Remote access of radiological images using android

Abstract

Aims: To develop a Graphical User Interface (GUI) system for mobile application to provide secured remote access to medical images for faster diagnostic and therapeutic use. Settings and Design: We have designed an android application using the android operating system. The application is compatible to DICOM images. The application has two layouts and with tools such as window scaling, bone edge detection and RGB colouring. We have also designed a database server for storing patients medical images were a physician can store patient's medical image taken through one of the imaging modality. Methods and Material: The system consists of two separate modules one is at the hospital called Base unit and the other at doctor's site called Mobile unit. At the base unit we have developed a database server for storing the medical images of the patient. We have developed the database using the PHP and my SQL programming languages. The software design and implementation is similar to the client server model. Communication between the two parts is achieved using TCP/IP as network protocol, which ensures safe data transmission over different telecommunication means such as GSM, Satellite, and POTS. The Mobile unit mainly consists of a software module which is built into an android application used for receiving the image data (DICOM Images) of the patient, viewing the image and sending back the report of the patient to the base unit using a communication module (GSM, Satellite or POTS modem). Here the Mobile unit is the mobile phone supporting android applications (smart phones, tablet computers) [5] . An android application viewer is created in the mobile phone of the doctor's through which he can access the medical images stored in the base unit. Results: Proposed work is capable of accessing the medical images from the remote area by the doctor's using their android smart phones. At the mobile unit doctors can use the image enhancement techniques provided for better visualization of the medical images. Also doctor can send the report back to the base unit. Conclusions: As wireless technology is becoming an important part of health care centre's, proposed work intended to use small and portable mobile devices for the assistance of healthcare personnel. It enables the remote access of patient information and images through his wireless handheld devices. Development of such applications will enable to provide better healthcare facilities in time to patients.