Workflow engine based dynamic modification of image processing and presentation in PACS

• US 20060109500A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gentles, Thomas A., Mahesh, Prakash, Morita, Mark M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1275 Print workflow management, e.g. defining or changing a workflow, cross publishing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for a computer. The instructions include an access routine, a tracking routine, and a modifying routine. The access routine is configured to communicate a default image processing workflow between a network server and a display workstation. The default image processing workflow includes at least one default image processing step for preparing at least one image for presentation to a user. The tracking routine is configured to monitor a selection of at least one additional image processing step to be applied to the image. The modifying routine is configured to modify the default workflow to alter the default workflow and/or add the at least one additional image processing step to the default image processing workflow.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions for a computer, said instructions including:

an access routine configured to communicate a default image processing workflow between a network server and a display workstation, said default image processing workflow including at least one default image processing step for preparing at least one image for presentation to a user at said display workstation;

a tracking routine configured to monitor a selection of at least one additional image processing step to be applied to said image at said display workstation; and

a modifying routine configured to modify said default image processing workflow to alter at least one of said default image processing steps of said default image processing workflow and/or add said at least one additional image processing step to said default image processing workflow.

2. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein at least one of said default image processing step and said additional image processing step include one or more of:

flipping said image;

zooming in said image;

panning across said image;

altering at least one of a window and a level in a grayscale display of said image; and

altering at least one of a contrast and a brightness of said image.

3. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein at least one of said default image processing step and said additional image processing step are capable of presenting said image to said user for a diagnostic examination.

4. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said access routine is configured to select and communicate a particular default image processing workflow from a plurality of default image processing workflows based on one or more of:

an imaging modality employed to obtain said image;

a type of diagnostic exam to be performed on said image;

an identity of said user; and

an anatomy featured in said image.

5. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said access routine is configured to communicate said default image processing workflow to said display workstation through a network connection.

6. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said tracking routine is configured to monitor manual input from said user.

7. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said tracking routine is configured to monitor a number of times said additional processing step is selected and/or a number of times a sequence of a plurality of said additional processing steps is selected.

8. The set of instructions of claim 7, wherein said modifying routine is configured to modify said default image processing workflow after one or more of said number of times said additional processing step is selected and said number of times said sequence is selected exceeds one or more thresholds.

9. The set of instructions of claim 8, wherein said one or more thresholds is individually customizable.

10. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said modifying routine is configured to modify said default image processing workflow after said user is prompted for and provides permission to modify said default workflow.

11. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said modifying routine is configured to modify said default image processing workflow after ensuring that said default image processing workflow complies with at least one regulatory requirement after being modified.

12. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said modifying routine is configured to modify said default image processing workflow in order to create a modified default image processing workflow based on said selection of said at least one additional image processing step,

wherein said access routine is configured to communicate said modified default workflow to at least one other user.

13. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein said tracking routine is configured to monitor said selection of said at least one additional image processing step associated with one or more of:

image data obtained using a common imaging modality;

image data used for a common diagnostic exam;

image data featuring a common anatomy; and

image data accessed by said user.

14. A method for dynamically altering an image processing workflow, said method including:

providing access to a default image processing workflow, said default image processing workflow including a plurality of image processing steps for presenting a medical image for a diagnostic examination;

providing a tracking system capable of monitoring a selection of one or more additional image processing steps by a user to be applied to said image; and

providing a workflow editor capable of dynamically creating a modified default image processing workflow, said modified default image processing workflow including said default image processing workflow and at least one modification to said default image processing workflow, said modification based on said selection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of providing access includes providing a set of instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium capable of being communicated between a server and a display workstation.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of providing access to said default image processing workflow selects a particular default image processing workflow from a plurality of said default image processing workflows, said selection of said particular default image processing workflow based on one or more of:

an imaging modality from which said image was acquired;

a type of diagnostic examination to be performed on said image;

an identity of said user; and

an anatomy featured in said image.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of providing access includes providing access to said default image processing workflow after an identity of said user is authorized.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said tracking system is capable of monitoring said selection by at least one of:

monitoring a number of times said selection of said additional image processing step occurs; and

monitoring a number of times a sequence of a plurality said additional image processing steps is selected.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said workflow editor is capable of creating said modified default image processing workflow when said number of times said selection of said additional image processing step and/or said number of said sequence exceeds one or more thresholds.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said modification includes one or more of:

adding said at least one additional image processing step to said default image processing workflow;

removing at least one of said image processing steps from said default image processing workflow; and

adding said plurality of said additional image processing steps of said sequence to said default image processing workflow.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said workflow editor is capable of creating said modified default workflow after at least one of receiving permission from a user and ensuring that said modified default image processing workflow complies with a regulatory requirement.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said tracking system is capable of monitoring said selection of said one or more additional image processing steps according to one or more of:

an imaging modality employed to obtain said image;

a diagnostic exam to be performed on said image;

an anatomy featured in said image; and

image data accessed by said user.

23. A system for dynamically altering an image processing workflow, said system including:

a default image processing workflow including a subset of a plurality of image processing steps, said image processing steps employed in presenting an image for a medical examination;

a tracking system configured to monitor a user'"'"'s selection of one or more of said plurality of image processing steps, said one or more image processing steps applied to said image after said subset of said image processing steps have been applied to said image; and

a workflow editor configured to modify said default image processing workflow to include one or more of said image processing steps selected by said user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said image processing steps include one or more of flipping said image, enlarging said image, panning across said image, altering one or more of a window and a level of said image, and altering one or more of a contrast and brightness of said image.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said tracking system is configured to monitor one or more of a number of times said user selects a particular image processing step and a number of times said user selects a sequence of image processing steps.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said workflow editor is configured to recommend at least one modification to said default image processing workflow based on one or more of said number of times said user selects said particular image processing step and said number of times said user selects said number of times said sequence of image processing steps is selected by said user.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said image processing workflow editor is configured to modify said default image processing workflow after at least one of receiving permission from said user and ensuring that said modification does not violate a regulatory requirement.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein said tracking system is configured to monitor said selection as associated with one or more of:

image data from a common imaging modality;

image data employed in a common diagnostic exam;

image data featuring a common anatomy; and

image data accessed by said user.