WORKFLOW IN Radiology Flashcards
It simply means how a process is done, step by step.
Workflow
an Image Management system that acquires , stores,
forwards, manipulates and displays images.
- Digital medical images are stored on a medium that
allows quick access until the examination results are
reviewed by a radiologist or other physician.
PACS ( PICTURE ARCHIVING and COMMUNICATION SYSTEM)
Until the mid 1990s, essentially all medical images were _____ that is, the image were presented to the radiologist on
film. The image was interpreted from the film, which was
positioned on a lighted viewbox.
Hard copy
improves image, interpretation, processing,
viewing , storage and recall.
Pacs
viewing is
performed on a cathode ray tube (CRT) or Liquid Crystal Device (LCD).
Note: LCDs are superior to CRT displays
Soft copy
4 Principle Components of PACS
- The image acquisition system
- The display sytem
- The network
- The storage system
Imaging devices that acquire images from the patient such as CT scan, MRI, Ultrasound, Xray machines and etc. Machines are handled with dedicated computers too for viewing the raw
images.
Image Acquisition
Computer used to view a digital image.
The display system
This requires that each workstation must interact with each other imaging system and central computer.
is described the manner in which computer can be connected to interact with one another.
The network
The amount of storage necessary depends on the modality or modalities served by the PACS and on the workload.
The storage system
is becoming more
commonplace in today’s
hospitals because hospital
administrators have come to
see the necessity of having
such a system to serve
physicians and patients even though it is expensive.
picture archiving and
communication system
(PACS
is a universally accepted
standard for exchanging medical
images among the modality,
viewing stations, and the archive
Digital imaging and
communications in medicine
(DICOM)
Ultrasound, computed
tomography (CT), magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI), and
nuclear medicine have been
digital for many years and have
been taking advantage of PACS
far longer than general
radiography has
Image Acquisition
Any computer that a health care
worker uses to view a digital image.
It is the most interactive part of a
PACS, and these workstations are
used inside and outside of radiology.
Display Workstation
File room of the PACS.
The central part of the PACS and houses
all of the historic data along with the
current data being generated.
Archive Servers
is the
most interactive part of a
PACS, consisting of a monitor
and a computer with a mouse
and keyboard
Display Workstation
Used by a radiologist when making
a primary diagnosis.
Has the highest quality hardware,
including the best monitor.
There is generally access to a
nearby RIS, with a dictation system
near or even connected to the
PACS station
Radiologist Reading Stations
Step-down model of the radiologist
reading
station.
Many vendors use the same level of
software but may eliminate some of the
more advanced functions.
Physician Review Stations
May be used to look up examinations
for a physician or to print copies of
images for the patient to take to an
outside physician.
File Room/Image Management
Stations
The term archive can be
defined as a place where
records or documents are
preserved
In a PACS, the electronic
archive serves as the new file room and warehouse for all
DICOM imaging modalities
Archiving Components
contains the master database of everything
that is in the archive.
It controls the receipt, retrieval, and distribution of the images it
stores and also controls all the DICOM processes running within the
archive.
Image manager
consists
of the physical storage
device of the archive system.
image storage or
archive server
The short-term tier is commonly a
RAID.
A RAID is composed of several
magnetic disks or hard drives that
Short Term Storage
Because RAID is becoming
more cost effective, many
hospitals use RAID storage for
both their short
-term and their
long
-term archive.
Long Term Storage
PACS archives are chosen for
many reasons, including system
need, system cost, and system
compatibility
Archive Consideration
