A digital image archive solution for multiple modalities in a cardiological department

The huge amount of data and the different imaging modalities currently in use are the cause, that digital archive systems for images are not very common in cardiology compared with radiology. In many hospitals the digital media, e.g. CD-R, are handled as an 1:1 replacement of the cinefilm: only one record is available, that has to be reviewed on a special viewing systems. A great advantage of digital imaging is the possibility to distribute image data through networks without any loss of quality. Once they are stored on a central server, online access to all examination data of a patient is possible. This contribution describes the conception and practical realisation of a digital image archiving system for a cardiologic department. The archive can handle angiographic and ultrasound image data in different file formats. The design allows an extension to other modalities, and the implementation of hierarchical storage management strategies enables servers with huge data capacity, that can grow with the needs of the department. The application of image compression techniques reduces capacity requirements and network traffic without loss of image quality. The online access of all relevant digital data from all workstations in cardiology as well as in cardiac surgery has enhanced workflow significantly.