Configurable Viewports for Lung Nodule Assessment Workflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems require radiologists to manually navigate through multiple axial slices and toggle between viewing and analysis functions, leading to a time-consuming and cumbersome process, especially with increasing numbers of CT slices, necessitating a more efficient workflow for detecting and analyzing nodules.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of user-configurable viewports that allow simultaneous display of image data in review and analysis modes, enabling synchronized viewing and analysis of related data across multiple views, reducing the need for navigation between separate presentations and enhancing positional indication of nodules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If radiologists manually navigate through multiple axial slices and toggle between separate viewing and analysis displays, then comprehensive review and analysis can be performed, but the examination time becomes excessively long and the workflow becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the review display and analysis display into a single integrated display unit. The review viewport shows axial slices for nodule detection, while the analysis viewport displays corresponding 3D rendered images and measurement data. This merging eliminates the need to toggle between separate displays, reducing examination time while maintaining both detection accuracy and analysis capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension to the workflow by positioning the review and analysis viewports adjacent to each other on the same display. This spatial arrangement allows radiologists to view both 2D axial slices and 3D rendered images simultaneously in different spatial zones, enabling comprehensive review and analysis without temporal separation.
2Measurement precision
If the number of CT slices increases to improve coverage, then more complete anatomical review is achieved, but the time required to navigate and review all slices increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary 3D rendering and nodule detection analysis in the background while the radiologist reviews axial slices. Analysis results including segmented nodules and measurements are pre-computed and ready for immediate display in the analysis viewport, eliminating the need to wait for processing during slice navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the anatomical data in 3D rendered form that can be displayed alongside the original 2D axial slices. This 3D copy provides additional anatomical context and nodule characterization without requiring the radiologist to navigate through additional 2D slices, maintaining review completeness while improving efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate displays are used for viewing and analysis functions, then each function can be optimized independently, but the radiologist must constantly toggle between displays increasing navigation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate viewing and analysis displays into a single integrated display with multiple viewports. Each viewport maintains its specialized function (review, analysis, measurements), but they are all accessible simultaneously in one display location, eliminating navigation complexity while preserving functional optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
An image display system includes user configurable viewports for the review and analysis of image data. The user configurable viewports include a review viewport and an analysis viewport. The review viewport displays in a review mode, a plurality of image views of the image data. The analysis viewport displays in an analysis mode, a plurality of image views of the image data. The review viewport and the analysis viewport may be configured for simultaneous display of related image data.