Are smartphones comparable to laptops for image diagnosis in teleophthalmology?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the reliability and accuracy of smartphones in diagnosing transmitted fundus images in comparison with a laptop.


METHODS
Fundus images captured with a Topcon NW 200 camera were transferred onto a conventional laptop and a smartphone and given to ophthalmologists for diagnosis. The smartphone and the laptop diagnosis were compared with the actual face to face diagnosis statistically to assess their diagnostic accuracy.


RESULTS
Fundus images of 228 eyes of 114 patients (mean age 47 years,73.6% males) were included in the study. 92.5% eyes were correctly diagnosed by both smartphones and laptop. Smartphone analysis revealed 98% sensitivity,57% specificity and kappa value of 0.62 in comparison to laptop, suggessting substantial interrater agreement.


CONCLUSIONS
Smartphones are as effective as the laptop in diagnosing fundus pathologies and hold promise for teleophthalmology in future.
Department of Teleophthalmology, Medical Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India.
Sheila
S
John
Vikram
V
Arun
Nahush
N
Katti
Bindu
B
Appukuttan
Inbiomedvision Consortium
IC
Pearlson
Sengamedu S
SS
Badrinath
D040421:Cell Phone; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D044962:Data Compression / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019721:Ophthalmoscopes; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy / Q000379:methods; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity