Methods, computer program products, apparatuses, and systems to accommodate decision support and reference case management for diagnostic imaging

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided to accommodate decision support and reference case management for diagnostic imaging. An apparatus may include a processor configured to receive a request for an image from a client device. The processor may be further configured to retrieve a source image corresponding to the requested image from a memory. The processor may additionally be configured to process the source image to generate a second image having a greater resolution than the source image. The processor may also be configured to provide the second image to the client device to facilitate viewing and manipulation of the second image at the client device. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This divisional application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 262,668, filed Oct. 31, 2008, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 984,291, filed Oct. 31, 2007, entitled METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO ACCOMMODATE DECISION SUPPORT AND REFERENCE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]Embodiments of the invention relate generally to tools, methods, computer program products, apparatuses, and systems for managing medical images and associated text and data, and more specifically, to the creation and use of medical image knowledge bases for decision support, reference, training, consultation, and collaboration.BACKGROUND[0003]Clinicians who interpret images make fewer errors when they are able to consult reference images and reference texts. When encountering challenging cases, clinicians frequently turn to textbooks o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention provides a system for managing and accessing medical images and case files. It allows clinicians to view and manipulate images with higher resolution and zoom in on specific parts of the image. The system also allows users to create new case files by extracting text data from existing cases and adding their own diagnostic information. The system can be accessed through a web-based interface and provides convenient access to diagnostic-quality reference cases. Overall, the invention improves the user experience and makes it easier for clinicians to view and use medical images for diagnosis and treatment purposes."

Problems solved by technology

However, the pressure of heavy workloads makes it infeasible for clinicians to consult reference material as often as they would like, as it takes a significant amount of searching to find good examples.

However, cases in textbooks and online often have only a few static images, usually too low resolution to be considered ideal for diagnosis.

Hospital imaging systems and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) often contain the images that the clinician needs for decision support, but the limited nature of existing retrieval interfaces makes it hard for clinicians to find the right studies.

Images