Medical image display apparatus, medical image display system, medical image display method, and program

Abstract

It is possible to reduce the risk of erroneously recognizing patient information of a non-identical patient as patient information of an identical patient.SOLUTION: The medical image display device 13 includes the display unit 133 capable of displaying the first medical image acquired from the first server and the second medical image acquired from the second server, and the display unit 133 displays information indicating that the first medical image and the second medical image are mixed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical image display device, a medical image display system, a medical image display method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the functions of medical facilities such as hospitals and clinics have become increasingly differentiated, and the care cycle for a patient's illness (including testing, diagnosis, and treatment) is now spread across multiple facilities. In addition, with the development of cloud systems, technology is advancing to consolidate and manage data from multiple facilities in the cloud. However, currently, identification information (such as patient ID) that identifies a patient differs from facility to facility, making it difficult to collectively grasp data on patients who exist across multiple facilities. Therefore, there is a growing trend to manage patients using common identification information such as a region ID that is unique within a region, My Number (registered trademark), or a medical ID.

[0003] However, it is difficult to say that such common identification information is widely used. Each facility still generally manages patients using its own unique identification information (such as a patient ID).

[0004] Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a medical image display device that identifies the same patient using so-called name matching technology in order to view data such as medical images of patients managed across facilities and regions. Name matching technology is a technology that searches for related patients similar to a search target patient, and displays patient information corresponding to the search target patient and the related patients in list format on a display means so that differences between the patient information can be compared. The medical image display device of Patent Document 1 describes that a name identification list is displayed and the same patient is identified in advance using the name identification list. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-215883 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, there is no guarantee that the identified patient is the same patient as the search target patient. Therefore, if the test information of a patient identified as the search target patient is displayed in the same viewer, there is a risk that the user will not realize that the test information of that patient is actually test information of a different patient.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to reduce the risk of misidentifying patient information of different patients as patient information of the same patient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the medical image display device of the present invention comprises: a display unit capable of displaying a first medical image acquired from a first server and a second medical image acquired from a second server; The display unit displays information indicating that the first medical image and the second medical image are mixed.

[0009] The program of the present invention also includes: The computer of the medical image display device, functioning as a display control unit that displays a first medical image acquired from the first server and a second medical image acquired from the second server on a display unit; The display control unit causes the display unit to display information indicating that the first medical image and the second medical image are mixed.

[0010] Furthermore, the medical image display system of the present invention comprises: a display unit capable of displaying a first medical image acquired from a first server and a second medical image acquired from a second server; The display unit displays information indicating that the first medical image and the second medical image are mixed.

[0011] Further, the medical image display method of the present invention comprises: a display step of displaying a first medical image acquired from the first server and a second medical image acquired from the second server on a display unit; The display step displays information indicating that the first medical image and the second medical image are mixed on the display unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the risk of misidentifying patient information of different patients as patient information of the same patient can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a medical image display system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a medical image display device. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing a medical image display process executed by the medical image display device. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a worklist displaying a list of examinations that satisfy predetermined search conditions. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a work list after an examination is selected. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 illustrates a worklist when a related patient exists. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a work list after the presence information has been manipulated. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a list of examinations for related patients. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates a viewer for displaying medical images from examinations performed at different medical facilities. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example.

[0015] [Medical image display system] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a medical image display system 1. The medical image display system 1 is composed of imaging devices 11 of multiple medical facilities A, B, ..., X, a medical image management device 12, and a medical image display device 13. The medical image display system 1 also includes a data management device 20. The devices that make up the medical image display system 1 are connected via a communication network N such as a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), or the Internet. The devices that make up the medical image display system 1 also comply with the HL7 (Health Level Seven) and DICOM (Digital Image and Communications in Medicine) standards. Therefore, communication between the devices is performed in accordance with HL7 and DICOM.

