Teleradiology is the electronic transmission of medical imaging studies (CT, MRI, XR, ….etc.) from one location to another making them available for interpretation/consultation by radiologists who are not present locally in the region where the patient was scanned. For this process to be implemented, three essential components are required, an image sending station, a transmission network, and a receiving/image review station.
Teleradiology, as every other branch of telemedicine, owes its birth to imbalance of demand and supply. In this case, it is the inadequacy of diagnostic services and qualified radiologists in far-flung corners which gave rise to the need for Teleradiology as a measure to bridge this gap. The technology has led to reduced workload on radiologists, faster turn-around time for patients, and cost savings for hospitals who find that Teleradiology presents an attractive alternative to having radiologists available twenty-four hours a day.