Telesonography: foundations and future directions.

The practice of telesonography has yielded promising results in several domestic and international projects aimed at providing basic sonography services. Common themes that recur within telesonography-based research include the quality of transmitted images, clinical applications, and technical and nontechnical barriers to implementation. The research base continues to grow in concert with expanding telecommunications capabilities and refinement of small portable sonographic devices. Persistent barriers to the deployment of telesonography systems include a lack of telecommunications access, a lack of standard training and operational protocols, and a paucity of research regarding the long-term health impact of telesonography within target communities. Telesonography may be used directly to improve the standard of care within a given community; however, limited resources and interest may prevent sustained operations. Future projects may use telesonography to supplement the training of health care providers in remote locations in an effort to establish permanent sonography services for their respective communities.