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DR Systems, an industry leader in mammography/PACS integration, will be exhibiting major new mammography capabilities for its Unity RIS/PACS platform at RSNA 2007. DR Systems, an industry leader in mammography/PACS integration, will be exhibiting major new mammography capabilities for its Unity^TM RIS/PACS platform at RSNA 2007.

The prestigious KLAS rating service rated DR Systems as the highest scoring vendor across all healthcare informatics categories in the 2006 'Top 20: 2006 Best in KLAS report.' For the second year in a row, DR Systems was also rated the 'PACS Category Leader' in the KLAS 'Top 20: 2007 Mid-Year Report.' These rankings top all other PACS providers including McKesson, GE Medical Systems, Siemens, Philips, and Amicas.

The Unity RIS/PACS' breast imaging, reporting, and tracking functions provide a complete solution for digital mammography. Exams in all modalities -- including third-party CAD and digitized prior film-based mammograms -- can be read on the same workstation. All patient information can also be accessed on the system.

In contrast, a mammography center or comprehensive imaging enterprise that uses dedicated full-field digital mammography (FFDM) workstations for reading mammograms must rely on a bevy of separate systems. Those separate systems must include a mammography viewer for viewing films of prior exams, a dictation system, and a requisition system for paper records.

A facility that chooses the Unity RIS/PACS approach avoids:

• The extra expense of separate mammography workstations.
• The inconvenience of switching between workstations for different modalities.
• Complications of separate service contracts.
• Crowding created by redundant equipment.
• Interface malfunctions between non-integrated systems.

"DR Systems was one of the first to fully integrate mammography with PACS, and our extensive experience with mammography has enabled us to stay ahead of the product development curve," said Rick Porritt, the company's CEO. "We've also listened carefully to our large customer base and have incorporated ideas to benefit a variety of PACS users. That helps explain why healthcare executives and radiologists alike are embracing our technology."

The mammography functions of the Unity RIS/PACS are designed to ease compliance with the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). For example, the Breast Care Tracking System automatically generates follow-up tasks based on the mammographer's assessment and recommendation codes. It also generates mammographer outcome report cards, and site-specific outcome audits. It tracks delinquent work-ups, as well. Facilities that want to use a third-party tracking system instead can choose between several alternative interfaces.

Reporting is a core strength of the system. Mammography reporting is integrated with Instant Reporter, DR Systems' patented, automated report preparation and distribution module. Instant Reporter integrates functions on the PACS that are typically performed by separate, third-party applications.

Mammography reporting on the Unity RIS/PACS supports BI-RADS assessments, recommendations, and findings. Assessment and recommendation coding is included as part of the normal reporting workflow. The system automatically generates a concise, clear report in Microsoft® Word, incorporating the selected code.

Other reporting features include report templates with point-and-click buttons to insert text, dictation, and voice recognition. Appropriate users can access images/reports over a secure Internet connection. The system also provides alternative interfaces for users who prefer to use third-party mammography reporting systems.

"The tight integration of our mammography solution creates a more efficient workflow that enhances patient safety by speeding diagnosis and treatment," said Porritt. "It also creates a more productive mammography operation, in line with our goal of providing a comprehensive solution for the entire imaging business."