Sharp Imaging Centers Automate Study Distribution and Routing with Digital Imaging Server Appliance

The Customer
The General and Diagnostic Imaging Center and Mary Birch Women’s Outpatient Imaging Center at the Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion in San Diego provide an array of powerful medical imaging technologies that allow for more effective, less invasive testing. The imaging centers offer a filmless environment, complete with a PACS and computerized radiology. Services offered at the centers include computerized tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, ultrasound and women’s imaging services (mammography, stereotactic biopsy and bone densitometry). The imaging centers serve both Sharp Medical Group and the Children’s Hospital.
The Challenge
The staff at the Sharp centers provide images to both Sharp Medical Group and the Children’s Hospital from modalities that include the Fuji Synapse, GE scanner and Philips Tesla. Both centers are connected to the two hospitals with high-speed fiber (dark fiber) connection. However, Sharp needed an automated way to send and receive images among the three locations – quickly and without delay — and increase its storage capacity.
The Solution
After successful test runs, Sharp had the ImageGrid server appliance from Candelis Inc. with rule-based routing capabilities implemented to send the images to partner hospital sites, as well as route the images automatically to reading physicians based on type and radiologist specialty. Sharp also experienced a threefold performance boost over its Windows-based PACS system using the ImageGrid’s embedded PACS capability. 
Sharp Imaging found the ImageGrid offered superior performance and features when compared with more expensive hardware and software-based PACS solutions. “ImageGrid has a complete feature set, and it is very easy to use,” said Russell Low, M.D., director of General and Diagnostic Imaging Center and Mary Birch Women’s Outpatient Center Sharp Healthcare.
The Result
The ImageGrid server appliance successfully enabled automated replication and transfer of images among the centers and hospital sites, and tripled the transfer rate of images between sites. It also proved to be extremely easy to use with straightforward installation to existing network infrastructure and delivering immediate DICOM image services to attached workstations. ImageGrid deployment saved Sharp Imaging additional costs associated with a PACS implementation by eliminating the need for additional servers, added software and capacity-based licensing fees.
“ImageGrid has delivered dramatic improvements in our efficiency and productivity. With its ease of use, flexibility and exceptional performance, ImageGrid has become an essential and integral part of our MRI network,” said Dr. Low.
Following the success of the ImageGrid implementation, Sharp Imaging plans to integrate an additional server appliance at its new imaging center planned for the near future.