Multiple modality interface for imaging systems

• US 6,674,449 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• 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: Stoval, William M., Littlejohn, David A., Banks, Seth R., Schmidt, Aaron J., Kuhn, Elizabeth A., Cavanaugh, James K., Hanson, Thomas M., Kohli, Linda M., Ruchti, Kim M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US09/200,056
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 345/846, 345/854, 345/856, 345/733, 345/740, 345/820, 345/625, 705/5, 705/3
• US Class Current: 715/740
• 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 6/0487 Motor-assisted positioning
• 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 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: G09G 2380/08 Biomedical applications
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A universal interface apparatus for use with any of several different imaging systems for facilitating a plurality of different imaging modalities, the interface including at least function icons in a function navigation space and a workspace, each of the function icons corresponding to a process which is common among all of the imaging modalities, the interface also accessing data tables corresponding to specific workflow protocols for medical facility radiologists and/or for a medical facility in general, the tables identifying function icons and other icons for guiding a technologist through a properly orchestrated imaging process.

Claims

1. A medical image data acquisition system interface usable with at least first and second different medical imaging data acquisition systems that include first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each modality including functions which are common to each of the first and second modalities, each separate instance of the interface used with only a specific one of the first or second modality systems and linked to a diagnostic system for acquiring data according to the specific one of the first and second acquisition modalities, the interface comprising:

a display;

a programmed data processor for providing a uniform interface image on the display despite the specific data acquisition modality associated with the diagnostic system linked to the interface, the uniform interface image comprising;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

a workspace adjacent the function navigation space for displaying, analyzing and manipulating images of a type consistent with the specific data acquisition modality, wherein the workspace includes a workflow navigation space in which, when a function icon is selected, the processor displays a workflow icons set including a separate workflow icon corresponding to each subprocess of the process associated with the selected function icon and for the specific 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 data acquisition command and executes the command; and

wherein 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.

2. The interface of claim 1 wherein functions corresponding to each specific one of the medical image data acquisition modalities are typically performed in an exemplary workflow pattern including a series of sequential steps and the function icons are arranged in an order of the exemplary workflow pattern.

3. The interface of claim 2 wherein the function icons are arranged in a single column.

4. The interface of claim 2 wherein the function icons include a patient information icon and an acquire icon.

5. The interface of claim 4 wherein the function icons also include a view/film icon, an analyze icon and a close icon.

6. The interface 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.

7. The interface of claim 6, wherein the workflow icons are arranged in a single column.

8. The interface 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.

9. Interface of claim 1 wherein subprocess parameters corresponding to each subprocess include a commonly modified parameter subset and a seldomly 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 a toolbox window and displaying the parameter values and setting icons which correspond to the seldomly modified parameter set.

10. The interface of claim 1 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.

11. The interface 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 con is selected, the processor clears the workspace and navigation space and therein provides a schedule metaphor image which includes imaging system scheduling information.

12. The interface 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.

13. The interface of claim 1 wherein the system is also an image manipulation system.

14. A medical image data acquisition system interface usable with at least first and second different medical imaging data acquisition systems that include first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each modality including functions which are common to each of the first and second modalities, each separate instance of the interface used with only a specific one of the first or second modality systems and linked to a diagnostic system for acquiring data according to the specific one of the first and second acquisition modalities, the interface comprising:

a display;

a programmed data processor for providing a uniform interface image on the display despite the specific data acquisition modality associated with the diagnostic system linked to the interface, the uniform interface image comprising;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

a workspace adjacent the function navigation space for displaying, analyzing and manipulating images of a type consistent with the specific data acquisition modality, wherein the workspace includes a workflow navigation space in which, when a function icon is selected, the processor displays a workflow icons set including a separate workflow icon corresponding to each subprocess of the process associated with the selected function icon and for the specific 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 data acquisition command and executes the command; and

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.

15. A medical image data acquisition system interface usable with at least first and second different medical imaging data acquisition systems that include first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each modality including functions which are common to each of the first and second modalities, each separate instance of the interface used with only a specific one of the first or second modality systems and linked to a diagnostic system for acquiring data according to the specific one of the first and second acquisition modalities, the interface comprising:

a display;

a programmed data processor for providing a uniform interface image on the display despite the specific data acquisition modality associated with the diagnostic system linked to the interface, the uniform interface image comprising;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

a workspace adjacent the function navigation space for displaying, analyzing and manipulating images of a type consistent with the specific data acquisition modality, wherein the workspace includes a workflow navigation space in which, when a function icon is selected, the processor displays a workflow icons set including a separate workflow icon corresponding to each subprocess of the process associated with the selected function icon and for the specific 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 data acquisition command and executes the command; and

wherein a plurality of physicians may prescribe imaging using the specific modality and each physician may have a different subprocess procedure for 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.

