Method and system for creating computer-understandable structured medical data from natural language reports
First Claim
1. A method for translating a report generated in natural language into structured computer-understandable frames comprising:
- eliciting directed input as to a medical condition and symptoms;
using the directed input elicited to identify a disease signature corresponding to the medical condition and symptoms;
using the disease signature to identify a lexical domain containing language information pertinent to the disease signature, the lexical domain having been programmed with word properties for words expected to be used with regard to the disease signature, the word properties including a likelihood that combinations of words in the lexical domain interdepend and each word'"'"'s inherent tendency to link with other words;
looking up the word properties for words used in the report in the lexical domain;
calculating for combinations of words used in sentences contained in the report a statistical likelihood that they interdepend and identifying probable word links;
semantically interpreting a nature of the probable word links; and
generating the structured computer-understandable frames based on the nature of the probable word links.
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Abstract
A natural language translation method and system translating medical reports created in natural language into structured data frames that can be utilized in computer databases for decision support, billing, research, and other purposes. Structured data entry is elicited from a patient in order to identify an appropriate disease signature corresponding to his or her condition and symptoms. In turn, the disease signature identifies the appropriate lexical domain with which to analyze the natural language report. The translation method and system use statistical analysis based on empirical data that particular combinations of words have interdepended previously within a modeled context and how frequently individual words interdepend generally and with what kinds of words. For each sentence in the report, the words in the medical report are looked up in the lexical domain individually and in combination with all other words coexisting in the same sentence. The word combinations are parsed to determine the likelihood the words interdepend in the report. For those words determined to interdepend, a semantic interpreter defines the semantic relationship between the words. A frame generator compiles the word relationships into records having fields recognized as pertinent by the disease signature and that can be searched and sorted by computers on those fields.
210 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for translating a report generated in natural language into structured computer-understandable frames comprising:
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eliciting directed input as to a medical condition and symptoms;
using the directed input elicited to identify a disease signature corresponding to the medical condition and symptoms;
using the disease signature to identify a lexical domain containing language information pertinent to the disease signature, the lexical domain having been programmed with word properties for words expected to be used with regard to the disease signature, the word properties including a likelihood that combinations of words in the lexical domain interdepend and each word'"'"'s inherent tendency to link with other words;
looking up the word properties for words used in the report in the lexical domain;
calculating for combinations of words used in sentences contained in the report a statistical likelihood that they interdepend and identifying probable word links;
semantically interpreting a nature of the probable word links; and
generating the structured computer-understandable frames based on the nature of the probable word links.
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9. A method for translating a report about a patient, afflicted with a medical condition and symptoms, generated in natural language into structured computer-understandable frames comprising:
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identifying a disease signature corresponding to the medical condition and symptoms;
using the disease signature to identify a lexical domain containing language information pertinent to the disease signature, the lexical domain having been programmed with word properties for words expected to be used with regard to the disease signature, the word properties including a likelihood that combinations of words in the lexical domain interdepend and each word'"'"'s inherent tendency to link with other words;
looking up the word properties for words used in the report in the lexical domain;
calculating for combinations of words used in sentences contained in the report a statistical likelihood that they interdepend and identifying probable word links;
semantically interpreting a nature of the probable word links; and
generating the structured computer-understandable frames based on the nature of the probable word links. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for translating a report generated in natural language into structured computer-understandable frames comprising:
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a patient input module that elicits from a patient directed input as to the patient'"'"'s medical condition and symptoms and, based on the patient directed input, identifies a disease signature corresponding the patient'"'"'s medical condition and symptoms;
a lexical analyzer using a lexical domain containing language information pertinent to the disease signature, the lexical domain having been programmed with word properties for words expected to be used with regard to the disease signature, the word properties including a likelihood that combinations of words in the lexical domain interdepend and each word'"'"'s inherent tendency to link with other words, and the lexical analyzer looks up the word properties for words used in the report in the lexical domain;
a parser/semantic interpreter module for calculating for combinations of words used in sentences contained in the report a statistical likelihood that they interdepend and identifying probable word links; and
a structured frame generator that creates the structured computer-understandable frames based on the nature of the probable word links. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for translating a report about a patient, afflicted with a medical condition and symptoms, generated in natural language into structured computer-understandable frames comprising:
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a disease signature identifier which identifies a disease from which the patient is suffering corresponding to the patient'"'"'s medical condition and symptoms;
a lexical analyzer using a lexical domain containing language information pertinent to the disease signature, the lexical domain having been programmed with word properties for words expected to be used with regard to the disease signature, and the lexical analyzer looks up the word properties for words used in the report in the lexical domain;
a parser/semantic interpreter for calculating for combinations of words used in sentences contained in the report a statistical likelihood that they interdepend and identifying probable word links; and
a structured frame generator that creates the structured computer-understandable frames based on the nature of the probable word links. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification