Using mobile wireless devices for interactive visualization and analysis of DICOM data

The medical procedures at the patient bedside are out of the scope of current systems, which means that verification during the medical visit, the course of treatment, execution and confirmation of the medicine prescription, as well as its administration, still do not enjoy computerized support. However, the inclusion of new data to the patient record, an activity that still needs to be carried out through notations on paper and later typed, causes delays in the availability of this information. This paper presents a software technology in which the medical and nursing staff will be equipped with a handheld computer connected by radio to a central server which will provide access to the patients´ data and will actively inform about task pending distribution. The server functions as a database for patient information, patient images from computerized tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US), magnetic resonance (RM) and medical findings (DICOM structured report). This prototype contemplates a server of medical images and findings that makes the research and recovery of these images stored in archives in DICOM standard (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) possible. The use of a web navigator for the visualization of patient data facilitates access to the system, allowing an interface independent platform.