EuroPACS 2006

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece

A RIS/PACS system with integrated advanced image processing technology,

which is extensible by end-users (in Java or Matlab)

Kostas P. Karolemeas1, Thomas G. Maris2 , A. Karantanas3, N. Gourtsoyiannis3

1Evorad – Medical Information Systems, Athens, Greece2Medical Physics Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

3Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

Kostas P. KarolemeasResearch Fellow, University Hospital of Heraklion, Greece

Chief Technology Officer, Evorad

EuroPACS 2006

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Case Study

End-user extensible image processing technology

provided by:

applied to:

RIS/PACS & Research PACS

www.evorad.com


University Hospitalof Heraklion

www.med.uoc.gr www.pagni.gr

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Previous Status

Time consuming image and data transferring between independent workstations

In-house developed software required two many steps to complete

Lack of algorithm documentation and limited customization in commercial post-processing software

Significantly complex image processing for radiologists to apply on a regular basis

Remote researchers needed extra software apart from exchanging e-mails and CDs with images

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Requirements

Advanced medical image processing:

rapidly implemented or customized by end-users

integrated with regular RIS/PACS work-flow for use by radiologists and technologists

with batch-processing capabilities for clinical research

integrated with external tools for advanced mathematical calculations

with data extraction capabilities for further processing (e.g. statistics)

with support for geographically dispersed teams

with results' attachment to exams

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Evorad RIS/PACS

Visual examination scheduling

Full examination work-flow

EHR with images and HL7 integration

Voice recording and speech recognition for reports

Integrated report editor with templates

Extensive reporting

Full functionality available through the Internet

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Evorad RIS/PACS

Full DICOM integration

Extended image manipulation

Imports images from other exams for comparison

Extensible image processing technology

Extensible image importing/exporting technology

CD/DVD viewer with full image processing

Full functionality available through the Internet

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Evorad Research PACS

Image processing is integrated with RIS/PACS exam work-flow

Researchers can test and update their image processing algorithms from within the PACS system and then publish them instantly for use by all authorized local and remote users (through the Internet).

Researchers can develop their image processing techniques (called “image processors”) in Java, Matlab or both

Remote users can access through the Internet the full functionality available to local users.

Operating system independent (supports Windows, Linux, Solaris)

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Image Processors (Java)

“Image Processors”:

Written in Java based on templates

Are dynamically updated and published to all users

Can have parameters

Can be chained

Have full access to RIS/PACS database

Can export / import information / images

Can be published in image CDs/DVDs

“Image processors” can define parameters to allow the user to configure their

execution

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Image Processors (Matlab)

A Matlab session is started from within PACS and image data can be exchanged transparently

without external files

Transparent PACS integration with Matlab.

Export images / image series as 2D / 3D arrays to Matlab

Process data in Matlab

Import resulting 2D / 3D arrays as images / image series from Matlab

Import Figures from Matlab

Execute Matlab programs as “Image Processors”


Applying Image Processors

The results of “Image processor” application can be attached to the examination and become

available to other users

“Image Processor” application:

Images and other data can be exported / imported using customizable algorithms

1. A set of images/image series is selected

2. The required processor is picked from a list

3. Any parameters are set

4. The resulting images are added to the current window

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Batch Processing

A provided “image exporter” accumulates user-specified information (ROI, exam fields) from multiple images to specified spreadsheets.

A complex combination of actions such as:

creating new series from existing images

applying “image processors”

exporting / importing images and other informationcan be recorded, saved under a user-defined name forfuture reference, and applied to a set of examinations.

This can accelerate repetitive procedures especially in clinical research contexts.

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece New Status

Streamlining Image Processing

In-house developed image processing algorithms have been migrated to “image processors”

Integration with Matlab accelerates development work for new techniques

All techniques are developed and applied to regular exams even by radiologists within the exams' work-flow

“image processor” parameterization capabilities foster the development of versatile algorithms

Supporting Collaboration

Remote researchers can access examinations and apply “image processors” through the Internet with all functionality available to local users

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece New Status (Cont.)

Accelerating Result Extraction

Manual image processing and data extraction procedures performed repetitively for clinical research are been replaced by automated sequences of system actions

Significant time reductions between image acquisition processing results publication

All generated information is now attached to examinations and "projects"

Secondary Research PACS

Parallel and integrated with central RIS/PACS (could be provided by any vendor)

Stores special examinations including phantom studies

Allows testing of new image processing techniques before they are validated to be used by radiologists

Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Crete,Greece Conclusion

Since the implementation of Evorad RIS/PACS (central) and Evorad Research PACS:

Researchers can develop and test new image processing techniques at a fraction of the time required before.

The incorporation of generated images, measurements and other information in publications has been significantly accelerated.

New techniques are validated faster and then become immediately available for application by radiologists on regular examinations.

Geographically dispersed team members reduced travelling, eliminated image exchange, and increased their productivity.


Thank you for your attention!

For further information, contact us:

http://[email protected]

http://[email protected]

EuroPACS 2006

Technology

Transcript of EuroPACS 2006