2003 Volume 23 Issue 2 Pages 137-144
Recently, new network communication systems, generally called DV over IP that can transmit a real-time high quality digital video over the Internet have been established and introduced to consumer usages. In this study, we evaluated three DV over IP systems whether they are suitable for using telemedicine. Then we applied one of the above systems to experiments of remote diagnosis of colon endoscopy. Using Japan Gigabit Network which is one of broadest networks in Japan for academic purposes constructed by Japanese government, we transmitted real time endoscopic motion pictures of four patients with colon disease in a remote hospital to our university hospital. The transmission images and sounds were good enough to make correct tele-diagnoses. No serious transmission delay which disturbed the doctors’ communications was observed. Therefore, we consider the DV transmission systems are likely to be used for tele-diagnoses and tele-consultations of daily endoscopy if the Broadband Internet spreads to local hospitals.
