Global Imaging Online

  • GLOBAL IMAGING Online (GIOL) has worked in the area of medical image processing and communication for several years now. The software solutions of GIOL are operational in various types of sites and answer to the needs of the following medical activities

  • EXTRANET:Radiology centres, (communication of images and medical reports, inter-site links) – secured extranet using VPN.

  • INTRANET:Clinic or Hospital intranets: organisation of health care networks.

  • INTERNET:Scanner and MRI centres, (on line archiving, multimedia reprography, file management) – internet links with medical correspondants; they can receive diagnostic report and significant images by mail.

    • DIAM4 Server

    The DIAM4 system is in charge of receiving images in the DICOM format, examining the DICOM files and compressing them to WAVELET, JPEG 2000 or JPEG formats in order to store the images and include study informations in a database. It gives the possibilities to present the database contents in HTML pages (list of patient folders, list of studies) and allows visualisation and manipulation of the stored images.

    The different functionalities of the system are assured by several modules:

  • The management examines the content of the received DICOM files, i.e. extracts the information concerning the patients, the type of study, date and a list of images produced during the study. Moreover the management handles the compression to WAVELET, JPEG 2000 and JPEG format, of each received image. Finally the management registers the information extracted from the DICOM file in a database and the images (both the original DICOM images and the compressed ones) are stored in a separated directory. The path to this directory is also kept in the database.


  • The database collects all the information concerning the patient folder files, the studies that the patient have, the images produces during the studies as well as a list of the system users and their rights to access the different patient folders.


  • The query module of the database and of the output of the HTML pages aiming at supply information about average access to patient folders registered in the database the users.


  • The viewer allows the users to visualise and manipulate the stored images. The viewer accepts several image formats, including the DICOM, JPEG 2000 AND WAVELET formats.


    • Internal architecture:
    Connected to a local network of the hospital, via Ethernet (100 Mbit/s) or any other media (optical fibre, etc), the internal architecture of the server is illustrated by the following picture:

    Functionalities in intranet:
    The DIAM4 Server can be addressed internally via a TCP/IP network from the medical care units inside the hospital. The requests can be of two kinds:
      1. Accessing the image folders using JPEG format. In this case it is not necessary to install a DIAM4 client on the reference station (the reference PC may be a standard multimedia PC – please see the recommendations in the end of this page) .
      2. Accessing the image folders using their native format (in the case where the user needs all the original picture information, surgery, orthopedics, neuro surgery, etc). Here, the DICOM viewer have to be installed on the PC (please see the recommendations in the commercial offer).

    Functionalities in extranet:
    The access of the DIAM4 Server from outside the local network (physicians, specialists, other institutions, etc) is made through a secured network of OLEANE SANTE type (France Telecom).
    The DIAM4 Server allows users to send mails to physicians. Standard templates and build-in support exist to include the essential elements of a study (significant images and written/vocal diagnostic reports).
    A correspondent from exterior benefits of a straight access (for example by CPS card) is that it is possible to reach the folders of ones patients through the DIAM4 Server and repatriate DICOM images (in the case ones PC is equipped with the appropriate viewer).


    DIAM Store
    DIAM Store is a device connected to the DIAM4 Server, making the product into a powerful storage server.

    The choice of this architecture has been done to make the usability as simple as possible. Indeed, the group of hard disks is, from the point of view of the user, seen as a single big disk. On the other hand, the software specifications allow other parts of the DIAM4 Server to manage a data base containing more than one million patients with the possibility to make multi criteria searches almost instantaneously.

    Moreover, in case of need of extended storage capacity, additional hard disks may be added to the first one increasing the capacity. As these technologies are evolving rapidly, a future increase of disk capacity will come to a fixed price.

    DIAM Box

    DIAM box are stations from which radiologists or cardiologist can review the studies stored in DIAM4 server. These stations can be equipped with 2, 3 or 4 monitors, either colour or monochrome, in portrait or landscape format with a resolution starting from 1 Mpixels to 5 Mpixels.

    Highly ergonomically, these stations allow selection and rapid visualisation of images or charts of images through an interface based on menus.

