Method and system for providing a contrast agent warning

Abstract

The invention relates to providing a contrast agent warning during a medical imaging procedure. Medical imaging data relating to a medical imaging procedure is received, wherein a contrast agent was administered to a patient during the medical imaging procedure. Based on the medical imaging data, a volume of contrast agent administered to the patient is determined. Based on the medical imaging data, a reference volume of the contrast agent is determined. A warning is provided if the volume of administered contrast agent meets a condition, wherein the condition is based on the reference volume of the contrast agent.

Description

This patent application relates to a comprehensive solution for contrast management which is intended to improve patient care considerably in radiologic departments. The invention addresses a critical technical problem in the field of medical imaging, in particular in methods of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance tomography (MRI), in which contrast enhancement is used.Contrast enhancement is typically administered using automatic injection systems commonly referred to as "power injectors.". These systems are routinely used for iodine-containing contrast agents in interventional procedures. Although contrast agents are generally safe, undesirable events may occur in patients with renal problems. Further, scans with improper timing or engineering problems in injection can result in suboptimal images, particularly in fast CT scanners.Current methods for managing contrast agent injection data include manual or semi-automatic methods that are often error prone and lack uniformity in documentation. These methods include manual entry of information such as contrast volume, flow rates, and time of injection into the system of the CT scanner by radiology technicians or medical professionals. Electronic health care records (EHR) or radiology information systems (RIS) are frequently used for data input during or after the method.The invention proposed here aims to automate the acquisition of contrast agent injection data and thereby to improve compliance with regulations, safety and quality assurance in imaging devices. This is achieved by the introduction of an industry standard information object for consistent access to contrast agent data per study. The solution provides useful findings for the continuous evaluation of contrast agent usage for different types of injectors or providers and for all protocols used. It also has integrated interoperability functions based on communication standards (DICOM and HL7) which enable an interface to systems such as injectors and hospital information systems (PACS, RIS and EMR). Moreover, the solution provides benchmarking functions with data received from multiple providers.In summary, this invention provides a comprehensive solution for contrast management that automates the acquisition of data for contrast agent injection and thereby increases the quality of the patient supply, improves the diagnostic yield in contrast-enhanced imaging methods and ensures compliance with documentation, safety and quality regulations in radiologic departments.The problem is solved according to the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments and additional advantageous features are described in the dependent claims and in the description.The solution according to the invention is described below both with reference to the systems claimed and with reference to the methods claimed. Features, advantages, or alternative embodiments herein may be associated with the corresponding other claimed objects, and vice versa. In other words, the systems can be improved with features that are described or claimed in connection with the corresponding method. In this case, the functional features of the methods are embodied by objective units of the systems.In the following, the term "in particular" is used to indicate an optional and / or advantageous additional feature. Moreover, the term "application of a neural network to data" or "application of a device to data" is used to indicate that the respective data is used as input data for the model or device or that input data is used that includes the respective data (and potentially other data).In a first aspect, the invention relates to a computer-implemented method for providing a contrast agent warning. The method includes receiving medical imaging data relating to a medical imaging method, wherein contrast agent has been administered to a patient during the medical imaging method. The method further comprises determining a volume of contrast agent administered to the patient based on the medical imaging data. The method further comprises determining a reference volume of contrast agent based on the medical imaging data. The method further comprises providing an alert when the volume of administered contrast agent satisfies a condition, the condition being based on the reference volume of contrast agent.Medical imaging data as used herein may refer to any data or information obtained by a medical imaging method. This could include, but is not limited to, raw data, processed data, metadata, or any combination thereof. The data may be derived from various types of medical imaging, such as X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), or any other imaging modalities known in the art. The data may be in various formats, such as DICOM, JPEG, PNG, or any other suitable format. The data may also include patient-specific information, such as the patient's demographic data, his medical history, or any other relevant information.A method of medical imaging as used herein may refer to any process or method by which medical imaging data is obtained. This could include, but is not limited to, the use of various imaging modalities such as X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRT, PET, or any other imaging modalities known in the art. The methods include using a contrast agent to enhance the visibility of certain structures or fluids within the body. The method may also include acquiring a reference volume of contrast agent for comparison purposes. The method may be performed in various environments, such as a hospital, clinic, or any other suitable location.A contrast agent as used herein may refer to any substance used to improve the visibility of structures or fluids in the body during a medical imaging procedure. This may include, but is not limited to, iodine-based agents, barium-based agents, gadolinium-based agents, or any other suitable agents known in the art. The contrast agent may be administered in a variety of ways, such as orally, intravenously, or by any other suitable method. The contrast agent may also be used in various amounts that may be determined