Radiology uses of the Internet

The Internet promises to be an essential resource for radiology administrators. In addition to offering remarkable access to colleagues all over the world, the Internet offers specialized information resources for radiology, many of which are described in this article. The Internet is many networks that communicate with each other and whose general purpose is to share information. Although there are several consortium organizations that support and regulate it, no single body or organization "owns" the Internet. Many employees and students at large teaching centers already have access to the Internet through their institution's connection. Individuals and small institutions can contract with independent service providers for Internet access. Internet functions covered in this article include: e-mail, listservs, newsgroups, file transfer protocols, Gopher, and the World Wide Web. The rapid pace of information exchange is making the world of radiology smaller and more intimate. Communication and knowledge are becoming so accessible that individuals are privy to the most minute happenings in the industry. Sharing information on the Internet will benefit not only individual users and the industry, but also patients.