Medical decision making support apparatus and control method for the same

• US 9,436,915 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawagishi, Masami, Iizuka, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): SITIRICHE, LUIS A
• Application Number:
  US14/495,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/048 Fuzzy inferencing
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A medical decision making support apparatus performs the inference processing of obtaining an inference result by performing inference processing associated with medical diagnosis based on a plurality of pieces of input medical information, and the calculation processing of calculating the degree of denial or affirmation of the inference result in association with each of a plurality of partial sets including each medical information extracted from the plurality of pieces of medical information as an element. The medical decision making support apparatus presents a user an inference result obtained by the inference processing and negative information indicating medical information included in a partial set, of the plurality of partial sets, for which the degree of denial is calculated by the calculation processing.

Claims

1. A diagnosis support apparatus comprising:

an inference unit configured to, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, calculate an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, for a plurality of partial sets, each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on a respective inference probability of at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, the calculation unit being configured to calculate the degree of effect individually for the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display, as an inference result, the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the inference probability calculated by the inference unit, and to cause the display unit to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, based on the degree of effect calculated by the calculation unit based on the inference result.

2. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates a degree of denial or a degree of affirmation with respect to the inference result as a degree of effect on an inference probability of the inference result, and

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display, as affirmation information, medical information included in a partial set of the plurality of partial sets, for which the degree of affirmation is calculated by the calculation unit, and to display, as denial information, medical information included in a partial set, of the plurality of partial sets, for which the degree of denial is calculated by the calculation unit.

3. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display medical information included in a partial set for which a highest degree of denial is calculated by the calculation unit and medical information included in a partial set for which a highest degree of affirmation is calculated, as the denial information and the affirmative information, respectively.

4. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inference unit calculates, for each of the plural candidates of diagnosis name to which a priori probability are set, an inference probability of each of the plural candidates of diagnosis name by calculating a posteriori probability based on the plurality of pieces of medical information.

5. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of effect for an inference result exhibiting a highest posteriori probability.

6. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of effect for each of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, and

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display medical information of a partial set for which the degree of effect satisfies a predetermined condition, as one of affirmation information and denial information, for each of a plurality of inference results corresponding to the plural candidates of diagnosis name.

7. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of effect for each candidate, of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, whose posteriori probability calculated by the inference unit exceeds a predetermined value.

8. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates a posteriori probability of each inference result based on the partial set, and calculates the degree of effect by using the priori probability and the posteriori probability.

9. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising an evaluation unit configured to calculate an evaluation value for a highest posteriori probability of a plurality of posteriori probabilities calculated in association with the plural candidates of diagnosis name, based on the plurality of posteriori probabilities,

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display a warning associated with reliability of an inference result when the evaluation value does not satisfy a predetermined condition.

10. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit sets, as the evaluation value, a difference between the highest posteriori probability of the plurality of posteriori probabilities and a second highest posteriori probability.

11. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the evaluation unit sets, as the evaluation value, a difference between the highest posteriori probability of the plurality of posteriori probabilities and a reciprocal of the number of the plurality of posteriori probabilities.

12. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inference unit obtains at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name as an inference result based on inference probabilities calculated for the plural candidates of diagnosis name respectively.

13. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a result specifying unit configured to specify at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name as an inference result based on the inference probability calculated by the inference unit,

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, which is specified as an inference result by the result specifying unit.

14. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a partial set specifying unit configured to specify at least one partial set from the plurality of partial sets based on the degree of effect calculated for the inference result by the calculation unit,

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display medical information included in the at least one partial set specified by the partial set specifying unit.

15. A diagnosis support apparatus comprising:

an inference unit configured to, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, calculate an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, for a plurality of partial sets, each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on an inference probability of one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display, as an inference result, at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the inference probability calculated by the inference unit, and to cause the display unit to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, based on the degree of effect calculated by the calculation unit based on the inference result.

16. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the calculation unit calculates a degree of denial or a degree of affirmation with respect to the inference result, as a degree of effect on an inference probability regarding the inference result, and

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display, as affirmation information, medical information included in a partial set of the plurality of partial sets, for which a degree of affirmation is calculated by the calculation unit, and to display, as denial information, medical information included in a partial set of the plurality of partial sets, for which a degree of denial is calculated by the calculation unit.

17. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display medical information included in a partial set for which a highest degree of denial is calculated by the calculation unit and medical information included in a partial set for which a highest degree of affirmation is calculated, as the denial information and the affirmative information, respectively.

18. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the inference unit calculates, for each of the plural candidates of diagnosis name to which a priori probability are set, an inference probability of each of the plural candidates of diagnosis name by calculating a posteriori probability based on the plurality of pieces of medical information.

19. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of effect for an inference result exhibiting a highest posteriori probability.

20. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of effect for each of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, and

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display medical information of a partial set for which the degree of effect satisfies a predetermined condition, as one of affirmation information and denial information, for each of a plurality of inference results corresponding to the plural candidates of diagnosis name.

21. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of effect for each candidate of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, whose posteriori probability calculated by the inference unit exceeds a predetermined value.

22. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the calculation unit calculates a posteriori probability of each inference result based on the partial set, and calculates the degree of effect by using the priori probability and the posteriori probability.

23. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising an evaluation unit configured to calculate an evaluation value for a highest posteriori probability of a plurality of posteriori probabilities calculated in association with the plural candidates of diagnosis name, based on the plurality of posteriori probabilities,

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display a warning associated with reliability of an inference result when the evaluation value does not satisfy a predetermined condition.

24. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the evaluation unit sets, as the evaluation value, a difference between the highest posteriori probability of the plurality of posteriori probabilities and a second highest posteriori probability.

25. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the evaluation unit sets, as the evaluation value, a difference between the highest posteriori probability of the plurality of posteriori probabilities and a reciprocal of the number of the plurality of posteriori probabilities.

26. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a result specifying unit configured to specify at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name as an inference result based on an inference probability calculated by the inference unit,

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, which is specified as an inference result by the result specifying unit.

27. The diagnosis support apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a partial set specifying unit configured to specify at least one partial set from the plurality of partial sets based on the degree of effect calculated for the inference result by the calculation unit,

wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display medical information included in the at least one partial set specified by the partial set specifying unit.

28. A diagnosis support system comprising:

an inference unit configured to, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, calculate an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, for each of a plurality of partial sets, each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on a respective inference probability of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, the calculation unit being configured to calculate the degree of effect individually for each of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display, as an inference result, at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the inference probability calculated by the inference unit and to cause the display unit to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information based on the degree of effect calculated by the calculation unit based on the inference result.

29. A diagnosis support system comprising:

an inference unit configured to, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, calculate an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, for each of a plurality of partial sets, each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on an inference probability of one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display, as an inference result, at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the inference probability calculated by the inference unit, and to cause the display unit to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, based on the degree of effect calculated by the calculation unit based on the inference result.

30. An information processing method of diagnosis support, the method comprising:

calculating, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

calculating, for a plurality of partial sets each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on a respective inference probability of at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name,

wherein the degree of effect is calculated individually for the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

controlling a display unit to display, as an inference result, the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the calculated inference probability and to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, based on the degree of effect calculated based on the inference result.

31. An information processing method of diagnosis support, the method comprising:

calculating, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

calculating, for a plurality of partial sets each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on an inference probability of one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

controlling a display unit to display, as an inference result, at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the calculated inference probability and to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, based on the degree of effect calculated based on the inference result.

32. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to perform an information processing method of diagnosis support, the method comprising:

calculating, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

calculating, for a plurality of partial sets each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on a respective inference probability of at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name,

wherein the degree of effect is calculated individually for the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

controlling a display unit to display, as an inference result, the at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the calculated inference probability and to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, based on the degree of effect calculated based on the inference result.

33. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to perform an information processing method of diagnosis support, the method comprising:

calculating, based on a plurality of pieces of medical information, an inference probability with respect to plural candidates of diagnosis name concerning medical diagnosis;

calculating, for a plurality of partial sets each including, as an element, at least one piece of medical information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, a degree of effect on an inference probability of one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name; and

controlling a display unit to display, as an inference result, at least one of the plural candidates of diagnosis name, wherein the at least one of the plural candidates is specified based on the calculated inference probability and to display medical information included in a partial set of information retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, wherein the partial set including the displayed medical information is retrieved from the plurality of pieces of medical information, based on the degree of effect calculated based on the inference result.