Abstract: The invention described in this application is an image file system for the acquisition and storage of streaming digital image data onto persistent storage media in real time and for full-rate playback of streaming digital image data stored on persistent storage media. Input/output of non-streaming digital image data is processed in system memory with write/read operations buffered by native operating system input/output support. Input/output of streaming digital data is processed in high-speed streaming digital image data I/O memory with write/read operations buffered by a high-performance image buffer thread.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing a ventilated orthotic cranioplasty helmet for treating positional plagiocephaly in infants. Specifically, a system and method are disclosed in which patient-specific parameters such as head size, patient age, degree of patient sweating, diameter of patient's hair, average length of patient's hair, and sweat range are input into a computer implemented algorithm along with a user-proposed ventilation hole array to determine an optimal ventilation hole arrangement. The computer may be connected either directly or indirectly to an automated hole drilling machine to drill the hole array in the specified portion of the helmet. The same computer implemented algorithm can be used to revise the ventilation hole array to accommodate changes in patient physiology during treatment to thereby achieve an optimal ventilation hole design throughout the treatment process.

Abstract: A system supports, adaptively processing HL7 compatible transaction message data of different HL7 version as well as conversion of transactions between HL7 versions and operational validation of transaction messages. A system for processing HL7 protocol compatible data comprises an interface for establishing a communication link enabling acquisition of HL7 compatible transaction messages. An acquisition processor acquires multiple different HL7 compatible transaction messages including healthcare data using the communication link. An HL7 data processor automatically parses an HL7 compatible transaction message to identify HL7 items indicating type of information conveyed at a location in the transaction message identified in response to a predetermined message location identifier.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for achieving improved quality of monitoring and diagnosis for heart functions. Specifically, a method is disclosed for continuous temperature measurement and thermal characterization of patient heart tissue based on non-invasive thermal mapping technology. The method includes multi-dimensional cardiac tissue temperature scanning and tissue thermal pattern analysis with high precision, which can greatly improve the efficiency and lower the medical procedure risk for identifying myocardial ischemia (MI) disorders, predicting the MI occurrence, and mapping MI characteristics and impacting MI medical treatment, such as drug delivery and long term cardiac care. A system is also disclosed for use with the method.

Abstract: A system and method provide local image enhancement. Internal native images of a patient may be acquired during an interventional procedure. A portion of the native images may show an interventional device or material. Subtracted images may be created by subtracting mask images from the native images, such as via either digital subtraction angiography to display vessel structures, or “roadmapping” during interventional procedures to deploy various medical devices and materials. The local level of absorption associated with the portion of the images showing a vessel structure or in which the interventional object resides may be determined from either the native images or the mask images. Subsequently, the subtracted images may be locally altered to compensate for the local level of absorption such that the visibility of a vessel structure or interventional object is enhanced. The subtracted images may be enhanced by altering the local contrast, brightness, or sharpness, or noise.

Abstract: A clinical data processing system systematically organizes and analyzes clinically significant information of a patient using a result flag indicating a critical or abnormal result to automate display of a view of clinical data in various contexts including diagnosis, insurance, medical complaint assessment and others to improve patient care. A system for use in processing patient clinical data for access by a user includes a repository associating an observation with a clinical significance indicator and with data indicating observations relevant to evaluation of the observation having the associated clinical significance indicator. A clinical data processor uses the repository fork automatically providing data for display in response to receiving data representing an input observation and an associated clinical significance indicator. The data for display supports a user in making a patient assessment and includes the input observation and associated relevant clinical data items.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically selecting an end of diastole image frame and an end of systole image frame for cardiac analysis. In the method and apparatus, a plurality of image frames of a heart having a contrast medium injected into the heart and an electrocardiogram (ECG) curve of the heart are obtained. Candidate image frames are identified in the plurality of image frames that correspond to a first predetermined point on the ECG curve of the heart associated with the end of diastole. An end of diastole image frame is selected from the candidate image frames. An end of systole image frame is then identified and selected from the remaining one of the plurality of image frames.

Abstract: A system and method to produce video data by transmitting time information with the video data. The equivalent horizontal and vertical timing at the reception device are reconstructed. The method includes receiving one or more control packets specifying a quantity of pixels in an associated data packet. Data packets are received that contain the quantity of pixels specified in the associated control packet. A time interval between received control packets is determined. A running average of the time intervals is calculated and a time interval of a current control packet is determined. The running average is compared with the time interval of the current control packet. A clock frequency is adjusted as a function of the comparing step.

Abstract: An image data subtraction system suitable for use in Angiography or other medical procedure enhances vessel visualization. The system comprises an imaging system for acquiring, during a medical procedure, data representing multiple temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy. The sequential individual images encompass introduction of a contrast agent. An image processor automatically processes the data representing the multiple temporally sequential individual images to identify a first image indicating presence of the contrast agent and a second image preceding the first image by comparing a difference between measures representative of luminance content of the first and second image, with a threshold. The second image is substantially exclusive of an indication of presence of the contrast agent.

Abstract: The disclosed method analyzes cardiac electrophysiological signals, including ECG and internal cardiac electrograms, based on multi-level symbolic complexity calculation and multi-dimensional mapping. The results may be used to objectively identify cardiac disorders, differentiate cardiac arrhythmias, characterize pathological severities, and predict life-threatening events. Multi-level symbolization and calculation of the electrophysiological signal is used provide better reliability and analysis resolution for identifying and characterizing cardiac disorders. Adaptive analysis of the cardiac signal complexity enables calculation efficiency and reliability with high SNR, and with low calculation volume and power consumption. One dimension (time or frequency domain) and multi-dimension symbolic analysis is used to provide more information of cardiac pathology and high risk rhythm transition to doctors.

