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Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) describes a set of systems designed for the storage and retrieval of digital images and their related information in radiology. This allows images such as x-rays and scans to be stored digitally. These can then be viewed and retrieved by doctors and health care professionals at the touch of a button. PACS was first envisioned by the radiology community in the 1980's with the aim of improving the efficiency of radiologic practices. However, it is no longer confined only to the area of radiology - it has now evolved into a hospital-integrated system capable of storing information in many forms, these include text, voice, medical records, video recordings and images. This evolution has been made possible to a large extent by the advances in information technology. PACS has proven to have numerous advantages compared to the traditional way of storing radiology information using film archives. Being in digital format, information can be stored and accessed in an efficient manner. Having a quick means of accessing vital medical information can literally save lives. The faster a patient’s medical records/history can be accessed, the quicker a diagnosis can be made to start treatment. The implementation of PACS has resulted in doctors being able to deliver a more efficient, cost-effective service and improved patient care and safety. PACS has four main uses which can generally be defined as follows: 1. Hard copy replacement: PACS replaces the need to store medical images as in film archives. Storing these digitally is more efficient and cost-effective. 2. Remote access: It allows for information to be more easily accessible by various parties who may be at different locations. 3. Electronic integration platform: PACS provides all patient information whether radiological or other to be viewed on the same, integrated system. 4. Radiology Workflow Management: Radiologists can effectively manage patient examinations using PACS. Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) is a perfect example of how technology and the field of medicine have complemented each other to provide a more complete and efficient platform to manage medical information which will result in saving lives.
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