title: An experimental environment for the production, exchange and discussion of fused radiology images, for the management of patients with residual brain tumour disease.
abstract: The present work aims to display the use of groupware as a tool for better management of the available resources (human, computing and imaging) within the University Hospital of Patras, Greece for the task of managing patients with postoperative residual brain tumour. Emphasis is given to the additional information that can be revealed and taken into account from novel image processing techniques, developed by our group, and the central role of the Medical Physicist in the groupware. Fused images, produced by the combination of CT, MR and SPECT representations of the brain, contain both anatomical and functional information and comprise a new representation of reality. Medical experts, unfamiliar with this new representation, form a groupware for the task of interpreting them and providing better services to the patient. Groupware procedures, facilitated by modern network technology, bring experts' tacit knowledge to the surface and facilitate its exchange.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Sakellaropoulos
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Kagadis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karystianos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karnabatidis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Constantoyannis
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Nikiforidis
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005910:Glioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006115:Greece; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D018511:Systems Integration; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014584:User-Computer Interface