Method and apparatus of providing a radiation scorecard

• US 20080103834A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Reiner
• Original Assignee: Bruce Reiner
• Inventors: Reiner, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5294 involving using additional data, e.g. patient information, image labeling, acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/542 involving control of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/545 involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method to measure, record, analyze, and report cumulative radiation exposure to the patient population and provide automated feedback and recommendations to ordering clinicians and consultant radiologists. The data provided from this “radiation scorecard” would in turn be automatically recorded into a centralized data repository (radiation database), which would be independent to the acquisition site, technology employed, and individual end-user. Retrospective analysis can also be performed using a set of pre-defined scorecard data points tied to the individual patient'"'"'s historical medical imaging database, thereby allowing for comprehensive (both retrospective and prospective) medical radiation exposure quantitative analysis. Patient safety can be improved by a combination of radiation dose reduction, exposure optimization, rigorous equipment quality control (QC), education and training of medical imaging professionals, and integration with computerized physician order entry (CPOE).

Claims

1. A method of providing a radiation scorecard for controlling radiation dose exposure comprising:

calculating a radiation exposure to an individual;

comparing said radiation exposure against a maximum exposure amount;

identifying technology options to minimize said radiation dose exposure to said individual;

retrieving information on said individual from a radiation scorecard database; and

compiling a radiation scorecard including said radiation exposure and said options to minimize said radiation exposure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

compiling one of a clinician, radiologist, administrator, or technologist scorecard based on compliance with at least radiation dose reduction.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an imaging study of said individual;

determining optimized radiation exposure parameters for said individual; and

determining corresponding radiation dose calculations for said individual.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining an ultra-low dose image of said individual;

correlating said ultra-low dose image with a visual discrimination model to quantify an amount and location of noise in said image; and

calculating said radiation exposure parameters based on said amount of said noise and a predefined image quality threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

automatically calculating an organ specific dose, effective dose, and comparative dose for said individual prior to said imaging study.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding automated alerts to a plurality of parties when predefined thresholds are reached relative to deficiencies in at least one of technology, protocol, or acquisition parameters.

7. A method of minimizing a radiation dose exposure comprising:

displaying an imaging study exam profile;

retrieving radiation exposure data from a radiation database;

retrieving comparable data to said imaging study exam profile from said radiation database;

comparing said comparable data to said radiation exposure data;

displaying optimized exposure parameters and corresponding radiation dose calculations; and

identifying technology options to minimize said radiation dose exposure.

8. A method of minimizing a radiation dose exposure comprising:

obtaining an ultra-low dose image in a radiation procedure;

correlating said ultra-low dose image with a visual discrimination model to determine radiation exposure parameters;

cross-referencing said radiation exposure parameters with data in a radiation database to obtain comparable data;

displaying options to maximize dose reduction based on said comparable data; and

selecting optimum exposure parameters based on said maximized dose reduction.

9. A method of assuring quality assurance in a radiation exposure procedure comprising:

performing an image analysis on an image obtained during an imaging procedure;

storing said image and said image analysis in a quality assurance database;

correlating said image and said image analysis with quality data on images in said quality assurance database;

creating an image quality score of said image based on said correlation; and

using the highest image quality scores as technical defaults for a subsequent imaging procedure.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

informing a user that education or training is required when said image quality score is low.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

forwarding alerts to users when said image quality score is below a predetermined threshold.