Method and apparatus for interactive annotation and measurement of time series data with centralized analysis and review

• US 20040054294A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: eResearchTechnology, Inc. (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eResearchTechnology, Inc. (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramseth, Douglas J.
• Application Number:
  US10/246,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system displays time-series data, such as electrocardiographic data. The data may be displayed as a trace with markers identifying data features. The system includes facilities for the centralized analysis and review of the data.

Claims

1. A method in an electronic controller comprising the steps of:

the controller receiving time-series medical data through a telecommunications port,

the controller displaying the time series medical data in graphical form,

the controller accepting user input for the analysis of the time series medical data, and

the controller accepting user input for the review of said analysis.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving time-series medical data comprises the step of:

the controller receiving electrocardiogram (ECG) data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of accepting user input for the analysis of time series medical data further comprises the step of:

the controller accepting and recording user input related to marking features of the graphically displayed time-series data.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of displaying time series medical data in graphical form comprises the steps of:

the controller displaying ECG data in graphical form on a gridded background; and

the controller responding to user input by positioning a marker on the graphical display of ECG data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller displaying ECG data in a format consistent with standard hard-copy strip-chart recordings.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein displaying ECG data in a format consistent with standard hard-copy strip chart ECG recordings comprises the step of:

the controller displaying ECG data in the form of one or more continuous waveforms on a rectangular grid that represents 40 milliseconds by 0.1 millivolts.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller providing a zoomed view of at least a portion of graphically displayed ECG data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller providing a zoomed view that maintains the aspect ratio of the displayed data'"'"'s graphical representation.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller displaying every nth grid line with emphasis in response to a user'"'"'s activation of at least a threshold level of zoom.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller correlating the display coordinates corresponding to a marked point with the underlying value of the data being represented by that point.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller displaying the underlying value alphanumerically.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller storing the underlying value of data represented by the marked point.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller correlating the display coordinates corresponding to a plurality of marked points with the underlying values of the data being represented by those points.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller correlating an underlying data value to the relative display positions of the marked points.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller displaying a multi-component marker, one component of which is an alphanumeric label.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller attaching succeeding alphanumeric labels to markers, the labels corresponding to succeeding features in an ECG sequence.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein, in response to a user'"'"'s placement of a marker corresponding to a feature in an ECG sequence, the step of displaying ECG data further comprises the step of:

the controller placing a series of markers corresponding to other features in an ECG sequence.

18. The method of claim 4 wherein the review of said analysis comprises the step of:

the controller being responsive to input from a user by displaying ECG features previously marked and stored by the controller.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the review of said analysis comprises the step of:

the controller being responsive to input from a user by revising marks previously marked and stored by the controller.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the review of said analysis comprises the step of:

the controller being responsive to input from a user by recording revision data.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the revision data recorded by the controller includes the identity of the user who makes the revision.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the revision data recorded by the controller includes the time at which the user revised the marks.

23. An apparatus comprising:

at least one telecommunications port; and

a controller configured to receive time-series medical data through the at least one telecommunications port, to graphically display the time series medical data, to be responsive to user input for the analysis of the time series medical data, and to be responsive to user input for the review of said analysis.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the time-series data is electrocardiogram (ECG) data.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the controller is configured to analyze time series medical data by accepting and recording user input related to marking features of the graphically displayed time-series data as a part of the analysis of time series medical data.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the controller is configured to display ECG data in the form of one or more continuous waveforms on a rectangular grid that represents 40 milliseconds by 0.1 millivolts.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the controller is configured to provide a zoomed view of at least a portion of graphically displayed ECG data.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the controller is further configured to provide a zoomed view that maintains the aspect ratio of the displayed data'"'"'s graphical representation.

29. The appatus of claim 28 wherein the controller is configured to display every nth grid line with emphasis in response to a user'"'"'s activation of at least a threshold level of zoom.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the controller is configured to correlate the display coordinates corresponding to a marked point with the underlying value of the data being represented by that point and to display the underlying value alphanumerically.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the controller is configured to store the underlying value of data represented by the marked point, to correlate the display coordinates corresponding to a plurality of marked points with the underlying values of the data being represented by those points, and to correlate an underlying data value with the relative display positions of the marked points.

32. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the controller is configured to display textual report data concerning the time series data, to modify the textual report data in response to user input, and to update the textual report data with the measurements calculated as a result of the placement of the markers on the time series data.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the controller is configured to compare the measurements calculated as a result of the placement of the markers on the time series waveform with the coded textual user input to validate the consistency of the measurements with the coded input and the coded input with other coded input.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the controller is configured to display the results of the validation comparison findings to the user for further user input concerning the acceptance of the validation findings.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the controller is configured to display a next set of time series data to the user for review based on a user input request.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the controller is configured to display a next set of time series data to the user for review based on a priority queuing algorithm.

37. A method of displaying time-series medical data, comprising the steps of:

a controller receiving time-series medical data through a telecommunications port;

a controller accepting user input to select textual report information for the time series medical data be displayed;

the controller displaying the textual report information;

the controller being responsive to user input by modifying the current textual report information; and

the controller being responsive to user input by storing the current textual report information.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the step of displaying the textual information comprises the steps of:

the controller displaying previous analysis and review report information; and

the controller displaying current analysis and review report information;

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of displaying the previous analysis and review report information comprises the step of:

the controller reading previously stored report information and displaying it in a format consistent with standard hard-copy report formats.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the step of displaying the current analysis and review report information comprises the step of:

the controller reading the results of the current analysis and review mark calculations and displaying the calculation results with a copy of the previously stored report information.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of modifying the current analysis and review report comprises the steps of:

the controller being responsive to user input by deleting textual statements or codes from the previous report information;

the controller being responsive to user input by adding textual statements or codes to the current report information; and

the controller being responsive to user input by selecting from a list of available codes, data to be added or deleted from the current report.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of accepting user input to store the modified current analysis and review report information comprises the steps of:

the controller verifying the consistency of the calculated measurements with the coded input;

the controller verifying the consistency of each coded input with all other coded inputs;

the controller displaying to the user the results of the verification processing; and

the controller requiring user input of an identification code prior to storing the current modified report information.