Imaging system protocol handling method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for providing operational protocols to medical diagnostic systems, the method comprising the steps ofstoring a plurality of different modality protocols on a machine readable medium;
- establishing network links to a first modality diagnostic system or a second modality diagnostic system at a medical diagnostic location;
displaying user viewable indicia descriptive of at least one of the plurality of different modality protocols at a medical diagnostic location on one of the first and second modality diagnostic systems, wherein the user viewable indicia include an exemplary image obtainable via the protocol;
receiving a user selection of the at least one of the plurality of protocols via a user interface;
verifying a subscription status for the medical diagnostic location; and
loading at least one of the plurality of protocols at the medical diagnostic location from the machine readable medium to one of the first modality diagnostic system and the second modality diagnostic system.
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Abstract
A technique is disclosed for providing programs, such as operational protocols, to medical diagnostic institutions and systems. The protocols are created and stored on machine readable media. A description of the protocols is displayed at the diagnostic institution or system. A user may select a desired protocol or program from a user interface, such as a listing of protocols. The protocol listing may include textual and exemplary image descriptions of the protocols. Selected protocols are transferred from the machine readable media to the diagnostic institution or system. The transfer may take place over a network link, and may be subject to fee arrangements, subscription status verifications, and so forth. Protocols may be loaded for execution on system scanners by selection from the same or a similar protocol listing screen.
135 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for providing operational protocols to medical diagnostic systems, the method comprising the steps of
storing a plurality of different modality protocols on a machine readable medium; -
establishing network links to a first modality diagnostic system or a second modality diagnostic system at a medical diagnostic location; displaying user viewable indicia descriptive of at least one of the plurality of different modality protocols at a medical diagnostic location on one of the first and second modality diagnostic systems, wherein the user viewable indicia include an exemplary image obtainable via the protocol; receiving a user selection of the at least one of the plurality of protocols via a user interface; verifying a subscription status for the medical diagnostic location; and loading at least one of the plurality of protocols at the medical diagnostic location from the machine readable medium to one of the first modality diagnostic system and the second modality diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for providing operational protocols for medical diagnostic systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing at least two protocols for at least first and second diagnostic systems of first and second respective modalities on a machine readable medium; displaying indicia descriptive of the at least two protocols in a protocol menu of a user interface on the first or the second diagnostic system, wherein the user viewable indicia include an exemplary image obtainable via the protocol; receiving a user selection of one of the at least two protocols from the menu; verifying a subscription status thereby allowing access to one of the at least two protocols; and transmitting data defining at least one operational parameter from the machine readable medium to a system controller for execution of one of the at least two protocols in the first diagnostic system or the second diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for obtaining operational protocols in medical diagnostic systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying at least one of a plurality of protocol lists on a user interface at a first medical diagnostic system of a first modality and a second medical diagnostic system of a second modality; receiving a user selection of a desired protocol from the at least one of the plurality of protocol lists based at least partially on a user viewable indicia descriptive of the desired protocol, wherein the user viewable indicia include an exemplary image obtainable via the protocol; establishing a network link from one of the first medical diagnostic system and the second medical diagnostic system with a remote protocol library; verifying a subscription status for access to the desired protocol; accessing data from the protocol library defining the desired protocol; and transmitting the data from the protocol library to one of the first medical diagnostic system and the second medical diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for providing operational protocols to a plurality of medical diagnostic scanners, the system comprising:
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at least one storage device for storing data defining a first modality protocol and a second modality protocol, wherein the at least one storage device stores a user viewable indicia descriptive of the first modality protocol and the second modality protocol for receiving a user selection of one of the first modality protocol or the second modality protocol, wherein the user viewable indicia include an exemplary image obtainable via the protocol; a license module for verifying a subscription status regarding the first and second protocols; a messaging module for formulating messages containing data descriptive of the first and the second modality protocols; and communications circuitry for establishing network links to first and second modality diagnostic systems and for transmitting data descriptive of the first modality protocol to the first modality diagnostic system and data descriptive of the second modality protocol to the second modality diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for providing operational protocols for medical diagnostic systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of protocols for first and second medical diagnostic systems of first and second modalities, respectively, on a machine readable medium; verifying a subscription status for access to the plurality of protocols; transmitting a description of the plurality of protocols to one of the first medical diagnostic system and the second medical diagnostic system; and displaying the description of the plurality of protocols at one of the first medical diagnostic system and a second medical diagnostic system, wherein the description comprises a user viewable indicia descriptive of the plurality of protocols and configured to be utilized in the receiving of a user selection of one of the plurality of protocols, wherein the user viewable indicia include an exemplary image obtainable via the protocol. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification