New AS/400-based PACS for MRI and CT

Following our initial investigation of the utility and performance of an AS/400 based token ring network for MRI image archival, we have designed and embarked upon a project to install multiple token ring networks at three physically separated facilities connected with fiber optic communication to archive and display CT and MRI image data. The system design will connect six MRI systems, six CT systems, four optical storage systems, three image display systems, three radiology report scanners, and a foreign archival system. Network communication and archival functions will be managed by an IBM AS/400. Preliminary estimates indicate that savings of media, space, and personnel as well as the additional benefit of online reports with image data will enhance the quality and efficiency of clinical practice. Additionally, we are evaluating a medical image display system (MIDS) to be used for on-demand image review, prefetched image review, and a potential replacement for modality-specific physicians consoles. The MIDS workstation is a promising addition to clinical practice both from the standpoint of an efficient means of image review as well as image interpretation. We consider this joint project to be an important step in the process of understanding the impact and subsequent consequences of electronic image transmission, information communication, and archival within a busy clinical setting. Our performance and design criteria focus upon the impact of this system on the clinical practice within radiology and the subsequent ramifications of PACS throughout the institution.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.