Erik R. Ranschaert

Teleradiology: Evolution and concepts

Teleradiology has become a reality for several years now, but its existence still has not been freed from all controversies. From the beginning the military has been the driving force for teleradiology. Today teleradiology has many purposes worldwide ranging from services for expert or second opinions to international commercial diagnostic reading services. Ten years ago image quality, transmission speed and image compression were important issues of debate. Today the focus is on clinical governance, medico-legal issues and quality assessment. The increasing use of teleradiology reflects the changing world of clinical practice, service delivery and technology.

Confined gastric perforation: Ultrasound and computed tomographic diagnosis

A case of confined gastric perforation due to a penetrating antral ulcer diagnosed on ultrasound and computed tomography is presented. Air bubbles were visualized adjacent to the anterior gastric and bulbar wall, associated with small amounts of fluid in the subhepatic region and in the omental bursa. Careful examination of the subhepatic region and upper abdominal cavity in a patient with acute epigastric pain may lead to a correct diagnosis of such confined perforations.

Social media for radiologists: an introduction

AbstractSocial media, which can be defined as dynamic and interactive online communication forums, are becoming increasingly popular, not only for the general public but also for radiologists. In addition to assisting radiologists in finding useful profession-related information and interactive educational material in all kinds of formats, they can also contribute towards improving communication with peers, clinicians, and patients. The growing use of social networking in healthcare also has an impact on the visibility and engagement of radiologists in the online virtual community. Although many radiologists are already using social media, a large number of our colleagues are still unaware of the wide spectrum of useful information and interaction available via social media and of the added value these platforms can bring to daily practice. For many, the risk of mixing professional and private data by using social media creates a feeling of insecurity, which still keeps radiologists from using them. In this overview we aim to provide information on the potential benefits, challenges, and inherent risks of social media for radiologists. We will provide a summary of the different types of social media that can be of value for radiologists, including useful tips on how to use them safely and efficiently.Main Messages• Online social networking enhances communication and collaboration between peers • Social media facilitate access to educational and scientific information • Recommendations and guidelines from policymakers and professional organisations are needed • Applications are desired for efficient and secure exchange of medical images in social media

The Impact of Information Technology on Radiology Services: An Overview

The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the impact of information technology on radiology services during the past 15 years and to promote awareness of the digital revolution that is taking place in health care, including radiology. The combination of two major innovations is playing a central role in this revolution, namely, the Internet and the digitisation of medical information. The various stages of the Internet development and their relationship with the almost simultaneously ongoing digitisation of the radiology department are described. The onset of teleradiology services and the more recent trend toward the usage of cloud-based networks and services are explained. The recent changes in digital communication and electronic transmission of medical information are discussed, hereby paying attention to the value of social media in medicine and radiology in particular. Finally, the future prospects of health care and medical imaging are outlined in the spotlight of today’s major trends, and the role of the radiologist in this quickly changing environment is redefined.

Erratum to: European Teleradiology now and in the future: results of an online survey.

Erratum to: Insights Imaging DOI 10.1007/s13244-012-0210-z The following text should be added: Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: E.R. Ranschaert: Financial activities related to this article: none to disclose. Financial activities not related to this article: founder and co-owner of Eurad Consult (until 2008); advisory function at Unilabs (until 2010). Other relationships: member of the advisory board of XS2RA (non-remunerated). F. H. Barneveld Binkhuysen: Financial activities related to this article: none to disclose. Financial activities not related to this article: founder and co-owner of Eurad Consult (until 2008). Other relationships: member of the advisory board of XS2RA (non-remunerated).

Internetkommunikation in der Radiologie

Zusammenfassunge-mail ist ein Internetdienst zur Versendung von Nachrichten und binären Dateien zwischen Einzelpersonen oder zur Teilnahme an Diskussionsgruppen. Technische Voraussetzung sind ein e-mail-Reader, ein Client-Programm, das zum Abrufen von Nachrichten von einem e-mail-Server dient oder eine der zahlreichen Einrichtungen des World wide web (WWW), die ebenfalls e-mails darstellen. So genannte Newsgroups ermöglichen es, gleich gesinnte Personen über bestimmte Themen zu informieren, wobei üblicherweise der Zugang nicht limitiert ist und die Gesprächsteilnehmer nicht ausgesucht werden können. Resümee: Ziel dieses Beitrags ist es, Radiologen eine Einführung in die Nutzung von e-mails, Mailing-Listen und Newsgroups, den häufigsten Kommunikationsdiensten des Internets, zu geben. Ihre Funktionsweise und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten auf dem Gebiet der bildgebenden Diagnostik werden ebenso wie Limitationen und Sicherheitsaspekte diskutiert.AbstractE-mail is an Internet service that can be used for sending messages and binary files between individuals as well as for participating in discussion groups. For sending and receiving these types of messages, the users must use either a dedicated e-mail client or one of the several mailing facilities of the World Wide Web. The newsgroups enable like-minded people to discuss subjects on a group-wide basis, but access is generally not limited, and the participants cannot be selected. Conclusion: The objective of this paper is to give radiologists an introduction to using e-mail, mailing lists and newsgroups, the three most important communication services of the Internet. The function of these services is explained, and the advantages of implementing them in a radiology practice are discussed. Potential problems and concerns including security matters are highlighted, and ways in which they can be resolved are suggested.