Picture Archive and Communications System Architecture

Picture Archive and Communication System Architecture

The advent of technology medical equipment including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radiography (x-ray) have become quicker and more efficient. Images and data from these modalities are memory intense and require more film, storage, and handling than was required in the past. As the technology has increased in all areas of the medical field, so has the patient need for more exams and procedures have also increased. In order for the radiology department to maintain efficient workflow with the increased demand faster methods of exam processing, storage, and retrieval are needed.

PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) is a system that acquires, transmits, stores (archives), retrieves (from storage), and displays digital images and related patient information from a variety of imaging modalities and communicates the information over a network. Another system that integrates the patient data to the exam images is the Radiology Information System (RIS). RIS was developed to integrate the entire patient data including radiology exams, patient demographics, and Hospital Information System (HIS).

The enterprise system involves four integrated systems; RIS, PACS, archive servers, and system interface servers. These systems are integrated using a variety of interface servers and hospital network connections for bi-directional communication between the PACS systems and hospital systems.

The RIS server is Unix based using an Oracle database containing patient data, system data, and patient demographics. The RIS server is responsible for receiving information from the HIS and department workstations concerning patient visits, billing and radiology exams. Information is associated between the RIS/HIS/PACS system by the patient’s name and medical record number for data validation. The RIS system is also responsible for retrieval of information for billing, patient visits, and report queries. The RIS system is interfaced to a variety of servers performing other incoming/outgoing functions such as printing, faxing, dictation, and data storage. Storage for the RIS system is accomplished with an EMC CX400 SAN unit with a tape drive backup.

PACS is Unix based with a Sybase based database, Information Management System (IMS) which stores information concerning patient images. The IMS database is