Medical system architecture

Details Medical system architecture Medical system architecture

1999-01-15

2001-06-05

Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)

Surgery

Diagnostic testing

Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation

Reexamination Certificate

active

06241668

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical system architecture with a modality for capturing medical images, an apparatus for processing the medical images and accepting patient-related data, an apparatus for transmitting the images and data, and an apparatus for storing the images and the patient-related data.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The book Bildgebende Systeme für die medizinische Diagnostik; H. Morneburg, 3
rd
Edition, 1195: 680ff teaches medical system architectures in which, for the retrieval of patient data and of images created by modalities, image observation and processing locations, known as work stations, are connected to an image communication network. In previous medical imaging systems, medical digital images have been created, processed and archived by means of electromagnetic waves in the invisible region, such as X-ray images, ultrasound images, etc . . . Such conventional medical system architectures with such work stations do not allow a clear identification and allocation of the examined patient to the patient files.
Heretofore, clear, machine-readable patient identifiers have employed a name and/or ID number, for example, which have been added to the digital image data files in a portion thereof known as a header. An unmistakable identification of the patient, however, still is not achieved by such conventional headers.
Furthermore, in many medical cases such as in endoscopy, surgery, and for skin diseases, photographic images are advantageous for the diagnosis and the history of the disease, it being possible to visibly document success of a treatment by means of such photographic images.
British Specification 2 288 511 describes a diagnostic apparatus in which the signal from a video camera is digitized, processed and, after being compressed for remote diagnosis, the compressed data are transmitted over a telephone network.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,466 describes a system for managing and storing important documents which are acquired by an optical scanner and are stored on a CD ROM.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a medical system architecture of the above type with an electronic patient file from which the patient to whom it pertains is unambiguously discernable and wherein the file enables a documentation of treatment successes in all medical fields.
The object is inventively achieved in a medical system architecture wherein an apparatus for the digital generation or acquisition of photographic images of a patient is connected to the apparatus for communication therewith, it being possible to store such photographic images in the apparatus together with the medical images and patient-related data.
A clear identification of the patient to which the digital personal and image data belong is achieved by this integration of digital photography into systems for the creation, processing and archiving of digital medical images. Furthermore, the patient image file can be expanded by non-medical images such as images before and after an operation.
The apparatus can inventively employ a digital photo camera, a video camera or a scanner.
A forwarding of the images to the family doctor, for example, who is not networked, can be achieved in an embodiment wherein a CD writer for producing CDs on which the digital photographic images can be stored is attached to the diagnostic station.
A global access can be achieved in an embodiment wherein the apparatus for transmitting the images and data is connected to the Internet via a network interface.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5241466 (1993-08-01), Perry et al.
patent: 5920317 (1999-07-01), McDonald
patent: 6003007 (1999-12-01), DiRienzo
patent: 6034605 (2000-03-01), March
patent: 6076066 (2000-06-01), DiRienzo et al.
patent: 2288511 (1995-10-01), None
“Bilgebende Systeme für die medizinische Diagnostik,” Morneburg, 3rd Edition, 1995, pp. 680-696.

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