Usage of Magneto-Optical Disks in Medical Information Filing System

Optical disks are widely used in medicine, mainly for image archival purposes. Most of those currently in use are WORM (Write-Once, Read-Many) type disks. Magneto-optical disks (MODS) have been developed, and 130-mm type disks are already commercially available. Because of the flexibility of MODs, IS&C (Image Save and Carry) system using MODs instead of WORM was proposed in 1989, and standardization has been completed with the support of Japanese government ministries. This paper reviews the IS&C system and explains the requirements for filing systems in medicine. Medical file systems must have a file protection mechanism in addition to one that users can control. Such a mechanism was designed exclusively for medical IS&C systems, and its concept is explained. This paper concludes by suggesting possibilities for objectification of medical data, a long-desired goal.