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Computers have greatly facilitated the processing and storage of radiologic information. Manufacturers of radiology information systems (RISs) are gradually incorporating options for interfacing their products with other computers (e.g., hospital information systems). However, a growing need exists to also interface RISs with digital radiologic equipment so that images (e.g., computed radiographs of the chest and skeleton) are automatically labeled with identification data. Such connectivity would eliminate redundant work by technologists, decrease errors in the labeling of images, and increase the consistency of patients' data within a radiology department. Unfortunately, the rapid advances in digital technology, combined with the lack of a well-defined standard for the transfer of demographic information between dissimilar systems, have delayed development of these interfaces. We have developed a widely applicable method to automatically transfer patients' demographic data from an RIS to a commercially available computed radiography system. A personal computer is configured with inexpensive programmable telecommunications software to create an interactive gateway, which eliminates the need for redundant data entry (compared with entering data once on the RIS and again on the stand-alone computed radiography system), and thus also decreases errors in the labeling of images.

An increasing number of radiology departments are using computers to facilitate management of radiologic information. Transcription, storage, and printing of radiologic reports are among the primary functions of a radiology information system. Consequently, manual signature of radiologic reports is being replaced by on-line electronic authentication. However, the utilities provided on most radiology information systems to review, edit, and otherwise manipulate radiologic reports are relatively crude compared with commercial word-processing and data-base management software available for personal computers. We have developed a personal computer software system that is integrated with our existing radiology information system; expedites the radiologist's task of reviewing, editing, and authenticating (i.e., signing) radiologic reports; provides a teaching file data base on the workstation into which radiologic reports and patients' demographics can be instantly transferred; and provides a similar data base to facilitate follow-up on those examinations deemed appropriate for quality-assurance procedures. These features improve the radiologist's efficiency and increase his or her willingness to more fully exploit the intended purposes of a radiology information system.

CORRELATE is a new computer software program for CT that enables a radiologist to mark tumor margins on traditional CT cross-sectional images and then display the outline of that same tumor on CT ScoutView images. This function is particularly useful for radiation therapy planning because CORRELATE ScoutView images are in the same longitudinal plane as simulation radiographs used for tumor localization in radiation therapy. The impact of CORRELATE on the radiation therapy planning process was measured in 83 patients with various tumors. Therapy planning was performed before and after CORRELATE information was made available to the radiation therapist. CORRELATE information caused a change in the therapy plan in 77% of the cases and increased confidence in the therapy plan in an additional 22%. CORRELATE provides a useful and accurate tool for tumor localization.