[0016] [Photographing device] The imaging device 11 is an image generating device such as an X-ray imaging device (DR, CR), an ultrasound diagnostic device (US), a CT, an MRI, etc. The imaging device 11 captures an examination target region of a patient as a subject based on examination order information transmitted from a Radiology Information System (RIS) (not shown) or the like, and generates a medical image as medical information.

[0017] In accordance with the DICOM standard, for example, supplementary information (patient information, examination information, image ID, etc.) is written in the header of the image file of the medical image generated by the imaging device 11. The medical image with the supplementary information is transmitted to the medical image management device 12 via a console or the like (not shown). Note that the medical image may be transmitted from the console to an image analysis device, and the analyzed image after predetermined analysis processing is transmitted to the medical image management device 12.

[0018] [Medical image management device] The medical image management device 12 is, for example, a server constituting a PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System). When the medical image management device 12 receives a medical image from the imaging device 11, it associates the medical image with patient information, examination information, the image ID of the medical image, the facility ID of the medical facility, etc., and stores the medical image in a database. Then, it transmits a copy of the stored medical image to the data management device 20.

[0019] [Medical image display device] The medical image display device 13 is a device that displays medical images captured in a specified examination. A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the medical image display device 13 is shown in Fig. 2. The medical image display device 13 is configured with a control unit 131, an operation unit 132, a display unit 133, a communication unit 134, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 135, a storage unit 136, etc. The various units of the medical image display device 13 are connected via a bus 137.

[0020] (Control unit) The control unit 131 is configured with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) etc. The control unit 131 reads out the system program and various processing programs stored in the storage unit 136 and expands them in a work area formed in the RAM 135. Then, the control unit 131 controls each unit in accordance with the programs. The control unit 131 functions as a display control unit that causes the display unit to display the first medical image acquired from the first server and the second medical image acquired from the second server.

[0021] (Operation unit) The operation unit 132 is configured to include a keyboard having cursor keys, character input keys, various function keys, etc., and a pointing device such as a mouse. The operation unit 132 outputs instruction signals input by operating the keys on the keyboard or by operating the mouse to the control unit 131. The operation unit 132 may also be configured to include a touch panel formed to cover the display unit 133.

[0022] (Display) The display unit 133 is configured by a monitor such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), etc. The display unit 133 displays various screens and the like in accordance with instructions of a display signal input from the control unit 131. The display unit 133 functions as a display unit capable of displaying a first medical image acquired from a first server and a second medical image acquired from a second server. The first server and the second server will be described later. The first server is a server that manages medical images, and the second server is a server that manages medical images other than the first server. For example, the first server refers to the server of the medical image management device 12 at medical facility A, and the second server refers to the server of the medical image management device 12 at medical facility B, medical facility C, or other medical facility A, or the server of the data management device 20. Furthermore, in the data management device 20, which is a virtual device provided in a cloud environment, the server that manages medical images at medical facility A may be the first server, and the server that manages medical images other than the first server may be the second server. In the above example, medical facility A is used as the base, but medical facility B, etc. may also be used as the base. The first server and the second server correspond to each of a plurality of medical facilities, and therefore can be said to belong to different medical facilities.

[0023] (Communications Department) The communication unit 134 includes a LAN adapter, a router, a TA (Terminal Adapter), etc. The communication unit 134 transmits and receives data to and from external devices connected to the communication network.

[0024] (RAM) The RAM 135 forms a work area that temporarily stores various programs, input or output data, parameters, and the like read from the storage unit 136 during various processes executed and controlled by the control unit 131.

[0025] (Storage part) The storage unit 136 is configured with a hard disk, a semiconductor nonvolatile memory, etc. The storage unit 136 stores the system programs and various processing programs executed by the control unit 131, as well as data required for executing these programs. The storage unit 136 stores, for example, a search processing program P1, a search result display processing program P2, and a medical image display processing program P3.