based on a reference volume of contrast agent.A reference volume of contrast agent as used herein may refer to a predetermined amount of contrast agent used as a standard or benchmark during a medical imaging procedure. This could include, but is not limited to, a specific volume, weight, concentration, or any other suitable measure of the contrast agent. The reference volume may be determined based on various factors, such as the type of contrast agent, the imaging modality, the weight of the patient, or any other relevant factors. The reference volume may be used to ensure optimum visibility of structures or fluids in the body.A warning, as used herein, may refer to any notification or warning generated in response to a specific event or condition during a medical imaging procedure. This could include, but is not limited to, a warning generated when the volume of contrast agent used exceeds the reference volume, a warning generated when the medical imaging data indicates a potential medical problem, or any other suitable warning. The alert may be in various ways, such as a visual alert, audible alert, tactile alert, or any other suitable method. The alert may be configured to prompt a user, such as a medical professional, for a response.A condition as used herein may refer to a function that results in a binary variable, multiple categorial variables, or a continuous variable. In particular, a condition can relate to whether a variable exceeds or falls below a certain threshold value.By monitoring the volume of the administered contrast agent and comparing it with a reference volume, the method can provide a warning if the administered volume meets a certain condition. As a result, potential damage to the patient as a result of an over-exposure to the contrast medium can be prevented and thus the patient safety can be improved. This can also increase the efficiency of medical imaging, save time for medical personnel, and allow more patients to be treated.According to a further aspect of the invention, the medical imaging data comprise a secondary recorded image, wherein determining a volume of the administered contrast agent comprises the steps of performing an optical character recognition within the secondary recorded image and determining the volume of the administered contrast agent on the basis of the recognized characters within the secondary recorded image.A secondary captured image as used herein may refer to any image that is converted from a non-DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format to a modality-independent DICOM format. This could include, but is not limited to, images taken from various types of equipment, such as video interfaces that convert an analog video signal to a digital image, medical imaging devices, or any other suitable equipment known in the art. The secondary captured image may be a grayscale image, a color image, a multi-frame image, or any other suitable type of image. The secondary captured image may be used in various applications, such as medical imaging, telemedicine, or any other suitable application.Optical character recognition (OCR), as used herein, may refer to any process or method by which various types of documents, such as scanned paper documents, PDF files, or images taken with a digital camera, are converted to editable and searchable data. This could include, but is not limited to, the use of various OCR technologies such as pattern recognition, feature recognition, or any other suitable OCR technology known in the art. The OCR process may include various steps such as preprocessing, character segmentation, character recognition, and post-processing. The OCR process can be used in various applications, such as in digitizing documents, automatizing data entry, or any other suitable application. The OCR process may be performed for various types of data, such as text data, image data, or any other suitable type of data.By using optical character recognition (OCR) within the secondary image to determine the volume of contrast agent administered, the system can accurately identify and interpret the relevant data of the image. This can result in a more precise determination of the contrast medium volume, whereby the accuracy of the warning system is improved and the patient safety is potentially increased.According to a further aspect of the invention, the method further comprises determining a planned contrast medium volume on the basis of recognized characters within the secondary recording image, wherein the condition and / or the reference contrast medium volume is based on the planned contrast medium volume.A planned volume of contrast agent as used herein may refer to a predetermined amount of contrast agent to be used during a medical imaging procedure. This could include, but is not limited to, a specific volume, weight, concentration, or any other suitable measure of the contrast agent. The planned volume may be determined based on various factors, such as the type of contrast agent, the imaging modality, the patient weight, the patient's health, or any other relevant factor. The planned volume may be used to ensure optimum visibility of structures or fluids in the body during the imaging process. The scheduled volume may be adjusted as needed based on the actual conditions during the procedure. The planned contrast medium volume can also be compared with a reference contrast medium volume or a contrast medium volume actually used during the intervention, and a warning can be generated if the planned volume and the reference or actual volume deviate from one another by more than a predetermined amount.Using the planned contrast medium volume, knowledge about the patient who has led to the planned volume can be included in the warning method.According to a further aspect of the invention, the medical imaging data comprise a structured reporting document, wherein the structured reporting document comprises a data element relating to the volume of the administered contrast agent.A structured report document as used herein may refer to a digital or physical document that organizes data or information in a standardized, predictable manner. This could include, but is not limited to, medical reports, research reports, technical reports, or any other suitable type of report. The structured reporting document may include various types of data or information, such as text, images, tables, charts, or any other suitable type of data or information. The structured reporting document may be generated using various types of software or systems, such as a reporting system, a document management system, or any other suitable software or system. The structured reporting document may be stored in various formats, such as Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine Structured Reporting (DICOM