Initial experience with asynchronous transfer mode for use in a medical imaging network

Picture archiving and communication Systems (PACS) for medical imaging have always suffered from band-width limitations, throughput, and proprietary protocols. Commercially available local area networks have been hard pressed to meet the requirements of image transfer in a time consistent with patient-care needs. Recent technologic advances provide potential solutions to these constraints. Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) provides the aggregate bandwidth and throughput that may be sufficient to satisfy the medical imaging community. Networks using prototype ATM technology have been available and commercial hardware is now becoming available. This report presents initial performance results of an ATM network and its suitability for use in a digital imaging network. Throughput of 10 Mbytes/sec was attained with Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol using commercially available hardware.