Medical selection system

A medical processing system for performing a follow-up examination of a patient, the medical processing system comprising:

• a DICOM network interface for receiving selection data via a DICOM network from a medical selection system that is separate from the medical processing system, the selection data being indicative of a selection by a user of one or more medical images amongst a plurality of medical images stored in an image archiving system that is separate from the medical processing system;
• a processor for (i) associating the selection data with the plurality of medical images, based on selection metadata included in the selection data, and (ii) obtaining said one or more medical images from the image archiving system, based on the selection data;
• and
• an X-ray Imaging, Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound (US), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), or Nuclear Medicine (NM) medical imaging modality configured to perform a follow-up imaging examination using said one or more medical images obtained from the image archiving system as baseline images.

A method of generating selection data, comprising:

• with a user input device of a medical selection system, enabling a user to establish a selection of one or more medical images amongst a plurality of medical images comprised in an image archiving system separate from the medical selection system for establishing the one or more medical images as baseline images for use in a follow-up examination of a patient;
• with at least one processor of the medical selection system, generating selection data being indicative of said selection;
• with the at least one processor of the medical selection system, including selection metadata in the selection data for enabling associating the selection data with the plurality of medical images;
• and
• with an output device of the medical selection system, providing the selection data to a medical processing system separate from the medical selection system for enabling the medical processing system to obtain, based on the selection data, the one or more medical images from the image archiving system for use as baseline images in a follow-up examination of the patient.

A communication network comprising:

• an image archiving system comprising a plurality of medical images;
• a medical processing system separate from the image archiving system and configured to generate selection data, the medical selection system including:
• a user input configured to enable a user to establish a selection of one or more medical images amongst a plurality of medical images comprised in the image archiving system for establishing the one or more medical images as baseline images for use in a follow-up examination of a patient;
• and
• at least one processor programmed to:
• (i) generate selection data being indicative of said selection, and (ii) include selection metadata in the selection data for enabling associating the selection data with the plurality of medical images;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the selection data;
• a medical selection system separate from the image archiving system and separate from the medical processing system and configured to provide selection data to the medical processing system, the medical selection system including:
• a receiver configured to receive the selection data from the transmitter of the medical selection system, the selection data being indicative of a selection by a user of one or more medical images amongst a plurality of medical images comprised in an image archiving system;
• and
• at least one processor programmed to (i) associate the selection data with the plurality of medical images, based on selection metadata included in the selection data, and (ii) obtain said one or more medical images from the image archiving system, based on the selection data, for use as a baseline images in the performing of the follow-up examination.