Digital Radiography: Image Post Processing: PACS System and Quality Control-Assurance
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the significant impact of advances in computer technology on radiology, covering key concepts like digital image processing, post-processing activities, and imaging protocols. It highlights the use of DICOM, PACS, and HL7 systems in healthcare communication, quality control, and assurance procedures. The video also discusses techniques such as smoothing, edge enhancement, image stitching, and the role of digital subtraction in enhancing image quality. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of following institutional protocols for radiographic imaging while adhering to ALARA standards.
Takeaways
- 💡 Advances in computer technology have significantly impacted healthcare, particularly in the field of radiology.
- 📊 The presentation aims to familiarize participants with 11 key objectives related to radiology and digital imaging.
- 🖼️ Post-processing activities like smoothing, edge enhancement, image stitching, and electronic masking are crucial for image optimization.
- 🆚 The difference between HIS (Hospital Information System) and RIS (Radiology Information System) is essential for understanding workflow in radiology.
- 💻 DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard for medical imaging that facilitates the exchange, viewing, and storing of images.
- 🗂️ PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) is vital for managing and accessing medical images digitally within a healthcare setting.
- 🚨 Safety and emergency procedures specific to imaging and communications are necessary for maintaining patient and staff safety.
- 🔑 HL7 is a standard for electronic health record communication that plays a significant role in healthcare communication systems.
- 🔄 The discussion of short-term and long-term image archival highlights the importance of data management in radiology.
- 🔍 Quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) procedures are differentiated, with a focus on their roles in maintaining imaging standards.
- 🖥️ Digital imaging systems offer a greater dynamic range than film-screen systems, allowing for more detailed and adjustable images.
Q & A
How have advances in computer technology impacted radiology?
-Advances in computer technology have significantly transformed radiology by enabling digital imaging systems that offer greater dynamic range, allowing for more shades of gray to be captured, and providing capabilities for image manipulation to enhance anatomic structures, suppress noise, and adjust brightness and contrast.
What are the 11 objectives that participants will understand after the presentation?
-The 11 objectives include understanding the purpose of common post-processing activities, differentiating between HIS and RIS, discussing the use of DICOM, describing PACS components and functions, discussing safety and emergency procedures, defining HL7 and its significance, describing short-term and long-term image archival, differentiating between quality control and quality assurance procedures, discussing quality assurance procedures in digital imaging, and discussing imaging artifacts in computed radiography and digital radiography.
What is the purpose of post-processing activities such as smoothing, edge enhancement, image stitching, equalization, and electronic masking?
-Post-processing activities are used to manipulate digital image data to enhance anatomic structures, suppress noise, adjust brightness and contrast, and improve the overall quality and aesthetic appeal of the images for better interpretation by radiologists.
What is the difference between HIS and RIS in the context of radiology?
-HIS stands for Hospital Information System, which manages patient data and administrative tasks across a hospital, while RIS stands for Radiology Information System, which specifically handles the workflow, data, and management related to radiology within a healthcare setting.
What is DICOM and why is it important in radiology?
-DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard protocol for the transmission and sharing of medical images and related information. It is important because it ensures interoperability between different medical imaging devices and systems, facilitating the sharing of images and reports across various healthcare providers.
Can you describe the components and functions of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)?
-A PACS is a system designed to store, retrieve, manage, and distribute medical images and reports. Its components include image acquisition devices, image storage devices, network systems, workstations, and software applications. PACS functions to improve workflow, reduce physical storage needs, and enhance accessibility of images for healthcare professionals.
What does HL7 stand for and what is its significance in healthcare communication systems?
-HL7 stands for Health Level Seven International, a not-for-profit organization that develops standards for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information. Its significance lies in promoting interoperability and data exchange among different healthcare software systems, improving the efficiency and quality of patient care.
What are the differences between quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) procedures in radiology?
-Quality control (QC) refers to the specific tests and calibrations performed to ensure that equipment and processes are functioning correctly. Quality assurance (QA) is a broader concept that includes QC procedures as well as the overall management system to ensure consistent quality in the delivery of radiological services.
