Article · Fundamentals
What is Teleradiology?
Teleradiology is the practice of transmitting medical imaging studies (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound) from the site of acquisition to a remote radiologist over a secure network so the radiologist can interpret the study and return a signed report — often within minutes.
How remote radiology reporting actually works in 2026.
Why teleradiology exists
There are far fewer radiologists than scanners in most countries. Teleradiology lets a small pool of qualified radiologists serve many centres without travelling between sites, and provides 24×7 coverage that no single centre could staff.
The modern workflow
1. Scanner pushes DICOM to a secure teleradiology endpoint. 2. AI scout pre-reads every image. 3. A radiologist reviews, edits, and signs the structured draft. 4. The signed report returns to the centre and the referring clinician — typically inside 30 minutes for routine plain films and inside 15 minutes for STAT CT.
Is teleradiology safe?
Yes, when the platform uses TLS in transit, encryption at rest, role-based access, and tamper-evident audit logs — all of which are standard at ProRadIQ. The radiologist remains the diagnostician of record and is responsible for the sign-off.
Quick facts
- Teleradiology = remote interpretation by qualified radiologists
- Routine TAT today: 15–30 minutes
- Used by hospitals, diagnostic centres, ICU and ED