Server-client architecture in medical imaging

• US 20070115282A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Europe BV (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Europe BV (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimpe, Tom, Papageorgiou, Pavlos, Yates, Carter, Turner, David, Chin, Conrad
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/424
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

A method of processing medical imaging volume data in a computer network is described. The method comprises loading a medical imaging data set to be processed to a server computer, processing the data set on the server computer, e.g. by executing a software application, and generating corresponding server-generated results. The server-generated results, e.g. rendered images, may then be transmitted to a client computer for display to a user. This allows users to quickly view the results of the processing because they have not had to wait for the data set to be transferred to their local machine before locally processing the data. However, while this is happening, the data set itself is also transmitted, e.g. as a background operation, to the client computer. Thus eventually the client computer has access to a local copy of the data set and may start processing the data set itself, thus freeing up server resources.

Claims

1. A method of processing medical imaging volume data in a computer network comprising:

a) providing a volume data set to a server computer;

b) initiating transfer of the volume data set to a client computer over the network;

c) performing volume rendering by processing the volume data set at the server computer and transmitting the rendered images over the network to the client computer for display during the transfer of the volume data set to the client computer; and

d) switching to process the volume data set at the client computer after the transfer of the volume data set to the client computer is complete.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising ceasing processing of the volume data set at the server computer following transfer of the volume data set to the client computer.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting processing state data representing the operational state of the processing at the server computer from the server computer to the client computer, and configuring the client computer to a corresponding processing state before switching to process the volume data set at the client computer.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting processing state data representing the operational state of the processing at the client computer from the client computer to the server computer.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data set is transferred to the client computer from the server computer.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data set is transferred to the client computer from a data store.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data set is transferred to the client computer at times when there is no requirement for rendered images to be transmitted over the network.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data set is transferred to the client computer interspersed with the rendered images.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising digitally compressing the data set before transfer to the client computer.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising transferring the data set to the client computer following transfer of the compressed data set.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising digitally compressing the rendered images before transmitting them to the client computer.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein a plurality of different compression methods are used to digitally compress the rendered images.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising waiting for a period of time before initiating transfer of the volume data set to a client computer over the network.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising using predictive techniques to determine the period of time before initiating transfer of the volume data set to a client computer over the network.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the predictive techniques used to determine the period of time before initiating transfer of the volume data set take account of characteristics of the volume data.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the predictive techniques used to determine the period of time before initiating transfer of the volume data set take account of previous user activity.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the predictive techniques used to determine the period of time before initiating transfer of the volume data set are at least in part base on a self-training algorithm.

18. A method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the rendered images to a user.

19. A computer network configured to perform the method of claim 1.

20. A computer program product of a volume rendering application for displaying rendered images of volume data sets to a user, wherein the application is operable on a network interconnecting a server computer and a client computer to:

a) access a volume data set on the server computer;

b) initiate transfer of the volume data set to a client computer over the network;

c) perform volume rendering by processing the volume data set at the server computer and transmitting the rendered images over the network to the client computer for display during the transfer of the volume data set to the client computer; and

d) switch to process the volume data set at the client computer after the transfer of the volume data set to the client computer is complete.