U.S. patent application number 10/065449 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-22 for method and system for a customized patient report in imaging systems.
Invention is credited to Sorenson, Jeffrey.
Application Number | 20040076264 10/065449 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32092190 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040076264 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sorenson, Jeffrey |
April 22, 2004 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A CUSTOMIZED PATIENT REPORT IN IMAGING
SYSTEMS
Abstract
A method and system for associating medical imaging data with a
customized patient report. The system includes a memory for storing
a plurality of patient specific attributes and a plurality of user
defined rules, the attributes include patient specific medical
image data. A stored program is configured to apply a rule to a
corresponding attribute and allow an end user to at least one of
create, edit, and add at least one of the attributes and the user
defined rules. A processor operates with the stored program for
processing to establish a conclusion to the rule. An output device
is included and configured to generate the customized patient
report having the conclusion in text format. The text in the
conclusion is also end user configurable.
Inventors: |
Sorenson, Jeffrey; (Sussex,
WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CANTOR COLBURN, LLP
55 GRIFFIN ROAD SOUTH
BLOOMFIELD
CT
06002
|
Family ID: |
32092190 |
Appl. No.: |
10/065449 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
378/210 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 15/00 20180101;
G16H 50/20 20180101; G16H 10/60 20180101; G16H 10/20 20180101; G16H
30/20 20180101; G16H 40/63 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
378/210 |
International
Class: |
H05G 001/00 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for generating a customized patient report
comprising: a memory for storing a plurality of patient specific
attributes and a plurality of user defined rules, said attributes
including patient specific medical image data; a stored program
configured to apply a rule to a corresponding attribute, said
stored program configured to allow an end user to at least one of
create, edit, and add at least one of said attributes and said user
defined rules; a processor operating with said stored program for
processing to establish a conclusion to said rule; and an output
device configured to generate the customized patient report having
said conclusion in text format.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality
of user defined rules and said patient specific attributes are
operably configurable using a graphical user interface.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said graphical user interface
is configured to at least one of select, edit and add at least one
of a user defined rule and an attribute and said conclusion in text
format.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each user defined rule of said
plurality of user defined rules is a operably configured allowing
an end user to create at least one of a first logic test within
said rule and a second logic test between rules.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said each user defined rule is
configured to allow at least one of end user initial design and end
user subsequent design.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said plurality of user defined
rules are operably configured using Boolean logic tests.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said Boolean logic tests use
corresponding attributes as variables to establish said
conclusion.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conclusion in text format
is configurable by an end user.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the end user is one of a
physician and medical personnel.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conclusion in text
format is selected as a result of a content box identified by said
conclusion to said rule.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said content box is one of a
True condition and a False condition each having corresponding text
editable by an end user.
12. A customized patient reporting system comprising: a medical
facility comprising a plurality of medical imaging devices; and a
workstation configured to receive medical imaging data from said
medical imaging devices; wherein said workstation includes a memory
for storing a plurality of patient specific attributes and a
plurality of user defined rules, said plurality of patient
attributes includes said medical imaging data; a stored program
configured to apply a rule to a corresponding attribute, said
stored program configured to allow an end user to at least one of
create, edit, and add at least one of said attributes and said user
defined rules; a processor operating with said stored program for
processing said rule to establish a conclusion to said rule; and an
output device configured to generate a customized patient report
having said conclusion in text format.
13. The reporting system of claim 12, wherein at least one of said
user defined rules and said patient specific attributes are
operably configurable using a graphical user interface.
14. The reporting system of claim 12, wherein said graphical user
interface is configured to at least one of select, edit and add at
least one of a user defined rule and an attribute.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each user defined rule of
said plurality of user defined rules is a operably configured
allowing an end user to create at least one of a first logic test
within said rule and a second logic test between rules.
16. A method for generating a customized patient report comprising:
storing a plurality of patient specific attributes and a plurality
of rules, said attributes include patient specific medical image
data; configuring a stored program to apply a rule of said
plurality of rules to corresponding attributes, said stored program
configured to allow an end user to at least one of create, edit,
and add at least one of said attributes and said user defined
rules; processing said rule to establish a conclusion to said rule;
and configuring an output device configured to generate the
customized patient report having said conclusion in text
format.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of said text
format and said attributes and said rules are end-user
editable.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of said user
defined rules and said patient specific attributes and said text
format are operably configurable using a graphical user
interface.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said graphical user interface
is configured to at least one of select, edit and add at least one
of a user defined rule and an attribute and text in said text
format.
