JPH10143402A - Medical image preservation communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically erase image data with the lowered possibility of reference out of a high-speed storage device completely without making a system manager take time. SOLUTION: Patient information such as the start of visit of patient at hospital, the end of visit, entering to hospital and leaving from hospital is inputted from patient information input terminal equipment 9. The inputted patient information is registered in a patient state table 5. Corresponding to a change in the patient state table 5, a patient image managing program 7 reads the medical images of this patient in the past out of a magneto-optical disk device(MOD) 105 and temporarily stores them in a magnetic disk device (HD) 107. When image data are requested from medical image observation devices 121, 123..., the image data are retrieved from the HD 107 and sent. When the change in the patient state table 5 shows reduction in the reference possibility of these medical images, the medical images of that patient are erased from the HD 107.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image storage function for electronically storing medical images, an image reference function for referring to these stored images, and a medical image storage communication for mutually communicating with a patient management function. About the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digitalization of medical images has progressed, and it is possible to easily realize a reduction in film storage space, prevention of loss, a reduction in the number of film transporters, a reduction in access time to medical images, and advanced medical image retrieval. Therefore, the spread is accelerating.

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional medical image storage communication system. In the figure,
The medical image storage communication system 101 includes a medical image storage device 103 and a plurality of modalities 111, 113, 115,
, And a plurality of medical image observation devices 121, 123, ...
The test information input terminal device 131 was used.

Here, a plurality of modalities 111, 113,
115,... Are devices that can collect digital medical images, such as digital radiography (DR), an X-ray CT device, an MRI device, a gamma camera device, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and an electronic endoscope device. Any device may be used. Further, the medical images collected by these modalities may be any of still images and moving images.

[0005] The medical image storage device 103 is composed of a magneto-optical disk device 105 for storing medical images for a long period of time and a high-speed accessible magnetic disk device 107 for temporarily storing medical images.

In the above-mentioned conventional medical image storage communication system 101, when it is determined that a certain subject is to be tested by a certain modality (for example, this is referred to as a modality 121), a test schedule is input from the input terminal device 131, This past inspection image data of the subject was read from the magneto-optical disk device 105 and stored in the magnetic disk device 107. Next, any of the medical image observation devices 12
When there is a request from 1, 123,..., The medical image data is immediately read from the magnetic disk device 107 and the medical image data is transmitted to the requesting medical image observation device.

When a conference is scheduled for a patient, this information is input from the input terminal device 131, and a medical image relating to the patient is read from the magneto-optical disk device and stored in the magnetic disk device. . Then, the related medical image is referred to at the conference.
Also at this time, the medical image observation device is supplied with the medical image read out at high speed from the magnetic disk device.

As described above, if a medical image is read out in advance from the magneto-optical disk device 105 and stored in the magnetic disk device 107, the image of the newly generated image of the subject can be read more accurately. When a request for referring to a related past image occurs for comparison and collation or for a conference, medical image data can be supplied from a high-speed magnetic disk device. In addition, the waiting time can be greatly reduced, and efficient diagnosis can be performed.

However, since the capacity of the magnetic disk drive is limited, medical images cannot be continuously stored, and when a large amount of medical image data is stored in the magnetic disk drive, it takes time to search for a desired medical image. This may make it impossible to quickly read out a medical image.

For this reason, the system administrator of the conventional medical image storage communication system periodically changes the state of the patient (for example, hospitalization → discharge, hospitalization → hospitalization end, surgery → operation end, conference → conference end, patient → conference end, Death, etc.), and if the change in the patient's condition indicates that the possibility of referring to the medical image has decreased, the medical image has been manually deleted from the magnetic disk device.

[0011] In addition, the physician who is the end user does not simply delete the image data from the high-speed storage device immediately after the change of the patient's condition, but creates a summary summarizing the treatment progress of the patient. There was also a demand to delay the deletion timing, and the overall benefit represented by the system administrator and the benefit of each end user conflicted, making the task of deleting images from the high-speed storage device more complicated. .

