ImageGrid
is a cost-effective PACS appliance, consisting of a suite of sophisticated
software capabilities closely integrated with state-of-the-art hardware. An
appliance operating system, optimized internal data path, embedded database,
and DICOM services, integrated with industry-standard CPU and RAID 5 comprise
the major elements of the system. Using Serial ATA disks in the main chassis
and expansion units, ImageGrid storage capacity can be configured from 1 terabyte
to tens of terabytes in raw capacity. ImageGrid PACS enables any imaging facility
to cost-effectively implement PACS without sacrificing on any features and
capabilities. ImageGrid PACS is designed to be implemented within minutes
and hours as compared to days and weeks with traditional PACS solutions.
ImageGrid represents a paradigm shift in PACS and offer many of the features
and capabilities found in more expensive PACS solutions in a fully integrated
storage / server appliance. ImageGrid as been architected and designed as
a single-purpose appliance for DICOM services and hence is significantly easier
to install and administer than traditional PACS solutions. By using an appliance-based
foundation and industry-standard DICOM architecture, the Candelis ImageGrid
PACS appliance accelerates image access, simplifies operation and management,
and protects patient images in a highly reliable, HIPAA-compliant storage
and archival system. With ImageGrid PACS, imaging centers and clinics are
able to cost-effectively implement PACS and realize the full potential and
benefits of their digital modalities. Once implemented, ImageGrid's reliability
and low maintenance requirement provides customers with the lowest total cost
of ownership.
DICOM is an interface and protocol standard created by the medical industry
to promote interoperability between imaging equipment and any equipment users
want to connect. When fully implemented, DICOM simplifies usage, communication,
and management of medical images by making the underlying imaging infrastructure
transparent to the user. In creating ImageGrid, Candelis took the DICOM inoperability
concept further by integrating it with a streamlined, storage and database
appliance that is purpose-built for moving, routing, and storing DICOM images
over a network with virtually zero installation or administration.
ImageGrid is extremely versatile and may be used for a variety of purposes.
Many customers use ImageGrid as their primary PACS in conjunction with leading
volumetric imaging workstations. A number of large hospitals have also deployed
ImageGrid as a high throughput DICOM router to better manage data traffic
on their network and between modalities and their PACS. In facilities with
a 64-Slice CT, ImageGrid has also been deployed as a dedicated PACS to manage
the large volume of data in more cost-effective and efficient manner. In such
data intensive applications, ImageGrid's internal database, appliance operating
system, and CPU have proven their optimized performance with the ability to
deliver, retrieve and routing studies at speeds exceeding that of many high-performance
PACS systems.
ImageGrid can also serve as a tele-radiology server, sending images automatically
to specific radiologists based on predefined "rules," such as image source,
patient information and radiologist specialty. Rule-based routing enables
an imaging center to automatically route images to reading physicians whether
onsite or remote. Another benefit of the automated routing feature is that
images can be archived remotely for compliance with HIPAA disaster-recovery
requirements.
ImageGrid storage capacity addresses the needs of imaging centers, both large
and small. The raw capacity of ImageGrid ranges from 1 terabyte to tens of
terabytes. The ImageGrid PACS appliances can accommodate tens of thousands
of very large studies, while requiring rack space of 5.25 inches high and
with a footprint of less than 2.8 square feet.
With ImageGrid PACS, many imaging centers and clinics can replace their high-maintenance
CD jukeboxes with the benefits of a full featured PACS with always-online
access to more of their studies. A popular jukebox capacity for imaging centers
is slightly over 200 CDs, or about 1.2 terabytes of raw capacity, approximately
one year's worth of studies for a typical imaging center. While the jukebox
works reasonably well as long as all studies of interest fit into the system,
it is not as appealing once the storage capacity is exceeded. When this happens,
system administrators must manually load requested studies into the jukebox.
When the administrator is not available, the reading physician must wait.
In addition, jukeboxes are prone to mechanical failure and archived CDs outside
the jukebox require filing, labeling, and human administration. In addition
to operating advantages of speed, capacity, and reliability, it is useful
to consider the implications of ImageGrid capacity in terms of digital studies
that can be accommodated.
An average imaging centers generates between 4,000-6,000 studies per year,
while large imaging centers with a 64-slice CT and multiple MRIs generate two
to three times this study volume. Thus, in actual practice, 10 terabytes of
usable capacity has become the minimum archive requirement for many imaging
centers.
