Nuclear Cardiology: Nuclear Cardiology:

250 Nuclear Cardiology, The Basics• Digital cable modem (1Gbps).• T1 line (1 Gbps).One should also consider whether one intends to use a personal computeras a remote workstation or merely as a viewing terminal. Theelectronic connection can be established:1. Between a computer in the main nuclear cardiology laboratory and aremote computer in a satellite laboratory, or2. Between a computer in the main nuclear cardiology laboratory and aremote personal computer at the physician’s home, or a remote laptopcomputer while the physician is travelling.Three practical options should be considered.• First option: The remote computer dials in through one of the abovementionedconnectivity media with the digital environment in the mainnuclear cardiology laboratory. Using Window emulator software (e.g.,X-Window Emulator or PC-Anywhere ® ), the physician can reviewprocessed image data. In this configuration the home computer servesas a viewing terminal for the main computer in the laboratory.• Second option: Once a connection with the main laboratory has beenestablished, raw image data are downloaded through one of the aboveconnectivity means to the remote workstation, which has all the processingand display software required for offline data processing, imageviewing, and interpretation. In this configuration the home computerbecomes another workstation of the laboratory.These two options are both somewhat cumbersome and in our viewnot optimal. The speed of access and of viewing using the first optionmay be relatively slow, but the physician does not have to (re)processany image data. The speed of the second option depends largely on thequantity of data to be downloaded. For example, the downloading ofcomplete data of an ECG-gated SPECT study may be very time-consuming.Furthermore, the physician has to perform all data processing byhim/herself.• Third option: Web readingWe consider this the most practical solution. The physician interpretsnuclear cardiology images on a secure internet website. Reconstructedand processed images are uploaded by a technologist from the nuclearmedicine computer in the main laboratory to a dedicated website as