The PACS Server

Delete Actions (Configure Purge)

To automatically delete studies or specific matching objects from the server, set up a delete action. An example of this is when specific studies acquired by some modality or from a specific institution need to be deleted.

To enable the purge action:

1. Create and save a worklist filter
2. Go to Worklists/Other Lists and find the created filter
3. Select the Configure Purge icon
4. Make the desired changes and select the Configure   icon

A Configure Purge page will appear for the selected worklist filter:

• Batch size -  maximum number of studies to process each cycle. An empty value disables limit setting and all studies matching filter criteria are executed during action cycle

• Scheduling -   performs purging immediately in 5 minute cycles or at a specific time on the day.  

• Process current/priors - instructs server how to handle currents and relevant priors. Options include the following:

  • Currents without priors

  • Currents and relevant priors

  • Relevant priors without currents

  • Currents and all priors

  • All priors without currents

• Processing dropped studies - defines how to handle studies that no longer match the criteria when the batch gets processed. Options include the following:

• Process first, before studies on current list - process the backlog before processing new studies matching the criteria

• Process last, after studies on current list - process new studies matching the criteria before processing the backlog

• Do not process - Drop the backlog

• Keep report - purge everything except the report objects
  NOTE: Checking the Keep reports checkbox will un-check the Purge matching objects checkbox and change Delete mode to Simple.
  Checking either the Purge matching objects checkbox or changing Delete mode to Immediate or Obsolete will un-check Keep Reports

• Delete mode- Simple, Immediate, Obsolete

  • Simple:  deletes the study from the local server.

  • Immediate: deletes studies immediately and permanently from all servers in the dotcom.

  • Obsolete: mark the objects obsolete so they cannot be viewer or retrieved from an archive.

• Purge matching objects -  defines the specific objects to remove from the studies matching the filter

• Process current content - purge will consider all existing data on worklist. Leaving clear will apply to future studies only

When the Purge Matching Objects box is enabled, an expanded configuration box appears: 

Click the Add filter icon then choose from filter section values.  

The filter sections available are:

Filter section	Description
Attachment Type	Identifies attachment types as defined in Admin/Document Types. See Document_Type_Configuration
Conversion Type	Identifies the type of SC attachments.
Modality	Modality of the objects to purge.
Series Description	Purge series matching the entire string value
SOP Class	Purge objects by SOP class UID

Before proceeding any further, it is a good idea to verify if the objects you intend to purge are captured properly with the applied filter.  To verify them, click the Preview button.  The study list displayed represents the contents of the saved worklist and not the filtered objects.  Click on a study row to expand it.  Matching objects that match the filter are displayed below the study.  Tooltips are available when hovering the mouse cursor over object icons.  Confirm the objects match the desired purge filters before proceeding.

When purging matching objects, the following occurs:

• Delete defaults to Immediate
  • It is recommended that partial deletes be purged using this setting
• Keep Report option is disabled
  • The keep report option is available only when purging the entire study
• Mark As Deletable Only option is disabled.
  • This option exists when the server is configured with an “external” archive. Marking studies as deletable applies to the entire study only.

Whether specifying select objects or purging the entire study, click Configure to finish.

Note: PB Report objects, PB Dictation objects and Basic Text SR objects cannot be purged using the individual purge feature and must be removed by purging the entire study.

The individual purging feature is mutually exclusive of the Keep Reports option and the Mark As Deletable Only option. The logs will contain an OBJECT level entry with action of delete for each object purged from a study, and a STUDY level entry for a partial delete. The name of the worklist filter (list) used in the delete is contained in the Partial Rules field on the Logs page.

See: Logs

The PACS Enterprise solutions maintain a single list of studies. There is no difference between studies on the worklist or in the archive. The delete action permanently removes all copies of a study from the server.