U.S. patent application number 13/494564 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-11 for system and method for the automatic generation of a query to a dicom server.
This patent application is currently assigned to APTERYX, INC.. Invention is credited to Kevin M. Crucs.
Application Number | 20120259886 13/494564 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37420375 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120259886 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Crucs; Kevin M. |
October 11, 2012 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF A QUERY TO A
DICOM SERVER
Abstract
A system and method for automatically generating a query to a
DICOM server computer. The system comprises patient identification
information encoded in a tangible medium. The system further
comprises a reading device to read the encoded patient
identification information from the tangible medium. The system
also includes a computer-based platform hosting a medical software
application. The computer-based platform operationally interfaces
to the reading device to receive the read patient identification
information from the reading device and to automatically generate a
DICOM query, using the medical software application, such that the
DICOM query includes at least a portion of the patient
identification information. The system further comprises at least
one DICOM server computer operationally interfacing to the
computer-based platform to receive the DICOM query from the
computer-based platform.
Inventors: |
Crucs; Kevin M.; (Copley,
OH) |
Assignee: |
APTERYX, INC.
Akron
OH
|
Family ID: |
37420375 |
Appl. No.: |
13/494564 |
Filed: |
June 12, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11125930 |
May 10, 2005 |
8219570 |
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13494564 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
707/769 ;
707/E17.014 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 30/20 20180101;
G16H 10/65 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/769 ;
707/E17.014 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/30 20060101
G06F017/30 |
Claims
1. A method to automatically generate a query to a Digital Imaging
and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) server, said method
comprising: selecting a DICOM query option from a displayed menu,
provided by a medical software application hosted on a computer, to
initiate displaying of a query window, wherein said query window
includes unpopulated data fields; reading patient identification
information using a bar code scanning device, wherein said patient
identification information is encoded in a bar code; automatically
forwarding said read patient identification information from said
bar code scanning device to said medical software application on
said computer; automatically populating at least one of said data
fields of said query window with at least a portion of said patient
identification information within said medical software
application; and initiating a search operation to search at least
one DICOM server for information related to a patient associated
with said patient identification information, based at least on
said populated patient identification information, using said
medical software application.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said DICOM query option
corresponds to a DICOM query/retrieve.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said patient identification
information includes at least one of a patient's name, a patient
identification number, a patient's sex, a patient's date of birth,
and a patient's age.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of initiating a search
operation is performed by a user of said medical software
application.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of initiating a search
operation is performed automatically by said medical software
application.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said bar code comprises a
one-dimensional bar code.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said bar code comprises a
two-dimensional bar code.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising said at least one DICOM
server returning at least one search result to said medical
software application on said computer in response to at least said
search operation.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising said at least one DICOM
server returning at least one medical file or data object
associated with said patient to said medical software application
on said compute in response to at least said search operation.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising said at least one
DICOM server returning at least one image file or data object
associated with said patient to said medical software application
on said computer in response to at least said search operation.
11. A system for automatically generating a query to a Digital
Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) server computer, said
system comprising: a non-transitory encoded medium including
encoded patient identification information of a patient; a reading
device configured to read said patient identification information
encoded in said non-transitory encoded medium; a personal computer
hosting a medical software application, said personal computer
operationally interfacing to said reading device to receive said
read patient identification information from said reading device
and to automatically generate a DICOM query, using said medical
software application, such that said DICOM query includes at least
a portion of said patient identification information; and at least
one DICOM server computer operationally interfacing to said
personal computer to receive said DICOM query from said personal
computer.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein said at least one DICOM server
computer operationally interfaces to said personal computer via at
least one network.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein said at least one network
comprises at least one of a local area network (LAN), a wide area
network (WAN), and a global informational network.
14. The system of claim 11 further comprising at least one image
data base operationally interfacing to said at least one DICOM
server computer and storing digital medical images.
15. The system of claim 11 wherein said personal computer includes
a central processing unit, a user interface, and a display.
16. The system of claim 11 wherein said non-transitory encoded
medium comprises a bar code printed on a patient identification
card, a patient file, or a patient image.
