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U.S. Measurement System

USMS/NIST Workshop
Medical Imaging in Telemedicine

Workshop Abstract

Critical diagnostic and clinical standards and techniques are required for the evaluation of medical images, medical imaging devices (includes both image acquisition devices such as digital cameras and microscopes, and display devices such as CRTs and LCDs), the evaluation of computer assisted diagnostic (CAD) tools, and the effects of compression on image quality. These evaluation processes are increasingly critical as new medical diagnostic and imaging techniques become available and as new or improved display technologies come into use. There is also a growing need to communicate and render image information across different information display systems. Diagnosticians in many areas have integrated new imaging devices into their practice, often without regard to fidelity issues that to too many are not particularly obvious. Thus, it has become routine, for example, for many doctors to take images home with them for viewing in the comfort of their homes. Images are routinely emailed to consulting physicians without regard to whether the displays on which they are viewed meet minimum performance standards. Images may be compressed for storage or for transportation across wireless systems.  Improved rendering of transmitted medical images will lead to lower cost healthcare services; especially for remote, sparsely populated regions of the U.S.

The workshop will explore the challenge and demands upon the US measurement system (USMS) by the new technologies and critical applications in medical imaging and telemedicine, and address how the USMS should be redefined to meet its role.

Four areas that are crucial to establishing effective diagnostic evaluation and imaging in which the USMS can take a significant role, will be the addressed by this and subsequent workshops.

  1. evaluation of medical images
  2. medical imaging devices
  3. evaluation of computer assisted diagnostics
  4. storage and forwarding of medical images

Last updated: July 9, 2007
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