The PACS project in the radiology department of the LKH-Graz

The PACS-project of Graz was started two years ago in cooperation with Siemens Erlangen. The system environment consists of three CT-devices (DR2, DR3, DRH) connected to an Ethernet-based LAN (CTnet), which is linked to a second Ethernet via a MicroVAX II. This computer works as a gateway, as an image-converter and as an archive. All CT-images of one device (DRH) are transmitted to the PACS system. The images are organized in patient-oriented folders. The physician is able to make reports about those examinations for which he is responsible. The availability of tools for secondary image processing during the reporting session (windowing, zooming, displaying statistic information, etc.) and further image-functions should make the PACS system more convenient for the physician than film-based images. After reporting, all scans which are relevant for the diagnosis (according to the physician's opinion) are selected, automatically reorganized in folders and transmitted to the archive. This needs about one to two minutes per examination. Some internal data-structures and further future aspects concerning the improvement of reliability and user acceptance are mentioned.