Emanuele Neri MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Lorenzo Faggioni MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Irene Bargellini MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Paola Scalise, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Francesca Calcagni, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Francesca Turini MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Elena Bozzi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Roberto Cioni MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Carlo Bartolozzi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the effectiveness of the iPad with Retina Display™ as a mobile device for 2D reading of CT angiography studies performed in patients with suspected acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

Twenty-five CT angiography (CTA) examinations of patients with suspected acute gastrointestinal bleeding confirmed by conventional angiography were retrospectively reviewed by two independent readers. One reader evaluated source axial images of all CTA datasets on a commercial workstation (Advantage Windows 4.5, General Electric, Milwaukee, WI) connected to our hospital PACS, whereas the other reader assessed the same images on an iPad with Retina Display™ 64GB (Apple Inc, Cupertino, CA). All images (including unenhanced and contrast-enhanced axial images and multiplanar reformatted series where available, but excluding Volume Rendering and Maximum Intensity Projection reconstructions) were wirelessly transferred on the iPad™ in JPEG lossless format using the Bonjour™ protocol. The time needed to complete reading of every CTA examination, detection of arterial blush, bleeding site and suspected feeding artery as assessed using the workstation and the iPad™ were recorded.

The time needed to complete 2D reading of every CTA study was significantly shorter using the iPad™ than the workstation (153±101 vs 202±87 seconds, respectively; p=0.0203). Agreement on arterial blush detection occurred in 21/25 cases (84%), whereas out of the remaining 4 cases, 2 were iPad™ false negatives and 2 iPad™ false positives. Agreement on bleeding site and suspected feeding artery was 89.5% and 73.7%, respectively.

The iPad with Retina Display™ is effective for 2D reading of CT angiography studies of patients with suspected acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

The iPad™ with Retina Display could be used by on-call interventional radiologists for immediate decision on percutaneous embolization in patients with suspected acute gastrointestinal bleeding.  

Neri, E, Faggioni, L, Bargellini, I, Scalise, P, Calcagni, F, Turini, F, Bozzi, E, Cioni, R, Bartolozzi, C, iPad with Retina Display™ for Primary 2D Visualization of CT Angiography Examinations of Patients with Suspected Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Performance Comparison with a Conventional Workstation.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13020840.html