Imaging diagnostic apparatus and maintenance method of the same

A method of a medical imaging ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus by a remote computer connected via a communication line, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating log data pertaining to a use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• transmitting the generated log data to the remote computer via the communication line;
• storing the transmitted log data as data in a predetermined database on the remote computer;
• and
• analyzing the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus so that the use state can be displayed based on log data stored in the database,
• wherein the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasonic probe, and the data includes at least one of:
• degradation information on the ultrasonic probe;
• information on date and time when a measurement value obtained by an acceleration sensor provided at the ultrasonic probe exceeds a predetermined value;
• and
• information on the count when the measurement value obtained by the acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined value.

A method of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• generating log data pertaining to a use state of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• recording the generated log data on a predetermined recording medium;
• and
• analyzing the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus so that the use state can be quantitatively displayed based on the log data of the recording medium,
• wherein the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and
• wherein the analysis result of the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus includes at least one of (i) the number of patients diagnosed within a predetermined period of time by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, (ii) each use time of an ultrasonic diagnostic Doppler mode, a B mode, M mode, a CFM (Color Flow Mapping) mode, an angiographic mode, a TDI (Tissue Doppler Imaging) mode, a THI (Tissue Harmonic Imaging) mode, and a measurement mode used by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, (iii) a freeze count of an ultrasonic image displayed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, (iv) an ultrasonic image recording count, and (v) a rate of the recording count to the freeze count.

A medical imaging diagnostic apparatus comprising:

• log generating means for generating log data pertaining to a use state of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• log recording means for recording the log data generated by the log generating means on a predetermined recording medium;
• and
• analysis means for analyzing a use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus so that the use state can be quantitatively displayed based on the log data recorded on the recording medium by the log recording means,
• wherein the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and
• wherein the analysis result of the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus includes at least one of (i) the number of patients diagnosed within a predetermined period of time by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, (ii) each use time of an ultrasonic diagnostic Doppler mode, a B mode, M mode, a CFM (Color Flow Mapping) mode, an angiographic mode, a TDI (Tissue Doppler Imaging) mode, a THI (Tissue Harmonic Imaging) mode, and a measurement mode used by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, (iii) a freeze count of an ultrasonic image displayed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, (iv) an ultrasonic image recording count, and (v) a rate of the recording count to the freeze count.

A medical imaging diagnostic apparatus configured to perform maintenance by means of a remote computer connected via a communication line, the apparatus comprising:

• input means operably linked to the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, and adapted to input information pertaining to a system user;
• operating means operably linked to the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, the operating means being adapted to instruct a change to a predetermined system maintenance mode;
• transmission means for, when the change to the system maintenance mode is instructed by the operating means, transmitting to the remote computer the information concerning the system user inputted by the input means, including date and time information;
• and
• means for switching a current state into a state for enabling at least one of system diagnosis of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, system setting change, and control program change based on a signal transmitted from the remote computer via the communication line in response to the information transmitted by the transmission means.

A maintenance method of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus by means of a remote computer connected via a communication line, the maintenance method comprising the steps of:

• inputting information pertaining to a system user to the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• operating the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, thereby instructing switching into a system maintenance mode for enabling at least one of system diagnosis of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, system setting change, and control program change based on a signal transmitted from the remote computer via the communication line in response to the inputted information;
• transmitting information pertaining to the system user and including date and time information to the remote computer via the communication line when the switching into the system maintenance mode is instructed;
• and
• storing the transmitted information concerning the system user and the date and time information to a predetermined recording medium on the remote computer.

A method of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus by a remote computer connected via a communication line, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating log data pertaining to a use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• transmitting the generated log data to the remote computer via the communication line;
• storing the transmitted log data as data in a predetermined database of the remote computer;
• and
• analyzing the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus so that the use state can be quantitatively displayed based on the log data stored in the database,
• wherein the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is directed to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and the analysis result of the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus includes at least one of:
• a freeze count of an ultrasonic image displayed by the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus;
• an ultrasonic image recording count;
• and a rate of the recording count to the freeze count.

A method of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus by a remote computer connected via a communication line, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating log data pertaining to a use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• transmitting the generated log data to the remote computer via the communication line;
• storing the transmitted log data as data in a predetermined database on the remote computer;
• and
• analyzing the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus so that the use state can be quantitatively displayed based on the log data stored in the database,
• wherein the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe, and
• wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises:
• a probe holder for holding the ultrasonic probe;
• a phantom including a standard test body for phantom testing equipped in the probe holder;
• means for obtaining an ultrasonic image of the phantom by the ultrasonic probe held in the probe holder;
• and
• means for transmitting the ultrasonic image of the phantom as data for obtaining degradation information on the ultrasonic probe to the remote computer.

A method of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• generating log data pertaining to a use state of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• recording the generated log data on a predetermined recording medium;
• and
• analyzing the use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus so that the use state can be quantitatively displayed based on the log data of the recording medium,
• wherein the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasonic probe, and the data includes at least one of:
• degradation information on the ultrasonic probe;
• information on date and time when a measurement value obtained by an acceleration sensor provided at the ultrasonic probe exceeds a predetermined value;
• and
• information on the count when the measurement value obtained by the acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined value.

A medical imaging diagnostic apparatus comprising:

• log generating means for generating log data pertaining to a use state of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus;
• log recording means for recording the log data generated by the log generating means on a predetermined recording medium;
• and
• analysis means for analyzing a use state of the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus so that the use state can be quantitatively displayed based on the log data recorded on the recording medium by the log recording means,
• wherein the medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasonic probe, and the data includes at least one of:
• degradation information on the ultrasonic probe;
• information on date and time when a measurement value obtained by an acceleration sensor provided at the ultrasonic probe exceeds a predetermined value;
• and
• information on the count when the measurement value obtained by the acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined value.