DETAILED ACTION
Applicant has amended claims 1, 5, 8-9, 13, 15, 21-22, and 24. Claims 2 and 7 have been canceled. Claim 27 is new. Claims 1, 3, 5-6, 8-24, and 26-27 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on July 8, 2026 with respect to pending claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. The amended claims resulted in changes to the scope and contents and also raised new issues indicated below; therefore, the grounds of rejection are modified accordingly. It is noted that previously applied prior arts remain in effect.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
Claim 1 now recites the limitation “generating a visualization of the schematic body model based on the prioritization in which the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information are highlighted based on the prioritization” in lines 18-21 of the claim. The aforementioned claimed subject matter has no antecedent basis the specification.
Claim 22 now recites the limitation “generate a visualization of the schematic body model based on the prioritization in which the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information are highlighted based on the prioritization” in lines 23-26 of the claim. The aforementioned claimed subject matter has no antecedent basis the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 22 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 now recites the limitation “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of piece of the medical examination information” in lines 14-15 of the claim. However, the limitation “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of piece of the medical examination information” in lines 14-15 of the claim should recite instead “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information”.
Therefore, based on above, for examination purposes the limitation “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of piece of the medical examination information” in lines 14-15 of the claim will be interpreted as “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information”.
Claim 22 now recites the limitation “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of piece of the medical examination information” in lines 18-19 of the claim. However, the limitation “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of piece of the medical examination information” in lines 18-19 of the claim should recite instead “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information”.
Therefore, based on above, for examination purposes the limitation “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of piece of the medical examination information” in lines 18-19 of the claim will be interpreted as “an anatomical position for each of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-15, 22, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 now recites the limitation “generating a visualization of the schematic body model based on the prioritization in which the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information are highlighted based on the prioritization” in lines 18-21 of the claim.
Par. [0014] of the specification of this application indicates “establishing a prioritization of the plurality of examination information based on at least one of the patient data… wherein the prioritization is based on a relative relevance of a respective piece of examination information within the plurality of examination information, and the generating the visualization is based on the prioritization”.
Par. [0058] of the specification indicates “generate a visualization in which the anatomical positions are highlighted”.
Par. [0090] of the specification indicates “establishing a prioritization of the plurality of examination information based on the patient data and/or the examination information, the prioritization being based on a relative relevance of a respective piece of examination information within the plurality of examination information, wherein the step of generating the visualization, and in particular the highlighting of the respective anatomical position, is performed taking the prioritization into account”.
Par. [0152] of the specification indicates “term memory hardware is a subset of the term computer-readable medium”.
Par. [0183] of the specification indicates “a schematic image of the body model KM in which the anatomical positions of the examination information are highlighted in the body model”, for example.
However, examiner was not able to find support for the limitation “generating a visualization of the schematic body model based on the prioritization in which the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information are highlighted based on the prioritization” in lines 18-21 of the claim in the original disclosure.
Claims 3-6, 8-15, and 26 are rejected by virtue of being dependent upon rejected base claim 1.
Claim 22 now recites the limitation “generate a visualization of the schematic body model based on the prioritization in which the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information are highlighted based on the prioritization” in lines 23-26 of the claim.
Par. [0014] of the specification of this application indicates “establishing a prioritization of the plurality of examination information based on at least one of the patient data… wherein the prioritization is based on a relative relevance of a respective piece of examination information within the plurality of examination information, and the generating the visualization is based on the prioritization”.
Par. [0058] of the specification indicates “generate a visualization in which the anatomical positions are highlighted”.
Par. [0090] of the specification indicates “establishing a prioritization of the plurality of examination information based on the patient data and/or the examination information, the prioritization being based on a relative relevance of a respective piece of examination information within the plurality of examination information, wherein the step of generating the visualization, and in particular the highlighting of the respective anatomical position, is performed taking the prioritization into account”.
Par. [0152] of the specification indicates “term memory hardware is a subset of the term computer-readable medium”.
Par. [0183] of the specification indicates “a schematic image of the body model KM in which the anatomical positions of the examination information are highlighted in the body model”, for example.
However, examiner was not able to find support for the limitation “generating a visualization of the schematic body model based on the prioritization in which the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information are highlighted based on the prioritization” in lines 23-26 of the claim in the original disclosure.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-15, 22, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 now recites the limitation “the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information” in lines 18-20 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information” recited in lines 18-20 of the claim. Therefore, the lack of antecedent basis makes the scope of the claim indeterminate.
Claims 3-6, 8-15, and 26 are rejected by virtue of being dependent upon rejected base claim 1.
Claim 22 now recites the limitation “the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information” in lines 24-25 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the anatomical position of at least a subset of the plurality of pieces of the medical examination information” recited in lines 18-20 of the claim. Therefore, the lack of antecedent basis makes the scope of the claim indeterminate.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 21 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gossler et al. (US PG Publication No. 2013/0035957 A1), hereafter referred to as Gossler, in view of Shoudy et al. (US PG Publication No. 2020/0375546 A1), hereafter referred to as Shoudy, in further view of Suzuki et al. (US PG Publication No. US 2013/0088512 A1), hereafter referred to as Suzuki.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gossler, in view of Shoudy et al. (US PG Publication No. US 2020/0375546 A1), hereafter referred to as Shoudy.
Regarding claim 21, Gossler discloses a computer-implemented method for ascertaining examination information during a diagnostic assessment of patient data relating to a patient (Par. [0002-14]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… method and an apparatus as well as a computer program product according to the independent claims are disclosed… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method, which can be defined in a hardware and/or software relevant fashion and/or as a computer program product… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model), comprising:
receiving the patient data relating to the patient, wherein the patient data comprises medical image data that represents an anatomical region of the patient (Abstract: method of at least one embodiment includes providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; Par. [0014-16]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data; Par. [0040]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; comprising: receiving the patient data relating to the patient, wherein the patient data comprises medical image data that represents an anatomical region of the patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. patient data assigned to the patient), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access (i.e. receive, retrieve, obtain, etc.) image data records of a patient (i.e. receiving the patient data relating to the patient), including anatomical structures of the patient (i.e. wherein the patient data comprises medical image data that represents an anatomical region of the patient), as indicated above), for example);
providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-16]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data; Par. [0040-44]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6… The interaction with the body model K consists inter alia of zooming and filtering the body model … Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the patient data assigned to the patient), includes providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient (i.e. providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data), such as a patient-specific whole body model, including schematic representations (i.e. wherein the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient), as shown in Figs. 2-6, for example, which enables registration of image data on the model to assign (i.e. associate, relate, etc.) image diagnoses to correct anatomical structures in relation to the anatomy of the patient, as indicated above), for example);
establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model (Par. [0010-17]: software for image diagnosis also enables the simultaneous representation of several image data records (adjacent to one another or superimposed). The image data records can herewith also originate from different imaging methods. Registration of the image data records herewith enables individual image diagnoses to be compared longitudinally or observed in extended representations (e.g. anatomical details by means of CT, functional information by means of MR, metabolic information by way of PET)… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model. With the subsequent diagnosis, the full context information relating to each individual diagnosis is therefore available at any time… The results of previous patient examinations are also registered with the same body model on this basis, so that changes to the diagnoses can be shown between different points in time (also animated as film). Registration of the results of different examinations on a body model also enables reference to be made to possible inconsistencies in the results… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data … a uniform type of information representation is enabled at any time and in any procedural context across all body regions, organs and image data records of different modalities. As a result, learning and synergy effects and higher efficiencies result during the further (development) and use of the system; Par. [0042-43]: automatically determined information relating to image diagnosis by further characteristics and interpretations… The position in the image (volume) can therefore take place by way of classical registration algorithms REGB (see 1a, 1b). In the simplest case, a registration takes place for instance with the model based on automatically detected field markers. To this end, proximately automatically detected field markers are initially determined for the image diagnosis and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model… If the diagnoses are prestructured (e.g. in separate sections for head, neck/shoulder, thorax, abdomen/pelvis), this structure can be used to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses. If this is not possible, the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses can generally be determined by means of text analysis REGM. If the anatomical position is determined, a (purely semantic) registration can likewise take place on the body model 2a, 2b. The interaction with the body model K consists inter alia of zooming and filtering the body model. The assistance for the user interaction such as also the function for charging and storing the models 3c, 3d including all contained image diagnoses is summarized in a component ML (model logic) which is likewise connected to the user interface (see 3a, 3b); Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the patient data assigned to the patient), includes providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient (i.e. providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data), such as a patient-specific whole body model, including schematic representations (i.e. wherein the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient), as shown in Figs. 2-6, for example, which enables registration of image data on the model to assign (i.e. associate, relate, etc.) image diagnoses to correct anatomical structures in relation to the anatomy of the patient (i.e. establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model), as indicated above), for example), for example);
