Abstract

BackgroundRheumatology education today can be very diverse, and you can find everything from structured textbooks to YouTube channels to social media accounts. Peer-reviewed content is still recognized as a very high-quality source of information. App-based content has the advantage of bundling information in one place, always available on the go. However, the majority of offerings are only available in English.ObjectivesAn app was to be created to learn about imaging in rheumatology in a very easy to understand way in different languages, with experts being able to create translated content very easily.MethodsUsing mySQL, Java, Objective C and JavaScript, a case database with specific structure and numerous interactive elements was created for academic teaching. Special functions for the annotation of images were provided. The development was initially for devices with the iOS operating system, and later for Android. Rheumatologists and radiologists worldwide were invited to participate via the social media channels LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.ResultsThe app, called BerlinCaseViewer, was developed for smartphones, tablets and Mac computers. All information is entered and processed in a web-based database. Using XML files and ZIP archives, the relevant data is then transferred to the mobile apps. Case of the month and learning modules on rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and axial spondyloarthritis are available, many in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and other languages (Figure 1). In addition to the medical image data, the patient’s medical history is also presented in an exciting way with the help of multiple-choice questions. Only when all questions are answered, the diagnosis becomes visible. Timeline functions can be used to visualize medical courses as well. Colored overlays are used to annotate images and can be placed with pixel precision. The user can decide whether these should be displayed as aids. Content is peer-reviewed before publication.Figure 1.Multi-lingual presentation of medical training cases.ConclusionBerlinCaseViewer is a new approach not only to train medical professionals, but also to connect colleagues and overcome language barriers. As a platform, BerlinCaseViewer is open to all medical professionals to collaborate, whether to contribute their own cases or translate existing cases for use in the local language.

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