The impact of networking on image acquisition system design

Widespread integration of networking technology will change the hospital imaging environment, making computational, archiving, and film production services available to network-connected modalities. This change will be reflected in the designs of the image acquisition modalities themselves. A view of the future is presented in which the modalities depend on network-provided services, simplifying the modalities' designs and making them more cost-effective. Achieving this view will require cooperative efforts by standards groups, PACS and modality manufacturers, and hospital organizations.