17. The system of claim 11 wherein said non-transitory encoded
medium comprises an RFID tag or chip affixed to or printed on one
of a patient identification card, a patient file, and a patient
image.
18. The system of claim 11 wherein said at least one DICOM server
computer provides at least one of a digital image, a medical file,
and a data object to said personal computer in response to said
DICOM query.
19. The system of claim 11 wherein said patient identification
information includes at least one of a patient's name, a patient
identification number, a patient's sex, a patient's date of birth,
and a patient's age.
20. The system of claim 11 wherein said reading device comprises
one of a bar code scanning device and an RFID interrogator/reader
device.
21. A method to automatically generate a query to a Digital Imaging
and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) server computer, said method
comprising: reading patient identification information using a
reading device, wherein said patient identification information is
encoded on a non-transitory medium; automatically forwarding said
read patient identification information from said reading device to
a medical software application on a personal computer; and
initiating a DICOM query operation to search at least one DICOM
server computer for information related to a patient associated
with said patient identification information, based at least on a
portion of said patient identification information, using said
medical software application.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein said DICOM query operation
corresponds to a DICOM query/retrieve.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein said patient identification
information includes at least one of a patient's name, a patient
identification number, a patient's sex, a patient's date of birth,
and a patient's age.
24. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of initiating a DICOM
query operation is performed by a user of said medical software
application.
25. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of initiating a DICOM
query operation is performed automatically by said medical software
application.
26. The method of claim 21 further comprising said at least one
DICOM server computer returning at least one query result to said
medical software application on said personal computer in response
to said DICOM query operation.
27. The method of claim 21 further comprising said at least one
DICOM server computer returning at least one medical file or data
object associated with said patient to said medical software
application on said personal computer in response to at least said
DICOM query operation.
28. The method of claim 21 further comprising said at least one
DICOM server computer returning at least one image file or data
object associated with said patient to said medical software
application on said personal computer in response to at least said
DICOM query operation.
29. The method of claim 21 wherein said reading device comprises a
bar code scanning device.
30. The method of claim 21 wherein said reading device comprises an
RFID interrogator/reader device.
31. The method of claim 21 wherein said non-transitory medium
comprises a bar code printed on a patient identification card, a
patient file, or a patient image.
32. The method of claim 21 wherein said non-transitory medium
comprises an RFID tag or chip affixed to or printed on one of a
patient identification card, a patient file, and a patient image.
Description
[0001] This U.S. patent application claims priority to and is a
continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/125,930
filed on May 10, 2005 which is incorporated by reference herein in
its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to
submitting queries to a DICOM server computer. More particularly,
certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and
method to use encoded information to automatically generate and
submit queries to a DICOM server computer. The terms "DICOM server"
and "DICOM server computer" are used interchangeably herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is a
well-known standard for transferring images and associated
information between devices manufactured by various vendors.
Typically, a DICOM server is used to store, organize, and manage
medical images. Various external systems may desire to communicate
with a DICOM server to store images to the DICOM server and/or to
retrieve images from the DICOM server by submitting queries to the
DICOM server.
[0004] However, the DICOM standard provides for more than the
transferring and storing of digital medical images. Other DICOM
functions include media storage, query/retrieve, worklist query,
make image hard copies, study and results management, print
management, worklist management, and test connectivity
verification.
[0005] A basic concept used in the DICOM standard is that of
"Services on Objects". An example of an "object" is an X-ray image.
Two examples of a "service" are the "query/retrieve" and "store"
functions. In the DICOM standard, processes of operating on objects
are called "Service Object Pair Classes" (SOP Classes). Examples of
SOP Classes include "store an X-ray image", "print an X-ray image",
and "retrieve a worklist".
[0006] Unique Identifiers (UID's) are determined for SOP classes
and are also applied to studies, series, and images. A patient
study includes a study component such as, for example, an
examination using a particular type of medical imaging machine. The
images that are captured in sequence during the study on a patient
form a series of objects.
