METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING A SNAPSHOT OF A MEDICAL IMAGING DISPLAY
20170351413 · 2017-12-07
Inventors
Cpc classification
H04M1/2474
ELECTRICITY
G16H30/00
PHYSICS
G06F3/048
PHYSICS
International classification
G06F3/0484
PHYSICS
Abstract
A method comprising, responsive to a selecting event, rendering an interactive display screen of a saved first state of a display layout of a medical information compilation, the interactive display screen comprising first information in a first display area and second information in a second display area, the saved first state comprising a plurality of display attributes of the first information and the second information, wherein the first information and the second information each include one of (i) a medical image, (ii) medical notes, or (iii) a medical record is described.
Claims
1. An electronic device comprising: one or more processors; and a memory device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, the memory device including logic comprising: an import logic for (a) receiving a selection of a display layout template, (b) receiving a first selection of (i) first information and (ii) a first display area of the display layout template, (c) receiving a second selection of (i) second information and (ii) a second display area of the display layout template different than the first display area, (d) retrieving the template, the first information and the second information from a storage, and (e) importing the first information into the first display area and the second information into the second display area; a snapshot generation logic for saving at least a first state of the display layout template, the first state including details of a plurality of display attributes of the first information and the second information, including any adjustments made to the one or more of the plurality of display attributes; and a display control logic for rendering an interactive display of one of a set of saved states of the display layout template for display, and responsive to an editing event, altering the display layout template according to the editing event to display a previous adjustment to at least one of the first information or the second information.
2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein responsive to an editing event, the display control logic for editing a first display attribute of the plurality of display attributes; and the snapshot generation logic for saving a second state of the interactive display including the edited first display attribute of the plurality of display attributes.
3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display attributes of the first information include one or more successive steps of adjustments to the first information, and wherein each of the one or more steps of adjustments to the first information are selectable for display.
4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of display attributes of the second information include one or more successive steps of adjustments to the second information, and wherein each of the one or more steps of adjustments to the second information are selectable for display.
5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein: responsive to an editing event, the import logic for: (i) adding a third display area to the interactive display, (ii) receiving a third selection of third information, and (iii) importing the third information into the third display area; and the snapshot generation logic for saving a second state of the display layout wherein the interactive display includes the third display area.
6. The electronic device of claim 5 further comprising: a template generation logic for creating a second template according to the interactive display, wherein the second template includes the first display area, the second display area and the third display area.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The disclosure may best be understood by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings that are used to illustrate embodiments of the disclosure.
[0011]
[0012]
[0013]
[0014]
[0015]
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to saving the state of one or more user interface screens displaying medical images, and, optionally, information related to one or more of the displayed medical images. One embodiment of a user interface display screen may include a predefined layout comprising one or more medical images, one or more display areas including information pertaining to one or more of the medical images and one or more display areas including information pertaining to a subject of one or more of the medical images (e.g., a patient).
[0018] The disclosure is directed to enabling a user (e.g., a medical technician, a nurse and/or a doctor) to select a predefined display layout including a plurality of display areas that divide the layout. Each of the plurality of display areas may include data relevant to a doctor's diagnosis or review of a patient. Alternatively, the data included in the layout may be arranged such that a user may present the data in an organized manner or share the data in the same organized manner with others remotely. Specifically, by enabling a user to save the state of a layout, including the state of each adjusted medical image, the user may quickly recall a particular state of interest that is important to a diagnosis, presentation or is particularly unique. Herein, the term “adjusted image” may refer to a medical image that has had one or more viewing properties altered. Examples of viewing properties may include, but are not limited or restricted to, a zoom level, a brightness level, a contrast level, color settings, a positioning of the image, a rotation of the image, etc.
[0019] In one embodiment, several x-rays may be taken of a particular patient from a plurality of angles. A doctor may come to a conclusion as to an injury of the patient and the appropriate procedure to address the injury based on a comparison of two or more x-ray images and the previous medical history of the patient. Therefore, it is desirable for the doctor to be able to save the state of the layout, e.g., the exact layout comparing the two or more x-ray images and the previous medical history, so as to be able to return to the exact layout when discussing the injury or the appropriate procedure with the patient and/or medical staff. Herein, the term “snapshot” may be referred to as a grouping of one or more saved states of a particular layout.
[0020] Additionally, a snapshot may be added to a collection or a worklist, as will be discussed below, such that a plurality of snapshots may be grouped together for easy access and viewing. In other embodiments of the disclosure, a snapshot, a collection or a worklist may be shared with others remotely, for example, over a network. For example, a doctor may create a layout and a snapshot may be generated such that the snapshot may be provided to a specialist working at a separate hospital. The specialist may open the snapshot and be presented with the exact layout, including any adjusted images and notes, the doctor who had the snapshot generated. This prevents the specialist from having to manually adjust one or more images or pull up a plurality of screens in order to view the data set including one or more medical images, information relevant to one or more of the medical images and/or information relevant to one or more subjects of one or more of the medical images.
[0021] Herein, the term “study” refers broadly to a compilation of medical information that may include a single medical image, a medical record or a set of medical notes, or may include one or more of a medical image, a medical record or a set of medical notes set forth in a design layout (e.g., a template). Additionally, one or more states of the design layout, including the content imported therein and any adjustments made to one or more display attributes, may be saved, wherein the grouping of one or more saved states may be referred to as a snapshot. For example, a first saved state may include a first medical image having a default brightness setting and a second saved state may include the first medical image having an adjusted brightness setting. Each of the one or more saved states may include an adjustment to one or more display attributes of the content of one or more of the display areas. As stated above, the grouping of the one or more saved states of the design layout may be referred to as a snapshot of the design layout.
[0022] Referring to
[0023] After reviewing at least the display screens 120 and 130, a user may exit the viewing application (e.g., to take a break, examine another patient, etc.) but may wish to return to the viewing state just prior to exiting the viewing application, or to a particular state of interest. Without implementing the snapshot feature as discussed in this disclosure, the user would be required to open multiple display screens (e.g., the display screens 120 and 130) and adjust the medical image of the display screen 120, if applicable. The user may not be able to recall the steps required to obtain the viewing state just prior to previously exiting, or to obtain the particular state of interest. Therefore, creating a layout with the desired medical images and/or notes and having a snapshot generated would allow the user to quickly recall the state just prior to previously exiting, or recall the particular state of interest.
[0024] I. Generation of a Snapshot
[0025] Referring now to
[0026] As is seen in the user interactive display screen 210 of
[0027] The record display area 213 may include information of the subject of the medical images 212 and 214. In the embodiment of
[0028] In other embodiments, any combination of medical images may be placed within one or more display areas of the layout. For example, a plurality of medical images of a single patient may be placed side by side, similar to the embodiment portrayed as user interactive display screen 210. Alternatively, one or more medical images of a patient's progression from an initial medical image of an injury to a healed state including several medical images taken periodically during recovery. This progression may enable doctors to adequately monitor a patient's recovery. Alternatively, a doctor may want to compare a plurality of medical images of a similar perspective of multiple patients.
[0029] The history display area 220 of the display screen 200 may include one or more snapshots that have previously been viewed. For example, the snapshot 221 and the snapshot 222 are illustrative examples of snapshots that may have been viewed previously. Additionally, an icon placed on the snapshot 221 or 222 may be used to indicate the number of states included within the snapshot 221 or 222. In the embodiment of
[0030] The display screen 200 may also include a plurality of icons that a viewer may utilize to invoke various functionalities. In the embodiment illustrated in
[0031] The icon 238 may represent access to one or more snapshot features such as saving the state of the layout (e.g., generating a snapshot), naming the snapshot (the particular state) and/or assigning the snapshot (or particular state) to a specified collection. The icon 239 may enable the creator, or viewer, to lock the user interactive display screen 210 such that no adjustments can be made to one or more display areas of the current saved state unless the user interactive display screen 210 is unlocked (e.g., via a password). The icon 240 may represent access to a help guide or a settings menu.
[0032] The state in which the user interactive display screen 210 is opened may be a configurable setting. For example, a user may configure the display control logic, (discussed below), to render the medical compilation (e.g., the study) at a predefined state when the medical compilation is selected. In one embodiment, the latest saved state may be automatically rendered when the medical compilation is selected. In a second embodiment, the first saved state may be automatically rendered when the medical compilation is selected.
