Το πρότυπο DICOM και η εφαρμογή του στην ιατρική πρακτική.

Abstract

Στην παρούσα πτυχιακή εργασία αναλύεται η δομή και η λειτουργία του προτύπου DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine) και πως αυτό χρησιμοποιείται στην ιατρική πρακτική. Το πρότυπο, αυτό, σκοπό έχει τη διανομή, την αποθήκευση, τη διαχείριση και την επεξεργασία των ψηφιακών ιατρικών εικόνων μέσα σε ένα κλινικό περιβάλλον. Οι ιατρικές εικόνες προέρχονται από συγκεκριμένα απεικονιστικά συστήματα και απεικονίζουν τομές οργάνων του ανθρώπινου σώματος. Οι εικόνες αυτές είναι της μορφής DICOM και για να προβληθούν και να επεξεργαστούν σε έναν Ηλεκτρονικό Υπολογιστή χρειάζονται συγκεκριμένα λογισμικά που ονομάζονται DICOM Viewers. Γι’ αυτό, παρουσιάζεται η επεξεργασία στην οποία μπορούν να υποβληθούν μέσα από αυτά τα λογισμικά, καθώς και η δημιουργία μια Γραφικής Διεπαφής Χρήστη σε περιβάλλον MATLAB, η οποία αποτελεί έναν απλό DICOM Viewer.

The aim of this thesis is the analysis of DICOM standard (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine) and its application in medical practice and also, the creation and implementation of a Graphical User Interface through which the user can process a digital medical image. The first part, which is the theoretical approach, is referred to the field of Medical Informatics; since it contains the storage, the transmission and the process of a digital medical image using DICOM. Also, the methods of Medical Imaging are presented and the imaging systems that produce digital medical images, and the types of the images that exist, while the basic principles of image processing are analyzed, in which each image from the imaging systems may be submitted. Then, there is an extensive reference to DICOM, since this is the key of the creation and transmission of all digital medical images. The structure and the function of this model are being developed and how it can be associated to other systems located in a clinical environment (HIS, RIS, PACS). The second part, which is the practical part, some DICOM Viewers are presented, through which DICOM medical images can be viewed, and also, the processes that are included to them, through these DICOM Viewers. Furthermore, an analysis of a personal research that took place in the CT's section of Venizeleio Hospital of Heraklion, and the basic image processing of CT images, which is done by the technologists of the department is being presented. Finally, the design and the implementation of a Graphical User Interface is given, which was created in a MATLAB environment for viewing and processing of medical images and its operation based on the principles of medical image processing is being presented.