[Development and evaluation of the health management system including medical images]

In the field of occupational health management, there are many areas in which a number of X-ray films that are associated with health checkup data for longitudinal health management of high risk groups exposed to dusts and specific carcinogenetic chemicals can be used. To make comprehensive use of the medical checkup data, we examined and evaluated basic techniques in which medical images such as radiographs can be linked to the medical checkup data in a form of computer data. A three-step procedure system was developed based on the IS&C system which is a common specification of medical images: 1) data convert and barcode printing system, 2) film digitizing and database management system, 3) utilizing system of health checkup data including a medical image system. Experiments were done using the system and it was found that processing efficiency seemed to be less and/or varied depending on process types. It was also found that the extraction of data from existing systems and the storage methods of data onto a magnetooptical disk are special issues to be resolved in our system.