20. The method of claim 16 further comprising: operably configuring
each user defined rule of said plurality of user defined rules to
allow an end user to create at least one of a first logic test
within said rule and a second logic test between rules.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of user
defined rules is operably configured using Boolean logic tests.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein said Boolean logic tests use
corresponding attributes as variables to establish said
conclusion.
23. A rule based patient diagnostic reporting method comprising:
inputting patient information including patient specific attributes
and diagnostic test results; configuring a stored program using a
graphical user interface to establish an array of related and
unrelated relationships between said patient information to
identify which content block is inserted in a generated patient
report, said stored program configured to allow an end user to at
least one of create, edit, and add at least one of said attributes
and said relationships; and generating a customized patient report
having a conclusion in text format.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein said diagnostic test results
includes medical imaging data from at least one of a plurality of
medical imaging devices.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein each said relationship of said
array of related and unrelated relationships is a Boolean logic
test comprising a user defined rule having at least one attribute
as a variable therein.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein said graphical user interface
is configured to at least one of select, edit and add at least one
of said user defined rule and said attribute and said text
format.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising: operably configuring
each user defined rule of a plurality of user defined rules to
allow an end user to create at least one of a first logic test
within said each user defined rule and a second logic test between
selected rules of said plurality of user defined rules.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of user
defined rules is operably configured using Boolean logic tests.
29. The method of claim 21, wherein said Boolean logic tests use
corresponding attributes as variables to establish said
conclusion.
30. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for:
storing a plurality of patient specific attributes and a plurality
of rules; configuring a stored program to apply a rule of said
plurality of rules to corresponding attributes; configuring said
stored program to allow an end user to at least one of create,
edit, and add at least one of said attributes and said user defined
rules; processing said rule to establish a conclusion to said rule;
and configuring an output device to generate the customized patient
report having said conclusion in text format.
31. A tangible medium for storing a computer program comprising:
instructions for storing a plurality of patient specific attributes
and a plurality of rules; instructions for configuring a stored
program to apply a rule of said plurality of rules to corresponding
attributes; instructions for configuring said stored program to
allow an end user to at least one of create, edit, and add at least
one of said attributes and said user defined rules; instructions
for processing said rule to establish a conclusion to said rule;
and instructions for configuring an output device to generate the
customized patient report having said conclusion in text format.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of
medical diagnostic systems, such as imaging systems of various
modalities. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique
for providing patient data and reports in conjunction with such
diagnostic systems.
[0002] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various
aspects of art which may be related to various aspects of the
present invention which are described and/or claimed below. This
discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with
background information to facilitate a better understanding of the
various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be
understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and
not as admissions of prior art.
[0003] Medical diagnostic and imaging systems are ubiquitous in
modern health care facilities. Such systems provide invaluable
tools for identifying, diagnosing and treating physical conditions
and greatly reduce the need for surgical diagnostic intervention.
In many instances, final diagnosis and treatment proceed only after
an attending physician or radiologist has complemented conventional
examinations with detailed images of relevant areas and tissues via
one or more imaging modalities.
[0004] Currently, a number of modalities exist for medical
diagnostic and imaging systems. These include computed tomography
(CT) systems, x-ray systems (including both conventional and
digital or digitized imaging systems), magnetic resonance (MR)
systems, positron emission tomography (PET) systems, ultrasound
systems, nuclear medicine systems, and so forth. In many instances,
these modalities complement one another and offer the physician a
range of techniques for imaging particular types of tissue, organs,
physiological systems, and so forth. Health care institutions often
dispose several such imaging systems at a single facility or at
multiple facilities, permitting its physicians to draw upon such
resources as required by particular patient needs.
[0005] Modern medical diagnostic systems typically include
circuitry for acquiring image data and for transforming the data
into a useable form, which is then processed to create a
reconstructed image of features of interest within the patient. The
image data acquisition and processing circuitry is often referred
to as a "scanner" regardless of the modality, because some sort of
physical or electronic scanning often occurs in the imaging
process. The particular components of the system and related
circuitry, of course, differ greatly between modalities due to
their different physics and data processing requirements.