SR), Health Level Seven Clinical Document Architecture (HL7 CDA), PDF, or any other suitable format. The structured reporting document may be used in various applications, such as medical imaging, clinical studies, patient care, or any other suitable application. The structured report document may also include various types of metadata, such as date and time of creation, author, patient data, or any other suitable metadata.DICOM SR ("Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine Structured Reporting"), as used herein, may refer to a standard for the communication and management of medical imaging information and related data. This could include, but is not limited to, the presentation, storage, retrieval and exchange of medical images, structured reports, and other information associated therewith. DICOM SR provides a standardized structure for reporting and communicating information derived from medical images, such as measurements, annotations, and other types of data. The structured reports may be associated with various types of medical imaging data, such as data obtained from x-ray imaging, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), or any other imaging modalities known in the art. The structured reports may be used in various applications, such as medical imaging, patient care, clinical studies, or any other suitable application. The structured reports may also include various types of metadata, such as date and time of creation, author, information about the patient, or any other suitable metadata.Using a structured reporting document, information about the scheduled or administered contrast medium volume is directly accessible and the determinations of the volume can be made with less errors.According to a further aspect of the invention, the structured reporting document comprises a data element relating to a planned contrast medium volume, wherein at least one of the condition and the reference volume of the contrast medium is based on the planned contrast medium volume.According to another aspect of the invention, the structured reporting document further comprises a data element relating to at least one of injection details, syringe pump details, flow rate details and / or pressure data details, wherein at least one of the volume of administered contrast agent and the reference volume of contrast agent is determined based on the data element.Injection details as used herein may refer to any information related to administering a contrast agent during a medical imaging procedure. This could include, but is not limited to, the type of contrast agent used, the volume of contrast agent administered, the method of administration (e.g., intravenous, oral), the location of administration, the time of administration, or any other relevant information. The information about the injection may also include information about the use of a syringe pump, such as the model of the pump, the settings used, or any other relevant information.Details of the syringe pump as used herein may refer to any information regarding use of a syringe pump during administration of a contrast agent in a medical imaging method. This could include, but is not limited to, the model of the pump, the settings used (e.g., flow rate, pressure), the type of syringe used, the volume of contrast agent in the syringe, or any other relevant information.Flow rate details as used herein may refer to any information related to the rate at which a contrast agent is administered during a medical imaging procedure. This could include, but is not limited to, the initial flow rate, the average flow rate, the maximum flow rate, the time at which the flow rate changes, or any other relevant information. The flow rate details may be determined based on various factors, such as the type of contrast agent, the imaging modality, the weight of the patient, or any other relevant factors.The pressure data used herein may refer to any information related to the pressure with which a contrast agent is administered during a medical imaging procedure. This could include, but is not limited to, the initial pressure, the average pressure, the maximum pressure, the time that the pressure changes, or any other relevant information. The indications of the pressure data may be determined based on various factors, such as the type of contrast agent, the imaging modality, the patient weight, or any other relevant factors.According to a further aspect of the invention, the medical imaging data comprise an axial image. According to this aspect, the method further comprises determining at least one of the volume of administered contrast agent and the reference volume of contrast agent based on the axial image.An axial image as used herein may refer to a type of cross-sectional image taken in a horizontal plane through the body during a medical imaging procedure. This could include, but is not limited to, images obtained from various types of medical imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), or any other imaging modalities known in the art. The axial image can be used to visualize various structures or fluids in the body, possibly using a contrast agent. The axial image may be obtained at various levels of the body, such as at the head, chest, abdominal cavity, or any other suitable level. The axial image may be used for various applications, such as diagnosis, treatment planning, monitoring the progression of the disease, or any other suitable application. The axial image may also be combined with other types of images, such as sagittal or coronal images, to provide a more comprehensive view of the body.According to another aspect of the invention, the medical imaging data comprises at least two axial images, and the method further comprises selecting one of the at least two axial images based on a contrast bolus time, determining at least one of the volume of administered contrast agent and the reference volume of contrast agent based on the selected one of the at least two axial images.According to a further aspect of the invention, determining a reference volume of the contrast agent comprises determining imaging metadata on the basis of the medical imaging data and querying a database comprising a plurality of reference volumes of the contrast agent on the basis of the imaging metadata.Imaging metadata as used herein may refer to any data or information that provides context or additional details to a medical image. This could include, but is not limited to, the date and time of the image acquisition, the type of imaging modality used (e.g., X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET), the settings used during the imaging procedure, information about the patient, the use of a contrast agent, or any other relevant information. The imaging metadata may be stored in