Ultrasound laboratory information management system and method

• US 8,417,536 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Original Assignee: Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research (Mayo Clinic)
• Inventors: Seward, James B., Khandheria, Bijoy K., Wellik, Trudy J., Hansen, William H., Gilman, Gregory, Koerner, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rines, David
• Application Number:
  US10/150,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,980 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• 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 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines

Abstract

A multifunctional information management system that integrates a plurality of modules, each of the modules being interfaced via a relational database. The integrated system manages a large volume of business, data, and image information and is capable of being accessed/organized via the Internet. One embodiment of the multifunctional information management system is an ultrasound laboratory information management system (ULIMS) for a medical ultrasound imaging and hemodynamic laboratory, e.g., an echocardiographic or comparable medical laboratory environment, incorporating a multifunctional management system. The ULIMS includes: 1) Scheduling and Workflow Modules; 2) Patient Information and Demographics Modules; 3) Billing Modules; 4) Procedure Information and Referral Diagnosis Modules; and 5) Measurement, Templates and Calculations Modules; 6) Final Impressions and Interpretation Modules; 7) Procedure Report Modules; 8) Serial Studies Module; 9) Research Protocols Module; 10) User Interface and Services Modules; 11) Web Based Modules; 12) Unique Reports Modules; 13) Database Modules; 14) Systems Administration Modules; 15) Security, Privacy and User Configuration Modules; 16) Image Modules; 17) Systems and Technical Support Modules; and 18) Knowledge Base Modules.

Claims

1. An ultrasound laboratory information system comprising:

a. a plurality of ultrasound DICOM devices that gather ultrasound image and measurement data information;

b. a plurality of computer software modules that obtain measurements and an initial impression, store the ultrasound image and ultrasound measurement data received from the ultrasound DICOM devices, and present the ultrasound image and textual data interpretation to users through a user interface, and allow free form user comments concerning the image;

c. a communications network that communicates the ultrasound image and measurement data to the computer modules; and

d. a knowledge base server connected to the communications network, the knowledge base server performing the following functions;

i. maintaining a glossary of terms relating to the performance of an ultrasound laboratory;

ii. analyzing the initial impression,

iii. suggesting which measurements should be obtained with the ultrasound devices based on the analysis of the initial impression,

iv. comparing the ultrasound measurement data received from the ultrasound DICOM devices against normal value ranges,

v. determining valid ranges for the ultrasound measurement data based on the initial impression that support the initial impression and refute the initial impression,

vi. indicating if data within the valid ranges has not been obtained and the ultrasound measurement data is thereby indicative of one of ultrasound DICOM device or clinician error,

vii. analyzing whether the ultrasound measurement data supports the initial impression.

2. The ultrasound laboratory information system of claim 1, wherein the knowledge base server further performs the function of suggesting additional measurements to be obtained through additional ultrasound tests after analyzing whether the measurement data confirms the initial impression.

4. The ultrasound laboratory information system of claim 1, wherein the function of analyzing the ultrasound measurement data includes comparing the ultrasound measurement data against expected data based in part upon patient demographic information and other physical characteristics of a patient.

5. The ultrasound laboratory information system of claim 1, wherein the functions performed by the knowledge base server further comprises:

viii. after measurement data from the ultrasound devices has been validated against information in the knowledge base, informing a user if the objectives of the procedure have been met.

3. A method of managing information within an ultrasound imaging medical laboratory system comprising the steps of:

a. maintaining within an artificial intelligence knowledge base a glossary of terms relating to the performance of an ultrasound imaging medical laboratory;

b. permitting users to annotate impressions, measurements, and outcomes within the artificial intelligence base;

c. inputting patient demographic information and an initial impression into the system;

d. using an artificial intelligence knowledge base to analyze the initial impression and to suggest ultrasound measurements to be obtained through an ultrasound examination using ultrasound DICOM equipment;

e. allowing the artificial intelligence feature of the knowledge base to analyze previous data for different subjects in order to adapt the suggested ultrasound measurements to a particular subject;

f. analyzing, by the artificial intelligence feature of the knowledge base, previous data for different subjects in order to adapt the suggested ultrasound measurements to a particular subject;

g. receiving ultrasound image and ultrasound measurement data from the ultrasound DICOM equipment; and

h. using the knowledge base to analyze the ultrasound measurement data by;

i. comparing the ultrasound measurement data against normal value ranges,

ii. determining valid ranges for the ultrasound measurement data based on the initial impression that support the initial impression and refute the initial impression,

iii. indicating if data within the valid ranges has not been obtained and the ultrasound measurement data is thereby indicative of one of ultrasound DICOM device or clinician error,

iv. analyzing whether the ultrasound measurement data supports the initial impression, and

v. suggesting additional ultrasound measurements to be obtained after analyzing whether the ultrasound measurement data confirms the initial impression.