Database system, program, image retrieving method, and report retrieving method

• US 8,521,561 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Sasai, Kosuke, Kawakami, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuelling, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/895,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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

Abstract

In a plurality of pieces of single report structured data that is stored in a structured database in a diagnosis information database, character information constructing a radiological report describing detailed information of image data is added as metadata for search to the image data. For example, only by designating image data to be read as image (retrieval reference image) data as a reference of retrieval by a reading physician as the user during radiological operation, the character information already added to the retrieval reference image data is set as a keyword. By a keyword search using the metadata, data of a similar image and a related report of the retrieval reference image data are detected from the structured DB.

Claims

1. A database system comprising:

a computer comprising a central processing unit;

an association information database in communication with said central processing unit that accumulates and stores

     1) words or phrases constructing a report,

     2) one or more pieces of image data related to said report, and

     3) a plurality of association information in which said words or phrases constructing said report and said one or more pieces of image data related to said report are associated with each other;

an image designating unit in response to an operation of a user, for designating a first set of one or more pieces of image data associated with said words or phrases belonging to at least part of a predetermined number of classification items to which said words or phrases belong;

a server comprising an image detecting unit for detecting a second set of one or more pieces of image data different from but similar to said first set of one or more pieces of image data designated by said image designating unit, wherein said image detecting unit performs the following process among said one or more pieces of image data stored in said association information database;

1) performing a keyword search of said one or more pieces of image data stored in said association information database using a search keyword group formed by said words or phrases associated with said first set of one or more pieces of image data designated by said image designating unit, and

2) detecting image data from said keyword search that is consistent with said search keyword group, wherein said detected image data constitutes said second set of one or more pieces of image data and is associated with words or phrases that are consistent with said search keyword group; and

a terminal device connected to said server via an Internet line so that data can be transmitted/received to/from said server, wherein, in response to an operation of a user to said terminal device, said image designating unit designates said one or more pieces of image data with which said words or phrases belonging to at least a part of said predetermined number of classification items is/are associated,

said server has a transmitting unit for transmitting said one or more pieces of image data detected by said image detecting unit to said terminal device via said Internet line, and

said terminal device has an output unit for visibly outputting said one or more pieces of image data transmitted from said transmitting unit.

2. The database system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a report database that stores report information in which said report and said one or more pieces of image data are associated with each other;

a character information extracting unit for extracting said words or phrases constructing said report by performing language analysis on said report included in said report database; and

a storage controlling unit for constructing said association information database by storing-said words or phrases-constructing said report extracted by said character information extracting unit and said one or more pieces of image data related to said report so as to be associated with each other.

3. The database system according to claim 1, wherein said words or phrases constructing said association information include attribute information added to said one or more pieces of image data related to said report included in said association information database.

4. The database system according to claim 3, wherein said attribute information includes at least one piece of information of patient'"'"'s identification, age, sex, a modality, a test region, a reading physician, and a primary doctor.

5. The database system according to claim 1, further comprising a dictionary database that stores said words or phrases and at least one or more pieces of association character information having a predetermined relation with said words or phrases so as to be associated with each other, wherein said keyword search includes a process of extracting, from said dictionary database, one or more pieces of association character information having said predetermined relation with said words or phrases included in said search keyword group and adding said at least one or more pieces of association character information extracted from said dictionary database to said search keyword group.

6. The database system according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined relation includes at least one of a near-synonym, a synonym, and a related term.

7. The database system according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined relation includes hierarchical relations in concept of said words or phrases, and

said keyword search includes a process of extracting one or more of said words or phrases having concept higher than one or more of said words or phrases included in said search keyword group from said dictionary database and adding said words or phrases extracted from said dictionary database to said search keyword group.

8. The database system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of classification items include at least one of items of an imaging parameter, a region, a basic finding, a feature, a diagnosis, and a conclusive word.

9. The database system according to claim 1, wherein said keyword search includes a process of selectively employing, as said search keyword group, said words or phrases belonging to a part of said predetermined number of classification items, in said words or phrases associated with one or more image data designated by said image designating unit.

10. The database system according to claim 1, further comprising an item designating unit for designating at least a part of said predetermined number of classification items in response to an operation of a user, wherein said keyword search includes a process of selectively employing, as said search keyword group, said words or phrases belonging to a part of said predetermined number of classification items designated by said item designating unit, in said words or phrases associated with one or more image data designated by said image designating unit.

11. The database system according to claim 1, wherein said report included in said association information database include a radiological report.

12. The database system according to claim 1, wherein said server further comprises a deleting unit for deleting a predetermined kind of personal information from said one or more pieces of image data detected by said image detecting unit, and said transmitting unit transmits said one or more pieces of image data from which said predetermined kind of personal information is deleted by said deleting unit to said terminal device via said Internet line.