[0012]

As described above,
In a conventional medical image storage communication system, necessary image data is left in a high-speed storage device for temporarily storing image data in order to reduce access time, and an area for newly generated image data is secured. Therefore, since the image data which is less likely to be referred to is manually deleted, there is a problem that the burden of the operator who performs the system management work is large, and reduction thereof has been desired.

Also, the timing of deleting image data must be determined individually in consideration of the end user's needs, and the operation of deleting images from the high-speed storage device becomes more complicated. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to eliminate the need for a system administrator or a user without taking any trouble and considering the period required by an end user. An object of the present invention is to provide a medical image storage communication system capable of automatically deleting lost image data from a high-speed storage device.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a first storage device having a predetermined access speed for storing medical image information and a copy of a part of the medical image information stored in the first storage device are temporarily stored. store,
The second storage device having an access speed higher than the access speed of the first storage device, and the medical image information stored in the second storage device are referred to, and the medical image information having reduced reference possibility is determined. And a storage control unit for deleting image information from the second storage device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the medical image storage and communication system according to the first aspect, the medical image information stored in the second storage device is referred to when the medical image information is stored. The gist is that the determination is made based on the collected state transition information of the subject or the patient.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the medical image storage communication system according to the second aspect, the state transition information of the subject or the patient is information indicating discharge of an inpatient, Information indicating the end of the operation, information indicating the end of the operation of the patient scheduled for surgery, information indicating that the conference of the patient scheduled to be completed the conference, information indicating that the medical treatment of the patient has ended, or information indicating that the patient has died. The gist shall be that it includes

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the medical image storage communication system according to the first aspect, the storage control means refers to the medical image information temporarily stored in the second storage device. The gist is that the medical image information is deleted from the second storage device after a lapse of a certain period from the time when the possibility is determined to be reduced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the medical image storage communication system according to the fourth aspect, the predetermined period is set commonly in a medical institution, commonly set in a hospital, and set for each department. One of the following: common setting for each patient, common setting for each inpatient management unit, common setting for each doctor, common setting for each medical imaging room, common setting for each medical imaging apparatus
The gist is that it is based on one setting method or any combination of these setting methods.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the medical image storage communication system according to the fourth aspect, the setting of the certain period is performed for each examination unit, each medical image, each identifier added to the examination unit, Alternatively, the gist is performed for each identifier added to the medical image.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the medical image storage and communication system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the first storage device is an optical disk device or a magneto-optical disk device. The gist is that

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the medical image storage and communication system according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the second storage device is a magnetic disk device. And

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a medical image storage communication system according to the present invention. In the figure, the medical image storage communication system 1 includes a comprehensive digital image system 3, a patient information input terminal device 9, a modality A111, a modality B113, a modality C115,..., And medical image observation devices 121, 123, 125,. It is comprised including.

A plurality of modalities A111, modalities B
113, the modalities C115,... Are not particularly limited, for example, digital radiography (DR),
Any device that can collect digital medical images, such as an X-ray CT device, an MRI device, a gamma camera device, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and an electronic endoscope device, may be used.
Further, the medical images collected by these modalities may be any of still images and moving images.

The integrated digital image system 3 includes a magneto-optical disk device (hereinafter abbreviated as MOD) 105, a magnetic disk device (hereinafter abbreviated as HD) 107, a patient status table 5, and a patient image management program 7. Have.

The MOD 105 is a large-capacity device for storing a large number of medical images for a long time.
An autochanger capable of accommodating several hundred cm double-sided magneto-optical disk media is available. In addition to the magneto-optical disk, a collective optical disk device or the like accommodating several tens of optical disk media having a diameter of 30 cm can be used.

The HD 107 is a device for temporarily storing a copy of a part of the medical image data stored in the MOD 105. The HD 107 has a smaller capacity than the MOD 105, but can read or write medical image data at a higher speed. It is.

From the patient information input terminal device 9, information such as start of hospital visit, end of hospital visit, hospitalization, discharge, operation schedule, operation end, examination schedule, examination end, etc. is input from the medical office.