generating a visualization of the medical image data;
displaying the visualization for a user via a user interface (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0040-69]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… Some textual information relating to the description of the examination results in the lowest zoom stage are shown by way of example in FIG. 2… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria… Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change… The user can display a history at each examination result… FIG. 6 shows the afore-cited progress mode having symbols S in color, which may have the following meaning… red: (current finding)… green: (prior finding)… red-green: (got worse)… green-red: (got better)… brown: (unchanged)… white: (disappeared)… temporal progress can therefore not only be represented by special symbols, but instead also by the (automatically or manually triggered) continuous display of the model relating to the available time instants with continuous zoom and filter settings; Par. [0083-95]: R1 to R7 reference points and/or positions e.g. R1: lymph nodes, neck, right… S symbols in color, e.g. in red, green, red-green, green-red, brown, white; generating a visualization of the medical image data; displaying the visualization for a user via a user interface (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station (i.e. generating a visualization of the medical image data), for example, by automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, recognizing, etc.) field markers, which are initially determined for image diagnosis, for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model (i.e. the schematic body model) in order to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information), including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned to the examination data record (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information within the schematic body model), by way of the user interface, as shown in Figs. 2-6 (i.e. displaying the visualization for a user via a user interface), as indicated above), for example);
receiving a user input from the user via the user interface, the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (Par. [0040-59]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station by means of dictation or text entry. This diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… User interactions are shown in FIG. 3… The user can change the zoom settings, so that more or less details relating to the examination results are shown… The user can switch the labels on and/or off… User interactions are shown in FIG. 4… If the user positions the mouse above an examination result, a preview pain appears with a detailed description of the result… if available, a preview image of the result can be shown. If the user clicks on this preview image, he navigates directly to this result in the original images… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… User interactions are shown in FIG. 6… The user can move to results of earlier examinations by way of a time bar. Furthermore, he/she can activate a comparison mode in order to select which time points are to be compared with one another… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria (e.g. change in size). [0058] 3. Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change etc.) [0059] 4. The user can display a history at each examination result; receiving a user input from the user via the user interface, the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the examination information), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of the patient (i.e. a generation of the examination information), by way of the user interface, for example, by interacting, as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 (i.e. receiving a user input from the user via the user interface, the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization), as indicated above), for example);
determining an anatomical position for the examination information within the schematic body model based on the user input and the registration;
ascertaining the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and on the user input; and
providing the examination information (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed. A method of at least one embodiment includes providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; and registering the at least one examination data record with the body model, wherein at least one position in the body model is assigned to the examination data record; the position being made known for interaction by way of a user interface; Par. [0002-7]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… evaluation of the image data records largely takes place in a computer-assisted fashion at diagnostic stations, which provide for observation and navigation through the image data record and a summary of the evaluation (for instance as text or dictation). The image data record is to this end stored in series of medical images, which a radiologist essentially observes sequentially, wherein he/she dictates the evaluation… the appearance, position and changes to pathological structures are described in the evaluation; Par. [0014-18]: medical data relating to a patient examination… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method; Par. [0040-49]: diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. Image diagnoses are transmitted largely fully automatically into the body model, wherein different methods and/or algorithms A and/or services are used… a registration takes place for instance with the model based on automatically detected field markers. To this end, proximately automatically detected field markers are initially determined for the image diagnosis and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model… the diagnoses are prestructured (e.g. in separate sections for head, neck/shoulder, thorax, abdomen/pelvis), this structure can be used to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization)… User interactions are shown in FIG. 4, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the user positions the mouse above an examination result, a preview pain appears with a detailed description of the result… if available, a preview image of the result can be shown. If the user clicks on this preview image, he navigates directly to this result in the original images; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; determining an anatomical position for the examination information within the schematic body model based on the user input and the registration; ascertaining the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and on the user input; and providing the examination information (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of the patient (i.e. the examination information in the patient data), by automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, recognizing, etc.) field markers (i.e. identifying at least one piece of the examination information in the patient data), which are initially determined for image diagnosis, for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model (i.e. the schematic body model) in order to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. determining an anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information within the schematic body model), for example, including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned (i.e. associated, related, etc.) to the examination data record (i.e. the examination information), which enables registration of image data on the model to assign image diagnoses to anatomical structures (i.e. determining an anatomical position for the examination information within the schematic body model based on the user input and the registration), for example, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of the patient (i.e. providing the examination information), by way of the user interface, for example, by interacting, as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 (i.e. ascertaining the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and on the user input), as indicated above), for example).
Gossler teachings above disclose providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient, as indicated above, but does not expressly disclose building (i.e. creating, generating, etc.) the schematic body model of the patient, as recited in claim 21.
However, Shoudy teaches building (Par. [0004]: medical imaging guidance system may have a patient sensor that may receive three-dimensional (3D) data associated with a patient and an imaging system that has an imaging hardware component that may acquire image data of an anatomical feature associated with the patient… The medical guidance system may also have a processor that generates a 3D surface map associated with the patient based on the 3D data, generates a 3D patient space from the 3D surface map associated with the patient, generates a 3D patient model by mapping an anatomical atlas to the 3D patient space… The 3D patient model may have one or more 3D representations of anatomical features of a human body within the 3D patient space; Par. [0020-32]: guidance system provided herein provide guidance to an operator via a three-dimensional (3D) patient model. For example, the 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient to the operator. The guidance system may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient… the anatomical and/or physiological information associated with patient 22 may include the degrees of freedom associated with the desired anatomical feature to be imaged or any surrounding and/or adjacent anatomical features of the patient 22… the anatomical information and/or physiological information may include one or more anatomical models. For example, the anatomical models may be associated with anatomical features such a body part, an organ, a muscle, a bone, or the like. The anatomical models may include a polygonal or volumetric 3D model of the anatomical feature. The anatomical model may also be associated with an indexed list of anatomical components of the anatomical feature. The indexed list of anatomical components may include each body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, that is connected with each other body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, in the associated anatomical feature. Each anatomical component in the indexed list may share at least one point of correspondence to another anatomical component in the indexed list. For example, with respect to the anatomical feature of the hip-to-femur joint, the anatomical components may include the last lumbar vertebrae (L5), the sacrum (S1), the ilium, the ischium, and the femur. As such, each anatomical model may define the linkages between each of the anatomical components associated with each anatomical model. For example, in the 3D model of the anatomical feature, a point of correspondence for the femur ‘A’ and the point of correspondence for the ischium ‘B’; Par. [0037-39]: controller 24 may generate a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient 22 and provide visual guidance to the operator to position and/or orient the patient 22, the imaging hardware components, or both, via the 3D patient model. For example, after generating the 3D patient model, the controller 24 may send a command signal to the display 30 to present the 3D patient model associated with the patient 22 to the operator. The 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient 22 to the operator… The controller 24 may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient 22… identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) within the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient 22… based on the acquired sensor data of the patient 22… the controller 24 may estimate the pose (e.g., the position and/or orientation) of the patient 22 and identify one or more anatomical reference points. For example, the anatomical reference points may include the shoulders, the hips, the knees, or any other suitable anatomical landmark… the anatomical reference points may be inferred based on the 3D surface map of the patient. The controller 24 may then fuse the anatomical reference points with the acquired 3D surface map of the patient 22… Based on 3D surface map of the patient 22, the controller 24 may identify or extract 3D anatomical reference points. The controller 24 may then deform one or more anatomical features from an anatomical atlas to the 3D surface map of the patient 22 based on the extracted 3D anatomical reference points to generate the 3D patient model… the guidance system 10 may provide the operator with spatial awareness of expected anatomical features via the 3D patient model; building (e.g. system generates (i.e. builds, creates, etc.) a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (i.e. a schematic body model of the patient) by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points, such as anatomical landmarks, based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space (i.e. the patient data) defined by the 3D surface map of the patient (i.e. building the schematic body model of the patient), as indicated above), for example, including a programmed controller which generates a 3D patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient and provides visual guidance to an operator to position and/or orient the patient, as indicated above), for example).
Gossler and Shoudy are considered to be analogous art because they pertain to medical image processing applications. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data (as disclosed by Gossler) with building (as taught by Shoudy, Abstract, Par. [0004, 20-32, 37-39]) to provide guidance to an operator via a three-dimensional (3D) patient mode and to accurately perform imaging of a desired anatomical feature of a patient (Shoudy, Abstract, Par. [0002, 17, 28, 48]).
The combination of Gossler and Shoudy, as a whole, teaches the computer-implemented method, as indicated above, bit fails to teach the following as further recited in claim 21.
