Apple hypes iPhone radiology application

OK radiologists, listen up. And watch your iPhone screen, too, because it may soon be filled with an image you’ll need to interpret. At least that’s the message from Apple, whose latest television ad includes the phrase, “If you want to read an MRI, there is an app for that.”

The application is called OsiriX. It is open-source Macintosh-compatible software for medical imaging data display and manipulation.

An Apple official said OsiriX for iPhone caters to neurosurgeons, cardiologists, and ER physicians as well as radiologists. Even consumers can use an iPhone for fast access to their personal imaging records. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy implications have not been fully explored, however.

The only way for us to know if radiologists are buying the concept is to ask you directly. Do you use OsiriX, or some other clinical imaging viewing application, on your iPhone or other smart phone? Share your experience with us by sending an e-mail message to james.brice@cmpmedica.com