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Addition of Digital Mammography to DR Systems PACS Will Create Major User Benefits, Study Author Says

Nov 30, 2004

CHICAGO, IL – November 30, 2004 A new study reveals that integrating digital mammography with DR Systems’ PACS creates major benefits for users, said Michael Trambert, M.D., the study’s lead author.

In the study, mammograms were read on a full field digital mammography (FFDM) dedicated workstation manufactured by an industry leader, with all exams archived on the PACS, and with exams and voice reports distributed to referring physicians via the PACS web server.

• Dr. Trambert presented his findings on Nov. 30 at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, held in Chicago.
• Study results outlined in Dr. Trambert’s podium presentation showed the following:
• All exams were read and archived 100% filmless from day one of integration with PACS 17 months ago;
• Image quality was excellent with a perceived decrease in patient call backs
• Images are read-ready without need for radiologist manipulation;
• There has been filmless access to exams and voice results since day one of integration. Filmless access is well accepted by breast surgeons and referring doctors;
• Mammographic room productivity increased 2.5 fold;
• However, radiologist productivity was cut in half.

Radiologists’ interpretation time was on average doubled when they read digital mammograms off the FFDM dedicated workstation, compared with reading mammograms using an optimized film-based environment. The latter process involves technologists’ hanging hard-copy films, current exam and prior studies, onto a mammoviewer for the radiologists.

“I believe the reduced productivity was mostly due to inefficiencies in the design and functionality of the FFDM workstation’s user interface,” said Dr. Trambert. “Isolating breast studies on a separate digital mammography workstation hampers our productivity. Interpreting the exams directly off the PACS workstation should solve these problems.”

DR Systems recently received FDA clearance for adding mammography reading capability to its RIS/PACS. Dr. Trambert said he believes this will lead to a significant boost in radiologist productivity.  

“Reading the digital mammograms directly off of the DR Systems PACS workstation should eliminate the radiologist productivity problems revealed in our study,” said Dr. Trambert. ”In fact, I expect interpretation on the PACS will be even faster than it is with optimized film-based interpretation, and this will be the subject of future studies. We’ve had a doubling or near- doubling of radiologists’ productivity with every other modality reading off of the DR Systems’ PACS, compared with optimized preloaded alternator film-based paradigms.  In my opinion, digital mammography should also be faster than optimized film based scenarios. Productivity issues are extremely important, given the radiologist shortage and the low reimbursement for mammography.”

According to Dr. Trambert, specific efficiencies that will be achieved by interpreting digital mammographic exams directly off of the DR Systems PACS include:

• Radiologist interpretation workflow will utilize one system only – the DR PACS, instead of the current paradigm utilizing three systems;
• Instant navigation between mammographic images, without time delays currently seen with dedicated digital mammography workstations;
• Ability to access voice clips reports from prior exams while navigating and comparing current mammographic views with the prior study;
• Ability to view annotations associated with prior exams;
• More efficient comparison of findings on the current exam with multiple prior exams;
• The ability to balance workload around the radiology enterprise, not limiting reading the digital mammographic images to a specialized, dedicated workstation;
• Incorporation of paperless dictation, which will further speed up the radiologist and the transcription of mammographic reports;
• Integrated mammographic patient tracking software will result in further radiologist, and enterprise efficiencies and improve patient care.

Patient care was enhanced by integrating digital mammography with the PACS, the study showed, by enabling radiologists to append voice clips and annotations to images, which are then immediately available to referring physicians via the Web. These capabilities are not available with standalone digital mammographic systems, nor are they available with most other PACS systems.

“The PACS makes it possible for images and voice results to be universally available over the Web for the referring doctors, less than a minute after the exams are interpreted,” said Dr. Trambert. “Patient care is also improved by the PACS, by having the voice clips, annotations, and images available, which facilitates follow-up breast MRIs, biopsies, localizations, and breast surgeries, with PACS exams universally available including in the operating rooms.”

Dr. Trambert is lead radiologist for PACS reengineering at the Cottage Health System and at the Sansum-Santa Barbara Medical Foundation Clinic (Santa Barbara, Calif.) He is also a medical advisor for DR Systems.

 About DR Systems, Inc.

DR Systems, Inc. is the leading independent provider of film-free medical systems and paperless information systems for diagnostic imaging centers and hospitals. For 12 years, the company has helped more than 250 hospitals and imaging centers improve the management of patient information, eliminate film costs, and increase workflow speed, all while providing better clinical quality and patient care. DR Systems’ unified RIS/PACS utilizes “Smart Client” technology to maximize efficiency and ease of use. The company’s systems integrate numerous tools to improve financial performance and productivity, including client-server distribution and Web-based distribution; patented, automated hanging protocols for radiologists; and the report format preferences of individual referring physicians. For more information, call 800-794-5955 or visit www.dominator.com.