How does image shuttering enhance the appearance of radiographic images?
-Image shuttering places a black border around the original collimated edges of the image, eliminating any white areas seen around a collimated image, making the displayed image more aesthetically pleasing to the viewer without replacing the need for proper pre-exposure collimation.
What is the role of edge enhancement in digital imaging?
-Edge enhancement is a software function that uses an algorithm to increase the contrast at edges in an image by averaging the signal strength of adjacent pixels. This process results in images with increased contrast, making it easier to visualize anatomic structures.
How does image stitching work in radiology?
-Image stitching is a software function that allows radiographers to join separate, processed images into a single image format. This is particularly useful for studies like scoliosis and limb length assessments that require multiple exposures on separate image receptors.
Outlines
💡 Digital Imaging Advancements in Radiology
This paragraph introduces the transformative impact of computer technology on the field of radiology, focusing on the application of key terms and their significance in the radiology department. It outlines 11 objectives for participants to achieve by the end of the presentation, including understanding the purpose of various post-processing activities like smoothing, edge enhancement, image stitching, and electronic masking. The paragraph also covers the differentiation between HIS and RIS, the use of DICOM in digital imaging and communication in medicine, the components and functions of PACS, safety and emergency procedures, the definition and importance of HL7 in healthcare communication, and the discussion of image archival and quality assurance procedures. It emphasizes the importance of radiographers following institutional protocols when using software functions and highlights the capabilities of digital imaging systems, such as image shuttering, which improves the aesthetic appeal of displayed images without replacing proper collimation techniques.
🛠️ Post-Processing Techniques in Radiography
The second paragraph delves into specific post-processing techniques used in radiography, such as digital subtraction angiography (DSA), which was pioneered in the 1970s and is particularly useful for enhancing contrast medium-filled structures while suppressing overlying anatomical structures. It also discusses edge enhancement, a software function that uses algorithms to increase image contrast by averaging the signal strength of adjacent pixels. The paragraph explains the difference between edge enhancement and smoothing, with the latter involving a greater number of pixels averaged to reduce high-frequency noise and produce a smoother image, albeit at the cost of reduced noise, brightness, and image detail. Additionally, the paragraph addresses the process of image stitching, which combines multiple exposures into a single image format, and concludes with a call to action for viewers to purchase the full course for continuing education credits, highlighting the resources available for radiologic technologists to enhance their professional development.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Radiology
💡Post-processing Activities
💡HIS and RIS
💡DICOM
💡PACS
💡HL7
💡Image Archival
💡Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA)
💡Digital Imaging Artifacts
💡Dynamic Range
💡Image Shuttering
Highlights
Advances in computer technology have significantly impacted healthcare, particularly in radiology.
The presentation introduces key terms and their applications in radiology departments.
Participants will understand 11 objectives by the end of the presentation.
The purpose of common post-processing activities such as smoothing and edge enhancement will be explained.
The difference between HIS and RIS systems will be discussed.
Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) will be described.
Components and functions of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) will be outlined.
Safety and emergency procedures for imaging and communications in healthcare will be covered.
HL7 will be defined and its significance in healthcare communication systems will be discussed.
Short-term and long-term image archival will be explained.
The difference between quality control and quality assurance procedures will be highlighted.
The roles of technologists and medical physicists in QC and QA procedures will be differentiated.
Quality assurance procedures used in digital imaging will be discussed.
Imaging artifacts in computed radiography and digital radiography will be examined.
Digital imaging systems have a greater dynamic range than film screen systems, allowing for more shades of gray.
Computer software capabilities enable manipulation of digital image data for various enhancements.
Radiographers and radiologists can use software adjustments for image enhancement, following institutional protocols.
Image shuttering is a technique to place a black border around the image for aesthetic purposes.
Proper collimation is essential for reducing patient dose and increasing contrast resolution.
The ASRT's position against the use of masking or image cropping in digital images will be mentioned.
Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) enhances contrast medium-filled structures while suppressing others.
