ABSTRACT
At their most basic, digital radiological studies are simply computer files, which can be transmitted around in any suitable manner. Radiology departments generate two main forms of data requiring movement – text and imaging (picture) files. Competition within the UK has increased the number of vendors supplying institutions with picture archiving and communication system (PACS), and has left a situation where there is no central index of images, making sharing more technically complex. The Image Exchange Portal (IEP) is by far the most commonly used method of transferring radiological images outside of regional sharing hubs within the UK. It utilises the mailbox design to transfer tens of thousands of images and reports daily, with organisations using the service only requiring one connection into their PACS. Where a single PACS vendor has multiple installations, they may offer to link these together utilising an internal proprietary sharing solution, typically providing neighbouring sites access to each other's systems as if they were one.
