Do we really need standards in digital image management?
- Author:
ELM Ho
- Publication Type:Editorial
- Keywords:
Digital image management, DICOM, PACS, lossy compression, lossless compression
- From:Biomedical Imaging and Intervention Journal
2008;4(4):1-4
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Convention dictates that standards are a necessity rather than a luxury. Standards are supposed to improve the
exchange of health and image data information resulting in improved quality and efficiency of patient care. True
standardisation is some time away yet, as barriers exist with evolving equipment, storage formats and even the standards
themselves. The explosive growth in the size and complexity of images such as those generated by multislice computed tomography have driven the need for digital image management, created problems of storage space and costs, and created a challenge for increasing or getting an adequate speed for transmitting, accessing and retrieving the image data.
The search for a suitable and practical format for storing the data without loss of information and medico-legal
implications has become a necessity and a matter of ‘urgency’. Existing standards are either open or proprietary and must comply with local, regional or national laws. Currently there are the Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS); Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM); Health Level 7 (HL7) and Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE). Issues in digital image management can be categorised as operational, procedural, technical and administrative. Standards must stay focussed on the ultimate goal – that is, improved patient care worldwide.
- Full text:W020150908375478259741.pdf