Edge enhancement is a software function that increases image contrast by manipulating pixel frequencies.
Smoothing is a function that removes high-frequency noise from images, resulting in a smoother appearance.
Image stitching software allows the joining of multiple images into a single format for comprehensive studies.
The presentation concludes with information on how to earn CE credits and access additional resources.
Transcripts
[Music]
advances in computer technology over the
past several decades have transformed
health care in many areas
it had a significant impact on radiology
this section will introduce key terms
and discuss their application in the
radiology department
at the conclusion of this presentation
the participant will be able to
understand these 11 objectives
state the purpose of
common post-processing activities
such as smoothing edge enhancement
image stitching
equalization and electronic masking
differentiate between his and ris
discuss the use of digital imaging and
communication in
medicine or dicom
describe the components and functions of
a picture archiving and communication
system or pacs
discuss safety and emergency procedures
for imaging and communications in the
healthcare environment
define
hl7
and describe its significance
in the health care communication system
describe short-term and long-term image
archival
discuss the difference between quality
control
and quality assurance procedures
differentiate qc and qa procedures
performed by the technologists versus
medical physicists
discuss quality assurance procedures
used in digital imaging
and lastly
discuss imaging artifacts in computed
radiography and digital radiography
digital imaging systems have greater
dynamic range than film screen systems
the greater dynamic range allows for
many more shades of gray to be captured
by the image receptor and possibly
displayed on the monitor
along with the greater dynamic range
the capabilities of computer software
allow digital image data to be
manipulated to enhance
anatomic structures
suppress noise
and adjust brightness and contrast
the functions that are listed here
are just
some of the software adjustments that
can be used by radiographer
and radiologists with digital imaging
it is important
for the radiographers to follow their
institutions protocols
when employing any of these software
functions
the function and capability of all
digital imaging systems are similar
but may use different terminology
depending on the vendor
image shuttering allows the radiographer
to place a black border
or background around the original
collimated edges of the image
the black border eliminates any white
areas seen around a collimated image
image shuttering is not to be used as a
replacement for actual
pre-exposure collimation or beam
restriction
proper collimation
restricts the x-ray beam to the anatomy
of interest
reduces patient dose
and increases contrast resolution
by reducing the amount of scatter that
is produced
image shuttering simply makes the
displayed image
more aesthetically pleasing to the
viewer
therefore
institutional and departmental protocols
should be followed
note
in
2015 the american society of radiologic
technologists or asrt
took a strong position against the use
of masking or image cropping
the position statement reads
a digital image should not be cropped or
masked
such that it eliminates any areas of
exposure from the image that are
presented for interpretation
alara standards require
all irradiated anatomy be presented to
the interpreting physician
subtraction has a long history in
radiography
specifically in angiography
the process was originally a manual
process completed in the darkroom
digital subtraction angiography or dsa
was pioneered in the 1970s
subtraction is particularly useful in
studies using contrast media
the contrast medium filled structures
can be enhanced
while suppressing overlying anatomical
structures
edge enhancement is another software
function
that uses an algorithm to convert the
image
into the spatial frequency domain
the algorithm averages the signal
strength of the adjacent pixels in the
image data
carter and vo refer to this as a
neighborhood
and state that edge enhancement occurs
when there are fewer pixels in the
neighborhood
included in the signal average
when the frequencies of the region of
interest are known
those frequencies can be amplified
and other frequencies can be suppressed
this
process
produces an image with increased
contrast
smoothing is another software function
that removes high frequency noise from
the image
in edge enhancement the number of pixels
averaged is reduced
whereas with smoothing
the number of pixels averaged is
increased
smoothing is the result
of averaging each pixel's frequency
with surrounding pixel values
to res to remove high frequency noise
the more pixels involved in the average
the smoother the image will appear
this process reduces noise
brightness and image detail
scoliosis and limb length studies often
must be acquired using multiple
exposures on separate image receptors
once the multiple acquired images are
processed in the correct order
stitching software allows the
radiographer to join separate
processed images
into a single image format
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