Symbolic representation of TD-echo and Doppler imaging in a clinical departmental database

A computerized system for graphic reporting of echocardiographic and color-Doppler imaging was included into a clinical cardiological database. Alphanumeric data are recorded into a relational database, built with an Xbase language and working on a Local Area Network (LAN). Cardiac chambers anatomy, left ventricular segmental wall motion analysis, Doppler trans-valvular velocities and color-Doppler mapping of flow patterns are the main items for graphic representation. The system flow chart consists of: a) online input of data; b) graphic mask both for input and reporting of data; c) automatic transfer of data from text to graphic and vice verse; d) grabbling of single frames or short sequences of images for special purpose; e) automatic generation of a mixed text-graphic report for clinical use. The required memory amount consists of a few kbytes/record, provided that no real images are stored. A complete graphic report of the examination can be obtained online with its execution and network sharing greatly enhancing the benefits coming from the procedure. Graphic reporting results to be a friendly, useful, memory sparing, low cost presentation method for significant data from the echo laboratory mainly dedicated to non-specialized cardiological operators.