[Digital revolution in the echocardiography laboratory. Current status and future perspectives]

Echocardiography is changing from an operative modality in which most images are stored in analog fashion on videotape into one with most data stored digitally. This transition is accelerating today, fueled by several factors. First, there is widespread recognition of the value of digital storage of echocardiograms, including random access to studies as well as to images within a study, side-by-side comparison with prior studies, easier quantification, and multiplication and remote transmission of images without degradation. Second, continuous improvement of the cost/performance ratio of modern computers makes routine digital echocardiography both feasible and affordable. Finally, the formulation and acceptance within the industry of the DICOM image formatting standard for echocardiography. The acceptance of this standard allows the echo-labs around the world to be free to choose individual echo-machines on the basis of their individual merits for their laboratories with the assurance that these machines will be able to communicate with each other by an internationally agreed upon standard. Advantages of digital echocardiography are overwhelming and there is little doubt that this approach will be essential for the proper utilization of this technique. The technology will undoubtedly continue to change. Those who are waiting for it to be perfected may be waiting for a long time.