Enterprise Imaging

Enterprise imaging brings together all imaging exams, patient data and reports from across a healthcare system into one location to aid efficiency and economy of scale for data storage. This enables immediate access to images and reports any clinical user of the electronic medical record (EMR) across a healthcare system, regardless of location. Enterprise imaging (EI) systems replace the former system of using a variety of disparate, siloed picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS), and a variety of separate, dedicated workstations and logins to view or post-process different imaging modalities. Often these siloed systems cannot interoperate and cannot easily be connected. Web-based EI systems are becoming the standard across most healthcare systems to incorporate not only radiology, but also cardiology (CVIS), pathology and dozens of other departments to centralize all patient data into one cloud-based data storage and data management system.

FDA clears Vital Images universal viewer

Vital Images, part of the Toshiba Medical Systems Group, has received FDA 510(k) clearance for 3D viewing through its universal viewer, VitreaView. The company simultaneously released its tablet viewing capabilities for VitreaView.

Tenn. health system pens deals with Carestream

Erlanger Health System has purchased Carestream Health’s Vue RIS and DRX imaging systems and upgraded its Vue PACS.

Chicago teleradiology firm installs eRad platform

Metis|MD has gone live on the uniRAD teleradiology workflow platform from eRAD, a division of RadNet.

Dutch center inks 10-year deal with Agfa

Agfa HealthCare has signed an agreement with Máxima Medisch Centrum in the Netherlands to upgrade its RIS and PACS with a system that extends to cardiology and nuclear medicine.

Agfa signs deal with EMC

Agfa HealthCare has joined the EMC Select program, enabling customers to purchase the Agfa ICIS (Imaging Clinical Information System) through EMC Select.

Merge updates PACS with support for DICOM OPT

Merge Healthcare has released an update to Merge Eye Care PACS that includes support for the DICOM OPT (OCT) standard as well as support for video.

GE cautions Centricity PACS users about possible image loss

GE Healthcare has issued a notice to users of its Centricity PACS alerting them that images could be lost when transferring between two or more Centricity PACS systems.

RSNA: aycan to debut iPad app, workstation updates

aycan Medical Systems (Booth #8903) is highlighting its mobile app and PACS workstation, among other technologies, at RSNA 2012 in Chicago, Nov. 25-30.

Around the web

CCTA is being utilized more and more for the diagnosis and management of suspected coronary artery disease. An international group of specialists shared their perspective on this ongoing trend.

The new technology shows early potential to make a significant impact on imaging workflows and patient care. 

Richard Heller III, MD, RSNA board member and senior VP of policy at Radiology Partners, offers an overview of policies in Congress that are directly impacting imaging.