The infraNET Project and 
Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research
University of Waterloo

present ...

Managing the Medical Imaging Tsunami:
Reducing Data Volume

by

Dr. David Koff

Chief, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hamilton Health Sciences
& Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Davis Centre, Room 1302
University of Waterloo

Seminar Series Sponsors
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
McKesson Information Solutions - Smart Systems for Health Agency
Healthcare Information Management and Communications Canada

Presentation Archive 2008
 

Abstract

New technological advancements, including multislice CT scanners and functional MRI, have dramatically increased the size and number of digital images generated by medical imaging departments, with more and more CT studies producing 5000 images. In addition, storage needs are predicted to further increase when departments are required to archive 3D volume renderings and other complex advanced image reformats. Despite the fact that the cost of storage is dropping, the savings are largely surpassed by the increasing volume of data being generated. Access to imaging data is becoming more widespread as regions/ nations implement Electronic Health Record (EHR) solutions. To satisfy these expectations, Canada Health Infoway is driving the deployment of imaging repositories that host data on-line for the legal
retention period and, in some instances for the lifetime of the patient. However, efficiently moving the data between institutions requires wide area network bandwidth, which has a limited availability at a national level. This seminar will examine the challenge of dealing with the massive and potentially overwhelming amount of imaging data produced during today s and tomorrow s diagnostic exams. It explains and provides an analysis of techniques that allow us to cope with exponentially-escalating storage and transmission demands while ensuring the preservation of image quality required for diagnosis.
 

About the Speaker

David Koff is an Associate Professor of Radiology and Chair of the Department of Radiology at McMaster University as well as the Chief Radiologist at Hamilton Health
Science Centre. Prior to this, he operated a large private radiology group for 18 years, and then after 2 years of clinical fellowship at the University Health Network, Toronto, he joined the Montreal Heart Institute and later Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto. David has been involved for many years in Medical Imaging Informatics research projects and education programs, especially medical image transmission over the Internet through Easy Pax Inc., a Canadian private corporation he created, specialized in teleradiology and medical digital imaging. He has worked extensively on image compression. He is a co-founder and co-chair of IHE Canada.
 

For more information
Shirley Fenton
Managing Director, WIHIR
University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4074

Seminar Hosts
This seminar is hosted by the Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research (WIHIR) and The infraNET Project, University of Waterloo.

The infraNET Project, initiated by the University of Waterloo in 1996, is a partnership to advance Web and Internet technologies. Its founding partners were: LivePage (now part of Oracle), MKS, Open Text, RIM, Sybase (Waterloo) and Waterloo Maple.

We also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the Institute for Computer Research, University of Waterloo.