However, Suzuki teaches the user input includes dragging and dropping a pictogram of an attribute onto the visualization of the medical image and the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (Par. [0001]: an examination information display device and method and, in particular, to screen display of medical images or medical examination information; Par. [0125-131]: A reference navigation function will be described on the basis of FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a display example of reference navigation. A reference navigation icon 80 in the history area 70 is an icon for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist… When the user designates a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed in the history area 70 using the mouse 19 and drags and drops it to the share window 90, a medical image or examination data corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position; the user input includes dragging and dropping a pictogram of an attribute onto the visualization of the medical image and the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (e.g. examination information display device and method to screen display of medical images or medical examination information includes reference navigation icons (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, thumbnails, etc.) for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist, for example, and when a user designates (i.e. a user input) a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed using the mouse and drags and drops it to the share window, a medical image or examination data (i.e. examination information) corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position (i.e. the user input includes dragging and dropping a pictogram of an attribute onto the visualization of the medical image and the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization), as indicated above), for example).
Gossler, Shoudy, and Suzuki are considered to be analogous art because they pertain to medical image processing applications. Therefore, the combined teachings of Gossler, Shoudy, and Suzuki, as a whole, would have rendered obvious the invention recited in claim 21 with a reasonable expectation of success in order to modify the method for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data (as disclosed by Gossler) with the user input includes dragging and dropping a pictogram of an attribute onto the visualization of the medical image and the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (as taught by Suzuki, Abstract, Par. [0001, 125-160]) in order to provide an examination information display device and method capable of searching, specifying, and selecting the candidate examination information easily (Suzuki, Abstract, Par. [0001-9]).
Regarding claim 24, Gossler discloses a system for ascertaining examination information during a diagnostic assessment of patient data (Par. [0002-14]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… method and an apparatus as well as a computer program product according to the independent claims are disclosed… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method, which can be defined in a hardware and/or software relevant fashion and/or as a computer program product… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model), the system comprising:
an interface (Par. [0040]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station); and
a controller (Par. [0002-14]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… method and an apparatus as well as a computer program product according to the independent claims are disclosed… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method, which can be defined in a hardware and/or software relevant fashion and/or as a computer program product… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model), wherein the patient data comprises medical image data that represents an anatomical region of a patient (Abstract: method of at least one embodiment includes providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; Par. [0014-16]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data; Par. [0040]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; wherein the patient data comprises medical image data that represents an anatomical region of a patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. patient data assigned to the patient), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access (i.e. receive, retrieve, obtain, etc.) image data records of a patient (i.e. receiving the patient data relating to the patient), including anatomical structures of the patient (i.e. wherein the patient data comprises medical image data that represents an anatomical region of a patient), as indicated above), for example), and the controller is configured to cause the system to (Par. [0002-14]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… method and an apparatus as well as a computer program product according to the independent claims are disclosed… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method, which can be defined in a hardware and/or software relevant fashion and/or as a computer program product… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model),
receive the patient data via the interface (Abstract: method of at least one embodiment includes providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; Par. [0014]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model; Par. [0040]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station; receive the patient data via the interface (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. patient data assigned to the patient), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access (i.e. receive, retrieve, obtain, etc.) image data records of a patient (i.e. receive the patient data via the interface), as indicated above), for example),
generate a visualization of the medical image data and provide it to a user via the interface (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0040-69]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… Some textual information relating to the description of the examination results in the lowest zoom stage are shown by way of example in FIG. 2… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria… Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change… The user can display a history at each examination result… FIG. 6 shows the afore-cited progress mode having symbols S in color, which may have the following meaning… red: (current finding)… green: (prior finding)… red-green: (got worse)… green-red: (got better)… brown: (unchanged)… white: (disappeared)… temporal progress can therefore not only be represented by special symbols, but instead also by the (automatically or manually triggered) continuous display of the model relating to the available time instants with continuous zoom and filter settings; Par. [0083-95]: R1 to R7 reference points and/or positions e.g. R1: lymph nodes, neck, right… S symbols in color, e.g. in red, green, red-green, green-red, brown, white; generate a visualization of the medical image data and provide it to a user via the interface (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize (i.e. generate a visualization) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station, for example, by automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, recognizing, etc.) field markers, which are initially determined for image diagnosis, for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model (i.e. the schematic body model) in order to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information), including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned to the examination data record (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information within the schematic body model), by way of the user interface, which is highlighted (i.e. emphasized, accentuated, etc.) by markings, icons, symbols and/or text, as shown in Figs. 2-6 (i.e. generate a visualization of the medical image data and provide it to a user via the interface), as indicated above), for example),
provide a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-16]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data; Par. [0040-44]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6… The interaction with the body model K consists inter alia of zooming and filtering the body model … Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; provide a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data, wherein the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the patient data assigned to the patient), includes providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient (i.e. provide a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data), such as a patient-specific whole body model, including schematic representations (i.e. wherein the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient), as shown in Figs. 2-6, for example, which enables registration of image data on the model to assign (i.e. associate, relate, etc.) image diagnoses to correct anatomical structures in relation to the anatomy of the patient, as indicated above), for example),
establish a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model (Par. [0010-17]: software for image diagnosis also enables the simultaneous representation of several image data records (adjacent to one another or superimposed). The image data records can herewith also originate from different imaging methods. Registration of the image data records herewith enables individual image diagnoses to be compared longitudinally or observed in extended representations (e.g. anatomical details by means of CT, functional information by means of MR, metabolic information by way of PET)… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model. With the subsequent diagnosis, the full context information relating to each individual diagnosis is therefore available at any time… The results of previous patient examinations are also registered with the same body model on this basis, so that changes to the diagnoses can be shown between different points in time (also animated as film). Registration of the results of different examinations on a body model also enables reference to be made to possible inconsistencies in the results… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data … a uniform type of information representation is enabled at any time and in any procedural context across all body regions, organs and image data records of different modalities. As a result, learning and synergy effects and higher efficiencies result during the further (development) and use of the system; Par. [0042-43]: automatically determined information relating to image diagnosis by further characteristics and interpretations… The position in the image (volume) can therefore take place by way of classical registration algorithms REGB (see 1a, 1b). In the simplest case, a registration takes place for instance with the model based on automatically detected field markers. To this end, proximately automatically detected field markers are initially determined for the image diagnosis and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model… If the diagnoses are prestructured (e.g. in separate sections for head, neck/shoulder, thorax, abdomen/pelvis), this structure can be used to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses. If this is not possible, the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses can generally be determined by means of text analysis REGM. If the anatomical position is determined, a (purely semantic) registration can likewise take place on the body model 2a, 2b. The interaction with the body model K consists inter alia of zooming and filtering the body model. The assistance for the user interaction such as also the function for charging and storing the models 3c, 3d including all contained image diagnoses is summarized in a component ML (model logic) which is likewise connected to the user interface (see 3a, 3b); Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the patient data assigned to the patient), includes providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient (i.e. providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data), such as a patient-specific whole body model, including schematic representations (i.e. wherein the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient), as shown in Figs. 2-6, for example, which enables registration of image data on the model to assign (i.e. associate, relate, etc.) image diagnoses to correct anatomical structures in relation to the anatomy of the patient (i.e. establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model), as indicated above), for example), for example),
receive a user input from the user via the interface, the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (Par. [0040-59]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station by means of dictation or text entry. This diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… User interactions are shown in FIG. 3… The user can change the zoom settings, so that more or less details relating to the examination results are shown… The user can switch the labels on and/or off… User interactions are shown in FIG. 4… If the user positions the mouse above an examination result, a preview pain appears with a detailed description of the result… if available, a preview image of the result can be shown. If the user clicks on this preview image, he navigates directly to this result in the original images… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… User interactions are shown in FIG. 6… The user can move to results of earlier examinations by way of a time bar. Furthermore, he/she can activate a comparison mode in order to select which time points are to be compared with one another… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria (e.g. change in size)… Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change etc.)… The user can display a history at each examination result; receive a user input from the user via the interface, the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the examination information), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of the patient (i.e. a generation of the examination information), by way of the user interface, for example, by interacting, as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 (i.e. receive a user input from the user via the interface, the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization), as indicated above), for example),
determine an anatomical position for the examination information within the schematic body model based on the user input and the registration,
ascertain the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and on the user input, and
provide the examination information (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed. A method of at least one embodiment includes providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; and registering the at least one examination data record with the body model, wherein at least one position in the body model is assigned to the examination data record; the position being made known for interaction by way of a user interface; Par. [0002-7]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… evaluation of the image data records largely takes place in a computer-assisted fashion at diagnostic stations, which provide for observation and navigation through the image data record and a summary of the evaluation (for instance as text or dictation). The image data record is to this end stored in series of medical images, which a radiologist essentially observes sequentially, wherein he/she dictates the evaluation… the appearance, position and changes to pathological structures are described in the evaluation; Par. [0014-18]: medical data relating to a patient examination… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method; Par. [0040-49]: diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. Image diagnoses are transmitted largely fully automatically into the body model, wherein different methods and/or algorithms A and/or services are used… a registration takes place for instance with the model based on automatically detected field markers. To this end, proximately automatically detected field markers are initially determined for the image diagnosis and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model… the diagnoses are prestructured (e.g. in separate sections for head, neck/shoulder, thorax, abdomen/pelvis), this structure can be used to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization)… User interactions are shown in FIG. 4, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the user positions the mouse above an examination result, a preview pain appears with a detailed description of the result… if available, a preview image of the result can be shown. If the user clicks on this preview image, he navigates directly to this result in the original images; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; determine an anatomical position for the examination information within the schematic body model based on the user input and the registration; ascertain the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and on the user input; and provide the examination information (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of the patient (i.e. the examination information in the patient data), by automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, recognizing, etc.) field markers (i.e. identifying at least one piece of the examination information in the patient data), which are initially determined for image diagnosis, for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model (i.e. the schematic body model) in order to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. determine an anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information within the schematic body model), for example, including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned (i.e. associated, related, etc.) to the examination data record (i.e. the examination information), which enables registration of image data on the model to assign image diagnoses to anatomical structures (i.e. determine an anatomical position for the examination information within the schematic body model based on the user input and the registration), for example, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of the patient (i.e. provide the examination information), by way of the user interface, for example, by interacting, as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 (i.e. ascertain the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and on the user input), as indicated above), for example).
