Laboratory and imaging
Teleradiology
Teleradiology is the electronic transmission of medical images, such as X ray and CT studies, from the place where they are acquired to a radiologist elsewhere, who interprets them and returns a report to the treating clinician.
Why it matters
Many hospitals have imaging equipment but no radiologist on site, and radiologists are often concentrated in capital cities. Teleradiology lets a district or provincial hospital obtain a specialist report without transferring the patient. A review of teleradiology systems in Africa evaluated current and former programmes and the factors that affected whether they lasted [1].
Key points
- Studies are sent in DICOM from the hospital PACS to the reporting radiologist [2].
- Turnaround time from acquisition to report is the key measure of service, and it should be agreed and monitored for routine and urgent studies separately.
- The report must return to the requesting clinician and the patient record.
- Charitable and partnership programmes, such as RAD AID's global radiology programme, provide remote reporting for hospitals with limited access to radiologists [3].
In Moana
MOANA PACS gives remote radiologists a browser viewer and worklist, and their reports return to the requesting clinician in the patient record.
Sources
- Evaluation of current and former teleradiology systems in Africa: a review, Annals of Global Health, 2022
- About DICOM: overview, DICOM Standards Committee, NEMA, accessed 2026
- RAD AID Hexarad Global Radiology Program, RAD AID International, accessed 2026
Read the guide: PACS and Teleradiology for Hospitals Without a Radiologist
In the platform: MOANA PACS
Related terms: Picture archiving and communication system, Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine, Health information exchange
Updated 2026-11-03. Written under Moana’s editorial standards.