A LOW-COST, LASER-DISK, IMAGE DATABASE SYSTEM

POTOMAC MEDICAL SYSTEMS PROPOSES TO DESIGN AND PRODUCE A LOW-COST, MEDICAL IMAGE DATABASE SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM WOULD BE BUILT AROUND OFF-THE-SHELF, LOW-COST COMPONENTS, MANY OF WHICH ARE ALREADY IN PLACE IN THE TARGET INSTITUTIONS. THE IMAGES WOULD BE STORED ON REMOVABLE WRITE-ONCE, LASER-BASED,OPTICAL DISKS. THE INABILITY TO CONVENIENTLY STORE AND RETRIEVE LARGE NUMBERS OF IMAGES REPRESENTS A LONG-STANDING PROBLEM IN MEDICAL FIELDS UTILIZING IMAGES FOR THEIR WORK. THE ADVENT OF REASONABLY PRICED OPTICAL DISKS OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING THE BENEFITS OF COMPUTERIZATION TO VARIOUS AREASOF MEDICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, INCLUDING PATHOLOGY, RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE, AND PHYSICAL DIAGNOSIS. IMAGE DATABASE SYSTEMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REVOLUTIONIZE MEDICAL RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CLINICAL CARE. SUCH SYSTEMS WOULD FACILITATE IMAGE EXAMINATION AND ANALYSIS, INTEGRATION OF IMAGES WITH OTHER DATABASE INFORMATION, AND RESEARCH AND TEACHING BY ANALYZING COMPLETE DATA IN A FASHION NOT PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE.