EP-4498917-B1 - RADIOLOGY WORKFLOW

Inventors

• BRUECK, Heiner Matthias
• KROENKE-HILLE, Sven
• VON BERG, JENS
• BYSTROV, DANIEL
• GOOBEN, Andre
• YOUNG, Stewart Matthew

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20230316

Claims (15)

1. A computer-implemented method to be used in radiology workflow, the method comprising: in a planning step, enabling a first user to prepare an imaging examination request defining a non-standard projection for a radiographic image; in a communication step, processing the imaging examination request to generate positional instructions on how to achieve the non-standard projection, outputting the positional instructions to a second user, and receiving a radiographic image acquired using the non-standard projection; and in a verification step, determining whether the received radiographic image fulfils the imaging examination request.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the verification step, determining whether the received radiographic image fulfils the imaging examination request comprises calculating one or more similarity metrics describing similarity between the received image and a reference image.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reference image is a synthetic preview image generated during the planning step.
4. The method of any preceding claim, wherein, in the verification step, determining whether the received radiographic image fulfils the imaging examination request comprises deriving pose parameters of the projection used in the received image, and comparing the derived pose parameters to requested pose parameters.
5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein, in the verification step, determining whether the received radiographic image fulfils the imaging examination request comprises obtaining an AI-based interpretation of the received image highlighting mismatched areas in the received image.
6. The method of any preceding claim, comprising, in the planning step, enable the imaging examination request to be prepared by means of a user interface which presents a 3D model of the anatomy to be imaged, wherein the 3D model enables pose manipulations for one or more of the anatomy of interest, detector, and source.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the 3D model comprises an articulated joint model which enables an indication of the flexion of the joint to be specified.
8. The method of any of claim 6 or 7, wherein the user interface indicates the non-standard projection relative to one or more standard projections.
9. The method of any of claims 6-8, wherein the user interface enables a synthetic preview radiographic image to be shown.
10. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the positional instructions comprise graphical instructions comprising schematic representations of one or more of the anatomy of interest, detector, and source.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical instructions are animated to indicate how one or more of the anatomy of interest, detector, and source should be moved to achieve the non-standard projection.
12. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the positional instructions comprise textual instructions or audio instructions generated using natural language processing.
13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein outputting the positional instructions comprises producing a patient-specific casting for surrounding the anatomy of interest, wherein the casting is configured to provide one or more visual indications of the non-standard projection.
14. A computing system (800) configured to perform the method of any preceding claim.
15. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method of any of claims 1-13.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to methods and systems to be used in radiology workflow. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 illustrates a typical workflow 100 for a radiographic imaging examination, which begins with the referring physician requesting an X-ray image from the radiology department. Standard projections exist for all parts of the human anatomy, which are well documented. However, patient conditions sometimes call for projections that do not conform to these standards. The referring physician may indicate to the radiographer how they should deviate from the closest standard projection (e.g., for an X-ray of an ankle, "AP mortise plus 10 degrees medial rotation") in the request. However, such deviations can be difficult to describe clearly due to the number of degrees of freedom involved. The referring physician may therefore supervise the radiographer or even perform the patient positioning themselves. Fig. 1 further illustrates the many potential interactions and consultations which may occur during the planning and execution of non-standard projections, particularly in case of the need for clarification, leading to an increased risk of error and a longer, more complex, and costly workflow. US2019117190A1 may be considered to disclose a computer-implemented method to be used in radiology workflow, the method comprising: in a planning step, enabling a first user to prepare an imaging examination request defining a view to be obtained in a radiographic ultrasound image acquisition; in a communication step, generate positional instructions on how to achieve the view, outputting the positional instructions to a second user, and receiving a radiographic image acquired using the view. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It would be desirable to provide a technical solution to one or more of the above-mentioned problems. There is therefore provided, in a first aspect of invention, a method to be used in radiology workflow. The method may comprise, in a planning step, enabling a first user to prepare an imaging examination request defining a non-standard projection for a radiographic image. The method may comprise, in a communication step, processing the imaging examination request to generate positional instructions on how to achieve the non-standard projection, outputting the positional instructions to a second user, and receiving a radiographic image acquired using the non-standard projection. The method may comprise, in a verification step, determining whether the received radiographic image fulfils the imaging examination request. The method thus facilitates the planning and execution of the acquisition of a radiographic image using a non-standard projection, while reducing the risk, complexity, duration and cost of the workflow. The method may provide further benefits when combined with patient positioning support technology (e.g. using 3D camera systems) in making the acquisition of images with non-standard projections as straightforward as those with standard projections. The method may be performed by a planning tool as described herein, which may also be described as an interactive 3D planning tool, or a virtual X-ray planning tool for non-standard X-ray projections. As mentioned above, the imaging examination request defines the non-standard projection for the radiographic image. The imaging examination request may be referred to simply as an exam request. To define the non-standard projection, the exam request may specify values for one or more patient position parameters relative to the projection geometry. Parameters of the projection may be stipulated in a way which facilitates both acquisition and verification of the radiographic image. Parameters may be specified alongside particular acceptance criteria to allow a determination to made as to whether the acquired image passes the verification, as described elsewhere herein. The exam request may specify a detector configuration, comprising a position and/or orientation of the detector. The exam request may specify a source configuration, comprising a position and/or orientation of the source. The exam request may specify an anatomy configuration, comprising a position and/or orientation of at least one part of the anatomy to be imaged. Where that includes a joint, the anatomy configuration may specify one or more articulation angles of the joint. The exam request may specify a beam configuration, comprising a position and/or orientation of the beam emanating from detector. The exam request may specify a collimator configuration, indicating one or more collimation parameters. The exam request may specify a region of intersection between the beam and the anatomy. In any of these ways, a formal description of the acquisition may form an integral part of the imaging examination request. By "non-standard" projection is meant that the projection deviates in at least one respect from at least one standard projection, or more particularly fro