Enterprise Scanner Protocol Management - Proposal
1. Proposed Workitem: Enterprise Scanner Protocol Management
- Proposal Editor: Krishna Juluru
- Editor: <Name of candidate Lead Editor for the Profile, if known>
- Domain: Radiology
2. The Problem
<Summarize the integration problem. What doesn’t work, or what needs to work.> Although imaging protocols in separate scanners may have the same name and are intended to achieve the same diagnostic outcome, the performed procedure steps within the protocols may demonstrate variability. This variability may take the form of inconsistencies in (1) procedure step name (series name), (2) procedure step sequence, and (3) procedure step parameters. These inconsistencies have consequences in both clinical and research settings. Inconsistent series names can lead to failures of hanging protocols on some PACS stations and failures of image processing pipelines in research. Wrong procedure step sequence can lead to scan delays and incorrect timing of post-contrast phases. Variability in scan parameters can lead to difficulties in following lesions over time, and variability in image quantification.
There is a need to standardize imaging protocols within scanners at a given institution, and within scanners between institutions. At most institutions, this standardization is performed manually by a lead technologist who visits every scanner and checks uniformity the protocols.
<Now describe the Value Statement: what is the underlying cost incurred by the problem, what is to be gained by solving it>
Value Statement: Standardization of imaging protocols through a manual process that involves a visit to every scanner in an institution is a time-consuming and error prone process. The problem is exacerbated when scanner software is upgraded and all existing protocols are deleted. The institution’s ability to make changes to protocols is also limited due to this manual process.
A better solution would be a system and process that could manage all scanner protocols within an institution from a central access point. This would enable standardization across scanners, quick updates of protocols, and monitoring of protocols for quality assurance purposes.
3. Key Use Case
<Describe a short use case scenario from the user perspective. The use case should demonstrate the integration/workflow problem.>
<Feel free to add a second use case scenario demonstrating how it “should” work. Try to indicate the people/systems, the tasks they are doing, the information they need, and hopefully where the information should come from.>
4. Standards and Systems
<List existing systems that are/could be involved in the problem/solution.>
<If known, list standards which might be relevant to the solution>
5. Discussion
<Include additional discussion or consider a few details which might be useful for the detailed proposal>
- <Why IHE would be a good venue to solve the problem and what you think IHE should do to solve it.>
- <What might the IHE technical approach be? Existing Actors? New Transactions? Additional Profiles?>
- <What are some of the risks or open issues to be addressed?>