Gossler teachings above disclose providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient, as indicated above, but does not expressly disclose building (i.e. creating, generating, etc.) the schematic body model of the patient, as recited in the claim.
However, Shoudy teaches building (Par. [0004]: medical imaging guidance system may have a patient sensor that may receive three-dimensional (3D) data associated with a patient and an imaging system that has an imaging hardware component that may acquire image data of an anatomical feature associated with the patient… The medical guidance system may also have a processor that generates a 3D surface map associated with the patient based on the 3D data, generates a 3D patient space from the 3D surface map associated with the patient, generates a 3D patient model by mapping an anatomical atlas to the 3D patient space… The 3D patient model may have one or more 3D representations of anatomical features of a human body within the 3D patient space; Par. [0020-32]: guidance system provided herein provide guidance to an operator via a three-dimensional (3D) patient model. For example, the 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient to the operator. The guidance system may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient… the anatomical and/or physiological information associated with patient 22 may include the degrees of freedom associated with the desired anatomical feature to be imaged or any surrounding and/or adjacent anatomical features of the patient 22… the anatomical information and/or physiological information may include one or more anatomical models. For example, the anatomical models may be associated with anatomical features such a body part, an organ, a muscle, a bone, or the like. The anatomical models may include a polygonal or volumetric 3D model of the anatomical feature. The anatomical model may also be associated with an indexed list of anatomical components of the anatomical feature. The indexed list of anatomical components may include each body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, that is connected with each other body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, in the associated anatomical feature. Each anatomical component in the indexed list may share at least one point of correspondence to another anatomical component in the indexed list. For example, with respect to the anatomical feature of the hip-to-femur joint, the anatomical components may include the last lumbar vertebrae (L5), the sacrum (S1), the ilium, the ischium, and the femur. As such, each anatomical model may define the linkages between each of the anatomical components associated with each anatomical model. For example, in the 3D model of the anatomical feature, a point of correspondence for the femur ‘A’ and the point of correspondence for the ischium ‘B’; Par. [0037-39]: controller 24 may generate a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient 22 and provide visual guidance to the operator to position and/or orient the patient 22, the imaging hardware components, or both, via the 3D patient model. For example, after generating the 3D patient model, the controller 24 may send a command signal to the display 30 to present the 3D patient model associated with the patient 22 to the operator. The 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient 22 to the operator… The controller 24 may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient 22… identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) within the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient 22… based on the acquired sensor data of the patient 22… the controller 24 may estimate the pose (e.g., the position and/or orientation) of the patient 22 and identify one or more anatomical reference points. For example, the anatomical reference points may include the shoulders, the hips, the knees, or any other suitable anatomical landmark… the anatomical reference points may be inferred based on the 3D surface map of the patient. The controller 24 may then fuse the anatomical reference points with the acquired 3D surface map of the patient 22… Based on 3D surface map of the patient 22, the controller 24 may identify or extract 3D anatomical reference points. The controller 24 may then deform one or more anatomical features from an anatomical atlas to the 3D surface map of the patient 22 based on the extracted 3D anatomical reference points to generate the 3D patient model… the guidance system 10 may provide the operator with spatial awareness of expected anatomical features via the 3D patient model; building (e.g. system generates (i.e. builds, creates, etc.) a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (i.e. a schematic body model of the patient) by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points, such as anatomical landmarks, based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space (i.e. the patient data) defined by the 3D surface map of the patient (i.e. building the schematic body model of the patient), as indicated above), for example, including a programmed controller which generates a 3D patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient and provides visual guidance to an operator to position and/or orient the patient, as indicated above), for example).
The same motivation to combine above-mentioned teachings applies, as previously indicated in claim 21.
The combination of Gossler and Shoudy, as a whole, teaches the computer-implemented method, as indicated above, bit fails to teach the following as further recited in claim 24.
However, Suzuki teaches the user input includes dragging and dropping a pictogram of an attribute onto the visualization of the medical image and the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (Par. [0001]: an examination information display device and method and, in particular, to screen display of medical images or medical examination information; Par. [0125-131]: A reference navigation function will be described on the basis of FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a display example of reference navigation. A reference navigation icon 80 in the history area 70 is an icon for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist… When the user designates a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed in the history area 70 using the mouse 19 and drags and drops it to the share window 90, a medical image or examination data corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position; the user input includes dragging and dropping a pictogram of an attribute onto the visualization of the medical image and the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization (e.g. examination information display device and method to screen display of medical images or medical examination information includes reference navigation icons (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, thumbnails, etc.) for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist, for example, and when a user designates (i.e. a user input) a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed using the mouse and drags and drops it to the share window, a medical image or examination data (i.e. examination information) corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position (i.e. the user input includes dragging and dropping a pictogram of an attribute onto the visualization of the medical image and the user input is directed to a generation of the examination information based on the visualization), as indicated above), for example).
The same motivation to combine above-mentioned teachings applies, as previously indicated in claim 21.
Claims 16-17, 20, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gossler, in view of Suzuki.
Regarding claim 16, Gossler discloses a computer-implemented method for ascertaining examination information during a diagnostic assessment of patient data relating to a patient (Par. [0002-14]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… method and an apparatus as well as a computer program product according to the independent claims are disclosed… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method, which can be defined in a hardware and/or software relevant fashion and/or as a computer program product… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model), the method comprising:
receiving the patient data relating to the patient (Abstract: method of at least one embodiment includes providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; Par. [0014-16]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data; Par. [0040]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; comprising: receiving the patient data relating to the patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. patient data assigned to the patient), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access (i.e. receive, retrieve, obtain, etc.) image data records of a patient (i.e. receiving the patient data relating to the patient), as indicated above), for example);
generating a visualization based on the patient data, the visualization representing at least one anatomical region of the patient;
displaying the visualization for a user via a user interface (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0040-69]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… Some textual information relating to the description of the examination results in the lowest zoom stage are shown by way of example in FIG. 2… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria… Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change… The user can display a history at each examination result… FIG. 6 shows the afore-cited progress mode having symbols S in color, which may have the following meaning… red: (current finding)… green: (prior finding)… red-green: (got worse)… green-red: (got better)… brown: (unchanged)… white: (disappeared)… temporal progress can therefore not only be represented by special symbols, but instead also by the (automatically or manually triggered) continuous display of the model relating to the available time instants with continuous zoom and filter settings; Par. [0083-95]: R1 to R7 reference points and/or positions e.g. R1: lymph nodes, neck, right… S symbols in color, e.g. in red, green, red-green, green-red, brown, white; generating a visualization of the medical image data; displaying the visualization for a user via a user interface (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize (i.e. generating a visualization) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station (i.e. generating a visualization of the medical image data), for example, by automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, recognizing, etc.) field markers, which are initially determined for image diagnosis, for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model (i.e. the schematic body model) in order to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information), including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned to the examination data record (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information within the schematic body model), by way of the user interface, as shown in Figs. 2-6 (i.e. displaying the visualization for a user via a user interface), as indicated above), for example);
providing a predetermined number of different pictograms, each pictogram representing at least one of different attributes or attribute combinations of a possible medical report of the patient;
displaying at least some of the predetermined different pictograms to allow selection of individual pictograms by the user via the user interface;
receiving a user input from the user via the user interface, the user input comprises a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms in the displayed visualization;
determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization;
determining one or more attributes of the different attributes or the attribute combinations of the medical findings based on the selected pictogram;
ascertaining the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and the one or more determined attributes; and
providing the examination information (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0040-69]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… Some textual information relating to the description of the examination results in the lowest zoom stage are shown by way of example in FIG. 2… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria… Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change… The user can display a history at each examination result… FIG. 6 shows the afore-cited progress mode having symbols S in color, which may have the following meaning… red: (current finding)… green: (prior finding)… red-green: (got worse)… green-red: (got better)… brown: (unchanged)… white: (disappeared)… temporal progress can therefore not only be represented by special symbols, but instead also by the (automatically or manually triggered) continuous display of the model relating to the available time instants with continuous zoom and filter settings; Par. [0083-95]: R1 to R7 reference points and/or positions e.g. R1: lymph nodes, neck, right… S symbols in color, e.g. in red, green, red-green, green-red, brown, white; further comprising: providing a predetermined number of different pictograms, each pictogram representing at least one of different attributes or different attribute combinations of a medical report; displaying at least some of the predetermined different pictograms for the user via the user interface; receiving a user input from the user via the user interface, the user input comprises a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms in the displayed visualization; determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization; determining one or more attributes of the different attributes or the attribute combinations of the medical findings based on the selected pictogram; ascertaining the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and the one or more determined attributes; and providing the examination information (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize (i.e. generating a visualization including pictograms representing at least one of different attributes or different attribute combinations) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station (i.e. providing a predetermined number of different pictograms, each pictogram representing at least one of different attributes or different attribute combinations of a medical report), for example, by automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, determining, recognizing, etc.) field markers (i.e. one or more attributes), which are initially determined for image diagnosis (i.e. determining one or more attributes of the different attributes or the attribute combinations of the medical findings based on the selected pictogram), for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model in order to determine (i.e. ascertain) the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization and ascertaining the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and the one or more determined attributes), including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned to the examination data record (i.e. the anatomical position of the at least one piece of the medical examination information), by way of the user interface (i.e. receiving a user input from the user via the user interface, the user input comprises a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms in the displayed visualization), which is highlighted (i.e. emphasized, accentuated, etc.) by markings, icons, symbols and/or text (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, etc.), shown on a display apparatus (i.e. providing the examination information), as shown in Figs. 2-6), for example), but fails to teach the following as further recited in claim 16.