various formats, such as DICOM, XML, JSON, or any other suitable format. The imaging metadata may be used in various applications, such as image interpretation, patient care, clinical studies, research, or any other suitable application. The imaging metadata may also be used to search, sort, or filter images in a database.A database as used herein may refer to any system or software used to store, manage, and retrieve data or information. This could include, but is not limited to, relational databases, object-oriented databases, hierarchical databases, network databases, or any other suitable type of database. The database may include various types of data or information, such as medical images, imaging metadata, patient records, or any other suitable data or information. The database may be used in various applications such as medical imaging, patient care, clinical studies, research, or any other suitable application. The database may also include various features, such as search functions, sort functions, filter functions, or any other suitable features. The database may be located on a local server, a remote server, a cloud-based server, or any other suitable location.According to a further aspect of the invention, the imaging metadata corresponds to a method description of the method of medical imaging.A method description of medical imaging as used herein may refer to any detailed explanation or sketch of the steps, methods, or processes employed in a method of medical imaging. This could include, but is not limited to, the type of imaging modality used (e.g., X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET), the preparation of the patient, the positioning of the patient, the settings used during the imaging procedure, the use and administration of a contrast agent, the acquisition of images, the interpretation of images, or any other relevant information. The method description may also include safety precautions, potential risks, expected results, or any other relevant details. The method description may be used by medical professionals to guide the performance of the imaging method, training new employees, quality control, or any other suitable application. The method description may be stored in various formats, such as text, video, audio, or any other suitable format, and may be included in a database, a patient record, a structured report document, or any other suitable location.According to a further aspect of the invention, the method comprises determining the body region that is the subject of the method of medical imaging, wherein the condition is further determined on the basis of the body region.According to a further aspect of the invention, the condition is based on at least one of the accumulated or the maximum volume of the administered contrast agent.According to a further aspect of the invention, the method further comprises anonymousizing or pseudonymizing the data of the medical imaging.The anonymousization of medical imaging data as used herein may refer to any process or method by which identifying information is removed from medical imaging data or rendered indistinguishable to prevent the identification of the person to whom the data relates. This could include, but is not limited to, the removal or disambiguation of personal identifiers such as name, birth date, social security number, or any other relevant information. The anonymousization process may be performed using various techniques, such as data masking, data scrambling, data encryption, or any other suitable technique. The anonymous medical imaging data may be used in a variety of applications, such as research, clinical studies, teaching, or any other suitable application where identification of the individual is not required or desired.Pseudonymization of medical imaging data as used herein may refer to any process or method by which identifying information in medical imaging data is replaced with a pseudonym or code to prevent direct identification of the person to whom the data relates. This could include, but is not limited to, replacing personal identifiers such as name, birth date, social security number with a unique identifier or code. The pseudonymization process may be performed using various techniques, such as data masking, data encryption, or any other suitable technique. The pseudonymized medical imaging data can be used in various applications, such as research, clinical studies, patient care, or any other suitable application in which direct identification of the person is not necessary or desired, but in which under certain conditions the possibility of linking the data to the person is required.The invention further relates to a system for providing a contrast agent warning, comprising at least one processor configured for the following operations:receiving medical imaging data relating to a medical imaging method, wherein a contrast agent has been administered to a patient during the medical imaging method,determining a volume of the contrast agent administered to the patient on the basis of the data of the medical imaging,determining a reference volume of the contrast agent on the basis of the data of the medical imaging,providing a warning when the volume of administered contrast agent satisfies a condition, wherein the condition is based on the reference volume of the contrast agent.In particular, the system for providing the contrast medium warning can be designed such that it carries out the method according to the invention and its aspects.The invention further relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to one of the aspects of the invention.The invention further relates to a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to any of the aspects of the invention.The realization of the invention or one of its aspects by a computer program product and / or a computer-readable medium has the advantage that already existing systems can easily be set up by software updates in such a way that they operate as claimed in the invention.The computer program products mentioned can be, for example, a computer program or comprise another element in addition to the computer program. This other element may be hardware, for example, a storage device on which the computer program is stored, a hardware key for using the computer program and the like, and / or software, for example, documentation or a software key for using the computer program.The above-described features, features and advantages of the invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become more apparent and understood from the following description and embodiments, which will be described in detail in connection with the drawings. This following description does not limit the invention to the embodiments included. Identical components or parts can be identified