PDAs used in primary reads hold their own

Danish researchers have confirmed the possibility of interpreting scans from personal digital assistants. Their study comprised 40 orthopedic studies, including CT, MR, computed radiography, and digital radiography.

The investigators interpreted images from a wireless PDA and a workstation. A span of one to two weeks separated each reading. Agreement occurred in 90% of the cases, and the researchers caught two instances of soft-tissue calcification on the PDA that were not seen on the workstation.

Many types of studies do not work well on PDAs because of the necessity to scroll and pan with the small devices, they said, but these analytic tools can be helpful in interpreting orthopedic studies.