title: Digital image communication.
abstract: Networks for digital image communication are an essential prerequisite for picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). The scenario of a 'filmless' radiology is based on the assumption that complete sets of medical images can be transferred throughout the hospital without a noticeable delay even though digital images represent data volumes of a thousand-fold greater size than, for example, office documents. This paper deals with an in-depth analysis of the anticipated image communication requirements in a future PACS environment. It gives a survey of technologies for data communication with emphasis on the basic concepts of established local area networks (LAN) and their limiting factors with respect to the specific PACS demands. Likewise, a description of a network particularly developed to satisfy the users-to-be of PACS systems is included. Furthermore, this paper treats the connection of image data with patients' data, i.e. the interlinking of PACS and RIS/HIS structures. Another topic of interest is the extension of the PACS structure beyond the limits of the individual hospital (extramural PACS operation). Moreover, current standardization attempts are discussed here.
authors.affiliation: Aachen University of Technology, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyer-Ebrecht
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D006751:Hospital Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008122:Local Area Networks; D011873:Radiology Information Systems