However, Suzuki teaches dragging and dropping of individual pictograms by the user via the user interface, user input comprises a dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms onto a drop site in the displayed visualization (Par. [0001]: an examination information display device and method and, in particular, to screen display of medical images or medical examination information; Par. [0125-131]: A reference navigation function will be described on the basis of FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a display example of reference navigation. A reference navigation icon 80 in the history area 70 is an icon for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist… When the user designates a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed in the history area 70 using the mouse 19 and drags and drops it to the share window 90, a medical image or examination data corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position; a user input which comprises dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms onto a drop site in the displayed visualization (e.g. examination information display device and method to screen display of medical images or medical examination information includes reference navigation icons (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, thumbnails, etc.) for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist, for example, and when a user designates (i.e. a user input) a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed using the mouse and drags and drops it to the share window, a medical image or examination data (i.e. at least one piece of the medical examination information) corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position (i.e. dragging and dropping of individual pictograms by the user via the user interface, user input which comprises dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms onto a drop site (i.e. position, location, etc.) in the displayed visualization), as indicated above), for example);
determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization based on the drop site (Par. [0001]: an examination information display device and method and, in particular, to screen display of medical images or medical examination information; Par. [0125-160]: A reference navigation function will be described on the basis of FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a display example of reference navigation. A reference navigation icon 80 in the history area 70 is an icon for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist… When the user designates a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed in the history area 70 using the mouse 19 and drags and drops it to the share window 90, a medical image or examination data corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position… as shown in Table 171, a pattern rule of image addition or replacement when a thumbnail image is dropped to the position are attached to each of (a) to (m). Data indicating this rule is stored in the main memory 11 or the magnetic disk 12, and the divided region setting section 32c performs layout change processing by referring to the data appropriately… As described above, the user can display examinations corresponding to thumbnail images or examination icons of the history area 70 additionally in the share window 90 by dragging and dropping these thumbnail images or examination icons using the mouse 19… when performing the additional display, the display position of the examination displayed additionally can be designated by the dropping position. Therefore, additional display can be performed at the position according to the user's preference… A layout showing the display position of an examination in one or more share windows is stored in the layout storage section 33 for each routine, and the display position of the share window 90 may be changed along the layout selected by the user; determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization based on the drop site (e.g. examination information display device and method to screen display of medical images or medical examination information includes reference navigation icons (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, thumbnails, etc.) for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist, for example, and when a user designates (i.e. a user input) a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed using the mouse and drags and drops it to the share window, a medical image or examination data (i.e. at least one piece of the medical examination information) corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position (i.e. a user input which comprises dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms onto a drop site (i.e. position, location, etc.) in the displayed visualization), in which the user displays examinations corresponding to thumbnail images or examination icons of the history area by dragging and dropping thumbnail images or examination icons using the mouse, for example, and the display position of the examination displayed is designated by the dropping position (i.e. determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization based on the drop site), as indicated above), for example).
Gossler and Suzuki are considered to be analogous art because they pertain to medical image processing applications. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data (as disclosed by Gossler) with dragging and dropping of individual pictograms by the user via the user interface, user input comprises a dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms onto a drop site in the displayed visualization and determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization based on the drop site (as taught by Suzuki, Abstract, Par. [0001, 125-160]) in order to provide an examination information display device and method capable of searching, specifying, and selecting the candidate examination information easily (Suzuki, Abstract, Par. [0001-9]).
Regarding claim 17, claim 16 is incorporated and the combination of Gossler and Suzuki teaches the method (Gossler, Par. [0002-14]), wherein the providing the examination information includes at least one of:
producing a medical report based on the examination information, or storing the examination information in the patient data (Gossler, Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0008-19]: the individual image diagnosis (pathological abnormalities, often extended by measurements of tumor sizes and degrees of stenosis) and also the summarized evaluation are subsequently verbalized in the form of a radiological examination report and forwarded to the treating physician for instance… interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; wherein the providing the examination information includes at least one of: producing a medical report based on the examination information, or storing the examination information in the patient data (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize (i.e. generating a visualization including pictograms representing at least one of different attributes or different attribute combinations) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station including individual image diagnosis and a summarized evaluation are subsequently verbalized in the form of a radiological examination report and forwarded to the treating physician for instance (i.e. wherein the providing the examination information includes at least one of: producing a medical report based on the examination information), as indicated above), for example).
