Department of Medical Imaging and Information Sciences, University Hospital of Geneva, 24, rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
Eur J Radiol. 2011 May;78(2):259-65. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2010.05.004. Epub 2011 Mar 27.
In recent decades several major changes in computer and communication technology have pushed the limits of imaging informatics and PACS beyond the traditional system architecture providing new perspectives and innovative approach to a traditionally conservative medical community. Disruptive technologies such as the world-wide-web, wireless networking, Open Source software and recent emergence of cyber communities and social networks have imposed an accelerated pace and major quantum leaps in the progress of computer and technology infrastructure applicable to medical imaging applications.
This paper reviews the impact and potential benefits of two major trends in consumer market software development and how they will influence the future of medical imaging informatics. Open Source software is emerging as an attractive and cost effective alternative to traditional commercial software developments and collaborative social networks provide a new model of communication that is better suited to the needs of the medical community.
Evidence shows that successful Open Source software tools have penetrated the medical market and have proven to be more robust and cost effective than their commercial counterparts. Developed by developers that are themselves part of the user community, these tools are usually better adapted to the user's need and are more robust than traditional software programs being developed and tested by a large number of contributing users. This context allows a much faster and more appropriate development and evolution of the software platforms. Similarly, communication technology has opened up to the general public in a way that has changed the social behavior and habits adding a new dimension to the way people communicate and interact with each other. The new paradigms have also slowly penetrated the professional market and ultimately the medical community. Secure social networks allowing groups of people to easily communicate and exchange information is a new model that is particularly suitable for some specific groups of healthcare professional and for physicians. It has also changed the expectations of how patients wish to communicate with their physicians.
Emerging disruptive technologies and innovative paradigm such as Open Source software are leading the way to a new generation of information systems that slowly will change the way physicians and healthcare providers as well as patients will interact and communicate in the future. The impact of these new technologies is particularly effective in image communication, PACS and teleradiology.
近几十年来，计算机和通信技术的几项重大变革推动了成像信息学和 PACS 的发展，超越了传统的系统架构，为传统的保守医学社区带来了新的视角和创新方法。万维网、无线网络、开源软件以及最近出现的网络社区和社交网络等颠覆性技术，给计算机和技术基础设施的发展带来了加速的步伐和重大的飞跃，这些技术适用于医学成像应用。
本文回顾了消费者市场软件开发的两大趋势的影响和潜在益处，以及它们将如何影响医学成像信息学的未来。开源软件作为一种有吸引力且具有成本效益的传统商业软件开发替代方案正在出现，而协作社交网络提供了一种更适合医学社区需求的新沟通模式。
有证据表明，成功的开源软件工具已经渗透到医疗市场，并被证明比商业软件更强大、更具成本效益。这些工具由开发人员开发，开发人员本身就是用户社区的一部分，因此通常更能适应用户的需求，而且比由大量用户开发和测试的传统软件程序更强大。这种情况下，软件平台的开发和演进速度更快、更合适。同样，通信技术已经以一种改变了社会行为和习惯的方式向公众开放，为人们彼此交流和互动增加了一个新的维度。新的范例也慢慢地渗透到了专业市场，最终渗透到了医疗社区。允许人们轻松交流和交换信息的安全社交网络是一种新的模式，特别适合某些特定的医疗保健专业人员和医生群体。它还改变了患者希望与医生沟通的期望。
新兴的颠覆性技术和创新范例，如开源软件，正在引领新一代信息系统的发展方向，这些系统将慢慢改变未来医生和医疗服务提供者以及患者相互交流和沟通的方式。这些新技术的影响在图像通信、PACS 和远程放射学中尤为显著。
