Protecting Radiology Data and Devices Against Cybersecurity Threats: A Joint White Paper of the American College of Radiology (ACR) and Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM).

Journal: Journal of imaging informatics in medicine
Published Date:

Abstract

Modern radiology relies entirely on digital imaging systems. Healthcare records draw cybercriminals' attention. On-site and cloud-based informatics systems, including artificial intelligence, can boost efficiency but also create weak points. Medical imaging systems must safeguard patient identities, control access, secure devices, and coordinate with patients, payers, and billing partners. Endorsed by the American College of Radiology and the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine, this white paper outlines steps to fortify the medical imaging pipeline methodically, train caregivers on the frontline, and develop incident response and recovery strategies for data breaches and disabling ransomware attacks. Additionally, building a culture of safety in imaging involves conducting routine simulations and actively engaging leadership. Taken together, these multidisciplinary interventions can minimize the clinical impact and operational implications of cybersecurity events, thereby maintaining patient trust in an increasingly interconnected imaging workflow.

Authors

  • Po-Hao Chen
    Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. po-hao.chen@uphs.upenn.edu.
  • Benoit Desjardins
    Department of Radiology, 6572University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA.
  • Brett Strassner
    Radiation Protection Services (RPS) Limited, Springfield, IL, USA.
  • Reza Forghani
    Department of Radiology, McGill University Health Centre, 1001 Decarie Blvd, Room C02.5821, Montreal, QC, Canada H4A 3J1; Augmented Intelligence & Precision Health Laboratory (AIPHL), Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada; Segal Cancer Centre and Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada; Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
  • Robert Bodak
    Section of Imaging Informatics, Enterprise Diagnostics Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
  • Judy Gichoya
    Department of Radiology, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, 1120 15th St, Augusta, GA 30912 (Y.T.); and Department of Radiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga (B.V., E.K., A.P., J.G., N.S., H.T.).
  • James Whitfill
    HonorHealth, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
  • Eric C Ehman
    Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
  • Christoph Wald
    Chairman, Department of Radiology at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Professor of Radiology, Tufts University Medical School; Chair of the ACR Informatics Commission.

Keywords

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