System and method for the automatic generation of a query to a DICOM server

• US 20060259463A1
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apteryx, Inc. (Planet DDS Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Apteryx, Inc. (Planet DDS Incorporated)
• Inventors: Crucs, Kevin M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

A system and method for automatically generating a query to a DICOM server are disclosed. The system comprises patient identification information encoded in a tangible medium. The system further comprises a reading device to read the encoded patient identification information from the tangible medium. The system also includes a computer-based platform hosting a medical software application. The computer-based platform operationally interfaces to the reading device to receive the read patient identification information from the reading device and to automatically generate a DICOM query, using the medical software application, such that the DICOM query includes at least a portion of the patient identification information. The system further comprises at least one DICOM server operationally interfacing to the computer-based platform to receive the DICOM query from the computer-based platform.

Claims

1. A method to automatically generate a query to a DICOM server, said method comprising:

selecting a DICOM query option from a displayed menu, provided by a medical software application hosted on a computer-based platform, to initiate displaying of a query window, wherein said query window includes unpopulated data fields;

reading patient identification information using a bar code scanning device, wherein said patient identification information is encoded in a bar code;

automatically forwarding said read patient identification information from said bar code scanning device to said medical software application on said computer-based platform;

automatically populating at least one of said data fields of said query window with at least a portion of said patient identification information within said medical software application; and

initiating a search operation to search at least one DICOM server, based at least on said populated patient identification information, using said medical software application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said DICOM query option corresponds to a DICOM worklist query.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said DICOM query option corresponds to a DICOM query/retrieve.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said patient identification information includes at least one of a patient'"'"'s name, a patient identification number, a patient'"'"'s sex, a patient'"'"'s date of birth, and a patient'"'"'s age.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of initiating a search operation is performed by a user of said medical software application.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of initiating a search operation is performed automatically by said medical software application.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said bar code comprises a one-dimensional bar code.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said bar code comprises a two-dimensional bar code.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning at least one search result to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to said search operation.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning at least one medical file or data object associated with said patient to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to at least said search operation.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning a patient worklist associated with said patient to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to at least said search operation.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning at least one image file or data object associated with said patient to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to at least said search operation.

13. A system for automatically generating a query to a DICOM server, said system comprising:

an encoded medium including encoded patient identification information of a patient;

a reading device adapted to read said patient identification information encoded in said encoded medium;

a computer-based platform hosting a medical software application, said computer-based platform operationally interfacing to said reading device to receive said read patient identification information from said reading device and to automatically generate a DICOM query, using said medical software application, such that said DICOM query includes at least a portion of said patient identification information; and

at least one DICOM server operationally interfacing to said computer-based platform to receive said DICOM query from said computer-based platform.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said at least one DICOM server operationally interfaces to said computer-based platform via at least one network.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said at least one network comprises at least one of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and a global informational network.

16. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one image data base operationally interfacing to said at least one DICOM server and storing digital medical images.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said computer-based platform includes a central processing unit, a user interface, and a display.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said encoded medium comprises one of a bar code printed on a patient identification card, a patient file, or a patient image, and an RF ID tag or chip.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said computer-based platform comprises an imaging machine.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein said at least one DICOM server provides at least one of a digital image, a worklist, a medical file, and a data object to said computer-based platform in response to said DICOM query.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein said patient identification information includes at least one of a patient'"'"'s name, a patient identification number, a patient'"'"'s sex, a patient'"'"'s date of birth, and a patient'"'"'s age.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said reading device comprises one of a bar code scanning device and an RF ID interrogator/reader device.

23. A method to automatically generate a query to a DICOM server, said method comprising:

reading patient identification information using a reading device, wherein said patient identification information is encoded on a tangible medium;

automatically forwarding said read patient identification information from said reading device to a medical software application on a computer-based platform; and

initiating a DICOM query operation to search at least one DICOM server, based at least on a portion of said patient identification information, using said medical software application.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said DICOM query operation corresponds to a DICOM worklist query.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said DICOM query operation corresponds to a DICOM query/retrieve.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said patient identification information includes at least one of a patient'"'"'s name, a patient identification number, a patient'"'"'s sex, a patient'"'"'s date of birth, and a patient'"'"'s age.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of initiating a DICOM query operation is performed by a user of said medical software application.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of initiating a DICOM query operation is performed automatically by said medical software application.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning at least one query result to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to said DICOM query operation.

30. The method of claim 23 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning at least one medical file or data object associated with said patient to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to at least said DICOM query operation.

31. The method of claim 23 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning a patient worklist associated with said patient to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to at least said DICOM query operation.

32. The method of claim 23 further comprising said at least one DICOM server returning at least one image file or data object associated with said patient to said medical software application on said computer-based platform in response to at least said DICOM query operation.

33. The method of claim 23 wherein said reading device comprises a bar code scanning device.

34. The method of claim 23 wherein said reading device comprises an RF ID interrogator/reader device.

35. The method of claim 23 wherein said tangible medium comprises a bar code printed on a patient identification card, a patient file, or a patient image.

36. The method of claim 23 wherein said tangible medium comprises an RF ID tag or chip.