[0033] Referring to
[0034] For example, the layout templates display screen 310 includes layout templates 311-316. Each of the layout templates 311-316 includes a varied layout for one or more medical images, notes, records, or other information or data that may be relevant to a doctor's examination or review. In one embodiment, a user may have obtained a first piece of data (e.g., a first medical image) that the doctor wishes to compare with a second medical image that will be taken in the near future as well as notes regarding both medical images. The doctor may select a layout template, for example the layout template 316, in order to import the first medical image and notes pertaining to the first medical image. Subsequently, when the second medical image is obtained, the doctor may import the second medical image into the layout template 316 as well as notes pertaining to the second medical image. Therefore, selection of a layout template 311-316 allows a doctor, nurse and/or medical technician to easily place medical data into a layout that promotes ease of viewing, and that can be saved as a snapshot or a state thereof for future reference.
[0035] Additionally, display control logic, discussed below, may include logic for generating templates based on a user creating one or more templates. In one embodiment, a user may alter a layout template to include one or more additional display areas, or remove one or more display areas. For example, a user may select the layout template 311 and upon attempting to import a fourth piece of medical data, the control display logic may import the fourth piece of medical data into a fourth display area, splitting one display area into two, or condensing the current display areas and adding a fourth display area. Upon altering a layout template, the display control logic may add the newly created layout to the layout templates of display area 310. In another embodiment, the user may be prompted as to whether the altered layout is to be added to the layout templates of the display area 310.
[0036] II. Accessing Snapshots from a Home Screen
[0037] Referring to
[0038] The worklists display area 430 and the collections display area 440 recite worklists and collections, respectively. The term “worklist” refers to a rule-based grouping of studies while the term “collection” refers to a grouping of studies manually assembled by a user. The embodiment in
[0039] In contrast, studies are added to, or removed from, a collection only when done so manually by a user or viewer. It is envisioned that a combination of a worklist and collection grouping may be implemented wherein a user may manually add to, or remove from, the grouping but also establish rules for automatic addition and removal. Although
[0040] As is seen
[0041] Referring now to
[0042] The processor(s) 501 is further coupled to persistent storage 530 via transmission medium 525. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, persistent storage 530 may include (a) the layout templates 531, (b) an import logic 532, (c) a snapshot generation logic 533, (d) a display control logic 534, (e) an images database 535, (f) a notes database 536 and (g) a records database 537. The import logic 532 may include logic for retrieving one or more pieces of information from a storage device and importing each of the one or more pieces of information into a separate display area of a layout template. For example, the pieces of information may include, but are not limited or restricted to, (i) medical images, including x-rays, mammograms, computerized tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scan and/or ultrasound imaging, (ii) physician's notes regarding one or more of the medical images and/or (iii) medical records corresponding to one or more of the subjects of the one or more medical images.
[0043] The snapshot generation logic 533 may include logic for saving at least a first state of the layout template. Saving the first state may include storing, at least, (i) the one or more pieces of information, and (ii) viewing properties of each of the one or more pieces of information in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The display control logic 534 may include logic for retrieving one of a set of saved states of the layout template for display according to a selection of a user and displaying (e.g., rendering a display screen) the retrieved one of the set of saved states of the layout template. Additionally, the display control logic 534 may include logic for adjusting one or more of the viewing properties according to instructions by the user (e.g., altering a brightness level, a zoom level, a contrast level, etc.). Furthermore, the display control logic 534 may include logic for stepping back in a series of adjustments made to one or more pieces of information included in a snapshot (or state thereof). In one embodiment, the display control logic 534 may, according to instructions received via the user selecting various icons on the display screen, step back to previous states based on adjustments to one or more viewing properties.
