Multiple modality interface for imaging systems including remote services over a network

• US 6,603,494 B1
• Filed: 12/27/1999
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Littlejohn, David Alan, Banks, Seth Richard, Hanson, Thomas Matthew, Schmidt, Aaron Joseph, Ruchti, Kim Marie, Kohli, Linda Marie, Cavanaugh, James Kenneth, Stovel, William Murray III, Kuhn, Elizabeth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US09/473,217
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 345/846, 345/854, 345/856, 345/733, 345/740, 345/800, 345/734-739, 345/760, 345/763, 345/853, 345/855, 345/772, 345/838, 345/839, 345/807, 600/407
• US Class Current: 715/807
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• 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 6/563 involving image data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/566 involving communication between diagnostic systems
• 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: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

An imaging system coupled to a network, the network coupling imaging devices of at least first and second different imaging modalities, each modality including functions which are common to each of the first and second modalities, includes an imaging device, a network coupling the imaging device to a remote facility, an interface associated with the imaging device, and a pointing device for moving a pointer icon about the display and for selecting displayed icons. The network provides the imaging device with remote services from the remote facility. The interface includes a display and a programmed data processor for providing a uniform interface image on the display despite the specific modality. The uniform interface image includes a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to procedures which are common to both the first and second imaging modalities and a workspace adjacent the function navigation space for displaying, analyzing and manipulating images of a type consistent with the specific modality. When an icon is selected, the processor correlates the selected icon with a corresponding command and executes the command.

Claims

1. A medical image data acquisition and manipulation system coupled to a network, the network coupling medical imaging devices of at least first and second different medical image data acquisition modalities, each medical image data acquisition modality including functions which are common to each of the first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, the system comprising:

a medical image acquisition imaging device;

a network coupling the imaging device to a remote facility, wherein the network provides the imaging device with remote services from the remote facility;

an interface associated with the imaging device, the interface comprising a display and a programmed data processor for providing a uniform interface image on the display despite the specific data acquisition modality of the at least first and second modalities, the uniform interface image comprising;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities; and

a workspace adjacent the function navigation space for displaying, analyzing and manipulating images of a type consistent with the specific data acquisition modality; and

a pointing device for moving a pointer icon about the display and for selecting displayed icons;

wherein, when an icon is selected, the processor correlates the selected icon with a corresponding command and executes the command, each procedure which is common to the first and second modalities includes procedure specific subprocesses and wherein the workspace includes a workflow navigation space in which, when a function icon is selected, the processor displays a workflow icon set including a separate workflow icon corresponding to each subprocess of the process associated with the selected function icon and for the specific modality, each subprocess includes subprocess specific parameters, the workspace includes both an imaging window and a parameter setting space adjacent the imaging window and, when a workflow icon is selected, the processor displays a parameter value set and setting icons in the setting space which correspond to the subprocess specific parameters associated with the selected workflow icon, each parameter value indicating the current parameter value, the setting icons useable to modify the current parameter values and wherein a plurality of physicians may prescribe imaging using the specific modality and each physician may have different initial current parameter value settings for each subprocess, the processor storing a table which correlates each physician with physician specific initial current parameter value settings, a physician identifier provided to the processor and, when a specific workflow icon is selected, the processor accesses the table, correlates the physician identifier with the selected subprocess initial current parameter value settings and provides parameter icons indicating the initial current parameter value settings.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the remote services comprise upgrades in software to operate any one of the medical imaging device and the interface.

3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the remote services comprise service diagnosis for maintenance and repair of any one of the imaging device and the interface.

4. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the remote services comprise remote control of the image device by an operator located at a different location than the medical imaging device.

5. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the remote services comprise management of contractual subscriptions between the imaging device and the remote facility.

6. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the remote services comprise remote storage of images and data from the imaging device.

7. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the remote services comprise remote access to images and data from the imaging device.

8. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the data comprises scheduling tables and information useable by operators of the imaging device.

9. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the remote services comprise confirmation of images with images stored from prior sessions.

10. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the subprocesses of each procedure typically are performed in an exemplary workflow pattern including a series of consecutive steps and the workflow icons are arranged in an order of the exemplary workflow pattern.

11. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the workflow icons include a setup icon which corresponds to the process of positioning a patient for imaging, when the setup icon is selected, the processor providing a position window in the workspace and providing an image of a properly positioned patient in the position window.

12. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein subprocess parameters corresponding to each subprocess include a commonly modified parameter subset and a seldom modified parameter subset and wherein, when a workflow icon is selected the processor displays parameter values and setting icons which correspond to the commonly modified parameter subset and a toolbox icon, when the toolbox icon is selected, the processor opening the toolbox window and displaying the parameter values and setting icons which correspond to the seldom modified parameter set.

13. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processor stores a workflow table which correlates subprocess sets with each modality function and wherein the processor provides a protocols icon which, when selected, causes the processor to display icons in the workspace for modifying the subprocess set to provide a modified subprocess set which is then stored by the processor as the subprocess set, the next time the corresponding function icon is selected, the processor providing a workflow icon for each of the subprocesses in the subprocess set.

14. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of physicians may prescribe imaging using the specific data acquisition modality and each physician may have a different subprocess procedure for data acquisition modality functions, the processor storing a table which correlates each physician with a physician specific subprocess set for each function, a physician identifier provided to the processor and, when a specific function icon is selected, the processor accesses the table, correlates the physician identifier with selected function subprocess set and provides a workflow icon for each subprocess in the subprocess set.

15. The imaging system of claim 1, for use with a plurality of modalities including radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine imaging and computer tomography, wherein the processor provides a uniform interface image on the display despite the specific modality.

16. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein, in addition to the navigation space and the workspace, the processor also provides a domain space and a schedule icon in the domain space and wherein, when the schedule icon is selected, the processor dears the workspace and navigation space and therein provides a schedule metaphor image which includes imaging system scheduling information.

17. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein, in addition to the navigation space and the workspace, the processor also provides a domain space and a logbook icon in the domain space and wherein, when the logbook icon is selected, the processor clears the workspace and navigation space and therein provides a logbook metaphor image which includes imaging system logbook information.