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Teaching File Creation with MIRC. Using MIRC for Departmental Teaching Files. Adam E. Flanders, MD Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Segment Objectives. Features of a digital teaching file. The MIRC solution MIRC authoring. What is a Teaching File?.
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Teaching File Creation with MIRC Using MIRC for Departmental Teaching Files Adam E. Flanders, MD Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Segment Objectives • Features of a digital teaching file. • The MIRC solution • MIRC authoring.
What is a Teaching File? • An organized repository of clinical images and documentation. • Used primarily to supplement learning process for trainees. • Source material for lectures, publications. • Film library model • Shelves of cases (film jackets) • Organized by anatomy, disease, ACR codes.
What are the Qualities of a “Great” Radiology Teaching File • High quality Images • Comprehensive supplemental Information: • path reports, path images, discussion etc. • Organization • Indexed and searchable • Fresh content. • Easily accessed from anywhere. • Easy to navigate. • Secure
Problems with Film-Based TF • Limited access. • Typically, a lot of work to submit a case. • Difficult to solicit “voluntary” contributions. • Difficult to keep organized. • Missing or misfiled cases or films. • Need a librarian/policeman • Securing files = limited access. • Searching file is problematic. • Inconvenient to use for decision support. • Difficult to update/maintain – keeping material current.
Analog to Digital Transformation • Inexpensive digital cameras / scanners. • Retirement of hard copy (film) • Proliferation of PACS. • Proliferation of workstations.
Digitizing Analog Images Digital Camera on PACS or Viewbox Laborious but effective!
Digitized Images: Big Step Forward! • Advantages • Lightweight and reusable • No deterioration, loss, resistant to theft. • Modifiable • Easy to adjust, crop, contrast, brightness • Easy to add annotation. • Problems • Access remained limited. • Organization! • Large collections, difficult to find images without meticulous labeling methods • Sharing material?
Where to Put Your Images? - Personal DTF • Copy images into folders labeled appropriately. • Nested file structure • Need to open content in another application for use. • Not very versatile
Personal Teaching Files • Thousands of radiologists have amassed “personal” collections of images. • Solutions include cases on email, upload of cases to free digital photo services (ie Google, Flikr, Picassa, Shutterfly etc.) • Generally used by a single user. • Accessible from a single computer • Image collections are limited in scope. • Difficult to enhance content. • Not readily sharable
The Next Phase • Web browser is the most appropriate vehicle for delivery of educational content. • Browsers are designed to display written and visual content efficiently. • Including multimedia. • Early DTF contained “static” web pages. • Laborious to produce. • Time consuming to update and index. • Modern DTF coupled to a database generates content dynamically (“on-the-fly”). • Easier to modify • More conducive to search mechanisms
Components of a Modern DTF • Fileserver • Database • Webserver Fileserver Database Webserver Ethernet
What Do People Want? • Radiologists want a simple method to create teaching materials from their existing PACS systems. • Ease of use • Time efficient • Simple to access • Scalable in terms of size & complexity.
What Is Available NOW? • Commercial turnkey systems available for a price which will provide: • Method to save images & data from PACS. • Storage local or off-site for your cases • Web server to display cases • Organizational repositories (e.g. ACR Case-In-Point, Aunt Minnie, MyPACS etc.) • You can develop your own… • Or there is MIRC!!!!
What Does The MIRC Software Suite Do For Me? Medical Imaging Resource Center
Da’ Answer • Set of software tools that allow you to create, index, search and display teaching materials. • Repository for educational content. • Including peer review content (via RSNA). • Ability to selectively share this material in a consistent manner within your institution on your local intranet or worldwide on the internet.
MIRC factoids • An RSNA sponsored initiative. • Software toolkit that can be used for creation of teaching repositories and clinical trials databases. • Built on open-source principles. • No proprietary technology. • Uses available standards DICOM, XML, HTTP, JSP, Java • Software is free-of-charge, no licensing. • Software designed to operate on most common operating systems incl. Windows, Apple OSX and Linux. • PACS vendor neutral.
MIRC Components • Web server • File server • Self updating index • Powerful administrative functions
MIRC Features • Individualized file storage • Multiple document “templates” • Multiple methods to author content • Multiple methods to display content • Web-based DICOM viewer. • Web-based editor. • DICOM receiver (DICOM SCP) • DICOM anonymizer • Administrative control of viewing, editing, deletion. • Scalable and expandable from one author/PC to hundreds. • Easy to install & configure. • Many more…
Scalability of MIRC • MIRC has the unique ability to scale from one computer / one user to many computers / many users. • Potential configurations include: • One MIRC repository for one or more users. • Multiple MIRC repositories in one or many institutions. • Software enables development of cooperative libraries. • Each library is individually administered yet portions can be made accessible to all.
MIRC supports all information storage formats. • Images: DICOM, GIF, JPEG, PNG • Hyperlinks to other web content. • Virtually any content that is displayable in a web browser. • Pointers to other files for downloading. • Display support for other types in the future…
MIRC TF Configuration Scenarios • Private Mode • Departmental Mode • Division Mode • Worldwide Mode • Variations
My Stuff MIRC TF ScenariosPrivate (selfish) Mode • Single-user contributor • Single-user access • No sharing of content
MIRC TF ScenariosDivisional / Semi-Private Mode • Each division or key individual maintains a server. • Division is responsible for maintaining their content. • All or a portion of content can be made public. • Any individual can access public records on other MIRC servers within institution. • Much more difficult to administer.
MIRC TF ScenariosDepartmental Mode Neuro • Multiple users or divisions contribute to a single departmental MIRC server. • All users have controlled access. • All can view public cases. • Only owners can modify data. • Private cases are supported. • One server to manage for all content. • Easier to administer. MSK BIG MIRC Mammo User
MIRC TF ScenariosWorldwide Mode • Multiple MIRC sites (“MIRClets”) expose content to the Internet. • This public content is accessible to other computers that can perform a query of MIRC content. Internet
Four Ways to Author • Basic authoring tool. • Advanced authoring tool. • Submit Service • ZIP Service
Three Kinds of Authoring • Point-of-care • Bookmarking • Retrospective • Combination
Storing Images in MIRC • MIRC software was designed to utilize common features available by most PACS vendors to export images. • DICOM SCU/SCP (i.e. DICOM export) • Saving images locally to PACS desktop or folder (subdirectory) • Images are uploaded to the MIRC file service in one of three ways:
Storing Images in MIRC • 3 Methods • DICOM export • Upload single image • Upload multiple files (using ZIP archive) PACS DICOM Export ZIP File Single Image
MIRC File Service Individualized file browser for each registered user • Container for images. • Two File Storage Areas • Public • Private • Can Transfer Files Between Public and Private Repositories. • Delete, Add or Update files to the File Service. • File Service Function Buttons • Add Files • Delete Files • Update Name • Find by Name • Export File to Desktop • Copy to Public (shared files) Other File Types Native DICOM Support
From DICOM SCP or copied from personal file cabinets • Files in the shared file cabinet are available to all users. • Select one or more images. • Copy to personal file cabinet. • Begin submission process.
ZIP Service • Method to convert an existing teaching file system to MIRC from a conventional teaching file hierarchy. • This will bulk convert all your images that are in folders in a hierarchical structure to MIRC. • Supplement information as needed. • Is a great way to get started with MIRC!
TCE Service • The TCE service is an implementation from the Teaching Files and Clinical Trials Export Integration Profile from IHE. • Brings point-of-care authoring to all PACs users. • Enables one to author teaching file cases directly from PACS. • Select key images. • Add pre-defined text elements. • Submit directly to your MIRC service. • This closes the loop for efficient authoring.
TCE Service • Four PACS vendors support and have working demonstrations of the TCE export profile at RSNA 2006 & 2007. • Agfa • Fuji • GE • Vital Images • Come see the demonstration in LLC and in technical exhibits area on a real PACS system.
Powerpoint Tool • There is a handy (free) Powerpoint add-in which will take an entire presentation and convert each slide to a MIRC TF document. • Many people use Powerpoint as their teaching file repository; this is another way to convert to MIRC. • Add-in has been revised, is easy to use and install. • Available on the MIRC Wiki.
MIRC Wiki • All of the MIRC documentation has been uploaded to a new Wiki site which is easy to navigate and search. • All docs and downloads available there.
Tasks for Today • Logon to Local RSNA MIRC site. • Explore the image file cabinet. • Perform a basic authoring with a few images and text. • Edit our case with the advanced authoring tool. • Add annotations, captions, text. • Preview our case. • Publish. • Query our cases on the RSNA server.
To Begin • Double click on the MIRC icon on your desktop to launch your browser on the MIRC server
Authoring Sequence for Today • Login • Explore the File Cabinet • Copy images to personal cabinet • Add, delete, copy • Basic Authoring • Launch Basic authoring page. • Upload one or more images from directory. • Edit Case on Advanced Tool • Explore advanced tool • Add more text. • Annotate images • Add images • Preview case. • Publish!!! • Query the site to see the collective work!!!