Hi! I’m trying to configure my ultrasound system to send off copies of my exams for storage. I’m new to Orthanc and DICOM, but fairly experienced with Linux and SQL. Hoping someone here can help me understand some of the DICOM terminology. Reading about it is very confusing.
I’ve set up Orthanc on a local server and it’s listening on port 4242.
Now, I have 3 things in my ultrasound machine that I can configure; Archiver, Storage Commit and MPPS.
What I’m thinking now is that I can configure the Archiver to connect to Orthanc @ port 4242 and transfer images and patient data to the Orthanc database / storage folder.
Second, the Storage Commit is just used by my ultrasound machine to verify that the Archiver have received the data?
The MPPS though I don’t understand. These worklists transfer patient data to the system so I don’t have to type it in on my ultrasound machine?
What I’m thinking now is that I can configure the Archiver to connect to Orthanc @ port 4242 and transfer images and patient data to the Orthanc database / storage folder.
Yes, your US “Archiver” would be acting as the DICOM Storage SCU (service class user) and Orthanc as the DICOM Storage SCP (service class provider). I believe Orthanc should accept the US objects without other configuration unless you have changed the default settings to limit accepting objects to certain senders.
Second, the Storage Commit is just used by my ultrasound machine to verify that the Archiver have received the data?
Usually a successful response to the DICOM Storage (your “Archiver”) means Orthanc has received the data. Storage Commitment is meant that the receiving device will actually keep a copy of the received object or forward it to a long term archive for safe retention. There is more here how Orthanc handles this: DICOM storage commitment — Orthanc Book documentation
The MPPS though I don’t understand. These worklists transfer patient data to the system so I don’t have to type it in on my ultrasound machine?
The answer to this question is DICOM Modality Worklist (DMWL). DMWL allows a modality to query a PACS/RIS for the scheduled procedure steps to get patient and study data to use as some of the metadata in any created DICOM objects. Modality Performed Procedure Steps (MPPS) are messages send from the modality to inform the PACS/RIS that it has performed the scheduled steps. I don’t think Orthanc is the best solution for either. DWML takes some work to manage on your own (see Does Orthanc support worklists? — Orthanc Book documentation). MPPS I haven’t used with Orthanc. If you require these, others may have more advice. Otherwise I suggest DCM4CHEE.
I once had an interest in implementing MPPS and fully implementing Storage Commitments. I’ve been too busy to finish that project, and if you use MWL’s and have techs who know how to perform their own QC and QA, the MWL approach seems to work.
