IP Library Granted Patent US 8,315,883
Granted Patent B2
US 8,315,883 · App. 11/859,926 · Granted Nov 20, 2012

Examination-item-selection device, an examination-item-selection method, and an examination-item-selection program

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,315,883
App. No.
11/859,926
Granted
Nov 20, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An examination-item database storing a plurality of types of examination items capable of examining a predetermined disease and attributes of these examination items so as to correspond to one another is prepared, the degree of risk for the predetermined disease is calculated based on individual physical information, a criterion for selection of an examination item for examining the predetermined disease is generated in accordance with the calculated degree of risk, and an examination item having an attribute meeting the selection criterion is searched out from the examination-item database. In addition, the calculated degree of risk and the examination-item database are displayed so as to correspond to the predetermined disease. This makes it possible to perform the optimal examination for each individual in accordance with the degree of risk, thereby improving the efficiency of detection of a disease. Moreover, reduction of superfluous examinations makes it possible to reduce physical and psychological burdens imposed on a patient by examinations.

Claims (25)

1. A medical information processing device, comprising:

a disease-risk calculator configured to read out physical information indicating a physical state of a subject, and to conduct a calculation process using the physical information, so as to calculate a disease-development probability for each of different diseases;

a non-transitory memory configured to store, for each of the different diseases, (1) a treatment cost that is necessary when the disease develops, and (2) at least one examination item and, for each examination item of the at least one examination item, a corresponding examination cost;

a criterion generator configured to multiply, for each of the different diseases, the disease-development probability by the treatment cost to determine an expected value of expenditure for the corresponding disease; and

a searching part configured to search, for each of the different diseases, for an examination item in the memory having an examination cost below the determined expected value of expenditure by comparing the determined expected value of expenditure with the examination cost of the examination item for the corresponding disease.

2. The medical information processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a reference-information-storing part configured to store at least one of reference information on each disease and reference information on the examination item; and

a display configured to display, when a plurality of examination items are searched out by the searching part, at least one of the reference information on each disease and the reference information on the examination items so as to correspond to the searched-out examination items.

3. The medical information processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an input part configured to choose the examination item; and

a display configured to display the examination item chosen by the input part, wherein:

the searching part calculates a difference in cost between the examination item chosen with the input part and the searched-out examination item; and

the display displays the difference in cost along with the chosen examination item.

4. The medical information processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an input part configured to choose another examination item in addition to the searched-out examination item; and

a display configured to display the examination item chosen by the input part, wherein:

the searching part calculates a difference in cost between either the searched-out examination item or the examination item chosen with the input part and the determined expected value; and

the display displays the difference in cost along with the searched-out examination item or the chosen examination item.

5. The medical information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the searching part calculates a total examination cost for all combination patterns of examination items, each examination item being chosen from among the examination items capable of examining each disease, and searches for a combination pattern of examination items in which a difference in absolute value between the total of the determined expected value and the total examination cost is below a predetermined threshold.

6. The medical information processing device of claim 1 , wherein the searching part is further configured to, for each of the different diseases, select the examination item having a highest examination accuracy rank, when the searching part determines that a plurality of examination items have a corresponding examination cost below the determined expected value of expenditure.

7. A medical information processing method in which an examination-item database storing, for each of different diseases of a plurality of diseases, (1) a treatment cost that is necessary when the disease develops, and (2) at least one examination item and, for each examination item of the at least one examination item, a corresponding examination cost is prepared, the medical information processing method being implemented by a processor programmed as a medical information processing device, the method comprising:

reading out physical information indicating a physical state of a subject and conducting a calculation process using the physical information, so as to calculate a disease-development probability for each of the different diseases;

multiplying, for each of the different diseases, the disease-development probability by the treatment cost to determine an expected value of expenditure for the corresponding disease; and

searching, by the medical information processing device, for each of the different diseases, for an examination item in the database having an examination cost below the determined expected value of expenditure by comparing the determined expected value of expenditure with the examination cost of the examination item for the corresponding disease.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2016
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038891/0693 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2007
From: SAKURAI, YASUO; OHYU, SHIGEHARU; TAKAYAMA, TAKUZO; SHIBATA, MARIKO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019866/0705 →