Technologies

Description

A method and system for displaying medical images and computer output from various CAD schemes on the images. Images are loaded into the display system and displayed in a main viewing area. The system can display various CAD schemes, such as the automated detection of lung nodules, interstitial infiltrates, and heartsize, in the case of a chest image, on the image. The method and system also display interval change (temporal subtraction) between images. Individual abnormality from CAD schemes can be viewed by clicking buttons with minified (postage stamp size) images with CAD annotation rendered into them. The images and results are then shown on a high-speed monitor. Interval change between the current and a previous image can also be chosen by clicking buttons containing minified images. Interval change between any other pair of images for a patient can be selected by choosing from minified subtraction images presented in a two-dimensional array format. A previewer next to the array permits rapid inspection of subtraction images before a subtraction set is chosen for detailed study.

Claim 1: A computerized method of displaying medical images, comprising: obtaining a first medical image representative of an anatomy as said anatomy existed at a first point in time; obtaining a second medical image representative of an anatomy as said anatomy existed at a second point in time temporally spaced from said first point in time; obtaining a temporal subtraction image in which one of said first and second medical images of said anatomy is subtracted from the other thereof, said temporal subtraction image highlighting changes occurring in said anatomy between said first and second points in time; obtaining at least one first diagnostic image of said first medical image, each diagnostic image including said first medical image having superimposed respective diagnostic annotations indicative of the results of computer aided diagnosis superimposed on said first medical image, said diagnostic annotations being displayed in spatial relation to respective portions of said anatomy; displaying one of said first medical image, said second medical image, said temporal subtraction image and said first diagnostic image in a first display area of a first display screen; and displaying said first medical image, said second medical image, said temporal subtraction image and said first diagnostic image including said respective diagnostic annotations in a second display area of said first display screen for visual comparison with the image displayed in said first display area.