Dcm-ar: a fast flash-based Web-PACS viewer for displaying large DICOM images

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Telemedicine
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Web-based Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (Web-PACS) enable remote access to medical imaging databases.
• Large medical image file sizes impede efficient remote visualization, leading to increased teleradiologist wait times.
• Optimizing image transmission is crucial for enhancing the teleradiologist experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel system, Dcm-Ar, designed to minimize the time-to-display (TTD) for remote DICOM file visualization.
• To improve teleradiologist comfort and workflow efficiency by reducing transmission-related delays.

Main Methods:

• Development of a Dcm-Ar system comprising a Server and a remote Client.
• The Server component interfaces with a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).
• The Client is a DICOM viewer utilizing an Adobe Flash virtual machine for broad accessibility.

Main Results:

• The Dcm-Ar system significantly reduces the time-to-display (TTD) for medical images.
• The implemented solution enhances the overall experience for teleradiologists by minimizing dead times.
• The use of Adobe Flash ensures easy and cost-effective deployment.

Conclusions:

• Dcm-Ar effectively addresses the challenge of large medical image file transmission in teleradiology.
• The system offers a practical solution for improving diagnostic imaging access and teleradiologist efficiency.
• The technology's reliance on Adobe Flash facilitates widespread and affordable adoption.