JP2012238320A - Medical image information system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medical image information system capable of setting link information in a diagnostic report without storing any medical image in an image server.SOLUTION: Before setting of link information, a storage place reservation request for reserving a storage place of a medical image to set the link information is transmitted from a client 2 to an image server 1. The image server 1 reserves the storage place by receiving the storage place reservation request, and transmits information on the storage place to the client 2. The client 2 sets the link information on the basis of the received information on the storage place.

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical image information system, and more particularly to a function capable of associating a medical image with a diagnostic report.

  An image server for storing medical images taken by a medical image diagnostic apparatus such as an X-ray CT apparatus or an MRI apparatus, an image viewer for displaying the stored medical images, and a diagnostic report based on the result of interpretation of the displayed image by an interpreting doctor A medical image information system having a report system or the like for creation has already been put into practical use. In such a device, the doctor or the like enters the findings of the medical image displayed on the image viewer in the findings entry field of the diagnosis report, enters the diagnosis result based on the findings of the medical images in the diagnosis entry field, and A diagnostic report is created by a report system by pasting a medical image on the diagnostic report as necessary.

  Regarding such a report system, for example, in Patent Document 1, link information of a medical image stored in an image server can be set as a hyperlink for a character string specified in a diagnosis report. By setting such a hyperlink, it is possible to associate a diagnostic report with a medical image and start an image viewer for displaying a medical image from the diagnostic report.

JP 2005-301453 A

  Here, in order to set a hyperlink in a diagnostic report, information on the storage location (path) of a medical image is necessary. Therefore, a hyperlink is basically set only for a medical image already stored in the image server. Can not do it. Therefore, in order to set a hyperlink for a medical image newly created by an image interpretation doctor or the like on the image viewer, it is necessary to set the hyperlink in the diagnosis report again after the created medical image is temporarily stored in the image server. As a result, the efficiency of diagnosis may be reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a medical image information system capable of setting link information in a diagnosis report even when no medical image is stored in an image server.

  In order to achieve the above object, the medical image information system according to claim 1 has a creation means for creating a diagnostic report in which link information for referring to the medical image stored in the image storage device is set. In the information system, prior to storing the unsaved medical image in the image storage device, a reservation request means for making a reservation request for a storage location of the unsaved medical image in the image storage device, and the reservation Reserving means for reserving the storage location of the unsaved medical image in response to the request.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a medical image information system that can set link information in a diagnosis report even if no medical image is stored in the image server.

It is a figure which shows the main structures of the medical image information system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the image server at the time of a user creating a medical image newly and setting a hyperlink to this newly created medical image. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the client at the time of a user creating a new medical image and setting a hyperlink to this newly created medical image.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main configuration of a medical image information system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The medical image information system shown in FIG. 1 mainly includes an image server 1, a client 2, and a report server 5. Here, each block is connected so that data communication is possible as shown in FIG.

  The image server 1 serving as a reservation unit, a storage unit, an identification unit, and a storage unit stores and manages medical images acquired by a medical image diagnostic apparatus (not shown) such as an X-ray CT apparatus, an MRI apparatus, or an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The image server 1 stores storage for storing medical images, and information related to the stored medical images (a medical image such as a UID for specifying a medical image, an examination date, and patient information later). A database (DB) for storing information necessary for searching) and a control unit that performs various controls in the image server 1 are configured. In the present embodiment, the image server 1 also has a reservation database table for associating a storage location created in response to a storage location reservation request from the client 2 and a medical image stored in the storage location. Is remembered.

  The client 2 serving as a reservation request unit and a link information setting unit is a terminal device for receiving an operation input from a user such as an interpreting doctor and creating an electronic diagnosis report. For example, a keyboard for inputting characters and a mouse for performing various designation operations on the diagnostic report editing screen and a medical image stored in the image server 1 are called and displayed on the client 2. The image viewer 4 to be connected is connected.

