JP2015128472A - Radiation department system, reporting system, image inspection system, modality, image server, medical image storage method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate retrieval of a medical image for reference used in image reading.SOLUTION: An image inspection system for inspecting a medical image includes transmission means which transmits a medical image to a reporting system used at the time of image reading when it is confirmed that the medical image received from a modality can be used in medical treatment. The reporting system includes reception means which receives the medical image transmitted from the image inspection system, storage means which stores inspection achievement information, and association storage means which stores the medical image received from the image inspection system and inspection achievement information stored by the storage means in association with each other.

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for acquiring a reference medical image used for interpretation.

  A medical image taken by a modality that is a device for taking a medical image, such as a CT (Computed Tomography) examination apparatus or an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) examination apparatus, It is stored in an image server called (Picture Archiving and Communication System) and can be used in various departments of hospitals. For this reason, for example, by connecting a reporting system used for interpretation to this PACS, an interpretation doctor who performs interpretation can acquire a medical image used for interpretation.

  In examinations using modalities, the same examination is often performed several times for one patient. For example, when an operation is performed in which a metal such as a bolt is embedded in the body, follow-up is performed after the operation. This follow-up observation is performed by, for example, periodically imaging a site where surgery has been performed by X-ray examination or the like, and comparing these regularly captured medical images. Therefore, the interpreting doctor also acquires a previously captured medical image from the PACS, and uses the acquired medical image as a reference medical image.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228688 discloses a technique for appropriately extracting imaging conditions for a past examination for comparison and performing highly accurate imaging and comparative interpretation. In this technique, the correspondence table FIG. 16 is stored in the storage unit 25 of the X-ray CT apparatus 1 as a reference for determining whether or not to optimize the imaging plan, and the inspection purpose of the current diagnosis and the past diagnosis are stored. Compared with the previous inspection at the time of interpretation of the inspection by applying the shooting range, relative position, and shooting plan at the previous shooting to the current inspection In this case, it is possible to easily compare images taken at the same position and under the same conditions, and to grasp changes in pathological conditions in detail.

JP 2011-218220 A

  However, there is little information related to the examination accompanying the medical image. For this reason, it is difficult to search a reference medical image used for interpretation from medical images stored in the PACS based only on information attached to the medical image.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a radiation department system, a reporting system, an imaging system, a modality, an image server, and a medical image that can easily acquire a medical image for reference used for interpretation. An object is to provide a storage method and a program.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a radiation department system according to the present invention is a radiation department system that includes an imaging system that performs a medical image inspection and a reporting system that is used for interpretation. Has a transmission means for transmitting the medical image to the reporting system when it is confirmed that the medical image received from the modality can be used for medical treatment, and the reporting system includes the imaging A receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from the system, a storage means for storing examination result information, a medical image received from the imaging system, and examination result information stored by the storage means are associated with each other. Association storage means for storing.

  The imaging system according to the present invention is an imaging system for imaging a medical image, and when it is confirmed that the medical image received from the modality can be used for medical treatment, It has a transmission means which transmits an image to the reporting system used in the case of image interpretation.

  The reporting system according to the present invention is a reporting system used at the time of image interpretation, and stores receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from an imaging system for examining a medical image, and test result information. The image processing apparatus includes a storage unit, an association storage unit that stores the medical image received from the imaging system and the examination result information stored by the storage unit in association with each other.

  In the medical image storage method according to the present invention, when the imaging system that performs the imaging of the medical image confirms that the medical image received from the modality for capturing the medical image can be used for medical treatment. A step of transmitting the medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation; the reporting system receives the medical image transmitted from the imaging system; the received medical image; and the reporting system And storing the inspection result information stored in the reporting system in association with each other.

  Further, the program according to the present invention interprets a medical image when the medical image received from the modality is confirmed to be usable for medical care. Functioning as a transmission means for transmitting to a reporting system used in the case of

  In addition, the program according to the present invention includes a reporting system used for interpretation, a receiving unit that receives a medical image transmitted from an imaging system that performs a medical image inspection, and a storage unit that stores examination result information. The medical image received from the imaging system and the examination record information stored by the storage unit function as an association storage unit that stores the association in association with each other.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, an interpreting doctor who interprets the second and subsequent examinations can obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation using only the reporting system. That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation.

  Further, the radiation department system according to the present invention has a medical image selection means for selecting a part of the medical images from the medical images that have been confirmed that the imaging system can be used for the medical treatment. The transmission unit of the imaging system may transmit only the medical image selected by the medical image selection unit of the imaging system to the reporting system.

  By doing so, it is not necessary to transmit a large amount of medical images from the imaging system to the reporting system, it is possible to suppress the load on the network, and the medical images stored in the reporting system can be suppressed. The amount can be suppressed. That is, by doing so, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the load on the network and the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system. .

  In the radiology department system according to the present invention, the imaging system further includes an input unit that receives an input, and the medical image selection unit of the imaging system receives an input from the input unit of the imaging system. May select the part of the medical images based on the input.

  In this way, for example, only the medical image selected by the person who performed the imaging process is transmitted from the imaging system to the reporting system. For this reason, for example, only the medical image determined to be necessary by the person who performed the image inspection process is transmitted from the image inspection system to the reporting system. For example, in one examination, a plurality of parts are photographed, and a plurality of medical images may be acquired for each part. In such a case, the person who performed the image examination processing, When the input unit selects one medical image for each part, only one medical image for each part is transmitted from the imaging system to the reporting system. As a result, unnecessary medical images are not transmitted from the imaging system to the reporting system, and it is possible to prevent an unnecessary load on the network. Further, it is not necessary to store unnecessary medical images in the reporting system. That is, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation without imposing unnecessary load on the network and without storing unnecessary medical images in the reporting system.