Regarding claim 20, claim 16 is incorporated and the combination of Gossler and Suzuki teaches the method (Gossler, Par. [0002-14]), wherein the generating the visualization further comprises: selecting the at least one anatomical region of the patient for the visualization, the visualization represents only the selected at least one anatomical region, and the selection is made based on at least one of the patient data or a diagnostic assessment task of the patient data (Gossler, Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0055-57]: User interactions are shown in FIG. 6… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria; wherein the generating the visualization further comprises: selecting the at least one anatomical region of the patient for the visualization, the visualization represents only the selected at least one anatomical region, and the selection is made based on at least one of the patient data or a diagnostic assessment task of the patient data (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient (i.e. at least one of the patient data) at least one of the patient data to visualize (i.e. generating a visualization including pictograms) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station, by way of user interactions shown in FIG. 6, for example, including anatomical structures of the patient (i.e. the generating the visualization further comprises: selecting the at least one anatomical region of the patient for the visualization), in which a selects whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria (i.e. wherein the generating the visualization further comprises: selecting the at least one anatomical region of the patient for the visualization, the visualization represents only the selected at least one anatomical region), as indicated above), for example)
Regarding claim 23, Gossler discloses a system for ascertaining examination information during a diagnostic assessment of patient data (Par. [0002-14]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… method and an apparatus as well as a computer program product according to the independent claims are disclosed… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method, which can be defined in a hardware and/or software relevant fashion and/or as a computer program product… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model), the system comprising:
an interface (Par. [0040]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station); and
a controller, the controller is configured to cause the system (Par. [0002-14]: computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records… method and an apparatus as well as a computer program product according to the independent claims are disclosed… one or several servers and/or computers, for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data comprising means and/or modules for implementing the afore-cited method, which can be defined in a hardware and/or software relevant fashion and/or as a computer program product… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model) to,
receive the patient data via the interface (Abstract: method of at least one embodiment includes providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; Par. [0014]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model; Par. [0040]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station; receive the patient data via the interface (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. patient data assigned to the patient), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access (i.e. receive, retrieve, obtain, etc.) image data records of a patient at the diagnostic station (i.e. receive the patient data via the interface), as indicated above), for example),
generate a visualization based on the patient data and to provide it to a user via the interface, the visualization represents at least one anatomical region of a patient (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0040-69]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… Some textual information relating to the description of the examination results in the lowest zoom stage are shown by way of example in FIG. 2… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria… Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change… The user can display a history at each examination result… FIG. 6 shows the afore-cited progress mode having symbols S in color, which may have the following meaning… red: (current finding)… green: (prior finding)… red-green: (got worse)… green-red: (got better)… brown: (unchanged)… white: (disappeared)… temporal progress can therefore not only be represented by special symbols, but instead also by the (automatically or manually triggered) continuous display of the model relating to the available time instants with continuous zoom and filter settings; Par. [0083-95]: R1 to R7 reference points and/or positions e.g. R1: lymph nodes, neck, right… S symbols in color, e.g. in red, green, red-green, green-red, brown, white; generate a visualization of the medical image data and provide it to a user via the interface, the visualization represents at least one anatomical region of a patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize (i.e. generate a visualization) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station, for example, by automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, recognizing, etc.) field markers, which are initially determined for image diagnosis, for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model (i.e. a schematic body model) in order to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information), including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned to the examination data record (i.e. the anatomical position for the at least one piece of the examination information within the schematic body model), by way of the user interface, which is highlighted (i.e. emphasized, accentuated, etc.) by markings, icons, symbols and/or text, as shown in Figs. 2-6 (i.e. generate a visualization of the medical image data and provide it to a user via the interface, the visualization represents at least one anatomical region of a patient), as indicated above), for example),
provide a predetermined number of different pictograms, each pictogram representing at least one of different attributes or attribute combinations of a possible medical report of the patient,
provide the user with at least some of the predetermined different pictograms via the interface to allow selection,
receive a user input of the user via the interface,
determine an anatomical position,
determine one or more attributes of the different attributes or the attribute combinations based on the selected pictogram,
determine the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and the one or more determined attributes, and
provide the examination information (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0040-69]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body. Associated examination results may appear grouped on the lowest zoom stage (the grouping is based on the semantic annotations of the examination results, e.g. its anatomical localization). The type of visualization of the results (in this case as differently sized reference points R1 to R7) provides the user with an indication of the number of results per group… Some textual information relating to the description of the examination results in the lowest zoom stage are shown by way of example in FIG. 2… User interactions are shown in FIG. 5, which are identified with 1 and 2… If the system represents inconsistencies between examination results, this is shown visually directly in the model so that the attention of the user is directed to the inconsistency. If the user moves the mouse to the marked inconsistency, the system specifies the underlying detailed information… The user can jump directly to the results in the original images… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria… Progress mode: if this mode is activated, the model visualizes the results in terms of their progress (worsening, improvement, no change… The user can display a history at each examination result… FIG. 6 shows the afore-cited progress mode having symbols S in color, which may have the following meaning… red: (current finding)… green: (prior finding)… red-green: (got worse)… green-red: (got better)… brown: (unchanged)… white: (disappeared)… temporal progress can therefore not only be represented by special symbols, but instead also by the (automatically or manually triggered) continuous display of the model relating to the available time instants with continuous zoom and filter settings; Par. [0083-95]: R1 to R7 reference points and/or positions e.g. R1: lymph nodes, neck, right… S symbols in color, e.g. in red, green, red-green, green-red, brown, white; provide a predetermined number of different pictograms, each pictogram representing at least one of different attributes or attribute combinations of a possible medical report of the patient, provide the user with at least some of the predetermined different pictograms via the interface to allow selection, receive a user input of the user via the interface, determine an anatomical position, determine one or more attributes of the different attributes or the attribute combinations based on the selected pictogram, determine the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and the one or more determined attributes, and provide the examination information (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize (i.e. a visualization including pictograms representing at least one of different attributes or different attribute combinations) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station (i.e. provide a predetermined number of different pictograms, each pictogram representing at least one of different attributes or attribute combinations of a possible medical report of the patient and provide the user with at least some of the predetermined different pictograms via the interface to allow selection), for example, including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of the patient (i.e. the examination information), by way of the user interface, for example, by interacting, as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 (i.e. (i.e. receive a user input of the user via the interface), for example, and automatically detecting (i.e. identifying, determining, recognizing, etc.) field markers (i.e. one or more attributes), which are initially determined for image diagnosis (i.e. determine one or more attributes of the different attributes or the attribute combinations based on the selected pictogram), for example, and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model in order to determine (i.e. ascertain) the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses (i.e. determine an anatomical position), including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned to the examination data record (i.e. determine the examination information based on the determined anatomical position and the one or more determined attributes), by way of the user interface, which is highlighted (i.e. emphasized, accentuated, etc.) by markings, icons, symbols and/or text (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, etc.), shown on a display apparatus (i.e. and provide the examination information), as shown in Figs. 2-6), for example), but fails to teach the following as further recited in claim 23.
However, Suzuki teaches dragging and dropping of individual pictograms onto the visualization by the user, the user input comprises the dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the provided pictograms onto a drop site in the visualization (Par. [0001]: an examination information display device and method and, in particular, to screen display of medical images or medical examination information; Par. [0125-131]: A reference navigation function will be described on the basis of FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a display example of reference navigation. A reference navigation icon 80 in the history area 70 is an icon for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist… When the user designates a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed in the history area 70 using the mouse 19 and drags and drops it to the share window 90, a medical image or examination data corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position; dragging and dropping of individual pictograms onto the visualization by the user, the user input comprises the dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the provided pictograms onto a drop site in the visualization (e.g. examination information display device and method to screen display of medical images or medical examination information includes reference navigation icons (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, thumbnails, etc.) for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist, for example, and when a user designates (i.e. a user input) a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed using the mouse and drags and drops it to the share window, a medical image or examination data (i.e. at least one piece of the medical examination information) corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position (i.e. dragging and dropping of individual pictograms onto the visualization by the user, the user input comprises the dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the provided pictograms onto a drop site in (i.e. position, location, etc.) in the visualization), as indicated above), for example), determine an anatomical position based on the drop site (Par. [0001]: an examination information display device and method and, in particular, to screen display of medical images or medical examination information; Par. [0125-160]: A reference navigation function will be described on the basis of FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a display example of reference navigation. A reference navigation icon 80 in the history area 70 is an icon for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist… When the user designates a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed in the history area 70 using the mouse 19 and drags and drops it to the share window 90, a medical image or examination data corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position… as shown in Table 171, a pattern rule of image addition or replacement when a thumbnail image is dropped to the position are attached to each of (a) to (m). Data indicating this rule is stored in the main memory 11 or the magnetic disk 12, and the divided region setting section 32c performs layout change processing by referring to the data appropriately… As described above, the user can display examinations corresponding to thumbnail images or examination icons of the history area 70 additionally in the share window 90 by dragging and dropping these thumbnail images or examination icons using the mouse 19… when performing the additional display, the display position of the examination displayed additionally can be designated by the dropping position. Therefore, additional display can be performed at the position according to the user's preference… A layout showing the display position of an examination in one or more share windows is stored in the layout storage section 33 for each routine, and the display position of the share window 90 may be changed along the layout selected by the user; determine an anatomical position based on the drop site (e.g. examination information display device and method to screen display of medical images or medical examination information includes reference navigation icons (i.e. pictograms, visualizations, thumbnails, etc.) for selecting the examination information reference procedure of each radiologist, for example, and when a user designates (i.e. a user input) a thumbnail image or an examination icon displayed using the mouse and drags and drops it to the share window, a medical image or examination data (i.e. at least one piece of the medical examination information) corresponding to the thumbnail image or the examination icon, which has been dragged and dropped, is additionally displayed at the dropped position (i.e. a user input which comprises dragging and dropping of a pictogram selected from the displayed pictograms onto a drop site (i.e. position, location, etc.) in the displayed visualization), in which the user displays examinations corresponding to thumbnail images or examination icons of the history area by dragging and dropping thumbnail images or examination icons using the mouse, for example, and the display position of the examination displayed is designated by the dropping position (i.e. determining an anatomical position of medical findings of the patient with respect to the at least one anatomical region of the visualization based on the drop site), as indicated above), for example).
The same motivation to combine above-mentioned teachings applies, as previously indicated in claim 16.
Claims 18-19 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gossler, in view of Suzuki, as applied to claim 16, in further view of Shoudy.
Regarding claim 18, claim 16 is incorporated and the combination of Gossler and Suzuki teaches the method (Gossler, Par. [0002-14]), wherein the generating the visualization includes building a schematic body model of the patient, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient, and
the visualization comprises a visual representation of the schematic body model (Gossler, Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-16]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data; Par. [0040-44]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6… The interaction with the body model K consists inter alia of zooming and filtering the body model … Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; wherein the generating the visualization includes providing a schematic body model of the patient, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the patient data assigned to the patient), includes providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient (i.e. wherein the generating the visualization includes providing a schematic body model of the patient, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient), as shown in Figs. 2-6, for example, which enables registration of image data on the model to assign (i.e. associate, relate, etc.) image diagnoses to correct anatomical structures in relation to the anatomy of the patient, for example, and the visualization comprises a visual representation of the schematic body model as shown in Figs. 2-6, as indicated above), for example).
