Radiology on the information superhighway.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the potential for the information superhighway to provide radiologists with new opportunities.


METHODS
The Internet was used as the communication and distribution medium. MOSAIC, a graphical interface, provided access for clients, and a computer was used to serve text, images, sound, and cine onto the Internet.


RESULTS
The system can be used to send reports and images to referring physicians or consulting radiologists; to provide a large database that is constantly available; to provide an increasing collection of teaching files; and to distribute interactive, multimedia teaching tools that can be used on any computer system. The use of the MOSAIC interface facilitates interaction, which allows users with limited computer experience to access the system.


CONCLUSIONS
The Internet can dramatically expand the ways radiologists interact with their colleagues. These preliminary results indicate that there will be great challenges and opportunities for improving care and teaching in the future.
Mezrich
R S
RS
Laurie Imaging Center, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Radiology Group of New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
DeMarco
J K
JK
Negin
S
S
Keller
I
I
Schonfeld
S
S
Safer
J
J
Rosenfeld
D
D
Freeman
E
E
Solonick
D
D
Feinstein
R
R
D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003199:Computer Systems; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D012984:Software; D017216:Telemedicine; D014584:User-Computer Interface