Health care and fitness applications for sophisticated mobile devices like Apple's popular iPhone and the recently released iPad are booming, and the nation's medical fraternity are getting with the program.

Jikei University Hospital has launched an iPhone application designed to assist diagnosing stroke symptoms in patients and is partnering with Fujifilm Corp. to develop a system for other hospitals to use the application.

Dr. Hiroyuki Takao, a member of the hospital's neurosurgery department, developed the application, which examines CT images of brain from various 3-D angles.

The software enables the hospital to quickly decide whether surgery is necessary. Looking at CT images of brain aneurysm patients on their iPhones, for example, doctors not at the hospital--perhaps at home, or remotely based--can give their opinions based on images of the aneurysm's shape.

Another member of the neurosurgery department, Prof. Yuichi Mura-yama, said: "As there's a shortage of doctors, [the software] will help us treat patients more efficiently. It's beneficial for doctors and patients."

Jikei's application is not the only iPhone software enabling doctors to connect with hospitals to see images of examined patients.

One fee-paying application available allows for the quick transmission and examination of data relating to patients' electrocardiograms, pulse and body temperatures. Other applications include a guidebook to providing treatment in emergency situations and one for properly dispensing medicine.

A 3-D image of brain blood vessels sent to an iPhone from a Jikei University Hospital computer. Photo: The Yomiuri Shimbun/ANN

Other doctors, such as staff from Sakura-Shinmachi Urban Clinic, in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, use their iPhones when making house calls.

Six doctors and nurses, including hospital director Junichiro Toya, are taking advantage of the technology.

During house calls, they remotely access the clinic's medical records database and send photos of their patients back for inclusion with clinic files.

Letters of referral for patients needing emergency treatment can also be sent to hospitals that have agreed to accept them.

During patient consultations, doctors also use the larger display iPads to assist them with explanations.

It is not clear how many medical facilities across the nation have already introduced these devices.

Prof. Hiroshi Mizushima, a medical informatics expert at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, said: "Surprisingly, compared with other professionals, medical practitioners lag in their use of IT tools. Having said that, we can now use these tools in various situations, such as having patients use a touchscreen panel [device] to answer questions about their health during consultations, and using moving images to explain illnesses to patients."

-The Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News Network