US 2002/0164059 A1 · Remote medical image analysis

Abstract

The Remote Medical Image Analysis System implements a process for providing computerized medical image analysis for medical service providers using an Application Service Provider [ASP] model. To analyze a medical image, the system accepts a medical image file from a remotely located user. The medical image file is transferred over a computer network, such as the Internet, wherein the system analyzes the medical image file. The analysis results (which may include transformed images, reports, and diagnoses) are then transferred by the system to the user over the computer network. To accomplish this task, the system implements web servers, application servers, and processing servers, with data servers utilizing a database for data storage and retrieval, coordinating data flows among the various servers and system users and archiving data for longer-term storage.

Claims56

Dependent claims

A process of providing a computerized medical image analysis system comprising the steps of:

transferring a medical image file from a user, said transfer occurring over a computer network via computer operations;
analyzing said medical image file via computer operations;
and
transferring an analysis result to a user, said transfer occurring over a computer network via computer operations.

1 more element

A process of providing a computerized medical image analysis system comprising the steps of:

(I) prompting a user to select a system option, said prompting comprising the steps of:
(A) providing the user with a set of system options for processing said medical image, said system options comprising:
(i) an image analysis request;
and
(ii) an analysis results retrieval request;
(B) requesting that the user select at least one of said system options;
and
(C) accepting said user selected system options;
(II) analyzing a medical image file if the user selected said image analysis request, said analyzing comprising the steps of:
(A) requesting that the user provide medical image information, said image information comprising:
(i) a location of a medical image file;
(ii) a job identifier;
and
(iii) processing parameters for analyzing said image file;
(B) processing said medical image information, said processing comprising the steps of:
(i) saving said medical image information in a database;
and
(ii) transferring said medical image file to said database, wherein said medical image file is obtained from said location of said medical image file;
(C) analyzing said medical image file, said analyzing comprising the steps of:
(i) transforming said image file, wherein said transforming creates a transformed image file;
(ii) storing said transformed image file in said database, wherein said transformed image file is linked to said job identifier;
(iii) generating an analysis report, wherein said analysis report contains a medical interpretation of said transformed image file;
and
(iv) storing said analysis report in said database wherein said analysis report is linked to said job identifier;
and
(D) notifying the user that said analysis is complete;
(III) transferring analysis results to the user if the user selected said analysis results retrieval request, said transferring comprising the steps of:
(A) requesting analysis results retrieval transfer information from the user, said analysis results retrieval transfer information comprising:
(i) a job identifier;
and
(ii) an transfer options list, wherein the user can select one or more transfer options from said transfer options list;
(B) accepting the analysis results retrieval transfer information provided by the user;
(C) performing an analysis results transfer to the user.

30 more elements

A process of providing a computerized medical image analysis system comprising the steps of:

