An Innovative Smartphone-Based Rhinoendoscope

Abstract

Objectives:

Traditional rhinoendoscope is widely used in the diagnosis of a variety of nose diseases, but they can only be used by one doctor at a time. With the advances of electronic health technology, the extended potential application of smartphones to support medical practice is evolving. The first phase of the study discussed how smartphones can be used for rhinoscopic photography and image management via an innovative adaptor. The second phase of the study is to evaluate the diagnostic capability of the smartphone-based rhinoendcoscope compared with traditional video rhinoendoscope and its application in tele-otolaryngology.

Methods:

We designed a unique adaptor to connect the rhinoendoscope and smartphone. The main idea is to transform the smartphone into a rhinoendoscope. The device uses the smartphone’s camera to capture rhinoscopic images. With an available free web real-time communication application platform and 3G (or WiFi) network, the smartphone-based rhinoendoscope could also synchronize your smartphone-based rhinoscopic image to other mobile devices.

Results:

Ten clinical rhinoscopic images acquired via the smartphone-based rhinoendoscope were tested in this study. Four teleconsultants reviewed the 10 clinical rhinoscopic images and made a telediagnosis. Compared with the face-to- face diagnosis, for which the diagnosis was made in person via traditional video rhinoendoscope, 4 teleconsultants obtained scores of correct primary telediagnosis of 90%, 90%, 100%, and 100%, respectively.

Conclusions:

The use of already available technologies, without any additional expensive devices, could significantly increase quality diagnostics while lowering extra costs. It also increases connectivity between most isolated family doctors and remote referral centers.