Beyond PACSFrom the Radiological Imaging Archive to the Medical Imaging

Global Repository

Patricio Ledesma

Project Manager

pledesma@medting.com

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Medical Imaging

� Usually “Medical Imaging” and “Radiological

Imaging” (X-Ray) are synonyms. However, the

“Medical Imaging” concept also includes

Endoscopies, Echographies, Retinal exams, CTs,

Magnetic Resonances, Microscopy Images, PETs,

Fluoroscopies, etc.

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Medical Imaging

� And much more than that� Certain techniques

to detect and register some biomedical parameters

(Electroencephalogram, Electrocardiography, etc)

can also be called “Medical Imaging”.

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This requires a HUGE quantity of information

that has to be captured, analyzed, transferred,

stored and recovered.

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jpeg Image DICOM Image

Find the difference!

� In Medical Imaging, DICOM format has become a

standard

Includes

DICOM tags

DICOM vs. non-DICOM

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DICOM vs. non-DICOM

Only DICOM images are appropriate to be

clinically used.

Only DICOM images can be stored in PACS.

� non-DICOM Image:

• Pixel information

(compressed or not)

� DICOM Image:

• Pixel information +

DICOM tags

(patient data, modality, etc)

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� PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication

System) is a computer system that stores,

distributes and presents Medical Imaging.

What is a PACS?

� PACS substitutes the physical systems of image

storage, as the radiological support or paper.

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� PACS can only store DICOM images

PACS Limitations

(but medical technology is multi-vendor!)

(but many modalities are supported by non-DICOM!)

� The integration of various PACS-modalities of

different vendors is difficult or impossible

(but there is a huge quantity of modalities supported by

non-radiological images!)

� Nowadays PACS is just extended to radiological

image storage (only)

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The Situation Nowadays

How to solve it?

� PACS just acts as Radiological Image

Repository

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How to solve it?

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What is MIO?

� MIOTM is a Medical Imaging integration tool

which:

C2C - the eHealth company – Medical Imaging Integration

• Acts as a DICOM gateway

• Is compatible with ANY PACS vendor

• Increases greatly the potential of existing

PACS

• Is flexible, versatile, functional and economic

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What is MIO?

� Main features:

C2C - the eHealth company – Medical Imaging Integration

• Sends the selected images to any medical

repository or data center (DICOM Storage, PACS

or RIS)

• Captures various images and videos from any

source or device (DICOM or non-DICOM)

• Writes, edits, reviews, routes and indexes these

images and videos using DICOM and HL7

• Allows medical information integration never

included in PACS before: documents, ECG, etc

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Also digital ECG1

� ECG Status:

• Lack of clear standards

• Device dependence

• ECG into Medical Data Repository?

(natural evolution to PACS)

Is your Hospital achieving optimum profit

from its PACS?

Does your hospital needto integrate

non-RadiologicalImages

into its PACS?

Does your Hospital know

how to maximize profit,from the investment in

Imaging Technologyalready in place?

Is your hospital able toincorporate

Images into your

Patients

Electronic Health Record?

Has your Cardiological Department

asked for

ECGs storage

into your PACS?

Should your hospital centralize in just one

single repository

ALL Medical Imaging?

Does your hospital participate in some Telemedicine Project

that requires

Medical Imagingsharing?

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Medical Imaging Global Repository

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Imaging Integration – Regional Level

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Regional Multi-PACS Project

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Telemedicine Project

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Medical Imaging Global Repository

C2C - the eHealth company – Beyond PACS

� C2C Solution

• All modalities image/video captured through MIO (ophtalmology,

dermatology, ORL; anatomic pathology,B)

• HIS / RIS / PACS integration through MIO and standard languages

(DICOM, HL7,)

• Reports design and implementation to introduce medical information

into images

Case Study

Client

Son Llatzer

Location

Palma de Mallorca

(Baleares Islands, Spain)

Additional Information

European eHealth Award

2004

350 beds

First Digital Hospital

eHealth Award 2005

Project Development

2005 � Benefits to the Client

• Global management of ALL the images of the hospital

• Huge improvements: workflow and patient care

• Better quality of health services

• Cost savings: maximum profit of infrastructure

� Objectives

• All non-radiological images should be

accessed from the same repository

To integrate all non DICOM images into

GE PACS

C2C - the eHealth company – Beyond PACS