title: Video clip transfer of radiological images using a mobile telephone in emergency neurosurgical consultations (3G Multi-Media Messaging Service).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to validate and assess the accuracy and usefulness of sending short video clips in 3gp file format of an entire scan series of patients, using mobile telephones running on 3G-MMS technology, to enable consultation between junior doctors in a neurosurgical unit and the consultants on-call after office hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 56 consecutive patients with acute neurosurgical problems requiring urgent after-hours consultation during a 6-month period, prospectively had their images recorded and transmitted using the above method. The response to the diagnosis and the management plan by two neurosurgeons (who were not on site) based on the images viewed on a mobile telephone were reviewed by an independent observer and scored. In addition to this, a radiologist reviewed the original images directly on the hospital's Patients Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and this was compared with the neurosurgeons' response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both neurosurgeons involved in this study were in complete agreement with their diagnosis. The radiologist disagreed with the diagnosis in only one patient, giving a kappa coefficient of 0.88, indicating an almost perfect agreement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of mobile telephones to transmit MPEG video clips of radiological images is very advantageous for carrying out emergency consultations in neurosurgery. The images accurately reflect the pathology in question, thereby reducing the incidence of medical errors from incorrect diagnosis, which otherwise may just depend on a verbal description.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Vicknes
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Waran
authors.forename: Nor Faizal Ahmad
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Bahuri
authors.forename: Vairavan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.forename: Dharmendra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ganesan
authors.forename: Khairul Azmi Abdul
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kadir
mesh_terms: D039602:After-Hours Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D019112:Teleradiology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D014741:Video Recording / Q000592:standards*