Trends in PACS architecture.
Radiological Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) have only relatively recently become abundant. Many hospitals have made the transition to PACS about a decade ago. During that decade requirements and available technology have changed considerably. In this paper we look at factors that influence the design of tomorrow's systems, especially those in larger multidisciplinary hospitals. We discuss their impact on PACS architecture (a technological perspective) as well as their impact on radiology (a management perspective). We emphasize that many of these influencing factors originate outside radiology and that radiology has little impact on these factors. That makes it the more important for managers in radiology to be aware of architectural aspects and it may change cooperation of radiology with, among others, the hospital's central IT department.
Bellon
Erwin
E
Department of Information Technology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. erwin.bellon@uzleuven.be
Feron
Michel
M
Deprez
Tom
T
Reynders
Reinoud
R
Van den Bosch
Bart
B
D003658:Decision Making, Computer-Assisted; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000639:trends*; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000639:trends*; D018511:Systems Integration; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000639:trends