MPPS-proxy v1.0

Multi purpose MPPS-proxy (with support for relaying, multiplying and logging of MPPS events) for complex radiology environments.

One of the key DICOM services for allowing a seamless workflow (with minimal user interaction) is the MPPS (Modality Performed Procedure Step) protocol. It allows a modality to communicate to a RIS and PACS the study status ("Completed", “in Progress”, “Canceled”), the number of images generated (incl. related DICOM metadata), and any changes in the performed procedure with respect to the original scheduled one. A successful MPPS implementation has a major positive impact on workflow as well as technologist and PACS administrator efficiency. It potentially makes the “Verify” step in the PACS/RIS redundant, eliminates change orders or cancellations, and automatically keeps the radiologist and modality work lists updated using the status information.

Today many x-ray labs support the MPPS service for DICOM metadata reporting to one preconfigured AE entity. The most common use today is posting radiation dosage statistics (patient dosimetry) to a central statistics server to help ensure patient safety – but the concept offers a lot more! Many users however find themselves limited by the disability to configure multiple receivers of MPPS events. With our MPPS Proxy product this limitation is bridged, enabling continued automation and quality assurance work in the radiology environment!



Pict. 1 - Example screenshot of the configuration tool for the MPPS-proxy service.

 Click on the image to view it in full size

Common cases of use

Common cases of use for the MPPS-proxy is

• the wish to use the MPPS message [sent by the modality] to make multiple AE entities aware of and ongoing study (and its DICOM metadata).
• the wish to trigger 3^rd party systems and events based on MPPS events.
• the wish to multiply your MPPS messages to additional receivers for redundancy reasons.
• the wish to enhance and automate your workflow to a greater extent.
• the wish log MPPS messages sent from a specific AE entity (ie. for validation purposes).

The product works much like a common network traffic proxy service. It receives an MPPS event and duplicates it before retransmitting the message to several, preconfigured receivers (AE entities) on the network. Typically the modality presently reports radiation dosage to a central database with MPPS when a secondary use or need appears. To be able to configure a secondary receiver you often need a way of ‘splitting’ the MPPS events into several identical events destined for different AE entities. The MPPS-proxy product will do this for you and allows for any type of 3^rd party use of your MPPS service. Thus unleashing the full potential of MPPS as it was intended!

MPPS-proxy key features

• The MPPS-proxy receives and (intermediately) stores DICOM Modality Performed Procedure Step (MPPS) Events (often referred to as ‘messages’).
• Supports both NCreate and NSet messages.
• All DICOM attributes (incl. Private ones) are forwarded intact.
• All messages are locally stored (queued up) prior to relay for watchdog purposes.
• Unlimited number of receivers (AE entities) configurable.
• The MPPS-proxy automatically ensures that all messages are relayed in an orderly fashion without delay.
• If one or more receivers should prove unreachable at the time the queuing mechanism will continue to try to reach the receiver till the message has been delivered. This doesn’t affect relaying to other entities online at the moment.
• The queuing mechanism ensures that all relayed messages reaches the receiver in the exact same order as they were posted my the modality.
• The queuing mechanism can be configured with a timeout threshold. The proxy will then abandon a receiver if not reachable for n (configurable) minutes.
• The queuing mechanism offers a statistics page for displaying all messages relayed the past n (configurable) minutes as well as all messages queued up.
• The MPPS-proxy is a software product developed for the Microsoft Windows environment. It runs a Windows Service.

(c) 2009-2012 Distributed Medical AB. All rights reserved!

Distributed Medical AB reserves the right to alter the exact specification through future development of the system with out prior notice. Any or all information is subject to change. Please always consult technical staff before making business decisions based upon the material in this document!