Radiology Images

[wchase]

Has anyone had any experiences with trying to view DICOM images on the nx70. I have convert from DICOM to JPEG and view them with ACID. Does anyone know of a DICOM viewing program for the CLIE?

Walton C. Chase

[XCalibur]

DICOM files are usually HUGE since they include clinical info on the patients, demographics, multiple images/views, etc.

I have no knowledge of such an application that could read Dicom files for the Clié (but then again I could be wrong) since the Dicom file format is quite specialized.

IMHO it would be impractical, mainly because of the hugeness of the files. The safe bet would still be to convert the slices you wanna keep in jpeg like you are doing.

Regards

X'

[jimdoc01]

Originally posted by XCalibur
DICOM files are usually HUGE since they include clinical info on the patients, demographics, multiple images/views, etc.

For reference, I've downloaded 3 different DICOM viewers for the Mac. The viewers range in size from 2.3 to 5.3 MB.

The individual image slices in my CT are each 516 KB.

[wchase]

XCalibur
Thanks for the heads up. I figured as much. Each CXR in DICOM is 10 megs. Maybe we should make a program that will allow built in compression for output to a memory stick. Any thoughts?

Wchase

[XCalibur]

Originally posted by wchase
Each CXR in DICOM is 10 megs. Maybe we should make a program that will allow built in compression for output to a memory stick. Any thoughts?

I doubt I would be very useful, I hardly can type my own name (:D). But like said Jim above, it could be do-able with CT slices if you extract individual images and keep only the relevant ones. But CXR... 10 megs ain't that bad if they are on the MS/CF (eventually), well I guess then we have to be patient for a kind developper to support Dicom (I though they were bigger files then that in the 100 megs range, it seems not, so it might be feasible)

Regards

X'

[StPhun]

Originally posted by wchase
XCalibur
Thanks for the heads up. I figured as much. Each CXR in DICOM is 10 megs. Maybe we should make a program that will allow built in compression for output to a memory stick. Any thoughts?

Wchase

why bother? I just take a picture of the picture

[XCalibur]

Originally posted by StPhun


why bother? I just take a picture of the picture
Yeah, there used to be one of the senior resident carying his Sony digicam around and doing just that with the macro function.

[StPhun]

Originally posted by XCalibur

Yeah, there used to be one of the senior resident carying his Sony digicam around and doing just that with the macro function.

Did he/she take video of CT scans as you scroll down as well? Using my NX this has really been the biggest hit on rounds - instead of just saying "Mr. Smith had a CT scan last night which showed a large bowel obstruction" I now also show the movie. Attendings, Chief residents, medical students all love it. . . . , better patient care, better education, takes about 5 seconds extra (literally).

[XCalibur]

Originally posted by StPhun


Did he/she take video of CT scans as you scroll down as well? Using my NX this has really been the biggest hit on rounds - instead of just saying "Mr. Smith had a CT scan last night which showed a large bowel obstruction" I now also show the movie. Attendings, Chief residents, medical students all love it. . . . , better patient care, better education, takes about 5 seconds extra (literally).
This is where we see the difference between USA health care system and Canada's... LOL you assume we have digital radiology... LMAO!! Well we just recently implemented the PACS system in the past 8-10 months.
The story I was referring was at the beginning of my clerkship so it was done with the films hanging on the negatoscope and shots taken with the macro function...

But I agree it's one of the main reason to get NR/NX series beside Hi-res, not to replace my Digicam but to takes quick shots like that, skin lesions, cellulitis, etc. Awsome tool I agree.

Regards

X'

[StPhun]

Originally posted by XCalibur

This is where we see the difference between USA health care system and Canada's... LOL you assume we have digital radiology... LMAO!! Well we just recently implemented the PACS system in the past 8-10 months.
The story I was referring was at the beginning of my clerkship so it was done with the films hanging on the negatoscope and shots taken with the macro function...

But I agree it's one of the main reason to get NR/NX series beside Hi-res, not to replace my Digicam but to takes quick shots like that, skin lesions, cellulitis, etc. Awsome tool I agree.

Regards

X'

X,

Well here in Long Island we don't have PACS yet either! The CT scans are on a PACS-like system, only available in Radiology. I take the pics of Xays the same way you did - from the negatoscope (never heard the light box referred to like that). PACS coming soon _supposedly_.  The problem I've been having with taking pictures off these monitors is that the ?refresh rate on the monitors creates a horizontal banding artifact.

Anyway our SICU radiology system recently had a fatal crash and the new system (Fuji) has an option for re-sizing and e-mailing the images as jpegs (although it is not yet 'turned on'). This should work great - I should be able to e-mail films to my Clié, a desktop or perhaps a wireless tablet PC (the ultimate palm?).

But like you said the clinical images (skin, bowels etc) is still the killer NX/NZ App.
Enjoy,
-S-

[XCalibur]

Originally posted by StPhun

Well here in Long Island we don't have PACS yet either! The CT scans are on a PACS-like system, only available in Radiology.

You mean, Long Island NY?
*big rukuss noise is me falling off from chair*
Well, all this time I thought that Quebec was the Botswana of medicine technology...


I take the pics of Xays the same way you did - from the negatoscope (never heard the light box referred to like that). PACS coming soon _supposedly_.  The problem I've been having with taking pictures off these monitors is that the ?refresh rate on the monitors creates a horizontal banding artifact. .

Negatoscope is all we ever called it... weird, a 12 hour drive and whole new language. "Light box", I like it!

Anyway our SICU radiology system recently had a fatal crash and the new system (Fuji) has an option for re-sizing and e-mailing the images as jpegs (although it is not yet 'turned on'). This should work great - I should be able to e-mail films to my Clié, a desktop or perhaps a wireless tablet PC (the ultimate palm?).


Sounds interesting, but I wonder how will this fit in the HIPAA regulations (see related thread). Sounds like a potential breach of confidentiality if you can email radiology exams to your home?

Cheers!

X'

[StPhun]

Originally posted by XCalibur

Sounds interesting, but I wonder how will this fit in the HIPAA regulations (see related thread). Sounds like a potential breach of confidentiality if you can email radiology exams to your home?

Cheers!

X'

Yeah that's a potential problem. So far I've been getting around this by making sure not to include ANY identifying information on the pictures/video I send from my Clié.

But think of the advantages. For ex. a resident calls the attending at home and sez  "I got this kid with belly pain and this CT-scan that the radiology resident is calling xyz but I think it's abc - it's a tough call - so I just e-mailed you the scans".
A new spin on telemedicine?
-S-

[XCalibur]

Originally posted by StPhun


Yeah that's a potential problem. So far I've been getting around this by making sure not to include ANY identifying information on the pictures/video I send from my Clié.

But think of the advantages. For ex. a resident calls the attending at home and sez  "I got this kid with belly pain and this CT-scan that the radiology resident is calling xyz but I think it's abc - it's a tough call - so I just e-mailed you the scans".
A new spin on telemedicine?
-S-
You really don't have to convince me on that. It will really bring this to a new level I totally agree!

[GoCats]

Originally posted by StPhun


Yeah that's a potential problem. So far I've been getting around this by making sure not to include ANY identifying information on the pictures/video I send from my Clié.

But think of the advantages. For ex. a resident calls the attending at home and sez  "I got this kid with belly pain and this CT-scan that the radiology resident is calling xyz but I think it's abc - it's a tough call - so I just e-mailed you the scans".
A new spin on telemedicine?
-S-

WOW! Looks like it's time to ditch the T for an NX! This would be fantastic!