A Low Cost Method of Digitizing Radiographs Using a Photo Light Box. (April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baldisserotto, Matteo; De Godoy, Giltom Fontoura; Barbieri, Denis
• Is Part Of: Journal of telemedicine and telecare. Volume 19:Number 3(2013)
• Page Start: 144
• Page End: 147
• Publication Date: 2013-04
• Subjects: Telecommunication in medicine -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1177/1357633X13483254
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1357-633X

Abstract

We evaluated a low cost device for digitizing X-ray films. It consisted of a locally-made wooden box and a readily-available digital camera. Two experienced paediatric radiologists interpreted the original X-ray films (the reference standard) and the corresponding images obtained in the photo light box. Ninety paediatric chest X-ray films were used (30 were normal chest radiographs, 30 showed pneumonic-consolidation and 30 had interstitial infiltrates). The presence or absence of the three signs most frequently found in acute respiratory pathologies were evaluated: normal pulmonary transparency, pneumonic consolidation and interstitial infiltration. There was very good agreement between the X-ray films and the digitized images, with kappa values from 0.86 to 0.98. There was good agreement between the two observers, with kappa values from 0.67 to 0.90. The low-cost photo light box represents an accessible and low-cost approach to transmitting X-ray images, allowing findings or a second opinion from a specialist radiologist to be obtained from a distance.