Medical Image Reporting With Focus-Driven Floating UI
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing workflow for generating medical reports from medical images is ergonomically challenging, leading to increased fatigue, errors, and inefficiencies, particularly in follow-up examinations, due to the need for constant switching between image and report screens and the difficulty in accurately comparing and repeating measurements across different reports.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a floating user-interface (UI) window to display context-dependent content proximal to the active image section, allowing for seamless interaction and automatic updating of structured-report elements based on user focus and workflow steps, thereby reducing the need for constant screen switching and minimizing errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a radiologist uses multiple monitors to review images and write reports simultaneously, then the reporting process can be performed, but the radiologist experiences constant eye and head switching between screens leading to physical and mental fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the image review interface and report writing interface into a single integrated display. The system allows radiologists to view medical images and edit structured reports simultaneously on one screen, eliminating the need to switch between multiple monitors and reducing physical and mental fatigue while maintaining reporting efficiency.
2Reliability
If a radiologist reviews follow-up examinations by reading previous reports and extracting key findings, then comprehensive review is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone due to constant focus shifting
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically retrieves and displays key findings from previous reports before the radiologist begins the current review. By preparing and presenting relevant historical data in advance within the same interface, the radiologist can efficiently compare current images with previous findings without manually searching through old reports, reducing both time and potential errors.
3Measurement precision
If measurements are repeated for follow-up examinations to compare findings, then accurate comparison is possible, but intra- and inter-operator bias increases making conclusions inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically copies measurement data and annotations from previous reports and displays them overlaid on the current images. This allows radiologists to directly compare measurements without repeating them, eliminating intra- and inter-operator bias while maintaining measurement precision and improving the reliability of conclusions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If free-text reports are used to allow physician flexibility in wording and structure, then individual expression is maintained, but the reports become non-machine-readable and prone to artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements structured report templates that provide standardized fields and options for common findings, ensuring machine-readability and consistency. At the same time, the templates allow radiologists to select from predefined options and add necessary details, maintaining flexibility and adaptability for individual cases while eliminating the artifacts and inconsistencies of free-text reporting.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system, a corresponding method and a corresponding computer program product for reporting on medical images. The system comprises: means (1) for receiving one or more medical images (3), means (5) for receiving and/or creating a machine- readable structured report (7), an image display (9) configured to display the received one or more medical images (3), a report display (13) configured to display the received and/or created machine-readable structured report (7), means (17) for providing a floating user-interface (UI) window (19), and means (23) for updating and/or filling structured-report elements (25) of the received and/or created machine-readable structured report (7). The system is configured to identify and follow the focus of a user of the system and, based on the identified focus, to assign a section of the image display (9) as an active image-display section (27). The means for providing a floating UI window (17) are configured to position the floating UI window (19) in proximity of the active image-display section (27). The means for providing a floating UI window ( 17) are further configured to (i) display context- dependent content (33) within the floating UI window (17) and/or (ii) to allow the user to select via the floating UI window (17) one or more next steps within a workflow of reporting on the received one or more medical images. The means for updating and/or filling structured-report elements (23) are adapted such that the structured report elements (25) are automatically updated and/or filled based on the one or more workflow steps selected by the user.