Impact of varying transmission bandwidth on image quality

The objective of this paper is to determine the effect of varying transmiss ion bandwidth on image quality in laparoscopic surgery. Surgeons located in remote operating rooms connected through a telemedicine link must be able to transmit medical images for interaction. Image clarity and color fidelit y are of critical importance in telementoring laparoscopic procedures, The clarity of laparoscopic images was measured by assessing visual acuity usin g a video image of a Snellen eye chart obtained with standard diameter lapa roscopes (2, 5, and 10 mm). The clarity of the local image was then compare d to that of remote images transmitted using various bandwidths and connect ion protocols [33.6 Kbps POTS (IP), 128 Kbps ISDN, 384 Kbps ISDN, 10 Mbps L AN (IP)]. The laparoscopes were subsequently used to view standard color pl acards. These color images were sent via similar transmission bandwidths an d connection protocols. The local and remote images of the color placards w ere compared to determine the effect of the transmission protocols on color fidelity. Use of laparoscopes of different diameter does not significantly affect image clarity or color fidelity as long as the laparoscopes are pos itioned at their optimal working distance. Decreasing transmission bandwidt h does not significantly affect image clarity or color fidelity when suffic ient time is allowed for the algorithms to redraw the remote image. Remote telementoring of laparoscopic procedures is feasible. However, low bandwidt h connections require slow and/or temporarily stopped camera movements for the quality of the remote video image to approximate that of the local vide o image.