Gossler teachings above disclose providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient, as indicated above, but does not expressly disclose building (i.e. creating, generating, etc.) the schematic body model of the patient, as recited in line claim 18.
However, Shoudy teaches building (Par. [0004]: medical imaging guidance system may have a patient sensor that may receive three-dimensional (3D) data associated with a patient and an imaging system that has an imaging hardware component that may acquire image data of an anatomical feature associated with the patient… The medical guidance system may also have a processor that generates a 3D surface map associated with the patient based on the 3D data, generates a 3D patient space from the 3D surface map associated with the patient, generates a 3D patient model by mapping an anatomical atlas to the 3D patient space… The 3D patient model may have one or more 3D representations of anatomical features of a human body within the 3D patient space; Par. [0020-32]: guidance system provided herein provide guidance to an operator via a three-dimensional (3D) patient model. For example, the 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient to the operator. The guidance system may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient… the anatomical and/or physiological information associated with patient 22 may include the degrees of freedom associated with the desired anatomical feature to be imaged or any surrounding and/or adjacent anatomical features of the patient 22… the anatomical information and/or physiological information may include one or more anatomical models. For example, the anatomical models may be associated with anatomical features such a body part, an organ, a muscle, a bone, or the like. The anatomical models may include a polygonal or volumetric 3D model of the anatomical feature. The anatomical model may also be associated with an indexed list of anatomical components of the anatomical feature. The indexed list of anatomical components may include each body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, that is connected with each other body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, in the associated anatomical feature. Each anatomical component in the indexed list may share at least one point of correspondence to another anatomical component in the indexed list. For example, with respect to the anatomical feature of the hip-to-femur joint, the anatomical components may include the last lumbar vertebrae (L5), the sacrum (S1), the ilium, the ischium, and the femur. As such, each anatomical model may define the linkages between each of the anatomical components associated with each anatomical model. For example, in the 3D model of the anatomical feature, a point of correspondence for the femur ‘A’ and the point of correspondence for the ischium ‘B’; Par. [0037-39]: controller 24 may generate a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient 22 and provide visual guidance to the operator to position and/or orient the patient 22, the imaging hardware components, or both, via the 3D patient model. For example, after generating the 3D patient model, the controller 24 may send a command signal to the display 30 to present the 3D patient model associated with the patient 22 to the operator. The 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient 22 to the operator… The controller 24 may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient 22… identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) within the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient 22… based on the acquired sensor data of the patient 22… the controller 24 may estimate the pose (e.g., the position and/or orientation) of the patient 22 and identify one or more anatomical reference points. For example, the anatomical reference points may include the shoulders, the hips, the knees, or any other suitable anatomical landmark… the anatomical reference points may be inferred based on the 3D surface map of the patient. The controller 24 may then fuse the anatomical reference points with the acquired 3D surface map of the patient 22… Based on 3D surface map of the patient 22, the controller 24 may identify or extract 3D anatomical reference points. The controller 24 may then deform one or more anatomical features from an anatomical atlas to the 3D surface map of the patient 22 based on the extracted 3D anatomical reference points to generate the 3D patient model… the guidance system 10 may provide the operator with spatial awareness of expected anatomical features via the 3D patient model; building (e.g. system generates (i.e. builds, creates, etc.) a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (i.e. a schematic body model of the patient) by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points, such as anatomical landmarks, based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space (i.e. the patient data) defined by the 3D surface map of the patient (i.e. building the schematic body model of the patient), as indicated above), for example, including a programmed controller which generates a 3D patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient and provides visual guidance to an operator to position and/or orient the patient, as indicated above), for example).
Gossler, Suzuki, and Shoudy are considered to be analogous art because they pertain to medical image processing applications. Therefore, the combined teachings of Gossler, Suzuki, and Shoudy, as a whole, would have rendered obvious the invention recited in claim 18 with a reasonable expectation of success in order to modify the method for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data (as disclosed by Gossler) building (as taught by Shoudy, Abstract, Par. [0004, 20-32, 37-39]) to provide guidance to an operator via a three-dimensional (3D) patient mode and to accurately perform imaging of a desired anatomical feature of a patient (Shoudy, Abstract, Par. [0002, 17, 28, 48]).
Regarding claim 19, claim 16 is incorporated and the combination of Gossler and Suzuki teaches the method (Gossler, Par. [0002-14]), wherein the patient data comprises medical image data representing the at least one anatomical region of the patient, and the generating the visualization generates a visualization of the medical image data (Gossler, Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-19]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data… The patient examination data and/or diagnosis data can be shown here on a display apparatus; Par. [0055-57]: User interactions are shown in FIG. 6… The user can select whether all results are shown or only those which correspond to certain criteria; wherein the patient data comprises medical image data representing the at least one anatomical region of the patient, and the generating the visualization generates a visualization of the medical image data (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient, for example, and including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient to visualize (i.e. generating a visualization) medical images as well as diagnosis available to the user at the diagnostic station (i.e. the generating the visualization generates a visualization of the medical image data), including a diagnostic station which enables a user to access image data records of a patient, including anatomical structures of the patient (i.e. wherein the patient data comprises medical image data representing the at least one anatomical region of the patient), as indicated above), for example), the method further comprising:
providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient (Abstract: Computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records is disclosed… providing at least one medical examination data record, which includes patient-specific data described textually and/or symbolically and/or at least one image data record created with the aid of a radiological examination device; providing at least one body model image, which represents a body model matching the examination data; Par. [0014-16]: interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data; Par. [0040-44]: FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of the invention in the form of an architecture of a software or hardware implementation. A user interface B for instance in the form of a diagnostic station enables a user, in particular a radiologist, to access image data records which are stored in a database for data management purposes D. The possibilities of visualizing, image interpretation I and editing E of medical images as well as diagnosis are available to the user at the diagnostic station… diagnostic station is extended such that it also indicates the said body model K and enables the user to interact inter alia as in the interactions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6… The interaction with the body model K consists inter alia of zooming and filtering the body model … Examples of examination results are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, which are mapped onto a model of the overall body; Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data, the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the patient data assigned to the patient), includes providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient (i.e. providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data, such as a patient-specific whole body model, including schematic representations (i.e. the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient), as shown in Figs. 2-6, for example, which enables registration of image data on the model to assign (i.e. associate, relate, etc.) image diagnoses to correct anatomical structures in relation to the anatomy of the patient, as indicated above), for example); and
establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model, wherein the anatomical position is determined based on the registration, and the anatomical position is defined relative to the schematic body model (Par. [0010-17]: software for image diagnosis also enables the simultaneous representation of several image data records (adjacent to one another or superimposed). The image data records can herewith also originate from different imaging methods. Registration of the image data records herewith enables individual image diagnoses to be compared longitudinally or observed in extended representations (e.g. anatomical details by means of CT, functional information by means of MR, metabolic information by way of PET)… An interactive whole body model is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient. The entire quantity of medical data relating to a patient examination is registered with the body model. With the subsequent diagnosis, the full context information relating to each individual diagnosis is therefore available at any time… The results of previous patient examinations are also registered with the same body model on this basis, so that changes to the diagnoses can be shown between different points in time (also animated as film). Registration of the results of different examinations on a body model also enables reference to be made to possible inconsistencies in the results… With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data … a uniform type of information representation is enabled at any time and in any procedural context across all body regions, organs and image data records of different modalities. As a result, learning and synergy effects and higher efficiencies result during the further (development) and use of the system; Par. [0042-43]: automatically determined information relating to image diagnosis by further characteristics and interpretations… The position in the image (volume) can therefore take place by way of classical registration algorithms REGB (see 1a, 1b). In the simplest case, a registration takes place for instance with the model based on automatically detected field markers. To this end, proximately automatically detected field markers are initially determined for the image diagnosis and the relative position with respect to these field markers is transmitted to the body model… If the diagnoses are prestructured (e.g. in separate sections for head, neck/shoulder, thorax, abdomen/pelvis), this structure can be used to determine the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses. If this is not possible, the anatomical position of individual image diagnoses can generally be determined by means of text analysis REGM. If the anatomical position is determined, a (purely semantic) registration can likewise take place on the body model 2a, 2b. The interaction with the body model K consists inter alia of zooming and filtering the body model. The assistance for the user interaction such as also the function for charging and storing the models 3c, 3d including all contained image diagnoses is summarized in a component ML (model logic) which is likewise connected to the user interface (see 3a, 3b); Par. [0068-71]: a patient-specific whole body model and annotated with semantic metadata. This enables registration of the image data on the model which is to assign image diagnoses to the correct anatomical structures… The model enables an efficient navigation across various body regions and organs including continuous zooming, extensive filtering of the image diagnoses… The representation of various detailed stages, schematic representation of changes to the image diagnoses by means of special symbols is possible (newly occurring image diagnoses, image diagnoses which indicate an improvement or worsening, image diagnoses which have no correspondence in terms of current examination)… interactive representation of the diagnoses in relation to the anatomy of the patient enables, in the manner described above, an improved, comprehensive understanding of the clinical picture, since important context information is made public with each diagnosis… this approach enables the elimination of separate schematic representations of individual organs for the qualitative illustration when localizing the diagnoses; establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model, wherein the anatomical position is determined based on the registration, and the anatomical position is defined relative to the schematic body model (e.g. computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data and/or one or more examination data records of a patient (i.e. the patient data assigned to the patient), includes providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient (i.e. providing a schematic body model of the patient based on the patient data), such as a patient-specific whole body model, including schematic representations (i.e. wherein the schematic body model schematically replicates at least one anatomy of the patient), as shown in Figs. 2-6, for example, which enables registration of image data on the model to assign (i.e. associate, relate, etc.) image diagnoses to correct anatomical structures in relation to the anatomy of the patient including at least one position (i.e. segment, portion, region, etc.) in the body model assigned (i.e. associated, related, etc.) to the examination data record (i.e. the examination information), which enables registration of image data on the model to assign image diagnoses to anatomical structures relative to the whole body model (i.e. establishing a registration between the medical image data and the schematic body model, wherein the anatomical position is determined based on the registration, and the anatomical position is defined relative to the schematic body model), as indicated above), for example), for example).
