Secure Web-based access to radiology: Forms and databases for fast queries

Currently, Web-based access to mini-PACS or similar databases commonly utilizes either JavaScript, Java applets or ActiveX controls. Many sites do not permit applets or controls or other binary objects for fear of viruses or worms sent by malicious users. In addition, the typical CGI query mechanism requires several parameters to be sent with the http GET/POST request, which may identify the patient in some way; this in unacceptable for privacy protection. Also unacceptable are pages produced by server-side scripts which can be cached by the browser, since these may also contain sensitive information. We propose a simple mechanism for access to patient information, including images, which guarantees security of information, makes it impossible to bookmark the page, or to return to the page after some defined length of time. In addition, this mechanism is simple, therefore permitting rapid access without the need to initially download an interface such as an applet or control. In addition to image display, the design of the site allows the user to view and save movies of multiphasic data, or to construct multi-frame datasets from entire series. These capabilities make the site attractive for research purposes such as teaching file preparation.