Multi-site interventional real-time procedure demonstrations with the use of integrated services digital network connections

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness and cost of commercially available v ideo conferencing units and standard Integrated Services Digital Network (I SDN) connections for real-time multi-site transmissions of interventional p rocedures. Methods: A network of five separate interventional radiology departments-th ree in the Czech Republic and one each in Austria and the USA-was establish ed using Polyspan (Polycom in the USA) View Stations and ISDN connections. This network was used for transmissions of 16 live interventional. procedur es to the Sixth International, Workshop on Interventional Radiology in Prag ue, Czech Republic in June 2000. Results: The transmissions were successful and of sufficient quality to con tribute to the educational success of the workshop. The cost of the ISDN tr ansmissions was a fraction of satellite transmission costs. Conclusion: Multi-site real-time interventional procedure transmissions usi ng video conferencing Polyspan (Polycom) View Stations and ISDN connections are a promising means of improving interventional tele-education and decre asing its cost.