MEDICAL VISUALIZATION METHOD, COMBINED DISPLAY/INPUT DEVICE, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

Abstract

In a medical visualization method, wherein: a series of organ slice images are acquired at different points in time by an imaging modality; the acquired organ slice images are stored in an image data memory with information about the series and/or the point in time of the acquisition. A data connection between an input/output device and the image data memory is established and the available series are determined. Series that are specific to the organ are symbolically represented with a display of the availability thereof. The organ slice images associated with a selected series are displayed. An input/output device as well as a computer program product operates according to the method.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a combined display/input device in accordance with the invention for visualization of organ slice images stored in series.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary symbolic representation for visualization of organ slice images of a liver in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A combined display/input device 1 for visualization of acquired organ slice images is schematically shown in FIG. 1. The display/input device 1 has an input device 2 such as, for example, a computer keyboard, and a display device 3 in the form of a high-resolution monitor. For controlling the visualization method, the display/input device 1 has a computer 4 that is connected via a data connection line 5 with an image acquisition apparatus 10. The data connection line 5 is suitable both for access to organ slice images stored in the image acquisition apparatus 10 and for controlling the image acquisition apparatus 10 for acquisition of desired organ slice images. A connection 7 fashioned as a suitable interface is provided.

In order to enable the diagnosis of an organ (such as, for example, a liver or a heart), a series of organ slice images is acquired with the image acquisition apparatus 10 activated at various points in time, starting from a contrast agent administration. The image acquisition apparatus 10 is, for example, a computed tomography apparatus. The respective organ slice images associated with a corresponding phase or series are stored in an image data storage of the image acquisition apparatus 10 with the information about their point in time or series type.

For visualization of the organ slice images, this information with regard to the availability of a series examination subject is evaluated in the input/output device via the data connection line 5. For example, this occurs after selection of a specific patient, with the input/output device 1 being caused to search for corresponding stored organ slice images. For this purpose, the check of organ slice images available for a series is possible by the association of the information of the point in time or the type of the series.

For overview of the available series (for example for heart acquisitions), series at 5, 10, 15, 20% etc. of a heartbeat cycle are symbolically represented on the display device 3, with the series that are actually available for the patient being made recognizable by a color code. If, for example, only series at 10, 30 and 80% of a heartbeat cycle are present, the symbols representing the series thus receive a different color than those of the unavailable series.

Furthermore, a pre-selection of a series presumably suitable for diagnosis as well as an only temporary unavailability are displayed as additional information. Further information for a symbolic display is evaluated during usage. For example, an already-considered series is made recognizable by a corresponding color border or a corresponding colored corner or by another symbol. This display allows the user to make a quick navigation through the organ slice images that are present for the respective patient, such that the organ slice images suitable for the diagnosis can be located quickly.

Such a symbolic representation is exemplarily shown in FIG. 2 for diagnosis of a liver tumor. The symbol display 15 generated on the display device 3 for this purpose has a total of 5 boxes 16 that are respectively labeled with alphanumerical characters. Each box 16, corresponding to its alphanumerical character 17, corresponds to a flow phase necessary for diagnosis of the liver. “N” thus stands for the native flow phase, “A” for the arterial, “PV” for the portal venous, “V” for the venous and “LV” for the late venous. The stored organ slice images are characterized corresponding to these flow phases or are associated with these phases.

For a quick navigation through the organ slice images, each box 16 is additionally highlighted with a color/pattern code 20, 21, 22. The flow phases N, A and V thus exhibit a different color code 20 than the flow phases PV and LV. The shown color/pattern codes 20, 21, 22 can be represented on a color monitor by different colors. The selected color/pattern code 20 means that the flow phases N, A and V are available. According to the color/pattern code 22, the flow phase PV is in fact available in principle, but can temporarily not be selected since, for example, a data transfer error exists. The color/pattern code 21 of the flow phase LV symbolizes the fact that no organ slice images are available for this series for the selected patients.

Furthermore, the information that the organ slice images of the flow phase A are currently visualized is indicated by a border 25 that can additionally also contain a color code. Furthermore, a consideration status is shown by the colored corner 27. The setting of a colored corner 27 in a box 16 of a flow phase means that the correspondingly identified series was not yet considered. A further colored corner 29 (for example black) at the right lower corner of the box 16 it indicates that this series of a flow phase is set as a pre-selection.

Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of his contribution to the art.

Claims

1. A method for visualizing medical images, comprising the steps of: acquiring a series of organ slice images of an examination subject at different points in time using an imaging modality;storing said series of organ slice images in an image data memory associated with information selected from the group consisting of information describing the series and information identifying respective points in time of acquisition of the organ slice images;establishing a data connection between an input/output device and said image data memory;automatically electronically determining an available series in said image data memory;symbolically representing series that are specific to the organ with a display of the availability of the series; anddisplaying the organ slice images associated with a selected series of organ slice images.

2. A visualization method as claimed in claim 1 comprising: establishing an available series by checking said data connection and the presence of organ slice images in a series in said image data memory;indicating a temporary unavailability of a series upon an absence of said data connection, and indicating a general unavailability of a series upon an absence of organ slice images of the series; andsymbolically indicating at said input/output device whether a temporary unavailability of a general unavailability of a series exists.

3. A visualization method as claimed in claim 1 comprising symbolically indicating at said input/output device a currently active selection of a series.

4. A visualization method as claimed in claim 3 comprising symbolically indicating said active selection of a series with a symbolic representation selected from the group consisting of color codes, patterns, and alphanumeric characters.

5. A visualization method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, when a series has been selected, storing information indicating that said series has been previously selected, and symbolically indicating said previous selection at said input/output device.

6. A visualization method as claimed in claim 5 comprising symbolically indicating said pre-selection with a symbolic representation selected from the group consisting of color codes, patterns, and alphanumeric characters.

7. A visualization method as claimed in claim 1 comprising pre-selecting a series and symbolically indicating said pre-selection at said input/output device.

8. A visualization method as claimed in claim 7 comprising symbolically indicating said pre-selection with a symbolic representation selected from the group consisting of color codes, patterns, and alphanumeric characters.

9. A visualization method as claimed in claim 1 comprising symbolically indicating a currently-active selection of a series at said input/output device with alphanumeric characters, symbolically indicating the availability of a series at said input/output device with a color code, and symbolically indicating a pre-selection of a series by a symbolic representation selected from the group consisting of a colored corner, a colored point, and a colored border of respectively different colors.

10. A visualization method as claimed in claim 1 comprising storing information for a symbolic representation associated with each series in a header of an electronic file of the organ slice images in the series.

11. A combined display/input device for visualizing medical images, comprising: an image data memory in which a series of organ slice images of an examination subject, acquired at different points in time using an imaging modality, are stored associated with information selected from the group consisting of information describing the series and information identifying respective points in time of acquisition of the organ slice images;an input/output device;a data connection between said input/output device and said image data memory; anda processor that automatically electronically determines an available series in said image data memory, and that symbolically representing series that are specific to the organ with a display of the availability of the series at said input/output device and that causes the organ slice images associated with a selected series of organ slice images to be displayed at said display.

12. A computer-readable medium encoded with a data structure for visualizing medical images, said medium being loadable into a processor connected to an input/output device and having access to an image data memory in which a series of organ slice images of an examination subject, acquired at different points in time using an imaging modality, are stored associated with information selected from group consisting of information describing the series and information identifying respective points in time of acquisition of the organ slice images, said data structure causing said processor to: establish a data connection between said input/output device and said image data memory;automatically electronically determine an available series in said image data memory;symbolically represent series that are specific to the organ with a display of the availability of the series at said input/output device; anddisplay the organ slice images associated with a selected series of organ slice images at said input/output device.