METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING AND ACCESSING DIAGNOSTIC IMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING REPORT

1 . A method of distributing diagnostic images associated with a diagnostic imaging report, comprising:

receiving and storing at a DICOM server a diagnostic image and diagnostic information based on an imaging study, wherein storing the diagnostic image comprises associating the diagnostic image with an original file path;

receiving diagnostic report input parameters based on the received diagnostic image and diagnostic information; and

generating a diagnostic imaging report based on the input parameters, wherein the generated diagnostic imaging report comprises a barcode comprising an embedded file path to the stored diagnostic image.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the received diagnostic image is a DICOM persistent object.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the file path is an original URL and wherein the embedded file path is a shortened URL.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein generating a diagnostic imaging report based on the input parameters comprises constructing the shortened URL from the original URL by applying predefined rules based on Web Access to DICOM persistent objects.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the shortened URL is constructed based on a unique identifier from the DICOM Tag Study Instance UID.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the barcode further comprises embedded file path access information for accessing the diagnostic image at the file path.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the barcode is a Quick Response (QR) code.

8 . A DICOM server for distributing diagnostic images associated with a diagnostic imaging report, comprising:

a connectivity interface configured to receive and store at a DICOM storage a diagnostic image and diagnostic information based on an imaging study, wherein storing the diagnostic image comprises associating the diagnostic image with an original file path to the DICOM storage;

a DICOM database configured to store the original file path; and

a DICOM diagnostic report module configured to generate a diagnostic imaging report based on diagnostic report input parameters received from a medical workstation, wherein the generated diagnostic imaging report comprises a barcode comprising an embedded file path to the stored diagnostic image.

9 . The DICOM server of claim 8 , wherein the received diagnostic image is a DICOM persistent object.

10 . The DICOM server of claim 8 , wherein the file path is an original URL and wherein the embedded file path is a shortened URL.

11 . The DICOM server of claim 10 , wherein the DICOM diagnostic report module constructs the shortened URL from the original URL by applying predefined rules based on Web Access to DICOM persistent objects.

12 . The DICOM server of claim 11 , wherein the shortened URL is constructed based on a unique identifier from the DICOM Tag Study Instance UID.

13 . The DICOM server of claim 8 , wherein the barcode further comprises embedded file path access information for accessing the diagnostic image at the file path.

14 . The DICOM server of claim 13 , wherein the barcode is a Quick Response (QR) code.

15 . The DICOM server of claim 8 , further comprising a security module configured to authenticate the medical workstation before receiving the diagnostic report input parameters from the medical workstation.

16 . A scanning device for accessing a diagnostic image associated with a hardcopy diagnostic imaging report, comprising:

a camera;

a barcode reader application configured to:

scan a barcode in the hardcopy diagnostic imaging report using the camera; and

extract a file path embedded in the scanned barcode, wherein the file path is a file path to the diagnostic image;

a network connectivity interface configured to access the diagnostic image at the extracted file path; and

a display configured to display the content of the extracted file path, wherein the content comprises the diagnostic image.

17 . The scanning device of claim 16 , wherein:

the extracted file path is a URL;

the barcode is a QR code; and

wherein the URL is automatically loaded on a web browser of the scanning device when the URL is extracted.

18 . The scanning device of claim 17 , wherein the diagnostic image is a DICOM persistent object.

19 . The scanning device of claim 18 , wherein the barcode reader application is further configured to extract from the barcode embedded URL access information for accessing the diagnostic image at the URL.

20 . The scanning device of claim 19 , wherein the URL is a shortened URL constructed from an original URL by applying predefined rules based on Web Access to DICOM persistent objects.

21 . The scanning device of claim 19 , wherein the barcode reader application further comprises a DICOM reader configured to display the diagnostic image stored at the URL.