[0044] For example, assume a doctor had increased the brightness level from 100% to 150% and then increased the zoom level from to focus on a particular aspect of the medical image before saving the state of the layout as a first state of a snapshot and closed the display screen. Upon opening the first state of the snapshot, the doctor (or another user) would see the medical image at a brightness level of 150% and at the increased zoom level focusing on the particular aspect of the medical image. The doctor may then step back to previous states based on the adjustments to the medical image that were previously made. Therefore, the doctor may step back to a normal zoom level and subsequently step back to a brightness level of 100% (e.g., by selecting icon 235 of
[0045] The images database 535, the notes database 536 and the records database 537 may comprise a single non-transitory computer-readable medium storage device or may each be a separate non-transitory computer-readable medium storage device. In one embodiment, each of the databases 535-537 may take the form of a hash table on a single non-transitory computer-readable medium storage device. The images database 535 stores medical images that a user may import into a display area of a layout template. The notes database 536 stores notes recorded by a doctor, nurse, medical technician, etc., that a user may import into a display area of a layout template. Finally, the records database 537 stores medical records that a user may import into a display area of a layout template.
[0046] A. Snapshot Generation Process
[0047] Referring to
[0048] At block 603, the doctor may import notes pertaining to the imported first medical image in a second display area of the layout template. For example, a doctor may have previously recorded notes while taking the x-ray images. Alternatively, or in addition to, the doctor may enter notes in the second display area while examining the first medical image.
[0049] At block 604, the doctor may adjust one or more viewing properties of the first medical image, such as, among others, (i) a brightness level and/or (ii) a zoom level of the first medical image. In such an example, the doctor may adjust a brightness level in order to more clearly examine the first medical image. In addition, the doctor may increase the zoom level of the medical image in order to focus the examination on a particular portion of the first medical image, e.g., one of a plurality of broken bones suffered during a car accident, wherein the one particular bone will be the focus of a first surgery.
[0050] Subsequent to importing the first medical image and notes pertaining to the first medical image (or recording notes during examination of the first medical image) and adjusting one or more viewing properties of the first medical image, the doctor may save the state of the layout template as a first state of a snapshot (block 605). As discussed above, the doctor may save the state of the layout template such that (i) the specific arrangement of medical images, notes, medical records, etc., is saved and (ii) any adjustments made to the viewing properties (e.g., display attributes) of the medical images are preserved. Therefore, in this example, the adjustment of the brightness level and the zoom level would be persevered. The saved state of the layout template may be referred to as a first state of the snapshot. As discussed above, it is advantageous to save a state of the layout because it is difficult for a doctor to recall the exact steps of obtaining the state from which a conclusion regarding an injury or course of treatment was drawn. Additionally, a saved state of a layout is easy to transmit to a second doctor and/or a nurse or medical technician located remotely compared to transmitting the medical information and instructions as to obtaining the desired state of the layout.
[0051] After saving the first state of the snapshot, the doctor may import a second medical image into a third display area of the layout template (block 606). In one embodiment, a second medical image may be a second perspective of the injury on which the first medical image is focused. Alternatively, the second medical image may be the same x-ray as the first medical image with its viewing properties adjusted differently than the first medical image, an x-ray of a second injury, an x-ray of a second patient having undergone a successful surgery to correct the injury on which the first medical image is focused, etc. Although the method 600 states that a second medical image is imported into the third display area of the layout template, the doctor may import medical records of the patient of whom the first medical image depicts or other medical information (e.g., treatment or surgery protocol, a timeline for treatment, etc.).
[0052] At block 607, the doctor may then save the state of the layout template as a second state of the snapshot. Having a plurality of saved states may be advantageous as a doctor may use a first state to discuss the injury and potential treatment options with a second doctor or surgeon and use a second state to discuss the injury and potential treatment options with a nurse and the patient as a second doctor or surgeon may not desire to have the additional information that is shown to a nurse or the patient (or vice versa). For example, a second doctor may not want to see an x-ray of a successful surgery to correct the injury but may only need to see one or more perspectives of the actual injury. In the same example, a doctor may find it easier to explain the upcoming surgery to the patient by showing an x-ray of a successful surgery next to an x-ray of the injury (e.g., to explain that a metal plate will be inserted during surgery and what the result will be).
[0053] Any combination of the above features and functionalities may be used in accordance with one or more embodiments. In the foregoing specification, embodiments have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the invention, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the invention, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction.