Method for storing and accessing digital medical images

• US 6,574,742 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Marketing LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Insite One Incorporated (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Jamroga, David, Cook, David S., Friswell, Richard J., Patenaude, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARLE, JENNIFER I
• Application Number:
  US09/711,052
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 711/100, 711/117, 711/147, 711/161, 711/167, 707/500, 707/204, 707/513, 707/103, 707/514, 713/400
• US Class Current: 713/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system for communication, storage, retrieval and delivery of information between the system and participating institutions and sites includes institution, warehouse and central servers sequentially receiving data from the participating institutions. The institution server is provided with an index stored in the institution server and constantly updated upon receiving new information. The central server has a long-term storage accessible from the warehouse server to provide the requested information to the participating institutions if this information is not found on either of the institution or warehouse servers.

Claims

1. A system for communication, storage, retrieval and delivery of information comprising:

an institution server having random access memory (RAM);

an institution database accessible by said institution server;

software executing on said institution server for receiving information selected from the group consisting of header, images and data associated with header and each of the images from a healthcare institution;

software executing on said institution server for storing the received images on said database;

software executing on said institution server for generating an index based upon the received information, and for storing the index in a storage selected from the group consisting of the RAM, institution database and a combination thereof;

a central server;

a central database accessible by said central server;

a communication link between said central and institution servers;

software executing on said central server for receiving the information from said institution server through the communication link;

software executing on the central server for storing the information on said central database;

software executing on said institution server for automatically searching the index in response to a query, and for searching the warehouse server if the information has not been found on the institution server or the institution database;

software executing on said warehouse server for transmitting the information to the institution server for storage thereon in response to the query; and

software executing on said institution server for temporarily storing on the institution server and institution database, based upon various selected criteria, the retrieved information in anticipation of near future use by the institution.

2. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising an institution network interconnecting electronic devices selected from the group consisting of at least one Hospital information System (HIS) terminal, at least one Radiology Information System (RIS) terminal, at least one computer, at least one viewstation, at least one MRI machine, at least one X-ray machine and a combination thereof, a communication link between the institution network and the institution server, and software executing on the institution network for transmitting images and data to the institution server via the communication link.

3. The system defined in claim 2 wherein institution network further includes software for receiving the information from the institution server.

4. The system defined in claim 2 wherein the transmitted data includes at least one set of delivery instructions, which includes information selected from the group consisting of query requests, storage requests, and retrieval requests and a combination thereof, a DICOM header, study group information, institution identifiers and patient identifiers.

5. The system defined in claim 4 further comprising software executing on the institution network for generating an account identifier which is associated with a sender generating each of the query, storage and retrieval requests.

6. The system defined in claim 3 wherein the index is based on the institution and hospital identifiers selected from the group consisting of a type of image, type of modality, attending doctor, patient'"'"'s name, birth date, sex, and physical characteristics, diagnosis, the date and time the data and image were produced and last accessed, account number and a combination thereof.

7. The system defined in claim 2 further comprising software executing on the institution server for authorizing transmitting of the information, and software for verifying integrity of the authorized information and including a digital signature which is selectively used to ensure the integrity of the information stored in the institution server.

8. The system defined in claim 7 further comprising software executing on each of the institution and central servers for calculating the digital signature representing at least one piece of information of the transaction, and software executing on each of the institution and central servers for comparing the calculated digital signature with an existing signature to detect any changes in the information.

9. The system defined in claim 2 further comprising software executing on the institution server for selectively losslessly compressing the information received from the institution network.

10. The system defined in claim 9 further comprising software executing on the institution server for encrypting the compressed information.

11. The system defined in claim 10 further comprising software executing on the institution server for temporarily storing the compressed and encrypted images on the institution database, wherein the institution database is selected from the group consisting of a Redundant Array Of Independent Disks (RAID), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, electrical storage devices and a combination thereof.

12. The system defined in claim 4 further comprising software executing on the institution server for updating the index.

13. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising software executing on the institution server for calculating a period of time since the last access to the stored data and images and deleting the data and images from the institution RAM and database if the calculated period exceeds a reference period.

14. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising software executing on the institution server for continuously calculating the capacity of the institution database and deleting the oldest stored images if the measured capacity is less than a reference capacity of the RAM and database of the institution server.

15. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising software executing on the institution server for transmitting the information received from the institution network to the central server through the communication link.

16. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the communication link is selected from the group consisting of wire links, the Internet, dedicated lines, and Virtual Private Network (VPN), and wireless links and a combination thereof.

17. The system defined in claim 6 further comprising software executing on the central server for calculating a decision as to a type of the request received from the institution server through the communication link between the institution and central servers.

18. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising software executing on the central server for directing the determined request based on the decision of whether the transmitted request is for storage, retrieval or query for information and the delivery instructions associated with the determined request.