by the same reference numerals in different figures. Generally, the figures are not to scale.The numbering and / or order of the method steps is intended to facilitate understanding and is not to be understood as meaning that the steps designated must be executed according to the numbering of their reference numerals and / or order within the figures, unless expressly stated otherwise or implicitly clear. In particular, a plurality of or even all method steps can be carried out simultaneously, overlapping or one after the other.In the following: FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a system for providing a contrast agent warning integrated into the hospital infrastructure, FIG. 2 shows a first visualization of the contrast medium permitted in medical imaging, FIG. 3 shows a second visualization of the contrast medium permitted within the scope of medical imaging, FIG. 4 shows a third visualization of the contrast medium permitted in medical imaging, FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for providing a contrast agent warning, FIG. 6 illustrates a system for providing a contrast warning according to an embodiment of the invention.FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a system for providing a contrast agent warning integrated into the hospital infrastructure.In this embodiment, a medical imaging method is performed using a medical imaging device 104 and a contrast agent injector 102. Contrast agent injectors 102 may be used independently of their manufacturer or modality, as the injector is connected to either medical imaging device 104 and / or the PACS. In this embodiment, the contrast agent injector 102 and the medical imaging device 104 are communicatively coupled. In particular, the contrast agent injector 102 may pass information about the contrast agent injection in connection with the method of medical imaging on to the device 104 for medical imaging.The medical imaging device 104 generates a DICOM examination object 106 as a result of the medical imaging method. A DICOM examination object 106 is a collection of all data, including patient information, examination relevant descriptions, and actual image data (such as x-ray, CT, ultrasound) generated during a medical imaging procedure in which image data is acquired, and includes one or more logically contiguous series of medical images, presentation states, and / or structured reports (acronym "SR") that are used to diagnose a patient.Within the system for providing a contrast agent warning, the DICOM examination object 106 is divided into sub-sections by a data separation module 108. In particular, the data separation module 108 extracts secondary recording images 112 (black image) of the examination data from the DICOM examination object 106, structured contrast report documents 114 (acronym "SR") of the examination data (including, but not limited to, contrast medium administrations performed according to DICOM supplement 164 and / or planned contrast medium administrations according to DICOM supplement 164) and / or an axial image 110 of the examination data.If an axial image 110 is present, it is analyzed further with an axial image parser 120. Specifically, the axial image parser 120 selects the last axial image by checking the start time of the contrast bolus when there are multiple axial images, extracts the contrast-related information from the axial image, and writes all information into JSON files.If a secondary recorded image 112 is present, it is analyzed further using an OCR module 122 (acronym for "Optical Character Recognition"). Specifically, the OCR module 122 extracts the contrast information text from the image by OCR, generates structured report documents 114 (scheduled and performed) from the secondary shot, reads the contrast information from the structured report documents 114, and then writes all information into JSON files.When structured report documents 114 are available (either directly in the DICOM examination object 106 and / or parsed from a secondary capture image 112), they are further analyzed by an SR parser module 124. Specifically, the SR parser module 124 reads both scheduled and performed SRs and extracts the contrast information, reads the injection details, reads the syringe pump details, reads the flow rate details, and / or reads the pressure data details. Finally, all information is written to JSON files by the SR parser module 124.The combined JSON data generated by the axial image parser 120, the OCR module 122, and / or the SR parser module 124 is formed into an injector data object 130 and passed to a data import module 132. The data import module 132 forwards the data and stores it in an examination database 134.In this embodiment, a reference value memory 146 is also provided. In addition, there is a reference value interface 148 that can be used by a user to visualize and / or edit the reference values stored in the reference value memory 146. To build a reference value memory 146, contrast studies of various body regions or method descriptions are called up. A threshold value (reference value) can then be established for each body region or each method description. A new method description can be added via the reference value interface 148, so that a threshold value can be stored for this. These thresholds are stored in the reference value storage 146, which is a different cloud storage than the examination database 134. The thresholds may be from a single device and specific to a region or country. The settings of the thresholds are different for different types of units such as contrast volume, flow rate, eG, etc.In this embodiment, there is also a warning rule engine 140. Specifically, the alert rule engine 140 identifies an alert based on the thresholds established for body region, method description, eG, etc., in the reference value memory 146. It compares the different values such as contrast volume, incoming study flow rate (DICOM imaging object 106) processed by the data import module 132 with the threshold set for the same parameter in the study stored in the reference value memory 146. The deviation of the contrast volume can also be calculated on the basis of the body region or the method description. The same can be indicated in a later visualization of the warning. In particular, the alert rule engine 140 should be able to identify the alert based on the cumulative or maximum contrast volume. If, during an examination, the contrast agent parameters such as volume, flow rate, eG exceed the threshold value stored in the reference value memory 146, a warning message 144 is generated by a warning processing module 142 and is notified to the user by mail or by any other message. The alert 144 may be transmitted for a specific alert examination or a series of examinations of the scanner. The