Finding: Importing Outside Images into PACS Reduces Repeat Imaging

A study published in the March issue of American Journal of Roentgenologyhas concluded that, in cases in which patient images obtained at one institution must be transferred to a second institution, importing the images to the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) significantly decreases the need for repeat studies compared to other image-transfer methods.

In the study, Lu et al. took a retrospective look at 267 patients who had undergone CT or MRI of the abdomen within four months before transarterial chemoembolization. The authors were particularly interested in whether importing outside images to PACS leads to less repeat imaging than does simply viewing the outside images on CD. CDs are currently the most common means of image transfer, but a PACS has certain advantages over CDs—for example, images imported into a PACS (including those originally from CDs) are more widely...