Wireless echocardiographic image acquisition and review

Digital echocardiography has altered clinical workflow and improved patient care. While network performance is critical for data transfers, bandwidth tradeoffs might be acceptable to allow access to data outside of the echo laboratory. In this study, we examined the ability to use portable ultrasound in a wireless environment to provide real-time echo monitoring. Video output of a handheld machine transmitted over a wireless infrastructure in which various parameters were modulated to assess their impact In this testbed configuration, we are able to transmit full color echocardiographic images via 802.11b to a handheld computer with a resolution of 320×240 pixels at 15 fps. While a major strength of ultrasound is its portability, wired network connectivity creates limitations on effective data management The growth of handheld echocardiographic devices further emphasizes the need for wireless connectivity beyond the boundaries of the hospital.