alert processing module 142 may also store information about a specific alert in the examination database 134.All data in the survey database 134 may be communicated to a user via a survey data visualization module 136. Alternatively, the data can be transmitted via an interface 138 to an external database 139, e.g. a HIS (acronym for "Hospital Information System") or a RIS (acronym for "Radiology Information System"). Details for visualization are explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.In the embodiment, there is also a benchmark computer 150 that can access the data stored in the study database 134. In particular, the benchmark computer 150 may perform an analysis of all data in the study database 134 to calculate average contrast parameters such as volume, flow rate, eFR per device or per country / region. These averages or benchmarks may then be stored in benchmark memory 152 and communicated to the user via benchmark data visualization module 154.The use of a system as shown in Fig. 1 has the following advantages:Accuracy and Precision: The system ensures accurate and consistent recording of contrast agent details and minimizes the risk of manual errors.Quality assurance: The automatic detection of contrast agent details supports quality assurance institutions by providing a reliable dataset for the analysis and evaluation of imaging protocols and results.Efficiency: The system rationalizes the workflows by automatizing the data extraction and saves the medical personnel in the radiologic department (in particular CT) time.Real-time monitoring: The system allows immediate detection and correction of deviations from the prescribed contrast delivery protocols.Comprehensive documentation: The system acquires detailed data on contrast medium volume, flow rates and injection time for a more thorough recording of each imaging method.Patient safety and compliance with regulations: The system increases patient safety, supports compliance with regulations and facilitates quality assurance by standardized and automated data acquisition.Comparison / Benchmarking: By the ability of the system to handle multi-tenance, the analyses could be provided across the devices, thus assisting the devices in improving.FIG. 2 shows a first visualization 200 of the contrast medium administered within the scope of medical imaging. In particular, the first visualization 200 may be created via the examination data visualization module 136 based on the data in the examination database 134. The first visualization is based in particular on a structured report in the examination database 134 and is the graphical visualization of flow rate and pressure data of the contrast agents 224, 226, saline / water 220 and the pause / hold duration 222 throughout the injection sequence.The flow data of the injection sequence is represented using the line graph format, wherein the area style is colored based on the respective sequence action. The time period is represented on the X axis 202 in seconds and the flow rate 220, 224, 226 on the Y axis 204 in ml / s.The print data of the injection sequence is represented using the line graph format. The time period in seconds is represented on the X axis 202 and the pressure 210 is represented on the Y axis 206. One may also represent the pressure limit data 212 as a constant value until one may derive this data from the JSON.The flow data 220, 224, 226 and the print data 210, 212 are overlaid on the same diagram for better understanding of the sequence. The Y-axis 204 on the left side of the diagram represents the range of the flow data, while the Y-axis 206 on the right side represents the range of the print data. The used contrast agents 224, 226 are represented using green shading. In a sequence, there may be multiple contrast agent consumptions based on factors such as concentration. The data for each of these consumptions is clearly represented. For example, in this embodiment, the first contrast curve 224 corresponds to a concentration of 100% and the second contrast curve 226 corresponds to a concentration of 13%, as indicated in legend 208. Saline or water 220 is represented using blue shading. The pause or hold phase 222 is represented using an orange shade. Print data 210, 212 is represented as a line using red shading. Using legend 208 provided in the diagram, the display of each of these elements may be switched.FIG. 3 shows a second visualization 300 of the contrast agent administered within the scope of medical imaging. In particular, the second visualization 300 may be created via the examination data visualization module 136 based on the data in the examination database 134. The first visualization is based in particular on a structured report in the study database 134, and is the graphical representation of the volume consumed and the injection duration of the contrast agent, the saline solution / water, and the pause / hold duration during the injection sequence in its entirety.The representation provides data about the performed execution 310, 312, 314 and the scheduled execution 320, 322, 324 of the sequence. The diagram only takes into account the duration of the sequence, the time period being represented along the X axis 304. The Y-axis 302 represents the sequence itself, wherein the sequences 310, 312, 314 performed and the planned sequence 320, 322, 324 are summarized for better understanding.The executed sequence 310, 312, 314 is labeled as an "actual" sequence and the scheduled sequence 320, 322, 324 is labeled as a "programmed" sequence with the numerical sequence identifier adjacent to them. The planned sequence 320, 322, 324 is represented in darker shading compared to the sequence 310, 312, 314 performed. The duration and volume of each sequence is represented for all factors involved in the sequence. A legend 306 is provided to provide the user of the second visualization 300 with the corresponding information.Used contrast agents are represented using green shading. Saline or water is represented using blue shading. The pause or hold phase is represented using an orange shade. There may be a representation for varying the contrast agent concentration that can be used for further analyses.FIG. 4 shows a third visualization 400 of the contrast medium administered within the scope of medical imaging. In particular, the third visualization 400 may be created via the examination data visualization module 136 based on the data in the examination database 134. The third visualization 400 shows a combination of the scanner events 402, 404, 406 (i.e., the irradiation events) together with the representation 408 of the contrast agent injection sequence. The contrast medium flows are synchronized with the scans, i.e. each event represents the event of the image recording. The white circle 402, 408 expresses the