PET/CT based monitoring system supported by a clinical guideline navigator

An oncology monitoring system comprising:

• an imaging controller configured to operate an imaging system to acquire medical images of a subject;
• a computer having a display, the computer configured to:
• perform oncological monitoring operations that operate on the acquired medical images of a subject to analyze a cancerous tumor of the subject;
• display, on the display of the computer, a graphical flow diagram of a chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or radiation therapy protocol for treating the subject, the graphical flow diagram comprising graphical blocks representing, the chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or radiation therapy protocol comprising a plurality of successive chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or radiation therapy sessions comprising a delivery of therapy followed by a recovery period, the graphical flow diagram including:
• (i) therapeutic operations of the chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or radiation therapy protocol that are not performed by the computer and in which chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or radiation therapy treatment is delivered to the subject and
• (ii) oncological monitoring operations of the chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or radiation therapy protocol that are performed by the computer on images of the subject,
• annotate a graphical block of the graphical flow diagram representing an oncological monitoring operation with subject specific information pertaining to scan parameters used in performing the oncological monitoring operation represented by the graphical block and with a result generated by performing the oncological monitoring operation represented by the graphical block, the graphical flow diagram including (i) graphical blocks representing already completed therapeutic or oncological monitoring operations displayed using a first format and (ii) graphical blocks representing not yet completed therapeutic or oncological monitoring operations displayed using a second format that is visually distinguishable from the first format;
• annotate a graphical block of the graphical flow diagram representing a therapeutic operation with subject specific information pertaining to administration to the subject of the therapeutic operation represented by the graphical block, the graphical block transitioning from the first format to the second format upon completion of the therapeutic operation;
• display, on the display of the computer, an annotation of a graphical block responsive to selection of the graphical block by a user;
• control the image controller to operate the imaging system to acquire medical images of the subject using the scan parameters annotated to the identified graphical block to generate a quantitative analysis of the cancerous tumor;
• performing the next graphical block displayed in the second format using the acquired medical images;
• store the annotated imaging assessment blocks in a database;
• retrieve the annotated imaging assessment blocks for a subsequent imagine session of the subject to auto-populate the graphical flow diagram of the chemotherapy, brachytherapy, or radiation therapy protocol for the subject;
• control the image controller to operate the imaging system to acquire medical images of the subject during the subsequent imaging session of the subject using the auto-populated graphical flow diagram;
• annotate the graphical flow diagram with subject-specific information acquired from the medical images acquired during the subsequent imaging session;
• and
• perform the next graphical block in the annotated graphical flow diagram.