    The image processing functions can be divided into two categories:

      1. The visualisation and measurement functions: windowing, contrast control, zoom, magnifying lens, distance, density, angles, surfaces, comments, multi format visualisations, comparing mode.

      2. The reconstruction functions (optional): reformatting of the coronal, sagittal and oblique planes (MPR), MIP, surface volume and volume rendering.

    The DIAM Box applications completes the digital chain of a technical platform; situated in a bright chamber, the DIAM Box receives images in DIAM Store format or photo composed as when sent to a laser reprograph and the radiologist can in this way accomplish hers/his diagnostics on display monitors, select the images to keep out for storage, choose the images in order to send to medical correspondents or to archive as a summary folder.
    As an option, the DIAM Box system may provide an attached digital dictaphone to the vocal server of the secretariat and can, by the way create a system that supports automatic vocal editing of the diagnostic reports.

    DIAM CD/DVD

    DIAM CD is a functionality of the DIAM4 server that allows storage of a patients folders on a CD ROM. These folders can contain series of images, films and the attached reports obtained after a study of a patient. The CD ROM, provided by the medical centre, is intended for the patient and therefore replaces the paper based reports as well as the films usually delivered after a medical examination.

    Architecture and management of the rights
    A PC which is the server of the robot, is connected and controls the CD-burning-robot. This permits free choice of DIAM4 Server placement, not necessarily in the same room as the robot. Moreover, it is possible to order CD-burning from other DIAM4 servers or from DIAM Box stations.
    The access to the functionalities of the burner is restricted to some stations and some users, defined and configured by the administrator of the DIAM4 Server.

    Functions

    The following functions are supported:
  • Direct CD-burning of studies that come directly from the modalities (automatic mode).
  • CD-burning of study folders or complete patients, where the reports have been written and validated or not. When the user chooses to burn series of images on the CD, he can choose whether to include the DICOM format or not. In any case, the series are included (if chosen so) in JPEG format so the CD ROM will be compatible with different operative systems other than Windows (Mac, UNIX and LINUX)
  • It is possible to merge previous studies to a present study. This is useful for example when a patient comes to an examination bringing a previous burned DIAM CD/DVD.


    • Description of the CD-burning-robot
    The server of the robot is designed to function together with all robot brands and this allows a choice of the robot that fills the need of the concerned medical centre (capacity of storage, laser or ink printing, label printing, etc…).

    Description of the obtained CD ROM
    When the burned CD ROM is inserted in the reader of a computer, a browser is opened automatically on a home page containing a list of links that permits access to each study burned on the CD ROM. A Viewer is included in the CD ROM, allowing visualisation of the images in DICOM format, or MPEG format in the case some exist.
    A label is printed on the CD ROM, indicating the name of the responsible radiologist of the studies, the data of the patient and the studies present on the CD ROM. This label can be configured by the user of the robot. Optionally, an electronic signature is processed for all burned images, specific to the user creating the CD ROM.

    Technical description of DIAM CD/DVD
    DIAM CD/DVD is a system that duplicates and writes CD-ROM and combines the transfer of data, burning and labelling the surface of the CD-R in a smooth and continuous way without interruptions. The choice of architecture assures the fabrication of images, the transfer of data through the network, the simultaneous registration of four totally different data streams.

    DG Scope

    DGSCPE is digital device adapted to medical and sterile ennvironments.
    The new DGSCOPE digital terminal for medical environments and surgery blocks allows physicians working in a sterile environment to access their patients' digital data, instantly import and visualize digital imaging data with advanced and dedicated DICOM solution.

    The DGSCOPE is also designed to limit the risks of bacterial infection in a hospital environment caused by standard computing devices.

    DIAM Viewer

    The DIAM Viewer is a software of visualization which integrates evolved functions in display and in measure. It allows to read CD / DVD as well as examinations that are coming from a DIAM4 Server.
    The viewer enables many treatements and visualisation functions such as windowing, zooming, lay out, distance clculation, angles, areas, R.O.I, density, L/R,U/D, inversions, etc... The viewer supports both landscape and portrait monintor layouts.

    DIAM Report

    DIAM Report is a simple and ergonomic solution for publishing reports.
    As a supplement to a DIAM4 Server, the functions give the possibility to publish personalized reports and to realize digital dictations from any customer post.