Implementation of an Error-Coding Scheme for Teleradiology System

Abstract

Teleradiology, sending of x-rays, is the most common application of telemedicine in use today. Mobile telemedicine is the latest area of research where the patient can be monitored remotely by a doctor. In this paper, we propose a teleradiology system whereby the communication is established via cellular networks and cell phones. Since the data is sent over a wireless channel, it is more prone to data loss due to the mobile environment. To prevent data from getting lost due to noise in the wireless channel, an error-coding scheme is applied. Turbo code is a powerful error coding technique employed nowadays in communication systems. In this paper we apply turbo codes to an x-ray image and an ECG image and simulate the transmission system by adding Gaussian noise to the image. The performance of Turbo codes, in terms of bit error rate is better than other error coding schemes even in the region where the signal strength is very low. The Quality of the image is retained in the receiving end by proper design of the error-coding scheme. An analysis has been done on various parameters considered in the design of turbo codes. The images obtained after decoding are found to be suitable for recognition and diagnosis by the doctors in their mobile phones. This novel technology will enhance the health care in rural area where the opinion of a specialized doctor is not available.