PACS Project lifecycle
One of the big mistakes hospitals; unfortunately, fall into is considering PACS/RIS as modality. I can count tens of reasons why not to consider PACS/RIS as a modality.
In fact, PACS/RIS are full systems. They are part of the infrastructure of the hospital. They are the backbone !
Thus starting implementation of PACS without planning is another big mistake. Actually, PACS implementation is a project .. No .. No !! It's a huge project indeed.
in VVB (remember! Very Very Basic) we can simplify the whole lifecycle of a project in three phases.
Project LifeCycle
1. Study phase: i.e, study of hospital needs of storage capacity, study of hospital workflow and fetching throughput. I will talk more about the study phase in detail in the next lesson.
2. Design phase: Implementation of PACS on paper by listing all components and spects not biased to any vendor solution.
3. Execution phase: physical implementation on ground by installing agreed on components.
Project Implementation Body
In fact, each project phase is recommended to be implemented by a separate entity. Table below shows implementing body for each phase
| Phase | Implementing body |
| Study | End user / Consultant |
| Design | Consultant |
| Execution | Vendor |
Note: As far as I know, in all PACS implementations in Kuwait, the three phases where implemented only by a single body "THE VENDOR".. So from that you can deduce how dangerous is this. Vendor's interest is to make optimal profit.
Project Lifecycle -- In Detail
In fact, each phase (of the three above) is a project by itself and each can be divided into five sub-phases.
sub-phase 1. Project Initiation: i.e, forming team, delegating assignment.
= 2. Planning: i.e., specifying project-phase schedule. Writing down steps to target.
= 3. Implementation: execution of the phase tasks.
= 4. Control and follow up: i.e., Quality assurance to make sure that implementation is going on time.
= 5. Handing over: making sure that tasks where completely done, and to make sure that all requested
needed documents were handed over.
Summary
In summary, PACS projects should start buy studying your needs which can be done by either the hospital itself or by a PACS consultant. Design phase is usually implemented by same previous body. Last phase (execution) is implemented by the vendor.
Next Lesson:
Knowing your needs is first project phase.
Lesson(1): DICOM Definition and basic setup
DICOM stands for: Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine.
In Very..very..basic (VVB) way, we can say that DICOM is a set of rules some people agreed on to make our lives (PACS Admins) easier !! They just wanted to make Medical Image Exchange between modalities, Diagnostic Workstations, and PACS (for example) much much easier.
In fact, most part of DICOM standard talk about how two different DICOM devices when communicating on a network to exchange Medical Images..
DICOM Services
DICOM people tried to summarize medical image exchange (communication) in a limited number of services.
1. DICOM verification 2. Image Store service. 3. Image query/retrieve Service. 4. Image print service. 5. Modality Worklist Service . 6. .... and more and more .... (they are beyound the V.V.B course) .
DICOM Association
Generally any DICOM service will have the following process between to DICOM devices.
Setup for DICOM Association
In General, You need to set three or Four parameters on (usually) both sides.
1. Destination Hostname (Some times only) 2. Desitnation IP address. 3. Destination Port No. 4. Desitnation Application Entity Title (AET, or AE Title)
1, and 2 are Operating system dependant. 3, and 4 are DICOM software dependant (Modality console, DICOM WS software)
So, a good practice for PACS admins is to keep record of all four parameters in excel sheet in a safe place for futuer reference. Do not allow vendor engineers to choose there own IP addresses. Choose for them your self (If not using Dynamic IP's) Summary In summary, DICOM is a standard made to unify communicatin between medical imaging devices. DICOM is a set of no. of services. To setup a Dicom association between two DICOM devices we need to set four parameter at least on one side. Those parameters are the IP address, Port No. , AE.Title, and some times the hostname.
Lesson(2): DICOM SOP
Mile Stones from my life
1978: Born in Kuwait from a family of three brothers.
1995: Graduated From High School.
1996: Started College at Colorado State University Ft. Collins, Colorado USA.
2000: In July 12th of that year I got married to my beloved lady. She descended from a well know family.. "Albahrani". Their family name shows two possibilities. One, they could be originally from Bahrain, or as people used to call "Shia" from that area as "Bahrani" !!
2001: Graduated with BSc in Electrical Engineering with concentration in Optical Electronics.
OPTICAL ELECTRONICS: Study of Photonic Components (i.e. transmitters, receivers, fiber optics, Imaging Theories, etc..)
Senior Projects:
(1) Measurement of spontaneous emission lifetime in Vertical Cavity surface Emitting lasers (VCSEL)
(2) Numerical Modeling for Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers.
2001 Professional Career started with Education; Teaching High School Students an Introductory course in IT.
2002 I received my first baby. "Haider" ..one of the names of lion in Arabic and we usually call t
his name after Imam "Ali ibn Abi Taleb". First Imam and cusin of all mighty prophet.
2004 I recieved my second baby. She is "Fatima" after the name of Lady "Fatima" daughter of all might prophet.
2004 Joined Medical Equipment vendor as Field Service Engineer in Diagnostic Imaging. I'm still in that business but joined other vendors and other lines within radiology.I'm; actually, more into Medical Imaging Information systems.
2007 In September 16, I received my third child. "Zainab" which means "The honor of the father" after the name of daughter of Imam Ali.
