Emergency vehicle with medical image scanner and teleradiology system and method of operation

• US 6,481,887 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mirabella, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Robert H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Allen C
• Application Number:
  US09/628,656
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.1, 378/198, 378/102, 378/208, 378/209
• US Class Current: 378/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/563 involving image data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/001 Vehicles provided with medical equipment to perform operations or examinations

Abstract

A mobile medical image scanner and teleradiology system are incorporated into an ambulance or other vehicle to permit a patient to be diagnosed while en route to a treatment facility such as a trauma center. The system obtains medical image data while the patient is being transported in the vehicle and transmits the medical image data to a receiver at a location which is remote from the vehicle. At the remote location, the transmitted medical image data is displayed in a humanly discernable manner and interpreted by a qualified physician, who then communicates diagnostic information to the technicians in the vehicle and/or to the treating physicians at the treatment facility. By providing diagnostic information back to the treating physicians prior to the patient'"'"'s arrival at the treatment facility, the patient can be routed directly to the operating room, or the intensive care unit as necessary, thereby saving valuable time. The patient can even receive some care in the vehicle based on the diagnoses before he or she reaches the treatment facility. Patient survival rates are substantially improved due to the reduction in the diagnostic time required after the patient arrives at the trauma center.

Claims

1. A method for rapidly evaluating patient treatment options, comprising:

(A) deploying a medical image scanner in an emergency vehicle;

(B) obtaining medical image data from a patient while the vehicle is en route to a treatment facility;

(C) transmitting the medical image data to a receiver at a location which is remote from the vehicle;

(D) receiving the medical image data at the receiver; and

(E) evaluating the received medical image data to evaluate patient treatment options in advance of the patient reaching the treatment facility.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining medical image data comprises acquiring an analog CT image of the patient using a CT scanner and then converting the analog image to a digital image.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising compressing the digital image prior to the transmitting step.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising, following the receiving step, converting the received medical image data into a modified medical image and displaying the modified medical image at a medical image workstation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising deploying emergency and trauma equipment on the vehicle and providing care to the patient using the emergency and trauma equipment while the vehicle is en route to the treatment facility.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the medical image data is obtained while the patient lies on a patient table in the vehicle, and further comprising:

prior to the obtaining step, delivering a patient to the vehicle using a gurney,

docking the gurney to a removable patient support structure located adjacent the patient table, and

after the docking step, transferring the patient from the gurney to the removable patient support structure and from the removable patient support structure to the patient table, and then undocking the gurney from the removable patient support structure and removing the patient support structure from the vicinity of the patient table.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the medical image data is obtained while the patient lies on a patient table in the vehicle, and further comprising:

prior to the obtaining step, delivering a patient to the emergency vehicle using a gurney; and

transferring the patient directly from the gurney to the patient table.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver and the treatment center are at the same facility.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver and the treatment center are at different facilities.