Callisto

Callisto is a software that allows users to access medical images from their own computers. In addition to image access, users can also edit and make any changes on medical images through the tools of Callisto. Developed according to DICOM 3.0 standard, Callisto presents medical images to users through servers which store and distribute medical images in DICOM (“Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine”) format. Callisto is able to connect easily to any Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) server which is a data storage for PACS and provides a fast access and easy analysis of medical images.

Callisto presents radiology-related images like ultrasonography, magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography to users in a non-traditional way. It allows medical staff a concurrent and nonconcurrent image access not only from the same location as accustomed, but also from various locations outside the health center. Another new feature of PACS systems which is used in Callisto is to store and report images at digital platform, thus eliminating films which burden users both substantially and as the method of image storage.

In addition, Callisto allows images which are previously processed to be opened without connecting to server and most of the settings in Callisto can be customized according to user needs. With customizable browser and date format, editable server settings, window/level settings, external application plug-in or modality-specific layout selection, Callisto is easy to use. With the option to customize toolbar, context menu and main menu, users are able to choose tools to be displayed in the program and assign them keyboard shortcuts . To sum up, Callisto has a simple interface that allows users, working not only in healthcare sector but in any field, to make various operations on medical images easily.

Callisto In PACS Architecture

  • Callisto -the advanced DICOM workstation software- with its extendible, flexible structure and easy use, meets every kind of Image Storage and Communication need in today’s technology.
  • Callisto workstation, developed according to DICOM 3.0 standards, has a perfect harmony with RadiPACS server and works properly with other PACS solutions too.
  • With Callisto workstation, users are able to connect to server, view studies stored and make various operations on DICOM images.
  • Previously processed DICOM images can be stored on Local Data Storage and can be opened without the need to re-connect to server. By this feature, while performance increases, network traffic decreases.
  • To access these images, “My Studies” can be used which is a sub-folder of “Server BrowserTool”

Standard Tools

 

Callisto’s standard tools, increase the domination of users over images and allows them to get maximum benefit. To mention a few:

Process/Edit: This feature, which also exists in standard photo process/edit programs, allows users to undo or redo operations on DICOM images.

Rotate Functions: DICOM images can be rotated vertically, horizontally, clockwise and counter-clockwise by Rotate Functions.

Clipboard: An image, an image set or a specific range of images in an image set can be copied to clipboard. DICOM images copied to clipboard can later be used to export data. Thus, by using Callisto workstation, single images can be saved in well-known image formats or series can be saved as video.

Color Invert: Color of a selected DICOM image can be reverted using this tool.

Cine: Images of selected DICOM series can be viewed one after another by cine tool. Arranging the speed, pausing cine in a desired moment, viewing images forward and backward are possible using this tool.

Show/Hide Overlay: Enables to show/hide desired overlays on DICOM images. Overlays this feature can be applied to are:

  • Text Overlay
  • Scale Overlay
  • Shutter Overlay

Stack (Series Viewer): Using the button to shift on mouse, images in series can be navigated via this tool. DICOM images in a stack can be sorted or viewed according to specific criteria.

Reference Lines: When a slice is examined, if there is any reference image of that slice, locations of slice(s ) examined on these images can be represented graphically. When reference lines are represented, start point, end point and the location of the selected slice are also shown.

Synchronizing Stacking: Enables the mapping and synchronization of medical images in different series. Images positioned at the same location and mapped can be navigated by users or an image which is mapped to another image can be represented to the user.

Spatial Locator: A point located on a medical image can be mapped to an image that is in the same study but in a different series. Thus, determination of related equivalent points of images which are taken from the same study but different modality becomes possible.

Window/Level (W/L): One of the reasons why digital images are advantegous compared to traditional film images is that Window/Level settings have customizable structures. This can be carried out by using Window/Level tool.

Pan: This tool is used to change the location of a DICOM image on screen. Use of Pan tool becomes more significant when it is used together with other tools. For example, when it is used together with zoom tool, Pan enables the specific point of a medical image to be examined in a much larger size.

Zoom: This tool enables users to view medical images in various sizes. Users can zoom an image in and out by using this tool.

Coordinate/Pixel Probe: This tool is used to show critical values (Pixel Location etc.) of any point marked on a DICOM image.

Magnification: This tool allows users to view only a specific location of an image, magnified in a specific ratio. Default magnification ratios are 1.5x, 2x, 4x, 6x, 8x.

Draw Shutter: By using this tool, it is possible to specify a shutter on medical image as an overlay and block the viewing function for other parts of that image. Various kinds of shutters can be specified at Callisto workstation. (Circle – Polygon – Rectangle).

Print Options: Our application is able to send print request to both normal printer and DICOM printer. When sending a DICOM output to a normal printer, various options are presented to the user.

Measurement Tools

Measurements can be taken very accurately through the detailed information content in DICOM image file format. Measurement information is presented to user in various ways depending on the kind of measurement tool used in Callisto workstation. (For example: Length in ruler tool, rectangle; in location identifier area, average and standard deviation etc.)

Ruler Tool: Enables to measure the distance between two points in a very accurate way.

Protractor: Using this tool, it is possible to easily and accurately measure angles on an image.

ROI: It is possible to specify areas on image in various ways using these tools. Regional Area Measurement tools are:

  • Rectangular ROI
  • Elliptic ROI
  • Polygonal ROI

Information related to selected areas can be viewed in Description section near them. Area of the selected region, Average and Standard Deviation values are given in description sections.

Show/Hide Angles Option: This option is a feature that can be activated or deactivated by user. When it is active, angles between the selected line and other lines on the image are represented to user as an information.

Advanced Tools and 3D

Callisto workstation presents advanced tools as well as standard ones:

  • MPR (Multiplanar Reconstruction)
  • ROI Analysis
  • Creating 3D Images From Series:

MPR: Multiplanar Reconstruction enables to create coronal, sagittal and oblique anatomic surfaces using axial image series in Callisto workstation.

Creating 3D Images From Series:

Callisto workstation is capable of creating 3 dimensional images from DICOM image series. Number of images in a series is important for the usability of 3 dimensional images.

Imaging of various tissues is also possible in 3D imaging. The image represented below is only the result of imaging a bone (Series of 64).

3D images created from DICOM image series can be rotated by mouse and viewed in various angles. In addition, it is possible to choose to view or not to view various tissues and zoom 3 dimensional images in or out.

Fusion of PET/CT Images:

Fusing PET/CT images is one of the latest improvements in radiology. In this application, anatomical information gathered from patient’s CT images and molecular metabolic information gathered from PET (Positron Emission Tomography) study are merged.

PET studies are capable to provide a successful analysis in the case which CT studies are inadequate. Especially in determination of small-sized tumors or cancer diagnosis, traditional CT studies may not be enough. Similarly, since PET studies alone can not give patient anatomical information, for locating the region of cancer or tumor, PET studies may be insufficient. Thus, by fusing PET and CT images, further and more accurate information can be given to doctors.

Callisto can automatically fuse PET/CT images. While fusing, reference image is specified on studies automatically, images are fused using information like slice thickness, slice slope.

Exporting Data

Exporting Data and Anonymizing

Callisto workstation can create well-known image and video format outputs from DICOM image series.

DICOM images can be saved in JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIF, DICOM and GIF formats. Videos in avi format can be created from DICOM image series.

Callisto workstation also has the feature to anonymize images.

As the result of combining video – image export with Callisto’s DICOM image anonymizing feature, image and video having a high definition, which can be used by users’ in their presentations, are obtained.

DICOM Print: Enables users to examine images on film by giving the output of medical images in DICOM format from DICOM printer. Page direction, page size and media settings of film can be arranged, as well as print-out of only the selected image, study or all series can be obtained.

Windows Printing: Allows to obtain the output of medical images on paper. With “Windows Print” tool, page direction, page size and media can be selected and layout of print-out can be arranged in a desired ratio. As in DICOM print feature, it enables to print not only the selected image, but also selected study and selected series.

Export to DVD: Enables medical images to be written on DVD and to be kept not only in digital environment, but also in external environment. With Callisto, medical images are written to DVD in “DICOMDIR” format. As DICOM and Windows print tools, Callisto allows the export of not only the selected image, but also the study or series that image is in.

During the process of writing images to DVD, a small program is also copied to DVD. Via this program, when DVD that stores the images is inserted into any computer, images are presented to the user without the need to install anything.