Method and apparatus of providing a radiation scorecard
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of providing a radiation scorecard for controlling radiation dose exposure to an individual comprising:
- calculating, using a processor of a computer system, an entrance skin dose and effective dose to a patient, for a predetermined medical procedure;
calculating, using said processor, an area of irradiation to said patient;
calculating, using said processor, an effective radiation dose to said patient using a radiation detector, for said medical procedure, as a summation of a product of an entrance skin dose times fractional organ doses stored in a database, times critical organ dose weighting factors retrieved from said database, wherein said medical procedure is an imaging examination using an imaging device;
storing said effective dose for said patient, in said database;
deriving, using said processor, a cumulative radiation dose for said patient which is compared against a maximum radiation exposure amount safe for said patient;
calculating, using said computer, said radiation dose exposure from said comparison, to result in optimized radiation dose exposure parameters for said patient;
deriving a patient radiation scorecard including said cumulative radiation dose, said maximum radiation exposure amount, and said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters, and storing said patient radiation scorecard in said database;
retrieving comparable data to an examination profile, which contains patient data retrieved from said database on said patient, on said radiation dose exposure from said database;
comparing said comparable data to said patient data on said radiation dose exposure from said imaging examination profile;
displaying said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters and corresponding radiation dose exposure calculations derived from said comparison using said processor, on a display; and
identifying technology options including alternative imaging examinations or alternative examination protocols, to minimize said radiation dose exposure to said individual patient.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method to measure, record, analyze, and report cumulative radiation exposure to the patient population and provide automated feedback and recommendations to ordering clinicians and consultant radiologists. The data provided from this “radiation scorecard” would in turn be automatically recorded into a centralized data repository (radiation database), which would be independent to the acquisition site, technology employed, and individual end-user. Retrospective analysis can also be performed using a set of pre-defined scorecard data points tied to the individual patient'"'"'s historical medical imaging database, thereby allowing for comprehensive (both retrospective and prospective) medical radiation exposure quantitative analysis. Patient safety can be improved by a combination of radiation dose reduction, exposure optimization, rigorous equipment quality control (QC), education and training of medical imaging professionals, and integration with computerized physician order entry (CPOE).
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of providing a radiation scorecard for controlling radiation dose exposure to an individual comprising:
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calculating, using a processor of a computer system, an entrance skin dose and effective dose to a patient, for a predetermined medical procedure; calculating, using said processor, an area of irradiation to said patient; calculating, using said processor, an effective radiation dose to said patient using a radiation detector, for said medical procedure, as a summation of a product of an entrance skin dose times fractional organ doses stored in a database, times critical organ dose weighting factors retrieved from said database, wherein said medical procedure is an imaging examination using an imaging device; storing said effective dose for said patient, in said database; deriving, using said processor, a cumulative radiation dose for said patient which is compared against a maximum radiation exposure amount safe for said patient; calculating, using said computer, said radiation dose exposure from said comparison, to result in optimized radiation dose exposure parameters for said patient; deriving a patient radiation scorecard including said cumulative radiation dose, said maximum radiation exposure amount, and said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters, and storing said patient radiation scorecard in said database; retrieving comparable data to an examination profile, which contains patient data retrieved from said database on said patient, on said radiation dose exposure from said database; comparing said comparable data to said patient data on said radiation dose exposure from said imaging examination profile; displaying said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters and corresponding radiation dose exposure calculations derived from said comparison using said processor, on a display; and identifying technology options including alternative imaging examinations or alternative examination protocols, to minimize said radiation dose exposure to said individual patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A computer system which provides a radiation scorecard for controlling radiation dose exposure to an individual, comprising:
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a radiation detector, including an imaging device or a therapeutic device, for detecting radiation dose exposure on an individual; at least one memory containing at least one program comprising the steps of; calculating, using a processor of the computer system, an entrance skin dose and effective dose to a patient, for a predetermined medical procedure; calculating, using said processor, an area of irradiation to said patient; calculating, using said processor, an effective radiation dose to said patient using a radiation detector, for said medical procedure, as a summation of a product of an entrance skin dose times fractional organ doses stored in a database, times critical organ dose weighting factors retrieved from said database, wherein said medical procedure is an imaging examination using an imaging device; storing said effective dose for said patient, in said database; deriving, using said processor, a cumulative radiation dose for said patient which is compared against a maximum radiation exposure amount safe for said patient; calculating, using said computer, said radiation dose exposure from said comparison, to result in optimized radiation dose exposure parameters for said patient; deriving a patient radiation scorecard including said cumulative radiation dose, said maximum radiation exposure amount, and said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters, and storing said patient radiation scorecard in said database; retrieving comparable data to an examination profile which contains patient data retrieved from said database on said patient on said radiation dose exposure from said database; comparing said comparable data to said patient data on said radiation dose exposure from said imaging examination profile; displaying said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters and corresponding radiation dose exposure calculations derived from said comparison using said processor, on a display; identifying technology options including alternative imaging examinations or alternative examination protocols, to minimize said radiation dose exposure to said individual patient; and the processor configured to execute the program.
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47. A non-transitory computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to execute instructions of a program, the program comprising the steps of:
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calculating, using a processor of the computer system, an entrance skin dose and effective dose to a patient, for a predetermined medical procedure; calculating, using said processor, an area of irradiation to said patient; calculating, using said processor, an effective radiation dose to said patient using a radiation detector, for said medical procedure, as a summation of a product of an entrance skin dose times fractional organ doses stored in a database, times critical organ dose weighting factors retrieved from said database, wherein said medical procedure is an imaging examination using an imaging device; storing said effective dose for said patient, in said database; deriving, using said processor, a cumulative radiation dose for said patient which is compared against a maximum radiation exposure amount safe for said patient; calculating, using said computer, said radiation dose exposure from said comparison, to result in optimized radiation dose exposure parameters for said patient; deriving a patient radiation scorecard including said cumulative radiation dose, said maximum radiation exposure amount, and said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters, and storing said patient radiation scorecard in said database; retrieving comparable data to an examination profile, which contains patient data retrieved from said database on said patient, on said radiation dose exposure from said database; comparing said comparable data to said patient data on said radiation dose exposure from said imaging examination profile; displaying said optimized radiation dose exposure parameters and corresponding radiation dose exposure calculations derived from said comparison using said processor, on a display; and identifying technology options including alternative imaging examinations or alternative examination protocols, to minimize said radiation dose exposure to said individual patient.
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Specification