The digital cardiac network: today and the future.

Cine replacement or cineless angiography is now a serious consideration for any new cardiac catheterization laboratory installation. Standards have been set by the Dicom committee, and CD's are rapidly appearing instead of angiogram film. Core labs. are geared to perform CD interpretation as well as film during this transition phase. Attempts are made to network multiple labs. and maintain the same kind of flow encountered in an analog lab. Labour and material costs seem to be cheaper for cineless labs. The future will see faster and deeper storage and commercially available means to network hospitals. This technology may be the forerunner of the digital patient record.