MPPS — Modality Performed Procedure Step

What Is MPPS?

MPPS (Modality Performed Procedure Step) is a DICOM service that allows an imaging modality to report the status of a procedure back to the RIS or PACS in real time. When a technologist begins an exam, the modality sends an "In Progress" notification; when the exam is completed (or discontinued), it sends a "Completed" or "Discontinued" message along with details about the images acquired.

MPPS complements the DICOM Modality Worklist (MWL) service. While MWL pushes scheduled procedure information from the RIS to the modality before the exam, MPPS sends performed procedure information from the modality back to the RIS after the exam—closing the feedback loop and providing full lifecycle visibility.

Why It Matters in Healthcare

Without MPPS, radiology departments have limited real-time awareness of what is happening at each scanner. The RIS knows what was scheduled, and eventually the PACS receives images, but the gap in between is opaque. MPPS fills this gap with concrete benefits:

• Real-time status tracking: Department coordinators and radiologists can see exactly which exams are in progress, completed, or canceled without walking to the scanner room or calling the technologist.
• Accurate billing: MPPS confirms what was actually performed—including the number of series, images, and contrast usage—preventing discrepancies between scheduled and billed procedures.
• Protocol deviation detection: If a technologist acquires a different study than what was scheduled, or skips a required series, MPPS data highlights the deviation early.
• Quality assurance: Automated comparison between the ordered protocol and the performed procedure step supports compliance audits and accreditation requirements.
• Workflow automation: Downstream steps—such as image routing, reading worklist population, and report template selection—can be triggered automatically based on MPPS completion events.
• Discontinued exam management: When an exam is aborted (patient no-show, equipment malfunction, patient intolerance), MPPS ensures the system records the reason and updates scheduling and billing accordingly.

How Davix Relates to MPPS

The Davix PACS/RIS fully supports the DICOM MPPS service, integrating it tightly into the radiology workflow:

• Automatic status updates: As modalities send MPPS messages, the Davix RIS worklist reflects the current state of each exam—scheduled, in progress, completed, or discontinued—without manual intervention.
• Performed-to-scheduled reconciliation: Davix compares the performed procedure step data with the original order, flagging mismatches for review.
• Reading worklist triggers: Upon receiving an MPPS completion message, the system automatically routes the study to the appropriate reading worklist, reducing time-to-interpretation.
• Analytics: MPPS data feeds into operational dashboards, providing metrics such as exam duration, protocol adherence, and cancellation rates per modality.
• Broad modality compatibility: Davix supports MPPS messages from all major equipment manufacturers, ensuring consistent workflow regardless of your scanner fleet.

By leveraging MPPS, Davix gives radiology departments the real-time visibility and automation needed to run an efficient, accountable imaging operation.