Abstract
Purpose: :
To create software and protocols to adhere to these requirements and provide the tracking and verification needed to insure compliance to the reading center’s standards and goals.Phase 1 requirements include the accurate transfer and tracking of images from multiple simultaneous remote locations to the Digital Angiography Reading Center.
Methods: :
A Web based software solution named "DARCwillow" was developed using an Apache Tomcat web server with Java servlets. Data and image transfer utilities were also developed to minimize or eliminate software installations at the remote sites. All data transfers are tracked and recorded at both the sending and receiving locations insuring a complete tracking record confirming the status of each transfer.
Results: :
More than 200 image sets have been transferred in initial testing. All transfers completed were verified as accurately transferred and acknowledged on both the sending and receiving sides. Four transfers did not complete on the first attempt and all four were correctly identified as incomplete from both the sending and receiving sides. Lost Internet connections were the cause of each of these transfer failures.
Conclusions: :
DARCwillow provides an accurate inventory of images scheduled to be transferred and includes this inventory with the images that are transferred to the center. The DARCwillow software signals both the clinical site and the reading center of any transfers initiated and if they have been successfully completed.Digital imaging reading centers require as much or more record keeping "paperwork" than the traditional film based centers using paper records. Images and results can be "side tracked" or abandoned more easily in an electronic system and software requirements and protocols need to be strictly followed to maintain the proper data flow and tracking of results. The DARCwillow project is built with redundant verifications allowing full tracking of the transfer of images and information from the clinical sites. Future phases of the development will allow "readers" and operations officers to work with this data and maintain verifiable results with a complete record trail.
Keywords: clinical research methodology • imaging/image analysis: non-clinical