(I) prompting a user to select a system option, said prompting comprising the steps of:
(A) providing the user with a set of system options for processing said medical image, said system options comprising:
(i) an image analysis request;
(ii) an analysis results retrieval request;
(iv) an image re-analysis request;
and
(iii) a user information update request;
(B) requesting that the user select at least one of said system options;
and
(C) accepting said user selected system option;
(II) analyzing a medical image file if the user selected said image analysis request, said analyzing comprising the steps of:
(A) requesting that the user provide medical image information, said image information comprising:
(i) a location of a medical image file;
(ii) a job identifier for said image;
and
(iii) processing parameters for processing said image;
and
(B) processing said medical image information, said processing comprising the steps of:
(i) saving said medical image information in a database;
(ii) transferring said medical image file to the database, wherein said medical image file is obtained from said location of said medical image file;
and
(iii) linking said medical image parameters and said medical image file to said job identifier;
(C) analyzing said medical image file, said analyzing comprising the steps of:
(i) transforming said image file, wherein said transforming creates a transformed image file;
(ii) storing said transformed image file in said database, wherein said transformed image file is linked to said job identifier;
(iii) generating an analysis report, wherein said analysis report contains a medical interpretation of said transformed image file;
(iv) storing said analysis report in said database wherein said analysis report is linked to said job identifier;
(v) generating a re-run report, wherein said re-run report contains suggested modifications to said processing parameters for a re-analysis of said medical image file;
and
(vi) storing said re-run report in said database, wherein said re-run report is linked to said job identifier;
and
(D) notifying the user that said analysis is complete, wherein said notification can occur either when the user is logged on or when the user is logged off;
(III) transferring an analysis to the user if the user selected said analysis results retrieval request, said transferring comprising the steps of:
(A) requesting analysis transfer information from the user, said analysis transfer information comprising:
(i) a job identifier;
(ii) an transfer location;
(iii) an transfer option list, said transfer option list comprising:
(a) an analysis report file transfer option;
(b) a transformed image file transfer option,
(c) a view transformed image option;
and
(d) a view analysis report option;
wherein the user can select one or more transfer options from said transfer option list;
(B) accepting said analysis transfer information provided by the user, wherein said transfer information is saved in the database linked to said job identifier;
(C) performing the requested analysis transfer, said performing comprising the steps of:
(i) transferring said analysis report file to the transfer location if the user selected said analysis report file transfer option;
(ii) transferring said transformed image file to the transfer location if the user selected said transformed image file transfer option;
(iii) sending said transformed image to the user for display if the user selected said view transformed image option;
(iv) sending said analysis report to the user for display if the user selected said view analysis report option;
and
(D) notifying the user of a suggested re-analysis of said medical image file if said re-run report recommends a re-analysis;
(IV) re-analyzing said medical image file if the user selected said re-analysis request, said re-analysis comprising the steps of:
(A) prompting the user for the job identifier of the medical image to be re-analyzed;
(B) accepting the updated job identifier input by the user;
(C) prompting the user for an update to said processing parameters;
(D) accepting the updated processing parameters from the user;
(E) re-processing said medical image information, said re-processing comprising the steps of:
(i) linking said medical image parameters and said medical image file to an updated job identifier;
and
(ii) linking said updated job identifier to said user ID;
(F) re-analyzing said medical image file, wherein said re-analysis generates analysis results;
and
(G) notifying the user that said re-analysis is complete, wherein said notifying can occur either when the user is logged on or when the user is logged off. and
(V) performing a user information update request if the user selected said user information update request.

61 more elements

A process of providing a computerized medical image analysis system comprising the steps of:

(I) connecting a user computer to the system over a computer network;
(II) logging in the user computer, said login comprising the steps of:
(A) processing a user login request, said login request comprising the steps of:
(i) providing the user with a login prompt;
(ii) accepting a user login input, said login input comprising:
(a) a user ID;
and
(b) a user password;
and
(iii) processing the user login input, said processing comprising the steps of:
(a) comparing said user ID against a verified user list, wherein the user is prohibited from access to the system if said user ID is not on the verified user list;
if said user ID is verified, then:
(b) comparing said user password against a stored password corresponding to said user ID, wherein the user is prohibited from access to the system if said password does not match said password corresponding to said user ID;
if said user password is verified then:
(c) permitting user access to the system;
(iv) preventing the user not verified from accessing system features;
and
(B) providing the user with a set of system options for processing said medical image, said system options comprising:
(i) an image analysis request;
(ii) an analysis result transfer request;
(iv) an image re-analysis request;
and
(iii) a user information update request;
(C) requesting that the user select at least one of said system options;
and
(D) accepting said user selected system option, wherein said user selected system option is stored in said database;
(III) analyzing a medical image file if the user selected said image analysis request, said analyzing comprising the steps of:
(A) requesting that the user provide medical image information, said image information comprising:
(i) a location of a medical image file;
(ii) a job identifier for said image;
and
(iii) processing parameters for processing said image;
(B) processing said medical image information, said processing comprising the steps of:
(i) saving said medical image information in a database;
(ii) transferring said medical image file to said database, wherein said medical image file is obtained from said location of said medical image file;
(iii) linking said medical image parameters and said medical image file to said job identifier;
and
(iv) linking said job identifier to said user ID;
(C) analyzing said medical image file, said analyzing comprising the steps of:
(i) transforming said image file, wherein said transforming creates a transformed image file;
(ii) storing said transformed image file in said database, wherein said transformed image file is linked to said job identifier;
(iii) generating an analysis report, wherein said analysis report contains a medical interpretation of said transformed image file;
and
(iv) storing said analysis report in said database wherein said analysis report is linked to said job identifier, wherein said analysis report may include a re-run report containing suggested modifications to said processing parameters for a re-analysis of said medical image file if said analysis determines that a re-analysis would be beneficial;
and
(D) notifying the user that said analysis is complete, wherein said notification can occur either when the user is logged on or when the user is logged off;
(IV) transferring an analysis result to the user if the user selected said analysis result transfer request, said transferring comprising the steps of:
(A) requesting analysis transfer information from the user, said analysis transfer information comprising:
(i) a job identifier;
(ii) a transfer location;
(iii) a transfer option list, said transfer option list comprising:
(a) a view transformed image option;
(b) a transformed image file transfer option,
(c) a view analysis report option;
and
(b) an analysis report file transfer option;
wherein the user can select one or more analysis result transfer options from the transfer option list;
(B) accepting the analysis result transfer information provided by the user, wherein said transfer information is saved in the database linked to said job identifier;
(C) performing the requested analysis result transfer, said transfer comprising the steps of:
(ii) transferring the analysis report file to the transfer location if the user selected said analysis report file transfer option;
(iii) transferring the transformed image file to the transfer location if the user selected said transformed image file transfer option;
(iv) sending said transformed image to the user for display if the user selected said view transformed image option;
and
(v) sending said analysis report to the user for display if the user selected said view analysis report option;
and
(D) notifying the user of a suggested re-analysis of said medical image file if said re-run report recommends a re-analysis;
(V) re-analyzing said medical image file if the user selected said re-analysis request, said re-analysis comprising the steps of:
(A) prompting the user for the job identifier of the medical image to be re-analyzed;
(B) accepting the updated job identifier input by the user;
(C) prompting the user for an update to said processing parameters, wherein said prompting may include an option to use suggested parameters obtained during the initial analysis if such parameters were generated;
(D) accepting the updated processing parameters from the user;
(E) re-processing said medical image information, said re-processing comprising the steps of:
(i) linking said medical image parameters and said medical image file to an updated job identifier;
and
(ii) linking said updated job identifier to said user ID;
(F) analyzing said medical image file;
and
(G) notifying the user that said re-analysis is complete, wherein said notification can occur either when the user is logged on or when the user is logged off;
(VI) performing a user information update request if the user selected said user information update request;
and
(VII) allowing the user to log off said medical imaging system.

