Biomaterial Database

Integrating a personal-computer local-area network with a radiology information system: value as a tool for clinical research. 1994

M S Frank, and R Berge, and E J Stern, and J A Johnson

Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle 98104.

We investigated a method for increasing the utility of a radiology information system by connecting it to a personal-computer network and transferring radiologic data to a more user-friendly, familiar computing environment. We have developed a personal-computer local-area network that is linked to our radiology information system. Our software periodically transfers data from the radiology information system to a file server on our network that supports cross-platform access for Macintosh and IBM PC--compatible computers. Data are stored in formats compatible with inexpensive personal-computer software. These capabilities facilitate any research that requires a tailored, retrospective analysis of radiologic data. The need for ancillary personnel to perform paper-based searches or redundant data entry is decreased. Radiologists and administrators also have user-friendly access to information that might facilitate other projects dealing with education or analysis of clinical efficacy. The ever-growing power of personal computers, combined with inexpensive yet sophisticated software for these machines, frequently provides a more useful method for retrospective analysis of radiologic data than does a proprietary radiology information system running on a minicomputer.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008122	Local Area Networks	Communications networks connecting various hardware devices together within or between buildings by means of a continuous cable or voice data telephone system.	LAN,Area Network, Local,Area Networks, Local,Local Area Network,Network, Local Area,Networks, Local Area
D008838	Microcomputers	Small computers using LSI (large-scale integration) microprocessor chips as the CPU (central processing unit) and semiconductor memories for compact, inexpensive storage of program instructions and data. They are smaller and less expensive than minicomputers and are usually built into a dedicated system where they are optimized for a particular application. "Microprocessor" may refer to just the CPU or the entire microcomputer.	Computers, Personal,Microprocessors,Computer, Personal,Microcomputer,Microprocessor,Personal Computer,Personal Computers
D011873	Radiology Information Systems	Information systems, usually computer-assisted, designed to store, manipulate, and retrieve information for planning, organizing, directing, and controlling administrative activities associated with the provision and utilization of radiology services and facilities.	PACS (Radiology),Picture Archiving And Communication System,Picture Archiving and Communication Systems,Picture Archiving, Radiologic,X-Ray Information Systems,Archiving, Radiologic Picture,Information System, Radiologic,Information System, Radiology,Information Systems, Radiologic,Information Systems, Radiology,Radiologic Information System,Radiologic Information Systems,Radiologic Picture Archiving,Radiology Information System,System, Radiologic Information,System, Radiology Information,Systems, Radiologic Information,Systems, Radiology Information,Xray Information Systems,Information System, X-Ray,Information System, Xray,Information Systems, X-Ray,Information Systems, Xray,PACSs (Radiology),System, X-Ray Information,System, Xray Information,Systems, X-Ray Information,Systems, Xray Information,X Ray Information Systems,X-Ray Information System,Xray Information System