Ultrasound Protocol Generation from Captured Clinical Workflows

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ultrasound protocols often do not fit the needs of clinicians, leading to inefficient use of time and incomplete or biased data sets, resulting in suboptimal patient care.

Innovation Solution

An ultrasound system that generates protocols based on real-time workflow steps and configuration settings, allowing for customizable and accurate protocol creation, storage, and sharing among clinicians.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional ultrasound protocols are designed for a department and distributed to clinicians, then protocol standardization is achieved, but the protocols do not fit clinicians' needs and result in inefficient use of time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol standardizationVSAvoidclinician workflow efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of top-down protocol design where administrators create protocols that clinicians must follow, the system inverts the approach by allowing clinicians to capture their own workflow steps automatically during examinations. The system records configuration states and workflow steps from actual clinician practice and generates protocols bottom-up, ensuring protocols reflect real clinical needs while maintaining standardization through systematic capture and sharing across the department.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If clinicians perform steps merely for protocol compliance, then protocol standardization is maintained, but incomplete or biased data sets result and patient care is suboptimal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol consistencyVSAvoiddata completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic self-capture of workflow steps and configuration states during ultrasound examinations without requiring clinician intervention to document each step. The system autonomously records what clinicians actually do, ensuring complete and accurate data capture that reflects true clinical practice rather than theoretical protocol requirements, thereby eliminating biased or incomplete data sets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If protocols are generated based on actual workflow steps and configuration states, then protocol accuracy and relevance improve, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol relevance to clinical needsVSAvoidprotocol generation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual protocol creation and modification processes with automated electronic capture of workflow steps and configuration states. Instead of clinicians manually documenting each workflow step or administrators manually updating protocols based on feedback, the system automatically records configuration states, captures workflow steps through software integration, and generates updated protocols electronically, reducing the perceived complexity through automation despite the sophisticated underlying technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures protocols align with clinician needs, reducing inefficiencies and biases, enabling consistent and effective ultrasound examinations.

Implementation Method 1

an ultrasound scanner configured to transmit ultrasound at a patient anatomy and receive reflections of the ultrasound from the patient anatomy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasound reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS20250213228A1Generating ultrasound protocols

Publication Date: 2025.07.03 FUJIFILM SONOSITE INC

AI summary

Methods and ultrasound systems for generating ultrasound protocols are disclosed. In some embodiments, the ultrasound system includes an ultrasound scanner configured to transmit ultrasound at a patient anatomy and receive reflections of the ultrasound from the patient anatomy as part of a current ultrasound examination that includes workflow steps; an ultrasound machine configured to generate image data based on the reflections and a configuration state of the ultrasound machine; and a processor system. In some embodiments, the ultrasound system is configured to record protocol data including the configuration state and the workflow steps, generate an ultrasound protocol based on the protocol data, and store the ultrasound protocol in a memory storage device for use in a subsequent ultrasound examination.