Thin Client PACS Adds Native Mac Support

A picture archiving and communications system (PACS) universal viewing platform is entirely based on a new generation of a thin client technology and has been further optimized for speed and versatility, as well as being extended to natively support the Mac OS X platform.

Visage Imaging, Inc. (Andover, MA, USA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Pro Medicus, Ltd. (Richmond, VIC, Australia), introduced Visage 7, the company's new generation diagnostic imaging information technology (IT) solution, at the annual conference of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) which took place November 29 to December 4, 2009, in Chicago, IL, USA.

Visage 7 provides new levels of versatility and performance to radiologists, technologists, subspecialists, and referring physicians. The Visage 7 Universal Viewer is a single thin client-based application for primary interpretation of any type of exam from plain film to cardiac computed tomography (CT), as well as for advanced three-dimensional (3D) and 4D postprocessing. Visage 7 may be used as a "thin viewing layer” on top of an existing PACS, or it can serve as a turnkey solution covering radiology information system (RIS), archive, viewing, and postprocessing.

"Our new client technology combines the best of the 2D and the 3D worlds. You may call it thin, smart, or hybrid--it just delivers the optimal performance regardless of whether you are viewing a large mammogram or postprocessing a multiphase cardiac CT,” said Malte Westerhoff, CTO, of Visage Imaging. "And finally, that same functionality and performance is now available to the growing number of Mac [Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA, USA] users, who can be integrated seamlessly into the radiology workflow.”

Visage 7 empowers its users to take full advantage of distributed image acquisition, storage, interpretation, and web access. Image data can remain where it was acquired-- instant and efficient access is provided from any local or remote location through the thin client streaming protocol.

"Unlike any other solution, with Visage 7 there is no need to move and duplicate your image data, both for centralized as well as fully distributed scenarios. This makes designing and scaling your imaging IT solution so much easier and more efficient, especially as your business grows and expands,” said David Chambers, CEO, Visage Imaging/Pro Medicus, Ltd. "The thin client technology is making a difference to referrers as well. Using our powerful Visage 7 Universal Viewer on their office or home Mac or PC [personal computer], they can rapidly access even extremely large datasets without downloading them first. This raises the level of service to the referrers and to tighten the partnership between referrer and radiologist.”

Visage Imaging is a global provider of scalable enterprise visualization, RIS, and PACS solutions for clinical and preclinical imaging. Targeted at hospitals and imaging centers of any size, the Visage products offer blazingly fast access to thin slice data anytime, anywhere, combined with a bidirectional radiology information system (RIS) integration for a perfect workflow and a comprehensive set of clinical applications for all 2D, 3D, and 4D interpretation and reporting, postprocessing and image review tasks within and beyond radiology. Visage visualization and PACS solutions are registered as medical devices in Europe, Canada, and Australia, and have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance.

Related Links:
Visage Imaging
Pro Medicus