CAD medical imaging system, components, and method of operation
First Claim
1. A Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) results viewing system comprising:
- a computer system to retrieve CAD results for multiple patients;
an electronic display to display the CAD results to a user; and
a barcode scanner, coupled to the computer system, to read barcodes printed on CAD hardcopy printouts, each hardcopy printout barcode corresponding to CAD results, the computer system responding to a barcode read by the barcode scanner by retrieving CAD results corresponding to the barcode and queuing the retrieved CAD results for display on the electronic display.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for electronically displaying CAD results are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a flat panel display is attached to a film multi-viewer via an articulated arm that allows a radiologist to position the flat panel display with respect to the multi-viewer. A barcode scanner is mounted to the back of the display, allowing case identifiers on CAD hardcopy printouts to be read in order to indicate which results are to be viewed. A small embedded computer is mounted with or near the flat panel display and the barcode scanner, and retrieves CAD results from a remote CAD server when a case identifier is read by the barcode scanner. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
27 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) results viewing system comprising:
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a computer system to retrieve CAD results for multiple patients;
an electronic display to display the CAD results to a user; and
a barcode scanner, coupled to the computer system, to read barcodes printed on CAD hardcopy printouts, each hardcopy printout barcode corresponding to CAD results, the computer system responding to a barcode read by the barcode scanner by retrieving CAD results corresponding to the barcode and queuing the retrieved CAD results for display on the electronic display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of displaying CAD results to a user, the method comprising:
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machine-reading a case identifier on a CAD hardcopy printout corresponding to a case;
using the machine-read case identifier to queue CAD results for the case; and
electronically displaying the queued CAD results to the user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of integrating a CAD results display system with a film multi-viewer, the method comprising:
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mounting a flat panel display on an articulated arm that allows the flat panel display to be positioned in proximity to a film display portion of the film multi-viewer;
mounting a barcode scanner with the flat panel display such that the barcode scanner is capable of reading case identifiers printed on CAD hardcopy printouts;
coupling the flat panel display and the barcode scanner to a computer system; and
when a case identifier is read from a CAD hardcopy printout by the barcode scanner, the computer system queueing CAD results corresponding to the CAD hardcopy printout for display on the flat panel display. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A CAD system comprising:
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a self-contained portable CAD cart having hardware to digitize films into CAD cases, perform CAD processing on the CAD cases, print result pages for the CAD cases, and store the CAD cases and results for retrieval by a separate system over an electronic link; and
at least one CAD viewing station having hardware to identify CAD cases from the printed results pages, retrieve the identified CAD cases from the CAD cart over the electronic link, and display the identified CAD cases to a user.
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25. A CAD processing system comprising:
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a film scanner to digitize films into CAD cases;
a user interface providing overall system control and providing case progress information to an operator;
a printer to provide hardcopy printouts of the CAD cases after CAD processing; and
computer means coupled to the film scanner, user interface, and printer, the computer means having a first central processing unit (CPU) to control the overall system operation and assign CAD processing tasks to other CPUs, the computer means also having at least one second CPU to perform CAD processing tasks at the request of the first CPU and return results of the CAD processing tasks to the first CPU.
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26. A self-contained portable CAD cart comprising:
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a wheeled lower platform;
an electronic enclosure mounted on the wheeled lower platform, the electronics enclosure including a chassis attachment point for at least one CAD processing computer;
a printer shelf above the electronics enclosure to hold a CAD results printer;
a film scanner shelf above the printer shelf to hold a film scanner; and
a display screen mount attached to the film scanner shelf;
- View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of operating a CAD system, the method comprising:
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using a first CPU to interface with CAD case input and output devices, to assign cases to other CPUs for CAD processing, and store CAD processing results; and
using at least one second CPU to perform CAD processing on CAD cases assigned by the first CPU.
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31. A method of operating a CAD system, the method comprising:
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detecting that external power to the CAD system has been interrupted;
in response to the detected power interruption, shutting down a film scanner after allowing the film scanner to complete any in-progress film scan;
suspending CAD processing of any in-progress CAD processing task; and
shutting down computer hardware responsible for CAD processing.
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32. A method of operating a CAD system, the method comprising:
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processing a CAD case comprising at least one medical image;
printing a results page for the CAD case, the results page including a machine-readable code identifying the CAD case, information indicating that the CAD case has been processed, and a printed version of the at least one medical image. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A method of queuing CAD cases for viewing on a viewing station, the method comprising:
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displaying a graphical user interface to an operator, the graphical user interface having the appearance of a collection of scrollable panels, each panel associable with a queued CAD case;
accepting user input identifying a CAD case;
retrieving the CAD case and associating the retrieved CAD case with one of the scrollable panels; and
displaying information from the retrieved CAD case in its associated scrollable panel. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of displaying CAD results to a user, the method comprising:
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queuing multiple CAD cases for sequential display to a user;
responding to a repeated user selection gesture by alternately when the last response to the user selection gesture was the display of CAD results for the preceding CAD case in the sequence, advancing to the next case in the sequence of multiple CAD cases and displaying digitized versions of medical images for that next case, and when the last response to the user selection gesture was advancing to the next case in the sequence and displaying digitized version of medical images for that next case, displaying CAD results for the currently displayed CAD case. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification