Overview

NilRead provides an advanced hanging protocol system which controls the way a study is displayed in the image viewing area. The following features are supported:

• User-specific protocols and system-wide protocols. Different hanging protocols can also be defined for referring physicians or radiologists based on the job description in their NilRead user account.
• Multi-stage protocols (display sequences) allowing for an efficient and streamlined reading workflow.
• Multi-monitor and multi-device setup. A particular hanging protocol will typically define different stage sequences for tablets or for a multi-monitor setup. The appropriate sequence is automatically selected when viewing a study.
• Access to all DICOM attributes available in the study.
• Ability to define comparison views based on the availability of prior studies.
• Access to a full set of possible view templates (called “study layouts”): 2D stack/tile/multi-dimensional, MPRs, volume, fusion, ECG etc.
• Ability to control the presentation state, ranging from window level, zoom and orientation up to the MPR thickness or volumetric render protocol.
• Ability to define other aspects of the NilRead application, such as showing or hiding the side panel, linking, reference lines display, prior studies timeline relevancy rules, automatic cine loop play, etc.
• Ability to “capture” a particular hanging protocol stage, including the presentation state. The DICOM attributes that are captured are configurable per modality.
• Ability to define DICOM rule templates for easier reuse and maintenance of rules across all hanging protocols.
• Ability to export and import hanging protocols.

Depending on your NilRead license, you will have access to either clinical or advanced hanging protocols.

• Clinical hanging protocols allow you to quickly create protocols based on the study modality. You can also include studies based on the series description.
• Advanced hanging protocols have additional anchor study matching options. They also include the ability to select prior studies for comparison, load prior studies in specific viewports, and apply presentation settings (window level, invert greyscale, zoom, and orientation).

This handbook provides hands-on exercises for creating hanging protocols, including starting with a blank protocol and creating a protocol by capturing the current display. This handbook also contains a reference section with definitions for the Hanging Protocol Editor sections.