Gossler teachings above disclose providing an interactive whole body model which is used for the diagnosis of medical data of a patient, as indicated above, but does not expressly disclose building (i.e. creating, generating, etc.) the schematic body model of the patient, as recited in line claim 19.
However, Shoudy teaches building (Par. [0004]: medical imaging guidance system may have a patient sensor that may receive three-dimensional (3D) data associated with a patient and an imaging system that has an imaging hardware component that may acquire image data of an anatomical feature associated with the patient… The medical guidance system may also have a processor that generates a 3D surface map associated with the patient based on the 3D data, generates a 3D patient space from the 3D surface map associated with the patient, generates a 3D patient model by mapping an anatomical atlas to the 3D patient space… The 3D patient model may have one or more 3D representations of anatomical features of a human body within the 3D patient space; Par. [0020-32]: guidance system provided herein provide guidance to an operator via a three-dimensional (3D) patient model. For example, the 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient to the operator. The guidance system may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient… the anatomical and/or physiological information associated with patient 22 may include the degrees of freedom associated with the desired anatomical feature to be imaged or any surrounding and/or adjacent anatomical features of the patient 22… the anatomical information and/or physiological information may include one or more anatomical models. For example, the anatomical models may be associated with anatomical features such a body part, an organ, a muscle, a bone, or the like. The anatomical models may include a polygonal or volumetric 3D model of the anatomical feature. The anatomical model may also be associated with an indexed list of anatomical components of the anatomical feature. The indexed list of anatomical components may include each body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, that is connected with each other body part, organ, muscle, bone, or the like, in the associated anatomical feature. Each anatomical component in the indexed list may share at least one point of correspondence to another anatomical component in the indexed list. For example, with respect to the anatomical feature of the hip-to-femur joint, the anatomical components may include the last lumbar vertebrae (L5), the sacrum (S1), the ilium, the ischium, and the femur. As such, each anatomical model may define the linkages between each of the anatomical components associated with each anatomical model. For example, in the 3D model of the anatomical feature, a point of correspondence for the femur ‘A’ and the point of correspondence for the ischium ‘B’; Par. [0037-39]: controller 24 may generate a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient 22 and provide visual guidance to the operator to position and/or orient the patient 22, the imaging hardware components, or both, via the 3D patient model. For example, after generating the 3D patient model, the controller 24 may send a command signal to the display 30 to present the 3D patient model associated with the patient 22 to the operator. The 3D patient model may visually present the expected position and/or orientation of anatomical features of the patient 22 to the operator… The controller 24 may generate the 3D patient model by generating a 3D surface map of the patient 22… identifying reference points (e.g., anatomical landmarks) within the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space defined by the 3D surface map of the patient 22… based on the acquired sensor data of the patient 22… the controller 24 may estimate the pose (e.g., the position and/or orientation) of the patient 22 and identify one or more anatomical reference points. For example, the anatomical reference points may include the shoulders, the hips, the knees, or any other suitable anatomical landmark… the anatomical reference points may be inferred based on the 3D surface map of the patient. The controller 24 may then fuse the anatomical reference points with the acquired 3D surface map of the patient 22… Based on 3D surface map of the patient 22, the controller 24 may identify or extract 3D anatomical reference points. The controller 24 may then deform one or more anatomical features from an anatomical atlas to the 3D surface map of the patient 22 based on the extracted 3D anatomical reference points to generate the 3D patient model… the guidance system 10 may provide the operator with spatial awareness of expected anatomical features via the 3D patient model; building (e.g. system generates (i.e. builds, creates, etc.) a three-dimensional (3D) patient model (i.e. a schematic body model of the patient) by generating a 3D surface map of the patient, identifying reference points, such as anatomical landmarks, based on the 3D surface map, and deforming an anatomical atlas to the patient space (i.e. the patient data) defined by the 3D surface map of the patient (i.e. building the schematic body model of the patient), as indicated above), for example, including a programmed controller which generates a 3D patient model (e.g., an anatomical twin) associated with the patient and provides visual guidance to an operator to position and/or orient the patient, as indicated above), for example).
Regarding claim 27, claim 16 is incorporated and the combination of Gossler and Suzuki teaches the method (Gossler, Par. [0002-14]), wherein the attributes or the attribute combinations for each pictogram of the predetermined number of pictograms represent a type of examination information (Gossler, Par. [0011-17]: the information collected in the examination report using different types of information representation… a uniform type of information representation is enabled at any time and in any procedural context across all body regions, organs and image data records of different modalities), a nature of a pathological change (Gossler, Par. [0007-16]: the appearance, position and changes to pathological structures are described in the evaluation. The pathological structures are for instance tumors, but also vessels, bones etc. which feature a pathological deviation compared with a healthy normal state… subsequently diagnoses the current image data systematically, wherein his/her cognitive output consists in reaching a coherent clinical picture and thus a diagnosis from numerous pathological changes and abnormalities. Both the individual image diagnosis (pathological abnormalities, often extended by measurements of tumor sizes and degrees of stenosis) and also the summarized evaluation are subsequently verbalized in the form of a radiological examination report and forwarded to the treating physician for instance … With the aid of the semantic annotations which were generated within the scope of the registration and possibly preceding diagnosis and which render the medical significance of a diagnosis and/or an anatomical or pathological structure comprehensible to a computer, it is possible to intelligently navigate between the whole body model and the original image data), but fails to teach the following as further recited in claim 27.
However, Shoudy teaches or a parameter range of the attributes or the attribute combinations (Shoudy, Par. [0017]: imaging system may automate many selections of parameters and/or characteristics than an operator would conventionally adjust to perform a particular type of medical imaging of the patient; Par. [0049-57]: database 14 may include one or more anatomical atlases that represent various types of people with respective characteristics (e.g., body type, height, weight, gender, age, or race). The controller 24 may retrieve the anatomical atlas that most closely corresponds to the particular set of characteristics of the patient 22 being imaged. Additionally, previously acquired imaging data associated with the patient 22 may be fused with the anatomical atlas and provide patient-specific anatomical data that may be registered and deformed to the patient pose to generate the 3D patient model 42. That is, the previously acquired imaging data associated with the patient 22 may provide the estimated positions of anatomical features in the 3D patient model 42 with an increased accuracy as well as more appropriately visualize the internal anatomy of the patient 22… controller 24 may compare each configuration variable in the set of configuration variables to the acceptable ranges associated with each configuration variable. For example, the acceptable ranges may include one or more ranges associated with the desired position and/or orientation of the patient 22 with respect to the imaging components of the imaging system 12. If each configuration variable is within a respective acceptable range, the controller 24 may determine that the patient 22 is at the desired position and/or orientation to acquire the desired scan planes of the patient 22).
The same motivation to combine above-mentioned teachings applies, as previously indicated in claim 18.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record cited in PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. However, due to the inability to determine a reasonable interpretation of claims 1, 3-6, 8-15, 22, and 26, as indicated above, no prior art rejection or determination of allowability over the prior art was possible during examination of instant application.
Applicant’s amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUILLERMO RIVERA-MARTINEZ whose telephone number is 571-272-4979. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8am - 5pm Eastern Time). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Andrew Bee can be reached on 571-270-5183. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GUILLERMO M RIVERA-MARTINEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2677
Prosecution Insights