JP5104735B2 - Medical image management system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a medical image management system.

Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for small-scale medical facilities such as medical practitioners and clinics to store medical images obtained by imaging a patient in association with patient information of the patient by simple operation. Yes. For example, in Patent Document 1, when a medical image is received from the image generation device while a diagnostic screen for a patient designated by the operation unit is displayed, an instruction to capture the received medical image is given. When the online button is flashed, the received medical image is displayed on the diagnostic screen and automatically stored in the database in association with the patient information of the designated patient. A medical image management apparatus is described. Such a medical image management apparatus is convenient because it is not necessary to issue photographing order information performed in a large hospital or the like.
JP 2007-330592 A

  However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 is based on the assumption that a medical image management apparatus and an image generation apparatus of the same type are connected at a ratio of 1: 1. Therefore, there is a problem that it is impossible to construct a system in which a plurality of medical image management apparatuses and a plurality of image generation apparatuses are connected, and it is not possible to improve work efficiency in a medical facility.

  An object of the present invention is to make it possible to generate a medical image and associate the generated medical image with patient information more efficiently.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention described in claim 1
A medical image management system comprising a plurality of image generation devices that generate medical images, a server device, and a client device, wherein the server device is connected to the image generation device and the client device so as to be able to transmit and receive data. Because
Each of the client devices
Operation means for designating a patient to be diagnosed;
Capture instruction means for inputting an instruction to capture the medical image of the designated patient;
A capture requesting means for transmitting a request for capturing a medical image of a patient designated by the operation means to the server device when an instruction by the capture instruction means is input;
The server device
Medical image storage means for storing medical images;
Patient information storage means for storing patient information;
When a medical image capture request is received from any of the plurality of client devices, one of the plurality of image generation devices that is not currently used and the client that is the transmission source of the capture request When a medical image is received from the image generation device, the received medical image is associated with the image generation device that is the transmission source of the medical image. Control means for storing in the medical image storage means in association with patient information of the patient;
Is provided.

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1,
The control means of the server device is designated in the image generation device having the highest predetermined priority among the image generation devices that are not currently used, the client device that is the source of the capture request, and the client device. Corresponding patients.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2,
The server device includes transfer means for transferring the received medical image to a client device associated with an image generation device that is a transmission source of the medical image,
The client device includes display means for displaying a medical image transferred from the server device.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The server device includes an operation unit, a capture instruction unit, and a capture request unit of the client device.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to generate a medical image and associate the generated medical image with patient information more efficiently.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples.

[Configuration of small-scale diagnostic system 1]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a small-scale diagnosis system 1 in the present embodiment.

  The small-scale diagnosis system 1 is a system applied to a relatively small-scale medical facility such as a practitioner or a clinic. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of readers 2 as image generation devices, a server device 3a, A plurality of client devices 3b and a receiving device 4 are provided. Each reader 2 is assigned a reader ID as reader identification information. Further, a device ID as device identification information is assigned to each client device 3b.

  Each device constituting the small-scale diagnosis system 1 is connected to a communication network (hereinafter simply referred to as “network”) 5 such as a LAN (Local Area Network) via a switching hub (not shown), for example.

  In general, DICOM (Digital Image and Communications in Medicine) standard is used as a communication method in a hospital, and DICOM MWM (Modality Worklist Management) or DICOM MPPS (DICOM MPPS) is used for communication between devices connected to a LAN. Modality Performed Procedure Step) is used. Note that the communication method applicable to this embodiment is not limited to this.

[Device configuration of each device of the small-scale diagnosis system 1]
Hereinafter, each apparatus which comprises the small-scale diagnosis system 1 is demonstrated.
The reader 2 reads medical image information recorded in a CR (Computed Radiography) cassette (not shown) and generates a medical image.

The CR cassette has a built-in radiation image conversion plate including a stimulable phosphor sheet that accumulates radiation energy, for example, and is within an irradiation region of radiation irradiated from a radiation source (not shown) of the radiation imaging apparatus during imaging. Placed in. When the CR cassette is irradiated with radiation, an amount of radiation according to the radiation transmittance distribution of the subject is accumulated in the photostimulable phosphor layer of the photostimulable phosphor sheet. Record radiation image information.
When the CR cassette in which the radiographic image information of the subject is recorded is loaded, the reader 2 irradiates the stimulable phosphor sheet in the CR cassette loaded in the apparatus with excitation light, and the light is emitted from the sheet. The stimulated light is photoelectrically converted, and the obtained image signal is A / D converted to generate image data of a medical image. Then, the generated medical image is given a UID (Unique ID) and examination information (examination ID, examination site, imaging date, etc.) and transmitted to the server apparatus 3a.
Note that the reader 2 may be an integrated device integrated with the radiation imaging apparatus.

  The server device 3a stores a medical image generated in the reader 2 in association with patient information in an image DB (Data Base) 331 based on a medical image capture request transmitted from the client device 3b, The medical image generated in 2 is transmitted to the client device 3b.

FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration example of the server device 3a.
As shown in FIG. 2, the server device 3 a includes a control unit 31, a RAM 32, a storage unit 33, an operation unit 34, a display unit 35, and a communication unit 36, and each unit is connected by a bus 37. .

The control unit 31 is configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the like, reads various programs such as a system program and a processing program stored in the storage unit 33, expands them in the RAM 32, and performs server processing described later according to the expanded programs. Various processes including A (see FIG. 8) and server process B (see FIG. 10) are executed.

The RAM 32 temporarily stores various programs that can be executed by the control unit 31 read from the storage unit 33, input or output data, parameters, and the like in various processes that are controlled by the control unit 31. For example, the RAM 32 stores a list of patient information received from the accepting device 4 as patient information storage means.
The RAM 32 has a management table area for storing a management table 341 (see FIG. 9) described later.

The storage unit 33 includes an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a semiconductor nonvolatile memory, or the like. In addition to storing various programs, the storage unit 33 stores image processing parameters for adjusting a medical image to an image quality suitable for diagnosis (lookup table defining a gradation curve used for gradation processing, enhancement degree of frequency processing, etc. ) Etc.

  The storage unit 33 stores a priority table 330. FIG. 3 shows an example of data storage in the priority order table 330. The priority order table 330 is a table for storing information indicating the priority order when using the reader 2 connected to the network 5, and as shown in FIG. 3, the number indicating the priority order, the reader ID of the reader 2, and the like. Are stored in association with each other.

  The storage unit 33 has an image DB 331 for storing medical images transmitted from the reader 2, and stores medical images as medical image storage means.

  The image DB 331 has an image information table 331a for storing information related to medical images stored in the image DB 331. FIG. 4 shows an example of the image information table 331a. As shown in FIG. 4, the image information table 331a includes a “record number” field, a “UID” field, an “imaging date / time” field, an “examination ID” field, an “examination site” field, a “patient ID” field,. -It has a "file storage location" field, etc., and 1 for examination information (imaging date and time, examination ID, examination site, etc.), patient information (patient ID, etc.), file storage location, etc. relating to each medical image transmitted from the reader 2 Store as a record. In the “file storage location” field, information indicating the file storage location of the medical image is stored.

  The operation unit 34 includes a keyboard having cursor keys, numeric input keys, various function keys, and the like, and a pointing device such as a mouse, and a key pressing signal pressed by the keyboard and an operation signal by the mouse. Is output to the control unit 31 as an input signal.

  The display unit 35 includes a monitor such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), for example, and displays various screens according to instructions of a display signal input from the control unit 31.

  The communication unit 36 is configured by a network interface or the like, and transmits and receives data to and from the reader 2 and the reception device 4 connected to the network 5 via a switching hub.

  The client device 3b is a device that is installed in, for example, an examination room and is used by a doctor to display a medical image of a patient and perform an interpretation diagnosis. The configuration of the client device 3b is substantially the same as the configuration of the server device 3a shown in FIG. In other words, the client device 3 b includes a control unit 31, a RAM 32, a storage unit 33, an operation unit 34, a display unit 35, and a communication unit 36, and each unit is connected by a bus 37.

  The client device 3b differs from the server device 3a in the programs and data stored in the storage unit 33. Specifically, a client processing program is stored in the storage unit 33 of the client device 3b. The control unit 31 of the client device 3b executes client processing (see FIG. 7) in cooperation with the client processing program. On the other hand, the storage unit 33 of the client device 3b does not include the above-described priority table 330 and the image DB 331. Further, neither a server processing A program for performing server processing A (see FIG. 8) nor a server processing B program for performing server processing B (see FIG. 10) is provided.

  The reception device 4 is a computer device for performing registration, accounting, insurance score calculation, etc. of patients who come to the hospital, and is composed of a storage unit composed of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., an input composed of a keyboard, a mouse, etc. , A display unit configured by a CRT, an LCD, and the like, a communication unit (none of which is shown) that controls communication with each device connected to the network 5, and the like. When receiving a reception input screen is instructed from the input unit, the reception device 4 displays a reception input screen (not shown) on the display unit by software processing in cooperation with the CPU and a program stored in the storage unit. When reception information (reception number + patient information, etc.) is input through the reception input screen by the input unit, a patient information list of the received patients is created (updated), stored in the storage unit, and transmitted by the communication unit. The data is transmitted to the server device 3a and the client device 3b as appropriate.

[Diagnosis flow]
Next, the flow of diagnosis for one patient in a small-scale medical facility to which the small-scale diagnosis system 1 is applied will be described.

  When the patient comes to the hospital, a reception number tag is given to the patient at the reception, and various types of patient information constituting the patient information list such as the patient reception number and the patient name received by the operation of the input unit in the reception device 4 Is input (acceptance input). In the reception device 4, when a patient reception number, patient information, and the like are input, a list of patient information (patient information list) is generated (updated) and stored in a predetermined area of the storage unit in the reception device 4. . The patient information list is generated, for example, when the first patient of the day is received and input, and is updated to a new patient information list every time the next patient is received and input. The patient information list is appropriately transmitted from the storage unit in the reception device 4 to the server device 3a and all the client devices 3b, and stored in the RAM 32.

  When the patient to whom the reception number is assigned moves to the examination room, the doctor interrogates the patient and decides whether or not to perform imaging. When it is determined that imaging is necessary, the doctor displays a patient information list screen 350 that displays a list of patient information transmitted from the reception device 4 by a predetermined operation of the operation unit 34 in the client device 3b. The viewer screen 351 for the patient is displayed on the display unit 35 by designating the patient information of the patient to be diagnosed from the displayed patient information list.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the patient information list screen 350. As shown in FIG. 5, on the patient information list screen 350, the visit date, reception time, reception number, medical fee, doctor in charge, patient ID, patient name (kanji / kana / ASCII), gender, year of birth Patient information such as date and age is displayed as a list. In addition, the content displayed on the patient information list screen 350 is not limited to what was illustrated here. Only a part of them may be displayed, or more items may be displayed.

When a patient is designated by designating an arbitrary patient field from the patients displayed on the patient information list screen 350 (selecting an arbitrary patient field on the screen with the operation unit 34 such as a mouse), The display screen of the display unit 35 transitions to a viewer screen 351 corresponding to the designated patient.
As described above, in this embodiment, the patient to be diagnosed can be designated from the patient information list screen 350 of the display unit 35, and the patient to be diagnosed can be specified by the patient information list screen 350 and the operation unit 34. An operation means for designating is configured.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the viewer screen 351. The viewer screen is a diagnostic screen for displaying a medical image used for diagnosis and allowing a doctor to perform interpretation diagnosis. As shown in FIG. 6, the viewer screen 351 includes a patient display field 71, a list screen button 72, an image display field 73, an image capture button 74, various tool buttons 75, a diagnosis end button 76, and the like.

The patient display column 71 displays the patient ID and patient name of the patient specified as the diagnosis target. This patient display field 71 allows the doctor to visually recognize which patient's viewer screen 351 is currently displayed.
The list screen button 72 is a button for inputting an instruction to return to the patient information list screen 350.
The image display field 73 is an area for displaying a medical image.
The image capture button 74 is a button for instructing transition to the image capture mode. The image capture mode is a mode in which a medical image acquired by the reader 2 connected to the network 5 is captured as a medical image of a patient (a patient displayed in the patient display column 71) currently being diagnosed. is there. That is, the image capture button 74 functions as a capture instruction unit that instructs to capture a medical image transmitted from the reader 2 as a medical image of a patient who is a diagnosis target. In the image capture mode, specifically, a medical image acquired by the reader 2 is stored in the image DB 331 in association with patient information of a patient who is a diagnosis target.
The various tool buttons 75 are buttons for executing various functions for displaying the medical image displayed in the image display field 73 in an easy-to-see manner. Examples of the tool button 75 include various image processing buttons for performing image processing such as density contrast adjustment processing, black-and-white reversal processing, and enlargement / reduction processing on the displayed medical image, and annotation buttons to be superimposed on the lesion portion of the diagnostic image. There are buttons for selecting the shape.
The diagnosis end button 76 is a button for inputting an instruction to close the viewer screen 351 and return to the patient information list screen 350.

When the viewer screen 351 is displayed, the doctor presses the image capture button 74 using the operation unit 34. Thereafter, an imaging operator such as a radiographer or nurse takes the patient in front of the radiation imaging apparatus and performs imaging with the diagnosis target region as a subject. Specifically, imaging is performed by placing a diagnosis target part of a patient between a radiation source of a radiation imaging apparatus and a CR cassette. When the photographing is completed, the photographing person sets the photographed CR cassette in the reader 2.
In the reader 2, when the CR cassette is set, an image is read from the set CR cassette. The medical image obtained by reading is transmitted to the server device 3a via the network 5. Further, it is transferred to the client device 3b by the server device 3a. In the client device 3b, the medical image transferred from the server device 3a is displayed on the viewer screen 351.

  When the imaging is finished, the patient returns to the examination room. The doctor performs image diagnosis of the patient based on the medical image displayed on the viewer screen 351.

  In the present embodiment, since a plurality of readers 2 and client devices 3b are installed, another patient is inquired during imaging of a certain patient, and another patient's viewer screen is displayed on another client device 3b. 351 is displayed and the image capture button 74 is pressed to perform shooting and reading operations. That is, it is possible to proceed with the inquiry and imaging of other patients without waiting for the completion of imaging to diagnosis of a certain patient.

[Operation of Client Device 3b]
Next, the operation of the client device 3b will be described.
FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of client processing executed by the control unit 31 of the client device 3b. The processing is executed in cooperation with the control unit 31 of the client device 3b and the client processing program stored in the storage unit 33.

  First, a list of patient information is read from the RAM 32, and a patient information list screen 350 is displayed on the display unit 35 (step S1). When a patient to be diagnosed is designated from the patient information list screen 350 by the operation unit 34 (step S2), a viewer screen 351 of the designated patient is displayed on the display unit 35 (step S3).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the image capture button 74 is pressed by the operation unit 34 and an instruction to shift to the image capture mode is given (step S4). If it is determined that the image capture button 74 has not been pressed (step S4; NO), the process proceeds to step S10.

  On the other hand, when the image capture button 74 is pressed by the operation unit 34 and it is determined that the shift to the image capture mode is instructed (step S4; YES), a medical image capture request of the designated patient is communicated. It is transmitted to the server device 3a by the unit 36 (step S5; capture request means). Specifically, image capture request data including its own device ID and the patient ID of the designated patient is created and transmitted to the server device 3a. And reception of the medical image from the server apparatus 3a is waited.

  Although details will be described later in the server device 3a, when a medical image capture request is received from the client device 3b, the reader 2 and the client that has transmitted the capture request are based on a predetermined priority order. The device 3b is associated with the designated patient (see step T3 in FIG. 8). When a medical image is received from the reader 2, the received medical image is transferred to the client device 3 b associated with the transmission source reader 2 (see step T 7 in FIG. 8).

  When the medical image transmitted from the server device 3a is received by the communication unit 36 (step S6; YES), the received medical image is displayed in the image display field 73 of the viewer screen 351 displayed on the display unit 35. (Step S7), the process proceeds to Step S8. When a medical image is not received from the server device 3a (step S6; NO), the process proceeds to step S8.

  In step S8, it is determined whether or not the diagnosis end button 76 or the list screen button 72 is pressed by the operation unit 34, and if it is determined that the diagnosis end button 76 or the list screen button 72 is not pressed (step S8). NO), the process returns to step S4. If it is determined that the diagnosis end button 76 or the list screen button 72 is pressed (step S8; YES), the image capture mode is canceled and an image capture release notification is transmitted to the server apparatus 3a by the communication unit 36 (step S8). In step S9, the process returns to step S1, and the patient information list screen 350 is displayed on the display unit 35.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S4 that the image capture button 74 by the operation unit 34 has not been pressed, that is, the transition to the image capture mode has not been instructed (step S4; NO), the communication unit 36. Thus, it is determined whether or not an image capture button invalid instruction from the server device 3a has been received.
Although details will be described later in the server apparatus 3a, when there is no reader 2 that is not currently used (not associated with the client apparatus 3b), an image capture button invalid instruction is transmitted to the client apparatus 3b (see FIG. (See 8 step T4). In step S4, it is determined whether or not this image capture button invalid instruction has been received.

  If it is determined that the image capture button invalid instruction has not been received from the server device 3a (step S10; NO), the process returns to step S4. If it is determined that an image capture button invalid instruction has been received from the server device 3a (step S10; YES), the image capture button 74 is invalidated (step S11). Specifically, input from the image capture button 74 is not accepted. Then, an image capture button valid instruction from the server device 3a is on standby. If it is determined by the communication unit 36 that an image capture button valid instruction has been received from the server device 3a (step S12; YES), the image capture button 74 is validated (step S13), and the process returns to step S4.

  The client process is repeatedly executed until the power of the client device 3b is turned off.

[Operation of Server Device 3a]
Next, server processing A and server processing B executed in the server device 3a will be described.
FIG. 8 shows a flow of server processing A executed by the control unit 31 of the server apparatus 3a. The process is executed in cooperation with the control unit 31 of the server device 3a and the server process A program stored in the storage unit 33.

  When a medical image capture request (image capture request data) is received from the client device 3b by the communication unit 36 (step T1), it is determined whether there is an unused reader 2 (step T2). . Here, in the server device 3a, a management table 341 shown in FIG. 9 is created in the RAM 32, and the usage status of each reader 2 is managed. In the management table 341, the reader ID of the reader 2 being used is associated with the reader 2, that is, the device ID and patient ID of the client device 3b using the reader 2 are associated with each other. Stored. In step T2, the management table 341 is referred to, and when there is a reader ID that does not associate the device ID and the patient ID, it is determined that there is an unused reader 2.

If it is determined that there is a reader 2 that is not being used (step T2; YES), the reader 2 and the transmission source of the capture request (capture request source) based on the priority order defined by the priority order table 330 The client device 3b and the patient are associated with each other (step T3), and the process proceeds to step T5.
In step T3, specifically, in the management table 341, among the readers 2 that are not associated with the device ID and patient ID, the reader 2 with the highest priority is determined as the reader 2 to be used. In the management table 341, the device ID and patient ID of the client device 3b that has requested the medical image capture are stored in association with the determined reader ID of the reader 2. The determined reader 2 is transmitted with the device ID of the associated client device 3b and / or the patient ID of the patient. The reader 2 displays the received device ID and / or patient ID. The radiographer loads a CR cassette for the patient with the displayed patient ID into the reader 2 and reads a medical image.

  If it is determined in step T2 that there is no reader 2 that is not used (step T2; NO), an image capture button invalid instruction is transmitted to all client devices 3b by the communication unit 36 (step T4), and server processing is performed. A ends.

  In step T5, it is determined whether or not the communication unit 36 has received a medical image from the reader 2 associated with the client apparatus 3b that is the acquisition request source in step T3. If it is determined that the medical image from the reader 2 associated with the client device 3b that is the acquisition request has not been received (step T5; NO), the process proceeds to step T8.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step T3 that the medical image from the reader 2 associated with the client apparatus 3b that is the acquisition request is received by the communication unit 36 (step T5; YES), the received medical image is The information is stored in the image DB 331 in association with the patient information of the patient associated with the transmission source reader 2 in the management table 341 (step T6). Specifically, the received medical image is stored in the image DB 331, and information related to the medical image stored in the image DB 331, that is, UID, examination information, patient information, and file storage location are stored in the image information table 331a. Is done. As patient information, the patient ID stored in association with the reader ID of the transmission source reader 2 in the management table 341, the patient information (patient name, etc.) stored in the RAM 32 in association with this patient ID, etc. Is stored.
Then, the received medical image is transferred by the communication unit 36 to the client device 3b having the device ID associated with the transmission source reader 2 in the management table 341, that is, the client device 3b that is the acquisition request source (step). T7; transfer means), the process proceeds to step T8.

  In step T8, it is determined whether the image capture of the client device 3b that is the capture request source has been canceled. Here, in the server process B described later, when an image capture release notification is received from the client apparatus 3b, the apparatus ID and patient ID of the client apparatus 3b are deleted from the management table 341. In step T8, the management table 341 is referred to, and whether or not the image capture of the client device 3b as the capture request source has been released depends on whether or not the device ID of the client device 3b as the capture request source is stored. To be judged.

  If it is determined that the image capture of the client device 3b as the capture request source has not been released (step T8; NO), the process returns to step T5. When it is determined that the image capture of the client device 3b as the capture request source has been canceled (step T8; YES), the server process A ends.

  FIG. 10 shows a flow of server processing B executed by the control unit 31 of the server apparatus 3a. The process is executed in cooperation with the control unit 31 of the server device 3a and the server process B program stored in the storage unit 33.

  When the image capture release notification is received from the client device 3b by the communication unit 36 (step T11), the association between the client device 3b that is the transmission source of the image capture release notification and the reader 2 is released (step T12). . Specifically, the device ID of the client device 3b that is the transmission source of the image capture release notification and the corresponding patient ID stored in the management table 341 are deleted from the management table 341.

  Next, an instruction for validating the image capture button is transmitted to all client apparatuses 3b (step T12). Further, the image capture invalid flag is set to OFF (step T13). Then, the server B process ends.

For example, when the patient A viewer screen 351 is opened on the client device 3 b with the device ID = 303 and the image capture button 74 is pressed, as shown in FIG. 11 according to the priority order stored in the priority order table 330. The client device 3b with the device ID = 303 and the patient A are associated with the reader 2 with the reader ID = 201 (A1 in FIG. 11). The medical image read by the reader 2 with the reader ID = 201 is stored in the image DB 331 in association with the patient information of the patient A and displayed on the viewer screen 351 of the patient A in the client device 3b with the device ID = 303. The
Furthermore, when the patient B viewer screen 351 is opened on the client device 3 b with the device ID = 302 and the image capture button 74 is pressed, the client with the device ID = 302 is displayed according to the priority stored in the priority table 330. The device 3b and the patient B are associated with the reader 2 with the reader ID = 202 (A2 in FIG. 11). The medical image read by the reader 2 with the reader ID = 202 is stored in the image DB 331 in association with the patient information of the patient B, and is displayed on the viewer screen 351 of the patient B in the client device 3b with the device ID = 302. The
When the client device 3b with the device ID = 302 and the patient B are associated with the reader 2 with the reader ID = 202, the image capture button 74 of the client device 3b with the device ID = 301 is invalidated, and the device ID = 301. The client apparatus 3b cannot move to the image capture mode until the image capture mode is canceled by the client apparatus 3b with the apparatus ID = 302 or the apparatus ID = 303.

  As described above, according to the small-scale diagnosis system 1, the patient to be diagnosed is designated by the operation unit 34 in the client device 3b, and then the image capture button 74 is pressed to instruct the capture of the medical image. Then, a request for taking in the medical image of the designated patient is transmitted to the server device 3a. In the server apparatus 3a, when a medical image capture request is received, the control unit 31 determines which of the readers 2 connected to the network 5 is not currently used and the source of the capture request transmission source. Correlation with the client device 3b and the patient designated in the client device 3b is performed. When a medical image is received from the reader 2, the control unit 31 stores the received medical image in the image DB 331 in association with the patient information of the patient corresponding to the reader 2 that is the transmission source of the medical image. Is done.

  Therefore, it is possible to specify a patient from a plurality of client devices 3b and perform an operation for instructing taking of a medical image in parallel, or to generate a medical image of a plurality of patients in parallel using a plurality of image generation devices. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently perform imaging and reading of a patient (generation of a medical image) and associating the generated medical image with patient information.

  Further, when associating the reader 2 with the client device 3b and the patient, the reader 2 that has the highest predetermined priority among the readers 2 that are not currently used, and the client that is the transmission source of the acquisition request Since the device 3b and the patient designated in the client device 3b are associated with each other, it is possible to preferentially use the reader 2 having a higher priority.

  In addition, since the medical image received from the reader 2 is transferred to the client device 3b associated with the reader 2 that is the transmission source, the doctor uses the medical image of the patient designated as the diagnosis target in the client device 3b. It is possible to display and diagnose.

  In the above embodiment, the server apparatus 3a and the client apparatus 3b are described as separate apparatuses. However, the server apparatus 3a has a configuration in which a client processing program is installed and the functions of the client apparatus 3b are incorporated. May be. With this configuration, the server device 3a can perform an operation of designating a patient to be diagnosed and inputting a medical image capture instruction, which improves convenience.

In addition, the description content in the said embodiment is a suitable example of this invention, and is not limited to this.
For example, in the above embodiment, when there is no reader 2 that is not used, the server device 3a transmits an invalid instruction for the image capture button 74 to the client device 3b. Each time the server apparatus 3a is inquired and the server apparatus 3a responds that there is no reader 2 that is not used, the client apparatus 3b may invalidate the image capture button 74. . In addition to invalidating the image capture button 74, a prohibition mark or the like may be displayed in the vicinity of the image capture button 74 to notify the user that the reader 2 cannot be used at present.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the reader 2 is used as an image generation apparatus that generates a medical image has been described as an example. However, an FPD (Flat Panel Detector), an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), or a CT (Computed Tomography) is used. ) And other types of image generation apparatuses.

  For example, in the above description, an example in which an HDD or a semiconductor nonvolatile memory is used as a computer-readable medium of the program according to the present invention is disclosed, but the present invention is not limited to this example. As another computer-readable medium, a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM can be applied. Further, a carrier wave is also applied as a medium for providing program data according to the present invention via a communication line.

  In addition, the detailed configuration and detailed operation of each device constituting the small-scale diagnosis system 1 can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is a figure which shows the example of whole structure of the small-scale diagnosis system in this embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the server apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of data storage of the priority order table shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of data storage of the image information table of image DB shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the patient information list screen displayed on the display part of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the viewer screen displayed on the display part of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the client process performed by the control part of the client apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the server process A performed by the control part of the server apparatus of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the management table produced in RAM of the server apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the server process B performed by the control part of the server apparatus of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation example in the small scale diagnostic system of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Small diagnostic system 2 Reader 3a Server apparatus 3b Client apparatus 4 Reception apparatus 5 Network 31 Control part 32 RAM
33 storage unit 330 priority table 331 image DB
34 operation unit 35 display unit 350 patient information list screen 351 viewer screen 71 patient display column 72 list screen button 73 image display column 74 image capture button 75 tool button 76 diagnosis end button 36 communication unit 37 bus

Claims (4)

A medical image management system comprising a plurality of image generation devices that generate medical images, a server device, and a client device, wherein the server device is connected to the image generation device and the client device so as to be able to transmit and receive data. Because
Each of the client devices
Operation means for designating a patient to be diagnosed;
Capture instruction means for inputting an instruction to capture the medical image of the designated patient;
A capture requesting means for transmitting a request for capturing a medical image of a patient designated by the operation means to the server device when an instruction by the capture instruction means is input;
The server device
Medical image storage means for storing medical images;
Patient information storage means for storing patient information;
When a medical image capture request is received from any of the plurality of client devices, one of the plurality of image generation devices that is not currently used and the client that is the transmission source of the capture request When a medical image is received from the image generation device, the received medical image is associated with the image generation device that is the transmission source of the medical image. Control means for storing in the medical image storage means in association with patient information of the patient;
A medical image management system comprising:   The control means of the server device is designated in the image generation device having the highest predetermined priority among the image generation devices that are not currently used, the client device that is the source of the capture request, and the client device. The medical image management system according to claim 1, wherein the patient is associated with the patient. The server device includes transfer means for transferring the received medical image to a client device associated with an image generation device that is a transmission source of the medical image,
The medical image management system according to claim 1, wherein the client device includes display means for displaying a medical image transferred from the server device.   The medical image management system according to claim 1, wherein the server device includes an operation unit, a capture instruction unit, and a capture request unit of the client device.

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