Archival information will be retained in the image management system. Research and education can draw on the collective case base of all graduate programs. Researchers can locate cases with specific conditions in a matter of seconds. Without the imaging system, this is difficult and frequently impossible. Educators can use the image base as a dynamic educational tool to train students in diagnosis and therapy.
Electronic storage enables computer users to manipulate images on the computer.
Radiographs and photographs can be cut, pasted, cropped, resized, and annotated for the incorporation into poster and slide presentations, articles, and handouts. The development of case-based Computer Aided Instruction software will benefit from the availability of a comprehensive image base. Selection, acquisition, and processing of appropriate images are often the most time consuming parts of developing case-based CAI software. Durability, security, and availability of case documentation are higher than in the current hard-copy based system. Duplication and archiving of selected images is facilitated.