The Food and Drug Administration agency (FDA) announced yesterday its approval to a new mobile application, Mobile MIM, which allows doctors to view medical images on their iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch.
Doctors will now be able to view images remotely from various equipments such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET scans) and make a diagnosis. Mobile MIM is the first to be cleared by the FDA for use with mobile devices.
Dr. William Maisel, chief scientist and deputy director for science in the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said: "This important mobile technology provides physicians with the ability to immediately view images and make diagnoses without having to be back at the workstation or wait for film."
The new technology was designed by MIM Software, Inc., a medical imaging software company that provides software for radiologists and oncologists. Mark Cain, Chief Technology Officer, MIM Software, Inc., said: "Establishing a diagnostic protocol for medical imaging is no simple matter for a device like the iPhone or iPad. It is critical to understand the characteristics of the device and to establish methods and tools that are safe and effective, while working within those constraints. There has been a gap in the market for a remote imaging device like this, and now it can be filled."
Mobile MIM will not replace workstations in doctor's offices, hospitals, or clinics but most probably will be used only when doctors don't have access to their workspace. Cain said they selected Apple because its mobile operating system has huge market penetration. He expects the new app to be available in the Apple App Store next week.