  Here, the client 2 is a computer in which application software for creating a predetermined diagnostic report is installed as a function for creating an electronic diagnostic report, for example. Further, the client 2 has a display unit such as a liquid crystal monitor, and displays a diagnostic report creation screen on the display unit. An interpreting doctor or the like can create a diagnostic report while viewing a medical image displayed on the image viewer 4 on the diagnostic report creation screen. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, link information for associating medical image data in the image server 1 with a character string in a diagnostic report can be set as a hyperlink.

  Further, the image viewer 4 not only displays the medical image called from the image server 1 as it is, but also separates the medical image from the medical image called from the image server 1 according to the operation of the operation unit 3 by a radiogram interpretation doctor or the like. It also has a function as an MPR viewer that creates and displays an image viewed from a cross section. The image viewer 4 may be configured by installing application software for the image viewer 4 in the client 2.

  The report server 5 stores the diagnostic report created in the client 2 in association with information related to the diagnostic report (such as a UID for specifying the diagnostic report).

  Hereinafter, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image server 1 when the user creates a new medical image (for example, an MPR image) and sets a hyperlink to the newly created medical image. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the client 2 when the user creates a new medical image and sets a hyperlink to the newly created medical image.

  First, when an instruction to set a hyperlink is given by the operation of the operation unit 3 by a user such as an interpreting doctor (step S11), the client 2 sets a storage location for storing a medical image for setting the hyperlink. A storage location reservation request for reservation is transmitted to the image server 1 (step S12). The storage location reservation request transmitted here includes image specifying information (image UID or the like) for specifying a medical image to be created later.

  When receiving the storage location reservation request from the client 2 (step S1), the image server 1 issues and reserves the storage location (step S2). Further, the image server 1 registers the image specifying information and the storage location information transmitted in the storage location reservation request in association with each other in the reservation database table. When the reservation of the storage location is completed in this way, the image server 1 notifies the client 2 of information on the reserved storage location (step S3).

  When the client 2 receives the storage location information from the image server 1 (step S13), the client 2 sets a hyperlink to the received storage location (step S14). Here, the information set as a hyperlink includes information for specifying an image (original image) used to create a medical image, in addition to information on the storage location of a medical image, and a hyperlink in a diagnostic report. Information on display conditions of the corresponding medical image when a character string with “” is designated may be set together.

  Thereafter, when a medical image (for example, an MPR image) to be newly saved in the image server 1 is created by the user (step S15), the client 2 sends the created medical image to the image server 1 together with the medical image saving request. (Step S16), and the processing on the client 2 side ends. Here, the medical image storage request includes the image specifying information issued in step S12. Further, after the diagnostic report is created in the client 2, the created diagnostic report is stored in the report server 5.

  When the image server 1 receives the medical image and the medical image storage request from the client 2 (step S4), the image server 1 reserves the storage location of the received medical image from the image specifying information included in the medical image storage request. It is determined whether or not the image has been made (step S5). If it is determined in step S5 that the received image specifying information is not registered in the reservation database table, that is, if the received medical image is not an image for which a storage location has been reserved, the image server 1 performs normal storage. The medical image received in the routine is stored (step S6). That is, the image server 1 checks the current medical image storage status and stores the received medical image in an empty storage location. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S5 that the received image specifying information is registered in the reservation database table, that is, if the received medical image is an image for which a storage location has been reserved, the image server 1 The received medical image is stored in a reserved storage location (step S7). Then, after the storage of the medical image is completed, the image server 1 stores information (information necessary for searching for the medical image after the image UID, examination date, patient information, etc.) related to the stored medical image. (Step S8). Thereby, the processing on the image server 1 side ends.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, a reservation request for a storage location is made from the client 2 to the image server 1 prior to actually setting a hyperlink, and the storage location is reserved according to the reservation request. . Then, a hyperlink is set for the reserved storage location, and the medical image transmitted to the image server 1 after that is stored in the reserved storage location, so that the medical image is stored in the image server 1. It is possible to set a hyperlink even if it is not.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the medical image is created after the hyperlink is set, but the hyperlink may be set after the medical image is created. In this case, since a medical image is actually created, in addition to the image UID, information such as the image size may be included in the storage location reservation request and transmitted.

