Digital wireless radiology consultations with a portable computer

A wireless system for radiological subspecialist consultation based on a po rtable personal computer and a CSM cellular phone was tested. A link with s ecure access to the hospital image network was built. A total of 68 emergen cy computerized tomography (CT) examinations were transmitted. Transmission time via CSM for a single CT image was 1 min and for a complete head scan was 18 min. The transmitted images were acceptable for final diagnosis in 7 2% of the cases, the rest being acceptable for preliminary diagnosis. The d iagnosis from the transmitted images did not change after a later review of the original images in 97% of cases. The wireless link saved a hospital vi sit by the senior radiologist in 24% of cases. The results show that a remo te consultation link can be built with readily available technology and tha t the technique is useful in radiological subspecialist consultations for C T images.