Efficacy of a real-time digital disk in the digital lightbox.

This paper describes a high-speed digital lightbox. The current status of film in the medical imaging department sets the stage for this next generation of image display/management systems. Digital imaging devices are proliferating because of their diagnostic speed and accuracy, and their ease of use. However, the resultant images are usually prepared by a technician, transmitted to film, then mounted on a lightbox to be eventually reviewed by the physician. Until recently, the shortcomings of a film display system could be overlooked in favor of its data-acquisition and archiving advantages. With recent developments in real-time disks and high-resolution display systems, it is now possible to improve upon the physician's display with a digital lightbox. A unique Multimodality Acquisition and Review System (MARS) is described that will support this new digital lightbox with performance features that meet or exceed the characteristic use of film in today's medical imaging departments.