A Grid PACS Architecture: Providing Data-centric Applications through a Grid Infrastructure

The large growth of medical information and the needs for computing resources for processing of medical images in medical diagnosis procedures demand advanced network solutions in Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS). Grid infrastructure is a new network generation that expands the collaborative environment which is created inside Internet. Grid can meet the above requirements effectively providing PACS with distribution of processing power, storage space and software applications. This paper proposes a new web PACS established in a Grid infrastructure of a Hospital Radiology Department (HRD). A portal platform based on reliable and tried in market products as well as Java-based applications support the implementation of the new Grid PACS architecture.