Radiology Image Data Mining and Research PACS Services
Synopsis
We provide technical support for pulling images from the clinical PACS for purposes of research as well as handling research images acquired under IRB approved imaging studies.
Research PACS Services
The DICOM image format and PACS storage systems are the de facto standards employed by medical imaging scanners and hospital digital storage systems. We have the expertise with the standards to help you move your images from acquisition points and the clinical PACS to your storage destination.
Service |
Stand-alone Research PACS (SRP) |
Query/Retrieve & Anonymization Service (QRAS) |
| Routing images from scanners (prospective) | Yes | If anonymization required |
| Routing images from the clinical PACS (prospective/retrospective) | No | Yes |
Curated Anonymized Image Repository (CAIR)
Synopsis
We have IRB approval to build an anonymized image repository based on the clinical imaging record. We are currently building an infrastructure that would enable researchers to propose studies of the clinical imaging record that would execute under our IRB without the need for a separate retrospective IRB on the part of the researchers. Our IRB permits us to coordinate with the Data Science Services team to capture ancillary data from the electronic health record (HER) related to the imaging studies we pull from the clinical PACS.
As studies are executed, we will curate the growing collection of anonymized images for use in future studies. Ongoing curation of the repository is an important part of our mission so that we continue to add value to the images beyond their original clinical application.
Conditions
The following are important constraints imposed by our IRB:
- The researcher cannot select the patients
- Neither explicitly using personal health information (PHI) or personal identifiable information (PII)
- Nor implicitly by specifying selection criteria that are necessarily too narrow or too broad
- Researchers with access to the clinical record are forbidden from re-identifying any anonymized data they receive.
- The researcher will receive fully anonymized images
- Stripped of all PHI/PII according to HIPAA safe harbor standards
- Scalp and skull surfaces removed to prevent facial recognition
- No lookup table will be provided linking anonymized to original subjects
- We do not yet have the capability to remove “burned in" PHI. Some images (ex. some PET and US) may not be accessible under this IRB as a result.
Project Type(Complexity) |
Description of Factors(Factors Not Limited to this list.) |
Billable Hours |
Approximate Cost$180/hour |
| Low |
|
<=20 + 2 per each additional 250 studies |
< $3600 +$340 per each additional 250 studies |
| Medium |
|
> 20 to 80 + 4 per each additional 250 studies |
$3600 - $14400 + $720 per each additional 250 studies
|
| High |
|
> 80 + 8 per each additional 250 studies +160 for "burned in" PHI |
> $14400 + $1440 per each additional 250 studies + $28800 for "burned in" PHI |
Contact
For those interested in executing an image study under our repository IRB, we will have an application form soon, but in the meantime researchers can contact John Roberts for details.