Smartphone cameras are an acceptable substitute for digital cameras when conducting a medical teleconsultation, according to a researchers at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and Stellenbosch University in South Africa.
“Studies have shown that image-based consultation of remote experts is possible in several specialties like dermatology, plastic surgery, or burn care,” the researchers wrote in the study, which was published in the journal Telemedicine and e-Health. “However, the evidence rests predominantly on studies where photographs were taken with a digital camera, and only a few were conducted using older models of mobile phones. Against this background it appears necessary to take a closer look at the quality of pictures taken with smartphone cameras in order to determine the value of incorporating smartphones in medical practice.”
The researchers tested three smartphones, iPhone 4, Samsung’s Galaxy S2, and BlackBerry 9800, as well as a Canon digital camera. Researchers explained that they focused their research on current, but not the latest, versions of popular smartphone models because these phones are more likely to be used in resource-poor areas. These areas may also require expert consultation more often. The older smartphones, researchers explained, would also provide them with ‘’bottom line’’ results because smartphone cameras are continually improving.
A professional photographer took photos of nonclinical objects with each device. Researchers then recruited a convenience sample of 60 consumers who rated the quality of the photographs, individually and best overall.
The researchers found that while there were wide variations in the quality assessments for all four cameras, the iPhone photos were most frequently assessed as good, and consumers ranked the iPhone higher than other cameras’ photos, including the digital camera, for more of the nonclinical objects. The ratings for the Samsung and BlackBerry smartphones did not significantly differ from ratings for the digital camera.
Researchers concluded that although the iPhone camera ranked best more often, all three smartphones obtained results at least as good as those of the digital camera and can be used as a substitute for digital cameras during medical teleconsultations.
