Teleradiology Health Dictionary

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Teleradiology: From 1 Different Sources

n. the process of transmitting and receiving medical images, to and from distant sites, using the telephone (or cable or satellite) network. This requires a dedicated broad-band link, such as an ISDN line, that has greater capacity for data transfer than standard telephone lines.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Picture Archiving And Communications System (pacs)

The use of digital imaging systems to replace conventional X-ray pictures and other imaging techniques. Though expensive to operate, digital imaging and storage systems o?er promising possibilities for transmission of clinical images within and between hospitals and community health-care units, providing fast access and remote working that will bene?t patients and health-care sta? alike. When security and con?dentiality are assured, images could be transferred via the Internet and teleradiology. In future, hospitals might be able to eliminate the costly physical transfer and storage of X-ray ?lms. The integration of PACS with hospital information systems in the NHS will (hopefully) facilitate the introduction of electronic radiology.... picture archiving and communications system (pacs)

Telemedicine

A broad term used to describe medicine at a distance through a communications link. Although distance education has been used successfully for some time, more recently distance diagnosis and treatment have been successfully piloted. In teleradiology, radiographic images are transmitted to a distant site for interpretation by a radiologist. A telepathologist can look down, and in some cases control, a microscope located several hundred miles away. In a teleconsultation, the doctor and patient are in di?erent places, joined by a communications link such as medical videoconferencing. In its simplest form, this kind of telemedicine uses the telephone; more recently, full-colour two-way video and audio links have been used. Telesurgery, combining televisual and robotic techniques, is also under development.

Telemedicine is useful for remote locations, such as the Antartic, or on board ships, or aeroplanes, where it may be di?cult or impossible to get a doctor to the patient. It can also speed up the referral process, reduce unnecessary referrals and improve communication between professionals. It has potential value in pilot projects of ‘hospital at home’ care.... telemedicine


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