Certified PACS Interface Analyst (CPIA)

A summary of the requirements for the certification of a CPIA, or Certified PACS Interface Analyst are listed here. The requirements for the Interface analyst focus on connectivity and integration of the PACS, RIS and the modalities. There is a strong emphasis on understanding the technical aspects of the System Administration functions. Achieving CPAS certification is a requirement for this certification.

Click here for a list of current requirements.

Summary of Requirements

1. DICOM Introduction and Negotiation      1.1 DICOM architecture and background      1.2 Common issues      1.3 Importance of Information model      1.4 AE, SCU/SCP, FSR/FSC/FSU      1.5 Negotiation; ID, Abstract Syntax, Transfer Syntax      1.6 Association 2. DICOM Messages and objects      2.1 SOP Class concept      2.2 Composite (Image) Message Structure      2.3 Data Elements      2.4 Value Representations      2.5 Specialization and privatization 3. DICOM Storage and Image Management Services      3.1 Storage Service Class      3.2 Important Storage Service Classes      3.3 STC      3.4 MPPS      3.5 MWL 4. DICOM Print, Query/Retrieve and SR      4.1 Print      4.2 Print extensions      4.3 Query/Retrieve-FIND      4.4 Query/Retrieve-MOVE-GET      4.5 SR 5. DICOM Image Quality      5.1 Pixel representation      5.2 Image pixel pipeline      5.3 GSDF      5.4 Presentation State      5.5 Overlays      5.6 Compression 6. DICOM Media      6.1 Media specifications      6.2 DICOM Part 10 files      6.3 Application Profiles      6.4 CD interchange issues 7. DICOM Conformance Statements      7.1 Comparing conformance statements      7.2 Gap Analysis 8. DICOM Networking      8.1 Message structure in detail      8.2 Set up and configure DICOM devices      8.3 Sniffers and active test software      8.4 Interpret logs and DICOM dumps 9. DICOM Troubleshooting      9.1 Send/receive TCP/IP Ping      9.2 DICOM Verification (Echo) 10. HL7 Messaging, Theory      10.1 Message Structure      10.2 Patient registration (ADT)      10.3 Data Types      10.4 Segments      10.5 Acknowledgements      10.6 Error messages      10.8 Interpret HL7 message profiles 11. HL7 V2 Troubleshooting      11.1 Messaging dialogue      11.2 Capture and parse messages      11.3 Change/expand messages      11.4 Reverse engineering of HL7 messages      11.5 Create typical order message and acknowledgement message 12. IHE      12.1 IHE Introduction      12.2 IHE actors      12.3 Profiles      12.4 IT infrastructure      12.5 NM and PDI profiles