Providence, RI – Gregory Jay, MD, PhD, an emergency medicine physician at Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, authored a study that published this month in PLOS ONE, in which doctors were able to successfully diagnose severe anemia simply using photos of patients’ inner eyelids uploaded to an iPhone app. Selim Suner, MD and James Rayner, MD, also emergency medicine physicians at Lifespan, were co-authors of the study.
Anemia, characterized by a low hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, is a prevalent condition worldwide. Dr. Jay's study focuses on the performance of a smartphone application (app) that captures images of the mucous membrane that lines the eyelids (called the palpebral conjunctiva) in RAW format. RAW format is the file type of an uncompressed image from a camera.
By relying on the computation of the tissue surface high hue ratio, the app estimates Hb concentration. The study involved obtaining images of bilateral conjunctivae from a convenience sample of 435 Emergency Department patients using a dedicated smartphone. The app was able to sufficiently detect severe anemia accurately and holds promise as a population-sourced screening platform or a non-invasive point-of-care anemia classifier.
The Complete Blood Count (CBC) has been the standard test for diagnosing anemia. But this method requires venipuncture, trained phlebotomists, laboratory technicians, chemical reagents, and dedicated lab equipment. In resource-rich hospitals, obtaining CBC results can take 1–4 hours. Consequently, anemia diagnosis is often limited to regions with adequate healthcare infrastructure. This poses a challenge as anemia is disproportionately prevalent in rural areas lacking these resources.
To address this unmet need, smartphone imaging of the inner eyelids has enabled non-invasive measurement of Hb. While previous studies have shown imprecise results using smartphone apps, the accessibility of smartphones to the general population outweighs this limitation. The ubiquity of cell phones presents a near-term opportunity for universal screening for anemia through telehealth apps.
By harnessing the power of smartphone cameras, healthcare professionals can diagnose anemia in real-time, particularly in underserved areas. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize anemia diagnosis and improve healthcare outcomes worldwide.
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