Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment of feasibility of running RSNA’s MIRC on a Raspberry Pi: a cost-effective solution for teaching files in radiology

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The value of a teaching case repository in radiology training programs is immense. The allocation of resources for putting one together is a complex issue, given the factors that have to be coordinated: hardware, software, infrastructure, administration, and ethics. Costs may be significant and cost-effective solutions are desirable.

Methods

We chose Medical Imaging Resource Center (MIRC) to build our teaching file. It is offered by RSNA for free. For the hardware, we chose the Raspberry Pi, developed by the Raspberry Foundation: a small control board developed as a low cost computer for schools also used in alternative projects such as robotics and environmental data collection. Its performance and reliability as a file server were unknown to us. For the operational system, we chose Raspbian, a variant of Debian Linux, along with Apache (web server), MySql (database server) and PHP, which enhance the functionality of the server. A USB hub and an external hard drive completed the setup. Installation of software was smooth.

Results

The Raspberry Pi was able to handle very well the task of hosting the teaching file repository for our division. Uptime was logged at 100 %, and loading times were similar to other MIRC sites available online. We setup two servers (one for backup), each costing just below $200.00 including external storage and USB hub.

Conclusion

It is feasible to run RSNA’s MIRC off a low-cost control board (Raspberry Pi). Performance and reliability are comparable to full-size servers for the intended purpose of hosting a teaching file within an intranet environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Barker D, Ferrier DE, Holland PW, Mitchell JB, Plaisier H, Ritchie MG, Smart SD (2013) BMC 4273\(\pi \): bioinformatics education on low cost ARM hardware. Bioinformatics 14:243. doi: 10.1186/1471-2105-14-243

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Paiva OA, Moreira RDO (2014) Raspberry Pi: a 35-dollar device for viewing DICOM images. Radiol Bras 47(2):99–100

  3. Moller S, Krabbenhoft HN, Tille A, Paleino D, Williams A, Wolstencroft K, Goble C, Holland R, Belhachemi D, Plessy C (2010) Community-driven computational biology with Debian Linux. BMC Bioinform 11(Suppl 12):S5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Yu G, Wang LG, Meng XH, He QY (2012) LXtoo: an integrated live Linux distribution for the bioinformatics community. BMC Res Notes 5:360

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Siegel E, Reiner B (2001) The Radiological Society of North America’s medical image resource center: an update. J Digit Imaging 14(2 Suppl 1):77–79

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Siegel E, Channin D, Perry J, Carr C, Reiner B (2002) Medical Image Resource Center 2002: an update on the RSNA’s Medical Image Resource Center. J Digit Imaging 15(1):2–4

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Tellis WM, Andriole KP (2003) Implementing a MIRC interface for a database driven teaching file. In: AMIA annual symposium proceedings, p 1029

  8. Roth CJ, Weadock WJ, Dipietro MA (2005) A novel application of the MIRC repository in medical education. J Digit Imaging 18(2):85–90

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, 17-525 Balliol St, Toronto, ON, M4S 1E1, Canada

    Andre Pereira

  2. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, 585 University Avenue, Csb_1C-569-TGH, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada

    Mostafa Atri

  3. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, 585 University Avenue, Ncsb_1C-571-TGH, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada

    Patrik Rogalla & Thien Huynh

  4. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, Room 3-920 – PMH, Toronto, ON, M5G 2M9, Canada

    Martin E. O’Malley

Authors
  1. Andre Pereira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mostafa Atri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Patrik Rogalla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Thien Huynh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Martin E. O’Malley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andre Pereira.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pereira, A., Atri, M., Rogalla, P. et al. Assessment of feasibility of running RSNA’s MIRC on a Raspberry Pi: a cost-effective solution for teaching files in radiology. Int J CARS 10, 1793–1801 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-014-1143-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-014-1143-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation