of a sequence of images to be reviewed for each of a group of medical cases. The pre-programming is conducted by means of symbols or icons which are selectable by a user. The pre-programming of the sequence of images is done in a configuration phase of the computer system. During the screening procedure, the user can go from one image to the next by performing a single action input operation, such as, making a mouse click or pressing a next-step button. This has the advantage that the user can fully concentrate on reviewing the medical images without distraction.

Claims

1. A computer system for screening of medical cases, each medical case having a plurality of images, the computer system comprising

(A) a user interface having a set of icons, each of the icons being selectable by a user to specify a sequence of images;

and

(B) an input device for going from a current image to the next succeeding image in the sequence in response to a single input action of the user.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the set of icons comprise a first sub-set of icons, each icon of the first sub-set of icons specifying a view.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the set of icons comprise a second sub-set of icons, each icon of the second sub-set of icons specifying a computer aided diagnosis function to be performed on an image.

4. The computer system of claim 3 having a first toolbar for the first sub-set of icons and a separate second toolbar for the second sub-set of icons.

5. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the sequence specifies the sequence of images to be displayed for each said medical case being screened.

6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a keypad with a next-step button, wherein a next succeeding image of the sequence of images is displayed in response to a user pressing the next-step button.

7. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a touch screen for entering the single input action of the user.

8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a speech recognition component for entering of the single input action of the user.

9. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising an annotation component for entering and storing an annotation for a particular medical case.

10. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a graphical input tool for highlighting a region in an image and storage for storing of the highlighted region in association with the image.

11. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising at least one display device, wherein the icons can specify a tiling condition of the at least one display device.

13. The method of claim 12 whereby a view of an image of the sequence of images is specified responsive to selection of an icon of a preselected sub-set of icons of the set of icons.

14. The method of claim 12 whereby an image processing algorithm is performed on an image of the sequence of images responsive to selection of an icon of a preselected sub-set of icons of the set of icons.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of reviewing the sequence of images with respect to each said medical case and going to a consecutive medical case in response to a single input action when review of the sequence of images of the current case has been completed.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising the further step of specifying a tiling of at least one display device for rendering of the sequence of images responsive to selection of an icon of the set of icons.

12. A method for screening of medical cases, each medical case having a plurality of images, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a user interface having a set of icons, each of the icons being selectable by a user to specify a sequence of images;

(b) selecting a sequence of icons by a user; and

(c) going from a current image to a consecutive image in the sequence of images in response to only a single action being performed by the user.