title: Echocardiography by telephone--evaluation of pediatric heart disease at a distance.
abstract: A 24-hour telephone transmission service was established for pediatric echocardiography between a general hospital and a children's hospital 500 km distant. Studies were transmitted in real time for interpretation and diagnosis by a pediatric cardiologist. In the first 9 months of operation, studies were transmitted for 18 children with a median age of 5 months. Image and sound quality was excellent. Complete segmental diagnosis was made in 16 patients, and further study was needed in 2 others. In 8 of the 18 patients a new diagnosis was provided, and in 10 patients diagnosis was confirmed. Congenital heart disease was found in 12 patients, other heart disease in 2 and a normal heart in 4. The population included 2 fetuses whose echocardiograms showed hypoplastic left heart and intracardiac tumor. In 4 patients transport was avoided. This is the first report of echocardiographic transmission by telephone, which was shown to be clearly feasible, cost-effective and diagnostic. It provides emergency access to specialist expertise, and may avoid hazardous and expensive transport of ill children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Izaak Walton Killam Children's Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Finley
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Human
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nanton
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Marr
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chiasson
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009509:New Brunswick; D009674:Nova Scotia; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013689:Telephone / Q000191:economics