Telephone line transfer using a local filing system in Hokkaido

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Telemedicine
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Remote healthcare facilities often lack specialized diagnostic services like full-time radiologists.
• Establishing efficient communication channels for medical data transfer is crucial for improving patient care in underserved areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an image-data transfer system connecting a university hospital with a remote town hospital.
• To assess the feasibility and quality of transferring medical images (primarily CT scans) for diagnostic interpretation.

Main Methods:

• A system was established using public telephone lines (9600 bps) to connect Hokkaido University Hospital (HUH) and Nakashibetsu Town Hospital (NTH).
• CT images from NTH were digitized, compressed (5:1 to 10:1), and transmitted to HUH.
• Clinical information and diagnostic reports were exchanged using facsimile.

Main Results:

• The system facilitated the transfer of digitized CT images and clinical information for remote interpretation.
• Image quality was deemed acceptable, particularly for emergency cases involving brain and abdomen.
• Image transfer times ranged from 7 to 20 minutes per film.

Conclusions:

• The implemented image-data transfer system is a viable solution for providing remote radiological consultations.
• The system enhances diagnostic capabilities in remote hospitals, especially during emergencies.
• Further optimization of transfer speed could improve system efficiency.