A Study on Reduction Effect of Processing Wastewater by Introduction of PACS

PACS 도입에 의한 현상시스템 폐수 감소효과에 관한 연구

There are some positive effects by the introduction of PACS(Picture Archiving Communication System). This study is to analyze the mutual relation between before and after of the introduction of PACS in terms of the environment effect. It is supposed to cause the reduction of developing and fixing wastewater according to the increase in the rate of a non-film. This study will also show the amount of wastewater. Target places were the department of image medicine(diagnostic radiation) of the general hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do, which are equiped with full PACS. The authors examined questionnaires on the number of projection, the number of indirect projection, the amount of the film used, the number of radiation image CD loan, the amount of the developing and fixing solution used, the change of the amount of fixing wastewater. According to the analysis, we analyzed the change of the amount of developing and fixing solution per a film and the change of the amount of developing and fixing wastewater which is supposed to be reduced proportionally by the introduction of PACS. We got conclusion as below after analyzing 8 hospitals except the largest and the least amount of examination, film used, developing and fixing solution and the amount of developing and fixing wastewater in order to decrease the deviation from 10 general hospitals located in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do. We compared data one year before adopting PACS Versus 3 years after adopting PACS. 1. The frequences of examination increased to 7,357.7 cases per month but the amount of film used decreased to 90%, from 42,774.4 to 4,181.88 after adopting the PACS. 2. 3 years after adopting PACS, monthly average amount of developing solution used decreased to 92% and the monthly average amount of fixing solution decreased to 86%. 3. Monthly average amount of developing solution used per film increased to 1.49 times and fixing solution increased as much as three times. 4. Monthly average wastewater for developing decreased to 88% and wastewater for fixing decreased up to 87%. 5. Monthly average wastewater for developing per film increased to 3.77 times and wastewater for fixing increased to 3.85 times. Although the amount of film used and the amount of developing and fixing wastewater affected by the reduction of the developing and fixing solution became less on the whole by introduction of PACS, they did not decrease proportionally. Moreover the amount of the developing and fixing solution used and the amount of developing and fixing wastewater per a film increased. That means the expectation for an environmental improvement differs from the actual condition.

2001년부터 본격적으로 보급되기 시작한 PACS 도입은 영상의학과에서는 필름비용 절감, 인건비 절감, 현상액 사용량 절감, 관리업무 축소, 재 촬영 건수의 감소 등의 효과를 볼 수 있었고, 임상 의사들에게는 의료영상동시 활용, 임상정보의 증대, 진료 환자수의 증가, 의료영상 및 판독결과 활용성 증대 효과를 기대할 수 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 환자들에게는 방사선 피폭선량 감소, 진료비 절감, 임상정보를 신속하게 알 수 있는 효과가 있다. 이에 본 저자들은 Full PACS를 도입한 서울 및 경기도의 10개 종합병원을 대상으로 하여 PACS로 인한 긍정적인 여러가지 효과 중 현상, 정착 폐수의 감소 추이를 알아보기 위하여 도입 1년 전과 도입 3년 후를 비교 분석하여 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 1. 1개월 당 검사 건수는 7357.7건이 증가하였으나 필름 사용량은 90%가 감소하였다. 2. 현상액 월 평균 소모량은 3년 후 92%가 감소하였고, 정착액은 86%가 감소하였다. 3. 필름 1장 당월 평균 현상액 소모량은 3년 후 149%가 증가하였고, 정착액은 300%가 증가하였다. 4. 현상 폐수 발생량은 3년 후 월 평균 88%가 감소하였고, 정착 폐수는 87%가 감소하였다. 5. 3년 후 필름 1장 당월 평균 현상폐수 발생량은 377%, 정착폐수 발생량은 385%가 증가하였다.