American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol 160, 1309-1311, Copyright © 1993 by American Roentgen Ray Society
Teleconferencing for cost-effective sharing of radiology educational resources: potential and technical development
RH Gold, H Kangarloo, I Yaghmai, EG Grant, BK Stewart, NJ Mankovich, JW Sayre and SJ Dwyer 3d
Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90024.
To develop a cost-effective method of sharing educational resources, a
dial-up teleconferencing network was implemented between three radiologic
sites for a 30-day period of evaluation. By means of standard dial-up
telephone channels, compressed video and audio signals displayed radiologic
images, slides, and text, allowing residents and faculty from the three
sites to participate in sight and sound interactions. Each of the three
sites used compressed video/audio coder- decoders (codecs) conforming to
the Consultative Committee on International Telegraphy and Telephony H.261
standard. Four video cameras were used at each site, and the audio was run
in full duplex mode. A multipoint video bridge was used to broadcast codec
output signals to the input lines of the other codecs. Our evaluation found
audio quality to be suboptimal, but capable of being improved; diagnostic
image quality was adequate when a video zoom mode was used; the
digital-archive mode of the codec proved advantageous; the H.261 codec
permitted participation from all sites; and all conference lecturers were
able to conduct their conferences as they were accustomed. Although audio
quality and spatial resolution need to be improved, the results of this
pilot study imply that dial-up compressed video conferencing has the
potential to become a practical, cost- effective method of sharing
educational resources by means of interactive radiologic multisite
educational programs.