10.23.2009

MRI on handphones

It's hand-held telemedicine. And it can reduce medical errors in an emergency as doctors in hospitals and clinics can send X-rays, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT-scan (cranial computed tomography) images of their patients to consultants or experts around the world with mobile phone technology.

Inventor neurosurgeon Professor Dr. Vigneswaran Mathaneswaran of Universiti Malaya explained: "Tele-medicine today requires specialised computing facilities and expert programmes. These limit the ideal situation of 'saving lives anywhere, anytime'."
Often, consultants are unavailable after office hours and the ability to obtain expert opinion 24 hours a day is essential in the management of critically ill patients, especially on important medical images before commencing treatment.

He said his research and product development objective was to develop and validate medical data and imaging transfer software, together with a purpose-built hand-held device that would allow the transfer of data using mobile phone technology.

"I can have four images on screen and I can get them wherever I am, take a look and decide what to do," said Dr. Vigneswaran, adding that University Malaya Medical Centre uses his mobile telemedicine device for all emergency neurosurgery consultations.
"A patient can now rest assured that his images (X-ray, CT-Scan, MRI) are seen by a senior consultant whatever time of the day or night."

New Straits Time - 19 Oct 2009

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