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.

Radiology: CT-identified appendicitis should not dismissed

Patients with CT results positive for appendicitis and benign or atypical clinical findings, a diagnosis of chronic or recurrent appendicitis may be considered, said the results of a study published in the June issue of Radiology.

NovaRad introduces archive, data recovery service

NovaRad has introduced NovaVault, a vendor-neutral archive service, designed to provide on- and off-site storage and off-line disaster data recovery.

Icon acquires Timaq, expands into Europe

Icon, has acquired Zurich-based Timaq Medical Imaging, which provides imaging services to pharmaceutical and biotech firms, for an undisclosed sum.

Carestream lands several Irish installs

Mater Private Hospital, located in Dublin, has signed a multi-year contract with Healthcare IT solutions provider Carestream Health, for the installation of several DR solutions.

Agfa lands multi-install contract in Brazil

Diagnostic imaging and Healthcare IT solutions provider Agfa healthcare has signed an agreement with the Sao Paolo, Brazil-based Fundao Instituto de Pesquisa e Estudo de Diagnstico por Imagen (FIDI) for the delivery and installation of its solutions across the facility's 25 sites.

XRI to distribute CoActiv technologies in New England

Health IT and software provider CoActiv Medical has signed a distribution agreement with medical equipment sales and service provider XRI for the marketing of its digital image management technologies.

Tribridge acquires healthcare services practice

Tribridge, an IT services and business consulting firm, has purchased the privately held Mercatus Group, a managed healthcare services provider.

NovaRad selected by Southern California imaging center

NovaRad has inked an installation contract with Southern California Diagnostic Imaging, providing the clinic with its NovaPACS and NovaRIS.

Around the web

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.