[0006] Medical diagnostic systems of the type described above are
often called upon to produce reliable and understandable images
with a corresponding patient report. While such images and patient
reports have proven extremely valuable in diagnostic systems,
further improvements are still needed. For example, to detect
coronary calcification in a patient, computer tomography (CT)
images of the patient's heart are generated and reviewed to
identify calcium deposits. In one type of diagnostic system, the CT
screening application involves a patient report, which details out
the study results. This may include a percentile value, which
details which risk category the patient belongs to in a population.
Current calcium-scoring packages currently list out only a calcium
score and a percentile value dependent on the age and gender of the
patient. However, calcium score is only one of the many factors,
which go into the assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD)
risk.
[0007] While this information is useful in assessment of CVD, there
is a need to provide the physician the capability to create a
customized diagnostic message based on other factors such as
cholesterol, exercise levels, blood pressure etc. Thus, there is a
particular need to present the patient with a customized diagnostic
message, which is created by considering all of the patient factors
and their interplay based on current diagnostic and operational
data and further provides historical data for comparative
purposes.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0008] The above discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies are
overcome or alleviated by a method and system for associating
medical imaging data with a customized patient report. The system
includes a memory for storing a plurality of patient specific
attributes and a plurality of user defined rules, the attributes
include patient specific medical image data. A stored program is
configured to apply a rule to a corresponding attribute and allow
an end user to at least one of create, edit, and add at least one
of the attributes and the user defined rules. A processor operates
with the stored program for processing to establish a conclusion to
the rule. An output device is included and configured to generate
the customized patient report having the conclusion in text format.
The text in the conclusion is end user configurable, as well as the
attributes and rules.
[0009] The method includes storing a plurality of patient specific
attributes and a plurality of rules; the attributes include patient
specific medical image data. The method further includes
configuring a stored program to apply a rule to corresponding
attributes, and configuring the stored program to allow an end user
to at least one of create, edit, and add at least one of the
attributes and defined rules. The method also includes processing
the rule to establish a conclusion to the rule and configuring an
output device to generate the customized patient report having the
conclusion in text format. The method allows the conclusion, as
well as the attributes and rules, to be end user configurable.
[0010] The above discussed and other features and advantages of the
present invention will be appreciated and understood by those
skilled in the art from the following detailed description and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements
are numbered alike in the several Figures:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary medical facility
operably connected with a workstation in accordance with the
present technique;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process
flow in accordance with the present technique;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a screenshot of an exemplary user interface of the
workstation of FIG. 1; and
[0015] FIG. 4 is a continued screenshot of the exemplary user
interface depicted in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] One or more specific embodiments of the present invention
will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise
description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual
implementation are described in the specification. It should be
appreciated that in the development of any such actual
implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous
implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the
developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related
and business-related constraints, which may vary from one
implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that
such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but
would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication,
and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of
this disclosure.
[0017] Additionally, used herein, an element or step recited in the
singular and preceded with the word "a" or "an" should be
understood as not excluding plural said elements or steps, unless
such exclusion is explicitly recited. Furthermore, references to
"one embodiment" of the present invention are not intended to be
interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments
that also incorporate the recited features. Also as used herein,
the phrase "reconstructing an image" is not intended to exclude
embodiments of the present invention in which data representing an
image is generated but a viewable image is not. However, many
embodiments generate (or are configured to generate) a viewable
image.
[0018] Turning now to the drawings, and referring initially to FIG.
1, an exemplary medical facility and data processing system is
illustrated. This particular medical facility 10 includes a
plurality of scanners which provide medical imaging to a
workstation 12. In one embodiment, the medical facility 10 includes
an MRI system 14, a computed tomography system 16, and an
ultrasound system 18. These and other modalities may be similarly
communicated with the workstation 12, depending upon the
capabilities of the medical facility 10, the types of diagnostic
systems that generate a patient report, as well as other factors.
