Medical diagnostic and data processing system

• US 20070255121A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Gundel, Lutz
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A medical diagnostic and data processing system is disclosed. The system includes, in at least one embodiment, an arithmetic logic unit and an imaging diagnostic device that can be connected to the latter for data purposes, and a data memory in which data describing anatomical structures including lymph nodes are stored. The arithmetic logic unit is set up programmatically in such a way to produce an automatic assignment between a lymph node recorded by way of the imaging diagnostic device and data describing the lymph node that are stored in the data memory.

Claims

1. A medical diagnostic and data processing system, comprising:

an arithmetic logic unit;

an imaging diagnostic device, connectable to the arithmetic logic unit; and

a data memory to store data describing anatomical structures including lymph nodes, the arithmetic logic unit being set up programmatically to produce an automatic assignment between a lymph node recorded via the imaging diagnostic device and data describing the lymph node stored in the data memory.

2. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the imaging diagnostic device is designed as a device suitable for generating sectional images.

3. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the imaging diagnostic device is a computer tomograph.

4. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein designations of lymph nodes are stored in the data memory, and automatic assignment between such a designation and the corresponding, graphically displayable anatomical structure is provided by the arithmetic logic unit.

5. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the arithmetic logic unit is set up programmatically in such a way that a representation of the lymph node with insertion of the associated designation is displayable by a display apparatus.

6. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the arithmetic logic unit is set up programmatically such that, in the event of user-controlled marking of a lymph node, an associated designation is inserted automatically.

7. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 6, wherein an automatic display of a selection list including a number of designations of lymph nodes is provided in the case of an ambiguity between an anatomical structure recorded with the aid of the imaging diagnostic device and designations of lymph nodes.

8. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the arithmetic logic unit is set up programmatically such that, in the event of inputting of a designation of a lymph node, a corresponding graphic display is automatically selected.

13. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein designations of lymph nodes are stored in the data memory, and automatic assignment between such a designation and the corresponding, graphically displayable anatomical structure is provided by the arithmetic logic unit.

14. The medical diagnostic and data processing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein designations of lymph nodes are stored in the data memory, and automatic assignment between such a designation and the corresponding, graphically displayable anatomical structure is provided by the arithmetic logic unit.

9. A method for processing diagnostic image data, comprising:

preparing, using an imaging diagnostic device, a first picture of a tissue in which at least one lymph node is located;

storing the first picture in a data memory;

preparing a second picture, via the imaging diagnostic device, at a later point in time; and

automatically making an assignment between a lymph node identified in the second picture and the corresponding lymph node in the first picture.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the diagnostic image data include a picture of at least one lymph node in the chest obtained with the aid of the imaging diagnostic device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the diagnostic image data include a picture of at least one lymph node in the abdomen obtained with the aid of the imaging diagnostic device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein an automatic comparison is undertaken between a geometric feature of a lymph node identified in the first picture and the corresponding feature of the lymph node identified in the second picture.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the diagnostic image data include a picture of at least one lymph node in the abdomen obtained with the aid of the imaging diagnostic device.

16. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein an automatic comparison is undertaken between a geometric feature of a lymph node identified in the first picture and the corresponding feature of the lymph node identified in the second picture.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein an automatic comparison is undertaken between a geometric feature of a lymph node identified in the first picture and the corresponding feature of the lymph node identified in the second picture.

19. A computer readable medium including program segments for, when executed on a computer device, causing the computer device to implement the method of claim 9.

18. A system for processing diagnostic image data, comprising:

means for preparing a first picture of a tissue in which at least one lymph node is located and for preparing a second picture at a later point in time;

means for storing the first picture in a data memory; and

means for automatically making an assignment between a lymph node identified in the second picture and the corresponding lymph node in the first picture.