MO-C-BRCD-03: The Role of Informatics in Medical Physics and Vice Versa

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging Informatics
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Imaging Informatics and Medical Physics share goals of improving patient care, safety, and knowledge discovery.
• Both fields encompass the entire imaging chain, from acquisition to interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define Medical Imaging Informatics and its relevance to Medical Physics.
• To identify IT limitations in Medical Physics and how Informatics can assist.
• To explore informatics concepts and their role in advancing quantitative imaging.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of use-cases illustrating current limitations and potential collaborations.
• Exploration of topics including radiation dose monitoring, quality control, and display technologies.
• Examination of informatics tools such as data mining, cloud computing, and business analytics.

Main Results:

• Medical physicists can address limitations in areas like quantitative imaging.
• Informaticists can contribute to solutions in radiation dose monitoring and process management.
• Biomedical imaging informatics tools can overcome existing limitations in data handling and analysis.

Conclusions:

• Medical Imaging Informatics and Medical Physics are synergistic disciplines.
• Collaboration is essential for advancing quantitative imaging and improving clinical decision-making.
• Informatics offers tools to enhance efficiency, safety, and knowledge discovery in medical imaging.