Method and system for automatic quality control used in computerized analysis of CT angiography

• US 7,940,970 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rcadia Medical Imaging, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rcadia Medical Imaging, Ltd.
• Inventors: Levy, Michael, Levanon, Shai, Goldenberg, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor; Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEIDEMANN, JASON E
• Application Number:
  US11/683,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20080219530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10081 Computed x-ray tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30048 Heart; Cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

A method and a system for identifying a data quality issue associated with medical diagnostic data is provided. The system includes, but is not limited to, an imaging apparatus configured to generate imaging data and a processor operably coupled to the imaging apparatus to receive the imaging data. The processor is configured to analyze the received imaging data; to identify a data quality issue associated with the received imaging data based on the analysis of the received imaging data; to generate a message including the identified data quality issue; and to send the generated message to a user.

Claims

1. A system for identifying a data quality issue associated with medical diagnostic data, the system comprising:

an imaging apparatus configured to generate imaging data including a heart region and an aorta region of a patient; and

a processor operably coupled to the imaging apparatus to receive the generated imaging data, the processor configured to;

analyze the received imaging data;

identify a data quality issue associated with the received imaging data based on the analysis of the received imaging data;

generate a message including the identified data quality issue; and

send the generated message to a user, wherein the data quality issue is identified by comparing the analyzed imaging data with a quality control parameter and identifying the data quality issue based on the comparison, and wherein the quality control parameter is a number of pathologies detected per blood vessel segment defined from the analyzed imaging data.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with programmed instructions that, upon execution by a processor, cause the processor to identify a data quality issue associated with medical diagnostic data, the instructions comprising:

receiving imaging data;

analyzing the received imaging data;

identifying a data quality issue associated with the received imaging data based on the analysis of the received imaging data;

generating a message including the identified data quality issue; and

sending the generated message to a user,

wherein identifying the data quality issue comprises;

comparing the analyzed imaging data with a quality control parameter; and

identifying the data quality issue based on the comparison, wherein the quality control parameter is a number of pathologies detected per blood vessel segment defined from the analyzed imaging data.

3. A method of identifying a data quality issue associated with medical diagnostic data, the method comprising:

receiving imaging data at a computing device;

analyzing the received imaging data at the computing device;

identifying a data quality issue associated with the received imaging data based on the analysis of the received imaging data at the computing device;

generating a message including the identified data quality issue at the computing device; and

sending the generated message to a user,

wherein identifying the data quality issue comprises;

comparing the analyzed imaging data with a quality control parameter; and

identifying the data quality issue based on the comparison,

wherein the quality control parameter is a number of pathologies detected per blood vessel segment defined from the analyzed imaging data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein sending the generated message to the user is a method selected from the group consisting of printing the generated message, displaying the generated message, and playing audibly the generated message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein sending the generated message comprises a text message.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the imaging data is computed tomography data.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the imaging data is computed tomography angiography data.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the generated message includes an assessment of the image data quality.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the assessment is a characteristic selected from the group consisting of a signal-to-noise ratio value, an image resolution value, a physical artifact indicator, a reconstruction artifact indicator, a motion artifact indicator, and a contrast injection density value.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the assessment of the image data quality is based on a determination that a heart region is not fully visible.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is a size of a heart region defined in the analyzed imaging data.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is a location of a heart region in the analyzed imaging data.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is an intensity level of a lung region defined in the analyzed imaging data.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is a volume of contrast defined in the analyzed imaging data.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is a position of an object in a heart region defined from the analyzed imaging data.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is an orientation of an object in a heart region defined from the analyzed imaging data.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is a position of an object relative to an aorta object defined in the analyzed imaging data.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein the quality control parameter is a size of an object defined in the analyzed imaging data.