Abstract: End-diastolic and end-systolic image frames are automatically selected on a real-time basis from a sequence of X-ray ventricular angiogram images by modeling the angiogram images by a dynamic graphical model and estimating a posterior probability density of the ventricular area in each angiogram image frame using Bayesian probability density propagation and adaptive background modeling. Then, a variation curve plot of expectation values of the posterior probability density of the ventricular area of each angiogram image frame is generated in which peaks and valleys in the variation curve correspond to end-diastolic and end-systolic angiogram image frames, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed are method and apparatus for motion correction of Digital Subtracted Angiography (DSA) images. Prior to display of DSA image frames, a pixel shift vector is calculated for each fill frame. For a fill frame in which a pixel shift vector cannot be directly calculated, an approximate pixel shift vector is interpolated between, or extrapolated from, other pixel shift vectors. A mask frame is shifted by a pixel shift vector. The resulting shifted mask frame is subtracted from the corresponding fill frame to generate a motion-corrected subtracted frame, which is then displayed on a video display. Motion correction is performed prior to diagnostic review.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for reconstructing an instrument in 3 dimensions for use during interventional medical procedures to provide enhanced instrument visualization with respect to a patient's vasculature. A patient vessel tree volume is co-registered with a live fluoroscopic image of a percutaneously-inserted instrument, such as a guidewire. The fluoroscopic image is segmented to eliminate images of surrounding tissue and to retain the guidewire image. The black pixels of the image are backprojected to the focal point of the x-ray source, through the co-registered vessel tree. The vessel tree is divided into segments that are scored based on proximity to the backprojected black pixels. Candidate instrument-containing vessel paths are identified based on the scores of the segments, and errant candidate vessel paths are eliminated to produce a refined list of candidate paths. Thresholding and visualization are performed to further refine the candidate vessel paths.

Abstract: A method of logging and storing of a sequence of acquired X-ray image frame data in an X-ray imaging lab includes logging and updating image frame data related information in a non-volatile memory on a real-time basis upon completion of storage of each image frame data and deleting the logged information upon completion of storage of the sequence of X-ray image frames.

Abstract: A system reduces artifacts introduced by patient or table motion during generation of a composite image visualizing contrast agent flow. A system for generation of a composite medical image of vessel structure, includes an imaging device for acquiring multiple sequential images of vessel structure of a portion of patient anatomy in the presence of a contrast agent. An imaging processor aligns individual images of the multiple sequential images with a single particular mask image containing background detail of the portion of patient anatomy in the absence of contrast agent. The imaging processor forms data representing multiple digitally subtracted images by subtracting data representing the single particular mask image from aligned individual images of the multiple sequential images.

Abstract: An anatomical feature condition assessment system includes an acquisition processor for acquiring data representing the velocity and direction measurements of individual segments of an anatomical feature of a patient. A repository contains mapping data associating averaged velocity and direction measurements within a predetermined particular segment of the anatomical feature with a set of values. A data processor averages the acquired velocity and direction measurements within the predetermined particular segment of the anatomical feature and uses the mapping data to identify a set of values associated with the averaged acquired velocity and direction measurements. The data processor uses the identified set of values to derive an assessment of the condition of the anatomical feature of the patient.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for providing improved monitoring errors in a medical setting. The apparatus includes a storage medium, display and scanner that allow medical personnel to quickly and reliably track and monitor samples collected from patients, such as information about the type, location, and timing of a collected sample. An unable to complete function labels incompletely collected samples or otherwise notifies the processing facility. Label sets and/or messages are generated to guide medical personnel when performing orders. Errors are linked to collection events for variance tracking. Temporary identifier labels are generated for containers and such when no order is pending. Order of draw procedures are communicated to medical personnel at the collection site.

Abstract: A system uses a flexible mapping capability in adaptively exchanging image related data between a structured report data format and data formats employed by different types of image processing device. A system provides medical image associated measurement data from different types of imaging device in a particular report format data structure. The system includes an acquisition processor for acquiring measurement data associated with medical images produced by an examination of a particular patient using a particular type of imaging device. A repository of mapping information associates clinical terms used by multiple different types of imaging device with corresponding codes compatible with a particular report format data structure employed for providing an imaging examination report of a particular patient.

Abstract: A system automatically compares radiotherapy 3D X-Ray images and subsequent images for update and re-planning of treatment and for verification of correct patient and image association. A medical radiation therapy system and workflow includes a task processor for providing task management data for initiating image comparison tasks prior to performing a session of radiotherapy. An image comparator, coupled to the task processor, in response to the task management data, compares a first image of an anatomical portion of a particular patient used for planning radiotherapy for the particular patient, with a second image of the anatomical portion of the particular patient obtained on a subsequent date, by image alignment and comparison of image element representative data of aligned first and second images to determine an image difference representative remainder value and determines whether the image difference representative remainder value exceeds a first predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A system provides a user interface for viewing nursing problems with multiple levels of granularity in a knowledge base and rendered in an application that are dependent on context of problems, patient demographic information and information needed by a user interface image. A user interface system presents patient medical problem information to a user. The system includes a first search processor for automatically searching a knowledge base of information associating multiple different medical problems with corresponding attributes to find an attribute indicating a particular characteristic of a particular medical problem, in response to occurrence of an event. A display processor initiates generation of data representing a display image.