[0007] The DICOM standard is founded on a client/server concept. A
device that uses a service is the client device, and the device
that provides the service is the server device. The client device
is called a Service Class User (SCU). The server device is called a
Service Class Provider (SCP). An SCU transmits a Service Request to
an SCP over a network. The SCP transmits back a response to the SCU
over the network. For information to be transferred between a SCP
and a SCU, a communication syntax must be agreed upon an
association between the SCU and the SCP must be opened.
[0008] The DICOM standard facilitates communication of digital
medical images of various types including X-ray, computerized
tomography, magnetic resonance, and ultrasound, for example. DICOM
activities are administered in a queued manner via application
software running on a host computer. The host computer may be an
integral part of a medical imaging machine.
[0009] Typically, a client user has to manually enter patient
information into data fields of an application window to serve as
search terms for a query. Such manual entry of patient information
is inefficient and prone to errors.
[0010] Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional,
traditional, and proposed approaches will become apparent to one of
skill in the art, through comparison of such systems and methods
with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the
present application with reference to the drawings.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method to
automatically generate a query to a DICOM server. The method
includes reading patient identification information using a bar
code scanning device. The patient identification information is
encoded in a bar code on, for example, a patient identification
card belonging to a patient. The method further includes
automatically forwarding the read patient identification
information from the bar code scanning device to a medical software
application on a computer-based platform. A DICOM query operation
is then initiated to search at least one DICOM server, based at
least on a portion of the patient identification information, using
the medical software application.
[0012] Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a
system for automatically generating a query to a DICOM server. The
system comprises an encoded medium including encoded patient
information of a patient. The system further comprises a reading
device to read the patient identification information encoded in
the encoded medium. The system also comprises a computer-based
platform hosting a medical software application. The computer-based
platform operationally interfaces to the reading device to receive
the read patient identification information from the reading device
and to automatically generate a DICOM query, using the medical
software application. The DICOM query includes at least a portion
of the patient identification information. The system further
includes at least one DICOM server operationally interfacing to the
computer-based platform to receive the DICOM query from the
computer-based platform, for example, over a network.
[0013] A further embodiment of the present invention provides a
method to automatically generate a query to a DICOM server. The
method includes reading patient identification information using a
reading device, wherein the patient identification information is
encoded on a tangible medium. The method further includes
automatically forwarding the read patient identification
information from the reading device to a medical software
application on a computer-based platform. The method also includes
initiating a DICOM query operation to search at least one DICOM
server, based at least one a portion of the patient identification
information, using the medical software application.
[0014] These and other advantages and novel features of the present
invention, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof,
will be more fully understood from the following description and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first exemplary
embodiment of a system for automatically generating a query to a
DICOM server, in accordance with various aspects of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a first exemplary embodiment of a
method to automatically generate a query to a DICOM server using
the system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various aspects of the
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a query
window displayed by the system of FIG. 1 as part of the method of
FIG. 2, in accordance with various aspects of the present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates the query window of FIG. 3 having data
fields popuulated with exemplary patient information, in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a query
window displayed by the system of FIG. 1 as part of the method of
FIG. 2, in accordance with various aspects of the present
invention.
[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary embodiments of two types of bar
codes that may be used on the patient identification card of the
system of FIG. 1, in accordance with various aspects of the present
invention.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a second exemplary
embodiment of a system for automatically generating a query to a
DICOM server, in accordance with various aspects of the present
invention.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a second exemplary embodiment of a
method to automatically generate a query to a DICOM server using
the system of FIG. 1 or FIG. 7, in accordance with various aspects
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary
embodiment of a system 100 for automatically generating a query to
a DICOM server (e.g, 110), in accordance with various aspects of
the present invention. The system 100 includes a patient
identification card 120 belonging to a medical patient. The patient
identification card includes a bar code 125 with encoded patient
identification information. The patient identification information
may include, for example, the patient's name, a patient
identification number, the patient's sex (male or female), the
patient's date of birth, and the patient's age. Other
identification information is possible as well (e.g., insurance
information), in accordance with various embodiments of the present
invention. The patient identification card 120 is typically the
same size and shape as a standard credit card. However, other sizes
and shapes are possible as well, in accordance with various
embodiments of the present invention.
