title: Evaluation of radiological workstations and web-browser-based image distribution clients for a PACS project in hands-on workshops.
abstract: The methodology and outcome of a hands-on workshop for the evaluation of PACS (picture archiving and communication system) software for a multihospital PACS project are described. The following radiological workstations and web-browser-based image distribution software clients were evaluated as part of a multistep evaluation of PACS vendors in March 2001: Impax DS 3000 V 4.1/Impax Web1000 (Agfa-Gevaert, Mortsel, Belgium); PathSpeed V 8.0/PathSpeed Web (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wis., USA); ID Report/ID Web (Image Devices, Idstein, Germany); EasyVision DX/EasyWeb (Philips Medical Systems, Eindhoven, Netherlands); and MagicView 1000 VB33a/MagicWeb (Siemens Medical Systems, Erlangen, Germany). A set of anonymized DICOM test data was provided to enable direct image comparison. Radiologists ( n=44) evaluated the radiological workstations and nonradiologists ( n=53) evaluated the image distribution software clients using different questionnaires. One vendor was not able to import the provided DICOM data set. Another vendor had problems in displaying imported cross-sectional studies in the correct stack order. Three vendors (Agfa-Gevaert, GE, Philips) presented server-client solutions with web access. Two (Siemens, Image Devices) presented stand-alone solutions. The highest scores in the class of radiological workstations were achieved by ID Report from Image Devices ( p<0.005). In the class of image distribution clients, the differences were statistically not significant. Questionnaire-based evaluation was shown to be useful for guaranteeing systematic assessment. The workshop was a great success in raising interest in the PACS project in a large group of future clinical users. The methodology used in the present study may be useful for other hospitals evaluating PACS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Radiology, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland. thomas_boehm@gmx.net
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Handgraetinger
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ploner
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Voellmy
authors.forename: Borut
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marincek
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wildermuth
mesh_terms: D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D016288:Computer Terminals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004493:Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D019112:Teleradiology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014584:User-Computer Interface