PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical utility of the teleradiology system using the information super highway communication network. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two radiologists selected 101 cases of pneumothorax and 20 cases ofmiliary tuberculosis. There were scanned and transmitted to our hospital at a speed of 640 Kbps and displayed on avideo monitor with a resolution of 1280 pixels/line x 1024 lines. Four radiologists divided into three groups :read the images group A read the images without image processing ; group B read the images with image processing, group C read the radiographic films on the view box. The authors compared sensitivity and specificity between thegroups and checked their statistical significance using the Chi-square test. According to the location of thepleural line, we divided the pneumothorax into four types : continve on this live type 1, pleural line confined tothe apex ; type 2, to the upper half ; type 3, to the lower half ; type 4, to the upper through lower half. We then compared sensitivity between the Three groups. RESULTS: In the pneumothorax group, the average sensitivity of group A, B and C was 79%, 90% and 96%, and average specificity was 99%, 99% and 94%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in seasitivity between group A and B and between group B and C (p<0.017). There were no statistically significant difference in specificity between group A and B or between group B and C.In the miliary tuberculosis group, the average sensitivity of group A, B and C was 73%, 78% and 90%, and average specificity was 95%, 95% and 100%, respectively. With regard to sensitivity and specificity, there was no statistically significant difference between group A and B or between group B and C but there was a statistically significant difference between group A and C (p<0.017). According to the location of the pneumothorax, for alltypes, the sensitivity of group A was less than that of group B and group B was less than that of group C. CONCLUSION: All groups showed reduced observer performance in the detection of pneumothorax and miliary tuberculosis when reading a transmitted image on the monitor-workstation compared with reading conventional radiographs on the view box. To improve the clinical utility of the teleradiology system, a higher resolution workstation and adequate image processing are required.
Pneumothorax* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Teleradiology* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Miliary* ; X-Ray Film

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical applications of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) compared with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopan creatography (ERCP). METHODS: Prior to carrying out ERCP, MRCP was performed on 71 patients and the two examinations were compared using a double blank test. RESULTS: The results revealed that 15 patients had choledocholithiasis, 4 gall bladder stones, 28 cholangiocarcinomas, 12 pancreatic head cancers, 2 ampulla of Vater cancers, 1 gall bladder cancer with ductal invasion, 4 other benign diseases and 5 normal conditions. For the patients with choledocholithiasis, the values of MRCP's sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 100%, 98.2% and 98.6%, respectively, and those of ERCP's were all 100%. For the patients with malignant obstructions, the values of MRCP's sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 90.7%, 100% and 94.4%, respectively, and the values of ERCP's were 95.3%, 92.9% and 94.4%. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that MRCP has a rather high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in the diagnosis of the biliary tract system, and therefore MRCP can be substituted for ERCP in the aspect of diagnosis.
Ampulla of Vater ; Biliary Tract Diseases* ; Biliary Tract* ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance* ; Choledocholithiasis ; Diagnosis ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Head ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urinary Bladder Calculi