PACSPulse: a web-based DICOM network traffic monitor and analysis tool

PACSPulse, an open-source tool, was developed to identify and analyze the performance bottlenecks of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). PACSPulse provides a graphical Web interface for straightforward analysis of PACS performance on the basis of data acquired by tracking usage by network, server, workstation, type of traffic, and time of day. The PACS archive logs performance and usage data on image traffic being sent to it from the imaging units and study data requested by users. The performance log is sent via file transfer protocol (FTP) to a separate server for analysis. The data are parsed and sent to a database server connected to a Web server. The Web site is used to depict trends in the performance of the entire system to detect signs of degradation. The system was built entirely of open-source components for the operating system, database, charting tool, and Web server. Performance monitoring is an essential tool for analyzing, understanding, and predicting the performance characteristics of a PACS.