REAL-TIME COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MEDICAL DEVICES OVER A DICOM NETWORK

• US 20150178448A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Zino, Eliahu, Zigelman, Gil, Amit, Matityahu
• Granted Patent: US 9,740,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/487 involving fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/542 involving control of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10064 Fluorescence image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10121 Fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing

Abstract

A method includes sending from a first medical device to a second medical device a request for data using a communication protocol that includes messages for conveying medical measurement results. In response to the request, at least one message is produced in the second medical device that includes the requested data and a dummy payload instead of the medical measurement results, and the at least one message is sent from the second medical device to the first medical device using the communication protocol.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending from a first medical device to a second medical device a request for data using a communication protocol that comprises messages for conveying medical measurement results; and

in response to the request, producing in the second medical device at least one message that comprises the requested data and a dummy payload instead of the medical measurement results, and sending the at least one message from the second medical device to the first medical device using the communication protocol.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending the request comprises opening at least one association between the first medical device and the second medical device, and wherein sending the at least one message comprises sending the data in multiple messages in response to the request while the at least one association is open.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending the request comprises opening at least one association between the first medical device and the second medical device, and wherein sending the at least one message comprises sending the data in one or more bursts while the at least one association is open.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication protocol comprises a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) protocol.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first medical device comprises a position tracking system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second medical device comprises a fluoroscopic imaging system.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the medical measurement results comprise an image, and wherein the dummy data comprises a dummy image.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first medical device comprises a position tracking system, wherein the second medical device comprises a fluoroscopic imaging system, and wherein sending the at least one message comprises sending one or more messages that report respective spatial positions of the fluoroscopic imaging system.

9. The method according to claim 8, and comprising presenting the reported positions of the fluoroscopic imaging system to an operator, using the position tracking system, without activating the fluoroscopic imaging system.

10. The method according to claim 8, and comprising compensating, based on the reported positions, for a distortion caused by the fluoroscopic imaging system to a magnetic field of the position tracking system.

11. A system, comprising:

a first medical device, which is configured to send a request for data using a communication protocol that comprises messages for conveying medical measurement results; and

a second medical device, which is configured to produce, in response to the request, at least one message that comprises the requested data and a dummy payload instead of the medical measurement results, and to send the at least one message to the first medical device using the communication protocol.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first and second medical devices are configured to open at least one association between the first medical device and the second medical device upon sending the request, and wherein the second medical device is configured to send the data in multiple messages in response to the request while the at least one association is open.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first and the second medical devices are configured to open at least one association between the first medical device and the second medical device upon sending the request, and wherein the second medical device is configured to send the data in one or more bursts while the at least one association is open.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the communication protocol comprises a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) protocol.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first medical device comprises a position tracking system.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the second medical device comprises a fluoroscopic imaging system.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the medical measurement results comprise an image, and wherein the dummy data comprises a dummy image.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the first medical device comprises a position tracking system, and wherein the second medical device comprises a fluoroscopic imaging system that is configured to send, in response to the request, one or more messages that report respective spatial positions of the fluoroscopic imaging system.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the position tracking system is configured to present the reported positions of the fluoroscopic imaging system to an operator, without activation of the fluoroscopic imaging system.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the magnetic position tracking system is configured to compensate, based on the reported positions, for a distortion caused by the fluoroscopic imaging system to a magnetic field of the position tracking system.