Upgrading Your Radiology Department To Pacs

By Author: Robin Curtis
Total Articles: 39
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As the radiological workstation is the most important part of the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), it is important to know as much as possible about it before you begin your search.

What exactly is PACS?
Picture Archiving and Communications Systems, or as they are more commonly known, PACS, are being used in most hospitals and radiology clinics. This digital imaging technology has replaced the old way of capturing x-rays and scans on film and paper, enabling clinical images to be stored electronically and viewed on screen.

PACS work with x-ray and scanning technology such as Computerized Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and ultrasound to make x-rays and scanned images available to view on screens within radiology, and to share with other hospital departments like accident and emergency, neurology and orthopedics.

With PACS, clinical images are instantly and simultaneously available for study at multiple locations within a trust. PACS supports more effective team working between clinicians and therefore aids swifter and more accurate diagnoses and treatment for patients.

In ...
... radiology, PACS is combined with a radiology information system, or RIS. Radiologists report on the x-rays and scanned images they can view on PACS, and the subsequent reports they produce are then accessible from the images with which they are associated.

Why do we need PACS?
For the past 100 years, film was the main means for capturing, storing and displaying radiographic images. However, film is a fixed medium with usually only one set of images available.

PACS allows for a near filmless process, with all of the flexibility of digital systems. It also removes the costs associated with hard film processing and releases valuable space previously used for film storage. Most importantly, PACS is helping to transform patients' experience of the care they receive. It does this by enabling a speedier diagnosis and by removing the risk of images being lost or misplaced.

How does PACS improve patient care?

With PACS clinicians can access the right image in the right place at the right time. The technology enables:
* Faster accessibility to medical images for the clinicians who evaluate and report on them. This can lead to the speedier availability of results.
* No lost or misplaced images, which means fewer patients having their consultations or operations postponed or cancelled.
* Fewer unnecessary re-investigations, which in turn reduces the amount of radiation to which patients are exposed.
* Flexible viewing, with the ability to manipulate images on screen, ensuring that patients can be diagnosed more effectively.
* Instant access to historic images, so that new and old images can be compared and the progress of patients' treatment and condition(s) monitored.
* Better teamwork and collaboration because, with PACS, images can be viewed from multiple terminals and locations within a trust by a range of clinicians. And the vast majority of trusts now have the ability to share images electronically with other trusts.
As a result of all of these improvements, PACS is enabling patients to move on quickly to the next stage in their treatment.

MedWOW's PACS Inventory
MedWOW features an impressive array of new, used and refurbished PACS, as well as replacement PACS parts from a variety of manufacturers. As the principal international eCommerce platform for all kinds of medical equipment, MedWOW, features a comprehensive searchable catalogue that allows you to filter for make, manufacturer, continent, condition, price range, seller's business type and communications protocols when shopping for your PACS.

Currently MedWOW features PACS from the following manufacturers:
Agfa, Agilent, AMS, Dicomit Imaging Systems, Dyonics, GE Healthcare, Hewlett Packard, Kodak, Radrix Systems, S&S MedCart, Sectra
and Sony.

If you don't find the specific PACS you are looking for, you can post a free buying request which typically will bring you a number of competitive quotes from MedWOW's global inventories.

MedWOW (www.medwow.com)the global medical equipment portal, offers the largest choice of new and used medical equipment, including PACS workstations, available anywhere.