Software design and implementation for remote consultation in global PACS

Abstract

The PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) have been developed for efficient image file saving and retrieving for the medical applications. The Global PACS system combines imaging equipment, viewing workstation, database archive system and a high speed digital network. The addition of the remote consultation facility to the PACS system is very helpful to the accurate diagnosis of the patients. This thesis suggests the remote consultation system in the Global PACS environment. The system consists of 3 parts--Local WS, Remote WS Consultant, and Database Archive System (DBAS). The viewing workstations provide simple X-Window based user interface, and communicate with each other to send and receive their framing information. In a remote consultation, two radiologists are able to perform diagnosis on the same image, at different workstation locations. They use various forms of frames, and tools for confirmation of their pointing commands on the other's screen. The suggested system was implemented and tested between the SUN and DEC workstations across a Local PACS and Internet. The performance test over the Internet proved the usefulness and efficiency of this remote consultation system.