Cloud-based radiology commenting and workspace sharing
Inventors
BECKERS, Fabien Rafael David • Axerio-Cilies, John • Benaddi, Maud Josee Caroline • Corless, Patrick Ross • LAW, Shek Bun • Reid, Justin • Scherger, Derek John • Wu, Kendall
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11915821-B2
Publication Date
2024-02-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
This disclosure relates to a medical image viewer for incorporating multi-user collaboration features, such as in-image commenting and workspace sharing. An example method includes receiving a comment location including image coordinates and comment information associated with the comment from a user device. The comment information includes a text body, identify identity information related to the user, and a comment creation date. The example method further includes determining world coordinates based on the image coordinates, and storing the world coordinates and the comment information as a subset of header attributes of the DICOM image file.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method of incorporating a comment within a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) image file. A processor of an image viewer system receives a comment location of a medical image and comment information associated with the comment from a user device, including a text body, identity information related to the user, and a comment creation date.
The method standardizes incorporation of the comment in accordance with one or more DICOM standards by converting the image coordinates relative to the viewer application into world coordinates associated with the image viewer system. The world coordinates are convertible to other image coordinates relative to another viewer application when the image is presented so the comment renders at the comment location.
The method stores the world coordinates and the comment information as a subset of one or more header attributes of the DICOM image file, preserved according to the one or more DICOM standards as one or more modality-specific attributes for future reference for information retrieval. In addition, the invention supports multi-user collaboration in a DICOM imaging environment by receiving a study ID related to a medical imaging study and a user identity, and generating a session hash comprising a workspace identifier associated with the study ID and the user identity.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive features cover standardized incorporation of user comments into DICOM image files using coordinate conversion and preserved header attributes, and claiming and managing concurrent access to a DICOM workspace using session hashes and workspace locks based on study and identity inputs.
World-coordinate-based DICOM comment incorporation with preserved modality-specific header attributes
Converting image coordinates relative to a viewer application into world coordinates associated with the image viewer system, wherein the world coordinates are convertible to other image coordinates relative to another viewer application when the image is presented to display the comment at the comment location; and storing the world coordinates and comment information as a subset of one or more header attributes of the DICOM image file, preserved according to the one or more DICOM standards as one or more modality-specific attributes for future reference for information retrieval.
Workspace access claiming using session hash and workspace locks for concurrent access
Receiving a study ID and a user identity from a user device, generating a session hash comprising a workspace identifier associated with the study ID and the user identity, and storing the session hash in memory to generate at least one workspace lock to resolve concurrent access to the workspace by the user and one or more other users, where the workspace includes a collection of DICOM image files and one or more user interface views associated with the medical imaging study.
Claim coverage in the partial content centers on converting viewer-specific image coordinates to world coordinates and storing comment text and user/date metadata in preserved DICOM header attributes to standardize comment placement and future retrieval, and on generating session hash-based workspace identifiers and storing them to create workspace locks that resolve concurrent access to a DICOM study workspace.
Stated Advantages
Provides future reference for information retrieval by preserving comment-associated data in DICOM header attributes according to one or more DICOM standards.
Enables display of the comment at the correct comment location across different viewer applications by converting image coordinates to world coordinates convertible to other viewer coordinate systems.
Resolves concurrent access to a shared workspace by the user and one or more other users using workspace locks.
Documented Applications
A cloud-based medical image viewer enabling multi-user collaboration for DICOM studies, including shared study workspaces and identity-based permissions/locks for concurrent access.
In-image comment rendering within a DICOM image file, where comments are stored in preserved DICOM header attributes for future reference and information retrieval.
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