While there were no true technology stand-outs at RSNA 2006, one theme was definitely dominant — no longer is the discussion of radiology images complete without an image management solution. Hospitals small and large and imaging centers are gaining control of their image overload — largely due to multidetector CT images that are 10 times the size of conventional CT images — by deploying stronger, more integrated PACS with advanced visualization and speech, often on an enterprise level. Image-enabled care is fueled by the ability to access DICOM as well as non-DICOM images such as pathology, ENT and bronchoscopy. And new advanced workflow solutions seek to minimize disruptions for radiologists, make image hanging and reading more intuitive, streamline communication and mine data to optimize staff and facility resources. 

As you’ll see in our collection of reviews by category here, there were some neat system enhancements to a variety of categories such as 64-slice CT — and lots of discussions into the future with 256, soaring interest in digital mammography coupled with better ways to review images, portable ultrasound systems with a lot of power and cost-effectively priced DR and CR units with greater ease of use. Mammography and lung CAD offerings are getting some company as the technology looks to branch out into multiple organ systems, liver, colon and bone densitometry. Image storage solutions are more enterprise-focused and more likely to be shared by a variety of departments and facilities.

If the new year is the right time to start researching a new system, let this be your starting point. If you want more information, go online to our longer, more in-depth version of these reviews at RSNA360.HealthImaging.com.