Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system with access to reference image library

• US 5,938,607 A
• Filed: 10/24/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATL Ultrasound Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: ATL Ultrasound Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Ungari, Joseph L., Roncalez, Pascal, Roundhill, David N., Dickerson, Kenneth, Wood, Michael A., Jago, James R., Dewar, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US08/957,577
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 395/601-615, 395/924, 128/903, 128/904, 600/437, 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 Device being mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52023 Details of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52034 Data rate converters
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45169 Medical, rontgen, x ray
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is provided which aid in the diagnosis of patient conditions by providing access from the ultrasound system to a library of reference ultrasonic images. The image library is cataloged in accordance with an image characteristic such as the type of examination, the part of the body or the type of pathology shown in the image, and the images of the library are accessed in accordance with these characteristics. The image library may be remotely located and accessible by a number of ultrasound systems over a network, or it may be located on the ultrasound system itself such as on a system disk drive. In a preferred embodiment reference images are concurrently displayed with patient images to aid in discerning the patient'"'"'s condition.

Claims

1. A medical diagnostic ultrasound system which produces, stores and displays diagnostic ultrasound images comprising:

a library of reference images stored external to said ultrasound system;

software installed on said ultrasound system for accessing said reference image library;

means for connecting said ultrasound system to said external reference image library; and

means for displaying a reference image of said reference image library on the display of said ultrasound system.

2. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein said accessing software comprises browser software.

3. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 2, wherein said browser software comprises means for viewing hypertext data.

4. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein said means for connecting comprises means for connecting said accessing software to a network.

5. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 4, wherein said means for connecting said accessing software to a network further comprises TCP/IP or SLIP software.

6. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 4, wherein said means for connecting said accessing software to a network further comprises PPP software.

7. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein said means for connecting comprises a modem.

8. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein said ultrasound system further comprises a user interface for controlling the operation of said ultrasound system,

wherein said accessing software is also operated by said user interface.

9. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 8, wherein said user interface includes an image display.

10. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 8, wherein said user interface includes a keyboard.

11. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 8, wherein said user interface includes a pointing device.

12. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 11, wherein said pointing device comprises a trackball.

13. A medical diagnostic ultrasound system which produces, stores and displays diagnostic ultrasound images comprising:

browser software installed on said ultrasound system; and

means for connecting said browser software to a source of reference ultrasonic images; and

a display, located on said ultrasound system and responsive to said browser software, for displaying said reference ultrasonic images.

14. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 13, wherein said browser software comprises means for viewing hypertext data.

15. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 13, wherein said means for connecting comprises means for connecting said browser software to a network.

16. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 15, wherein said means for connecting said browser software to a network further comprises a modem.

17. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 13, further comprising means for displaying a reference ultrasonic image on said display adjacent to an ultrasound image produced by the ultrasound system.

18. A medical diagnostic ultrasound system which produces, stores and displays diagnostic ultrasound images comprising:

a library of electronically stored reference ultrasound images connected to said ultrasound system; and

means for displaying said reference images on the display of said ultrasound system.

19. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 18, wherein said library of reference ultrasound images comprises a digital memory storing reference ultrasound images which is located on said ultrasound system.

20. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 19, wherein said digital memory comprises a disk drive located on said ultrasound system.

21. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 19, wherein said ultrasound system further comprises a disk drive for accessing data stored on removable disks,

wherein said digital memory comprises a removable disk which stores reference ultrasound images.

22. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 19, wherein said source of reference ultrasound images comprises random access memory located on said ultrasound system.

23. The medical diagnostic ultrasound system of claim 18, wherein said means for displaying further comprises means for displaying a reference ultrasound image simultaneous with the display of an ultrasound image produced by said ultrasound system.

24. A method for analyzing an ultrasonic image of a patient by means of a library of reference ultrasonic images comprising the steps of:

operating an ultrasound system to acquire an ultrasonic image of a specific region of the body of a patient;

operating said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images;

obtaining a reference ultrasonic image from said library on the basis of a predetermined characteristic of said reference ultrasonic image; and

displaying both said patient ultrasonic image and said reference ultrasonic image on the display of said ultrasound system.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of displaying comprises concurrently displaying said patient ultrasonic image and said reference ultrasonic image to compare the two images.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of operating said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images comprises accessing a library of reference ultrasonic images stored on an image storage device which is located remote from said ultrasound system.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of operating said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images comprises accessing a library of reference ultrasonic images over a network connected to said ultrasound system.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of operating said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images comprises accessing a library of reference ultrasonic images stored on an image storage device which is located on said ultrasound system.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said image storage device comprises a disk drive.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein said library of reference ultrasonic images comprises stored ultrasonic images which are cataloged in accordance with difference predetermined characteristics of the images.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said different predetermined characteristics comprise one of the pathology or the region of the body shown in the images.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of operating said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images comprises operating a browser by means of the user interface of said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images stored on an image storage device which is located remote from said ultrasound system.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of operating said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images comprises operating a browser by means of the user interface of said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images over a network connected to said ultrasound system.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of operating said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images comprises operating a browser by means of the user interface of said ultrasound system to access a library of reference ultrasonic images stored on an image storage device which is located on said ultrasound system.