Abstract
Purpose
Telehealth allows for connections between patients and physicians physically located in different places. This communication can be synchronous when made in real-time or asynchronous when the data or files are stored and transmitted for a later evaluation. This systematic review aimed to evaluate available resources for remote patient imaging and its reliability as a diagnostic tool.
Methods
A database search was conducted and included articles published in the last five years that evaluated remote patient imaging through telemedicine compared with the standard of care in several medical specialties. The search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for study selection.
Results
A total of 1,095 studies were identified after the removal of duplicates. Twenty-seven articles fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria. We found that different telemedicine platforms were used to share photographs and videos of direct patient interaction transmitted via smartphones, medical devices, and tablets. Diagnostic tests, including images of radiographs, ultrasounds, CT scans, and biopsy results, were additionally shared. A variety of images remotely evaluated showed a high or moderate level of reliability in making accurate diagnosis and screening conditions when compared with the in-person patient evaluation as the gold standard of care, (explain gold standard in a one-liner). Moreover, this technique allows for reliable follow up of patients with chronic diseases or for postoperative care.
Conclusions
The synchronous and asynchronous remote evaluation of images through the telemedicine system has demonstrated to be feasible and helpful for diagnosis of acute conditions, cancer screening, postoperative follow-up, and control of patients with chronic conditions. Therefore, the system can enhance patient access to the most qualified and specialized care globally.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
World Health O. Global diffusion of eHealth: making universal health coverage achievable: report of the third global survey on eHealth. World Health Organization, Geneva. 2016;156 p.
World Health A. Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly, Geneva, 16–25 May 2005: resolutions and decisions: annex. (WHA58/2005/REC/1), 2005.
Fatehi F, Samadbeik M, Kazemi A. What is Digital Health? Review of Definitions. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2020;275:67–71.
Kaplan B. Revisiting health information technology ethical, legal, and social issues and evaluation: telehealth/telemedicine and COVID-19. Int J Med Inform. 2020;143.
Gajarawala SN, Pelkowski JN. Telehealth Benefits and Barriers. J Nurse Pract. 2021;17(2):218–21.
Hyder MA, Razzak J. Telemedicine in the United States: An Introduction for Students and Residents. J Med Internet Res. 2020;22(11).
Freiburger G, Holcomb M, Piper D. The STARPAHC collection: part of an archive of the history of telemedicine. J Telemed Telecare. 2007;13(5):221–3.
Alboraie M, Allam MA, Youssef N, et al. Knowledge, Applicability, and Barriers of Telemedicine in Egypt: A National Survey. Int J Telemed Appl. 2021;2021:5565652.
Elawady A, Khalil A, Assaf O, Toure S, Cassidy C. Telemedicine during COVID-19: a survey of Health Care Professionals' perceptions. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis.2020;90(4).
Ning AY, Cabrera CI, D’anza B. Telemedicine in Otolaryngology: A Systematic Review of Image Quality, Diagnostic Concordance, and Patient and Provider Satisfaction. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2021;130(2):195–204.
Piche J, Butt BB, Ahmady A, Patel R, Aleem I. Physical Examination of the Spine Using Telemedicine: A Systematic Review. Global Spine J. 2021;11(7):1142–7.
Blom L, Boissin C, Allorto N, Wallis L, Hasselberg M, Laflamme L. Accuracy of acute burns diagnosis made using smartphones and tablets: a questionnaire-based study among medical experts. BMC Emerg Med. 2017;17.
Blom L, Laflamme L, Alvesson HM. Expectations of medical specialists about image-based teleconsultation - A qualitative study on acute burns in South Africa. PLOS ONE.2018;13(3).
Page MJ, Mckenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Int J Surg. 2021;88.
Sterne JA, Hernán MA, Reeves BC, et al. ROBINS-I: a tool for assessing risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions. BMJ. 2016;355.
Markun S, Scherz N, Rosemann T, Tandjung R, Braun RP. Mobile teledermatology for skin cancer screening: A diagnostic accuracy study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017;96(10).
Piette E, Nougairède M, Vuong V, Crickx B, Tran VT. Impact of a store-and-forward teledermatology intervention versus usual care on delay before beginning treatment: A pragmatic cluster-randomized trial in ambulatory care. J Telemed Telecare. 2017;23(8):725–32.
Marchell R, Locatis C, Burges G, Maisiak R, Liu WL, Ackerman M. Comparing High Definition Live Interactive and Store-and-Forward Consultations to In-Person Examinations. TELEMEDICINE AND E-HEALTH. 2017;23(3):213–8.