[0024] In accordance with alternative embodiments of the present
invention, the patient identification card 120 may be, instead, a
medical file folder, or a hard copy of a medical image or images,
for example, having a bar code printed thereon. Other tangible
media may be used as well, to include a bar code with encoded
patient identification information.
[0025] The system 100 further includes a bar code scanning device
130 to read the patient identification information encoded in the
bard code 125. The bar code scanning device 130 may be a wand type
of device that is held in a user's hand and waved across the bar
code 125 of the patient identification card 120. Alternatively, the
bar code scanning device 130 may be a stationary device where the
patient identification card 120 is waved across the stationary bar
code scanning device 130 for reading. Other bar code scanning
device implementations are possible as well, in accordance with
various embodiments of the present invention. For example the bar
code scanning device 130 may include a slot that the patient
identification card 120 may be inserted into for reading of the bar
code 125.
[0026] As an alternative to a bar code scanning device 130, the
system 100 may instead use a radio frequency (RF) identification
(ID) interrogator/reader device 730 as shown in FIG. 7. Also,
instead of having a bar code printed on a tangible medium, patient
identification information is encoded in an RF ID tag or chip 720
as shown in FIG. 7. The RF ID interrogator/reader device 730 is
used to interrogate the RF ID tag 720 such that the RF ID tag 720
transmits the encoded patient identification information back to
the RF ID interrogator/reader device 730. Other reading devices and
encoded medium are possible as well, in accordance with various
alternative embodiments of the present invention.
[0027] The system 100 also includes a computer-based platform 140
hosting a medical software application 145. The computer-based
platform 140 operationally interfaces (wired or wirelessly) to the
bar code scanning device 130 (or some other reading device such as,
for example, the RF ID interrogator/reader device 730) to receive
the read patient identification information from the bar code
scanning device 130 (or other reading device). The computer-based
platform 140 may comprise, for example, a personal computer (PC), a
work station, or a medical imaging machine, in accordance with
various embodiments of the present invention. For example, a
medical imaging machine may comprise an ultrasound machine, an
X-ray machine, a magnetic resonance (MR) machine, or any other type
of medical imaging machine. Other computer-based platforms are
possible as well, in accordance with other embodiments of the
present invention. A typical computer-based platform, in accordance
with certain embodiments of the present invention, includes a
central processing unit 141 (CPU), a user interface 142 (e.g., a
keyboard and a mouse), and a display 143 (e.g., a CRT monitor or a
flat-panel display). In accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention, the bar code scanning device 130 (or other
reading device) may be an integral part of the computer-based
platform 140.
[0028] The medical software application 145 may comprise, for
example, a patient management software application or an imaging
software application, in accordance with various embodiments of the
present invention. The medical software application 145 uses at
least a portion of the read patient identification information to
generate a DICOM query (e.g., a worklist query or a
query/retrieve). A DICOM query operation may be performed by the
system 100 to access a worklist for the patient, to retrieve
digital image files corresponding to the patient, or to retrieve
other digital medical files or data objects associated with the
patient (e.g., a medical study or report file).
[0029] The system 100 further includes at least one DICOM server
(e.g., 110-112) operationally interfacing (wired or wirelessly) to
the computer-based platform 140 via at least one network 150. The
DICOM servers 110-112 are used to digitally store, organize, and
control access of patient files including worklists, digital
images, medical reports, or any other type of digital medical file.
Such digital patient files may be stored directly in memory of the
DICOM server itself or in a storage medium that operationally
interfaces to the DICOM server. For example, the system 100 also
includes an image database 160 operationally interfacing (wired or
wirelessly) to the DICOM server 110. The image database is used to
store digital medical images of patients. Also, the DICOM servers
110-112 may be used to digitally store, organize, and control
access of data objects associated with patients. In general, as
used herein, a DICOM server comprises a device that provides a
service to a client device (e.g., the computer-based platform
140).
