US5878746A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computerized medical diagnostic system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1995-06-06
•
Granted: 1999-03-09
•
Expires: 2015-06-06
Abstract
Abstract A computerized system is disclosed for performing various medical diagnostic tests and evaluating the results thereof. In one form, image data generated from an imaging device, such as a CAT, PET, or MRI scanner, is analyzed by computer and compared with coded information defining past images of the same patient and/or standard images in order to assess the patient's condition. The system may incorporate various types of both imaging and non-imaging modalities for providing data inputs which are stored in a database for analysis. In one particular embodiment, a computer automatically controls the performance of certain tests in accordance with its evaluation of the current input data.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerome H. Lemelson
- 👤 J. Kevin Parker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:56
CPC Classifications
G; G16; G16H; G16H50/00; G16H50/20; G16H30/00; G16H30/40; G16H70/00; G16H70/60; G16H10/00; G16H10/60; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/92; Y10S128/922; Y10S706/00; Y10S706/902; Y10S706/924
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for diagnosing and evaluating disease in a patient, comprising the steps of: generating a present image of a selected anatomical region of the patient's body and inputting digital signals corresponding to said image into a computer; extracting features relating to particular disease states from said image signals with a pattern recognition program and storing feature signals corresponding to said extracted features in a fact database accessible by said computer; comparing said extracted feature signals with similar feature signals corresponding to features extracted from a second image of the same anatomical region which is stored in said fact database, producing a comparison code relating to each such comparison, and storing said comparison codes in said fact database; operating on a plurality of production rules contained in a rule database stored within said computer and relating said comparison codes to certain disease states by an inference program to generate and intelligibly indicate a diagnostic assessment of the patient's condition based on differences between the present and second images.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for diagnosing and evaluating disease in a patient, comprising the steps of: generating a present image of a selected anatomical region of the patient's body and inputting digital signals corresponding to said image into a computer; extracting features relating to particular disease states from said image signals with a pattern recognition program and storing feature signals corresponding to said extracted features in a fact database accessible by said computer; comparing said extracted feature signals with similar feature signals corresponding to features extracted from a second image of the same anatomical region which is stored in said fact database, producing a comparison code relating to each such comparison, and storing said comparison codes in said fact database; operating on a plurality of production rules contained in a rule database stored within said computer and relating said comparison codes to certain disease states by an inference program to generate and intelligibly indicate a diagnostic assessment of the patient's condition based on differences between the present and second images.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inference program forward-chains production rules in order to generate said diagnostic assessment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second image is a previously generated image of the patient's body, and said comparison codes represent changes in the patient's condition over time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second image is a standard image of the anatomical region being examined.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said diagnostic assessment includes intelligible recommendations for further diagnostic tests.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said extracted features include sizes of regions segmented from an input image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said extracted features include shapes of select regions of an image field segmented from the input image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said extracted features include textures of regions segmented from an input image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inference program operates on said production rules by backward-chaining a plurality of production rules in order to test a hypothetical assessment of the patient's condition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fact database includes signal recordings defining non-image features representing clinical parameters and further wherein said production rules relate said non-image features to particular disease states.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising the step of automatically performing a diagnostic test in response to a command generated by the inference program.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for diagnosing and evaluating disease in a patient comprising: an imaging apparatus for generating signals defining a digitized first image of a selected anatomical region of the patient's body and inputting said image signals into a computer; means for extracting features relating to particular disease states from said image signals with a pattern recognition program and storing the extracted features in a fact database; wherein said fact database further includes a digitized second image of the same anatomical region as the first image; means for comparing signals defining said extracted features with signals defining similar features extracted from a second image of the same anatomical region which are stored in said fact database, producing a comparison code relating to each such comparison, and storing said comparison codes in said fact database; means for generating inferences by operating on a plurality of production rules relating comparison codes to certain disease states in order to generate a diagnostic assessment of the patient's condition based on differences detected between the present and standard images.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
173 words
A system for diagnosing and evaluating disease in a patient comprising: an imaging apparatus for generating signals defining a digitized first image of a selected anatomical region of the patient's body and inputting said image signals into a computer; means for extracting features relating to particular disease states from said image signals with a pattern recognition program and storing the extracted features in a fact database; wherein said fact database further includes a digitized second image of the same anatomical region as the first image; means for comparing signals defining said extracted features with signals defining similar features extracted from a second image of the same anatomical region which are stored in said fact database, producing a comparison code relating to each such comparison, and storing said comparison codes in said fact database; means for generating inferences by operating on a plurality of production rules relating comparison codes to certain disease states in order to generate a diagnostic assessment of the patient's condition based on differences detected between the present and standard images.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said inference generating means is operable to forward-chain production rules in order to generate said diagnostic assessment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said second image is a previously generated image of the patient's body, said comparison codes representing changes in the patient's condition over time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said second image defines a standard image of the anatomical region being examined.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said diagnostic assessment includes recommendations for further diagnostic tests.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for extracting features operates to extract features including the size of regions segmented from the input image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for extracting features operates to extract features including the shape of regions segmented from the input image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means for extracting features operates to extract features including the texture of regions segmented from the input image.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said inference generating means operates on said production rules by backward-chaining a plurality of production rules in order to test a hypothetical assessment of the patient's condition.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said fact database contains information defining non-image data representing clinical parameters and further wherein said production rules relate said non-image data to particular disease states.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
128 words
The system as set forth in claim 12 further comprising: an input device for generating digitized non-image data from a diagnostic testing device under the control of said computer; a non-image feature extractor for extracting features relating to particular disease states from said non-image data and storing the extracted features in said fact database; wherein said comparison module is operable to compare extracted features with similar features extracted from non-image data previously stored in said fact database, produces a comparison code relating to each such comparison, and stores said comparison codes in said fact database; and, wherein said inference program operates on a plurality of production rules relating comparison codes to certain disease states to generate a diagnostic assessment of the patient's condition based on said comparison codes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as set forth in claim 22 wherein a diagnostic test is automatically performed in response to a command generated by said inference program.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4839822A
Cited
US5133020A
Cited
US5465308A
Cited
US5463548A
Cited
US5235510A
Cited
US5437278A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-08 | 2002-09-07 | 2003-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-08 | 2006-09-07 | 2007-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-08 | 2010-09-07 | 2011-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |