The gold standard: PACS alchemy and the gold standard

Excerpt

The primary advantage of PACS (picture archiving communications systems) is that it can place images and image information quickly and efficiently at the point of decision for the reader. Fast, accessible archives and soft-copy viewing (viewing from CRT or flat panel display), with its powerful diagnostic work-station tools, have brought increased productivity to the radiologist at a most needed time. In a time of decreasing reimbursement, staff shortages, and the pressures of reducing turn-around time, these benefits have driven the acceptance of softcopy reading devices. It has, however, redefined the gold standard of viewing for this environment. …