Communication of medical information

• US 20040047496A1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mirada Solutions Ltd. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Mirada Solutions Ltd. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Brady, John Michael, Highnam, Ralph Philip, Behrenbruch, Christian Peter
• Application Number:
  US10/236,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20040047496A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30068 Mammography; Breast
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

A method of communicating medical information comprising the steps of: obtaining raw image data from at least a portion of the body of a subject; constructing a computer representation of the raw image data; applying image processing to the computer representation; and giving the result of the image processing to a person to whom medical information contained in the image data is to be communicated.

Claims

1. A method of communicating medical information comprising the steps of:

obtaining raw image data from at least a portion of the body of a subject;

constructing a computer representation of the raw image data;

applying image processing to the computer representation; and

presenting the result of the image processing to a person to whom medical information contained in the image data is to be communicated.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said person is a non-specialist in the particular medical field of the body portion of the image.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said person is a non-specialist in the particular imaging technique used to obtain the raw image data.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said person is also said subject.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of applying image processing comprises producing a 3D representation of the portion of the body of the subject.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of applying image processing comprises producing a movie sequence of images over time.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of applying image processing comprises generating a representation of the portion of the body of the subject in a form more easily intelligible using visual perception abilities.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of a clinician explaining to said person the medical information to be conveyed with the aid of the result of the image processing.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said presenting step further comprises recording the result of the image processing on a computer-readable medium which is given to said person.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said computer readable medium is a CD.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said presenting step further comprises enabling said person to access the result of the image processing via a network.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said presenting step further comprises giving the computer representation of the image data as well as the result of the image processing.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising conveying to said person said computer representation of the image data and software to perform said step of applying image processing.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said presenting step further comprises giving to said person information customized to a medical condition of said subject illustrated by the result of the step of applying image processing.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the raw image data is an ultrasound or magnetic resonance or x-ray or standard camera image.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image is a remote sensing or non-invasive image.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said portion of the body of the subject is one selected from the group consisting of:

breast, heart, stomach, lung and brain.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein said raw image data comprises at least one mammogram.

19. A computer program comprising program code means for executing on a computer the method of any one of the preceding claims.

20. A computer program product carrying the computer program of claim 19.

21. An image processing system comprising image processing means adapted to perform the method of any one of the preceding claims.