  In the radiology department system according to the present invention, the imaging system further includes an image compressing unit that compresses a medical image received from the modality, and is transmitted to the reporting system by the transmitting unit of the imaging system. The image may be a medical image compressed by the image compression unit.

  By doing in this way, the load concerning a network can be suppressed and also the amount of medical images stored in the reporting system can be suppressed. In other words, by doing this, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the load on the network and further reducing the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system. Become.

  In the radiology department system according to the present invention, the imaging system further includes information adding means for adding information relating to an examination request to a medical image, and the medical system is transmitted to the reporting system by the transmitting means of the imaging system. The image is a medical image to which information related to an examination request is added by the information addition unit, and the association storage unit of the reporting system includes information about the examination request added to the medical image received from the imaging system; The medical image and the examination result information may be stored in association with each other based on the examination result information stored by the storage unit.

  In this way, for example, an interpreting doctor who interprets the second and subsequent examinations can search for a reference medical image used for interpretation based on information related to the examination request. Therefore, by doing in this way, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation.

  The imaging system and the reporting system according to the present invention further include means for adding an annotation such as an arrow to a reference image, and is based on information input from an input unit of the imaging system and the reporting system. The note may be added to the medical image.

  In this way, it is possible to indicate a note in a notable part of the reference image, and when using it as the reference image, it is possible to grasp the notable part at a glance, and to save time and effort for image confirmation. It can be omitted.

  The imaging system and the reporting system according to the present invention further include means for adding a comment to the medical image, and the imaging system and the reporting system are based on information input from an input unit of each system. Comment may be added to the medical image.

  In this way, for example, by adding “1 week after surgery” or the like to a comment, it is possible to determine what meaning the image has in the course of treatment. It is possible to determine whether or not a medical image is to be referred to from the comment registered together with the transmitted medical image, and to reduce the time and effort of searching for the target medical image. Become.

  In the radiology department system according to the present invention, the reporting system includes a medical image selection unit that selects a part of the medical image stored in the storage unit, and a medical image selected by the medical image selection unit. You may make it have a medical image deletion means to delete other than an image.

  In this way, it is possible to prevent a large amount of medical images from being continuously stored in the reporting system. In other words, by doing this, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system.

  In the radiology department system according to the present invention, the medical image selection unit of the reporting system may select the part of the medical images based on examination result information associated with the medical images.

  In this way, for example, if only the medical image related to the examination for which the interpretation report is created is selected based on the examination result information, only the medical image related to the examination for which the interpretation report is created is reported. Will be stored in the system. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessary medical images from being continuously stored in the reporting system. In other words, by doing this, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system.

  In the radiology department system according to the present invention, the reporting system may further include a medical image deletion unit that deletes a medical image that is not a key image among the medical images stored in the storage unit.

  In this way, only the key image is stored in the storage unit of the reporting system. Therefore, only the medical image suitable for the reference medical image used for interpretation is stored in the storage unit of the reporting system. That is, it is possible to prevent unnecessary medical images from being continuously stored in the storage unit of the reporting system. Therefore, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the amount of medical image stored in the storage unit of the reporting system.

  The radiology department system according to the present invention is a radiology department system having a modality for taking a medical image and a reporting system used for interpretation. The medical image taken by the modality is used for medical care. A transmission means for transmitting the medical image to the reporting system when it is confirmed that the medical image can be received, the receiving system receiving a medical image transmitted from the modality, and an examination. You may make it have the memory | storage means to memorize | store performance information, the association | storage memory means to memorize | store and associate the medical image received from the said modality, and the test | inspection performance information memorize | stored by the said memory | storage means.

  The modality in the present invention is a modality for photographing a medical image, and when it is confirmed that the photographed medical image can be used for medical care, the medical image is used for interpretation. You may make it have a transmission means to transmit to the reporting system used.

  Further, the reporting system in the present invention is a reporting system used at the time of interpretation, a receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from a modality for taking a medical image, a storage means for storing examination result information, You may make it have a correlation memory | storage means to link | relate and memorize | store the medical image received from the said modality, and the test | inspection performance information memorize | stored by the said memory | storage means.

  In addition, the medical image storage method according to the present invention is configured so that when the modality for capturing a medical image confirms that the captured medical image can be used for medical care, the medical image is read at the time of interpretation. Transmitting to the reporting system used, and the reporting system receives the medical image transmitted from the modality, and associates the received medical image with the examination result information stored in the reporting system, Storing in the reporting system.

  In addition, the program according to the present invention is a reporting method used to interpret a medical image when the captured medical image is confirmed to be usable for medical care. You may make it function as a transmission means to transmit to a system.

  Further, the program according to the present invention includes a reporting system used at the time of interpretation, a receiving unit that receives a medical image transmitted from a modality for capturing a medical image, a storage unit that stores examination result information, and the modality. The received medical image and the examination result information stored in the storage unit may be associated with each other and stored as an association storage unit.

  Even in this way, it is possible for an interpreting physician who interprets the second and subsequent examinations to acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation using only the reporting system. That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation.

  Further, the radiation department system according to the present invention is a radiation department system having an image server for storing a medical image and a reporting system used for interpretation, wherein the image server stores a medical image. And a transmitting means for transmitting the medical image to the reporting system when it is confirmed that the medical image stored by the storing means can be used for medical treatment, and the reporting A receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from the image server; a storage means for storing examination result information; a medical image received from the image server; and examination result information stored by the storage means; And association storage means for associating and storing them.

