Training and testing system for advanced image processing

Abstract

Techniques for providing medical image processing training are described herein. According to one embodiment, at least one medical image associated with a medical image processing training course (MIPTC) is displayed in a first display area. An instruction is displayed in a second display area, where the instruction requests a user to perform a quantitative determination on at least a portion of a body part within the medical image displayed in the first display area. In response to a user action from the user, the requested determination is performed on the displayed medical image. It is determined automatically without user intervention at least one quantitative value representing a result of the user action. The quantitative value is compared to a predefined model answer.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for providing a networked system of computer training stations, the method comprising:
 providing an image processing server that includes an image processing training system, the image processing training system having at least one medical image associated with a medical image processing training course, including:
 capturing the at least one medical image using a medical imaging device so that the at least one medical image includes a view of an internal organ or structure of a body captured by the medical imaging device in image slices that are combined to form the at least one medical image, and 
 storing the at least one medical image in a storage associated with the image processing server; 
 providing a first computer training station, the first computer training station implemented by a first client device and a first display, including: 
 displaying by the first client device, in a first display area of the first display, the at least one medical image, 
 providing, by the first client device within a second display area of the first display, one or more image processing operations to be performed on the at least one medical image, including one or more user selectable image processing tools to allow users to measure a diameter, an area, a distance, or a volume of a body part within the at least one medical image displayed in the first display area, 
 providing, by the first client device, an instruction associated with one or more image processing operations, the instruction requesting the first user to perform a quantitative determination on at least a portion of the body part within the at least one medical image displayed in the first display area and to perform the one or more image processing operations on the at least one medical image using the one or more image processing tools provided by currently displayed one or more image processing operations on the first client device, 
 transmitting, from the first client device to the image processing server, a user action input performed by the first user using the one or more of the image processing tools in response to performing the requested quantitative determination and the one or more image processing operations, wherein the user action invokes the image processing server to perform the quantitative determination based on a determined type of user action performed by the first user, 
 receiving, by the first client device from the image processing server, a quantitative value as a result of the image processing server performing the quantitative determination, 
 comparing the quantitative value to a predefined model answer associated with the medical image to determine a score evaluating the quantitative determination performed by the first user, and 
 providing, by the first client device, another instruction associated with one or more image processing operations, the instruction requesting the first user to perform an additional quantitative determination and to perform one or more additional image processing operations. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising displaying the quantitative value representing the result of the user action compared to the predefined model answer. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the quantitative determination is a two-dimensional (2D) image measurement. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the quantitative determination is a three-dimensional (3D) image measurement. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the predefined model answer comprises a predetermined range, and wherein the predetermined range is one of a plurality of predefined ranges, each associated with one of a plurality different training levels. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the instruction further requests the first user to locate and identify the body part from the displayed image. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the instruction further requests the first user to isolate a volume of anatomy for evaluation, wherein the anatomy represent one of a bone, an organ, a blood vessel, a colon, a tumor, a nodule, and a polyp. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the instruction comprises determining one of an ejection fraction, an uptake value and a flow measurement. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 aggregating quantitative determination answers of the first user with answers from other users who have taken the training course previously; and   displaying a statistics result based on the aggregated answers.   
     