The integrated digital image system 3 receives the information input from the patient information input terminal 9 and stores it in the patient status table 5. In addition, the integrated digital image system 3 includes the modalities 111, 113, 115,
MOD of newly generated medical image data input from ...
105 and the HD 107. Then, the medical image data requested by the medical image observation devices 121, 123, 125,... Is read from the HD 107 and transmitted.

The patient image management program 7 is built in the integrated digital image system 3 and is started when the patient status table 5 is updated or periodically, and the transition of the patient status of each patient may refer to a medical image. It is determined whether or not the medical image data is reduced, and when the possibility of reference is reduced, the medical image data of the patient is deleted from the HD 107.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the medical image storage communication system 1 according to the present embodiment. First, the patient information input terminal device 9 receives information on going to the internal clinic and outpatient clinic of the patient with the patient ID “0001” (step S1).
01).

The integrated digital image system 3 converts the input information into a patient status table 5 as shown in Table 1.
(Step S103).

[0033]

[Table 1] Next, the patient image management program 7 modifies the past medical image (hereinafter abbreviated to the past image) of the patient with the patient ID “0001” by the registration of the newly visited patient.
05 to the HD 107 (step S10)
5).

A medical image newly acquired by the modality 111, 113, 115 or the like for this patient is recorded in both the MOD 105 and the HD 107 (step S107).

Next, for example, the medical image observation device 121
, The HD 107 accesses the HD 107 to search for and read out a medical image, and returns it to the requesting medical image observation apparatus 121. Since the HD 107 stores a copy of the past image and a new medical image when the patient starts visiting the hospital, the medical image observation device 121
Receives a medical image retrieved at high speed with almost no waiting time.

Next, if the treatment of the patient with the patient ID "0001" is completed and the hospital visit is determined to be completed, the patient information input terminal 9
Then, the end information of the patient having the patient ID “0001” from the internal medicine outpatient clinic is input (step S109).

The integrated digital image system 3 converts the input information into a patient status table 5 as shown in Table 2.
(Step S111).

[0038]

[Table 2] Next, the patient image management program 7 sets the patient ID “000
The medical image of this patient, which is less likely to be referred to thereafter due to the end of the hospital visit of the 1 "patient, is deleted from the HD 107 (step S113).

In this embodiment, the medical image data may be copied from the MOD 105 to the HD 107 according to the start of hospitalization, the scheduled operation, the scheduled conference, and the like, in addition to the start of patient visit. Further, it is determined that the possibility of referring to the medical image data of the HD 107 has decreased, and
Factors that cause the deletion of medical image data from 07 include that a change in the patient's state may be a discharge of a patient, an end of surgery, an end of a conference, death of a patient, or the like, in addition to an end of the patient's visit.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the medical image storage communication system according to the present invention. In the figure, the medical image storage communication system 11
Are a medical image storage device 13, a hospital information system (hereinafter abbreviated as HIS) terminal device 19, an HIS server device 31, a modality A111, a modality B113, a modality C115,... The station is abbreviated as WS) 131, a surgical reading WS133, a brain surgery reading WS135,...

A plurality of modalities A111 and modalities B
113, modality C115,... Are the same as in the first embodiment.

Medical image storage device (hereinafter abbreviated as FS) 1
3 includes a MOD 105 and an HD 107. M
The OD 105 and the HD 107 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

The HIS terminal device 19 and the HIS server device 31 constitute a hospital information system, and manage medical images.
It realizes a comprehensive system that links medical management, examination management, drug management, patient management, medical accounting management, and so on. In the present embodiment, the HIS server device 31 includes the patient state table 15 and the patient image management program 17,
The storage control of the FS 13 for storing medical images is performed.

From the HIS terminal device 19, information such as start of hospital visit, end of hospital visit, hospitalization, discharge, scheduled operation, end of operation, scheduled test, end of test, and the like are input.

The HIS server device 31 accepts information input from the HIS terminal device 19 and stores it in the patient status table 15. In addition, the FS 13 is provided for each modality 11
The newly generated medical image data input from 1, 113, 115,... Is stored in the MOD 105 and the HD 107. Then, the medical interpretation WS131 and the surgical interpretation WS13
3. The medical image data requested by the brain surgery interpretation WS 135 is read out from the HD 107 and transmitted.

The patient image management program 17 is built in the HIS server device 13 and is activated when the patient status table 15 is updated or periodically, so that the transition of the patient status of each patient reduces the possibility of referring to a medical image. It is determined whether or not the medical image data is to be referred to, and if the possibility of reference is reduced, the medical image data of the patient is deleted from the HD 107.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the medical image storage communication system 11 according to the present embodiment.
First, the hospitalization information of the patient with the patient ID “0003” to the surgical ward is input from the HIS terminal device 19 (step S20).
1).

The HIS server device 31 stores the inputted hospitalization information in the patient status table 15 as shown in Table 3, and notifies the FS 13 (step S2).
03).

[0049]

[Table 3] When receiving the notification of the hospitalization information from the HIS server device 31 (step S211), the FS 13 receives the patient ID “0003”.
The past image of the patient is copied from the MOD 105 to the HD 107 (step S213). Then, for the medical images newly acquired by the modalities 111, 113, 115, etc. for this patient, the MOD 105 and the HD1
07 (step S215).

Next, for example, when there is a request from the surgical interpretation WS 133 to refer to the medical image of the patient with the patient ID “0003”, the FS 13 accesses the HD 107 to search and read the medical image, Reading WS133
Return to Since the HD 107 stores a copy of the past image and a new medical image stored by the hospitalization of the patient, the surgical interpretation WS 133 returns the medical image retrieved at high speed with almost no waiting time. Will receive.

Next, if the condition of the patient with the patient ID “0003” is relieved and it is decided that the patient will be discharged, information on the discharge of the patient with the patient ID “0003” from the surgical ward is input from the HIS terminal device 19 (step S205). ).

The HIS server device 31 stores the inputted discharge information in the patient status table 15 as shown in Table 4, and notifies the FS 13 (step S2).
07).

[0053]

[Table 4] Upon receiving the notification of the discharge information from the HIS server device 31 (step S217), the FS 13 receives the patient ID “0003”.
The medical image of the patient is deleted from the HD 107 (step S219).

In this embodiment, the medical image data may be copied from the MOD 105 to the HD 107 according to the start of hospitalization, the scheduled operation, the scheduled conference, and the like, in addition to the start of patient visit. Further, it is determined that the possibility of referring to the medical image data of the HD 107 has decreased, and
Factors that cause the deletion of medical image data from 07 include that a change in the patient's state may be a discharge of a patient, an end of surgery, an end of a conference, death of a patient, or the like, in addition to an end of the patient's visit.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the medical image storage communication system according to the present invention. In the figure, the medical image storage communication system 21
Are the HIS terminal device 19, the HIS server device 31,
, A medical image storage device A (hereinafter abbreviated as FSA) 27, a medical image storage device B (hereinafter abbreviated as FSB) 29, and a medical interpretation WS
131, surgical reading WS133, brain surgery reading WS135
And HD14 connected or built into each WS
1, 143 and 145, a system manager (hereinafter abbreviated as SM) for controlling the entire system, and a network 23 for connecting these components.

A plurality of modalities A111, modality B
113 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

The FSA 27 and FSB 29 are devices suitable for storing large-capacity and long-term image data, such as a magneto-optical disk device or an optical disk device.
An autochanger capable of accommodating several hundred cm double-sided magneto-optical disk media is available. In addition to the magneto-optical disk, a collective optical disk device or the like accommodating several tens of optical disk media having a diameter of 30 cm can be used.

The HIS terminal device 19 and the HIS server device 31 constitute a hospital information system, and manage medical images.
It realizes a comprehensive system that links medical management, examination management, drug management, patient management, medical accounting management, and so on.

In this embodiment, the SM 25 for controlling the entire system includes the patient state table 15 and the patient image management program 17, and performs storage control of the FSA 27 and FSB 29 for storing medical images.

From the HIS terminal device 19, information such as start of hospital visit, end of hospital visit, hospitalization, discharge, scheduled operation, end of operation, scheduled test, end of test, and the like are input.

The HIS server device 31 accepts information input from the HIS terminal device 19, registers the information in a database (not shown) managed by the HIS server device 31, and notifies the SM 25 of the information.

The SM 25 receives the information notified from the HIS server device 31 and stores it in the patient status table 15.

The patient image management program 17 uses the SM25
It is activated when the patient status table 15 is updated or periodically, and determines whether or not the transition of the patient status of each patient reduces the possibility of referring to the medical image, and reduces the possibility of reference. Is transmitted, an instruction to delete the medical image data of the patient from the HDs 141, 143, and 145 is transmitted to each of the WSs 131, 133, and 135.

[0086] Medical interpretation WS131, surgical interpretation WS13
3. The brain surgery reading WS135 is connected to HD141, 143, 145 as a dedicated high-speed storage device, respectively.
Medical image data that is likely to be referred to is stored in the HD.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the medical image storage communication system 21 according to the present embodiment.

First, the patient ID is sent from the HIS terminal 19.
Information on admission of the patient “0004” to the brain surgery ward is input (step S301). The HIS server device 31 registers the input hospitalization information in a database (not shown) and notifies the SM 25 (step S30).
3).

When receiving the notification of the hospitalization information from the HIS server device 31 (step S311), the SM 25 stores the received hospitalization information in the patient state table 15 as shown in Table 5.

[0068]

[Table 5] Next, the SM 25 receives the fact that the patient with the patient ID “0004” has been hospitalized in the brain surgery ward, and
29, it is instructed to transmit the past image of the patient with the patient ID “0004” to the brain surgery interpretation WS 135 (step S3).
13).

The brain surgery interpretation WS 135 stores the past image data sent from the FSA 27 or FSB 29 via the network 23 in the HD 145.

The medical images newly acquired by the modalities 111 and 113 for this patient are transmitted via the network 23 to the FSA 27 or FS.
It is transmitted to both B29 and the HD of the interpretation WS of the inspection request source, and is respectively recorded (step S315).

Next, the patient I was read from the brain surgery reading WS135.
When referring to the medical image of the patient D “0004”, the HD
By accessing 145, medical images can be retrieved and read at high speed, and can be displayed quickly.

Next, if the condition of the patient with the patient ID “0004” is relieved and it is decided that the patient will be discharged, information on the discharge of the patient with the patient ID “0004” from the surgical ward is input from the HIS terminal device 19 (step S305). ).

The HIS server device 31 stores the inputted discharge information in a database (not shown) and notifies the SM 25 (step S307).

When receiving the notification of the discharge information from the HIS server device 31, the SM 25 stores it in the patient state table 15 as shown in Table 6 (step S317).

[0075]

[Table 6] Next, the SM 25 transmits a notification of deleting the medical image of the patient with the patient ID “0004” from the HD 145 to the brain surgery interpretation WS 13
5 (step S319), and upon receiving this notification, the brain surgery interpretation WS deletes the medical image of the patient with the patient ID “0004” from the HD 145 (step S319). next,
In the medical image storage communication system according to the present invention, a fourth embodiment will be described in which a medical image with reduced reference possibility is deleted after a certain grace period. For example, the medical image storage communication system 21 having the configuration shown in FIG. 5 is different from the third embodiment in that the patient image management program 17 of the SM 25 updates the patient state table 15 of the patient having a certain ID by updating the patient state table 15. Even if it is determined that the possibility of referring to the medical image of the patient having the ID has decreased, the deletion notification is not immediately transmitted.

The transmission of the deletion notification is performed in accordance with the deletion notification transmission grace period table shown in Table 7 below, for example, after it is determined that the possibility of referring to the medical image of the patient having the ID is reduced. After a certain grace period has elapsed, each of the interpretation WSs 131 and 1 storing the medical image of the patient having the ID in each of the HDs 141, 143 and 145.
33 and 135.

[0077]

[Table 7] Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described in detail. First, HI
The operation schedule information of the patient with the patient ID “0005” in orthopedic surgery is input from the S terminal device 19. Next, the HIS server device 31 registers the inputted operation schedule information in a database (not shown) and notifies the SM 25 of the information.

Upon receiving the notification of the operation schedule information from the HIS server device 31, the SM 25 stores the received operation schedule information in the patient state table 15 as shown in Table 8.

[0079]

[Table 8] Next, in response to the fact that the patient with the patient ID “0005” is scheduled to undergo surgery, the SM 25 instructs the FSA 27 or FSB 29 to transmit a past image of the patient with the patient ID “0005” to the operating room interpretation WS (not shown). .

The operating room reading WS is the FSA27 or FS
The past image data sent from B29 via the network 23 is stored in an HD (not shown) connected to the WS.

The medical images newly acquired by the modalities 111 and 113 for this patient are transmitted via the network 23 to the FSA 27 or FS.
Transmitted to both the B29 and the HD of the operating room interpretation WS,
Each is recorded.

Next, the patient I is read from the operating room reading WS135.
When referring to the medical image of the patient D “0005”, by accessing the HD connected to the WS, the medical image can be retrieved and read at high speed, and can be displayed quickly.

Next, when the operation of the patient with the patient ID “0005” is completed, the HIS terminal device 19 sends the patient ID “000”.
The operation end information of the 5 "patient from the orthopedic surgery is input.

The HIS server device 31 stores the input operation end information in a database (not shown) and notifies the SM 25 of the information.

Upon receiving the notification of the operation end information from the HIS server device 31, the SM 25 stores it in the patient state table 15 as shown in Table 9. At this time, the change date column of the patient status table indicates the date of the operation end date.
02 is registered.

[0086]

[Table 9] Next, the SM 25 refers to the deletion notification transmission grace period table of Table 7 to obtain “2 days” which is the deletion notification transmission grace period of the patient image in the operating room, and is the change date of 199607.
Two days after 02, the medical image of the patient with the patient ID “0005” is
A notification to delete from D is transmitted to the operating room interpretation WS, and the operating room interpretation WS receiving the notification deletes the medical image of the patient with the patient ID “0005” from the HD.

The deletion notification transmission grace period table shown in Table 7 shows an example in which the deletion grace period is set for each department of the outpatient department, which is a patient management unit, or for each ward of each department.
In addition to this, surgery, internal medicine, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and other medical departments, by physician, by each imaging room, by each imaging device, or by individual examination unit, may be set a deletion grace period for each image, Also, a combination of these may be used.

Further, a special mark can be added to each inspection unit and each image unit to set a longer deletion grace period.

Although the preferred embodiments have been described above, they do not limit the present invention. For example, a magnetic disk device is used as a high-speed storage device for temporarily storing medical images. However, the storage device is not limited to a magnetic disk device. Any storage device including a storage device may be used. Although a magneto-optical disk device is used as a storage device for storing medical images for a long period of time, a large-capacity magnetic disk device, optical disk device, magnetic tape device, or the like can be used.

[0090]

As described above, according to the medical image storage communication system of the first aspect, a low-speed storage device for storing medical images for a long period of time, and a copy of a part of information stored in the low-speed storage device. And a high-speed storage device for temporarily storing medical images, wherein the high-speed storage device determines the referability of the medical image stored in the high-speed storage device, and That the image data with reduced possibility of reference can be automatically deleted from the high-speed storage device without requiring the system administrator to take any trouble. To play.

According to the medical image storage communication system of the second or third aspect, a low-speed storage device for storing medical images for a long period of time and a copy of a part of the information stored in the low-speed storage device are temporarily stored. In a medical image storage communication system having a high-speed storage device for temporarily storing medical image information, medical images stored in the high-speed storage device can be referred to based on state transition information of the subject or patient from which the medical image information was collected. The storage control means for judging the responsibilities and deleting the medical image information with reduced reference possibility from the high-speed storage device allows the system administrator to take the time required by the end user without any trouble. In consideration of this, there is an effect that the image data having reduced reference possibility can be automatically deleted from the high-speed storage device.

According to the medical image storage communication system of the present invention, a low-speed storage device for storing medical images for a long period of time and a copy of a part of information stored in the low-speed storage device are temporarily stored. In a medical image storage communication system having a high-speed storage device that temporarily stores the medical image information, when a certain period of time has elapsed since it was determined that the possibility of referring to the medical image information temporarily stored in the high-speed storage device was reduced. By providing storage control means for deleting the image information from the high-speed storage device, it is possible to deal with image data retention periods that differ for each end user without causing any trouble to the system administrator, There is an effect that the lowered image data can be automatically deleted from the high-speed storage device.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically and promptly delete the image data which is less likely to be referred from the high-speed storage device if a predetermined condition is satisfied. Since only the data is stored in the high-speed storage device, it is possible to shorten the search time of the image data and to obtain a quick response to the medical image reference request.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a first diagram of a medical image storage communication system according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the medical image storage communication system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a second view of the medical image storage communication system according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the medical image storage communication system of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a third diagram of the medical image storage communication system according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the medical image storage communication system of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration of a conventional medical image storage communication system.

[Description of Signs] 1, 11, 21: Medical image storage communication system, 3: Total digital image system, 5, 15: Patient status table, 7, 17: Patient image management program, 9: Patient information input terminal device, 13 , 27, 29 ... medical image storage device,
19 ... HIS terminal device, 23 ... network, 25 ... system manager (SM), 31 ... HIS server device,
105: magneto-optical disk device (MOD), 107: magnetic disk device (HD), 111, 113, 115: modality, 121, 123, 125: medical image observation device
131: Internal Medicine Reading WS, 133: Surgical Reading WS, 135
... Brain surgery reading WS, 141, 143, 145 ... HD.

Claims (8)

[Claims] A first storage device having a predetermined access speed for storing medical image information; and an access device for temporarily storing a copy of a part of the medical image information stored in the first storage device. A second storage device whose speed is faster than the access speed of the first storage device; and a medical image having reduced referability by determining the referability of medical image information stored in the second storage device. Storage control means for deleting information from the second storage device. 2. The reference possibility of the medical image information stored in the second storage device is determined based on state transition information of a subject or a patient from which the medical image information has been collected. The medical image storage communication system according to claim 1, wherein 3. The state transition information of the subject or the patient includes information indicating discharge of an inpatient patient, information indicating end of hospitalization of an outpatient patient, information indicating end of surgery of a patient scheduled for surgery, and a conference of a patient scheduled for a conference. 3. The medical image storage and communication system according to claim 2, wherein the information includes any of information indicating that the medical treatment has been completed, information indicating that the medical treatment of the patient has been completed, and information indicating that the patient has died. 4. The storage control means stores the medical image information after a lapse of a predetermined period from a time when it is determined that the possibility of referring to the medical image information temporarily stored in the second storage device has been reduced. 2. The medical image storage and communication system according to claim 1, wherein the medical image storage communication system is deleted from the second storage device. 5. The setting of the fixed period is commonly set in a medical institution, commonly set in a hospital, commonly set for each department, commonly set for each inpatient management unit, and commonly set for each doctor. ,
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the setting is performed by one of a common setting for each medical imaging room and a common setting for each medical imaging apparatus, or an arbitrary combination of these setting methods. Medical image storage communication system. 6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the setting of the certain period is performed for each examination unit, each medical image, each identifier added to the examination unit, or each identifier added to the medical image. The medical image storage communication system according to the above. 7. The medical image storage communication system according to claim 1, wherein the first storage device is an optical disk device or a magneto-optical disk device. 8. The medical image storage communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second storage device is a magnetic disk device.