Saleh N, Hay RA, Hegazy R, Hussein M, Gomaa D. Can teledermatology be a useful diagnostic tool in dermatology practice in remote areas? An Egyptian experience with 600 patients. J Telemed Telecare. 2017;23(2):233–8.
Silveira CEG, Carcano C, Mauad EC, Faleiros H, Longatto A. Cell phone usefulness to improve the skin cancer screening: preliminary results and critical analysis of mobile app development. Rural Remote Health. 2019;19(1).
Villa L, Matz O, Olaciregui Dague K, Kluwig D, Rossaint R, Brokmann JC. The assessment of dermatological emergencies in the emergency department via telemedicine is safe: a prospective pilot study. Intern Emerg Med. 2020;15(7):1275–9.
Biten H, Redd TK, Moleta C, et al. Diagnostic Accuracy of Ophthalmoscopy vs Telemedicine in Examinations for Retinopathy of Prematurity. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2018;136(5):498–504.
Ho T, Lee TC, Choe JY, Nallasamy S. Evaluation of real-time video from the digital indirect ophthalmoscope for telemedicine consultations in retinopathy of prematurity. J Telemed Telecare. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X20958240.
Hadziahmetovic M, Nicholas P, Jindal S, Menu PS, Cousins SW. Evaluation of a Remote Diagnosis Imaging Model vs Dilated Eye Examination in Referable Macular Degeneration. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019;137(7):802–8.
Gonzalez-Marquez F, Luque-Romero L, Ruiz-Romero MV, et al. Remote ophthalmology with a smartphone adapter handled by nurses for the diagnosis of eye posterior pole pathologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Telemed Telecare. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X21994017.
Woodward MA, Bavinger JC, Amin S, et al. Telemedicine for ophthalmic consultation services: use of a portable device and layering information for graders. J Telemed Telecare. 2017;23(2):365–70.
Mallen JR, Shah MU, Drake R, et al. Utility of smartphone telemedical consultations for peritonsillar abscess diagnosis and triage. JAMA Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. 2020;146(10):909–13.
Mandavia R, Lapa T, Smith M, Bhutta MF. A cross-sectional evaluation of the validity of a smartphone otoscopy device in screening for ear disease in Nepal. Clin Otolaryngol. 2018;43(1):31–8.
Mcdaniel NL, Novicoff W, Gunnell B, Gordon DC. Comparison of a Novel Handheld Telehealth Device with Stand-Alone Examination Tools in a Clinic Setting. TELEMEDICINE AND E-HEALTH. 2019;25(12):1225–30.
Olivieri PP, Verceles AC, Hurley JM, Zubrow MT, Jeudy J, Mccurdy MT. A Pilot Study of Ultrasonography-Naïve Operators' Ability to Use Tele-Ultrasonography to Assess the Heart and Lung. J Intensive Care Med. 2020;35(7):672–8.
Hidlay DT, Mctaggart RA, Baird G, et al. Accuracy of smartphone-based evaluation of Emergent Large Vessel Occlusion on CTA. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2018;171:135–8.
Mousa AY, Broce M, Monnett S, Davis E, Mckee B, Lucas BD. Results of telehealth electronic monitoring for post discharge complications and surgical site infections following arterial revascularization with groin incision. Ann Vasc Surg. 2019;57:160–9.
Van Netten JJ, Clark D, Lazzarini PA, Janda M, Reed LF. The validity and reliability of remote diabetic foot ulcer assessment using mobile phone images. Sci Rep. 2017;7.
Garcia DI, Howard HR, Cina RA, et al. Expert Outpatient Burn Care in the Home Through Mobile Health Technology. J Burn Care Res. 2018;39(5):680–4.
Segura-Sampedro JJ, Rivero-Belenchón I, Pino-Díaz V, et al. Feasibility and safety of surgical wound remote follow-up by smart phone in appendectomy: A pilot study. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2017;21:58–62.
Madi M, Kumar M, Pentapati KC, Vineetha R, Chhaparwal Y. Email and instant messaging applications as platforms for remote oral radiology consultation in maxillofacial fractures. ORAL SURGERY ORAL MEDICINE ORAL PATHOLOGY ORAL RADIOLOGY. 2021;131(2):241–6.
Houser J. Precision, reliability, and validity: essential elements of measurement in nursing research. J Spec Pediatr Nurs. 2008;13(4):297–9.
Toscano M, Marini TJ, Drennan K, et al. Testing telediagnostic obstetric ultrasound in Peru: a new horizon in expanding access to prenatal ultrasound. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021;21(1):328.
Dougherty A, Kasten M, Desarno M, et al. Validation of a Telemedicine Quality Assurance Method for Point-of-Care Obstetric Ultrasound Used in Low-Resource Settings. J Ultrasound Med. 2021;40(3):529–40.
