- Remote guidance
Remote guidance, in the medical context, refers to the supervision or guidance of a medical task, usually a procedures or test, from a remote location. This falls in the realm of
real time telemedicine applications. By way of example, aradiologist may guide anultrasound examination from a remote location. As such the proximate requisite expertise to accomplish a medical task is significantly diminished. In the previous example, a diagnostic qualityultrasound can be accomplished by non-medically trained individuals manipulating anultrasound device located with the patient under guidance from a remote location. This is an example ofteleradiology If appropriately configured, the remote guidance can originate from another room or floor in the same building, to as far away as another continent or even planet.NASA researchers have successfully demonstrated remote guidance of diagnostic levelcardiac ultrasonography using an ultrasound on the space station, non-medical astronauts performing the exam as guided by a terrestrially located expert.Remote diagnostics
Remote diagnostics refers to a
real time telemedical application which achievesdiagnostic level quality and information exchange. In this sense, it refers to an expectation for quality sufficient for making or excluding amedical diagnosis . In the tele-medical context specific to radiologic images these images often are consistent with theDICOM standard. Given bandwidth issues universally plaguing the healthcare environment imagery beyond still images and brief video has not yet become standard expectation of care environments orPACS systems. Ultrasound scanning commonly utilized forabdomen ,musculoskeletal ,pelvis ,gynecologic ,cardiac andvascular evaluations has shown potential for remote diagnosis only of late.More general Remote Diagnostics (RD) refers to detecting which fault or faults are present in a system, body of object, from a distance. Examples of use: aeroplanes, spacecrafts, Formula 1 and major assests such as ships,trains etc. In cases where also corrective actions are made, the term 'Remote Diagnostic & Maintenance' is more appropriate.
Technical aspects
While still imagery can be e-mailed and forwarded in a multitude of methods, video product of medical devices has typically not been available for remote interraction. Recent improvements in scanning devices, for example ultrasound machines has facilitated this new capability. The inclusion of the
VGA output gives the opportunity forframe-grabber devices to stream such outputs to the internet.References
* see also Remote diagnostics for RD in technical systems
* http://www.remoteguidance.org/laparascopic-surgery/lights-lap-camera-tele-action/
* http://www.gizmag.com/go/5283/
* http://www.ge.com/olympicgames/news_ultrasound.html
* http://www.sportandtechnology.com/features/0335.html
* Froehlich J, Easily capture video from any VGA or DVI device, MacTech Magazine, 2007
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