Medical Imaging I.T. Basics
Over the years I have worked in a variety of roles in healthcare I.T., but most often in medical imaging I.T. as a PACS administrator, PACS system installer and as an imaging modality service engineer.
Although general I.T. skills are essential, there is a whole other set of acronyms that exists in medical imaging that you likely won’t or didn’t learn in school. Speaking from experience, just knowing what PACS and DICOM were got me a job in a large multi-state hospital system. some years back.
For those of you interested in medical imaging I.T. or just looking to enhance your vocabulary, I have provided a handful of useful terms used when discussing medical imaging systems. There are many more, along with much more detailed explanations for the terms below which I will address in later articles. But these should be enough to get you started.
Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)
PACS is a medical imaging technology that allows for economical storage, retrieval, distribution, presentation and management of medical images such as x-rays, CTs, MRIs, and ultrasounds. PACS eliminates the need for physical film for interpretation by a radiologist.
The use of film in medical imaging has rapidly diminished over the last few years as the insurance…