[0030] The network 150 may include at least one of a local area
network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and a global
informational network such as, for example, the Internet, in
accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. The
network 150 may be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and
wireless, in accordance with various embodiments of the present
invention.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method
200 to automatically generate a query to a DICOM server (e.g., 110)
using the system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with various aspects
of the present invention. In step 210, a DICOM query option is
selected from a displayed menu, provided by a medical software
application hosted on a computer-based platform, to initiate
displaying of a query window. The query window includes unpopulated
data fields. In step 220, patient identification information is
read using a bar code scanning device. The patient identification
information is encoded in a bar code on, for example, a patient
identification card belonging to a medical patient. In step 230,
the read patient identification information is automatically
forwarded from the bar code scanning device to the medical software
application on the computer-based platform. In step 240, at least
one of the data fields of the query window is automatically
populated with at least a portion of the patient identification
information within the medical software application. In step 250, a
search operation is initiated to search at least one DICOM server,
based at least on the populated patient identification information,
using the medical software application. In step 260, at least one
DICOM server returns at least one search result to the medical
software application on the computer-based platform in response to
the search operation.
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a query
window 300 displayed by the system 100 of FIG. 1 as part of the
method 200 of FIG. 2, in accordance with various aspects of the
present invention. When a user of the system 100 selects a first
type of DICOM query option from a displayed menu on the display
143, the DICOM query/retrieve window 300 (170 in FIG. 1) is
displayed on the display 143. The DICOM query/retrieve window 300
includes several unpopulated data fields (e.g., 301-304). In FIG.
3, the unpopulated data fields 301-304 correspond to data entry
locations for a patient name, a patient identification (ID) number,
a date of birth, and sex. The DICOM query/retrieve window 300 also
includes a search or query icon button 310. Other data fields and
window configurations are possible as well, in accordance with
various embodiments of the present invention.
[0033] When the system 100 reads the encoded patient information
from the patient identification card 120, the read patient
information is forwarded to the computer-based platform 140 where
the medical software application 145 takes the patient information
and populates the appropriate data fields 301-304 with the
corresponding patient information as shown in FIG. 4. The patient
is a male named "John Q. Public" having a date of birth of Dec. 8,
1960 and a patient identification number of 1234567890. In
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the patient
identification number may include a social security number. In
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the
patient identification number may include an insurance number or
any other type of patient identifying code.
[0034] Once the data fields are populated with the patient
information, the user may select, using the user interface 142, the
search button 310 to initiate a search operation (i.e., a DICOM
query operation). In accordance with certain embodiments of the
present invention, not all of the data fields need to be populated.
That is, a search operation may be performed using some portion or
subset of the read patient identification information. Also, in
accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention,
a user does not have to manually initiate the search operation by
selecting the search button 310. Instead, the search operation may
be automatically initiated by the medical software application 145
once the data fields are populated.
[0035] Furthermore, in accordance with yet another alternative
embodiment of the present invention, the steps of displaying and
populating a query window may be skipped altogether. Instead, the
bar code scanning device 130 may read the patient identification
information from the bar code 125 on the patient identification
card 120 and a search operation may be automatically and
immediately initiated by the medical software application 145
without displaying any of the patient identification information to
the user beforehand.
[0036] For example, as part of the search operation, the patient
information populated in the DICOM query/retrieve window 300 is
used as search terms by the medical software application to search
the DICOM server 110 via the network 150. As a result, a file of
digital medical images corresponding to the patient "John Q.
Public" is found and accessed from the image database 160 by the
DICOM server 110. The DICOM server 110 then sends the file of
digital medical images to the computer-based platform 140 via the
network 150. The user may open the file and view the digital
medical images using the computer-based platform 140. In accordance
with certain embodiments of the present invention, the user may
need to specify which DICOM server or servers to search, before
initiating a search operation.
[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a query
window 300 displayed by the system 100 of FIG. 1 as part of the
method 200 of FIG. 2, in accordance with various aspects of the
present invention. When a user of the system 100 selects a second
type of DICOM query option from a displayed menu on the display
143, the DICOM worklist query window 500 (e.g., 170 in FIG. 1) is
displayed on the display 143. The DICOM worklist query window 500
includes several unpopulated data fields (e.g., 501-504). In FIG.