  The image server according to the present invention is an image server that stores medical images, and is that a storage unit that stores medical images and a medical image stored in the storage unit can be used for medical treatment. When the medical image is confirmed, the medical image may be transmitted to a reporting system used for interpretation.

  The reporting system according to the present invention is a reporting system used at the time of image interpretation, and includes a receiving unit that receives a medical image transmitted from an image server that stores a medical image, and a storage unit that stores examination result information. The medical information received from the image server may be associated storage means for storing the medical image stored in the storage means in association with each other.

  The medical image storage method according to the present invention is such that when the image server that stores the medical image confirms that the medical image stored in the image server can be used for medical treatment, the medical image is stored. Are transmitted to a reporting system used for interpretation, and the reporting system receives the medical image transmitted from the image server, and the received medical image and the examination results stored in the reporting system. And storing the information in the reporting system in association with each other.

  In addition, it has been confirmed that the program according to the present invention is an image server that stores medical images, a storage unit that stores medical images, and a medical image stored in the storage unit can be used for medical care. Sometimes, the medical image may function as a transmission unit that transmits the medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation.

  In addition, the program according to the present invention includes a reporting system used for interpretation, a receiving unit that receives a medical image transmitted from an image server that stores a medical image, a storage unit that stores examination result information, and the image The medical image received from the server and the examination result information stored in the storage unit may function as an association storage unit that stores the association in association with each other.

  Even in this way, it is possible for an interpreting physician who interprets the second and subsequent examinations to acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation using only the reporting system. That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation.

It is a figure showing an example of composition of radiation department system 100 concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the imaging system 130 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the reporting system 150 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the process performed in the radiation department system 100 which concerns on embodiment of this invention in the case of the first test | inspection. It is a figure which shows the example of the process performed in the radiation department system 100 which concerns on embodiment of this invention in the case of the inspection after the 2nd time.

  Next, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Configuration example of radiation department system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a radiation department system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The radiation department system 100 performs an RIS (Radiology Information System) 110 that centrally manages information in the radiation department, a modality 120 that performs CT examination, MRI examination, and the like, and confirmation processing of a captured medical image. An imaging system 130 for performing medical examination, a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) 140 for storing medical images, and a reporting system 150 used for interpretation are provided. As shown in FIG. 1, these are connected via a network. The network may be a local network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a global network such as the Internet.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, a HIS (Hospital Information System) 200 for comprehensively managing hospital information and a system 300 of another department are connected to the radiation department system 100. ing. These may be connected to the radiation department system 100 via a local network such as a LAN, or may be connected via a global network such as the Internet. The HIS 200 manages, for example, information related to accounting, information related to medical appointments, information related to electronic medical records, order information such as examination requests, and the like. The other department system 300 is a system of a department other than the radiation department, that is, a system of another medical department or a system of an accounting department.

(RIS110 and modality 120)
The RIS 110 is a system that comprehensively manages information in the radiology department, and includes a receiving unit that receives information, a transmitting unit that transmits information, a storage unit that stores information, a keyboard and a touch panel that receive input of information, and the like. An input unit and a display unit such as a monitor for displaying information. With such a configuration, the RIS manages, for example, order information that is information related to an inspection request, and inspection result information that is information obtained by adding information related to the inspection result to the order information.

  The modality 120 is a device that captures medical images, such as a device that performs CT examination and a device that performs MRI examination. The above-described order information is information relating to an inspection request by the modality 120. The modality 120 includes a receiving unit that receives information, a transmitting unit that transmits information, a storage unit that stores information, an input unit such as a button or a touch panel that receives input of information, a display unit that displays information, And an inspection unit that performs inspection. This inspection unit is different for each modality 120. For example, this examination unit obtains a tomographic image of a patient's body using radiation or the like if a modality for performing a CT examination, and uses a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon if a modality for performing an MRI examination. Get images inside the body.

  Usually, when there is a patient who needs to be examined by the modality 120, the doctor informs the person performing the examination, for example, information on the examination to be performed, for example, information on the patient to be performed, for example, the medical radiation technician, Based on the obtained information, the patient to be examined and the examination to be performed are identified, and the identified examination is performed on the identified patient using the modality 120.

  Therefore, the above-described order information is composed of, for example, patient information that is information about a patient, examination information that is information on the contents of examination, and the like. The patient information included in the order information includes, for example, the ID, name, gender, date of birth, etc. of the patient undergoing the inspection. The inspection information included in the order information depends on the type and inspection of the requested inspection. It consists of the part to be imaged, the date and time of examination reservation, and the like. Further, the order information is given an inspection number as a number for identifying the inspection related to each order information, and the order information includes this inspection number.

  The order information is, for example, transmitted from a doctor to a medical radiographer as follows. First, a doctor registers order information in the HIS 200 by inputting the order information through an input unit such as a terminal connected to the HIS 200 in the clinic. Then, the HIS 200 transmits the registered order information to the RIS 110, and the RIS 110 receives and stores the transmitted order information. Then, the medical radiographer displays the stored order information on the RIS 110 or a display unit such as a terminal connected to the RIS 110 in the radiation department. Thereby, the medical radiographer can confirm the contents of the order information, and the order information is transmitted from the doctor to the clinical radiographer.

(Inspection by modality 120)
When starting the examination by the modality 120, the medical radiographer performs an examination start process on the RIS 110. Simultaneously with the start of the examination, the RIS 110 notifies the modality 120 of patient examination information corresponding to the order information. For communication between the RIS 110 and the modality 120, communication defined in DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine) may be used. DICOM is a standard for medical image format and other medical information communication. The process in which the modality 120 obtains examination patient information from the RIS 110 uses a service class called MWM (Modality Worklist Management) in DICOM.

