Present status of PACS activities in Japan

Three PACS organizations in Japan are: J-PACS, JAMIT-PACS and JRS-PACS. J-PACS committee is composed of representatives of manufacturing companies. Many Japanese companies are actively engaged in developing PACS-related products and services. The annual JAMIT Symposium includes an International PACS day. The JRS-PACS Committee is working to bring academics and industry closer together in developing and implementing PACS technology. MIPS has two working groups which started in 1985. The Survey Working Group issued the draft on Survey study of integral technology and present state and trends of existing systems. The Standardization Working Group, which is to complete work in 1989, issued the draft of image data format on the magnetic tape and discussion about the standardization of online digital interface for PACS. The draft of the MIPS Standard was mostly based on ACR/NEMA Standard, but simplified and reduced. However, the number of minimum parameters essential in image transfer were retained. Early experiences with PACS in Tominaga Memorial Hospital, Kyoto University Hospital and Kochi Medical School Hospital was briefly mentioned. Japan is facing a period in the early 1990s in which PACS is to be widely introduced into the university hospitals.