5, the unpopulated data fields 501-504 correspond to data entry
locations for a patient name, a patient identification (ID) number,
a date of birth, and sex. The DICOM worklist query window 300 also
includes a search or query icon button 510.
[0038] When the system 100 reads the encoded patient information
from the patient identification card 120, the read patient
information is forwarded to the computer-based platform 140 where
the medical software application 145 takes the patient information
and populates the appropriate data fields 501-504 with the
corresponding patient information, similar to as shown in FIG. 4.
Once the data fields are populated with the patient information,
the user may select, using the user interface 142, the search
button 510 to initiate a search operation (i.e., a DICOM query
operation).
[0039] As an example, a worklist may comprise, for example, a
digital file that lists instructions for carrying out an
examination or imaging session for a particular patient.
Alternatively, a worklist may comprise, for example, a list of all
patients to be examined on a particular day using a particular
medical imaging machine. Other worklists are possible as well, in
accordance with various aspects of the present invention. A user of
the system 100 may desire to access a worklist corresponding to a
particular patient from the DICOM server 110 using the
computer-based platform 140 by scanning a patient identification
card 120 of the particular patient and generating a DICOM worklist
query. In such a case, the DICOM server 110 may be serving as part
of a Radiology Information System (RIS) at a hospital and the
computer-based platform 140 may be serving as a workstation at an
imaging clinic.
[0040] For example, as part of the search operation, the patient
information populated in the DICOM worklist query window 500 is
used as search terms by the medical software application 145 to
search the DICOM servers 110-112 via the network 150. As a result,
a worklist file corresponding to the patient "John Q. Public" is
found and accessed by the DICOM server 111. The DICOM server 111
then sends the worklist file to the computer-based platform 140 via
the network 150. The user may open the file and view the worklist
using the computer-based platform 140. The user may then follow the
instructions in the worklist to complete an examination on the
patient, for example.
[0041] FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary embodiments of two types of bar
codes 610 and 620 that may be used on the patient identification
card 120 of the system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with various
aspects of the present invention. The bar code 610 is a
one-dimensional bar code type that may be used to encode patient
identification information along a first direction 630. The bar
code 620 is a two-dimensional bar code type that may be used to
encode patient identification information along both the first
direction 630 and a second direction 640. Other bar code encoding
schemes may be possible as well, in accordance with various
embodiments of the present invention.
[0042] In accordance with certain alternative embodiments of the
present invention, patient identification information may be
encoded in other ways, other than bar code, on a patient
identification card and may be read by an appropriate reader
device, instead of a bar code scanner. For example, the patient
identification card 120 may include an RF ID chip which is encoded
with patient identification information according to RF ID
standards (see FIG. 7). The bar code scanning device 130, in such a
case, would be replaced with an RF ID interrogator/reader 730
operationally interfacing to the computer-based platform 140.
[0043] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a second exemplary embodiment of a
method 800 to automatically generate a query to a DICOM server
using the system 100 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 7, in accordance with
various aspects of the present invention. In step 810, patient
identification information is read using a reading device, wherein
the patient identification information is encoded on a tangible
medium. In step 820, the read patient identification information is
automatically forwarded from the reading device to a medical
software application on a computer-based platform. In step 830, a
DICOM query operation is initiated to search at least one DICOM
server, based at least on a portion of the patient identification
information, using the medical software application.
[0044] In summary, embodiments of the present invention provide a
system and method to for automatically generating a query to a
DICOM server. A reading device is used to easily read patient
identification information encoded on a tangible medium and
automatically use the patient identification to perform a DICOM
query operation (e.g., a DICOM query/retrieve or a DICOM worklist
query). A medical software application hosted on a computer-based
platform uses the read patient identification information as search
criteria to perform the query operation. As a result, a user does
not have to manually enter patient identification information
before a query can be initiated.
[0045] While the invention has been described with reference to
certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted 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 its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the
invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed,
but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within
the scope of the appended claims.
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