Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)

A PACS consists of medical image and data acquisition, storage, and display subsystems integrated by digital networks and application software.

The PACS infrastructure design provides the necessary framework for the integration of distributed and heterogeneous imaging devices and makes possible intelligent database management of all patient-related information.

Moreover, it offers an efficient means of viewing, analyzing, and documenting study results, and thus a method for effectively communicating study results to the referring physicians.

Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)

DICOM is an object-oriented principle which is the most important standard for data and services in the medical field.

It is not just an image or file format for medical images and related data, but it includes network-oriented services such as image transmission, query of an image archive (PACS) – modality integration.

A DICOM image consists of a list of data elements related to patient information (name, sex, identification number), also includes the modality and imaging procedure information (device parameters, calibration, radiation dose, contrast media), and image information (resolution, windowing).

Modality Broker Server

To solve the language barrier, a translation was needed between HL7 and DICOM. Enter the broker: a software and hardware device that accepts HL7 messages from the RIS then translates, or maps, the data to produce DICOM messages for transmission to the PACS.

Health Level Seven (HL7)

HL7 is a Standard for exchanging information between Medical Applications and is an Abbreviation of “Health Level Seven”. “Level seven” refers to the seventh OSI layer protocol for the health Environment.

In general terms, HL7 is a protocol for data exchange. It defines the format and the Content of the messages that Applications must use when exchanging data with each another in Various Circumstances.