Summary Slide Practical Design Features for a PACS Radiology Department

Stephen G Davies Royal Glamorgan Hospital

Overview Radiologist office / reporting areas Radiographer zone / image processing Computer room

Radiologist office Primary function is image viewing Workstation –ergonomics Desking –Height, size and cabling Environment –Light, heat and noise

Ergonomics Ergos = Work Nomos = Laws Workplace design taking into account the needs of an individual Consider tasks to be performed and the manner in which the individual will perform them

Why? We spend a lot of effort in the technical specification of PACS – we must also spend time on ergonomics –Diagnostic accuracy of reporting –Health of radiologist/radiographer

Key areas Environmental lighting and its effect on image perception Avoidance of repetitive strain injury –Body posture –Repetitive movements –Desking; mousing and keyboard

Environmental lighting Visual perception influenced by –Spatial and contrast resolution of display –Brightness (luminance) of the display –Extraneous lighting in reporting room

Brightness of image display Contrast sensitivity of the human eye increases as the object luminance increases Perceived image quality also increases with increasing image luminance, until glare has a negative effect But PACS monitors have lower levels of luminance Other factors become more important –Masking of image surrounds –Extraneous light

Extraneous light Contrast good for display; bad for reflection Ambient lighting –Low level –Suspended uplighting –Supplemented by task lighting Extraneous light –Window; corridor

Desk requirements Monitor footprint Separate RIS monitor Cable tray Mouse and keyboard position Paperwork Task lighting

Desk and Chair Optimum body posture – not ideal posture Desk and chair height for –Mouse and keyboard –Monitor –Spine

Reporting room layout Two and four station Lighting Noise Heat

Radiographer zone: Image processing Space Workflow (CR+DR) Environment –Light –Heat Power and network points Back up systems

Computer Room Equipment –Archive/ RAID –Servers - Clinics, Wards, Teleradiology –Servers - RIS and Dictation Access to equipment Cooling Room for expansion Security Disaster: fire, flood, etc