The Impact of Image Informatics on Medical Imaging Systems - Essay Example

? Imaging Informatics (Insert Imaging Informatics Introduction Imaging informatics, also referred to as medical imaging informatics is a branch of biomedical informatics. The main aim of imaging informatics is to improve on the efficiency, reliability, accuracy, and dependency of medical imaging services within the general hospital or medical setup. Biomedical informatics on the other hand is a field of various disciplines which include biology, information technology, computer science, engineering, and statistics. Biomedical informatics as a field of various disciplines is aimed at enhancing the use of biomedical imaging data. The ways in which it enhances the imaging data is through automating, simplifying, reinventing the techniques for the description, management analysis, and the ways in which the imaging data can be preserved. In general, imaging informatics is concerned with the flow of medical images throughout the medical chain; that is, the retrieval, analysis, interpretation, exchanging, and more importantly how the information is stored. The information that is contained in the databases is inclusive of images and data from Picture Archiving and Communication System PACS (Hwang & Woo, 2003, p. 269). Imaging informatics heavily depends on radiology. This is because radiology is a field in medicine that is driven by technology and is data intensive thus it is very accommodating for imaging informatics. This explains why radiologists have become the leading practitioners in the field of imaging informatics. Imaging informatics is a field whose significance traverses through several areas in the medical field. As has been mentioned above, PACS, or what is in full referred to as Picture Archiving and Communication System is an area in which the significance of imaging informatics is highlighted. PACS, just as the name suggests, is a system that has been developed mainly for storage purposes of medical images. PACS provides an avenue in which images can be stored at a reduced price and more to this, it promotes convenience when it comes to the accessing of images. The most fundamental feature of PACS is perhaps the fact that it has images from multiple modalities thus it has a wide range of images to compare to (Hwang & Woo, 2003, p. 269). The main reason why imaging informatics is of significance to PACS is because it eliminates the manual transmission and retrieval of image data. This is because the that have come in to being as a result of imaging informatics are transmitted digitally. According to Huang (2010, pp.219-23), the major components of PACS are a gateway of image and data acquisition, a PACS server and archive, and several workstations. He farther elaborates that the PACS has two types of gateway. The first type of gateway which is used for textual data is the database gateway. The second type of gateway is the image acquisition gateway which is used for the data in the form of images. It is also key to point out that the images acquired by PACS are retrieved from imaging modalities or devices and related patient data that is archived in Hospital Information Systems (HIS), and Radiology Information Systems (RIS), two areas that will be discussed later on in the paper highlighting the significance of imaging informatics. The second component as pointed out by Huang, (2010) is the PACS server and archive. After an imaging examination, the results together with the patient information which is retrieved from the HIS and the RIS via the gateways is sent to the PACS server. This is the central nervous system of the PACS and it consists of very specialized computer servers. Again, this component of the PACS has to subdivisions; they are, the database server and an archive system. The core functions of the database server is to receive, store, and update the information in the system. The archive system on the other hand is devoted to the short-term, long-term, and permanent storage of the information in the server.The final component of the PACS is the workstations. The work station includes “ communication network connection, local database, resource management, and processing software “ (Huang, 2010, p. 222). The core functions of the workstations is to prepare, select, and present cases; interpret them; and to arrange, reconstruct, and document the images. The significance and relevance of imaging informatics is also highlighted in the Hospital Information System (HIS). HIS has various other synonyms which include Clinical Information System (CIS), and Healthcare Information System, all of which refer to and mean one and the same thing. HIS is a system that is used to store and manage the medical, administrative, legal, and financial data of a hospital. Imaging informatics comes in to the picture because it is an integral part of HIS and is alternatively dependent on HIS. It is an integral part simply because the digital images that are retrieved during an examination are part of the patient medical data that is stored in the Hospital Information System. It is also dependent or rather significant on a different front to the Hospital Information System because it requires patient data from the system to help in the diagnosis of a patient and it also helps in ascertaining if the previous diagnosis of a patient is correct and accurate; more like verifying (Haux