[0026] {Search processing program} The search processing program P1 is a program that executes examination search processing and related patient search processing. The examination search processing is processing that searches for and extracts examinations that match predetermined search conditions from the medical image management device 12. The related patient search processing is processing that searches for and extracts second patients, who are related patients, from the patient database 21 and have personal identification information that matches the personal identification information of the target first patient.

[0027] {Search result display processing program} The search result display processing program P2 is a program that executes patient search result display processing and test search result display processing. The test search result display processing is processing that displays a list of tests extracted by executing the search processing program P1 in the worklist WL (see Figure 4). Furthermore, the related patient search result display processing is processing that displays a list of related patients extracted by executing the search processing program P1 in the worklist WL.

[0028] {Medical image display processing program} The medical image display processing program P3 is a program for executing the medical image display processing, which is a process for obtaining medical images of a specified examination from the list of examinations displayed by the examination search result display processing, from the medical image management device 12 or the medical image database 23, and displaying the images on the viewer V (see FIG. 9).

[0029] [Data management device] Returning to FIG. 1 , the data management device 20 is, for example, a virtual device installed in a cloud environment. The data management device 20 is connected to medical image management devices 12 and medical image display devices 13 of multiple medical facilities. The data management device 20 includes a patient database 21, an examination database 22, and a medical image database 23 corresponding to each medical facility. The data management device 20 stores medical images received from each medical image management device 12 in the corresponding medical image database 23. The data management device 20 also transmits data from each database to each medical image display device 13 based on communication from the medical image display device 13.

[0030] {Patient Database} The patient database 21 stores the personal identification information of patients from multiple medical facilities. The personal identification information consists of multiple items (elements). The personal identification information includes, for example, patient ID, patient name (kanji, kana, alphabet), date of birth (age), gender, medical facility, and other patient information. The individual identification information may be individual for each medical facility.

[0031] Note that medical information such as medical record information and vital sign information may be associated with each piece of patient information in the patient database 21. The medical information is generated in the same medical facility as the patient information associated with the medical information.

[0032] {Test Database} The examination database 22 stores examination-specific information for examinations performed at multiple medical facilities. The examination-specific information consists of multiple items (elements). The examination-specific information includes, for example, an examination ID, the patient's name (in kanji, kana, or alphabet), date of birth, gender, medical facility, examination date, modality, and imaging site. The examination-specific information items also include the path of the patient's medical images taken during the examination, which are stored in the medical image database 23.

[0033] {Medical Image Database} The medical image database 23 stores medical images captured by the imaging device 11 during examinations performed at multiple medical facilities and received from the medical image management device 12. The medical image database 23 stores supplementary information associated with each medical image. The supplementary information includes patient information, examination information, series information, image information, etc.

[0034] Patient information is information about a patient, including a patient ID, patient name, date of birth, age, and gender.

[0035] The examination information is information related to an examination, including an examination instance UID, examination date and time, and examination description.

[0036] Series information is information about a series. Series information includes modality (CT, MRI, DR, CR, US, etc.), series instance UID, examination area, series number, and series description. Series instance UID is a unique ID for identifying a series. Series number indicates the order of the series within the same examination and may be used for display order, etc.

[0037] Image information is information about medical images. Image information includes image number, image generation date and time, shooting direction, shooting start position, image type, file path, etc. Image number is a number indicating the number of the image in the same series. Shooting start position is a coordinate indicating the position where the examination (scan) started in an examination such as CT or MRI. Image type is information indicating whether the image is a slice image or a scout image in an examination such as CT or MRI. File path is information indicating the storage location of the medical image in the medical image database 23.

[0038] [Medical image display processing] Next, the operation of the medical image display device 13 will be described. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing medical image display processing executed by the medical image display device 13. The medical image display processing is realized by software processing or the like in cooperation with the control unit 131 and a program stored in the storage unit 136. The medical image display processing is started when the user activates the worklist WL.

[0039] First, the user inputs predetermined search conditions and presses the search button by operating the operation unit 132. Then, the control unit 131 executes the examination search process by the search processing program P1 (step S101). Then, the control unit 131 acquires examination data of its own facility that meets the predetermined search conditions from the medical image management device 12.