19. The system defined in claim 18 further comprising software executing on the central server for verifying the institution identifier in response to the request for storage of transmitted information, and software executing on the central server for terminating the transaction if the institution identifier is not verified.

20. The system defined in claim 19 further comprising software executing on the central server for searching the requested information.

21. The system defined in claim 20 further comprising software executing on the central server for saving at least one copy of the information associated with the storage request.

22. The system defined in claim 21 further comprising software executing on the central server for generating a request to specify whether the request is to be stored or transmitted to a receiver which is selected from the group consisting of the institution server and institution network, and software for receiving a response from a sender.

23. The system defined in claim 21 further comprising software executing on the central server for identifying information contained in the storage request, and software for searching for the copy of the requested information.

24. The system defined in claim 21 further comprising software executing on the central server for generating a notice acknowledging the received response from a sender.

25. The system defined in claim 19 further comprising software executing on the central server for indexing the information associated with the validated storage request.

26. The system defined in claim 25 wherein the central server includes warehouse RAM and warehouse database, the system further comprising software executing on the central server for storing the data in the central server based on specific instructions of the central server.

27. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising software executing on the central server for examining the state of the warehouse RAM and database, and manipulating the stored information based on the specific instructions of the central server.

28. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising software executing on the central server for generating a notice informing a sender of the storing of the information in the central server.

29. The system defined in claim 26 further comprising software executing on the central server for verifying the institution identifier in response to the request selected from group consisting of the request for query, which comprises verification of the storage of specified information, and the request for retrieval of information.

30. The system defined in claim 29 further comprising software executing on the central server for searching the warehouse RAM and database and the central database in response to the request for query and the request for retrieval of information and transmitting the searched information to the institution server.

31. The system defined in claim 30 further comprising software executing on the central server for generating transaction acknowledgement, institution and patient identifiers and the account number transmitted along with the searched information in response to the request for retrieval of data and images.

32. The system defined in claim 17 further comprising software executing on the central server for decompressing and decrypting the information transmitted from the institution server.

33. The system defined in claim 17 wherein the central server has a transmitter for transmitting the information associated with the request for storage to the institution database.

34. The system defined in claim 33 further comprising software executing on the central server for periodically monitoring the information stored on the central database to verify the stored data integrity.

35. The system defined in claim 34 further comprising software executing on the central server for periodically generating reports on the monitoring results for historical reference.

36. The system defined in claim 31 further comprising an account and billing database in communication with the central server, and software executed on the central server for transmitting the account information associated with each of the requests to the account and billing database.

37. The system defined in claim 36 further comprising software executed on the central server for periodically generating invoices detailing the number of requests made by the institution network and processed by the central server, and software executed on the central database for transmitting the invoices to the institution network.

38. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the central database is a computer server having a storage selected from the group consisting of RAID, jukebox containing a plurality of optical disks and their magnetic equivalents configured to operate as a long-term-permanent storage device, electrical storages and a combination thereof for the categorized delivery instructions received from the central server.

39. The system defined in claim 30 further comprising software executing on the institution server for restoring the information associated with the response transmitted from the central server to the institution network.

40. The system defined in claim 2 further comprising software executing on the institution server for generating a message to the institution network verifying the receipt of the information.

41. The system defined in claim 3 further comprising software executing on the institution server for searching the index.

42. A system for communication, storage, retrieval and delivery of information comprising:

a plurality of institution servers, each having a respective random access memory (RAM);

a respective institution database accessible by said institution server;

software executing on each of said institution servers for receiving information from a respective healthcare institution;

software executing on each of said institution servers for selectively storing the information in a storage selected from the group consisting of said database and RAM and a combination thereof;

software executing on each of said institution servers for generating a respective index based upon the received information, and for storing the index;

software executing on each of the institution servers for continuously calculating the capacity of the RAM and database and for comparing the calculated capacity with a reference value;

software executing on each of the institution servers for automatically updating the index by controllably deleting the information based on a set of specific instructions of the institution server after the calculated capacity is at least equal to the reference value;

a central server;

a primary long-term central database accessible by said central server;

a communication link between said central and the plurality of institution servers;

software executing on said central server for receiving the information from said institution servers through the communication link;

software executing on the central server for storing the received information on said central database;

software executing on said institution server for automatically searching the index in response to a query;

software executing on said warehouse server for searching the warehouse server if the information has not been found on the institution server or the institution database, and for transmitting the information to the institution server for storage thereon in response to the query; and

software executing on said institution server for temporarily storing on the institution server and institution database, based upon various selected criteria, the retrieved information in anticipation of near future use by the institution.

43. The system defined in claim 42 further comprising software executed on each of the institution servers for directly communicating with the other institution servers through respective communication links, each of the communication links between the institution servers and between each of the institution servers and the central server being selected from the group consisting of the Internet connection, dedicated lines, and Virtual Private Network (VPN) and a combination thereof.

