Method and system for displaying medical data such as a diagnostic medical ultrasound image at an automatically-selected display resolution

• US 6,520,912 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Acuson Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Brooks, Mark A., Marks, Adam D., Jin, Huijia
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imam, Ali M.
• Application Number:
  US09/710,762
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/407, 600/440-447, 600/479, 600/546, 382/107, 382/132, 705/1-3, 345/419, 345/427-8, 345/536, 345/699, 345/660
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• 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 8/464 involving a plurality of displays

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein provide a method and system for displaying medical data at an automatically-selected display resolution. In one preferred embodiment, medical data is automatically analyzed, and based on the analysis, a display resolution is automatically selected. The medical data is then displayed with the automatically-selected display resolution. By automatically selecting a display resolution based on an analysis of medical data, the appearance of medical data is optimized without conscious effort by a user. Other preferred embodiments are provided.

Claims

1. A method for displaying medical data at an automatically-selected display resolution, the method comprising:

(a) automatically analyzing medical data;

(b) automatically selecting a display resolution for the medical data based on the analysis in (a); and

(c) displaying the medical data with the display resolution automatically selected in (b);

wherein (a) comprises comparing at least a portion of the medical data at a plurality of display resolutions to a criterion, and wherein (b) comprises selecting a display resolution from the plurality of display resolutions that results in the at least a portion of the medical data best fitting the criterion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises calculating a plurality of screen areas occupied by the medical data at a respective plurality of display resolutions, and wherein (b) comprises selecting the display resolution that results in a largest occupied screen area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises calculating a plurality of screen areas occupied by the medical data at a respective plurality of display resolutions, and wherein (b) comprises selecting the display resolution that results in a smallest occupied screen area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises determining that the medical data comprises a medical report, and wherein (b) comprises selecting a display resolution that is predetermined for a medical report.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises determining an identifier associated with the medical data, and wherein (b) comprises selecting a display resolution that is predetermined for the identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifier identifies a medical data acquisition device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the display resolution is automatically selected in (b) using a look-up table.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising scaling the medical data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical data comprises a medical image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical data comprises a diagnostic medical ultrasound image.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the medical data comprises a medical report.

12. A method for displaying medical data at an automatically-selected display resolution, the method comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of medical images on a first display device;

(b) automatically analyzing a medical image selected from the plurality of medical images;

(c) automatically selecting a display resolution for the selected medical image based on the analysis in (b); and

(d) displaying the selected medical image with the display resolution automatically selected in (c) on a second display device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein (b) comprises calculating a plurality of screen areas occupied by the medical image at a respective plurality of display resolutions, and wherein (c) comprises selecting the display resolution that results in a largest occupied screen area.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising scaling the medical image.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the medical image comprises a diagnostic medical ultrasound image.

13. The method of claim 13, wherein (b) comprises comparing at least a portion of the selected medical image at a plurality of display resolutions to a criterion, and wherein (c) comprises selecting a display resolution from the plurality of display resolutions that results in the at least a portion of the medical image best fitting the criterion.

17. A diagnostic medical data review system comprising

a display device;

and

a processor operative to automatically select a display resolution for medical data based on an analysis of the medical data, and operative to display the medical data with the automatically-selected display resolution;

wherein the processor is operative to compare at least a portion of the medical data at a plurality of display resolutions to a criterion, and operative to select a display resolution from the plurality of display resolutions that results in the at least a portion of the medical data best fitting the criterion.

18. The invention of claim 17, wherein the processor is operative to determine that the medical data comprises a medical report, and is operative to select a display resolution that is predetermined for a medical report.

19. The invention of claim 17, wherein the processor is operative to determine an identifier associated with the medical data, and is operative to select a display resolution that is predetermined for the identifier.

20. The invention of claim 17, wherein the processor is operative to scale the medical data.

21. The invention of claim 17, wherein the medical data comprises a medical image.

22. The invention of claim 17, wherein the medical data comprises a diagnostic medical ultrasound image.

23. The invention of claim 17, wherein the medical data comprises a medical report.

24. A method for displaying medical data at an automatically-selected display resolution, the method comprising:

(a) automatically analyzing medical data;

(b) automatically selecting a display resolution for the medical data based on the analysis in (a); and

(c) displaying the medical data with the display resolution automatically selected in (b);

wherein (a) comprises determining that the medical data comprises a medical report, and wherein (b) comprises selecting a display resolution that is predetermined for a medical report.

25. A method for displaying medical data at an automatically-selected display resolution, the method comprising:

(a) automatically analyzing medical data;

(b) automatically selecting a display resolution for the medical data based on the analysis in (a); and

(c) displaying the medical data with the display resolution automatically selected in (b);

wherein (a) comprises determining an identifier associated with the medical data, and wherein (b) comprises selecting a display resolution that is predetermined for the identifier.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the identifier identifies a medical data acquisition device.

27. A diagnostic medical data review system comprising

a display device;

and

a processor operative to automatically select a display resolution for medical data based on an analysis of the medical data, and operative to display the medical data with the automatically-selected display resolution;

wherein the processor is operative to determine that the medical data comprises a medical report, and is operative to select a display resolution that is predetermined for a medical report.

28. A diagnostic medical data review system comprising

a display device;

and

a processor operative to automatically select a display resolution for medical data based on an analysis of the medical data, and operative to display the medical data with the automatically-selected display resolution;

wherein the processor is operative to determine an identifier associated with the medical data, and is operative to select a display resolution that is predetermined for the identifier.