This volume contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Pictorial Information Systems in Medicine" held August 27-September 7, 1984 in Hotel Maritim, Braunlage/Harz, Federal Republic of Germany. The program committee of the institute consisted of KH Hohne (Director), G. T Herman, G. S. Lodwick, and D. Meyer-Ebrecht. The organization was in the hands of Klaus Assmann and Fritz Bocker In the last decade medical imaging has undergone a rapid development New imaging modalities such as Computer Tomography (CT), Digital Angiography (DSA) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) were developed using the capabilities of modern computers. In a modern hospital these technologies produce already more then 25% of image data in digital form. This format lends itself to the design of computer assisted Information systems Integrating data acquisition, presentation, communi­ cation and archiving for all modalities and users within a department or even a hospital. Advantages such as rapid access to any archived Image, synoptic presentation, computer assisted image analysis to name only a few, are expected. The design of such pictorial information systems, however, often called PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) In the medical community is a non-trivial task involving know-how from many disciplines such as - Medicine (especially Radiology), - Data Base Technology, - Computer Graphics, - Man Machine Interaction, - Hardware Technology and others. Most of these disCiplines are represented by disjunct scientific communities.

Inhalt

Long Papers.- Radiological Background.- Pictorial Information Systems and Radiology Improving the Quality of Communications.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Radiology Information management and costs.- 3. File management.- 4. Communications problems with referring physicians.- 5. How can we improve communications in Radiology?.- 6. Advantages of PACS.- 7. Conclusions.- References.- Image Acquisition Devices and Their Application to Diagnostic Medicine.- Devices and applications.- 1. Light and photoelectronic imaging devices.- a. Types.- b. Applications.- 2. X-ray imaging devices and systems for radiology.- a. Shadowgraphs.- b. Device structures.- c. Subtraction imaging.- References.- Information System Aspects.- Integrated Hospital Information Systems.- 1. On data in a hospital and their use.- 2. The concept HIS and its position in the hospital.- 3. Integration.- 4. Application of a HIS.- 5. Performance aspects.- 6. Data protection aspects.- 7. An example of a HIS.- 8. Costs of a hospital information system.- 9. Benefits and evaluation.- 10. Lessons to be learned.- 11. On the relations between a HIS and a PACS.- 12. Further HIS developments and problems involved.- References.- On the Architecture for Pictorial Information Systems.- Basic ideas on Architecture.- The particular role of architecture in the medical image domain.- A modelling concept.- An overall PACS philosophy.- A hierarchical image mass storage concept.- A unifying image coding concept.- A modular image processor architecture for high power work stations.- References.- Aspects of Image Presentation.- Three-Dimensional Computer Graphic Display in Medicine: The MIPG Perspective.- Discrete 3D scenes.- Objects and their surfaces.- Surface detection of 1-objects in binary scenes.- Display of object surfaces.- Recent advances in the cuberille approach.- The computer program 3D83.- Summary.- References.- Psychovisual Issues in the Display of Medical Images.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Spatial issues of display.- 3. Intensity issues of display.- 4. Other visual dimensions: Motion and 3D.- 5. Summary.- References.- Systems for 3D Display in Medical Imaging.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Reflective display systems.- 3. Self-luminous display systems.- 4. Conclusion.- References.- Computer Science Tools.- Issues in the Design of Human-Computer Interfaces.- 1. The computer-driven screen as a communications medium.- 2. Survey and classification of errors .·.- 3. An interactive system as seen by the user.- 4. Is a standard man-machine interface possible?.- 5. Programming the man-machine interface.- References.- Programming Support for Data-Intensive Applications.- 1. Introduction: database programming.- 2. A programmer's approach to the relational model of data.- 3. Some high level language constructs for relations.- 4. Support for database integrity, recovery and concurrency.- 5. Requirements for compound object modelling.- 6. Extended constructs for compound object definition.- 7. Extended constructs for compound object operation.- 8. Concluding remarks.- References.- Knowledge-Based and Expert Systems: Representation and Use of Knowledge.- 1. Introduction.- 2. An overview of knowledge-based and expert systems.- 3. Representation and use of knowledge.- 4. A special application: a pictorial knowledge-based system.- 5. Results and future aspects.- References.- Software Tools for the Development of Pictorial Information Systems in Medicine - The ISQL Experience -.- 1. Objectives and Problems.- 2. The ISQL Approach.- 3. PACS - Functions, Concepts and Realization with the tool ISQL.- 1. Integration into the departmental or hospital organization.- 2. Management of images.- 3. Human computer communication.- 4. User environments.- 5. Further developments.- 6. Software properties of the tool ISQL.- 4. Conclusion.- References.- First Experiences.- Experience with a Prototype PACS System in a Clinical Environment.- On-line radiology networking.- Daily generation of digital data.- Daily requirements of digital transmission.- Interactive diagnosis display station.- Hard copy recording.- Long-term archiving.- PACS standards.- Summary.- References.- Short Papers.- Radiological Aspects.- Recent Developments in Digital Radiology.- The Future of Digital Computers in Medical Imaging.- System Design.- Looking Back at PACS Attempts - What has Happened Since PACS I.- Design Considerations for Multi- Modality Medical Image Workstations.- Medical Work Stations in Radiology.- The Dimi System Philosophy and State of Development.- Image Presentation.- Interactive Display of 3D Medical Objects.- Presentation and Perception of 3D Images.- Experiments with Three-dimensional Reconstruction of Ventriculograms using automatic contour detection.- Systematic Use of Colour in Biomedical Data Display.- Diverse Applications.- 3D Model of Vertebra for Spinal Surgery.- Correlation Between CT, NMR and PT. Findings in the Brain.- Digital Imaging for Planning of Radiation Therapy - Practical Considerations.- Author Index.