16. A method for use with a specific one of at least first and second imaging systems, the first and second systems including first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each system also including a processor linked to the acquisition hardware, a display and a pointing device for moving a pointer icon about the display and for selecting displayed icons, the method for guiding a technologist through the processes required to use a modality specific acquisition system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an interface image on the display including;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

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

providing a pointer icon on the display;

when the pointer icons is used to select one of the function icons, correlating the selected icon with a corresponding data acquisition command and executes the command,

wherein the step of providing an interface image includes the step of, as part of the workspace, providing a workflow navigation space and, when a function icon is selected, the method further includes the step of displaying 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 in the workflow navigation space; and

wherein each subprocess includes subprocess specific parameters, the step of providing an interface image includes the step of, as part of the workspace, providing both an imaging window and a parameter setting space adjacent the imaging window and, when a workflow icon is selected, the method further includes the steps of, displaying 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.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein functions corresponding to each specific one of the medical image data acquisition modalities are typically performed in an exemplary workflow pattern including a series of sequential steps and the function icons are arranged in an order of the exemplary workflow pattern.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the function icons are arranged in a single column.

19. The method of claim 16 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 the workflow navigation space in an order of the exemplary workflow pattern.

20. The method of claim 16 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, the method further including the steps of receiving a physician identifier, when a specific workflow icon is selected, accessing the table, correlating the physician identifier with the selected subprocess initial current parameter value settings and providing parameter icons indicating the initial current parameter value settings.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the system is also an image manipulation system.

22. A method for use with a specific one of at least first and second imaging systems, the first and second systems including first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each system also including a processor linked to the acquisition hardware, a display and a pointing device for moving a pointer icon about the display and for selecting displayed icons, the method for guiding a technologist through the processes required to use a modality specific acquisition system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an interface image on the display including;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

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

providing a pointer icon on the display;

when the pointer icons is used to select one of the function icons, correlating the selected icon with a corresponding data acquisition command and executes the command,

wherein the step of providing an interface image includes the step of, as part of the workspace, providing a workflow navigation space and, when a function icon is selected, the method further includes the step of displaying 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 in the workflow navigation space; and

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 method further including the step of providing a position window in the workspace and providing an image of a properly positioned patient in the position window.

23. A method for use with a specific one of at least first and second imaging systems, the first and second systems including first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each system also including a processor linked to the acquisition hardware, a display and a pointing device for moving a pointer icon about the display and for selecting displayed icons, the method for guiding a technologist through the processes required to use a modality specific acquisition system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an interface image on the display including;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

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

providing a pointer icon on the display;

when the pointer icons is used to select one of the function icons, correlating the selected icon with a corresponding data acquisition command and executes the command,

wherein the step of providing an interface image includes the step of, as part of the workspace, providing a workflow navigation space and, when a function icon is selected, the method further includes the step of displaying 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 in the workflow navigation space; and

wherein subprocess parameters corresponding to each subprocess include a commonly modified parameter subset and a seldomly modified parameter subset and wherein, when a workflow icon is selected the step of displaying parameter values includes the step of displaying parameter values and setting icons which correspond to the commonly modified parameter subset and a toolbox icon and, when the toolbox icon is selected, the method further includes the step of opening a toolbox window and displaying the parameter values and setting icons which correspond to the seldomly modified parameter set.

24. A method for use with a specific one of at least first and second imaging systems, the first and second systems including first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each system also including a processor linked to the acquisition hardware, a display and a pointing device for moving a pointer icon about the display and for selecting displayed icons, the method for guiding a technologist through the processes required to use a modality specific acquisition system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an interface image on the display including;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

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

providing a pointer icon on the display;

when the pointer icons is used to select one of the function icons, correlating the selected icon with a corresponding data acquisition command and executes the command,

wherein the step of providing an interface image includes the step of, as part of the workspace, providing a workflow navigation space and, when a function icon is selected, the method further includes the step of displaying 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 in the workflow navigation space; and

wherein the processor stores a workflow table which correlates subprocess sets with each modality function and wherein the method further includes the steps of displaying a protocols icon, when the protocols icon is selected, displaying icons in the workspace for modifying the subprocess set to provide a modified subprocess set, storing the modified subprocess set as the subprocess set and, the next time the corresponding function icon is selected, providing a workflow icon for each of the subprocesses in the subprocess set.

25. A method for use with a specific one of at least first and second imaging systems, the first and second systems including first and second data acquisition hardware configurations for acquiring data using different first and second medical image data acquisition modalities, respectively, wherein the first and second modalities may be selected from radiography, fluoroscopy, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and computer tomography, each system also including a processor linked to the acquisition hardware, a display and a pointing device for moving a pointer icon about the display and for selecting displayed icons, the method for guiding a technologist through the processes required to use a modality specific acquisition system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an interface image on the display including;

a function navigation space including function icons corresponding to data acquisition procedures which are common to both the first and second data acquisition modalities wherein, each procedure which is common to the first and second data acquisition modalities includes procedure-specific subprocesses; and

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

providing a pointer icon on the display;

when the pointer icons is used to select one of the function icons, correlating the selected icon with a corresponding data acquisition command and executes the command,

wherein the step of providing an interface image includes the step of, as part of the workspace, providing a workflow navigation space and, when a function icon is selected, the method further includes the step of displaying 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 in the workflow navigation space; and

wherein a plurality of physicians may prescribe imaging using the specific modality and each physician may have a different subprocess procedure for modality functions, the processor storing a table which correlates each physician with a physician specific subprocess set for each function, the method further including the steps of receiving a physician identifier and, when a specific function icon is selected, accessing the table, correlating the physician identifier with the selected function subprocess set and providing a workflow icon for each subprocess in the subprocess set.