[0040] The control unit 131 executes the examination search result display process using the search result display process program P2 (step S102). The control unit 131 displays a list of examinations that satisfy the specified search conditions in the worklist WL using the examination search result display process. Figure 4 shows an example of the worklist WL displaying a list of examinations that satisfy the specified search conditions. In Figure 4, a list of examinations for which the patient name is "Sato" is the specified search condition is displayed in the worklist WL. In this step, the examination information is not selected and the associated patient button B1 is inactive. The associated patient button B1 will be described later.

[0041] The control unit 131 accepts the designation of the first examination by a predetermined operation by the user (step S103). For example, as shown in Fig. 5, when the row of "Sato Masaru" whose patient ID is PT-A002 is clicked once, the color of the row changes and the row becomes selected.

[0042] 3, upon receiving the designation of the first examination, the control unit 131 executes a related patient search process using the search process program P1 (step S104). Then, the control unit 131 acquires data of a second patient, who is a related patient having personal identification information similar to that of the first patient of the designated first examination, from the patient database 21.

[0043] In this embodiment, the control unit 131 executes the related patient search process by a so-called name-matching search. The name-matching search is a search method for searching, based on first individual identifying information that identifies a first patient, for a related patient that is a second patient having second individual identifying information that is individual identifying information similar to the first individual identifying information.

[0044] Here, we will explain the related patient search processing based on the name-matching search performed by the control unit 131. The name-matching search includes, for example, using the patient information of a first patient stored in the patient database 21 of a first medical facility (e.g., medical facility A) to search for related patients stored in the patient database 21 of the first medical facility. The name-matching search also includes using the patient information of the first patient stored in the patient database 21 of the first medical facility to search for related patients stored in the patient database 21 of a second medical facility (e.g., medical facility B). Of course, the related patient searched for in the name-matching search may be the same person as the search target patient.

[0045] In the name identification search, five items of the individual identifying information, for example, the patient's name (kanji, kana, alphabet), date of birth, and gender, are used as name identification conditions. The search conditions, which items of the individual identifying information are to be used as name identification conditions, are stored in advance in the storage unit 136.

[0046] First, the control unit 131 compares the personal identification information of the search target patient with other patients for each item. Then, the control unit 131 adds the penalty value of the mismatched item to the reference value "1" and calculates the reciprocal of the addition result to calculate the similarity between the patients.

[0047] For example, suppose that the names (kana), names (alphabet), and genders of two patients match, but the names (kanji) and dates of birth do not. Furthermore, suppose that the penalty values ​​are set as follows: name (kanji), "5," name (kana), "1," name (alphabet), "3," and date of birth, "1." In this case, the similarity is calculated as follows: Similarity = 1 / {reference value + penalty value for name (kanji) + penalty value for date of birth} =1 / (1+5+3) =0.11

[0048] Furthermore, suppose that the names (kanji), birthdates, and genders of the patients match, but the names (kana) and names (alphabet) do not match. Also, suppose that the penalty values ​​are set in the same way as above. In this case, the similarity is calculated as follows: Similarity = 1 / {reference value + penalty value for name (kana) + penalty value for name (alphabet)} =1 / (1+1+1) =0.33

[0049] As a name identification search, the control unit 131 calculates the similarity between the search target patient and other patients as described above, and extracts other patients whose similarity is equal to or greater than a predetermined value as related patients. In this way, the control unit 131 functions as a determination unit that determines whether or not there are related patients who satisfy the name identification conditions. The control unit 131 also functions as a calculation unit that calculates the similarity between the first patient and related patients. Patient information of related patients extracted by the name identification search is stored in RAM 135.

