Portable Data for Imaging

Portable Data for Imaging (PDI) provides reliable interchange of image data and diagnostic reports on CDs, DVDs and USB for importing, printing, or optionally, displaying in a browser.

Summary

Portable Data for Imaging further standardizes the distribution of imaging related information on interchange media. This allows users who receive interchange media to more reliably import, process, archive, display or print the imaging related information. The Profile specifies CDs as the physical media, with additional options to handle DVDs and USB Drives.

Sites are encouraged to produce PDI-compliant media. PDI media is fully DICOM compliant, in fact much of the the PDI specification simply constrains DICOM more tightly for improved compatibility. As such, any DICOM compliant reader should have no trouble reading PDI-compliant media.

Benefits

Reduce Operational Costs

• Reduces unnecessary films for surgery, referrals to other sites or referring physicians—modality creates Portable Data for Imaging CDs to be sent to those users

Reduce Errors and Enhance Patient Care

• Prevents missing data from other sites because the PACS is able to import data sent on CDs and integrate it with the patient’s record
• Prevents mismatched patient identifiers in data imported from CDs from other institutions because the PACS reconciles this information to local values at import time
• Improves patient peace of mind because the PACS provides patients with straightforward access to CD copies of their personal health information

Increase Throughput

• Prevents time scanning film priors from other sites—the PACS supports the import and reconciliation of studies on CD

Improve Data Accessibility

• Improves access to other sites’ data—the PACS can import and reconcile patient and diagnostic information on CD from other institutions and clinics
• Improves access by clinical data consumers (referring physicians, second-opinion radiologists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, other institutions, clinics, referrals, etc.)—the PACS exports patient and diagnostic information on CD when a reliable high-speed network connection is missing
• Improves patient information portability (a HIPAA issue)—the PACS implements the standardized distribution of patient imaging history on CD

Details

The Portable Data for Imaging Integration Profile specifies

• The reliable interchange of imaging-related information on interchange media to be used for printing, display and import into other enterprises.

• All of the imaging-related information must be available in Diagnostic format (DICOM). This includes:
  • Images from Modalities such as CT, X-Ray and MRI.
  • Diagnostic Reports
  • Measurements

• The physical format of the media (CD, DVD or USB Drive) is specified.
• The structure of the media contents is specified.
• Information on how the Patient/Procedure information from the interchange media should be imported into the local enterprise is specified.
• Recommendations on the physicial identification of the media content (via label and document) is specified.

• Optionally web viewable information may be present on the interchange media. This includes:
  • An index to access the Web information on the interchange media.
  • A DICOM Viewer to view the Diagnostic imaging-related information.
  • Web viewable versions (e.g. JPEG) of the Diagnostic imaging-related information.

Systems Affected

Systems which are expected to have implemented actors from this profile include:

• Acquisition Modalities which are capable of saving Diagnostic Imaging information to PDI media.
• Display Workstations which are capable of either saving or viewing Diagnostic Imaging information to/on PDI media.
• Reporting Workstations which are capable of either saving or viewing Diagnostic Imaging/Report information to/on PDI media.
• Radiology image management/archiving (i.e. picture and communication systems (PACS)which are capable of saving Diagnostic Imaging information to PDI media.
• Workstations which are capable of viewing imaging-related information through a Web Browser or Diagnostic Imaging-related information through the DICOM Viewer provided on the PDI media.

Actors & Transactions:

Specification

Profile Status: Final Text

Documents: IHE Radiology Technical Framework:

IHE Radiology Technical Framework:

• Vol. 1 - Section 15
• Vol. 3 - Section 4.47, and Appendices E and F

Underlying Standards:

• DICOM
• HL7
• XHTML V1.0
• XHTML Basic 1.1

See Also

Related Profiles

• Cross-Enterprise Document Media Interchange [XDM] complements PDI by adding XDS documents and metadata on the same CD. It also handles USB memory and email attachments.
• Import Reconciliation Workflow [IRWF] manages the import of DICOM images and reports from PDI discs, other CDs or film digitizers.

Several "content profiles" specify DICOM Objects that may be placed on PDI media.

• Nuclear Medicine Image [NM] specifies Nuclear Medicine images and result screens.
• Mammography Image [MAMMO] specifies Mammography images and evidence.
• Evidence Documents [ED] specifies digital measurements.
• Key Image Note [KIN] let users flag images as significant (e.g. for referring, for surgery, etc.) and add notes.
• Simple Image and Numeric Report [SINR] specifies Diagnostic Radiology Reports.

Consumer Information

The Portable Data for Imaging FAQ answers typical questions about what the Profile does.

Portable Data for Imaging Purchasing describes considerations when purchasing equipment to deploy this Profile.

Implementer Information

The Portable Data for Imaging Implementation provides additional information about implementing this Profile in software.

Reference Articles

<List References (good and bad) (with link if possible) to Journal Articles that mention IHE's work (and hopefully include some analysis) >

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