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Viewing PET Images on PACS As with nearly all of the radiologic studies at the University of Chicago currently, PET operates in a filmless environment. PET images are available for viewing on the PACS system as are nearly all the recent nuclear medicine studies. Unfortunately, none of the commercially available PACS systems, including our own, handle nuclear medicine images (including PET) as easily as the conventional radiology studies (CT, MRI, plain film, etc). However, we have worked hard to make our images as readily available as possible and as a result have PET images as easily viewable on our PACS as any institution. Drs. Appelbaum and Pu from nuclear medicine or any of the residents will be glad to assist you in PET viewing on PACS, although those more familiar with the PACS system should be able to retrieve the studies themselves. The images available there are as diagnostic quality as what is read by the radiologists, although they may need a little tweaking. They are initially displayed in full-screen format which gives the (false) impression that the resolution is degraded. They also usually require significant window and level adjustment and it may initially appear that there is no image displayed at all. In fact there is usually an image there, it just needs window and level adjustment first. The simplest way to view the PET image then would be to select one of the three “PET viewing” files—many people prefer to start with “PET viewing coronal,” and display it with a 5 by 3 or greater format. Then window and level an image until it looks reasonable. When you release the mouse, it will apply this window and level to all the images. The display is white on black as opposed to black on white which may require a little getting used to. These “viewing” images are not exactly the same as what the radiologist reads. They were created by summing several slices together to optimize the PACS viewing experience. The “official diagnostic” images are also available to you (in the axial plane) by selecting the “PET WB” file and then follow the above procedures for viewing. These slices will occasionally provide additional information to you. You will note that the “fused” PET/CT images are not available on our PACS system and this is again a limitation of the current generation of PACS systems worldwide. The CT (both non-diagnostic and diagnostic quality, if performed) are available for separate PACS viewing, however. A nuclear physician or resident will be happy to review the fused images with you on the dedicated PET workstation. If the fused PET/CT images are desired for a conference, publication, etc., with a little notice we can burn you a CD on a case by case basis. |
