Design and implementation of World Wide Web-based tools for image management in computed tomography, magnetic...

This article describes our experience in developing and using several web-based tools to facilitate access to and management of images from inside and outside of our department. Having recently eliminated film in ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a simple method was required to access imaging from computers already existing throughout the hospital. The success of the World Wide Web (WWW), the familiarity of endusers with web browsers, and the relative ease of developing user interfaces virtually dictated that such an approach be pursued in our case. The resulting web-based tools allow validated users to search our Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)-compliant archive servers for specific exams; to download image data from a remote site; to request the retrieval of data from long-term storage; to view images, and to perform certain DICOM routing operations. The existing infrastructure of the internet has allowed us to develop a low-cost system capable of being used for teleradiology. Since low-level, machine-specific interface programming was avoided, these tools were developed rapidly and are easily adapted. The familiarity of browser-based interfaces has facilitated user acceptance, and the benefit of platform independence minimizes software portability concerns.