Method for optimizing procedures in radiological diagnostics

An apparatus for optimizing procedures in radiological diagnostics, comprising:

• a computer supplied with at least one digital image obtained by at least one medical imaging modality, said computer being configured to display a user interface to allow selection of a selected procedure for evaluating contents of said at least one acquired digital image and to start execution of at least image processing steps in said computer that are specific to the selected procedure using at least one image processing program, to manipulate said contents of said at least one acquired digital image using procedure data selected from the group consisting of predetermined data and newly-entered data that are entered via said user interface, said user interface specifically being configured for said selected procedure, until an optimally evaluable resulting image is obtained and displayed at said computer;
• said computer being configured to allow the user, using the displayed optimally evaluable resulting image, to generate a medical diagnostic finding and to initialize storage of said optimally evaluable resulting image and data associated with said finding, as a procedure result;
• a memory associated with said computer in which said procedure result is stored;
• said computer being configured to automatically analyze said procedure data and all steps used to obtain said optimally evaluable resulting image to obtain an analysis result;
• and
• said computer being configured, dependent on said analysis result, to store all of said steps used to obtain optimally evaluable resulting image, as a new standard procedure and to make said new standard procedure available at said computer for use as said selected procedure for subsequently processing another acquired digital image.

A computer-readable medium encoded with programming instructions for optimizing procedures in radiological diagnostics wherein digital images, obtained with at least one medical imaging modality, are displayed at a computer, said encoded programming instructions when said medium is loaded in said computer, causing said computer to:

• allow a user to select and start a selected procedure at said computer that is available for evaluating contents of at least one acquired digital image;
• allow a user at said computer, to implement at least image processing steps in the computer that are specific to the selected procedure using at least one image processing program, to manipulate said contents of said at least one acquired digital image using procedure data selected from the group consisting of predetermined data and newly-entered data that are entered via said user interface, that is specifically configured for said selected procedure, until an optimally evaluable resulting image is obtained and displayed at said computer;
• allow a user using the displayed optimally evaluable resulting image, to generate a medical diagnostic finding and initialize storage of said optimally evaluable resulting image and data associated with said finding, as a procedure result;
• store said procedure result in a memory associated with said computer;
• analyze said procedure data and all steps used to obtain said optimally evaluable resulting image to obtain an analysis result;
• and
• dependent on said analysis result, store all of the said steps used to obtain said optimally evaluable resulting image, as a new standard procedure and make said new standard procedure available at said computer for use as said selected procedure for subsequently processing another acquired digital image.