Method and system for remotely viewing and configuring output from a medical imaging device

• US 6,101,407 A
• Filed: 02/13/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CareStream Health Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Groezinger, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US09/023,551
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/425, 600/300, 600/437, 705/3, 128/922
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 including image analysis

Abstract

A method and system for remotely viewing and configuring output from a medical imager is described. A medical imager having an embedded web server generates an HTML document according to medical images received from various medical modalities. Imaging information is communicated in the HTML document to allow a remote machine to manipulate the images and display the images in a manner that accurately represents their printed output by the imager. The invention thus provides accurate viewing of the medical images from a remote machine and facilitates remote configuration of the medical imager. Other advantages include the ability to easily select conversion mechanisms best suited for specific requirements of the hospital'"'"'s medical modalities without traveling to the hospital and burdening medical staff. The present invention also allows for remote monitoring of operation statistics such as usage of imaging media and other supplies.

Claims

1. A medical imaging system comprising:

a medical modality for generating an input image having input pixel data and imaging information;

a medical imager communicatively coupled to the medical modality for receiving the input image from the medical modality, wherein the medical imager selects a conversion mechanism in order to enhance a desired characteristic of the input image including one of contrast or density from a first plurality of stored conversion mechanisms based on the imaging information and applies the selected conversion mechanism to the input pixel data to generate output pixel data for forming an output image on an imaging element, and further wherein the medical imager includes a web server for generating an HTML document containing the imaging information and pixel data representative of the input pixel data; and

a client machine communicatively coupled to the medical imager for receiving the HTML document form the medical imager, wherein the client machine includes an interface for displaying the pixel data contained within the HTML document.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface is a web browser.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pixel data of the HTML document is a copy of the output image data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pixel data of the HTML document is a copy of the input image data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the client machine includes a second plurality of stored conversion mechanisms, and further wherein the client machine selects a conversion mechanism of the second plurality of conversion mechanisms based on the image information of the HTML and applies the selected conversion mechanism of the second plurality of conversion mechanisms to the contained pixel data of the HTML document to generate display image data for displaying on the interface.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the conversion mechanism of the medical imager and the conversion mechanism of the client machine each include at least one lookup table.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the conversion mechanism of the medical imager and the conversion mechanism of the client machine each include at least one transfer function.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the web server communicates the selected conversion mechanism of the first plurality of conversion mechanisms to the client machine, and further wherein the client machine applies the selected conversion mechanism to the contained pixel data for generating display image data for displaying on the interface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the HTML document contains operating statistics of the medical imager including at least a count of used imaging elements.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical imager includes a modem for communicating with the client machine.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the client machine and the medical imager communicate using the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP).

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the HTML document received by the client machine contains a hypertext link for receiving the contained pixel data from the medical image.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical imager is connected to a network having at least a second medical imager, and further wherein the second medical imager generates a second HTML document and communicates the second HTML document to the client machine through the network.

14. A medical imaging system comprising:

a plurality of medical modalities for generating input images having input pixel data;

a plurality of medical imagers for forming output images based on the input pixel data of the input images, wherein the medical imagers and the medical modalities are interconnected by a network for communicating the input images form the medical modalities to the medical imagers, wherein each medical imager applies a conversion mechanism in order to enhance a desired characteristic of the input image, including one of contrast or density to the input pixel data to generate output image data for forming on the image element, and further wherein the pixel data of the HTML document is a copy of the output image data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the interface is a web browser.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the pixel data of the HTML document is a copy of the input image data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the client machine stores a plurality of conversion mechanisms and applies at least one conversion mechanism to the contained pixel data of the HTML document to generate display image data for displaying on the interface.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the web server communicates a conversion mechanism to the client machine, and further wherein the client machine applies the conversion mechanism to the contained pixel data for generating display image data for displaying on the interface.

19. A method for configuring a medical imager having a plurality of stored conversion mechanisms in order to enhance a desired characteristic of the input image including one of contrast or density comprising the steps of;

accessing a web server of the medical imager with a web browser executing on a remote client machine communicatively coupled to the medical imager;

commanding the medical imager to receive an input image having input pixel data and image information from a medical modality;

commanding the medical imager to generate an HTML document containing the imaging information and pixel data representative of the input pixel data of the input image;

receiving the HTML document from the web server of the medical imager;

selecting one of the plurality of the conversion mechanisms of the medical imager based on the pixel data and the imaging information of the HTML document; and

commanding the medical imager to apply the selected conversion mechanism to subsequent input images from the medical modality to form output images on an imaging element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the selecting step includes the step of displaying the contained pixel data of the HTML document on the client machine according to the imaging information of the HTML document.