78 more elements

A computerized medical image analysis system comprising:

(I) means for connecting a user to the system over a computer network;
(II) means for prompting the user to select a system option, said prompting means comprising
(A) means for providing the user with a set of system options for processing said medical image;
(B) means for requesting that the user select at least one of said system options;
and
(C) means for accepting said user selected system options;
(III) means for processing said medical image file, said processing means comprising:
(A) means for requesting that the user provide a location of said medical image file;
(B) means for transferring said medical image file from the location given by the user;
(C) means for analyzing said medical image file with a computer to obtain analysis results;
and
(D) means for notifying the user that said analysis is complete;
(IV) means for transferring said analysis results to the user, said transferring means comprising:
(A) means for allowing the user to request an analysis results retrieval;
(B) means for accepting said analysis results retrieval request by the user;
and
(C) means for transferring said analysis results to the user.

14 more elements

A computerized medical image analysis system comprising:

(I) means for prompting a user to select a system option, said prompting means comprising:
(A) means for providing the user with a set of system options for processing said medical image, said system options comprising:
(i) an image analysis request;
and
(ii) an analysis results retrieval request;
(B) means for requesting that the user select at least one of said system options;
and
(C) means for accepting said user selected system options;
(II) means for analyzing a medical image file if the user selected said image analysis request, said analyzing means comprising:
(A) means for requesting that the user provide medical image information, said image information comprising:
(i) a location of a medical image file;
(ii) a job identifier;
and
(iii) processing parameters for analyzing said image file;
(B) means for processing said medical image information, said processing means comprising:
(i) means for saving said medical image information in a database;
and
(ii) means for transferring said medical image file to said database, wherein said medical image file is obtained from said location of said medical image file;
(C) means for analyzing said medical image file, said analyzing means comprising:
(i) means for transforming said image file, wherein said transforming creates a transformed image file;
(ii) means for storing said transformed image file in said database, wherein said transformed image file is linked to said job identifier;
(iii) means for generating an analysis report, wherein said analysis report contains a medical interpretation of said transformed image file;
(iv) means for storing said analysis report in said database wherein said analysis report is linked to said job identifier;
and and
(D) means for notifying the user that said analysis is complete;
(III) means for transferring analysis results to the user if the user selected said analysis results retrieval request, said transferring means comprising:
(A) means for requesting analysis results retrieval transfer information from the user, said analysis results retrieval transfer information comprising:
(i) a job identifier;
and
(ii) an transfer options list, wherein the user can select one or more transfer options from said transfer options list;
(B) means for accepting the analysis results retrieval transfer information provided by the user;
(C) means for performing an analysis results transfer to the user.

29 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Remote medical image analysis

Life of this patent

Remote medical image analysis

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims56