The purpose of this project is to develop a graphical tool to analyze and optimize the image flow pattern in a hierarchical, large scale PACS local area network. The PACS network is characterized as heavy image traffic, long image flow path, heterogeneous computer nodes, multiple protocols, and physical media. A smooth operation of the PACS network depends on a centralized, timely report of image flow pattern, trouble spots, and an alarm mechanism for critical conditions. Crucial timing parameters such as queue delay from acquisition to display, processing time for archiving and reformatting, and retrieval speed, can be locally collected and reported to the network manager for statistical characterization. Moreover, network traffic information and system component failures anywhere in the image flow can be reported graphically. High urgency failures trigger an immediate alarm to the designated operator. Our network management software with user friendly graphical interface is easy to use even by non-computer personnel such as hospital administrators. It achieves total automation in trouble reporting and thus leads to improvement of the network layout and operation condition based on the analysis of image flow pattern.

UCLA is beginning teleradiology projects in Latin America, Asian Pacific, and the US. The UCLA teleradiology system communicates with remote imaging centers through a Ti based WAN and satellite technology. A network management center, i.e. PACS war room, with graphical user interface allows the system manager to monitor and control different elements of the system through various levels of abstraction from one location. The network manager software can monitor the activities of both hardware and software devices in the remote imaging centers, LAN and WAN performance, telearchiving and teleaccess pattern. Telearchiving can be monitored by graphically indicating large image movements between jukeboxes and over LAN or WAN. Once the teleradiology system is configured, the image flow pattern in a teleradiology center is predictable. Manual intervention of these teleradiology system functions is easily done through menu control in the war room display. A centralized network management with the global view of a teleradiology system has been developed. It can give commands to the elements of the system to tune the system for efficient utilization of the system resources. These managerial functions scale with the teleradiology system which is expandable to include many more potential remote imaging centers.