Marini TJ, Oppenheimer DC, Baran TM, et al. Testing telediagnostic right upper quadrant abdominal ultrasound in Peru: A new horizon in expanding access to imaging in rural and underserved areas. PLoS ONE. 2021;16(8).
Marini TJ, Weiss SL, Gupta A, et al. Testing telediagnostic thyroid ultrasound in Peru: a new horizon in expanding access to imaging in rural and underserved areas. J Endocrinol Invest. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-021-01584-7.
Hripcsak G, Heitjan DF. Measuring agreement in medical informatics reliability studies. J Biomed Inform. 2002;35(2):99–110.
Kim T, Zuckerman JE. Realizing the potential of telemedicine in global health. J Glob Health. 2019;9(2).
Benziger CP, Huffman MD, Sweis RN, Stone NJ. The Telehealth Ten: A Guide for a Patient-Assisted Virtual Physical Examination. Am J Med. 2021;134(1):48–51.
Coustasse A, Sarkar R, Abodunde B, Metzger BJ, Slater CM. Use of Teledermatology to Improve Dermatological Access in Rural Areas. Telemed E-Health. 2019;25(11):1022–32.
Lee JJ, English JC 3rd. Teledermatology: A Review and Update. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2018;19(2):253–60.
Kroemer S, Frühauf J, Campbell TM, et al. Mobile teledermatology for skin tumour screening: diagnostic accuracy of clinical and dermoscopic image tele-evaluation using cellular phones. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164(5):973–9.
Nami N, Massone C, Rubegni P, Cevenini G, Fimiani M, Hofmann-Wellenhof R. Concordance and time estimation of store-and-forward mobile teledermatology compared to classical face-to-face consultation. Acta Derm Venereol. 2015;95(1):35–9.
Duong TA, Cordoliani F, Julliard C, et al. Emergency department diagnosis and management of skin diseases with real-time teledermatologic expertise. JAMA Dermatol. 2014;150(7):743–7.
Wurzer P, Parvizi D, Lumenta DB, et al. Smartphone applications in burns. Burns. 2015;41(5):977–89.
Hazenberg CE, Van Baal JG, Manning E, Bril A, Bus SA. The validity and reliability of diagnosing foot ulcers and pre-ulcerative lesions in diabetes using advanced digital photography. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2010;12(12):1011–7.
Ladyzynski P, Foltynski P, Molik M, et al. Area of the diabetic ulcers estimated applying a foot scanner-based home telecare system and three reference methods. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2011;13(11):1101–7.
Friedman DS, O’colmain BJ, Muñoz B, et al. Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004;122(4):564–72.
Boucher MC, Desroches G, Garcia-Salinas R, et al. Teleophthalmology screening for diabetic retinopathy through mobile imaging units within Canada. Can J Ophthalmol. 2008;43(6):658–68.
Mead A, Burnett S, Davey C. Diabetic retinal screening in the UK. J R Soc Med. 2001;94(3):127–9.
Kong L, Fry M, Al-Samarraie M, Gilbert C, Steinkuller PG. An update on progress and the changing epidemiology of causes of childhood blindness worldwide. J aapos. 2012;16(6):501–7.
Mcconnochie KM, Tan J, Wood NE, et al. Acute illness utilization patterns before and after telemedicine in childcare for inner-city children: a cohort study. Telemed J E Health. 2007;13(4):381–90.
Martínez-Ramos C, Cerdán MT, López RS. Mobile phone-based telemedicine system for the home follow-up of patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Telemed J E Health. 2009;15(6):531–7.
Britton N, Miller MA, Safadi S, Siegel A, Levine AR, Mccurdy MT. Tele-Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings: A Systematic Review. Front Public Health. 2019;7:244.
Skandarajah A, Sunny SP, Gurpur P, et al. Mobile microscopy as a screening tool for oral cancer in India: A pilot study. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(11).
Crisp N, Chen L. Global supply of health professionals. N Engl J Med. 2014;370(10):950–7.
Akalin C, et al. The Results of Abdominopelvic Computed Tomography Interpreted via Remote Access for the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis. Cureus. 2020;12(8).
Funding
The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation.of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Karla C. Maita, Luiza Palmieri-Serrano and Francisco R. Avila. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Karla C. Maita and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Maita, K.C., Palmieri-Serrano, L., Avila, F.R. et al. Imaging evaluated remotely through telemedicine as a reliable alternative for accurate diagnosis: a systematic review. Health Technol. 13, 347–364 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12553-023-00745-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12553-023-00745-3