  After this inspection start processing, inspection by the modality 120 is performed. The modality 120 performs a test corresponding to the information input by the test start process, and acquires a medical image related to this test. For example, in the case of CT examination or MRI examination, the modality 120 acquires a tomographic image of the patient's body.

  When it is determined that all examinations have been completed, the medical radiographer performs an examination completion process on the modality 120. When this examination end processing is performed, the modality 120 includes, on the acquired medical image, information on the examination patient acquired from the RIS 110, information on the modality 120 that acquired the medical image, information on an examination performed by the modality 120, and the like. A medical image added as image supplementary information is generated. As the format of the medical image generated by the modality 120, a format defined by DICOM, which is a standard for medical images, may be used. In DICOM, an attribute of added information, that is, a tag for identifying whether the added information is information related to a patient's name or information related to a patient's ID is defined. The tag is called a DICOM tag. Each piece of information to be added to the medical image is added with a DICOM tag representing its attribute. Since various apparatuses support DICOM, it is possible to handle medical images in various departments in a hospital. The modality 120 transmits the generated medical image to the imaging system 130 or the PACS 140.

  The medical image transmitted to the imaging system 130 or the PACS 140 includes, as image supplementary information, information related to the modality 120 that acquired the medical image, information related to the examination performed by the modality 120, information related to the patient who received the examination, etc. Is added. Here, the information regarding the modality 120 included in the image supplementary information includes, for example, the type of the modality 120. In addition, the information related to the examination included in the image supplementary information includes an examination number that is a number for identifying the examination that has been performed, information such as the date of photographing, the time of photographing, the portion of photographing, and photographing conditions. The patient information included in the image supplementary information includes the patient ID, the patient's name, the patient's gender, the patient's date of birth, and the like. For this reason, in the image inspection system 130 and the PACS 140, the image supplementary information is used to indicate which patient has been acquired by what kind of examination by which modality 120. Can be specified.

(Processing at RIS110 after inspection)
After performing the examination, the medical radiographer uses the input unit of the RIS 110 or the input unit of the terminal of the RIS 110 to input information about the examination performed, that is, information regarding the results of the examination. The RIS 110 adds information on the input inspection to the order information about the inspection, and stores it in the storage unit as inspection result information. This makes it possible to manage inspection result information including information related to inspection requests and results by the RIS 110. At this time, the information related to the examination results input by the medical radiographer includes, for example, the date of imaging, the time of imaging, the site of imaging, and imaging conditions. The RIS 110 transmits the inspection result information to the HIS 200. As a result, the inspection result information can be managed also by the HIS 200. This inspection result information is transmitted to the reporting system in order to describe the inspection accounting process, irradiation record, or interpretation report.

  Further, information related to the inspection result included in the inspection result information may be transmitted from the modality 120 to the RIS 110. Communication between the modality 120 and the RIS 110 may be communication defined by DICOM. The process in which the above-described modality 120 transmits information related to the inspection results to the RIS 110 is most commonly performed using a service class called MPPS (Modality Performed Procedure Step) in DICOM.

(Image detection system 130)
The imaging system 130 is a system for confirming whether the medical image generated by the modality 120 can be used for medical treatment. For example, it is confirmed whether the medical image is accurately captured or whether necessary information is added to the medical image.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging system 130 includes a receiving unit 131 that receives information, a transmitting unit 132 that transmits information, a storage unit 133 that stores information, a keyboard and a touch panel that receive input of information, and the like. Input unit 134 and a display unit 135 such as a monitor for displaying information. The medical image confirmed by the image inspection system 130 that the medical image can be used for medical care is transmitted from the image inspection system 130 to the PACS 140. When it is confirmed that the medical image cannot be used for medical treatment, the modality 120 performs another inspection.

  Whether or not a medical image can be used for medical care is confirmed visually by a medical radiographer who has performed imaging using the imaging system 130. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the imaging system 130 includes a medical image confirmation unit 136, and the medical image confirmation unit 136 automatically confirms whether the medical image can be used for medical care. Can also be done. For example, when the necessary DICOM tag information is not added to the medical image, there is a difference, or the tag value is out of the specified value, the medical image confirmation unit 136 determines that there is a problem with the medical image. Judgment and warning can be made.

(PACS140)
The PACS 140 is an image server that stores medical images. The PACS 140 includes, for example, a reception unit that receives information, a transmission unit that transmits information, and a storage unit that stores information.

  When the PACS 140 receives a medical image from the modality 120 or the imaging system 130, the PACS 140 stores the received medical image. As described above, information relating to a patient, information relating to an examination, and the like are added to the medical image stored in the PACS 140 as image supplementary information. For this reason, it is possible to connect to the PACS 140 from terminals in various departments of the hospital and search for and obtain necessary medical images from the PACS 140 based on information related to the patient and information related to the examination.

(Reporting system 150)
The reporting system 150 is a system used for interpretation. Interpretation refers to performing image diagnosis using a medical image. As shown in FIG. 3, the reporting system 150 includes a receiving unit 151 that receives information, a transmitting unit 152 that transmits information, a storage unit 153 that stores information, and an input such as a keyboard and a touch panel that receives input of information. A display unit 154 and a display unit 155 such as a monitor for displaying information.

  When the inspection is completed, the reporting system 150 receives inspection result information from a system that manages the inspection such as the RIS 110 or the HIS 200. The reporting system 150 can receive the examination result information by the receiving unit 151 and store the received information in the storage unit 153, thereby notifying the interpreting doctor that there is an examination to be interpreted.

