Evaluation of teleradiology for interpretation of intravenous urograms.
The diagnostic yield of a commercial teleradiology/picture archiving and communication system (ATT-Philips Comm View T/PACS) was evaluated for 100 urograms. A single image from each examination was digitized (2048 x 1684 x 12-bit pixels) and transmitted from a satellite hospital over a T-1 line using the T/PACS system. The video display of each digitized image was reviewed independently by four radiologists. The same four radiologists reviewed the original film images at a different time without knowledge of their T/PACS interpretation. There was no statistically significant difference in the sensitivity for clinical findings between T/PACS (86%) and film (89%). The false positive rate, however, was significantly higher with T/PACS than with film (44 versus 32 false positive findings per 100 films). We conclude that T/PACS of the type studied here demonstrates sufficient sensitivity for the detection of clinically important urographic findings in the emergency setting. A final reading of the original films is still necessary, however, to assure appropriate specificity.
Halpern
E J
EJ
Department of Radiology, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY.
Newhouse
J H
JH
Amis
E S
ES
Lubetsky
H W
HW
Jaffe
R M
RM
Esser
P D
PD
Alderson
P O
PO
D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013685:Telecommunications; D014567:Urography
D003287:Contrast Media