Healthcare reform requiring wider access and enterprise sharing of patient images and records are making Web-based cardiology picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) a more attractive solution over traditional thick-client, server-based systems. In just the past few years there has been a departure from thick-client cardiology and radiology PACS to Web-based platforms. There are several reasons for this, including better interoperability, anywhere-anytime access, remote access to data and images, and reduction of IT burdens. Web-based systems also enable easier delivery of many healthcare reform Stage 2 meaningful use (MU) requirements. 

Finding ways to lower patient radiation dose from both medical imaging and interventional cardiology has become a major trend. However, when vendors start talking dose, it is important to realize there are no set industry standards agreed upon by manufacturers to calculate dose. For this reason, I call into question vendors’ statistics of how much their technology can lower dose by up to 20, 50 or even 80 percent.  While new technologies such as iterative reconstruction, more sensitive detectors and ECG gating do indeed lower dose, quantifying it can be a moving target.