  An interpreting doctor who is an interpreting doctor uses the reporting system 150 to find an examination that has been examined, acquires a medical image of the examination from the PACS 140, and displays the acquired medical image on the display unit 155 of the reporting system 150. Then, image diagnosis is performed based on the displayed image. Then, the image interpretation doctor creates a report on the result of the image diagnosis, and stores this report in the storage unit 153.

  The created report may be transmitted to a doctor who has requested image diagnosis. Further, the report stored in the storage unit 153 may be referred to from the RIS 110, the PACS 140, the HIS 200, or the like. At that time, for example, it is preferable that the created report can be referred to by the RIS 110 or the like by a method such as distribution by WEB.

(Interpretation in the second and subsequent examinations)
In examinations using modalities, the same examination is often performed several times for one patient. For example, when an operation is performed in which a metal such as a bolt is embedded in the body, follow-up is performed after the operation. This follow-up observation is performed by, for example, periodically imaging a site where surgery has been performed by X-ray examination or the like, and comparing these regularly captured medical images.

  Therefore, the interpreting doctor who performs the interpretation connects to the PACS 140 from the reporting system 150 and searches the medical images stored in the PACS 140 for previously taken medical images related to the examination to be interpreted. The acquired medical image is used as a reference medical image. However, there is little information related to examinations attached to medical images. For this reason, it has been difficult to search for a reference medical image used for interpretation based only on information attached to the medical image.

  For example, in the case of a medical image with image supplementary information based on DICOM, information on the examination site is added to the medical image together with a DICOM tag “Body Part Examined”. However, the information about the examination part added together with the DICOM tag is information about the general examination part. For example, when the inspected part is a part related to the foot such as “toe” or “knee joint”, the information about the inspected part added together with the DICOM tag is “Foot”. For this reason, for example, it is not possible to search for a previously acquired medical image for “toes” only with image supplementary information attached with a medical image. For example, for a foot including a part different from “toes” It was necessary to search for a medical image of “toes” while displaying and checking all the medical images related to the part concerned.

  On the other hand, as described above, the reporting system 150 stores the inspection result information as information for specifying the inspection. As described above, the inspection result information includes information related to the request for the inspection, and more detailed parts are described as information about the inspection part than information on the inspection part added together with the DICOM tag. Therefore, it is possible to more easily find out information about the examination regarding the part to be compared. For example, it is recommended that the examination result information be described using a JJ1017 code, and the JJ1017 code includes a code indicating “part”, “right and left posture”, and the like.

(Transmission of medical image from imaging system 130 to reporting system 150)
Therefore, the imaging system 130 according to the present invention transmits not only the medical image that has been confirmed to be usable for medical treatment to the PACS 140 but also the reporting system 150. Then, the reporting system 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention receives the medical image transmitted from the imaging system 130, and uses the received medical image for the examination related to the medical image stored in the storage unit 153. The information is stored in the storage unit 153 after being associated with the inspection result information.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible for an interpreting doctor who interprets the second and subsequent examinations to acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation without connecting to the PACS 140. That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation.

  Further, the reporting system 150 according to the present invention is based on information obtained by combining the examination record information stored in the storage unit 153 and the image supplementary information attached to the received medical image based on the information input by the input unit 154. It is preferable to have a medical image search unit 157 that searches the specified examination result information and searches for a medical image associated with the searched examination result information from the medical images stored in the storage unit 153.

  In this way, for example, an interpreting doctor who interprets the second and subsequent examinations inputs information specifying the contents of the examination related to the order from the input unit 154 of the reporting system 150 to interpret the interpretation. It is possible to obtain a reference medical image to be used. That is, by doing in this way, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation. The acquired medical image for reference is also displayed on the display unit 155 of the reporting system 150, so that it is possible to perform interpretation after comparing with the medical image for reference.

  In general, when a tomographic image is taken by the modality 120, a considerable number of medical images are transmitted from the modality 120 to the imaging system 130 in one examination. Therefore, the imaging system 130 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a medical image selection unit 137 that selects a part of the medical images confirmed to be usable for medical treatment. . Then, the imaging system 130 may transmit only the medical image selected by the medical image selection unit 137 to the reporting system 150.

  By doing so, it is not necessary to transmit a large amount of medical images from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150, and it is possible to suppress the load on the network and to be stored in the reporting system 150. The amount of medical images can be suppressed. That is, by doing so, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the load on the network and the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system 150. Become.

  Here, the medical image selected by the medical image selection unit 137 may be selected by a person who has performed an image detection process in the image detection system 130 using the input unit 134.

  By doing in this way, for example, only the medical image selected by the person who performed the imaging process is transmitted from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150. For this reason, for example, only the medical image determined to be necessary by the person who performed the image inspection process is transmitted from the image inspection system 130 to the reporting system 150. For example, in one examination, a plurality of parts are photographed, and a plurality of medical images may be acquired for each part. In such a case, the person who performed the image examination processing, If the input unit 134 selects one medical image for each part, only one medical image for each part is transmitted from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150. As a result, unnecessary medical images are not transmitted from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150, so that it is possible to prevent an unnecessary load from being applied to the network. Further, it is not necessary to store unnecessary medical images in the reporting system 150. That is, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation without applying unnecessary load on the network and without storing unnecessary medical images in the reporting system 150.

  In addition, the imaging system 130 includes an image compression unit that compresses the image, and the medical image transmitted from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150 is the medical image received by the imaging system 130 from the modality 120. The image may be compressed by an image compression unit.

  By doing in this way, the load concerning a network can be suppressed and also the amount of medical images stored in the reporting system 150 can be suppressed. That is, in this way, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the load on the network and further reducing the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system 150. become.

