Cluster linking refers to linking multiple sites so that users can query and retrieve studies from all of these sites.
This topic describes how to open up a station to external communication. Before doing so, review the cluster linking prerequisites.
To enable cluster linking
On the Setup tab, click Network Management.
Switch to the Configuration tab.
From the list at the bottom of the tab, select the station to configure.
Select the Cluster Linking checkbox.
Select the options that apply:
Checkbox When selected Link Internal Queries Allows internal queries to generate queries to linked clusters. Link External Queries Allows external queries from other systems to generate queries to linked clusters. Note that if a study has been retrieved from an external linked cluster into the local cluster, then external queries can see that study. Link Cluster Updates Allows updates to one cluster to be relayed to the other cluster (for example, a change to a study’s status). Cluster updates are performed using a proprietary syntax and can only update clusters that use the same proprietary syntax. Link Prefetching Allows studies in the linked clusters to be included in the list of relevant prior studies so they can be prefetched to the local cluster. Click Save.
Perform an IIS reset on the Application Server.
Additional notes on linking internal queries
Enabling the Link Internal Queries checkbox uses a proprietary syntax to allow more information to be communicated between the two systems than in a strict DICOM query. This information includes:
Interpretation (report) status (New, Dictated, Transcribed, Approved, and so on)
Best study location (cache, non-cache)
Number of images in the study (also available via DICOM in some instances)
Specialty (as computed by the remote system using mapping tables)
Body part (as computed by the remote system using mapping tables)
Verified status of study