     
         30 . A system comprising:
 an image processing server that includes an image processing training system, the image processing training system having at least one medical image associated with a medical image processing training course (MIPTC);   a medical imaging device that captures the at least one medical image and stores the at least one medical image in a storage associated with the image processing server, wherein the at least one medical image includes a view of an internal organ or structure of a body captured by the medical imaging device in image slices that are combined to form the at least one medical image; and,   a first computer training station, the first computer training station implemented by a first client device and a first display:
 wherein the first client device displays, in a first display area of the first display, the at least one medical image, 
 wherein the first client device provides within a second display area of the first display, one or more image processing operations to be performed on the at least one medical image, including one or more user selectable image processing tools to allow users to measure a diameter, an area, a distance, or a volume of a body part within the at least one medical image displayed in the first display area, 
 wherein the first client device provides an instruction associated with one or more image processing operations, the instruction requesting the first user to perform a quantitative determination on at least a portion of the body part within the at least one medical image displayed in the first display area and to perform the one or more image processing operations on the at least one medical image using the one or more image processing tools provided by currently displayed one or more image processing operations on the first client device, 
 wherein the first client device transmits to the image processing server, a user action input performed by the first user using the one or more of the image processing tools in response to performing the requested quantitative determination and the one or more image processing operations, wherein the user action invokes the image processing server to perform the quantitative determination based on a determined type of user action performed by the first user, 
 wherein the first client device receives from the image processing server, a quantitative value as a result of the image processing server performing the quantitative determination, 
 wherein the quantitative value is compared to a predefined model answer associated with the medical image to determine a score evaluating the quantitative determination performed by the first user, and 
 wherein the first client device provides another instruction associated with one or more image processing operations, the instruction requesting the first user to perform an additional quantitative determination and to perform one or more additional image processing operations. 
   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the method further comprises displaying the quantitative value representing the result of the user action compared to the predefined model answer. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the quantitative determination is a two-dimensional (2D) image measurement. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the quantitative determination is a three-dimensional (3D) image measurement. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the predefined model answer comprises a predetermined range, and wherein the predetermined range is one of a plurality of predefined ranges, each associated with one of a plurality different training levels. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the instruction further requests the first user to locate and identify the body part from the displayed image. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the instruction further requests the first user to isolate a volume of anatomy for evaluation, wherein the anatomy represent one of a bone, an organ, a blood vessel, a colon, a tumor, a nodule, and a polyp. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the instruction comprises determining one of an ejection fraction, an uptake value and a flow measurement. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein quantitative determination answers of the first user are aggregated with answers from other users who have taken the training course previously and a statistics result is displayed based on the aggregated answers. 
     
     
         39 . A method for providing a networked system of computer training stations, the method comprising:
 providing software stored on non-transitory computer readable medium that when run on an image processing server implements an image processing training system, the image processing training system having at least one medical image associated with a medical image processing training course (MIPTC), wherein the at least one medical image includes a view of an internal organ or structure of a body captured by a medical imaging device in image slices that are combined to form the at least one medical image, including
 capturing the at least one medical image by the medical imaging device, and 
 storing the at least one medical image in a storage associated with the image processing server; and, 
   providing software stored on non-transitory computer readable medium that when run on a first computer training station that includes a first client device and a first display, causes the first client device to perform the following:
 displaying by the first client device, in a first display area of the first display, the at least one medical image, and 
 providing, by the first client device within a second display area of the first display, one or more image processing operations to be performed on the at least one medical image, including one or more user selectable image processing tools to allow users to measure a diameter, an area, a distance, or a volume of a body part within the at least one medical image displayed in the first display area, 
 providing, by the first client device, an instruction associated with one or more image processing operations, the instruction requesting the first user to perform a quantitative determination on at least a portion of the body part within the at least one medical image displayed in the first display area and to perform the one or more image processing operations on the at least one medical image using the one or more image processing tools provided by currently displayed one or more image processing operations on the first client device, 
 transmitting, from the first client device to the image processing server, a user action input performed by the first user using the one or more of the image processing tools in response to performing the requested quantitative determination and the one or more image processing operations, wherein the user action invokes the image processing server to perform the quantitative determination based on a determined type of user action performed by the first user, 
 receiving, by the first client device from the image processing server, a quantitative value as a result of the image processing server performing the quantitative determination, 
 comparing the quantitative value to a predefined model answer associated with the medical image to determine a score evaluating the quantitative determination performed by the first user, and 
 providing, by the first client device, another instruction associated with one or more image processing operations, the instruction requesting the first user to perform an additional quantitative determination and to perform one or more additional image processing operations. 
   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 aggregating quantitative determination answers of the first user with answers from other users who have taken the training course previously; and   displaying a statistics result based on the aggregated answers.