Imaging system protocol handling method and apparatus

• US 6,272,469 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reich, John Aurthur, Koritzinsky, Ianne Mae Howards
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSEN, NICHOLAS D
• Application Number:
  US09/199,507
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 128/920, 128/922, 128/923, 128/924, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• 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 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/581 Remote testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/923 by comparison of patient data to other data

Abstract

A technique is disclosed for providing programs, such as operational protocols, to medical diagnostic institutions and systems. The protocols are created and stored on machine readable media. A description of the protocols is displayed at the diagnostic institution or system. A user may select a desired protocol or program from a user interface, such as a listing of protocols. The protocol listing may include textual and exemplary image descriptions of the protocols. Selected protocols are transferred from the machine readable media to the diagnostic institution or system. The transfer may take place over a network link, and may be subject to fee arrangements, subscription status verifications, and so forth. Protocols may be loaded for execution on system scanners by selection from the same or a similar protocol listing screen.

Claims

1. A method for providing operational protocols to a plurality of medical diagnostic systems, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in a distribution system a plurality of operational protocols, the protocols including a first protocol and a second protocol, each protocol including machine executable instructions for controlling operation of a medical diagnostic system;

establishing network links between the distribution system and a first and a second diagnostic system;

transmitting data descriptive of the first protocol to the first diagnostic system and data descriptive of the second protocol to the second diagnostic system; and

displaying indicia at the first and second diagnostic systems descriptive of the respective protocols;

wherein the first protocol is adapted to a first modality diagnostic system and the second protocol is adapted to a second modality diagnostic system, and wherein the first diagnostic system is a first modality system and the second system is a second modality system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modality is a magnetic resonance imaging modality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modality is a computed tomography imaging modality.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first modality is an x-ray imaging modality.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of transmitting the first protocol to the first diagnostic system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the protocol is transmitted to the first diagnostic system in response to a request from the first diagnostic system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying a textual description of the protocol.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of verifying a subscriber status for the first modality diagnostic system prior to transmitting the data defining the first modality program.

8. A method for distributing programs to a plurality of medical diagnostic systems of different modalities, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a first modality program and a second modality program on machine readable media, the first and second modality programs representing machine readable operational parameters and instructions of first and second modality diagnostic systems, respectively;

establishing network links between a distribution system and first and second modality diagnostic systems;

transmitting to the first modality diagnostic system data descriptive of the first modality program and displaying indicia descriptive of the first modality program on the first modality diagnostic system; and

transmitting to the second modality diagnostic system data descriptive of the second modality program and displaying indicia descriptive of the second modality program on the second modality diagnostic system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the indicia are representative of availability of the programs.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second programs includes an operational protocol.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the network links are initiated by the first and the second modality diagnostic systems.

12. The method of claim 8, comprising the further step of transmitting data defining the first modality program to the first modality diagnostic system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data defining the first modality program is transmitted in response to a request from the first modality diagnostic system.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the first modality is a magnetic resonance imaging modality.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the first modality is a computed tomography imaging modality.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the first modality is an x-ray imaging modality.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the machine readable media include first media for storing the first modality program and second media for storing the second modality program.

19. The method of claim 39, wherein at least one of the first and second media comprises a portable machine readable data storage device.