[Computer-assisted report generation and image transmission in bedside chest x-rays in intensive therapy units]

Since a few years ago, in our department the bedside chest X-rays of intensive care patients have been reported by means of a computer program which has also storing function. This computer program is a guideline for the radiologist and is organized in pages having a logical sequence. The program has proved very useful in learning the correct reporting of bedside chest X-rays. The nosographic data of the patients, the ventilatory and the technical data are stored for a better clinico-radiological correlation. The last four reports are displayed on the monitor to better understand the patient's history. The other reports become part of a "historical" archive. Most important is the cooperation with the referring physician: to make the most of it, a system has been implemented which sends the images from the Radiology Department to Intensive Care. The images are filmed with a camera and then digitalized on 1024 x 768 matrix with 16 million colors and 256 gray levels. Each workstation is composed of: AT286 computer with 60-MB hard disk, hardware or the digitalization and compression of images, a high-resolution monitor, an intercommunication system, and a modem. It is possible to zoom on the images, but a close-up on the image with the camera is better for improved spatial resolution. The images are stored on the hard disk: each image requires 3M bytes, but it can be compressed down to 25:1 with no detail loss. The images are transmitted via modem in at least 20 seconds/image. More images can be sent out-line. During transmission, it is possible to talk by the intercommunication system, pointing out structures on the monitor or drawing objects on both sides of the system. In our experience, image quality is good. We are therefore considering extending the network to other Departments and making the transmission of images of pathologic specimens possible. The natural evolution of this system is the teleconsult.