Medical Image Verification System for Anatomical Consistency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manually entered image-related information in medical images is prone to errors, leading to incorrect display and hampering the reviewing workflow, as these errors are difficult to correct once stored.

Innovation Solution

A device and system that verifies image-related information by translating it into expected anatomical feature information, detecting anatomical features in the image, and generating a consistency measure to ensure accuracy, with options for iterative detection and alternative feature selection to correct inconsistencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If image-related information is entered manually by a technologist, then the information can be stored with the medical image, but errors are introduced that are hard to correct and hamper the reviewing workflow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual entry of image-related informationVSAvoidcorrectness of image-related information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-verification by automatically analyzing the medical image to extract anatomical features and comparing them with the manually entered image-related information. The consistency measure is generated autonomously without requiring manual verification, allowing the system to self-correct errors in the manually entered data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If image-related information is verified manually, then errors can be detected, but the reviewing workflow is hampered and time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection of errors in image-related informationVSAvoidtime for verifying image-related information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual verification with an automated computer-based system that uses image analysis algorithms to generate a consistency measure. This substitution eliminates the need for manual checking while maintaining high detection accuracy, thereby saving time in the reviewing workflow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If automatic verification is implemented, then errors in image-related information can be detected efficiently, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification of image-related informationVSAvoidcomplexity of verification system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system integrates multiple functions into a single verification device: image analysis, anatomical feature detection, consistency evaluation, and error detection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems while maintaining comprehensive verification capabilities, thereby managing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3423967B1Device, system and method for verifying image-related information of a medical image
Publication Date: 2022.06.22 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP3423967B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3423967B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3423967B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to device, system and method for verifying image-related information of a medical image. In order to assure the correctness of the image-related information of the medical image the device comprises an image input (21) for obtaining a medical image and associated image-related information, a translator (22) for translating one or more pieces of image-related information into expected anatomical feature information, a detector (23) for searching the expected anatomical feature information in the obtained medical image or for detecting one or more given anatomical features in the obtained medical image and comparing them with the expected anatomical feature information, an evaluator (24) for evaluating the result of the detector to generate a consistency measure indicating the consistency of the image-related information with the associated medical image, and an output interface (25) for outputting an inconsistency indication if the generated consistency measure is lower than a predetermined consistency threshold.