In general, the present technique is particularly well suited to
generating a customized patient report in conjunction with a wide
variety of medical diagnostic system modalities including, but not
limited to, MRI systems, CT systems, ultrasound systems, positron
emission tomography (PET) systems, nuclear medicine systems, and so
forth. The modalities (e.g., MRI system 14, CT system 16,
ultrasound system 18) may be linked to the workstation 12 directly
or via a remote access network 20. For remote access, any suitable
network connection may be employed. Presently, advantageous network
configurations may include both proprietary and dedicated networks
as well as open networks, such as the Internet. Data may be
exchanged between the various instruments in the medical facility
10 and the workstation 12 in any suitable format, such as in
accordance with Internet protocol, the transmission control
protocol, or other known protocols. Moreover, certain of the data
may be transmitted or formatted via markup languages such as
hyper-text markup language (HTML), or the extensible markup
language (XML), or other standard languages.
[0019] The workstation 12 includes I/O communication components 22
configured to receive the communications from the medical facility
10. The communications components 22 are linked to one or more
databases 24. The databases 24 may include information on operating
parameters, patient histories, and so forth, which are reserved for
specific scanners as well as perhaps external populations of
diagnostic equipment. Workstation 12 further includes a central
processing unit (CPU) shown generally at 26, a random access memory
(RAM) 28, an output device 30, for example a monitor, a mass
storage device 32, and an input device 34, for example a keyboard.
Workstation 12 may be a single user system, for example, a
microcomputer, or a multi-user system. Additionally, workstation 12
may include multiple input devices 20, i.e., a keyboard, a mouse,
or various automated data input devices, i.e., an optical scanner
(not shown). An application program 36 is stored in mass storage
device 32 and is executed by workstation 12. After receiving
information from a scanner and processing the data, a patient
report is generated by workstation 12 indicative of the diagnostic
image scanning and patient attributes input to workstation 12. The
patient report is then printed and hand delivered or sent to a
designated delivery point 26. The delivery point 26 may be within
the medical facility 10 or located remotely. The reports may be
delivered by any specified means such as over the Internet, through
e-mail, by fax, by mail, and so forth. The patient report is a
customized diagnostic report as a result of the attributes input
via input devices 20 and medical imaging conducted by a scanner
operably connected to workstation 12.
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary process
flow incorporating the present technique as indicated generally at
reference numeral 38. Initially, an end user or customer, such as
an imaging technician or other medical personnel from a medical
facility, will input a patient profile by inputting particular
patient attributes via input devices 20, as in block 40. Among the
preliminary tasks associated with the patient profile, the customer
may input which scanner is selected within the medical facility as
well as the attributes specific to the patient, such as age,
gender, and any relevant medical history pertaining to the
diagnostic screening/procedure. Further, the customer may complete
a Report Profile which will be used by medical personnel (i.e.,
medical doctor) to determine the type of report and the format of
the report. Once the profiles have been stored in workstation 12,
one or more databases are configured to store and maintain the data
necessary for preparing each report. Data may be archived to create
historical databases which may be used for later comparisons with
future screenings/procedures. After the profiles are established,
they are used to generate customized patient report formats for
each patient. The report will be generated using this format which
is stored in the database under each patient.
[0021] The examination procedure is generally indicated by block
42. During the examination procedure, a patient undergoes an
imaging procedure, such as an MRI or CT procedure for instance.
During an examination, both the MRI and CT operating software
generates and saves files containing examination information such
as imaging setup parameters, examination codes, and date stamps to
be used in preparing reports generated by the workstation. Each
scanner preferably has a disk management strategy which is
configured to retain data files until they are transferred to the
workstation.
[0022] Once the preliminary registration and linking is performed
to establish a communication link between a scanner and the
workstation, examination data logs are automatically transferred
periodically to the workstation as indicated at block 44. The
frequency of this transfer may be selected or altered to avoid
overflow of the scanner data storage media. The transfer software
may be configured to establish expected arrival frequency for each
scanner and send an alert to appropriate personnel when a scanner
appears to have dropped offline.
[0023] Next, the data received from the scanners is analyzed, as
indicated by block 46 and further discussed with reference to FIGS.
3 and 4. The analysis process facilitates appropriation of the
patient report in accordance with the Report Profile established
for each patient and generates a customized diagnostic report
tailored to that specific patient. A specific Report Profile may
require that the examination data be analyzed and correlated with
data from other scanners or other facilities. The results are
displayed in a variety of formats including a scanned image and
word text, for instance, as specified in each patient Report
Profile.
[0024] Once the data is analyzed and the reports are prepared, the
reports are generated for the customer, as indicated by block 48.
