SMALL PACS FOR DIGITAL MEDICAL IMAGES - RELIABILITY AND SECURITY IN ACLINICAL SETTING

Recently we introduced a small Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS) for handling CT and MRI data. Our experience with this system h as been useful in identifying potential problems in a clinical setting . Since the use of PACS raises both medical and social concerns, it ca nnot be instituted without addressing concerns related to the reliabil ity and security issues. Although PACS is useful in the management of medical images, there are concerns about their reliability and securit y in a clinical setting. Reliability encompassed image quality, timeli ness of the reports, and the PACS to the Radiological Information Syst em (RIS) interface including the retrieval of the previously obtained images. The security of the patient's medical data is also essential.