In Germany, the iPad cannot yet be used for image interpretation due to regulatory conditions. Because tablet computers with high-resolution displays largely meet the requirements for the nation's current quality assurance guidelines, researchers from Hannover Medical School wanted to assess the potential of the latest iPad model for emergency diagnosis by comparing its performance with a dedicated 3D PACS workstation.
Three radiologists were asked to read 40 cerebral CT scans (to detect early signs of cerebral infarction) and 40 CT pulmonary angiography studies (to detect subtle pulmonary embolism) using both the iPad and a 3D PACS workstation. No difference in interobserver variability was found between the two systems, said senior author Dr. Susanne Tewes.
