Architectures of DICOM based PACS for JPEG2000 medical image streaming

Delivering of medical image content to mobile/embedded devices with low storage and processing capabilities and low resolution displays is a challenging, but important task for achieving ubiquitous computing in modern hospital environments. The common approaches in industry and technical literature employ JPEG2000 compression and image streaming. Beside image compression, JPEG2000 facilitates image streaming. Different sized images are extracted from one codestream with minimal spatial distortion within decompressed image. We developed DICOM2000 syntax which enables JPEG2000 streaming over DICOM networks. DICOM2000 brings compression and streaming power of JPEG2000 to DICOM which is the standard for medical image interchange. It enables transmission of best quality medical images suited for client device processing and display capabilities. In this paper communication architectures of DICOM2000 based PACS are compared with the common architectures of DICOM based PACS. For the purpose of the paper, these communication architectures are categorized, named, and described. At the end, the advantages of the DICOM2000 based PACS over standard PACS are pointed up.