  DICOM also has various rules for image compression methods. However, since the medical image transmitted to the above-described reporting system 150 is referred to as a reference image, it is not used for a diagnosis act. Therefore, the compression method applied to this medical image need not be limited to the compression method defined in DICOM. That is, the compression by the image compression unit may be reversible compression or irreversible compression. The compression method applied to the medical image may be a general format such as BMP or JPEG. When the medical image to be transmitted to the reporting system 150 is compressed to a level that cannot be used for the diagnostic action, for example, by adding a note such as “Do not use the medical image for diagnosis” to the medical image, It is possible to prevent the medical image from being used for diagnosis.

  Further, the image inspection system 130 may include an information adding unit 138 that adds information related to the examination request to the medical image transmitted to the reporting system 150. Then, the reporting system 150 uses the medical image received from the imaging system 130 based on the information about the examination request added to the medical image and the examination result information stored in the storage unit 153, and the examination result information. It is better to associate with.

  In this way, for example, an interpreting doctor who interprets the second and subsequent examinations can search for a reference medical image used for interpretation based on information related to the examination request. Therefore, by doing in this way, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation.

  The imaging system 130 and the reporting system 150 further include an information adding unit 138 for adding an annotation such as an arrow to the reference image. From the imaging system 130 and the input unit 134 of the reporting system 150 It is advisable to add a note based on the input information.

  In this way, it is possible to indicate a note at a notable part of the reference image. For example, when an interpreting doctor interprets an image, it is possible to grasp the noticeable part at a glance when using it as the reference image. This makes it possible to save the trouble of image confirmation.

  Further, the information adding unit 138 of the imaging system 130 may add a comment to the medical image based on information input from the input unit 134 that adds a comment to the medical image. Further, the reporting system 150 may further include means for adding a comment to the medical image, and this means may add a comment to the medical image based on the information input by the input unit 154. .

  In this way, it is possible to determine what meaning the image has in the course of treatment, for example, whether or not an interpreting doctor is a medical image to be referred to when performing an interpretation from now on. This makes it possible to reduce the trouble of searching for a target medical image.

  In addition, the imaging reporting system 150 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a medical image selection unit 158 that selects a part of the medical images stored in the storage unit 153. The image inspection system 130 may include a medical image deletion unit that deletes a medical image other than the medical image selected by the medical image selection unit 137 among the medical images stored in the storage unit 153. .

  In this way, it is possible to prevent a large amount of medical images from being continuously stored in the reporting system 150. That is, by doing so, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system 150.

  Usually, when performing follow-up, examinations other than the site where the disease is present are also performed. However, interpretation reports are not performed for all examinations. For example, in the case of follow-up of liver cancer, X-ray examinations of the chest and abdomen may be performed more frequently than CT examinations as screening examinations in addition to abdominal CT examinations once every few months. Reports are often generated only for abdominal CT examinations. Therefore, the medical image selected by the medical image selection unit 137 may be a medical image related to the examination for which the interpretation report is created.

  In this way, only the medical image related to the examination for which the interpretation report is created is stored in the reporting system 150. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessary medical images from being continuously stored in the reporting system 150. That is, by doing so, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system 150. The medical image selection unit 137 may select a medical image related to an examination for which an interpretation report is created based on, for example, examination result information associated with the medical image.

  Further, the medical image selected by the medical image selection unit 158 may be selected by the interpretation doctor using the input unit 154.

  In this way, for example, only the medical image selected by the interpretation doctor is stored in the reporting system 150. For example, when the interpretation doctor selects only a medical image suitable for reference during interpretation, only the medical image suitable for reference during interpretation is stored in the reporting system 150. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessary medical images from being continuously stored in the reporting system 150. That is, by doing so, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the amount of medical image stored in the reporting system 150.

  When an image interpretation doctor makes an image diagnosis using the reporting system 150 and creates a report on the result of the image diagnosis, an image referred to when the result of the image diagnosis described in the report is interpreted, That is, the key image is included in the report as an image suitable for comparison of medical images performed in image diagnosis related to follow-up observation. Therefore, the reporting system 150 may delete a medical image stored in the storage unit 153 that is not a key image by the medical image deletion unit.

  In this way, only the key image is stored in the storage unit 153 of the reporting system 150. Therefore, only the medical image suitable for the reference medical image used for interpretation is stored in the storage unit 153 of the reporting system 150. That is, it is possible to prevent unnecessary medical images from being continuously stored in the storage unit 153 of the reporting system 150. Therefore, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation while suppressing the amount of medical image stored in the storage unit 153 of the reporting system 150.

(Transmission of medical image from modality 120 to reporting system 150)
In the above, the embodiment in which the medical image is transmitted from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150 has been described in detail, but the medical image may be transmitted from the modality 120 to the reporting system 150. That is, the modality 120 may have the same function as the function of the imaging system 130 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Even in this way, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that obtained by transmitting the medical image from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150 described above. In other words, even by doing this, it is possible to easily acquire a reference medical image used for interpretation when performing interpretation of the second and subsequent examinations.

(Transmission of medical images from the PACS 140 to the reporting system 150)
Similarly, the medical image may be transmitted from the PACS 140 to the reporting system 150. That is, the PACS 140 may have the same function as that of the imaging system 130 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Even in this way, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that obtained by transmitting the medical image from the imaging system 130 to the reporting system 150 described above, and when reading the second and subsequent examinations. In addition, it is possible to easily obtain a reference medical image used for interpretation.

(Processing example when receiving the first inspection order)
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed in the radiation department system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above in the first examination. Hereinafter, an example of processing performed in the radiation department system according to the present embodiment in the first examination will be described with reference to FIG.

  The RIS 110 receives and stores the order information transmitted from the HIS 200 or the like (S101). The medical radiographer performs an examination using the modality 120 based on the order information stored in the RIS 110 (S102).

  When the examination is completed, the modality 120 adds image supplementary information to the medical image acquired in the examination, generates a medical image having a format that can be used in other departments, and uses the generated medical image as an imaging system. (S103).

  The imaging system 130 receives and stores the medical image transmitted from the modality 120 (S104). When the medical image is received, it is confirmed by the imaging system 130 whether the medical image can be used for medical treatment (S105).

  When it is confirmed that the medical image cannot be used for medical treatment (S105, NO), the medical radiographer performs an examination using the modality 120 again (S102).

  On the other hand, when it is confirmed that the medical image can be used for medical care (S105, YES), the medical image is transmitted from the imaging system 130 to the PACS 140 and the reporting system 150 (S106). Then, the PACS 140 receives the medical image transmitted from the imaging system 130 and stores the received medical image (S107).

  The reporting system 150 receives the medical image transmitted from the imaging system 130, acquires examination result information from the RIS 110, and stores the received medical image in association with the acquired examination result information (S108).

(Example of processing when receiving an order for the second and subsequent inspections)
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed in the radiation department system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above in the second and subsequent examinations. Hereinafter, an example of processing performed in the radiation department system according to the present embodiment in the second and subsequent inspections will be described with reference to FIG.

  The RIS 110 receives and stores the order information transmitted from the HIS 200 or the like (S201). The medical radiographer performs an examination using the modality 120 based on the order information stored in the RIS 110 (S202).

  When the examination is completed, the modality 120 adds image supplementary information to the medical image acquired in the examination, generates a medical image having a format that can be used in other departments, and uses the generated medical image as an imaging system. It transmits to 130 (S203).

  The imaging system 130 receives and stores the medical image transmitted from the modality 120 (S204). When the medical image is received, it is confirmed by the imaging system 130 whether the medical image can be used for medical treatment (S205).

  When it is confirmed that the medical image cannot be used for medical care (S205, NO), the medical radiographer performs an examination using the modality 120 again (S202).

  On the other hand, when it is confirmed that the medical image can be used for medical treatment (S205, YES), the medical image is transmitted from the imaging system 130 to the PACS 140 and the reporting system 150 (S206). Then, the PACS 140 receives the medical image transmitted from the imaging system 130 and stores the received medical image (S207).

  The reporting system 150 receives the medical image transmitted from the imaging system 130, acquires examination result information from the RIS 110, and stores the received medical image in association with the obtained examination result information (S208). The interpretation doctor selects the order information to be interpreted by the reporting system 150 when interpreting the performed examination. The reporting system 150 activates the report entry screen for the order, and acquires an inspection image of the inspection related to the order from the PACS 140 (S209).

  The interpreting physician uses the past examination image performed on the patient, the past examination result information of the patient, and the examination incidental information attached to the past examination image as a reference in interpreting the report. Perform a search to find the test that should be used as a reference. The interpreting doctor obtains a medical image of the examination to be referred to as a reference image used for interpretation of the current examination together with the report that has been interpreted in the reporting system 150, and obtained from the reference image and the PACS 140. An interpretation report is created using the medical image (S210).

  The present invention has been described above by the preferred embodiments of the present invention. While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. is there.

  When processing by software is executed, the program is loaded from a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing a program recording a processing sequence to a memory (RAM) in a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware. The program can be read and executed, or the program can be installed and executed on a general-purpose computer capable of executing various processes.

  For example, the program can be recorded in advance on a hard disk or ROM as a recording medium. Alternatively, the program is stored on a removable recording medium such as a magnetic disk such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk, an optical disk such as a CD (Compact Disc) or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a magneto-optical disk such as an MO (Magneto Optical) disk. It is possible to store (record) temporarily or permanently.

  Such a removable recording medium can be provided as so-called package software.

  The program is installed on the computer from the above-described removable recording medium, transferred wirelessly from the download site to the computer, or transferred to the computer via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. On the other hand, the computer can receive the transferred program and install it on a recording medium such as a built-in hard disk.

  In addition to being executed in time series in accordance with the processing operations described in the above embodiment, the processing capability of the apparatus that executes the processing, or a configuration to execute in parallel or individually as necessary Is also possible.

  In addition, the system described in the above embodiment can be configured to have a logical set configuration of a plurality of devices or to mix the functions of each device.

100 Radiation department system 110 RIS
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 120 Modality 130 Image detection system 131 Image reception system reception part 132 Image detection system transmission part 133 Image detection system storage part 134 Image detection system input part 135 Image detection system display part 136 Medical image confirmation part of image detection system 137 Medical Image Selection Unit of Imaging System 138 Information Adding Unit of Imaging System 140 PACS
150 Reporting System 151 Reporting System Reception Unit 152 Reporting System Transmission Unit 153 Reporting System Storage Unit 154 Reporting System Input Unit 155 Reporting System Display Unit 156 Reporting System Association Unit 157 Reporting System Medical Image Search Unit 158 Reporting System Medical image selection unit 200 HIS
300 Other departmental systems

Claims (27)

