Which system became the enabling technology for sharing digitized DICOM images across hospital networks?

Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS)

Once ultrasound systems evolved to capture and store images as standardized digital files, such as those adhering to the DICOM standard, the necessary infrastructure to manage and transmit these files across a hospital environment became paramount. The Picture Archiving and Communication System, commonly known as PACS, is specifically designed for the secure storage, retrieval, distribution, and presentation of medical images. Along with the wider hospital network infrastructure, PACS served as the core enabling technology that allowed digitized ultrasound studies to be instantly accessible to referring physicians and radiologists, completing the functional loop that allowed for true 'connection' post-digitization.