Recording Devices

What are recording devices used for?

Permanent image storage.

What is image quality?

How good is the recorded image.

What is archiving?

How long does the recorded images last.

What is accessibility?

How easy is it to find the required images on the recording device.

What is storage capactiy?

How many records can be stored in the recording device.

What are the advantages of digital storage?

• No film cost

• No processing (thus no chemicals)

• Very consistent

• Easy to copy

• Easy to transmit

What are the disadvantages of digital storage?

• Long term archiving (is there such a thing as bit rot?)

• Security issues

• “All or none” crashes.

What are the different types of digital storage media? (3)

• Magnetic

• Optical

• Flash

What is magnetic media?

Data that is encoded as magnetic charge, read and write by tiny electomagnets.

Magnetic media has what type of drive?

HDD (hard disk drive).

HDD holds approximately how much GB?

500 GB.

Zip disks, a type of magnetic disk, holds how much megabites?

100 MB

Floppy drives, a type of magnetic media, uses GB or MB?

MB.

Magnetic tape, a type of magnetic media, uses GB, MB, or TB?

TB.

RAIDS uses what? MB or TB?

TB.

What is optical media?

Data encoded as pits on a disc, and is then read by a laser.

A CD-ROM, a type of optical media, has how many MB?

650 MB

A DVD, a type of optical media, has how many GB?

4.7 GB

Blu-Ray, a type of optical media, has how many GB?

25-50 GB

HD-DVD, a type of optical media, has how many GB?

15 GB

What is flash media?

A recording device that has a solid state, ie no moving parts.

Flash media is volatile or non-volatile?

Non-volatile.

Flash media has miniscule transistors that store data in the form of what?

Charge.

Memory sticks uses GB or MB?

GB.

Memory cards use GB or MB?

GB.

Solid state drives, a type of flash media, uses GB, MB, or TB?

GB-TB.

Flash memory was developed by who?

Developed by Fujio Masuka (in 1980).

What is SDD?

Solid state drive (ie the ones used in Flash memory).

What is RAIDs?

Redundant array of independent disks.

RAIDs looks like what?

It is a cabinet containing multiple hard drives.

In RAIDs, data is redundantly stored simultaneously on multiple drives, meaning what?

Data is stored in multiple places to allow for “backup”.

RAIDs has a small capacity or a very large capacity?

A very large capacity (multiple terabytes of data).

What is data compression?

Techniques used to reduce the size of digital files. This helps to reduce storage demands and it also improves transmission read/write times.

What are the two broad types of data compression?

• Lossy compression

• Lossless compression

What is lossy compression?

This significantly reduces digital file size.

Does lossy compression degrade quality somewhat?

Yes, it does.

What are some examples of lossy compression on the computer?

jpeg images, MP3 audio file.

What is lossless compression?

Compression that reduces the digital size, but not as much lossy.

Does lossless compression degrade data quality?

No.

What are some examples of lossless compression?

.tiff image, WAV audio file.

What does PACS stand for?

Picture archiving and communications system.

What is PACS?

A computer system that records, stores, and transfers image data digitally.

What are the advantages of PACS?

• Rapid storage and movement of data

• Long term cost saving (no film cost)

• Improved staff and environmental health (no chemicals).

What is a disadvantage of PACS?

Failure may be catastrophic (‘all or none” crashes).

What does DICOM stand for?

Digital imaging and communications in medicine.

What does DICOM do?

It is a standard for handling, storing, printing, and transmitting information in medical imaging.

What does DICOM include?

• A file format definition (its a lossless format)

• Minimum hardware requirements

• Network communications protocol

DICOM is the standard (ie. MP3), and PACS is what?

The network (ie. the computer).

PACS receive and transmit data in what?

The DICOM standard.

Radiological information systems (RIS) is what?

The core system for the electronic management of imaging departments.

What are the major functions of radiological information systems?

• Patient scheduling

• Reporting

• Billing

Does RIS complement PACS and EMR?

Yes.

What does EMR stand for?

Electronic medical record (EMR).

EMR is AKA what?

Electronic health record.

What is EMR?

An electronic medial record containing a patient’s medical history. This includes:

• Medications

• Allergies

• Immunizations

• Tests

• Diagnosis

• Treatment plans

• Etc.