Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
  • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
  • G16H10/00—ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of patient-related medical or healthcare data
  • G16H10/60—ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of patient-related medical or healthcare data for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
  • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
  • G16H20/00—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
  • G16H20/40—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture

Definitions

• the present invention relates to devices and methods for obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient.
• Radiation overexposure is one of the main risks with diagnostic imaging using radiographic equipment like DXR, CT equipment. Patients require this information, so that they are aware of the risks they are being exposed to and they can discuss alternative options with their physicians who order a certain type of procedures in accordance with the radiation-dose record.
• Patient-specific dose information is not available to the patients directly. In many cases, even worse situations exist where there is not a single place in the hospital where one can get the comprehensive dose information/record of a patient in question.
• US 201 10147470A1 there is disclosed a radiation dose exposure card used in patients' radiation exposure tracking system, which has removable placards to provide a visual listing of currently administered radiation dose and date of dosage. Although it has advantages over the paper-based record of the radiation dose of patients, it is in essence still only a storage device that 1 cannot automatically obtain the patient radiation dose from the scanner.
• the dose record may still be incomplete, as the patient may have gone through diagnostic radiographic procedures in more than one facility. And when some of the hospitals do not have the above-mentioned solution in place, the patient may never be able to record that part of the dose record in his/her personal dose record.
• some of the scanners also may not support the advanced form of Dose reporting (i.e, Dicom Dose SR), in which case again that part of the Dose record may never be recorded in the patient dose record.
• Dose reporting i.e, Dicom Dose SR
• a device which is capable of automatically collecting patient radiation dose or related raw data from a radiographic scanner and a device carried by the patient himself/herself which is capable of recording the radiation dose and reporting the same to the patient directly, so that the patient may be aware of the risk he/she is being exposed to when the radiation dose exceeds a preset value.
• a preset value for example, National standards or regional standards
• an acquisition device for obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient from a radiographic scanner, comprising: a searching unit for searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in the radiographic scanner, when the acquisition device is connected to the radiographic scanner; a collecting unit for collecting the examination records, if any; a processing unit for determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the collected examination records, and, if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the collected examination records, or, if the result of the determining is negative, generating the radiation dose based on the collected examination records; and an output unit for outputting the obtained radiation dose to a dose record device.
• a dose record device comprising: a receiving unit for receiving the radiation dose from a radiation dose acquisition device; a storage unit for storing the radiation dose; and an interface for reporting the radiation dose to the patient.
• an acquisition device for obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient comprising: a searching unit for searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in a radiographic scanner, when the acquisition device is connected to the radiographic scanner; a collecting unit for collecting the examination records, if any; and an output unit for outputting the collected examination records to a dose record device.
• a dose record device comprising: a receiving unit for receiving the examination records from an acquisition device; a storage unit for storing the examination records; a processing unit for determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the examination records, and, if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the examination records, or , if the result of the determining is negative, generating the radiation dose, based on the examination records; and an interface for reporting the radiation dose to the patient.
• a system for obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient and reporting the obtained radiation dose to the patient comprising: a searching unit for searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in a radiographic scanner, when the device is connected to the radiographic scanner; a collecting unit for collecting the examination records, if any; a processing unit for determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the collected examination records, and, if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the collected examination records, or, if the result of the determining is negative, generating the radiation dose, based on the collected examination records; and an interface for reporting the radiation dose to the patient.
• a method of obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient comprising the steps of: searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in a radiographic scanner; collecting the examination records, if any; determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the collected examination records; if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the collected examination records, or, if the result of the determining is negative, generating the radiation dose, based on the collected examination records; and outputting the obtained radiation dose to a dose record device.
• a method of reporting the radiation dose comprising: receiving the radiation dose from a radiation dose acquisition device; storing the radiation dose; and reporting the radiation dose to the patient, wherein the method further comprises a step of: calculating the total amount of the radiation dose of the patient within a predetermined time period, and a step of reporting the total amount of the radiation dose to the patient.
• a method of obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient comprising the steps of: searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in a radiographic scanner; collecting the examination records, if any ; determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the collected examination records; if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the collected examination records, or, if the result of the determining is negative, generating the radiation dose, based on the collected examination records; and reporting the obtained radiation dose to the patient.
