Integrated portable digital X-ray imaging system

1. A method for processing a radiographic image of a patient, executed at least in part on a host processor, comprising:

initiating exposure in response to an instruction entered from an operator console;

obtaining radiographic image data from a digital detector that is subjected to the exposure;

using a computer processor, automatically analyzing the obtained radiographic image data according to a plurality of predefined criteria for diagnostic suitability of the radiographic image;

indicating one or more results of the diagnostic suitability analysis at the operator console, the one or more results including one or more problems with the diagnostic suitability; and

automatically providing, at the operator console, a listing of one or more corrective actions based on the indicated one or more results.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising reporting a clinical condition according to a predefined sequence of steps for clinical evaluation executed on the obtained image data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the radiographic image comprises obtaining the image at a mobile radiography system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a rib suppression processing to the obtained radiographic image.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the listing is from data obtained over a network connection.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of predefined criteria for diagnostic suitability of the image relates to information about the patient.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of predefined criteria for diagnostic suitability of the image relates to information from the technician.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the corrective actions include re-taking the image.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined criteria for diagnostic suitability are specified by technician entry.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein indicating one or more results of the diagnostic suitability analysis comprises providing an audible indicator.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein indicating one or more results of the diagnostic suitability analysis comprises providing a displayed indicator.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the listing is from data stored in a memory that is accessible to the operator console.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising reporting a severity indicator indicative of the diagnostic image suitability.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising reporting the severity indicator by at least one of the following: emitting an alarm, emitting an audible tone, displaying a highlighting of at least a portion of the radiographic image data on the operator console, transmitting a text message, and flashing a display element on the operator console.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically analyzing the obtained radiographic image data is accomplished by applying an analyzing algorithm.

16. A method for processing a radiographic image of a patient, executed at least in part on a host processor, comprising:

initiating exposure in response to an instruction entered from an operator console;

obtaining radiographic image data from a digital detector that is subjected to the exposure;

using a computer processor, automatically analyzing the obtained radiographic image data according to a plurality of predefined criteria for diagnostic suitability of the radiographic image, wherein diagnostic suitability of the image is with respect to image contrast, missing marker, clipped anatomy, and grid cutoff;

indicating one or more results of the diagnostic suitability analysis at the operator console, the one or more results including one or more problems with the diagnostic suitability; and

automatically providing, at the operator console, a listing of one or more corrective actions based on the indicated one or more results.