Have You Been Remote Reading Displays that Don’t Comply with ACR and FDA Guidelines?

All over the United States and in most other countries, the dependency on remote workstations for interpreting medical images has increased lately. If you are wondering why it is so, know that it is primarily because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) displays enable individuals to conduct the procedure of the interpretation of radiological images correctly from a remote location.

A considerable number of people have been reading off displays that do not adhere to American College of Radiology and US Food and Drug Administration standards. Healthcare professionals are now concerned owing to the significant increase in the use of commercial off-the-shelf and non-medical displays in today’s time.

Significance of Selecting Displays that Meet Set Performance Requirements

If you are one of those who have selected a COTS display, it will be wise to opt for a change and choose displays only after taking practical and technical limitations into account. The sole objective of a displays manufacturer should be maximizing the information consistently across a wide range of devices.

Medical images do not look original and accurate because of displays without technical capabilities. Even monitors that lack suitable calibration can make a radiological image appear different. It is of paramount importance to select displays that adhere to requisite performance requirements.

In addition, displays that do not calibrate most of the time may conceal low-contrast aspects, which require the right level adjustment or ineffective window width for visualization purposes. Even expert radiologists are often unable to identify degradation in the quality of radiological images.

Also, keep in mind that the display performance undergoes a massive change with time. Such a condition implies that there is a continuous requirement for ongoing medical image quality assurance.

Trained and certified radiological technicians can perform accurate interpretation of medical images only with displays that meet ACR and FDA standards. Experienced radiologists use these displays in a controlled environment with particular lighting conditions. It is nearly impossible to interpret images correctly while remote reading using commercial off-the-shelf displays.

Nowadays, most radiology clinics leverage sepStream® imaging software for the accurate interpretation of radiological images. Ultimately, our cutting-edge technology-enabled medical imaging system helps physicians conduct a diagnosis of a medical condition in a hassle-free and correct manner.