• all types of scanners can be supported, since not only the easily obtainable DICOM Dose SR of the first type of scanner can be collected, but also other types of Dose report for other types of scanners may be obtained either by converting the type of Dose report from other types to the DICOM type, or by generating the Dose report from the raw data in the old-fashioned scanner, so that the radiation dose in the examination records can be obtained, regardless of the type of scanner.
• the patient may fully understand how much dose he/she has undergone during the past predetermined time period and accordingly he/she may be aware of the risks that he/she is exposed to. Furthermore, the patient can discuss alternative options with the physicians who order a certain type of procedures in accordance with the radiation dose record of the patient.
• Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the acquisition device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention
• Fig. 2 is a flowchart of the method of obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient by the acquisition device shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the method shown in Fig. 2;
• Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the dose record device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 5 is a flowchart of the method of reporting radiation dose performed by the dose record device
• Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the acquisition device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 7 is a block diagram of the dose record device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a system in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 9 is a flowchart of the method of obtaining, by the system shown in Fig. 8, the radiation dose received by a patient.
• the gist of the present invention is implemented by two separate devices, i.e., an acquisition device 10 for obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient and a dose record device 40.
• the acquisition device 10 is connectable to a radiographic scanner through a USB or Ethernet connection, or in a wireless way. Similarly, the acquisition device 10 is connectable to the dose record device 40 in a wired or wireless way using any available mechanisms, including but not limited to USB, wireless USB, Ethernet, WiFi, nearfield wireless, etc.
• Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the acquisition device 10 in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
• the acquisition device 10 comprises a searching unit 11, a collecting unit 12, a processing unit 13 and an output unit 14.
• Fig. 2 is a flowchart of the method 20 performed by the acquisition device 10.
• the searching unit 11 searches for examination records related to the patient from data stored in the radiographic scanner (step 21).
• the radiographic scanner can be any apparatus that can emit radiation that passes through an object, for example CT, X-ray, etc.
• the data stored in the radiographic scanner is to be understood to mean that the data is stored in the memory of the scanner or in the data center of the scanner connected via a wire or wirelessly with the scanner.
• the data center could be for example a computer connected with the scanner.
• the examination records are the studies or reports generated or created for the patient after the patient has undergone a radiation examination. Once the patient has undergone one examination, one examination record containing all the information (such as the information on the radiation dose administered to the patient) regarding the radiation examination should be generated for the patient.
• the examination records may take on a variety of different forms in accordance with the type of the radiation scanners.
• the acquisition device 10 may further comprise a receiving unit for receiving the patient identifier from the dose record device 40, and the searching unit 11 may search for examination records according to the patient identifier.
• the acquisition device 10 may search for examination records related to the patient from data stored in the radiographic scanner under the manual control of the user, such as the clinicians or the patient himself/herself.
• the searching unit 11 may search for all the examination records related to the patient every time the patient wants to update his/her dose record. However, as will be easily understood, the already searched and recorded examination records related to the patient may not need to be searched again in order to save time. Therefore, in an example, the searching unit 11 may only search data stored in the radiographic scanner generated after a preset time point, which may correspond to the last time that the acquisition device 10 was connected to the dose record device 40.
• the collecting unit 12 will collect the patient-related examination records (step 22), if any.
• the collecting unit 12 may only collect the new examination records.
• DICOM Dose SR which is used to report the radiation dose
• some scanners may generate the DICOM Dose SR, while others may not support the advanced form of Dose reporting (i.e, Dicom Dose SR). That is, some scanners cannot support DICOM Dose SR, but can only generate other types of Dose report (for example, a lower level, or less advanced form of Dose report).
• there may be some old-fashioned scanners which cannot support (generate) DICOM Dose SR, and cannot generate other types of Dose report either. In other words, from the examination records generated by the old-fashioned scanners, the radiation dose of the patient may not be directly retrievable.
• the processing unit 13 of the present invention determines whether the radiation dose is already available from the collected examination records (step 23). If the result of the determining is positive, the processing unit 13 retrieves the radiation dose from the collected examination records directly (step 24).
• the processing unit 13 generates the radiation dose, based on the raw data of the collected examination records (step 25).
• the step of generating the radiation dose, based on the raw data of the collected examination records comprises creating new Dose SR objects by performing further analysis of the attributes data in the examination records.