44. The system defined in claim 42 further comprising software executing on each of the institution servers for automatically storing the information upon receiving the requested information from the central database.

45. The system defined in claim 42 further comprising software executing on the central server for periodically monitoring the stored information on the central database.

46. The system defined in claim 42 further comprising at least one redundant central database accessible by the server and receiving at least one copy of the information stored in the primary central database.

47. The system defined in claim 42 wherein the central database includes a magnetically operated storage selected from the group consisting of RAID, at least one jukebox containing a plurality of optical disks and their magnetic equivalents, an electrical storage and a combination thereof.

48. The system defined in claim 42 further comprising software executing on each of the institution and central servers for periodically verifying the integrity of the stored information by using the calculated digital signature associated with the scanned information.

49. A method for communication, storage, retrieval and delivery of information between the system and participating healthcare institution and sites comprising:

(a) transmitting information from an institution network to an institution server;

(b) generating an index based on the transmitted information and storing the index in an institution storage device selected from the group consisting of RAM and database and a combination thereof;

(c) calculating the capacity of the RAM and database to selectively delete the information upon reaching a predetermined capacity after the transmitted information has been received from the institution network;

(d) encrypting the information for further transmission thereof from the institution server to a central server via a communication link;

(e) decrypting and storing the decrypted received information in RAM and database of the central server, respectively;

(f) transmitting the stored information to at least one long-term central database for storing; and

(g) continuously repeating steps (a) through (f).

50. The method defined in claim 49 wherein the step of transmitting data from the institution network includes a step of transmitting a request selected from the group consisting of query request, storage request, retrieval request and a combination thereof and delivery instructions associated with each of the requests.

51. A method defined in claim 50 further comprising the step of transmitting an institution identifier and a patient identifier with each of the requests.

52. The method defined in claim 49 wherein the step of encrypting includes application of a digital signature to the information for verifying integrity of information received from the institution network.

53. The method defined in claim 52 further comprising the step of digitally signing and, selectively and losslessly compressing a system header, a DICOM meta header, or a DICOM header upon receiving the information from the institution network.

54. The method defined in claim 53 further comprising the step of applying a message signature trailer to the compressed information.

55. The method defined in claim 49 further comprising the step of selectively re-encrypting the transmitted information.

56. The method defined in claim 55 further comprising the step for determining the request for query, which comprises verification of the storage of specified information, the request for retrieval of data and images and the request for storage.

57. The method defied in claim 56 further comprising the step of searching the central server RAM and RAID and the central database in response to the request for query and the request for retrieval of information and the step of transmitting the searched information to the institution server.

58. The method defined in claim 57 further comprising the step of re-storing the information received from the central server in the RAM and database of the institution server.

59. The method defined in claim system defined in claim 50 further comprising the step of generating transaction acknowledgement including the institution and patient identifiers and the account number transmitted along with the searched information in response to each of the requests.

60. The method defined in claim 49 further comprising the step of periodically monitoring the information stored on the central database to verify the stored data integrity.

61. The method defied in claim 59 further comprising the step of periodically generating reports on the monitoring results for historical reference.

62. The method defined in claim 49 further comprising the step of storing account and billing information accompanied the delivery instruction in an account and billing database.

63. The method defined in claim 62 further comprising step of periodically generating invoices detailing the number of requests made by the institution network and processed by the central server, and the step of transmitting the invoices to the institution network.

64. The method defined in claim 49 further comprising the step of periodically identifying the information stored in the central database needed to be transferred to the institution server in accordance with a system of requirements generated by the institution network without the request in anticipation of near future use by the institution.

65. A data and image storage and retrieval system for medicinal institutions comprising:

a warehouse server;

at least one warehouse database accessible by said warehouse server;

a proxy server for receiving data and images;

at least one proxy database accessible by said proxy server;

at least one terminal for inputting data and images into the system;

a communications link connecting said at least one terminal to said proxy server, and said proxy server to said warehouse server;

software executing on said at least one terminal for transmitting the inputted data and images to said proxy server;

software executing on said proxy server for receiving and temporarily storing the inputted data and images, and for generating an index based upon the received inputted data and images;

software executing on said proxy server for automatically moving, based upon various selected criteria, the inputted data and images to the warehouse server;

software executing on said warehouse server for receiving and storing the moved data and images;

software executing on said at least one terminal for generating a query for information based upon an inputted request;

software executing on said proxy server for automatically searching the index in response to the query, and for searching the warehouse server if the information has not been found on the proxy server or the at least one proxy database;

software executing on said warehouse server for transmitting the information to the proxy server for storage thereon in response to the query;

software executing on said proxy server for temporarily storing, based upon various selected criteria, the retrieved information in anticipation of near future use by the institution.