Combined PACS and intranet information system in a university hospital.

Purpose: The Department of Radiology at the University Hospital Innenstadt Munich provides all clinical departments of a large university hospital wit h several radiology units at different locations. During the last four year s all units have been fully digitalized with a stepwise installation of a P ACS. The PACS also processes images from the Nuclear Medicine Department. M ethods: As image modalities, archive systems and review workstations, we us e devices from multiple vendors, which are integrated into a consistent sys tem using the DICOM standard. The hospital has developed its own RIS and an intranet information system, which provides access to all reports and imag es from radiology for all clinical departments inside the hospital Addition ally, other clinical information such as laboratory results or ECC examinat ions are available through the system. Results: After one year of operation , the system succeeded in the clinical routine work as the primary source f or radiological reports and images as well as for laboratory values. Conclu sion: The advantages of digitalization were, besides reduction of film cost , especially optimizations of work flow with access to digital images from everywhere at any time.