Estonian Medical Digital Image Bank

The Estonian Medical Digital Images data repository was established in 2005. The Medical Digital Images Bank is integrated with the Estonian Health Information System. This is a central database that stores almost all (90%) radiological images and films (MRT, CT, EKG, X-ray etc). The Images Bank is integrated with the Health Care Providers systems via a secure channel VPN. Every radiologist and physician can have access to their patients` images by using ID cards. Consequently this system gives the possibility to have the overview and dynamics during a longer period of patient history and to compare developments. It also gives the possibility to have a second opinion without making new images (and radiation). Doctors can consult each other without additional research and patient movement. The system is a very good tool for distance consultation in Estonia.
The database has a possibility for each image to have a radiologist`s prescribed answer about findings (nearly 40% have radiologists prescriptions). The same data can also be viewed by the physician or other doctors (via VPN or HIS MISP portal) who have sent the patients to the radiology examination. As the health care providers systems are integrated to the Image Bank, a radiologist has access to the Bank from every secure system and he can give answers about the images. If necessary, you can also ask for a second opinion of the same image. This allows radiologists to give answers about the images even outside of Estonia or a particular medical institution. It allows radiologists to use resources flexibly in smaller hospitals and regions. The Digital Images Repository meets international standards as DICOM and HL7.