Bringing 3D to teleradiology

The NOVICE project (Network-Oriented Visualization in a Clinical Environment) is developing a system for medical image data analysis and visualization through the Web with the intention of demonstrating the effectiveness of such a system in a clinical environment. One element being addressed by NOVICE is the provision of teleradiology tools. The paper describes how three-dimensional models can be included in a teleradiology application by utilising the Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) and multi-user extensions, including annotation tools. The result is the world's first Web based system for 3D teleradiology. We present a detailed overview of the implementation and operation of this system, and indicate results from early use.