Benefits of Digital Acquisition and Diagnostic Images - Assignment Example

Benefits that Digital Acquisition and Storage of Diagnostic Images Have for Patients Introduction: Radiological imaging has been transformed over the years with the gradual development of computed radiography. In the current times, facilities of radiology are found in even small hospitals and health clinics. The use of computer has also become unavoidable in radiology in the present times. Diagnosis of various clinical cases is initiated through radiographs. These are easily available, the costs are lower, not dangerous, medical professionals being familiar to its use, and the imaging times are also fast. Moreover, the resolution and contrast provided by radiographs are excellent. The need and importance of radiology and radiographs can therefore be understood in the field of medicine (Bansal, 2006, pp.425-428). In the recent times, radiology has played a significant role in the management operations in the health services based on the use of computers. This has effectively reduced the cost as well as increased the level of communication in the radiology departments of a health service. Diagnostic imaging has taken advantage of the advanced technology and communication systems in order to afford better approach into physiological composition and function for medical purposes thereby benefiting the patients to great extents (Hawnaur, 1999, pp.168-171). The present study focuses on an understanding of the benefits that digital acquisition and storage of diagnostic imaging has on the patients, where the use of radiology has been increasing in the health care units. Digital Radiography Image Quality: Image Acquisition: A Brief Idea: In the field of digital radiographic detectors, two common systems are the Computed Radiography (CR) and Digital Radiography (DR). In computed radiography, the use of photostimulable storage phosphor is made that enables storing the underlying picture with following a processing by means of a stimulating laser beam. It can be modified without any difficulty to a cassette-based system equivalent to that used in screen-film (SF) radiography. DR is capable of describing a digital x-ray imaging system that can interpret the broadcasted x-ray signal instantly following exposure when the detector is in its position (Williams et al, 2007, pp.371). High quality digital radiography provides with the following benefits in general that are beneficial to the patients as well since they are the ones being treated through the use of these techniques: (1) the advancement of authenticated imaging practices thereby allowing reliability of image quality and radiation amount and maintenance between rooms and involving sites; (2) the exercise of suitable firmness of image data to assist communication or storage, with no loss of clinically necessary information; (3) the recording of information to preserve correct medical records of patients that may be recovered when in need; (4) the facility to recover information from prior imaging studies that can be accessed and are to be presented for evaluation with an existing learning; (5) the ability to make use of image processing for enhanced demonstration of information that has been obtained; (6) holding on to appropriate capacity, position, and centralized systems; (7) preservation of confidentiality of the patients; (8) reducing the incidence of poor quality of images; (9) reducing the deliverance of unsuitable ionizing emission dosage to patients; and (10) the encouragement of clinical competence and uninterrupted up gradation of quality (Williams et al, 2007, pp.372). DR technology making use of solid state detectors has the ability to attain a dose cutback in chest and skeletal radiography of up to 33-50% without causing any loss of the quality of image in comparison to a long-established screen-film radiography system (Brennan, 2002, pp.66-69). This is due to its high detective quantum efficiency and broad dynamic range. In the ground of thoracic and skeletal radiography, flat-panel detectors have the ability for dose reduction thereby benefiting the patients with lesser exposures to radiations yet enhanced diagnostic facilities being provided (Lanca and Silva, 2008, pp.1-5). The digital radiography has also proved its benefits for the patients in dentistry where with the features of dose reduction, image manipulation, lesser involvement of time, storage capacity, and being environmentally friendly, the process has improved the patient care to great extents (Brennan, 2002, pp.66-69). Computed Radiography and Digital Radiography: Patient Benefits: A shift from the analog to digital imaging in clinical practices has been provided a cost effective solution by the technique of computed radiography (Mattoon and Smith, 2004). The advantages of digital radiography include immediate observation of the radiographic images, enhancement of the images, storage of data and patient information, developing solutions and conventional film developers, effective communication with other experts and practitioners, exposures to lesser radiation, no issues of losing films like in the traditional systems, and easy to use (Ysenmed, 2012). In the two to three decades that have passed, mammography has proved its efficiency in becoming the most responsive technique for detecting nonpalpable lesions. Screening mammography has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by approximately 18%–30% in the past decade. This is beneficial for patients since in the treatments of breast cancers, that have been obtained to be highly common in the women in the recent times, high quality images are essential for the purpose of diagnosis being done at an early stage (Mahesh, 2012). For patients who require a complete examination without any questions remaining unanswered with respect to detections or findings on their bodies and diseases, the digital mammography has proved to be highly effective. In fact patients are more pleased with detailed and completely explanations that the process provides them regarding the detection of diseases in human bodies (Bick and Diekmann, 2009). The use of CR has benefited the patients in the way the radiation doses have been reduced on them in comparison to the doses that were used in conventional radiography techniques of diagnosis and treatment. According to the regulations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), the radiation doses on the patient need to be kept as low as possible (Dossel & Schlegal, 2009, p.879). Echocardiography allows clearer picture of the heart benefits the patients in the way the clear picture enables better understanding of the condition of one’s heart and hence suitable treatment to it. With the storage of such data, the earlier conditions of a patient’s heart can also be compared with the present status that enables the patients to have clear understanding of how they need to pursue with their self-care as well. Digital echocardiography also has been found to have a positive impact on the anxiety and understanding of the patient. The images can be shared with the patients thereby clearly explaining to them the current status of their hearts and what it actually means. This enables the patients to be more confident in handling themselves and their physical difficulties (Lewis, 2002). PACS and Patient Benefits: A PACS is a picture archiving and communication system that consisting of the medical images along with acquisition and storage of data. Subsystems are displayed that are included through the use of digital networks and application software. The PACS was primarily developed to provide assistance to functioning of smaller modules of an entire operation been conducted in the radiology department. It has been observed that the efficiency of healthcare services could improve with the use of PACS. Moreover costs of the healthcare departments also reduced. This in other words might reflect on the lesser burden on the patients as well since more the costs incurred in the healthcare departments, more would be the burden on the patients and their families (Huang, 2010, pp.17-18). There are five primary benefits from the use of PACS that have proved beneficial to both the physicians as well as the patients. These include: (1) PACS decreases the requirement for film in diagnostic imaging, thereby saving on the costs of buying the film as well as the room required to accommodate the film; (2) PACS aids in rapid and trouble-free admittance to images and reports of patients; (3) PACS can facilitate reduction in the number of duplicate images in view of the fact that previous results are obtainable by electronic means; (4) With PACS, tests can be executed at any place, since outcomes can be shared automatically with other inaccessible facilities; and (5) Physicians can get hold of a sequential outlook of the radiology histories of the patients (Top 5 Benefits of a Picture Archiving and Communication System, 2010). These are beneficial for the patients for two primary reasons. One, being the reduction in the costs and second, being the easy and improved manner of diagnosis. PACS can thus be understood to enable better treatment of the patients since the detection of the diseases accurately would lead to better diagnosis and treatment by the physicians. PACS makes it possible for health care professionals to send soft copy of radiographs to other areas for specialist opinion. The opportunity for specialist to discuss images at different locations helps to make the best diagnosis for the patient. The opportunity to view images simultaneously at different locations by different medical experts does not exist in film-based radiology departments (Lemke, 2011, pp.177-183). Considering the chest radiology, it has been observed that the soft copy of the examinations prove to be significantly effective in determining the lesions in more details hence revealing improved results (Hurlen et al, 2012, p.176). This in turn enables better treatment of the patients since the detection of the diseases accurately would lead to better diagnosis and treatment by the physicians. With the development and use of the PACS, it can be realized that the process is significantly beneficial to the patients. Firstly, if the system is made enterprise-wide in a hospital, then through this technique the medical imaging done in that hospital of any particular patient would be capable of being used by any other physician consulted for the patient who may not be part of that particular healthcare organization. This can be explained as follows. For example, there might be situations where a patient might approach a particular hospital and undertake the medical imaging in that hospital. However, later due to conditions like worsened state of the patient, the patient might need to be taken to another consultant who is not directly associated with the hospital where the patient had done the medical imaging from. In such cases, the imaging can be made easily available to the present doctor who takes the charge of the patient thus benefiting the diagnosis and treatment of the individual (Arevalo, 2005). Since the imagings are available in hand, hence different