Interactive fax imaging

A method of interactive imaging comprising the steps of:

• forming an image comprising a representation of data stored in the database, the stored image including identification data for uniquely identifying the database, and a commentary portion for receiving diagnostic commentary pertaining to the data stored in the database;
• establishing a fax connection between the database site and the remote site;
• selecting a fax resolution based upon a fax protocol dialogue between the database site and the remote site;
• partitioning the image to form a predetermined number of columns and, for each such column:
• rasterizing a corresponding text report portion to form bit map data;
• adding a corresponding waveform data portion to the bit map data;
• fax encoding the column of bit map data for fax transmission, thereby faxing an image that includes both the text report portion and the waveform portion;
• faxing the image to the remote site;
• and
• at the remote site, annotating the image with diagnostic commentary pertaining to the data stored in the database and transmitting that annotated image back to the database site;
• and
• at the database site, recovering the identification data from the annotated image to identify the database and updating the identified database so as to include the diagnostic commentary pertaining to the data stored in the database without altering the previously stored data.

A method of interactive imaging comprising the steps of:

• providing a digital database at a physical location defining a database site;
• forming an image at the database site, comprising a representation of data stored in the database, the stored data including identification data for uniquely identifying the database and a blank field commentary portion for receiving diagnostic commentary pertaining to the data stored in the database having a predetermined size and location within the image;
• wherein the image includes a waveform portion;
• selecting the dedicated field size and location so that the dedicated field commentary portion of the image does not overlap the waveform portion in the image transmitting the image to a site remote from the database;
• at the remote site annotating the image with diagnostic commentary pertaining to the data stored in the database within the blank field commentary portion and transmitting that annotated image back to the database site;
• and
• at the database site, recovering the identification data from the annotated image to identify the database and updating the identified data from the annotated image to identify the database updating the identified database so as to include the diagnostic commentary pertaining to the data stored in the database without altering the previously stored data whereby the updated database includes both the data originally stored in the database and an image of the annotation.

A method of interactive electrocardiograph imaging between an instrument site and a remote site, comprising the steps of:

• recording an ECG of a patient at the instrument site;
• storing the recorded ECG in a digital database, the database including unique identification data for identifying the database;
• converting the ECG data so as to form a fax image;
• adding the identification data to the fax image;
• locating a diagnostic commentary portion in said fax image in a manner which avoids overlapping of said ECG;
• faxing the fax image to the remote site for review;
• at the remote site, annotating the fax image by inserting at least one diagnostic comment in said diagnostic commentary portion;
• faxing the annotated ECG image back to the instrument site;
• at the instrument site, recovering the identification data from the annotated image to identify the database;
• and
• updating the identified database by moving a portion of the annotated image containing the at least one diagnostic comment into the identified database.

A method of interactive electrocardiograph imaging between an instrument site and a remote site comprising the steps of:

• recording an ECG of a patient at the instrument site:
• storing the recorded ECG in a digital database, the database including unique identification data for identifying the database:
• converting the ECG data so as to form a fax image;
• adding the identification data to the fax image:
• faxing the fax image to the remote site for review;
• inserting a predetermined first delimit mark on the fax image to indicate the start of a comment area for at least one diagnostic comment;
• inserting a predetermined second delimit mark on the fax image to indicate an end of the comment area;
• at the remote site, inserting the at least one diagnostic comment intermediate the first and second delimit marks;
• faxing the annotated ECG image back to the instrument site;
• at the instrument site, recovering the identification data from the annotated image to identify the database;
• detecting the first and second delimit marks;
• defining a comment area intermediate the detected delimit marks;
• extracting an image of the at least one diagnostic comment area from the annotated image;
• and
• writing the extracted image of the at least one diagnostic comment into the identified database.

A method of interactive electrocardiograph imaging between an instrument site and a remote site, comprising the method steps of:

• recording an ECG of a patient at the instrument site;
• storing the recorded ECG in a digital database, the database including unique identification data for identifying the database;
• converting the ECG data so as to form a fax image;
• adding the identification data to the fax image;
• faxing the fax image to the remote site for review;
• inserting a predetermined delimit mark on the fax image to indicate a location of a comment area for the at least one diagnostic comment;
• at the remote site, annotating the fax image by inserting at least one diagnostic comment;
• faxing the annotated ECG image back to the instrument site;
• at the instrument site, recovering the identification data from the annotated image to identify the database;
• detecting the delimit mark;
• defining a comment area having predetermined dimensions and extending from the indicated location;
• extracting an image of the defined comment area from the annotated image;
• and
• writing the extracted image of the comment into the identified database in order to update the database.

A system for remote interactive medical imaging via fax telecommunications, comprising:

• an instrument for acquiring physiological input data from a patient defining a waveform;
• digital data storage means coupled to the instrument for storing digital image data representing the waveform in a database;
• means for storing alphanumeric data associated with the patient in the database;
• means for converting the waveform image data and the alphanumeric data into a single bit map image and for including in the single bit map a diagnostic commentary field and for locating said diagnostic commentary field in a particular position relative to said waveform image data in order to avoid overlapping of said waveform image data;
• means for converting the bit map image to form a first fax file without optical scanning;
• and
• fax means coupled to the converting means for faxing the first fax file to a remote site for review.