The reports are delivered in a predetermined format specified in
the Report Profile. The patient will then receive a patient
specific report as a hand-delivered or mailed hard-copy, a fax,
static pages that maybe viewed through an Internet browser, or any
other mutually acceptable format.
[0025] A rules-based patient reporting system and method is
implemented in an exemplary embodiment by software including the
main operating program allowing end users the ability to easily
design, customize, and modify patient reports. The compiled
programs operate on the MS-DOS.TM. 6.0 operating system and higher
versions available from MICROSOFT.TM. Corporation, and use a
graphic user interface (GUI) such as MICROSOFT.TM. WINDOWS.TM. 3.1
for entering data and icon selected commands.
[0026] In one embodiment, the input device 34 may include a
keyboard and a mouse for use in the WINDOWS.TM. environment, and
the input device 34 may also include a data reading device such as
a disk drive for importing and receiving patient information or
attributes as well as previously stored patient and diagnostic
information from storage media such as a floppy disk.
[0027] Outputs such as the graphic representation of the diagnostic
imaging and patient information are sent to output device 30 such
as a display for displaying the graphic representation of the
scanned images and corresponding patient information, as well as
for use with the graphic user interface; for example, the
WINDOWS.TM. environment. The capability for generating hardcopy
printouts of such diagnostic and patient information, and the like
is also provided in an exemplary embodiment for the patient to
review. Alternatively, output device 30 may include specialized
graphics programs to convert the generated graphic representation
of diagnostic and patient information to a displayed graphic and/or
to hardcopy plots such as bar charts and pie charts.
[0028] After the main operating program is installed and stored in
workstation 12, a top level rule menu screen 50 is illustrated in
FIG. 4 allowing the user to select program modules entitled
ATTRIBUTES, RULES, ADD, DELETE, EDIT, or to exit from the operating
program. By selecting the program modules, the user may access user
input windows, pop-up or pull-down menus, and the like.
[0029] By selecting an ATTRIBUTE module, the operating program
generates an attribute menu 54 or toolbar on a blank screen, as
shown in FIG. 4. In an exemplary embodiment, an attribute is
selected as indicative of any relevant patient information or
diagnostic test result. Once an attribute is highlighted in
attribute menu 54, a patient's gender for example, may be indicated
by selecting a TRUE button 54 or a FALSE button 56. Alternatively,
a drop down menu 58 may be employed to select the patient's gender
or select a specific attribute corresponding to the attribute
selected in attribute menu 54.
[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of generic or spare
attribute buttons 60 are provided for adding additional attributes
to attribute menu 54 by an end user. Although three attribute
buttons 60 are illustrated in FIG. 3, buttons for all attributes
and spares may be accessed by selecting EDIT button 62 when a
selected attribute is highlighted for selection in attribute menu
54.
[0031] Top level menu screen 50 further includes a Rule module for
selecting a rule indicative of a series of end user defined Boolean
logic tests using the attributes as variables to return either a
TRUE RULE TEXT 64 or a FALSE RULE TEXT 66. (See FIG. 4). For
example, a rule is selected from a top level rule menu 70, the
selected rule is illustrated in a selected rule text box 72
indicative of the Boolean logic test between attributes of the
selected rule. As an example, the rule selected in text box 72
queries a true or false condition as it relates to a diagnostic CT
scan for coronary calcification scoring. More specifically, the
Boolean logic test seeks a true or false condition if the patient's
age is greater than thirty-five and the patient is a male and has a
number of risk factors greater than one and the scan type is a
coronary calcium scan. If the condition is true, then the TRUE TEXT
in text box 64 will be generated. If the condition is false, then
the FALSE TEXT in text box 66 will be generated. A selected
attribute or top level rule may be edited, deleted, or added
selecting corresponding buttons EDIT 62, DELETE 76, or ADD 78,
respectively.
[0032] Referring now to FIG. 4, another screen shot 80 is
illustrated that may be a separate page or a continuation of top
level menu 50 in FIG. 3. Screen shot 80 illustrates a second level
menu 82 that may be employed in conjunction with a selected top
level rule to extend the hierarchy of a selected rule before
generating text in text boxes 64 or 66. As with a selected top
level rule, a selected or highlighted rule from menu 82 is depicted
in a Boolean logic test form in a second level rule text box 84. A
second set of ADD, DELETE, and EDIT buttons 86, 88, and 90,
respectively, are included for adding, deleting, and editing a
selected second level rule. A second attributes menu 92 is further
included for use with a selected second level rule. It will be
recognized that buttons 86, 88, and 90 may be employed for use with
second attributes menu 92 as well.
