Transmission of radiological images using broadband communications

The aim of our work was to implement and validate a system for the acquisition, local management and remote transmission of diagnostic images using two interconnected brrnldbarud Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). The MAN technoloy is compliant with the IEEE 8()2.6 standard, also known as DiStribrutell Queue Dual Bus (D()1)B). Application domains included tcleradiblogy and teleprocessing of diagnostic incages. Teleradiology was focused on the enhancement of the radiologist to clinician information flow witlcirc the framework of the European Project EurIPACS. An intrainstitutional scenario was taken as a paradigm in the field of staging, nonstrrgical treatment, and follow-up of hepatocellular carcinoma. Remote processing of diagnostic images using the broadband MAN allowed a cooperative work with scientific institutions in an area often limited by the complexity of image transfer acrd the lack of timely feedback concerning tlce. clinical usefulness of processed images. ()ur preliminary experience demonstrated that the DQDB MAN provided a fast and reliable means for transmitting diagnostic images. © 1994 Springer-Verlag