This research will establish the feasibility of developing a system of computer hardware and software that may be added to a CT scanner, or other imaging device, to automatically photograph patient images. The prototype will be developed for the CT9800 computer tomography scanner manufactured by General Electric. The system will supplement the CT scanner by automatically photographing a complete series of images from patient examinations. The photography sequence is initiated by an operator and runs unattended. It will not interfere with the scanning functions of the CT scanner. After developing a successful system for the CT9800 scanner, we can adapt it to other medical imaging devices, including magnetic resonance scanners. Because medical imaging is labor-intensive, and this system will lower the amount of technician time required, it will be cost-effective on scanners being used full-time. This provides an excellent opportunity for commercial application of this technological innovation. Other long-term objectives include adapting this interface technique to other problems in medical imaging, including device and image quality control, image transmission and archiving, and patient and image databases.