• This procedure may be different for different modalities such as CT, DXR, Mammography, etc.
• the acquisition device 10 of the present invention can support all types of scanners and therefore the acquisition device 10 cannot only collect the easily obtainable DICOM Dose SR of the first type of scanner, but can also generate DICOM Dose SR or other types of Dose report for other types of scanners either by converting the type of Dose report to the DICOM type, or by calculating the Dose report from the raw data in the old-fashioned scanner, so that the radiation dose in the examination records can be obtained, regardless of the type of scanner.
• the output unit 14 outputs the obtained (including retrieved and generated) radiation dose to the dose record device 40 (step 26).
• the acquisition device 10 may further comprise an authentication unit for authenticating whether the dose record device 40 is entitled to receive the obtained radiation dose, and the output unit 14 is further adapted for outputting the obtained radiation dose to the dose record device 40 when the result of authentication is positive.
• the authentication procedure involves a unique procedure in which only the patient's dose record device is allowed to communicate and collect radiation dose data on his/her behalf.
• the patient will first get his/her patient identifier, i.e. identification number, from the facility (for example, hospital or other medical institution(s)). Then the patient may input this identifier into the dose record device 40 carried by himself/herself. The dose record device 40 then communicates this identifier to a central database, which in turn generates a key with this identifier, using a key encryption algorithm. The patient/device information is already registered with the Central database. The dose record device 40 then provides the encrypted key to the acquisition device 10, and the authentication unit of the acquisition device 10 in turn decrypts the same and authenticates whether the dose record device 40 is entitled to receive the obtained radiation dose.
• the facility for example, hospital or other medical institution(s)
• the dose record device 40 then communicates this identifier to a central database, which in turn generates a key with this identifier, using a key encryption algorithm.
• the patient/device information is already registered with the Central database.
• the dose record device 40 then provides the encrypted key to the acquisition device 10, and the authentication
• authentication procedure or scheme may not be limited to the example exemplified above, but can be implemented in other authentication methods known in the art.
• Fig. 3 is a detailed flowchart showing one specific embodiment of the method shown in Fig. 2.
• step 31 the acquisition device 10 actively polls (searches) the scanner to which it is attached for any new examination records created for the patient associated with the connected dose record device.
• the polling process is a simple DICOM C-FIND query with the patient identifier and examination record date and time filtered according to the associated patient identifier and the last connected time stamp. The polling will continue as long as the dose record device 40 is in the vicinity and actively maintains the connection with the acquisition device 10.
• the searching unit 11 of the acquisition device 10 finds (step 32) new examination records created for the associated patient, then the collecting unit 12 performs a C-GET operation (step 33) to get or collect a temporary copy of all the new examination records made for the associated patient on the attached scanner.
• the processing unit 13 may determine whether DICOM Dose SR exist(s) in the examination records. If the examination records contain DICOM Dose SR objects already created and stored as part of the examination records, then the processing unit 13 retrieves (step 35) the dose information and the output unit 14 outputs (step 38) them to the dose record device 40.
• the output unit 14 outputs (38) them to the dose record device 40.
• the DICOM Dose SR (separate for projection x-ray and CT) specifies some attributes as mandatory and others as User defined (Refer to DICOM Standard Part 16).
• the acquisition device 10 attempts to derive/copy all the mandatory attributes from the attributes data in the examination records.
• the acquisition device 10 also attempts to generate as many user-defined attributes from the attributes data in the examination records as possible.
• the derivation can be a simple accumulation of dose values, mapping the anatomy etc.
• Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the dose record device 40 in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 4, the dose record device 40 comprises a receiving unit 41, a storage unit 42, and an interface 43.
• Fig. 5 is a flowchart of the method 50 of reporting the radiation dose, performed by the dose record device 40.
• the receiving unit 41 is provided for receiving (step 51 in Fig. 5) the radiation dose from the acquisition device 10 and the storage unit 42 is provided for storing (step 52 in Fig. 5) the radiation dose.
• the interface 43 is used for reporting (step 53 in Fig. 5) the radiation dose to the patient.
• the dose record device 40 may further comprise a processing unit for generating (step 54 in Fig. 5) the total amount of the radiation dose of the patient within a predetermined time period, and accordingly the interface 43 may further report (step 55 in Fig.
• the patient can discuss alternative options with the physicians who order a certain type of procedures in accordance with the radiation dose record of the patient.
• the interface 43 is further adapted for alarming the patient when the total amount of the radiation dose exceeds a preset value, so that the patient is informed instantaneously.
• the preset value may be a value preset in accordance with the national standards or regional standards, or an average value of the standards.
• the dose record device 40 may accordingly further comprise an output unit for outputting the patient identifier to the acquisition device 10.
• the gist of the present invention is also implemented by two separate devices, i.e., an acquisition device 60 for obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient from a radiographic scanner and a dose record device 70.
• the acquisition device 60 in the second embodiment does not comprise the processing unit 13 in the acquisition device 10 and the acquisition device 60 only outputs the collected examination records to the dose record device 70.
• the dose record device 70 in the second embodiment comprises a processing unit 73, which has substantially the same function as that of the processing unit 13 in the first embodiment.
• the acquisition device 60 only comprises a searching unit 61 for searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in the radiographic scanner, when the acquisition device is connected to the radiographic scanner; a collecting unit 62 for collecting the examination records, if any; and an output unit 63 for outputting the collected examination records to a dose record device 70.
• the dose record device 70 comprises a receiving unit 71 for receiving the examination records from the acquisition device 60; a storage unit 72 for storing the examination records; a processing unit 73 for determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the examination records, and, if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the examination records, or, if the result of the determining is negative, generating the radiation dose by analyzing the raw data from the examination records; and an interface 74 for reporting the radiation dose to the patient.
• the method step or function performed by the various units in the second embodiment is almost the same as that of the corresponding units in the first embodiment, and therefore a detailed description thereof is omitted.
• the gist of the present invention is implemented by one device/system, i.e., a system 80 for obtaining the radiation dose received by a patient from a radiographic scanner and reporting the obtained radiation dose to the patient.
• the difference between the third embodiment and the previous two embodiments lies in that the system 80, as a single system or device, can implement all the functions of the two separate devices in the previous two embodiments.
• the system 80 comprises a searching unit 81 for searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in the radiographic scanner, when the system is connected to the radiographic scanner; a collecting unit 82 for collecting the examination records, if any; a processing unit 83 for determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the collected examination records, and, if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the collected examination records, or, if the result of the determining is negative, generating the radiation dose by analyzing the raw data of the collected examination records; and an interface 84 for reporting the radiation dose to the patient.
• a searching unit 81 for searching for examination records related to the patient from data stored in the radiographic scanner, when the system is connected to the radiographic scanner
• a collecting unit 82 for collecting the examination records, if any
• a processing unit 83 for determining whether the radiation dose is already available from the collected examination records, and, if the result of the determining is positive, retrieving the radiation dose from the collected examination records, or, if the result of the
• the interface 84 will directly report the radiation dose to the patient. Therefore, a detailed description of the method 90 performed by the system 80 is omitted herein.
• the acquisition devices in the first and the second embodiments are stand-alone devices, it will be easily understood by the person skilled in the art that the acquisition device may also be integrated into the radiographic scanner.
• the future scanner may have a built-in device to export the radiation dose of the patient directly to the patient in accordance with the gist of the present invention.
• the acquisition devices in the first and the second embodiment may be a single-board computer with Ethernet connectivity to the Scanner and may be battery-powered or powered through a DC adapter. Nevertheless, other configurations of the acquisition device could also be possible.
• the dose record devices in the first and the second embodiment may be any smart phone with Bluetooth / WiFi.
• the patient can utilize the personal electronic device to monitor his/her own radiation dose and hence there is no need for an extra device, which may not be cost-effective.
• the invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitable computer program as well.
• the device claim enumerating several means several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware.
• the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
• the processing unit can be implemented by a CPU or a micro -controller or other modules which are capable of analyzing the data.
• the processing unit may be implemented by (a) certain program instruction(s) when run on a computer system.
• the searching unit may be implemented by one and the same hardware entity of the CPU or micro-controller, or may be implemented by other modules different from the processing unit. Further, the searching unit may also be implemented by (a) certain program instruction(s) when run on the computer system.

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Citations (4)

• 2013
  • 2013-05-02 WO PCT/IB2013/053481 patent/WO2013168057A1/fr not_active Ceased

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