DISPLAY OF A MEDICAL IMAGE

• US 20090217207A1
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fietzel, Eike, Kagermeier, Robert, Sierk, Dietmar, Schroter, Steffen
• Application Number:
  US12/372,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20090217207A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/850
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

A device for displaying a medical image is provided. The device includes a processing unit, a display, a remote control, a communication interface, and a software module. The processing unit is operable to process the medical image information. The display is operable to display the medical image information. The remote control is operable to register a user movement by at least one motion-sensitive sensor. The communication interface is operable to transfer the user movement to the processing unit. The software module is associated with the processing unit. The software module is operable to reconcile the user movement with the medical image information so that the user movement is reproduced as a virtual movement of the displayed medical image information.

Claims

1. A device for displaying a medical image, the device comprising:

a processing unit for processing medical image information,

a display for displaying the medical image information,

a remote control for registering a user movement by at least one motion-sensitive sensor,

a communication interface for transferring the user movement to the processing unit, and

a software module associated with the processing unit for reconciling the user movement with the medical image information so that the user movement is reproduced as a virtual movement of the displayed medical image information.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, where the medical image information is a three-dimensional image.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, where the at least one motion-sensitive sensor is an acceleration sensor with one or more measuring axes.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, where the at least one motion-sensitive sensor is a rotary rate sensor with one or more measuring axes.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, where the remote control has at least one acceleration sensor and at least one rotary rate sensor.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, where a radio link is provided as a communication interface.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, where the remote control has a number of display selection switches for selecting a display mode in each case and where the conversion of the user movement into the virtual movement of the image takes place depending on the display mode selected.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, where the remote control has at least one control selection switch for remotely controlling a medical diagnostic or therapeutic unit.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, where a holding device is provided for holding the remote control in a rest position.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, where the holding device has an elastic mounting.

11. A method for displaying a medical image, the method comprising:

registering a user movement with a remote control by at least one motion-sensitive sensor; and

reproducing the user movement as a virtual movement of displayed medical image information.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising measuring the user movement using a single- or multiple-axis acceleration sensor.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising measuring the user movement using a single- or multiple-axis rotary rate sensor.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising measuring the user movement using at least one acceleration sensor and at least one rotary rate sensor.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising transferring user movement data using a radio link.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising selecting a display mode, the conversion of the user movement into the virtual movement of the image takes place depending on the selected display mode.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, where the display mode provides for a selection and displacement of an enlarged image section in at least one spatial direction.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, where the display mode provides for a rotation of the displayed image information around at least one spatial axis.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, where the display mode provides for a change in the scale of the displayed image information.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16, where the display mode provides for a change in contrast of the displayed image information.

21. The method as claimed in claim 16, where the display mode utilizes the measurements taken with the acceleration sensor and with the rotary rate sensor jointly in order to change the displayed image information.

22. The method as claimed in claim 16, where the display mode permits the operation of a processing unit implemented as a workstation computer by the user movement of a computer mouse.

23. The method as claimed in claim 16, where registering the user movement includes registering the user movement iteratively over a predefined time interval.

24. The method as claimed in claim 16, where the virtual movement only takes place when the user movement exceeds a predefined threshold.