Automated imaging protocol management for hybrid modalities

1 . A system, comprising:

a processor that executes computer-executable instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable memory, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

electronically accessing a first medical imaging scanner and a second medical imaging scanner, wherein the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner are of different image-capture modalities; and

electronically performing imaging protocol management across the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner,

wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

determining, by the processor and in response to registration of the first medical imaging scanner, whether or not any other medical imaging scanner is electronically coupled to or is within a threshold proximity of the first medical imaging scanner;

designating, by the processor, in response to a determination that the second medical imaging scanner is electronically coupled to or is within the threshold proximity of the first medical imaging scanner, and on a graphical user interface, the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner as collectively forming a hybrid-modality setup;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the second medical imaging scanner is already registered; and

prompting, by the processor, via the graphical user interface, and in response to a determination that the second medical imaging scanner is not already registered, registration of the second medical imaging scanner.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

pulling, by the processor and from the first medical imaging scanner, one or more first imaging protocol files, a first link file, and one or more first locally-available computing resources;

pulling, by the processor and from the second medical imaging scanner, one or more second imaging protocol files and one or more second locally-available computing resources;

for each dependency referenced in the one or more first imaging protocol files and in the first link file:

determining, by the processor, whether or not the dependency, and its child dependencies, is satisfied by the one or more first locally-available computing resources, by the one or more second imaging protocol files, or by the one or more second locally-available computing resources;

designating, by the processor and on a graphical user interface, the dependency as broken, in response to a determination that the dependency, or any of its child dependencies, is not satisfied by the one or more first locally-available computing resources, by the one or more second imaging protocol files, or by the one or more second locally-available computing resources; and

designating, by the processor and on the graphical user interface, that dependency as valid, in response to a determination that the dependency, and all of its child dependencies, is satisfied by the one or more first locally-available computing resources, by the one or more second imaging protocol files, or by the one or more second locally-available computing resources;

for each dependency referenced in the one or more first imaging protocol files but not referenced in the first link file, designating, by the processor and on the graphical user interface, the dependency as broken; and

for each dependency referenced in the first link file but not referenced in the one or more first imaging protocol files, designating, by the processor and on the graphical user interface, the dependency as valid but unused.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

identifying, by the processor, a hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction, wherein the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction comprises a first imaging protocol file corresponding to the first medical imaging scanner and a second imaging protocol file corresponding to the second medical imaging scanner;

pushing, by the processor, the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction to the first medical imaging scanner and to the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency;

requesting, by the processor and in response to a determination that the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency, that the second medical imaging scanner commit the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction; and

requesting, by the processor and in response to a notification from the second medical imaging scanner indicating that the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction has been successfully committed, that the first medical imaging scanner commit the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

pushing, by the processor, an imaging protocol file to the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the imaging protocol file references as a dependency, or is referenced as a dependency by, any other imaging protocol file; and

instructing, by the processor and in response to a determination that the imaging protocol file references as a dependency, or is referenced as a dependency by, another imaging protocol file, the second medical imaging scanner to locally mark the imaging protocol file as belonging to a hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

identifying, by the processor, a hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction to be restored on the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner, wherein the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction comprises a first imaging protocol file performable by the first medical imaging scanner and a second imaging protocol file performable by the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency;

requesting, by the processor and in response to a determination that the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency, that the first medical imaging scanner restore the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction; and

requesting, by the processor and in response to a notification from the first medical imaging scanner indicating that the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction has been successfully restored, that the second medical imaging scanner restore the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

accessing, by the processor, a request to launch an editor associated with the first medical imaging scanner;

launching, by the processor and in response to the request, the editor associated with the first medical imaging scanner and another editor associated with the second medical imaging scanner.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

identifying, by the processor, a first imaging protocol file that references as a dependency a second imaging protocol file, wherein the first imaging protocol file is performable on the first medical imaging scanner, and wherein the second imaging protocol file corresponds to the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the second imaging protocol file is performable on the second medical imaging scanner;

substituting, by the processor and in response to a determination that the second imaging protocol file is not performable on the second medical imaging scanner, the second imaging protocol file with a third imaging protocol file that is clinically related to the second imaging protocol file and that is performable on the second medical imaging scanner; and

pushing, by the processor, the first imaging protocol file and the third imaging protocol file to the first medical imaging scanner and to the second medical imaging scanner, respectively.

8 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

electronically accessing, by a processor, a first medical imaging scanner and a second medical imaging scanner, wherein the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner are of different image-capture modalities; and

electronically performing, by the processor, imaging protocol management across the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner, wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

pulling, by the processor and from the first medical imaging scanner, one or more first imaging protocol files, a first link file, and one or more first locally-available computing resources;

pulling, by the processor and from the second medical imaging scanner, one or more second imaging protocol files and one or more second locally-available computing resources;

for each dependency referenced in the one or more first imaging protocol files and in the first link file:

determining, by the processor, whether or not the dependency, and its child dependencies, is satisfied by the one or more first locally-available computing resources, by the one or more second imaging protocol files, or by the one or more second locally-available computing resources;

designating, by the processor and on a graphical user interface, the dependency as broken, in response to a determination that the dependency, or any of its child dependencies, is not satisfied by the one or more first locally-available computing resources, by the one or more second imaging protocol files, or by the one or more second locally-available computing resources; and

designating, by the processor and on the graphical user interface, that dependency as valid, in response to a determination that the dependency, and all of its child dependencies, is satisfied by the one or more first locally-available computing resources, by the one or more second imaging protocol files, or by the one or more second locally-available computing resources;

for each dependency referenced in the one or more first imaging protocol files but not referenced in the first link file, designating, by the processor and on the graphical user interface, the dependency as broken; and

for each dependency referenced in the first link file but not referenced in the one or more first imaging protocol files, designating, by the processor and on the graphical user interface, the dependency as valid but unused.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

determining, by the processor and in response to registration of the first medical imaging scanner, whether or not any other medical imaging scanner is electronically coupled to or is within a threshold proximity of the first medical imaging scanner;

designating, by the processor, in response to a determination that the second medical imaging scanner is electronically coupled to or is within the threshold proximity of the first medical imaging scanner, and on a graphical user interface, the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner as collectively forming a hybrid-modality setup;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the second medical imaging scanner is already registered; and

prompting, by the processor, via the graphical user interface, and in response to a determination that the second medical imaging scanner is not already registered, registration of the second medical imaging scanner.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

identifying, by the processor, a hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction, wherein the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction comprises a first imaging protocol file corresponding to the first medical imaging scanner and a second imaging protocol file corresponding to the second medical imaging scanner;

pushing, by the processor, the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction to the first medical imaging scanner and to the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency;

requesting, by the processor and in response to a determination that the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency, that the second medical imaging scanner commit the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction; and

requesting, by the processor and in response to a notification from the second medical imaging scanner indicating that the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction has been successfully committed, that the first medical imaging scanner commit the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

pushing, by the processor, an imaging protocol file to the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the imaging protocol file references as a dependency, or is referenced as a dependency by, any other imaging protocol file; and

instructing, by the processor and in response to a determination that the imaging protocol file references as a dependency, or is referenced as a dependency by, another imaging protocol file, the second medical imaging scanner to locally mark the imaging protocol file as belonging to a hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

identifying, by the processor, a hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction to be restored on the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner, wherein the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction comprises a first imaging protocol file performable by the first medical imaging scanner and a second imaging protocol file performable by the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency;

requesting, by the processor and in response to a determination that the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency, that the first medical imaging scanner restore the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction; and

requesting, by the processor and in response to a notification from the first medical imaging scanner indicating that the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction has been successfully restored, that the second medical imaging scanner restore the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

accessing, by the processor, a request to launch an editor associated with the first medical imaging scanner;

launching, by the processor and in response to the request, the editor associated with the first medical imaging scanner and another editor associated with the second medical imaging scanner.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

identifying, by the processor, a first imaging protocol file that references as a dependency a second imaging protocol file, wherein the first imaging protocol file is performable on the first medical imaging scanner, and wherein the second imaging protocol file corresponds to the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the second imaging protocol file is performable on the second medical imaging scanner;

substituting, by the processor and in response to a determination that the second imaging protocol file is not performable on the second medical imaging scanner, the second imaging protocol file with a third imaging protocol file that is clinically related to the second imaging protocol file and that is performable on the second medical imaging scanner; and

pushing, by the processor, the first imaging protocol file and the third imaging protocol file to the first medical imaging scanner and to the second medical imaging scanner, respectively.

15 . A computer program product for facilitating automated imaging protocol management for hybrid modalities, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable memory having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

electronically access a first medical imaging scanner and a second medical imaging scanner, wherein the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner are of different image-capture modalities; and

electronically perform imaging protocol management across the first medical imaging scanner and the second medical imaging scanner, wherein the imaging protocol management comprises:

identifying, by the processor, a hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction, wherein the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction comprises a first imaging protocol file corresponding to the first medical imaging scanner and a second imaging protocol file corresponding to the second medical imaging scanner;

pushing, by the processor, the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction to the first medical imaging scanner and to the second medical imaging scanner;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency;

requesting, by the processor and in response to a determination that the first imaging protocol file references the second imaging protocol file as a dependency, that the second medical imaging scanner commit the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction; and

requesting, by the processor and in response to a notification from the second medical imaging scanner indicating that the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction has been successfully committed, that the first medical imaging scanner commit the hybrid-modality imaging protocol transaction.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises hybrid-aware scanner registration.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises hybrid-aware detection of broken protocol dependencies.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the imaging protocol management comprises hybrid-aware commit operations or hybrid-aware restore operations.