Method for image generation and image evaluation

1. A method for generating a medical image and evaluating the medical image, comprising:

in a processor comprising a user interface, executing, prior to acquisition of raw data from a patient, a primary application program that formulates a sequence of operation of a medical modality, dependent on selected modality parameters, to operate said medical modality to acquire said raw data from the patient by interaction of the patient with the medical modality, and to operate a reconstruction computer to reconstruct image data from the raw data to produce the medical image by executing a reconstruction algorithm employing selected reconstruction parameters, and to control an automated evaluation of the medical image dependent on a selected analysis application program, wherein said modality parameters and selection of said reconstruction parameters affect an image content of said medical image;

via said interface, entering a designation of the selected analysis application program and a designation of patient information describing at least one physical attribute of the patient that is needed for said automated evaluation of the medical image, said selected analysis application program having an image content requirement that said medical image must satisfy in order for said medical image to be analyzed by said selected analysis application program;

executing a secondary application program in said processor to automatically propose, via said user interface, a single set of parameter values in said sequence for said modality parameters and said reconstruction parameters, said single set of parameter values being coordinated to said analysis application program and the patient information provided to said processor in order to make said medical image satisfy said image content requirement for said analysis application; and

presenting a visual representation of the formulated sequence at a display screen in communication with said processor for acceptance or modification by a user.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said primary application program, presenting the user, via said user interface, with a plurality of analysis application programs in a form allowing said user to select one of said analysis application programs for evaluating said medical image.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 comprising providing at least one analysis application program, among said plurality of analysis application programs, that is configured to segment said image data in said medical image.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said analysis application program configured to segment said image data in said medical image is also configured to automatically analyze the segmented image data.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said secondary application program sets said image content requirements selected from the group consisting of contrast and image sharpness.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, via said secondary application program, automatically presetting said modality parameters.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, via said secondary application program, automatically presetting said reconstruction parameters.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing, as said patient information, patient-specific data describing anatomical or physiological features of the patient.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising storing data representing a baseline examination in a memory file that is accessible by said processor and, when executing said secondary application program, automatically accessing said data representing said baseline examination from said file and using at least a portion of said data representing said baseline examination as a reference with respect to which said medical image is analyzed, and comprising formulating said single set of parameters for said sequence in order to give said medical image an image content that is consistent with said data representing said baseline examination, in order to allow said data representing said baseline examination to be used as said reference with respect to which said medical image is analyzed.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising, in said secondary application program, transforming parameter values for said baseline examination, contained in said data representing said baseline information, into a set of parameter values according to a stored algorithm accessible by said processor, in order to make said at least one of said acquisition of said raw data, said reconstruction of said medical image, and said evaluation of said medical image, comparable to said baseline examination.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 comprising, in said stored algorithm for transforming said parameter values, automatically compensating for anatomical changes to said patient that have occurred between said baseline examination and said acquisition of said raw data from said patient.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 comprising, in said stored algorithm for transforming said parameter values, automatically compensating for technical changes to said imaging modality that have occurred between said baseline examination and said acquisition of said raw data from said patient.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising employing a computed tomography apparatus as said medical modality.