et.al, 2004, p.30). Imaging informatics therefore helps in adding content to the medical data of a patient and thus reducing cases of mis-diagnosis when complications arise since there is solid and valid evidence provided. Another area where imaging informatics is significant is the Radiology Information System (RIS). RIS is a database system which is used by radiologists to store, manipulate, and interpret patient data and images. Radiologists are the leading practitioners in the field of imaging informatics. This is because their profession largely depends on medical images acquired through radiology. Imaging informatics is vital to Radiology Information Systems since the database develops reports of patients on the basis of images and tracking of the images retrieved from patients. Imaging informatics also aids in easing the retrieval process of data from RIS because the data is systematic and well organized. Image processing is also an area in medicine that has had significant impacts resulting from imaging informatics. In essence, image processing is to some extent what image informatics is all about. Image processing can be defined as the processing of a signal whose input is an image. For an extensive period of time, images have been processed on a two dimensional signal technique. This has been done through the application of standard signal techniques to it. In other words, the images have been processed on two dimensions. Imaging informatics has contributed much to image processing simply because it has been made possible to manipulate the multi-dimensional signals with systems that range from simple digital circuits to advanced parallel computers. Through image informatics, it has been made possible to process images in three distinct ways. The first way in which images can be processed is through image enhancement. This aspect of image processing enables one to make an image more clear. Therefore the image produced can be manipulated to clearly outline the boundaries of the organ that is being focused on through various means such as noise reduction and contrast adjustment. The second way of processing images is through image restoration. Image restoration has been used in two ways; to determine the prior state of a damaged organ, and to determine the eventual state of an organ if a condition persists. Image informatics has made this possible for doctors and other practitioners simply because they can use effects to either reduce the effects of degradation of an organ or increase them to predict the eventuality of a patient’s condition. The third way of image processing is image compression. This process has made it possible to reduce the blurriness of an image or consequently add it. In a more elaborate and comprehensive term, image compression relates to the number of pixels that are used to display an image. Doctors and other practitioners have therefore been able to assess and determine the minute effects on organs and other parts of the body because they can zoom in on the image on focus, and be able to view it with clarity (Petrou&Petrou, 2010). Digital imaging is related to image processing. The only thing that might distinguish the two is the fact that digital imaging is the acquisition of an image typically from a scene. In most cases, it can be said that digital imaging is the body under which image processing underlies since it entails all the aspects of image processing; that is image enhancement, restoration, and compression (Gonzalez& Woods, 2008). Imaging informatics has helped in the development and implementing of digital image processing in the medical field. Practitioners have been able to obtain realistic images of body parts. This has been significant because the doctors have been able to know how exactly the condition of the patient is. The advantage that digital image processing has had over image processing is the fact that most image processing devices are not color enabled. Therefore the doctor has to use their inference skills to diagnose a patient. Images are the major and main component of Computer Aided Diagnosis (CADx). Doctors have been able to interpret medical images more accurately by virtue of these procedures. CADx are imaging techniques which produce images that are rich in information and radiologists use this information to assess the condition of a patient. Examples of these techniques are MRI scans and X-ray scans. The MRI scan is a very comprehensive imaging technique that has helped doctors and radiologists determine conditions such as brain tumors and cancer tumors in patients. An MRI scan not only gives the radiologist image information but also gives statistical data of how the affected area is behaving. Doctors are therefore able to diagnose and determine treatment within a very short time. On the other hand, it can be said that X-ray scans have developed to the modern day MRI scans. The X-rays were invented in the mid-20th century where doctors and other medical practitioners concentrated X-rays on a patients part of the body that was ailing and it produced a skeletal image of the area. This was among the very first advancements that were made as a result of imaging informatics. Imaging informatics has helped in the advancement of X-rays since it has helped doctors to determine the right amount of energy required to produce a particular x-ray image without having putting the patient’s