Dear PACS Insider,
PACS workstation software can be highly complex and it's not always easy for users to determine how to most efficiently configure it to meet their needs. Providing radiologists with individualized help for customizing their PACS software can be a big help, however, Dutch researchers have found.
In a study conducted at the University of Groningen, radiologists who had received adaptive customization support utilized their PACS software's customization features more effectively. Click here for our coverage of the research, which was presented by doctoral student Wiard Jorritsma at ECR 2014.
Transitioning to a new PACS is no easy undertaking, requiring extensive planning and continuous observation of the data migration process, according to Peter van Ooijen, PhD, also from the University of Groningen. In an e-poster at ECR 2014, van Ooijen shared suggestions on how institutions can successfully navigate this often turbulent project. For the details, click here.
In other featured articles this month in your PACS Digital Community, Portuguese researchers recently found that data mining techniques can unlock the wealth of potentially useful information contained in the metadata stored with images on PACS. After they used open-source software to mine the PACS at two different institutions to assess variations in x-ray exposures in computed radiography mammography studies, the University of Aveiro group discovered that radiation exposure values differed significantly between the two hospitals.
Healthcare informatics columnist Dr. Neelam Dugar has returned with a new column on RIS/PACS replacement. In her latest article, Dugar shares how Doncaster Infirmary enhanced the clinical value of its PACS and RIS by understanding and defining HL7 fields from a clinical perspective. Click here to learn more.
If you have any tips or suggestions for topics you'd like to see covered in the PACS Digital Community, please feel free to drop me a line.
