Thumbnail Navigator for Image Series Workflow Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image navigators in healthcare environments are inefficient, as they often require extensive mouse movement and time to select and arrange image series, and do not effectively integrate non-image data, leading to increased setup time for radiologists and potential conflicts between reading speed and diagnostic support.
Innovation Solution
A navigator system that provides a miniature layout representation for image series, allowing users to drag and drop thumbnails to apply series-level operations, preview image series without loading full images, and integrate non-image data, thereby streamlining the workflow and reducing redundant steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional image navigators are used to select and arrange image series, then users can access medical images, but extensive mouse movement and time are required, reducing workflow efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a miniature copy of the full image layout in the navigator thumbnail. This thumbnail representation allows users to interact with a simplified version of the image arrangement, selecting and manipulating image series without needing to navigate through the full-resolution images. The thumbnail acts as a representative copy that preserves the essential spatial relationships and content overview, enabling rapid selection and arrangement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the complex task of image navigation into separate functional components: the full navigator interface and the miniature thumbnail representation. The thumbnail segment provides a condensed view that handles the overview and selection functions, while the full navigator handles detailed manipulation. This segmentation allows users to perform high-level navigation tasks in the thumbnail without the overhead of full-image rendering, significantly reducing mouse movement and interaction time.
2Speed
If full images are loaded for preview, then users can see detailed content, but loading time and system resources are consumed, slowing down workflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent generates and displays a thumbnail copy of the image series instead of loading the full-resolution images for preview. This thumbnail contains condensed visual information that allows users to assess the content and make selection decisions without the computational overhead of loading complete images. The thumbnail serves as a lightweight representative that provides sufficient information for navigation and selection tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality levels to different parts of the system: high-resolution full images are loaded only when specifically selected for detailed viewing, while thumbnail-quality representations are used for navigation and overview purposes. This local quality differentiation ensures that system resources are consumed only when necessary for detailed examination, while routine navigation operations use the lower-resource thumbnail representations.
3Ease of operation
If series-level operations are applied through traditional interfaces, then image processing can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables series-level operations to be initiated and configured through the thumbnail representation rather than requiring full-image context. Users can select multiple thumbnail representations and apply operations such as multiplanar reconstruction, 3D rendering, or image subtraction directly to the selected series. The system processes these operations on the underlying full-resolution data while the user interacts with the condensed thumbnail interface, separating the complexity of operation execution from the simplicity of user selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The thumbnail acts as an intermediary between the user and the complex image processing system. Instead of requiring users to directly manage full-resolution images and their associated processing parameters, the thumbnail provides a simplified selection and command interface. The system translates thumbnail-based selections into appropriate processing operations on the full-image data, mediating between simple user input and complex computational tasks.
Data Source
AI summary
An example image layout and display navigator system includes a navigator that includes a miniature layout representation corresponding to the layout of images on the display. The navigator is to appear on the display based on user action with respect to displayed content and to allow a user to select an image series via the miniature layout and to select one or more series level operations for application to the image series via the miniature layout. The navigator is to apply a selected series level operation to the image series via the miniature layout based on user input. An action in one of the navigator and the display is to translate into a corresponding action on the other of the navigator and the display. The content display manager is to update the content displayed to reflect the selected series level operation applied to the image series.