  In this embodiment, the image specifying information such as the image UID is issued by the client 2. However, the client 2 only makes a reservation request for the storage location, and the image server 1 issues the image specifying information. You may make it do.

  In this embodiment, the medical image stored in the image server 1 is not only a medical image for which a storage location reservation request has been made, but also a medical image that has been created in the image viewer 4 in addition to a medical image for which a storage location reservation request has been made. All of the displayed medical images may be stored, or a medical image related to a medical image for which a storage location reservation request has been made, for example, a CT image, is set from images at previous and subsequent slice positions. Alternatively, MPR images created in a batch process based on the slice pitch or the number of sheets set in the range may be stored.

  The image server 1 may store a dummy image at the reserved location when the storage location is reserved. This dummy image is, for example, an image for notifying the user that the storage location has been reserved. By storing such a dummy image, a dummy image is displayed when a character string with a hyperlink set is specified even if the medical image is not actually stored. The user can confirm whether or not the hyperlink is correctly set before the storage of the medical image is completed.

  In addition, when the image server 1 receives a request for storing a medical image for which a storage location reservation request has been made, the image server 1 may store the image with priority over other images (medical images that have not been reserved for storage). This priority may be determined by the image server 1 or specified by the client 2. By preferentially saving medical images with reserved storage locations, hyperlinks can be set smoothly even when the load on the image server 1 is high due to the registration of a large number of images. Can do.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, an MPR image is cited as an example of a medical image for setting a hyperlink, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the method of the present embodiment described above can also be applied to a case where a hyperlink is set for a difference image of a plurality of medical images, an image obtained by performing gradation processing on the original medical image, or the like.

  Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and applications are naturally possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

  Further, the above-described embodiments include various stages of the invention, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some configuration requirements are deleted from all the configuration requirements shown in the embodiment, the above-described problem can be solved, and this configuration requirement is deleted when the above-described effects can be obtained. The configuration can also be extracted as an invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image server, 2 ... Client, 3 ... Operation part, 4 ... Image viewer, 5 ... Report server

Claims (7)

In a medical image information system having a creation means for creating a diagnostic report in which link information for referring to a medical image stored in an image storage device is set,
Prior to storing the unsaved medical image in the image storage device, reservation request means for making a reservation request for the storage location of the unsaved medical image in the image storage device;
Reserving means for reserving the storage location of the unsaved medical image in response to the reservation request;
A medical image information system comprising: Storage means for associating and storing identification information for identifying a medical image for which a reservation request for the storage location has been made, and information on the reserved storage location;
Identification means for identifying, based on the identification information, whether the medical image requested to be stored is a medical image requested to reserve the storage location;
As a result of the identification, when the medical image requested to be stored is a reserved medical image of the storage location, a storage unit that stores the medical image requested to be stored in the reserved storage location;
The medical image information system according to claim 1, further comprising:   The link information setting means links the display conditions for displaying the unsaved medical image or information for specifying the original medical image used to create the unsaved medical image. The medical image information system according to claim 1, further set to information.   The medical image information system according to claim 1, wherein the reservation request unit makes a reservation request for storage locations of a plurality of unsaved medical images.   The medical image information system according to claim 1, wherein the reservation unit temporarily stores a dummy image in the storage location of the image storage device when the storage location is reserved.   3. The storage unit according to claim 2, wherein among the medical images for which a storage request has been received, the storage unit preferentially stores a medical image for which a storage location is reserved with respect to a medical image for which a storage location is not reserved. The medical image information system described. Link information setting means for setting link information for the reserved storage location;
Have
The medical image information system according to claim 1, wherein the reservation unit temporarily stores a dummy image in the storage location of the image storage device when the storage location is reserved.

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