Low-cost telesonography connects remote clinics

Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School established a low-cost telesonography model with real-time transmission over low-bandwidth connections between a remote clinic in an underdeveloped area and their facility (AJR 2007;188[3]:W219-W22).

The research by Dr. Veljko Popov and colleagues was facilitated by recent technological advancements in the availability of inexpensive compact sonographic devices, low-bandwidth Internet connections via terrestrial or satellite links, and inexpensive hardware and software solutions for transmission of sonography data in teleconference settings.

Teleconferencing applications based on the H.323 protocol, a recommendation from the International Telecommunication Union that is being used in Voice-over-IP (VoIP)- and Internet Protocol (IP)-based videoconferencing, are capable of transmitting video and audio streams in real-time, transferring files, and allowing remote access and control of computers "By combining real-time video streams and still image capture, the bandwidth requirements decrease substantially, and image transmission over telephone lines or satellite link becomes possible," Popov said.