SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR X-RAY IMAGE IDENTIFICATION

• US 20100185459A1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Vera, German Guillermo, Xue, Ping, Lamberty, John Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/355,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185459A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4561 Evaluating static posture, e.g. undesirable back curvature A61B5/1116 takes precedence
• 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 6/5294 involving using additional data, e.g. patient information, image labeling, acquisition parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

Systems and methods for x-ray image identification are provided. The systems and methods associate patient information with image information. The method includes acquiring patient information from an identification member external to the digital x-ray detector and storing the patient information within the x-ray detector or on an image. The method further includes associating the patient information with the images acquired by the x-ray imaging system and communicating the acquired images with associated information to a host system when the x-ray detector is connected to the host system.

Claims

1. An x-ray detector comprising:

a digital detector element; and

a pocket coupled to a front surface of the digital detector element and covering at least a portion of the digital detector element, the pocket configured to receive an identification card therein.

2. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pocket is coupled to a corner of the front surface, wherein the front surface is an x-ray detecting surface.

3. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pocket comprises an x-ray transparent material.

4. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an identification card constructed of a material to allow for the transfer of information from the identification card to an image using x-ray exposure.

5. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an identification card including radio opaque identifying information printed thereon.

6. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 5 wherein the identifying information comprises patient information.

7. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 5 wherein the identifying information comprises preprinted information.

8. An x-ray detector comprising:

a housing;

a digital element within the housing; and

a device coupled to the housing, the device configured to acquire identifying information for a patient or to provide identifying information for an image.

9. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the device comprises a barcode reader configured to read a barcode encoded with the identifying information.

10. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 9 further comprising an identification card including the barcode.

11. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a patient bracelet including the barcode.

12. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a memory for storing the acquired identifying information.

13. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 12 wherein the memory comprises a flash memory and the housing comprises a slot for receiving therein the flash memory.

14. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the device comprises a camera.

15. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the device is removably coupled to the housing.

16. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the device is coupled to one of a side and a back of the housing.

17. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a device configured to transfer the identifying information to an identification card.

18. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 17 wherein the device comprises a magnetic encoder that encodes a magnetic strip on the identification card.

19. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 further comprising device configured to encode one of exam and test events on an identification card.

20. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 19 wherein the device is configured to encode confirmation of one or more of a test and exam on the identification card.

21. An x-ray detector in accordance with claim 8 wherein the device comprises a barcode reader configured to read a barcode encoded with the identifying information and further comprising a sheet having a plurality of barcodes containing information corresponding to a plurality of patients.

22. A method for associating patient information with images acquired by an x-ray imaging system having a digital x-ray detector, the method comprising:

acquiring patient information from an identification member external to the digital x-ray detector;

storing the patient information within the x-ray detector;

associating the patient information with the images acquired by the x-ray imaging system; and

communicating the acquired images with associated information to a host system when the x-ray detector is connected to the host system.