According to Pearlman, additional disadvantages involve the inconveniences of computer terminals. For example, he says, some computer screens are limited both in the amount of space available at a time, the intensity and the lack of brightness available.

But a recent study by one MGH radiologist found that images transmitted between the hospital and an outpatient community health center in Burlington, Mass. were interpreted the same in 97 percent of cases by radiologists.

Fener says the only disadvantage is the expense involved in expanding the system, and that demand for the service "is overwhelming."

And Pearlman says that the advantages to using the teleradiography system justify the cost.

"We can extract things that may not be all that apparent to the eye," says Pearlman. "It allows you to integrate information from different images and view things in three-dimensions, and you can look at the texture and intensity ranges [that are otherwise impossible to see]."

According to Fener, future applications of teleradiography will include making images more widely accessible to physicians and using the data for analysis, therapy and intervention.

"Physicians will learn whatever they need to learn," says Pearlman. "It needs to be the case that they'll get the best answer. We've just introduced new tools that will make that the case."