Horizontal PACS deployment in an integrated system

Abstract

In today’s society there exists a continual evolution and enhancement of technology in all realms of industry. This evolution has been becoming much more noticeable in recent years in the medical domain. Of particular significance has been the impact of digital evolution in radiology, in part due to radiology’s heavy reliance upon imaging processes, techniques, and equipment. Of particular interest to radiology departments has been the concept of replacing analog (film-based) imaging with digital imaging. Such a system is broadly known as PACS, or Picture Archival and Communication System, a system that allows for the transmission, archiving, and display of images in an electronic environment. This electronic transformation has the potential to provide substantial benefit and improvement to imaging operations, particularly as they affect integrated delivery systems. This chapter will attempt to use the horizontal PACS implementation experience of two academic radiology departments, and their affiliated community facilities, in order to provide a useful guide to the successful horizontal deployment of PACS in such an integrated system.