At the Forefront of Medical Imaging Technology
(from The Mercy Touch Magazine)
Ever heard of a PACS (picture archiving and communication system)? Or a digital detector, a device that takes x-rays without film? Both are keeping the Mercy Medical Center’s Radiology Department at the forefront of medical imaging technology.
Mercy was the first clinical site in the Midwest, and only the third site in the United States, to have a digital radiography system linked to a PACS, noted Duane Dzingle, director of the Mercy Radiology Department.
Dzingle explained, "The PACS stores, displays and transmits all types of digital (computerized) medical images – CT, MRI, ultrasound, and now conventional x-rays. Today, Mercy has PACS viewing stations on all patient floors and in Radiology, the Emergency Room and Surgery. Some doctors’ offices have viewing stations, also."
Radiologist Elwood Stone, M.D., medical director of the Mercy Radiology Department, noted, "The PACS offers numerous benefits, among them helping physicians interpret medical images by use of computer manipulation."
Other benefits of Mercy’s PACS, said Dr. Stone, are faster access to images, elimination of missing films, reduction in film costs, and a decrease in the amount of film storage space needed.
Conventional x-rays were added to the PACS when Mercy acquired direct radiography (DR) technology last May. In DR, Dzingle said, x-ray film is replaced with one digital detector, which can be used literally hundreds of thousands of times
This device contains amorphous silicon, a material also used in fax machines. It enables the digital detector to capture the x-ray beam and convert it to an electronic signal. At once, the image appears on a monitor.
"Direct radiography works very much like a digital camera," noted Dzingle. "It makes an exposure and instantly displays the picture. If the picture is not right, it can be deleted and immediately retaken, or manipulated so it has the correct brightness and contrast."
Dr. Stone said, "DR provides several advantages to radiologists and also referring physicians. From the radiologist’s perspective, digital images are more uniform in density and more reproduceable in quality."
He continued, "Digital images can be manipulated via computer by the radiologist. This allows better evaluation of areas of anatomy that would be ‘invisible’ on film because of differing tissue densities."
Digital images can be transmitted to distant sites over phone lines and other types of telecommunication lines. Radiologists can then interpret after-hours studies more promptly than they could if they had to drive to the hospital or a physician’s office, Dr. Stone added.
"Being able to receive transmitted images at distant sites allows the referring physician to obtain x-rays more easily and rapidly than the previous system of sending films by courier or mail," Dr. Stone said.
"Images stored on a computer can be sent to the referring physician in his or her office, and still be accessible at the hospital," he added. "A piece of x-ray film can only be in one place at a time. It can also be lost, a problem eliminated with digital imaging and PACS."
Dzingle concluded, "PACS and digital medical imaging are constantly evolving, and Mercy intends to stay at the forefront of this high-tech revolution. Ultimately, it helps us provide better patient care."
