Study Of The Methods For Storage Of Medical Image Data In PACS

The storage approach for medical image data is one of the critical techniques in picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) and can also restrain PACS from its application and development. Medical imaging, one of the most important diagnostic bases in medical practice, is responsible for the rapid development of PACS in medical practice. In China, the research and development of PACS were in progress in the past few years, but there have been very few hospitals in which picture information sharing and far-distance real-time on-line diagnosis are available. The problem of safe storage of great quantity of data has been restraining PACS from its rapid development. In some hospitals, some overseas storage devices and storage management softwares were purchased, but the development of PACS was also restrained due to the waste of functions the expensive price. During the process of the application of PACS, many technical problems need to be solved, particularly problems such as transmission, display, and storage. Currently, the main line used in the network systems in most hospitals is characterized by the optical fiber. Besides, the price for workstations with high-resolution display is decreasing. As a result, transmission and display are no longer a problem, but picture archiving and storage requires rapid storage of enormous amount of data and convenient application of them. Therefore, it is of vital significance to select the appropriate scheme for storage of the enormous amount of data. In this study, based on the construction and execution of PACS in Southwest Hospital and the adequate analysis of the solutions in overseas PACS, we designed and developed a unique set of storage approaches, i.e. on-line, near-line, and off-line storage patterns. The sub-system of PACS established according to our scheme enables the connection of the archiving system consisted of on-line storage of image data for 10 years, 700 G disk array, and 5 IMB servers to the diagnostic report work system consisted of 12 specialized BARCO monitors, 30 SONY monitors, 41 computers, 1-G-optical fiber network, image collection, more than 300 picture scanning workstations, and the Hospital Information System 1 (HIS) of PLA (, Junzhi-1 software system). Because of the scientifically reasonable allocation of storage capacity, the safe long-term storage of enormous medical image data, and comparatively lower price as compared with that of the storage devices and storage management softwares, the three grading storage device designed and developed by us is of great advantages. In Southwest Hospital, PACS system has been connected to 2 CRs, 2 CTs, 1 MRI, and 1 CT/PET in the department of radiology, and 4 monocolored and 5 colored B-mode ultrasonographic machines in the department of ultrasonography, 6 enteroscopes and gastroscopes in the department of gastroenterology, 3 electronic microscope for pathological section, 1 electronic laryngoscope in the department of otorhinolaryngology, TPS system in the department of nuclear radiation medicine, 1 limb joint imaging machine, and 1 X-ray dental film machine. The 1-year operation proves that the storage system with stable functions and low price and high quality is designed reasonably and scientifically and is the successful model of sub-system of PACS system applied in large-scaled comprehensive hospitals. Visitors from other large-scaled comprehensive hospitals praised the system designed and developed by us. Practice has proved that allocated grading storage is the effective method for the long-term storage of image data in PACS regarding the low price and high reliability. In our study, we embodied the design concept of "integration is innovation", based on which "the design scheme was from the clinical practice and research results would be practiced in clinical practice". The design and development of our sub-system of PACS have synthesized the practical experience of clinicians and meet the requirements of examinations and treatment and long-term storage of enormous amount image data. The sub-system of PACS designed and developed by us is of super error tolerance and can solve the problem of recovery of image data, ensuring the recovery of on-line and near-line image data. The PACS storage system can also guarantee permanent unrestricted storage, quick in retrieval, and quick, convenient and reliable in storage and reading, could meet the requirements of long-term storage and management of enormous amount of medical imaging data.