Technology is evolving at a rapid pace and every industry out there is benefiting by implementing technological methods and processes in its operational machinery. While some people might not find a connection between radiologists and cloud computing, the truth is that they have used this technology very well to improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which they work.

A radiologist can be best described as a medical doctor who is equipped with the skills and experience to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries a patient is suffering from with the help of radiology or medical imaging methods. Some of these medical imaging methods or procedures are computed tomography or CT, X-rays, nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and positron emission tomography or PET.

Cloud-based radiology PACS has become extremely popular in recent years. Cloud computing is understood as a concept in which a dedicated computer grid is put together with the help of the internet to make good use of several shared resources like hardware and computer software. Usually, a pay-per-use model is used while implementing cloud computing.

With the help of cloud computing, radiologists can manage or regulate multimodality imaging units. They can do so by using relevant hardware and software. The best part is that they are not required to pay a huge amount of money to carry out this task. Cloud computing systems are set up using private, public, community, and hybrid models.

Cloud computing features different components like applications, infrastructure, services, storage, client, and processing power. If a radiologist knows how to use these different elements properly, they can do their work with a lot more efficiency. Cloud computing helps radiologists scale and descale different operations conveniently and enables them to save a lot of money on maintaining storage units and carrying out different applications.

Cloud computing has brought in a certain flexibility in the space of imaging. Earlier, radiology-based tasks or processes could only be carried out in a hospital or clinic. Now, with the help of cloud computing, radiologists can set up virtual mobile offices and get a lot of work done remotely. They can carry out tasks like radiology reporting a lot more conveniently.

Origin of Cloud Computing

Sometime in the 1960s, the idea of cloud computing was propagated by JCR Licklider. At that time, the technology did not have a proper name and Licklider referred to it as an ‘interconnected grid of computers’. Over the decades, many researchers and scientists worked on this concept and polished it further. In the ‘90s, technology took several massive leaps and that led to the concept of cloud computing becoming clearer and more accessible. The popularity of the internet played an important role in its growth.

What Cloud Computing Stands For

Cloud computing utilizes a variety of software, data storage devices, and data access which do not necessitate actual physical location and service-based arrangements being shared. Cloud computing involves the usage of an interconnected computer grid which enables the user to share resources and operate on a pay-per-use model.

In radiology, cloud computing is not just an image-sharing platform that works using the internet. It includes a variety of other elements including Radiology Information System or RIS imaging software and RIS modules. Radiologists, who are trained in cloud computing, understand that RIS modules can also be included in Electronic Health Record or EHR modules.

Cloud Computing Components

Cloud computing, in radiology, comprises the following components:

• Client

In cloud computing, client is the term used to refer to the web browser. It can also be described as the medium used by the end users to visit the cloud using the internet. The web browser, as one would know, can be accessed either through a smartphone or a computer system.

• Application

Often described as one of the most important elements in the cloud, the application is utilized extensively by the end users who, in this case, are the radiologists. This is also referred to as ‘Software as a Service’. Some of the examples of applications are reporting software, image reviewing, and radiology billing software.

• Storage

No cloud computing system is complete without a storage unit. A radiologist creates a database of different cases and puts them here. A storage unit in a cloud computing system also serves as the hub for all the data a radiologist has created over the years. Unlike a physical storage unit, a cloud computing storage unit does not take much to maintain.

• Infrastructure

The infrastructure of a cloud computing system comprises computer servers and hardware that are designed to support the functioning of the software and save all the data carefully. To benefit from a cloud computing system, a radiologist should ensure that its infrastructure is strong and well-constructed.

• Processing Power

Processing power refers to the ability of a cloud computing system to offer radiologists a good amount of processing power without paying a lot of money. If the processing power of a cloud computing system is not up to the mark, a radiologist will not be able to operate very efficiently.

• Service

Service refers to the benefit radiologists get from the cloud computing system. While most services are designed to be Picture Archiving and Communication Systems or PACS, many are structured as web-based libraries. PACS medical imaging has been nothing short of a revolution for radiologists.

How Cloud Computing Is Affecting Radiology Workflow

Cloud computing has impacted radiology workflow in a very positive way. Radiologists, who are deeply involved in the imaging departments, have complete control over the entire IT setup. They can balance and make adjustments to it according to their requirements. Because of cloud computing, radiologists can streamline their workflow more smoothly.

Cloud computing has enabled radiologists to utilize expensive software and hardware remotely in different cloud-based systems. Radiologists do not have to pay upfront costs. Instead, they can use it cost-effectively by opting for the pay-per-use model. A cloud-based setup gives them a platform to use remote image review software, RIS, PACS, billing software, and 3D workstation software. With time, radiologists gather a strong understanding of cloud computing and find it easier to carry out different tasks and activities in a customized manner.