A radiology department system having an imaging system for examining a medical image and a reporting system used for interpretation,
The imaging system includes:
When it is confirmed that the medical image received from the modality can be used for medical treatment, the medical image is transmitted to the reporting system.
The reporting system includes:
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from the imaging system;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A radiation department system comprising: an association storage unit that associates and stores a medical image received from the imaging system and examination result information stored by the storage unit. The imaging system includes:
A medical image selection means for selecting a part of the medical image from among the medical images confirmed to be usable for the medical treatment,
The transmission means of the image inspection system includes:
The radiological department system according to claim 1, wherein only the medical image selected by the medical image selection means of the imaging system is transmitted to the reporting system. The imaging system includes:
An input means for receiving an input;
The medical image selection means of the image inspection system includes:
The radiological department system according to claim 2, wherein when there is an input by an input unit of the imaging system, the partial medical image is selected based on the input. The imaging system includes:
Image compression means for compressing the medical image received from the modality;
4. The radiation according to claim 1, wherein the medical image transmitted to the reporting system by the transmitting unit of the imaging system is a medical image compressed by the image compressing unit. 5. Department system. The imaging system includes:
It further has an information adding means for adding information related to the examination request to the medical image,
The medical image transmitted to the reporting system by the transmission unit of the imaging system is a medical image to which information related to the examination request is added by the information adding unit,
The association storage means of the reporting system includes:
Based on the information about the examination request added to the medical image received from the imaging system and the examination result information stored by the storage unit, the medical image and the examination result information are stored in association with each other. The radiation department system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The imaging system includes:
Input means for receiving input;
Means for adding notes and / or comments to the medical image received from the modality based on information input by the input means;
The transmission means of the image inspection system includes:
The radiological department system according to claim 1, wherein the medical image to which the notes and / or comments are added is transmitted to the reporting system. The reporting system includes:
Input means for receiving input;
And a means for adding notes and / or comments input by the input means of the reporting system to the medical image received by the receiving means or the medical image stored by the association storage means. The radiation department system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The reporting system includes:
Medical image selection means for selecting a part of the medical images from the medical images stored in the storage unit;
The radiation department system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a medical image deletion unit that deletes other than the medical image selected by the medical image selection unit. The medical image selection means of the reporting system includes:
The radiation department system according to claim 8, wherein the part of the medical images is selected based on examination result information associated with the medical images. The reporting system includes:
The radiation department system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising medical image deletion means for deleting a medical image that is not a key image among the medical images stored by the storage means. A radiology department system having a modality for taking a medical image and a reporting system used for interpretation,
The modality is
A transmission means for transmitting the medical image to the reporting system when it is confirmed that the taken medical image can be used for medical treatment;
The reporting system includes:
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from the modality;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A radiation department system comprising: an association storage unit that associates and stores a medical image received from the modality and examination result information stored by the storage unit. A radiology department system comprising an image server for storing medical images and a reporting system used for interpretation.
The image server
Storage means for storing medical images;
A transmission means for transmitting the medical image to the reporting system when it is confirmed that the medical image stored by the storage means can be used for medical treatment;
The reporting system includes:
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from the image server;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A radiation department system comprising: an association storage unit that associates and stores a medical image received from the image server and examination result information stored by the storage unit. An imaging system for examining medical images,
When it is confirmed that the medical image received from the modality can be used for medical care, it has a transmission means for transmitting the medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation. Image system. A reporting system used for interpretation,
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from an imaging system that performs imaging of a medical image;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A reporting system comprising association storage means for associating and storing a medical image received from the imaging system and examination result information stored by the storage means. A modality for taking medical images,
A modality comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit a medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation when it is confirmed that the photographed medical image can be used for medical care. A reporting system used for interpretation,
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from a modality for taking a medical image;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A reporting system comprising: association storage means for associating and storing the medical image received from the modality and the examination result information stored by the storage means. An image server for storing medical images,
Storage means for storing medical images;
When it is confirmed that the medical image stored by the storage unit can be used for medical treatment, the medical image is provided with a transmission unit that transmits the medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation. An image server. A reporting system used for interpretation,
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from an image server for storing a medical image;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A reporting system comprising: association storage means for associating and storing the medical image received from the image server and the examination result information stored by the storage means. When an imaging system that examines a medical image confirms that the medical image received from the modality that captures the medical image can be used for medical treatment, the medical image is read at the time of interpretation. Sending to the reporting system used;
The reporting system receives the medical image transmitted from the imaging system, and stores the received medical image in the reporting system in association with the examination result information stored in the reporting system; A medical image storage method characterized by comprising: When the modality for capturing a medical image is confirmed that the captured medical image can be used for medical care, the medical image is transmitted to a reporting system used for interpretation; and
Receiving the medical image transmitted from the modality, and storing the received medical image in the reporting system in association with the examination result information stored in the reporting system. A medical image storage method characterized by the above. When the image server that stores the medical image confirms that the medical image stored in the image server can be used for medical care, the medical image is stored in a reporting system used for interpretation. Sending, and
The reporting system receives a medical image transmitted from the image server, associates the received medical image with examination result information stored in the reporting system, and stores the associated medical image in the reporting system. A medical image storage method comprising: An imaging system that examines medical images
A program for causing a medical image received from a modality to function as a transmission unit that transmits the medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation when it is confirmed that the medical image can be used for medical care. The reporting system used for interpretation
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from an imaging system that performs imaging of a medical image;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A program that functions as an association storage unit that associates and stores a medical image received from the image examination system and examination result information stored in the storage unit. A modality for taking medical images
A program that causes a medical image to function as a transmission unit that transmits the medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation when it is confirmed that the captured medical image can be used for medical care. The reporting system used for interpretation
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from a modality for taking a medical image;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A program that functions as an association storage unit that associates and stores a medical image received from the modality and examination result information stored by the storage unit. An image server that stores medical images
Storage means for storing medical images;
A program that functions as a transmission unit that transmits a medical image to a reporting system used for interpretation when it is confirmed that the medical image stored in the storage unit can be used for medical care. The reporting system used for interpretation
Receiving means for receiving a medical image transmitted from an image server for storing a medical image;
Storage means for storing inspection result information;
A program that functions as an association storage unit that associates and stores a medical image received from the image server and examination result information stored by the storage unit.

Images