Method and apparatus for formatting digital images to...

Image analysis – Applications – Biomedical applications

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C709S213000, C709S219000, C709S221000, C709S223000, C709S236000, C709S241000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06351547

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to imaging systems used in medical diagnostics. In particular, the invention relates to the transfer of digital images from an ultrasound imaging system over a network to remote devices for archiving and/or printing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional ultrasound imagers create two-dimensional images of biological tissue by scanning a focused ultrasound beam in a scan plane and for each transmitted beam, detecting the ultrasound wave energy returned along a respective scan line in the scan plane. A single scan line (or small localized group of scan lines) is acquired by transmitting focused ultrasound energy at a point, and then receiving the reflected energy over time. The focused transmit energy is referred to as a transmit beam. During the time after transmit, one or more receive beamformers coherently sum the energy received by each channel, with dynamically changing phase rotation or delays, to produce peak sensitivity along the desired scan lines at ranges proportional to the elapsed time. The resulting focused sensitivity pattern is referred to as a receive beam. A scan line's resolution is a result of the directivity of the associated transmit and receive beam pair.
A B-mode ultrasound image is composed of multiple image scan lines. The brightness of a pixel on the display screen is based on the intensity of the echo returned from the biological tissue being scanned. The outputs of the receive beamformer channels are coherently summed to form a respective pixel intensity value for each sample volume in the object region or volume of interest. These pixel intensity values are log-compressed, scan-converted and then displayed as a B-mode image of the anatomy being scanned.
If the ultrasound probe is swept over an area of body, a succession of image frames (corresponding to spaced slices intersecting the body being examined) can be displayed on the monitor. In one type of ultrasound imaging system, a long sequence of the most recent images are stored and continuously updated automatically in a cine memory on a first-in, first-out basis. The cine memory is like a circular image buffer that runs in the background, capturing image data that is displayed in real time to the user. The cine memory acts as a buffer for transfer of images to digital archival devices via the host computer. When the user freezes the system (by operation of an appropriate device on an operator interface), the user has the capability to view image data previously captured in cine memory. The image loop stored in cine memory can be reviewed on the display monitor via trackball control incorporated in the operator interface, and a section of the image loop can be selected for hard disk storage.
If the transducer probe was moving during image acquisition, the succession of image frames stored in cine memory form a three-dimensional data volume of image information. This data volume can be used by the system computer to project a three-dimensional view of the area of interest. This projected image can be returned to memory and then displayed on the monitor. Any acquired or projected image can be stored internally on the system hard disk or on a magneto-optical disk (MOD) inserted in a disk drive.
In addition to storing images internally, modern ultrasound imaging systems need to be able to transfer images to various types of remote devices via a communications network. To successfully transfer images, the relevant networking features of the ultrasound imager must be compatible with the networking features of the destination remote device. In particular, the ultrasound imager must place the data to be transferred in a format which can be handled by the destination remote device. An attempt to accomplish the foregoing is the adoption of the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standards, which specify the conformance requirements for the relevant networking features. The DICOM standards are intended for use in communicating medical digital images among printers, workstations, acquisition modules (such as an ultrasound imaging system) and file servers. The acquisition module is programmed to transfer data in a format which complies with the DICOM standards, while the receiving device is programmed to receive data which has been formatted in compliance with those same DICOM standards.
DICOM involves more than digital image transfer. DICOM functionality includes the following Service Classes: archive/transfer images: store (across network); archive/interchange images: media storage; query for information and retrieve images; make image hard copies: print management; patient, study and results management; radiology information system modality: worklist management; and test connectivity: verification. A fundamental concept employed in DICOM is “Services on Objects”. One example of an “Object” is an ultrasound image. Two examples of a “Service” are the “Store” and “Query/Retrieve” functions. In DICOM, methods of operating on information objects are referred to as “Service Object Pair Classes” (SOP Classes). Examples of SOP Classes are “Store an ultrasound image”, “Print an ultrasound image”, “Find which studies there are for a certain patient”, “Retrieve all studies of a certain patient” and “Retrieve a worklist”. Unique Identifiers (UIDs) are defined for all SOP Classes. UIDs are also given to all studies, series and images. These UIDs are, for instance, used for retrieval. In the DICOM vernacular, a patient has a study which comprises a study component, e.g., examination using a particular modality. Images acquired in sequence in the course of a study on a patient form a series of objects.
The DICOM system is based on the client/server concept. The device which uses a service (on objects) is the client device, while the device which provides the service is the server device. The client device is referred to as a Service Class User (SCU), while the server device is referred to as a Service Class Provider (SCP). The SCU sends a Service Request to the SCP over a local area network (LAN). The SCP sends back a response to the SCU over the same LAN. If the response is affirmative and a communications syntax is agreed upon, an association between the SCU and the SCP is opened and data can be transferred between the two devices. In the DICOM system a device is not limited to one role: it can be both SCU and SCP at different times.
The DICOM system is designed to facilitate the communication of digital images of different types, e.g., X-ray, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging. In an ultrasound imager having conventional DICOM capability, three local real-world activities occur: Image Send, Image Print and Remote Verification. Image Send and Image Print can be done in either automatic or manual mode. Verification of remote DICOM devices configured on the ultrasound imager is performed when the imager is powered up or when requested by the system operator.
All DICOM activities are handled in a queued manner by application software running on a host computer incorporated in the imager. In one type of ultrasound imager, the user can select any image in cine memory to be sent in DICOM format via a LAN to a remote device having DICOM capability. The host computer of the ultrasound imaging system is programmed with DICOM system software which facilitates transmission of image frames from the cine memory to the remote DICOM device via the host computer hard disk and the LAN.
In the conventional ultrasound imager, Image Send can be used in automatic or manual mode, depending on the user configuration. When automatic mode is configured, console keys are used to capture the image and to store it on the hard disk. The request is queued to a DICOM queue manager (preferably implemented in software), which requests an association with the destination remote device. After the association with the remote device has been opened, the queue manager “pushes” the image to the remote device without user intervention. The trans

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