METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TACTILE INTERFACE FOR REVIEWING RADIOLOGICAL IMAGES

• US 20090128304A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kanyaboina, Rajanikanth, Fung, William, Folkers, Lawrence, Zhao, Weidong
• Application Number:
  US11/940,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for reviewing medical images using a tactile interface to display a bas-relief image. A tactile interface may provide a bas-relief representation of medical imaging data to an end-user. The tactile interface may include an array of tactile elements positioned as a grouping of cylinders arranged in a closely packed array. The cylinders may be raised or lowered independently to create a bas-relief pattern of an object within a medical image. A radiologist may utilize the bas-relief image to physically identify surfaces and edges for the images being viewed. The additional information may allow a radiologist to develop quicker and more accurate diagnoses.

Claims

1. A system for reviewing medical images, said system comprising:

a display unit for displaying said medical images;

an input unit for receiving input from a user;

a tactile interface to display a bas-relief image of a sub-section of said medical images; and

,

a computer unit for executing computer software, said computer software controlling said display of said bas-relief image on said tactile interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said tactile interface includes an array of tactile elements.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the tactile elements of the array of tactile elements have a cylindrical shape.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the tactile elements of the array of tactile elements are independently controlled.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the tactile elements of the array of tactile elements may be raised or lowered independently.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said input from a user includes the selection of an object within said medical images, said object being a sub-section of said medical images to display a bas-relief image.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said computer software analyzes image data for said selected object to generate data to display said bas-relief image of said selected object.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said input unit may include a computer mouse, trackball, or keyboard.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said input from a user includes the manipulation of a cursor, said cursor displayed on said display unit as overlaid said medical images.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said computer software analyzes image data for said object overlaid by said cursor generate data to display said bas-relief image of said object overlaid by said cursor.

11. A computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for a computer, the set of instructions comprising:

a receipt routine for receiving the selection of an object from a set of medical images, said object being selected by a user;

a generation routine for generating data to create a bas-relief image of said selected object; and

,

a communication routine for communicating said data to create a bas-relief image of said object.

12. The set of instructions of claim 11, wherein said generation routine generates data to create a bas-relief image of said selected object based on three-dimensional information for said selected object.

13. The set of instructions of claim 12, further comprising a second generation routine for generating simulated three-dimensional information if three-dimensional information is not available for said selected object.

14. The set of instructions of claim 11, further comprising a creation routine for creating the bas-relief image.

15. The set of instructions of claim 11, wherein said set of medical images includes was generated from one of an x-ray system, a computerized tomography system, an ultrasound system, an electron beam tomography system, or a magnetic resonance system.

16. A computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for a computer, the set of instructions comprising:

an acquisition routine for acquiring a set of medical images;

a generation routine for generating a bas-relief map for said set of medical images, said bas-relief map containing data to create a bas-relief image for said objects of said set of medical images;

a tracking routine for tracking the location of a cursor overlaid on the set of medical images;

a communication routine for communicating data to create a bas-relief image for said objects of said set of medical images based on the objects overlaid by said cursor.

17. The set of instructions of claim 16, further comprising a storage routine for storing said set bas-relief map and said set of medical images.

18. The set of instructions of claim 16, wherein said generation routine for generating a bas-relief map includes processing the image data for the entire set of medical images to generate data to create a bas-relief image for available objects.

19. The set of instructions of claim 16, wherein said communication routine communicates data to create a bas-relief image at approximately the same time objects are overlaid by said cursor.

20. The set of instructions of claim 16, wherein said acquisition routine acquires said set of medical images from one of internal memory, external memory, or a medical diagnostic imaging system.