health in harm’s way (Doi, 1999). Image informatics is also significant since it has helped in the enhancement of data compression in the databases of various hospital setups. Data compression refers to the encoding of information using fewer bits than the original. In simpler terms, it is the reduction of the bulky nature of information (Held & Marshall, 1996). Traditionally, information used to be stored using files which comprised of manually input data. The disadvantages of this were many. To begin with, no backup data was available. Therefore if the patient records were lost, it meant that the entire medical history of that particular patient could not be retraced. Another demerit was the fact that retrieving information was a length, and sometimes unsuccessful venture. Worse still, all the stored information was manually input, or handwritten. It therefore became difficult to interpret some of the stored information. Doctors were also not able to access patient information especially in a scenario where a patient relocated. Imaging informatics helped to eliminate all this uncertainties because, it has led to the development of databases which doctors can access at any given time with permission from the relevant authorities. Storage of information has been significantly influenced by image informatics because images are less bulky, and the fact that everything is stored in a database has eliminated the need for physical storage space. The information in the databases is also backed up. This ascertains that the medical records of any given patient cannot be lost and will remain intact since soft copy data has very little, if any tendencies of deteriorating over time. Discussion and Analysis Currently, imaging informatics is being used widely in numerous fields. Medical imaging systems are using the technology of imaging informatics to enhance their performance and services to their various stakeholders, patients being the major recipients. Currently, imaging informatics have been integrated in to several medical imaging systems. As it has been highlighted earlier on in the paper, the MRI scan is one such system where image informatics has aided the medical field. The other system that has been pointed out in the essay I the X-rays. The significance and relevance of image informatics in PACS has also been highlighted in the essay. PACS handles various images that are produced by various medical imaging systems such as endoscopy, mammogram, and ultrasound. In an acute hospital setting, PACS has three main uses. The first use of Picture Archiving and Communication service is replacement of hardcopy images. PACS is currently being used to outface the hardcopy storage of images in hospitals owing to the reduced costs of soft copy storage and the efficiency that comes with it. The second use of PACS is remote access. Image informatics has made it possible for the information in PACS to be accessed easily. People who are at different locations can access the very same image data and analyze it without the necessity of their physical contact. Retrieving is not the only thing that has become easy but installing image data in the system has been enhanced through image informatics. The third function of PACS is integration of different medical automation systems. It has provided a platform where radiology images can be integrated with the various medical systems such as Hospital Information System and Radiology information system. The final use of PACS is to manage the workflow of radiology. When radiologists have examined a patient and retrieved the necessary images, they store them in the PACS database and they are able to keep track of the patients reaction and response to treatment. The role of imaging informatics in the near future is expected to gain more ground. This is because practitioners are slowly inclining andrelying on the technology to retrieve diverse information and to also compare identical or similar situations. Image informatics is also leading to the elimination of hardcopy storage of medical data. It can therefore be predicted that in the next couple of years, medical data, both textual and image, will be stored in soft copy format. This will be very beneficial to the industry because the costs of storage will be reduced by large margins and the accuracy and reliability of data will consequently be increased. Imaging informatics will also help in the early treatment of diseases. This is because of the impact that the technology has on the computer aided diagnosis. With the continued development of digital image processing, computer aided diagnosis will be very sensitive in the detection of any malfunctions, no matter how minute. This is because it has been made possible to assess a body part close-up. Image informatics is also significant to Electronic Medical or Health Record. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a computer database record that is used to store medical information in a hospital or in an organization. An EMR, just like the other medical information system, supports the retrieval, modification and storage of patients’ medical data records. Hardcopy data records are still widely used in hospitals today. This is because they are fairly cheap and most doctors are accustomed to using them as opposed to digitally entering their data in a tablet or computer. However, hardcopy records are disadvantageous because they require large amounts of space for storage. The data store is also prone to damage. Thus if information is stored for a long time, it degrades and there is a possibility that the data therein might be lost (Iyer, Levin & Shea, 2006, p. 314). Image informatics has aided in the slow popularization of EMR’s. The need for physical storage space has been eliminated by the fact that EMR’s offer an option of storing data in the form of soft copy which reduces the overhead operational costs. Imaging informatics has not only helped in the reduction of overhead operational costs. It has also helped in compiling of the medical history of a patient in a very short time. If for example a patient has relocated to a different state and falls ill, the new doctor will not have to run fresh tests to determine what the matter might be. They can access the medical records of the patient from the EMR of the hospital or organization that they were in and use the data available, especially the image data. The doctor can also use the image data to determine how the patient’s condition has changed over time by comparing the previous images with the images that are obtained from the current image scan. The impact of imaging informatics in EMR’s has helped in reducing cases of patients being wrongly diagnosed and also in the avoidance of unnecessary running of tests (Iyer, et.al, 2006, p. 314). Several benefits can be derived from the implementation of image informatics in the medicine field. The first benefit that can be derived from the use of image informatics in medicine is the fact that it is a teaching aid. The images that are retrieved or produced by medical imaging systems are a vital tool which lecturers and other medicine tutors use to elaborate certain characteristics and phenomena in medicine. The students are therefore able to add to the theoretical and practical knowledge that they have with pictorial illustrations during lessons (Bui &Taira, p. 235-236). Imaging informatics has also been beneficial on the fact that implementation has helped medical institutions to reduce the overhead costs which are incurred in the storage process of data. More importantly, image informatics has helped in the proper utilization of time in various ways. First, the fact that medical records of a patient can all be retrieved from one location has helped in reducing the time lost during the manual retrieval of files. Secondly, image informatics has helped doctors to cut down on running unnecessary tests since they can access previous medical records of a patient and conduct tests on the basis of the information which is available. However, imaging informatics has several limitations. The first and most common limitation of advanced technologies is the fact that they are expensive to implement. Though imaging informatics has aided in the reduction of overhead operational costs, it goes without saying that it is very expensive to implement the systems which facilitate their use. Another limitation of image informatics and medical imaging systems is the fact that their user friendly rate is quite low. Though the systems are very efficient, their use is only limited to the computer literate practitioners. It also puts the practitioners who are not conversant with the systems at a risk of losing their jobs. Another limitation is that it makes it difficult to interact and explore anatomies. This is because of its virtual nature. Doctors may have a tendency of over relying on image informatics in practice. This is a limitation because the doctors will base their findings on archived information rather than actual tests. The risk of this is the fact that it can compromise certain practices which are evidence based (Bansal, p. 166). Conclusion Image informatics has had a major impact in the field of medicine through medical imaging systems. There various areas of medicine that have been influenced majorly by this technology. PACS is one of the areas that has been influenced majorly. As has been pointed out in this essay, PACS have been used, through image informatics, to replace hardcopy storage of images, ease access of the images that are in the databases, integrate various systems on an image integration platform, and managing the workflow of radiology. Image informatics has also helped the medics through its integration in computer aided diagnosis. Medics can therefore make a diagnosis on the basis of facts as portrayed in an image rather than just using evidence that has been provided for articulation during the treatment of a condition. Doi, (1999) gives an example of how an MRI scan not only gives the radiologist image information but also gives statistical data of how the affected area is behaving. On the issue of Electronic Medical Records (EMR), image informatics has helped in adding the quality of the data recorded. This is because the EMR’s contain both textual and pictorial or image data of a patient. Although EMR’s have not gained wide recognition and use, it is anticipated that in the near future medics and other medical practitioners will embrace it due to its efficiency and reliability. The limitations of image informatics and medical imaging systems are mostly cost based. If the cost of implementing this technology is reduced, then a wide adoption of it will be experienced since cost is the biggest deterrent. 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