RSNA Image Sharing Project

Bradley J Erickson

March, 2009

A Brief History Lesson

• CTSA Imaging Working Group was formed over a year ago under the direction of RSNA with Brad Erickson as chair.

• A cross-CTSA site image sharing project was actively discussed and from the beginning it drew heavily on caBIG technology and was research focused.

• Daniel Rubin et al. wrote and submitted a white paper to NCRR proposing a 5 site supplementary project.

• NIBIB became interested and the “magnificent 7”sites were preparing a grant proposal.

• Then, during the February RSNA RIC meeting in Orlando the phone rang and everything changed….

Basic Precepts

• IHE is starting point, but there is significant interest in PHRs

• Adoption of IHE, and success of Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) has been less than desired

• Intent of this project is to enable greater image sharing across institutions for better patient care, and to assist research image sharing

Logistics

• Invited proposal from RSNA to NIBIB• Request focused on patient image sharing, support

for PHRs• Research image support was a ‘value-add’

Patient Data Sharing

Research Image Sharing Steps

Modality or PACS

New CTP Edge Server

Images acquired

Local site personnel push from PACS or

Modality to CTP

CTP Replaces PHI with

Study/Subject Info.

Also Inserts a ‘key’ specific to

study/PI

Edge Server notifies PIX of Study/Subject

Then provides entry in Registry

IHE PIX(Research

Affinity Domain)

IHE Document Registry

Research Image Sharing Steps

After some period of time… (we are thinking days)

Edge Server

IHE PIX(Research

Affinity Domain)

IHE Document Registry

Edge Server

IHE PIX(Research

Affinity Domain)

IHE Document Registry

PI or designee pulls studies on a periodic basis

Edge Server

Research PACS

Investigator logs into local Edge Server

Edge Server Queries PIX for all entries for study & subject that PI specifies.

Edge Server queries Document Registry for all entries.

Manifests from Doc Registry are then used to pull studies from remote site Edge server to PI site.

Edge Server forwards images to Research PACS (AETitle for study)

Further Research Image Sharing Steps

Research Study Query Form

Project Status

• The contract details are still being finalized• Vendor participants are still being finalized• A technical review panel is still being finalized• 4 or 5 sites will initially participate

The Message for Today:

• The RSNA is motivated to see successful challenge grant applications that leverage the infrastructure that it is developing and implementing.

• The CTSA informatics group has formed 2 teams, focused on security and workflow, to develop supportive challenge grants

• There is opportunity for more, including better connections to CTMS’s, better connections to analysis tools and visualization tools