title: Review of technology: planning for the development of telesonography.
abstract: Teleradiology allows contemporaneous interpretation of imaging exams performed at some distance from the interpreting radiologist. The transmitted images are usually static. However, there is benefit to real-time review of full-motion ultrasound (US) exams as they are performed. Telesonography is transmission of full-motion sonographic data to a remote site. We hypothesize that US exams, read after having been compressed utilizing Motion Picture Experts Group version 4 (MPEG-4) compression scheme, transmitted over the Internet as streaming multimedia, decompressed, and displayed, are equivalent in diagnostic accuracy to reading the examinations locally. MPEG-4 uses variable compression on each image frame to achieve a constant output bit rate. With less compression, the bit rate rises, and the only way the encoder can contain bit rate within the set bandwidth is by lowering frame rate or reducing image quality. We review the relevant technologies and industry standard components that will enable low-cost telesonography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Virginia Health Sciences System, P.O. Box 800170, Lee St., Charlottesville, VA 22974, USA. mjb4f@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bassignani
authors.forename: Samuel J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ciambotti
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Olazagasti
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moynihan
authors.forename: Alfred C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Snyder
mesh_terms: D020811:Biomedical Technology; D044962:Data Compression; D020407:Internet; D016730:Program Development; D019114:Remote Consultation; D019112:Teleradiology; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000191:economics