Imaging workstations for radiology would be used by radiologists for a number of hours each day. Such long use demands a good ergonomic design of the workstation in order to avoid user fatigue and frustration. The film-and -viewbox methods presently in use have evolved over the years since radiography became a diagnostic tool. The result of this evolution is that, despite the problems of film, the ergonomics of film reading and reporting is quite mature. This paper will use a somewhat lighthearted look at workstation design using the ideas of well -known architects and designers to illustrate points which should be considered when implementing electronic viewing systems. Examples will also be drawn from non -radiologic environments in which the user is presented with visual information for his or her integration.
Despite the rapid progress made in the electronic design of imaging work stations for medicine, much less effort has gone into the design of environments in which such systems will be used. Based on studies of radiologist film reading sessions, considerable time will be spent working at such viewing systems. If the rooms in which the work stations are placed are not conducive to comfortable work, it will certainly not favor electronic viewing over film reading. In examining existing reading environments, it is also apparent that they are not optimal, even for film. Since some of the problems for film and electronic viewing overlap, such as heat generation (by the alternators, viewboxes, or work station electronics) and glare from light sources, it should be possible to develop solutions that are applicable to both environments, or to rooms that will feature both viewing systems. This paper will discuss some of the approaches to designing environments in which viewing of images is supported by the room architecture and engineering, rather than being degraded by it. To illustrate these points a design, based on the constraint of a real room size and available architectural materials, will be developed.
Despite the rapid progress made in the electronic design of imaging work stations for medicine, much lees effort has gene into the deeign of environments in which euch eyetems will be used. Baeed on etudies of radiologist film reading seseions, considerable time will be epent working at such viewing systeme. If the rooms in which the work stations are placed are not conducive to comfortable work, it will certainly not favor electronic viewing over film reading. In examining existing reading environments, ir is aleo apparent that they are not optimal, even for film. Since come of the problems for film and electronic viewing overlap, such as heat generation (by the alternators, viewboxes, or work station electronics) and glare from light sources, it should be poesible to develop solutions that are applicable to both environments, of to rooms that will feature both viewing systems. This paper will discuss some of the approaches to designing environments in which viewing of images is supported by the room architecture and engineering, rather than being degraded by it. To illustrate these points a design, based on the constraint of a real room size and available architectural materiale, will be developed. ment will be used. Unfortunately, aside from the reports of ter Haar Romeny 11 and Balter and Janower? 2 little attention has been given to such environmental design in the medical imaging literature. The problem raises both architectural and engineering concerns, and requires considerable use of human-factor design principles. We have had the opportunity to work on the design of a reading area within the department. This area will support conventional film as well as picture archiving communication systems (PACS) workstation reading, and will be used by the Abdomi nal Imaging Division. As such, a combination of plain film, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound cases will be interpreted. This new reading room is a renovation of an existing space, and so is subject to the constraints of existing bearing walls, columns, and major ductwork.We will examine the design for this space with discussion of the principles used.TTHE Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) medical imaging meeting last year, we presented a paper that examined ergonomic features of radiology workstations and reading environments/Both prior to and since that time, extensive work has been done on the design of such work stations to better suit the tasks performed by medical imaging specialists, and to make such performance more efficient from the viewpoints of human factors and productivity. 21~ In particular, analysis of the work patterns of radiologists 79 have been combined with advances in person-computer interaction (user interfaces) resulting in viewing and reading systems that are far ahead of older aproaches. 6's'1~In addition to the workstation itself, we also examined the environment in which such equip-
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