Method and system for performing quality control of medical images in a clinical trial

• US 20090016579A1
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BioClinica, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Synarc, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Erickson, Gregory Alan, Tedeski, Gregg, Ortendahl, Douglas Alan, Sharoyan, Vahan E., White, David L., Basilio, Jener Asino
• Application Number:
  US11/825,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20090016579A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires

Abstract

A method for performing quality control on medical images in a clinical trial setting. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of designating an image as reference image; obtaining attribute data from the reference image as reference attribute data; storing the reference image and the reference attribute data; subsequently taking a second image; obtaining attribute data from the second image as second attribute data; comparing the second image with the reference image on a single output screen; and denoting on the single output screen the second attribute data associated with the second image which differs from the reference data associated with the reference image.

Claims

1. A method for performing quality control on medical images in a clinical trial setting comprising the steps of:

designating an image as reference image;

obtaining attribute data from said reference image as reference attribute data;

storing said reference image and said reference attribute data;

subsequently taking a second image;

obtaining attribute data from said second image as second attribute data;

comparing said second image with said reference image on a single output screen; and

denoting on said single output screen said second attribute data associated with said second image which differs from said reference data associated with said reference image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said single output screen is displayed on a plurality of monitors.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said reference image and said reference attribute data are stored in a single electronic file.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second image and said second attribute data are stored in a single electronic file.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining attribute data from said reference image as reference attribute data further comprising the step of deriving said attribute data from other attribute data associated with said reference image.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining attribute data from said second image as second attribute data further comprising the step of deriving said attribute data from other attribute data associated with said second image.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said second image is from a set of medical images.

8. A method for comparing a first medical image and a second medical image in a clinical trial setting comprising the steps of:

obtaining a first set of attributes from said first medical image;

obtaining a second set of attributes from said second medical image; and

displaying said first set of attributes and said second set of attributes on a single output screen.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said single output screen is displayed on a plurality of monitors.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

comparing said first set of attributes with said second set of attributes; and

denoting attributes from said second set of attributes which differs from any attributes of said first set of attributes.

11. The method of claim 10 the denoting step further comprising the step of displaying on a display said attribute from said second set of attributes which differs from a corresponding attribute in said first set of attributes.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the comparing step further comprising the step of displaying on a display said first medical image with said first set of attributes and said second image with said second set of attributes.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of denoting further comprising highlighting said attributes from said second set of attributes which differ from corresponding attributes in said first set of attributes.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the first set of attributes is displayed as an annotation upon the first medical image and the second set of attributes is displayed as an annotation upon the second medical image.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein said first and second medical images each is an image from a set of medical images.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said set of medical images further comprises a temporal series.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said set of medical images further comprises a spatial series.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein said second medical image and said second set of attributes are stored in a single electronic file.

19. A method of performing quality control on a medical image in a clinical trial setting comprising the steps of:

defining a reference set of attributes, each reference attribute having a pre-determined range of valid values;

obtaining a first set of attributes associated with said medical image;

obtaining the value of each attribute in said first set of attributes;

comparing each attribute of said first set of attributes with a corresponding attribute of said reference set of attributes; and

denoting attributes of said first set of attributes having a value outside of said valid range of values assigned to a corresponding attribute in said reference set of attributes.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said reference set of attributes is from a historical image.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein each attribute in the reference set of attributes is associated with a unique identification.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein each attribute in the first set of attributes is associated with a unique identification.

23. A system for performing quality control on medical images in a clinical trial setting, said system comprising:

means for designating an image as reference image;

means for obtaining attribute data from said reference image as reference attribute data;

means for storing said reference image and said reference attribute data;

means for subsequently taking a second image;

means for obtaining second attribute data from said second image; and

means for displaying said reference attribute data and said second attribute data on a single screen

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

means for comparing said second image with said reference image on said single output screen; and

means for denoting said second attribute data associated with said second image which differs from said reference data associated with said reference image.

25. A system for performing quality control on medical images in a clinical trial setting, said system comprising:

a first input device for designating an image as reference image;

a second input device for obtaining attribute data from said reference image as reference attribute data;

data storage device for storing said reference image and said reference attribute data;

an imaging device for subsequently taking a second image;

a third input device for obtaining second attribute data from said second image;

a single display for comparing said second image with said reference image; and

a display indicator for denoting an attribute from said second attribute data associated with said second image which differs from a corresponding attribute from said reference data associated with said reference image.