Publication: Smartphone whatsapp application reliability as a teleradiology for evaluation of head ct in traumatic brain injury
Loading...
Date
2022
Authors
Khan, Mohamad Nazri Munawar
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Background: Teleradiology has been used as a method of consultation in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) for hospitals without neurosurgical expertise. Capturing images and recording videos of CT scans and sending via WhatsApp has become a common means of communication between physicians. It has been used as an aid for decision-making in triaging and transfer of TBI cases that need surgical intervention. It is known that WhatsApp uses video file compression for transmitting video, and combined with the limited size, resolution, and functionality of video compared to radiology workstation may increase the rate of misinterpretation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reliability of WhatsApp video as a method of teleradiology in TBI. Methods: A prospective reliability and agreement study was conducted in HUSM on 85 patients. These patients are subjected to emergency head CT after being admitted to the emergency department for prior history of trauma. Video recording of CT scan was transmitted via WhatsApp and evaluated for intracranial haemorrhage, midline shift, fracture, and pneumocranium by two experienced raters from iPhone 7 plus. Reading of the CT scan of the same patients was repeated from a radiology workstation after 4 weeks interval. Kappa analysis was used to compare the interrater and intrarater agreement regarding the CT scan findings. Results: For the assessment of both the intra and interrater agreement, the κ values were found to be 0.68-0.70 for the presence of intracranial haemorrhage, 0.16-0.96 for types of intracranial haemorrhage, 1.0 for midline shift, 0.59-0.73 for fracture, and 0.55-0.57 for pneumocranium. Conclusion: There was an almost perfect agreement for subarachnoid haemorrhage and midline shift with most of the other findings showing less than 0.90 κ score. This signifies that using WhatsApp for teleradiology could be of limited value in the diagnosis of TBI-related injury.
Description
Keywords
Traumatic Brain injury , Teleradiology