start and end points of the scan. The red circle 406 expresses the main scan. The points within the circles represent the event of the image recording. The first row of the third visualization indicates the serial and image number, among which the scan number may be indicated. On the basis of the third visualization 400, an optimization of the time and contrast volume saving can be carried out. In particular, a volume optimization can be obtained by measuring the contrast medium consumption after the last scan before the flushing. This contrast medium consumption can be stored and thus an optimization of the consumed contrast medium volume can be achieved.FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for providing a contrast agent warning 144. The method comprises the step of receiving 510 medical imaging data 106 relating to a medical imaging method, wherein contrast agent has been administered to a patient during the medical imaging method. The method further comprises determining 520 a volume of contrast agent administered to the patient based on the medical imaging data 106. The method further comprises determining 530 a reference volume of contrast agent based on the medical imaging data 106. The method further comprises providing 550 a warning 144 if the volume of administered contrast agent satisfies a condition, wherein the condition is based on the reference volume of the contrast agent.In a first variant of this embodiment, the step of determining 520 the volume of contrast agent administered to the patient comprises the step of performing 521 an optical character recognition within the secondary image 112 and the step of determining 522 the volume of contrast agent administered on the basis of the recognized characters within the secondary image. This variant is relevant in particular when the data of the medical imaging 106 comprise a secondary recorded image 112. Advantageously, determining 520 the contrast medium volume administered to the patient further comprises the step of determining 523 a planned contrast medium volume on the basis of recognized characters within the secondary image 112. Based on the planned contrast medium volume, the condition and / or the reference volume of the contrast medium is then determined in step 530 or 550.In a second variant of this embodiment, the step of determining 520 the volume of contrast agent administered to the patient comprises determining 525 at least one of the volume of contrast agent administered and the reference volume of contrast agent based on an axial image 110. In the event that the medical imaging data 106 comprises at least two axial images 110, the step of determining 520 the volume of contrast agent administered to the patient comprises selecting 524 one of the at least two axial images 110 based on a contrast bolus time and determining 525 at least one of the volume of contrast agent administered and the reference volume of contrast agent based on the selected one of the at least two axial images 110.In particular, the additional steps of the first variant are carried out if a secondary recorded image 112 is present in the data of the medical imaging 106, and the additional steps of the second variant are carried out if at least one axial image 110 is present in the data of the medical imaging 106. In cases where the medical imaging data 106 includes both a secondary captured image 112 and at least one axial image 110, the additional steps of both the first and second variants may be performed.Advantageously, the step of determining 530 a reference volume of the contrast agent comprises the step of determining 531 imaging metadata on the basis of the medical imaging data 106 and querying 532 a database 146 (in particular the reference value memory 146) comprising a plurality of reference volumes of the contrast agent on the basis of the imaging metadata. In particular, when the medical imaging data 106 includes DICOM images, the imaging metadata may include metatags of the DICOM images.FIG. 6 shows a system 600 for providing a contrast agent warning 144 according to an embodiment of the invention. The system 600 is configured to perform a method for providing a contrast warning 144 according to embodiments of the invention.The system 600 may be or include a (personal) computer, a workstation, a virtual machine executing on host hardware, a microcontroller, or an integrated circuit. Alternatively, the system 600 may be a real or virtual group of computers (the term for a real group of computers is "cluster", the term for a virtual group of computers is "cloud").The system 600 may include an interface 602, a computing unit 604, and a storage unit 606. An interface 602 may be a hardware interface or a software interface (e.g., PCI bus, USB, or Firewire). A computing unit 604 may include hardware and software elements, such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a field programmable gate array (an acronym is "FPGA"), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). A processing unit 604 may be configured for multi-threading, i.e., the processing unit may accommodate different processing processes simultaneously, either executing in parallel or switching between active and passive processing processes. In particular, the calculation unit 604 may be referred to as a processor. The storage unit 606 may include one or more databases. The interface 602, the computing unit 604, and the storage unit 606 may each include a plurality of subunits that are configured and / or spatially separated for performing different tasks.The system 600 may be connected via a network to one or more databases (in particular the examination database 134, the reference value memory 146, and / or the benchmark memory 152). The network can be implemented as a LAN (acronym for "Local Area Network"), in particular as a WiFi network, or any other local connection. Alternatively, the network may also be the Internet. In particular, the network can be realized as a VPN (acronym for "Virtual Private Network"). Alternatively, the database can also be integrated into the system 600, e.g. the database could be stored in the storage unit 606 of the providing system 600. In this case, the database is linked to an internal connection.Unless expressly described, individual embodiments or their individual aspects and features may be combined or interchanged without limiting or expanding the scope of the invention described wherever such combination or interchange is appropriate and within the meaning of this invention. Advantages described with respect to one embodiment of the present invention are also advantageous for other embodiments of the present invention wherever applicable.Regardless of the grammatical use of the term, individuals with male, female, or other sex identity are included in the term.

Claims

A computer-implemented method for providing a contrast agent warning (144), comprising: - receiving (510) medical imaging data (106) relating to a medical imaging method, wherein a contrast agent has been administered to a patient during the medical imaging method, - determining (520) a volume of the contrast agent administered to the patient on the basis of the medical imaging data (106), - determining (530) a reference volume of contrast agent on the basis of the medical imaging data (106), - providing (550) a warning (144) if the volume of the administered contrast agent satisfies a condition, wherein the condition is based on the reference volume of the contrast agent.The method of claim 1, wherein the medical imaging data (106) comprises a secondary captured image (112), wherein determining (520) the volume of administered contrast agent comprises: - performing (521) an optical character recognition within the secondary captured image (112), - determining (522) the volume of administered contrast agent based on recognized characters within the secondary captured image.The method of claim 2, further comprising: - determining (523) a scheduled contrast medium volume based on detected characters within the secondary capture image (112), wherein the condition and / or the reference volume of the contrast medium is based on the scheduled contrast medium volume.The method of any preceding claim, wherein the medical imaging data (106) comprises a structured reporting document (114), the structured reporting document (114) comprising a data element relating to the volume of contrast agent administered.The method of claim 4, wherein the structured reporting document (114) comprises a data element relating to a scheduled contrast medium volume, wherein at least one of the condition and the reference volume of the contrast medium is based on the scheduled volume of the contrast medium.The method of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the structured reporting document (114) further comprises a data item relating to at least one of injection details, syringe pump details, flow rate details, and / or pressure data details, wherein at least one of the volume of administered contrast agent and the reference volume of contrast agent is determined based on the data item.The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the medical imaging data (106) comprises an axial image (110), further comprising: - determining (525) at least one of the volume of administered contrast agent and the reference volume of contrast agent based on the axial image (110).The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the medical imaging data (106) comprises at least two axial images (110), further comprising: - selecting (524) one of the at least two axial images (110) based on a contrast bolus time, - determining (525) at least one of the volume of administered contrast agent and the reference volume of contrast agent based on the selected one of the at least two axial images (110).The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the determining (530) a reference volume of the contrast agent comprises: - determining (531) imaging metadata based on the medical imaging data (106), - querying (532) a database (146) comprising a plurality of reference volumes of contrast agents based on the imaging metadata.The method of claim 9, wherein the imaging metadata corresponds to a method description of the medical imaging method.The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising: - determining (540) the body region that is the subject of the medical imaging method, wherein the condition is further based on the body region.The method of any preceding claim, wherein the condition is based on at least one of the accumulated or maximum volume of the administered contrast agent.The method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising: - anonymousizing or pseudonymizing the medical imaging data.A system (602) for providing a contrast agent warning (144), comprising at least one processor (604) configured for the following operations: - receiving medical imaging data (106) relating to a medical imaging method, wherein a contrast agent has been administered to a patient during the medical imaging method, - determining a volume of the contrast agent administered to the patient on the basis of the medical imaging data (106), - determining a reference volume of the contrast agent on the basis of the medical imaging data (106), - providing a warning (144) if the volume of the administered contrast agent satisfies a condition, wherein the condition is based on the reference volume of the contrast agent.A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13.A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13.

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