Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Jacob Scott Durgan

Shlomo Gotman

Doron Dekel

Sethumadavan Sanjay-Gopal

Thorsten R Fleiter

Scott Kenneth Pohlman

John Cressman

Shalom Rosenberg

Ron Ben-Tal

Nabi Abraham Cohn

James Thomas Richards

A bi-directional communication system () is utilized for communications between a technician at an imaging workstation (), from which imaging protocols can be conducted and at which diagnostic images can be displayed, and one or more hospital medical professionals, located at remote locations. The technician selects and addresses the proper medical professional by a use of an addressing means () at workstation (). The technician selects images () to be sent to the selected medical professional. The images and medical professional's address are formatted () into wireless transmission format via transmitter/receiver () coupled to the workstation (). A plurality of remote transmitters/receivers () receives wireless transmissions at remote locations. Each wireless transmission is examined () for a correct address and further converted () into an appropriate format for human-readable display. The selected medical professional reviews the images () and other information and releases the patient, who awaits the reviewing medical professional's response in the vicinity of the scanner ().

Enablement of quick remote access to CT scans to improve workflow and patient throughput

A subject support () for an imaging system () includes a moveable portion () that includes a surface () on which the subject is loaded and that is configured to move into an examination region of the imaging system where the subject is to be scanned. The support further includes a scan position identifier () that generates a signal indicative of at least one of a start scan position or an end scan position for a predetermined region of interest of the subject based on a location of the region of interest on the moveable portion of the subject support for an arbitrary relative position of the moveable portion with respect to the examination region.

Scan start and/or end position identifier

A medical diagnostic imaging system () is coupled to a hospital network () to optimize a throughput of a scanner (). The hospital network includes a hospital records database () and a plurality of hospital computers and remote means (). A workstation () is coupled to the scanner () and the hospital network () and is used to control a scanning process. The workstation () includes a display (), an applications database (), which is configurable by a user, and an interface means () for displaying interactive user interface screens () on the display (). The interface screens () allow the user to configure the applications database () and interactively control the scanning process.

Workflow optimization for high throughput imaging environments

A visualization system including a first component () that processes volumetric image data indicative of a curved tubular tree structure having a plurality of branches so that the plurality of branches can be concurrently presented within a display window, wherein the volumetric image data is generated from x-ray projections acquired by a medical imaging system, and a second component () that concurrently presents the processed data to display the plurality of branches in a first display window and a region of interest identified on one of the branches in a second display window to present the region of interest in a spatial orientation different then that of the plurality of branches.

Displaying anatomical tree structures

In a virtual endoscopy method, an unfolding axis substantially along an elongated lumen is divided into axis segments. Ray casting directions are selected extending generally radially from the axis segments. At least some of the ray casting directions are tilted away from a camera position. Ray casting is performed along the tilted ray casting directions to define pixel values that are arranged into an unfolded view. The ray casting employs at least one of (i) volume rendering and (ii) computing a statistical characteristic of voxels over a preselected distance (d) along the ray casting direction into the lumen-defining structure.

Virtual endoscopy

In a virtual endoscopy method, an unfolding axis (') substantially along an elongated lumen () is divided into axis segments (). Ray casting directions () are selected extending generally radially from the axis segments. At least some of the ray casting directions are tilted away from a camera position (). Ray casting is performed along the tilted ray casting directions to define pixel values that are arranged into an unfolded view. The ray casting employs at least one of (i) volume rendering and (ii) computing a statistical characteristic of voxels () over a preselected distance (dinterval) along the ray casting direction into the lumen-defining structure.

Growing community of inventors

Mayfield Heights, OH, United States of America

Jacob Scott Durgan