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Thread ID: 127225 2012-10-10 19:13:00 How are X-Ray files transferred between medics? stuffed (1469) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1306231 2012-10-10 19:13:00 Does anyone know the "mechanics" of X-Ray files?! Just that had an X-Ray at our small local hospital and I wanted it sent to my surgeon in another area ASAP. This was one huge technology challenge for the poor lone*radiographer - she didn't know if it was possible but would try through their base hospital. OK got a $20 CD of the scan but come on it can't be dat difficult? stuffed (1469)
1306232 2012-10-10 19:23:00 I think the CD is the way they do it always has been for me and I have had my fair share of Xrays gary67 (56)
1306233 2012-10-10 19:24:00 Just send it attached to an email. If you check on your cd you will find that the file is only a jpg file or similar. No rocket science there.
:)
Trev (427)
1306234 2012-10-10 22:33:00 Just out of interest have found out the files are transferred by*PACS (image storage) system stuffed (1469)
1306235 2012-10-10 22:47:00 In Upper Hutt x-ray docs are accessable direct from radiography to the doctor's PC. This also applies to to x-rays taken at Lower Hutt or Wellington hospitals. Over the last 3 or 4 years both SWMBO and I have had many x-rays taken and the doctor shows them to us.

Bluenose.
bluenose (14548)
1306236 2012-10-10 22:56:00 Yeah know how easy it is but just wanted to get some info so can kick some bums at our local DHB - which have now done! stuffed (1469)
1306237 2012-10-11 19:28:00 Just out of interest have found out the files are transferred by*PACS (image storage) system

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
PaulD (232)
1306238 2012-10-11 20:08:00 Well if they do use the PACS system then it's all good, otherwise if they use GSP (Gelatin silver) film emulsions they would have to scan the xray film with a very good quality scanner and then use some other method of transport to send it (Email, FTP CD etc)

I'm guessing it depends on the size of the X-ray unit, patient throughput and budget. A small xray setup with only a few people through isn't going to have PACS
The Error Guy (14052)
1306239 2012-10-11 20:43:00 After following up from the local DHB CEO I had a very immediate and positive response email and then a phone call from their manager. They are talking to their IT guys and looking at more staff training at their satellite hospital X-Ray department to improve the process. So all in all a good outcome - plus we all now a little more about the X-Ray transfer process! stuffed (1469)
1306240 2012-10-12 09:01:00 Yeah, given x-ray is monochromatic (and typically feeble contrast) you'll want a system that only encodes in mono, but with a very good 'grain' to the greyscale and probably a good reolution as well.

You don't want compression artifacts leading to a wrongfull diagnosis, so lossy compression is probably ruled out as well.

Filesizes might be significant! I wouldn't chuck it into a jpeg, but even a mono bmp would be massive it was going to do the job justice.

Given that skin tones can take on shaded profiles like the isobars on a weather map in jpg formats, if an xray suffered similar compression artifacts the doctors would be chasing worrysome phantom 'shadows' on every chest xray.
Paul.Cov (425)
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