physicians may be consulted by presenting the imaging results to the physicians. PACS is also beneficial to patients since the time taken in receiving a diagnosis or treatments has become lesser with the use of this technique. Moreover, with the availability of the medical imaging recorded in CDs, patients can carry them to their personal physicians. With PACS, patients also have the opportunity and relief of having knowledge of their medical images made easily available to their physicians or known specialists at the times of need (Arevalo, 2005). The system has been able to solve several problems related to the inadequacy of storage resources and other associated problems of radiology (Faggioni et al., 2011, pp.253-258). The implementation of digital imaging in combination with PACS can bring tangible benefits to radiology departments and centers internationally, together with increasing the standard of patient care, reforming workflow, and reducing costs. Digital imaging helps physicians do their jobs better and thus benefits the patients by providing them with greater confidence (Naisbitt, 2007). A PACS web viewer greatly develops a health care provider's contacts to patient's images and reports thus benefiting the patient as they can receive enhanced care and treatments (Hemrick, 2009). Diagnostic Imaging: The Benefits to Patients: Diagnostic or medical imaging constitutes different techniques helping in imaging the human body for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment (Dhawan, 2011). Thus the system has an important role to play in the improvement of the human health and diseases. X-ray based assessments and tests like the ultrasonography are necessary in various diagnostic processes. With the improvement and advancements in the techniques, the use of diagnostic imaging and radiography have been found to have increased in the recent times and can be expected to contribute effectively to the health and diagnosis of patients (Leader, 2012). Medical imaging can in the present times play a vital function in the comprehensive healthcare system as it adds to enhanced patient results and more cost-efficient healthcare in all chief infection units (Marks & Hojgaard, 2007). Medical imaging is extensively commended as a trademark of modern medicine. From physicians and patients to professional organizations and peer-reviewed journals, anyone who has assessed and practised medical imaging knows its enormous benefits, both individually and empirically. Medical imaging helps patients to get diagnosed at an early age whether a small child has inherent cancer within, or if the health of an old person is in good condition or not. With early and effective diagnosis being available through these techniques, patients have received greater opportunities to survive overcoming their physical difficulties. Moreover, with the diagnosis and treatment being possible at an early stage much of the costs of the patients’ treatment also get saved, accompanied by effective health care services (Shaw, 2009). Management and Security of Medical Images of Patients: Medical images communicated in a healthcare department through PACS generally make use of internal hospital network that is secured from external intruders through the use of ?rewall. Since the communication broadens over wide networks hence there are possibilities of medical images and patient information being misused by external sources. Hence protective measures are highly necessary (Cao, Huang & Zhou, 2003, pp.185-186). Lost film also result in increasing radiation dose of the patient as the procedure has to be repeated (Dhawan, 2011). Encryption has been found to be one of the most important measures that can ensure the security of patient information and medical images. Cryptography normally reflects the science of creating and identifying code systems deliberated to mix up a communication so that the communication cannot be understood by any person other than an planned party (Cao, Huang & Zhou, 2003, pp.185-186). Conclusion: From the discussion above it is clear that digital acquisition and storage of diagnostic images is beneficial for patients. Digital acquisition and storage of diagnostic images has enabled the use of lesser efforts, decreasing costs, and proved to be better technology than the conventional method. PACS has led to an improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The inception of PACS has helped healthcare professionals to efficiently and effectively manage patients.HoBHdifg However, digital acquisition and storage of diagnostic images is not a perfect technology. Huge investment is needed to set it up. This means resources that could have been used medical purposes will have to be channeled into this project. Nevertheless, digital acquisition and storage of images is less costly in the long term that conventional method of radiography. Additionally, PACS is not always reliable as the system can break down. It must be checked regularly to ensure that it functions properly to enhance the benefits to patients. Word Count: 2489 References 1) Arevalo, J.D. (2005), Workflow benefits of PACS outweigh fear of change, diagnosticimaging, available at: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/display/article/113619/1200732 (accessed on May 31, 2012) 2) Bansal, G.J. (2006), Digital radiography. A comparison with modern conventional imaging, Postgrad Med Journal, Vol.82, No.869, pp.425-428, available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2563775/ (accessed on August 2, 2012) 3) Bick, U. & F. 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