How to de-identify angiograms
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant Editor in Chief: Amanda Chirlin
Overview
In many juristictions it is illegal to transport medical images with patient identifiers. Patient identifiers include name, date of birth, patient ID, and more. It is imperative that angiograms are properly de-identified before they are transported. This page gives step-by-step instructions for how to properly de-identify angiograms before transporting them. Both programs are available to download for free.
De-identying angiograms using ViewPlus software
The ViewPlus software is the recommended software for de-identifying angiograms. However, ViewPlus has some issues when operating in Windows 7. If your computer runs on Windows 7, you can try to run ViewPlus under the Windows 7 virtual XP emulator. Otherwise, you can try the second program, provided below.
Loading ViewPlus software on your computer
Step 1: Go here to start the download process. The download will start automatically.
Step 2: A window with a security warning may pop up. This is normal. Click “Run.”
Step 3: A second window with a security warning may come up. This is normal. Click “Run” again.
Step 4: The file will begin downloading. It may take a few minutes. When the download is complete, the ViewPlus Installation program will automatically start. When this happens, click “Next.”
Step 5: The next window will ask you where you would like to save the program to. Simply click “Next,” unless you would like to save it somewhere other than the C drive.
Step 6: ViewPlus will ask you to select the proper drive that corresponds to your CD-drive. If you are not sure how to answer this question, go to “My Computer” and locate the drive that shows a CD or DVD drive. It will probably be shown under a header labeled “Devices with Removable Storage.” Once you have selected the proper drive in the ViewPlus Installation program, click “Next.”
Step 7: ViewPlus will ask you to choose a format for dates. Choose the second option (dd/mm/yyyy), and then click “Finish.”
Step 8: The installation will begin to load. It may take a few minutes for this step to completed. When the download is complete, click “OK.”
The installation is now complete.