[0050] The control unit 131 may set items other than the above five items as the matching conditions. For example, the modality of the imaging device may be included in the matching conditions. Alternatively, the control unit 131 may include the imaging site of the medical image in the matching conditions. Furthermore, the items to be included in the matching conditions and the method for determining whether or not there are related patients in the matching search may be changeable as appropriate by user operation. In this way, the control unit 131 functions as a matching condition setting unit that sets the matching conditions in the patient database 21.

[0051] As described above, data relating to the modality of the imaging device and the imaging region of the medical image may be stored as examination information in the examination database 22. Alternatively, the control unit 131 may function as an identifying unit that identifies this information from the medical image stored in the medical image database 23 using the viewer V or the worklist WL.

[0052] The control unit 131 determines whether or not there is a related patient in the patient database 21 (step S105). If there is no related patient in the patient database 21 (step S105; No), the medical image display process ends.

[0053] On the other hand, if a related patient exists in the patient database 21 (step S105; Yes), The control unit 131 changes the associated patient button B1 to an active state (step S106). As shown in Fig. 6, when there is an associated patient, the associated patient button B1 changes to an active state.

[0054] The control unit 131 accepts a predetermined operation (step S107). For example, in this embodiment, the predetermined operation is clicking the related patient button B1. The related patient button B1 is a button that executes the search result display processing program P2. When the predetermined operation is accepted (step S107; Yes), the control unit 131 executes the search result display processing program P2. Then, the control unit 131 displays a list of patient information of related patients stored in RAM 135 in the work list WL, as shown in FIG. 7 (step S108).

[0055] The control unit 131 accepts a predetermined operation on the worklist WL (step S109). In this embodiment, the predetermined operation is, for example, a double click to designate one related patient.

[0056] When a predetermined operation on the worklist WL is accepted (step S109; Yes), the control unit 131 uses the search processing program P1 to obtain a list of examinations for the one related patient from the examination database 22. An example of the examination list is shown in Figure 8. Then, the control unit 131 executes the search result display processing program P2 to display a list of examinations for the specified one related patient in the worklist WL (step S110).

[0057] The control unit 131 receives a predetermined operation on the work list WL (step S111). In this embodiment, the predetermined operation is, for example, a double click to specify the second examination.

[0058] When a predetermined operation on the worklist WL is accepted (step S111; Yes), the control unit 131 executes the medical image display processing program P3. Then, the control unit 131 displays both the medical images of the first examination of the search target patient and the medical images of the second examination of the related patient specified in step S111 on the viewer V (step S112; display step).

[0059] If the examination specified in step S111 was performed at a medical facility different from the examination specified in step S103, it is preferable to display warning C in step S112. An example of such a display is shown in FIG. 9. This configuration prevents the user from noticing that the search target patient and the related patient are different patients. Warning C is information indicating that a first medical image obtained from a first server and a second medical image obtained from a second server are mixed. Furthermore, if the test specified in step S111 is a test performed at a facility different from the test selected in step S103, the control unit 131 may display the similarity of the test in step S111, thereby allowing the user to understand the degree of risk that the search target patient and related patients are different patients. Furthermore, if the examination specified in step S111 is an examination performed at a facility different from the examination selected in step S103, in step S111, the control unit 131 may change the color or font of the text displaying the examination specified in step S111 and the examination selected in step S103, instead of displaying the warning C. In the example of Fig. 9, the control unit 131 changes the color or font of the text in the list of examination information in the center of the viewer V.

[0060] [Effects of this embodiment] As described above, the medical image display device 13 according to this embodiment includes a display unit 133 capable of displaying a first medical image acquired from a first server and a second medical image acquired from a second server, and the display unit 133 displays information indicating that the first medical image and the second medical image are mixed. This allows the user to recognize that the images are mixed, and allows the user to confirm the images while recognizing the risk that the first medical image and the second medical image are from different patients. This reduces the risk of misidentifying patient information of different patients as patient information of the same patient.

[0061] [Other configurations] The above-described embodiment is an example of the medical image display device according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this. The detailed configuration and operation of each part constituting the device can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0062] For example, the behavior of each function of the viewer can be changed by changing the settings, and these settings are saved in the program. The saved settings are read and reflected in the viewer when the viewer is started, allowing the user to view images with the same viewer settings as last time. By storing these settings for each user, each user can view images using their own viewer settings. On the other hand, there are cases where multiple people use the same viewer settings to view images. In such cases, in order to prevent settings from being changed by different users, restrictions are put in place to prevent users other than the designated users from changing the settings of each function, and restrictions are put in place to prevent changed settings from being saved in the program. These functional restrictions may be imposed on a per-function or per-user basis.

[0063] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, when there are no related patients, only medical images of the search target patient are displayed in the viewer V, but this is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Fig. 9, the control unit 131 may display non-existence information NE indicating that there are no related patients in the viewer V. This configuration makes it easier for the user to understand that no related patients were found after the name-matching search was performed.

[0064] In the above description, an example has been disclosed in which a ROM (modified as appropriate) is used as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention, but this is not limiting. Other computer-readable media include non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and portable recording media such as a CD-ROM. Furthermore, a carrier wave is also applicable to the present invention as a medium for providing data for the program according to the present invention via a communication line. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1 Medical image display system 13 Medical image display devices 131 control unit (display control unit) 133 Display section 134 Communications Department 21 Patient Database E Existence information V Viewer WL Worklist

Claims

1. A control unit that acquires a first medical image relating to a first patient from a first server and acquires a second medical image from a second server by name matching search based on information relating to the first patient, The system comprises a display unit capable of displaying the first medical image and the second medical image, The first server and the second server belong to different medical facilities. When the control unit obtains the second medical image from the second server through the name matching search, it changes the color or font of the characters displaying the examination related to the first medical image and the examination related to the second medical image and displays them on the display unit. The display unit displays the first medical image and the second medical image on the same screen. Medical image display device.

2. The medical image display device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the color or font of the characters in the list of examination information indicating the examination related to the first medical image and the examination related to the second medical image.

3. The system further comprises a determination unit that determines whether or not the second medical image has been acquired from the second server by name matching search, The medical image display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit, when the determination unit determines that it has obtained the second medical image from the second server by name matching search, changes the color or font of the characters displaying the examination related to the first medical image and the examination related to the second medical image and displays them on the display unit.

4. The computer of the medical image display device, The control unit functions to acquire a first medical image relating to a first patient from a first server, and to acquire a second medical image from a second server through a name matching search based on information related to the first patient. The medical image display device comprises a display unit capable of displaying the first medical image and the second medical image, The first server and the second server belong to different medical facilities. When the control unit obtains the second medical image from the second server through the name matching search, it changes the color or font of the characters displaying the examination related to the first medical image and the examination related to the second medical image and displays them on the display unit. The display unit is a program that displays the first medical image and the second medical image on the same screen.

5. A control unit that acquires a first medical image relating to a first patient from a first server and acquires a second medical image from a second server by name matching search based on information relating to the first patient, The system comprises a display unit capable of displaying the first medical image and the second medical image, The first server and the second server belong to different medical facilities. When the control unit obtains the second medical image from the second server through the name matching search, it changes the color or font of the characters displaying the examination related to the first medical image and the examination related to the second medical image and displays them on the display unit. The display unit is a medical image display system that displays the first medical image and the second medical image on the same screen.

6. A medical image display device, The control step includes obtaining a first medical image relating to a first patient from a first server, and obtaining a second medical image from a second server by a name matching search based on information related to the first patient. The medical image display device comprises a display unit capable of displaying the first medical image and the second medical image, The first server and the second server belong to different medical facilities. The control step, when the second medical image is obtained from the second server by the name matching search, changes the color or font of the characters displaying the examination related to the first medical image and the examination related to the second medical image and displays them on the display unit. The display unit is a medical image display method that displays the first medical image and the second medical image on the same screen.

Images