Systems and methods for viewing medical images

• US 8,913,808 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merative US LP
• Original Assignee: DR Systems Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Reicher, Murray A., Fram, Evan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richer, Joni
• Application Number:
  US13/477,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20130169661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS

Abstract

For certain medical images, it is important and/or required that a user view all of a medical image at full resolution so that minute, but important, indicia in the medical image are not missed. A computing systems monitor the portions of the medical image that are displayed on the display device, notates those portions that have been displayed at full resolution (or other user-defined display parameters), and provides the user with information indicating portions that have not been viewed at full resolution and/or provides information indicating for which images of a multiple image examination full pixel display has been accomplished. The process reduces the possibility of missing an abnormality in a medical image due to the viewer not viewing a portion of the image at full resolution or using other user-defined display parameters.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

by a computing system including one or more hardware computing devices and a display device in communication with the one or more hardware computing devices, the one or more hardware computing devices configured with specific computer executable instructions,

determining user-defined display parameters for display of an image on the display device, the user-defined display parameters associated with a user of the computing system;

selectively displaying, in response to inputs by the user, regions of the image on the display device;

storing tracking information indicating portions of the image that have been displayed on the display device according to the user-defined display parameters; and

in response to determining, based on at least the stored tracking information and the user-defined display parameters, that a relevant portion of the image has not been displayed, providing a visible and/or audible notification to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters are associated with an identity or role of the user of the computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate a percentage of pixels or portions of the image that must be displayed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate one or more of an image window, a level, a brightness, a contrast, an opacity, or a color look-up table.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate more than one lung window or more than one bone window.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters indicate one or more image processing functions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more image processing functions include one or more of edge enhancement, automated image analysis, or computer-aided detection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the visible and/or audible notification indicates that at least the relevant portion of the image has not been displayed according to the user-defined display parameters.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the visible and/or audible notification further indicates that at least a portion of the image that has been displayed according to the user-defined display parameters.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined display parameters vary depending on one or more of a type of image, an area imaged, a clinical indication, a source of the image, the display device, and/or a user.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the computing system, input from the user adding to and/or removing portions of the image determined to be relevant by the computing system.

12. A system comprising:

a display device configured to selectively display regions of an image;

one or more hardware processors; and

a computer readable medium operatively coupled to the one or more hardware processors, the computer readable medium storing software modules having executable instructions configured for execution by the one or more processors in order to;

determine a characteristic associated with the image to display;

determine required display parameters for display of the image, the required display parameters associated with the determined characteristic;

store tracking information indicating portions of the image that have been displayed on the display device according to the required display parameters; and

in response to determining, based on at least the stored tracking information and the required display parameters, that a relevant portion of the image has not been displayed, provide a notification to a user of the system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the software modules have executable instructions further configured for execution by the one or more processors in order to:

determine the relevant portion of the image.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the relevant portion of the image includes the entire image.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the relevant portion excludes areas of the image that represent air.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the required display parameters indicate more than one lung window or more than one bone window.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the required display parameters indicate one or more image processing functions.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more image processing functions include one or more of edge enhancement, automated image analysis, or computer-aided detection.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the image comprises one or more of a medical image, an image of a circuit board, an airplane wing image, or a satellite image.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software code configured for execution on a computer including one or more hardware processors, wherein the software code comprises modules including computer-executable instructions configured to at least:

determine a characteristic associated with an image to display on a display device of the computer;

determine required display parameters for display of the image on the display device of the computer, the required display parameters associated with the determined characteristic;

store information indicating portions of the image that have been displayed on the display device according to the required display parameters; and

in response to determining, based on at least the stored tracking information and the required display parameters, that a relevant portion of the image has not been displayed, provide a notification to a user.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the software code further includes computer-executable instructions configured to at least:

determine the relevant portion of the image.