[0033] Operator selection buttons are generally shown at 94 for use
in editing or adding a top level rule and a second level rule. In
an exemplary embodiment, buttons for basic Boolean logic operators
are included for use in establishing a top or second level rule in
boxes 72 and 84. For example, in one embodiment, Boolean logic
qualifiers include: if, and, or, not, nor, greater than, greater
than or equal to, less than , less than or equal to, equal to, not
equal to, and the like. A selection value box 96 and an enumerate
value box 98 are included for selecting or enumerating a value
corresponding to a selected operator button 94.
[0034] Other commands such as saving an attribute or rule, or
printing a patient report are accomplished by selecting the
appropriate SAVE or PRINT buttons 100, 102, respectively.
[0035] Once the attributes and rules are selected, workstation 12
prepares a customized rule-based patient report. In one embodiment,
a hard-copy patient report is generated that is in a format that is
easily reviewed and digested by the patient. The patient report is
preferably stored in the facility history database and is used for
preparing reports and possibly providing historical data for
comparison to future scanner files.
[0036] After the patient report rule-based format is selected by an
end user (e.g., a physician) for meaningful patient review, reports
can be generated based on Reporting Profiles, as previously
discussed. The examination data may be parsed into groups or
subgroups as required by the report profile for each patient and
may generate current diagnostic medical status, such as current
coronary calcification score, specific patient risk factors, and so
forth. The results may be displayed in a variety of formats
including time series, pie charts, and bar charts as determined by
the patient's Report Profile. For example, in the case of an
asymptomatic/mildly-affected patient, the screening application
aims to catch the disease early and make the patient aware of what
action should be taken, if any, to avert further damage. In the
case of a symptomatic patient with some history of CVD risk, the
customized patient report informs the patient of a current status,
or if necessary, directs the patient to seek further medical
advice.
[0037] The customized patient report configured by the end-user is
a revolutionary idea, which can make the patient report more
patient focused and better serving the patient by providing a
message that advises him/her of a current medical condition and
further actions to be taken, if any. The customized patient report
may guide a patient into an improved lifestyle or direct the
patient to a cardiologist/physician who may take continue to
provide medical care. The customized medical report also provides
both the physician and the patient with an overall picture of the
patient's health by presenting it in a quickly digestible format.
Furthermore, it will be understood by one skilled in the pertinent
art that the invention is not limited to calcium scoring as
described herein for example, as it may apply to other emerging
screening applications as well.
[0038] The patient report may also provide certain other
information aside from the diagnostic rule-based reporting.
Workstation 12 may generate heuristical reports based on current
medical patient trends. The heuristical report generation is in an
intelligent interpretation which reports statistics and detects
trends and comparisons that are both practically and statistically
significant. Heuristics may be used to select which features might
be of interest to the patient based on his Report Profile and
additional text and graphics may be automatically generated in
addition to the patient's report to display these particular
observations.
[0039] The above-described base functions comprise an ordered
listing of executable instructions for implementing logical
functions. The ordered listing can be embodied in any
computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with a
computer-based system that can retrieve the instructions and
execute them. In the context of this application, the
computer-readable medium can be any means that can contain, store,
communicate, propagate, transmit or transport the instructions. The
computer readable medium can be an electronic, a magnetic, an
optical, an electromagnetic, or an infrared system, apparatus, or
device. An illustrative, but non-exhaustive list of
computer-readable mediums can include an electrical connection
(electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette
(magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (magnetic), a read-only
memory (ROM) (magnetic), an erasable programmable read-only memory
(EPROM or Flash memory) (magnetic), an optical fiber (optical), and
a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM) (optical). It is
even possible to use paper or another suitable medium upon which
the instructions are printed. For instance, the instructions can be
electronically captured via optical scanning of the paper or other
medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a
suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer
memory.
[0040] Although the preceding embodiments are discussed with
respect to medical imaging, it is understood that the image
acquisition and processing methodology described herein is not
limited to medical applications, but may be utilized in non-medical
applications.
[0041] While the invention has been described with reference to an
exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it
is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular
embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out
this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments
falling within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, the use
of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or
importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to
distinguish one element from another.
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