Method, apparatus and computer program product for facilitating the manipulation of medical images

1. A method of manipulating medical images, the method comprising:

determining a position of a user's hand upon a touch sensitive input device comprising a touch sensitive mouse by determining a position of a thumb of the user upon the touch sensitive mouse, wherein the touch sensitive mouse comprises a first portion proximate an underlying support surface and a second portion spaced from the support surface, wherein determining the position comprises detecting an instance in which the user's hand is in a first position upon the touch sensitive input device in which the thumb of the user rests within the first portion of the touch sensitive mouse and detecting an instance in which the user's hand is in a second position, different than the first position, upon the touch sensitive input device in which the thumb of the user rests within the second portion of the touch sensitive mouse;

in an instance in which the user's hand is determined to be in the first position, enabling a first image manipulation mode in which a first multivariable image manipulation operation and a first single variable image manipulation operation are enabled and interpreting a first type of input to be directing a respective one of the first multivariable image manipulation operation or the first single variable image manipulation operation depending upon the type of input provided while the user's hand is in the first position upon the touch sensitive input device; and

in an instance in which the user's hand is determined to be in the second position, enabling a second image manipulation mode in which a second multivariable image manipulation operation and a second single variable image manipulation operation, different than the first multivariable image manipulation operation and the first single variable image manipulation operation, are enabled and interpreting the first type of input to be directing a respective one of the second multivariable image manipulation operation or the second single variable image manipulation operation, instead of the first multivariable image manipulation operation or the first single variable image manipulation operation, depending upon the type of input provided while the user's hand is in the second position upon the touch sensitive input device,

wherein the first and second multivariable image manipulation operations are directed in response to input comprising movement of the touch sensitive input device and depressing one or more buttons of the touch sensitive input device, and wherein the first and second single variable image manipulation operations are directed in response to input comprising rotation of a scroll wheel of the touch sensitive input device or stroking of the touch sensitive input device.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second multivariable image manipulation operations comprise a move image to or from a viewport operation and a pan operation, respectively.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second single variable image manipulation operations comprise a scroll operation and a zoom operation, respectively.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein enabling the first and second image manipulation modes comprises enabling both a respective multivariable image manipulation operation and a respective single variable image manipulation operation in each of the first and second image manipulation modes.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein enabling the first and second image manipulation modes comprises identifying first and second modifier keys, respectively, to have been actuated.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first multivariable image manipulation operation and the first single variable image manipulation comprise a move image to or from a viewport operation and scroll through a plurality of images within the viewport operation, respectively, and wherein the second multivariable image manipulation operation and the second single variable image manipulation comprise a pan operation and a zoom operation, respectively.

7. An apparatus for manipulating medical images, the apparatus comprising a processing device configured to cause the apparatus to:

determine a position of a user's hand upon a touch sensitive input device comprising a touch sensitive mouse by determining a position of a thumb of the user upon the touch sensitive mouse, wherein the touch sensitive mouse comprises a first portion proximate an underlying support surface and a second portion spaced from the support surface, wherein determining the position comprises detecting an instance in which the user's hand is in a first position upon the touch sensitive input device in which the thumb of the user rests within the first portion of the touch sensitive mouse and detecting an instance in which the user's hand is in a second position, different than the first position, upon the touch sensitive input device in which the thumb of the user rests within the second portion of the touch sensitive mouse;

in an instance in which the user's hand is determined to be in the first position, enable a first image manipulation mode in which a first multivariable image manipulation operation and a first single variable image manipulation operation are enabled and interpret a first type of input to be directing a respective one of the first multivariable image manipulation operation or the first single variable image manipulation operation depending upon the type of input provided while the user's hand is in the first position upon the touch sensitive input device; and

in an instance in which the user's hand is determined to be in the second position, enable a second image manipulation mode in which a second multivariable image manipulation operation and a second single variable image manipulation operation, different than the first multivariable image manipulation operation and the first single variable image manipulation operation, are enabled and interpret the first type of input to be directing a respective one of the second multivariable image manipulation operation or the second single variable image manipulation operation instead of the first multivariable image manipulation operation or the first single variable image manipulation operation, depending upon the type of input provided while the user's hand is in the second position upon the touch sensitive input device,

wherein the first and second multivariable image manipulation operations are directed in response to input comprising movement of the touch sensitive input device and depressing one or more buttons of the touch sensitive input device, and wherein the first and second single variable image manipulation operations are directed in response to input comprising rotation of a scroll wheel of the touch sensitive input device or stroking of the touch sensitive input device.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first and second multivariable image manipulation operations comprise a move image to or from a viewport operation and a pan operation, respectively.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first and second single variable image manipulation operations comprise a scroll operation and a zoom operation, respectively.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the processing device is configured to cause the apparatus to enable the first and second image manipulation modes by enabling both a respective multivariable image manipulation operation and a respective single variable image manipulation operation in each of the first and second image manipulation modes.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the processing device is configured to cause the apparatus to enable the first and second image manipulation modes by identifying first and second modifier keys, respectively, to have been actuated.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the first multivariable image manipulation operation and the first single variable image manipulation comprise a move image to or from a viewport operation and scroll through a plurality of images within the viewport operation, respectively, and wherein the second multivariable image manipulation operation and the second single variable image manipulation comprise a pan operation and a zoom operation, respectively.

13. A computer program product for manipulating medical images, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein program instructions for:

determining a position of a user's hand upon a touch sensitive input device comprising a touch sensitive mouse by determining a position of a thumb of the user upon the touch sensitive mouse, wherein the touch sensitive mouse comprises a first portion proximate an underlying support surface and a second portion spaced from the support surface, wherein determining the position comprises detecting an instance in which the user's hand is in a first position upon the touch sensitive input device in which the thumb of the user rests within the first portion of the touch sensitive mouse and detecting an instance in which the user's hand is in a second position, different than the first position, upon the touch sensitive input device in which the thumb of the user rests within the second portion of the touch sensitive mouse;

in an instance in which the user's hand is determined to be in the first position, enabling a first image manipulation mode in which a first multivariable image manipulation operation and a first single variable image manipulation operation are enabled and interpreting a first type of input to be directing a respective one of the first multivariable image manipulation operation or the first single variable image manipulation operation depending upon the type of input provided while the user's hand is in the first position upon the touch sensitive input device; and

in an instance in which the user's hand is determined to be in the second position, enabling a second image manipulation mode in which a second multivariable image manipulation operation and a second single variable image manipulation operation, different than the first multivariable image manipulation operation and the first single variable image manipulation operation, are enabled and interpreting the first type of input to be directing a respective one of the second multivariable image manipulation operation or the second single variable image manipulation operation instead of the first multivariable image manipulation operation or the first single variable image manipulation operation, depending upon the type of input provided while the user's hand is in the second position upon the touch sensitive input device,

wherein the first and second multivariable image manipulation operations are directed in response to input comprising movement of the touch sensitive input device and depressing one or more buttons of the touch sensitive input device, and wherein the first and second single variable image manipulation operations are directed in response to input comprising rotation of a scroll wheel of the touch sensitive input device or stroking of the touch sensitive input device.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13 wherein enabling the first and second image manipulation modes comprises enabling both a respective multivariable image manipulation operation and a respective single variable image manipulation operation in each of the first and second image manipulation modes.

15. A computer program product according to claim 13 wherein the first multivariable image manipulation operation and the first single variable image manipulation comprise a move image to or from a viewport operation and scroll through a plurality of images within the viewport operation, respectively, and wherein the second multivariable image manipulation operation and the second single variable image manipulation comprise a pan operation and a zoom operation, respectively.