Mobile Diagnosis provides an easy way for health workers worldwide to obtain accurate diagnoses using existing mobile phone platforms and microscopy. By taking pictures through a microscope with a mobile phone and sending them via MMS, health workers in remote areas can receive diagnoses for difficult cases from experts elsewhere. The method has been used successfully in projects in countries like Uganda, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Madagascar to improve access to healthcare in rural communities. It allows for education, monitoring of disease spread, and decreased costs compared to other technologies.

1. Mobile Diagnosis
Connecting healthworkers worldwide for better diagnosis

2. Everywhere in the world,
it takes only one MMS to receive an accurate diagnosis
Overview
Limited training and geographi- Mobile Diagnosis provide an
cal isolation of laboratory tech- easy way to get accurate dia-
nicians (and health workers in gnosis using only existing and
general) in remote, underserved widespread platforms (MMS)
areas severely affects quality of and low cost devices (mobile
diagnosis, hence of control and phone). Furthermore this system
therapy of many diseases. In can be used by everyone even
- without a medical instructions.
mation relies on slow, unafforda-
ble, unpractical or inappropriate
technologies.
2

3. The Idea
Place the lens of your integra-
ted mobile-phone camera on the
ocular of the microscope and
take the picture. Then, send it via
MMS for a consult.
MobileDiagnosis was founded sole purpose to protect the idea
by Livia Bellina, an italian patho- from commercialization and con-
logist who worked for the NHS in sent its free use and dissemina-
Lampedusa island. In April 2008, tion (EPO application number
she found herself in the urgent 09005054.3 2002 - 2008 April)
but only in 2009 MobileDiagno-
malaria from a blood sample of sis aquired real life and a global
an African immigrant. With no relevance.
other means at hand, she took The meeting with Eduardo
Missoni has been determinant;
using the camera incorporated Eduardo in fact understood im-
in mobile-phone, without addi- mediately the relevance of the
tional devices, and sent it via method, and the two scientists
MMS for tele-diagnostic purpo- together, just after two months
ses to a reference center. The after their meeting published the
method on a open source scien-
for patent in April 2008, with the
3

4. How it works
Peripheral healthcenter sends a
“critical” diagnostic image taken
with cell phone by MMS
Main refernce center/laborato-
ry receives the image and im-
MMS with image.
mediately sends an alert SMS
to on call doctor to consult.
The images are also stored in a
web platform, to be visualized
Local refernce doctor make
from national and international
supporting diagnosis and sen-
consultant and also are used to
ds answer by SMS.
create a diagnostic database.
Diagnosis returns to peripheral
laboratory by SMS.
4

5. A diagnostic help, consulen-
Improve needy people ce, second opinion is the main
and rural communties health. way to give a correct diagno-
sis.
In the same way, students can
Decrease of mortality
easily examinate specimen,
and discuss about diagnosis
simply taking a picture of the
-
Chance to follow deseases’
This method, affordable, easy
spreading and to give aimed help. and not related to internet net-
work, can easily reach all tar-
get in all settings, health posts,
Higher accessibility health centers, etc.
of m-phone over internet. Rural community students can
learn the method easily and
don’t need a long training.
Chance for local people
to help their communities.
Decrease
of medical costs.
Better
diseases prevention
5

6. Afghanistan Here are all the areas where
Mobile Diagnosis worked and
Bangladesh will work to improve healthca-
Uganda re in rural communities all
around the world.
Past Projects
Uganda (Gulu)
Bangladesh (Comilla)
Bangladesh (Dinajpur)
Afghanistan (Herat)
Bangladesh
Future Projects
Bangladesh
Madagascar
Madagascar
Past Projects
Future Projects
MD Projects

7. Past Projects
In Gulu,Uganda, September-No-
vember 2009,livia has been in
Lacor Hospital, after invitation of
Corti Foundation. Here she tau-
ght to students of second year
of school for labtechnicians and
she built the teaching room for
pratical laboratory and introdu-
ced the students to microscopy. Rural Village
time using the mobile as educa-
tive tool: all students learned ea-
sily and quickly MobileDiagnosis
Year 2009 was born.
Country Uganda
Cities Gulu
Saint Mary Hospital
Saint Mary Hospital
Children community
7

8. Past Projects
MobileDiagnosis partenered
with Nobel Professor Moham-
mad Yunus, and help in intro-
ducing the “mobilediagnosis”
method in rural communities in
Bangladesh.
In rural centers of Grameen
Kalyan in Bhuapur, Tangail
Students taking pictures
16 lab technicians learned
lowcost telepathology and
basic telemedicine using only
Year 2010 local minimal equipment and
Country Bangladesh available personal cellpho-
Cities Dhaka nes. In Comilla district, 6
medical doctors were trained
Bhuapur about logic clinic, differential
Comilla health center diagnosis, primary health
Comilla Health Center
care and transmission of ul-
trasound images with the
mobile-phone.
Later the diagnostic images
from peripheral health cen-
ters were sent to Dhaka
a distant diagnosis from a far
location. Students of community
8

9. Past Projects
In Dinajpur, MobileDiagnosis
worked with healthworkers and
student of Saint Vincent Mis-
sionary Hospital of PIME (Pope
Institute of Foreign Missio-
nary Organizations).
Diagnosis method has been tea-
Local People
25 years old) from the local rural
aborigenal community who had
no previous experience in me-
-
Year 2010 ce proved that the method can
Country Bangladesh be learned by anyone in a very
Cities Dinajpur short time regardless external
St.Vincent Hospital factores like scholarization or
age and that everyone can do Saint Vincent Hospital
something for thier community.
Graduated Students
9

10. Past Projects
MobileDiagnosis worked with
local lab technicians in a MAE
(Italian Cooperation Deve-
lopment) project in the Medi-
cal Laboratory of Childrness,
Governative Hospital of Herat.
Five lab technicians of Pedia-
tric Hospital has been introdu-
ced to microscopy and to the Herat Governative Hospital
use of mobile as educational
tool. They learned also to take
and transmit images taken
Year 2011 from microscope by mobile.
Country Afghanistan In Pediatric Hospital of Herat the
Cities Herat method proved its potential as
Governative Hospi- tool for bridging socio cultural
tal of Herat gap and permit Care and Edu-
cation to Afghanistan Woman, in Class with Dr. Bellina
a context, were women access
to a male dominated health sy-
stem is restrained ; two women
with no education or lab expe-
rience learned in a few minutes,
driven by the curiosity caused
by seeing Dr. Bellina working,
to take pictures from a micro-
scope with a mobile phone. Herat People
10

11. Future Projects
Mobile Diagnosis in partner-
ship with Smiling Rainbow
Foundation aims to improve life
and health condition of 34 ru-
ral communities in south-west
of Bangladesh. The project will
be developed in three phases:
Selection of 68 people,
two from every rural areas,
who will take the courses.
Building of “teaching room” as
Year 2012 teaching and working place.
Country Bangladesh
Cities 34 rural communi- Training in 10-12 people
classes who will recive for-
ties in south-west of mation in basic hygiene, ba-
Bangladesh
Local People
patologies which occur most
frequently in this territory.
Theacher and Students
11

12. Future Projects
The project will take place on
south west of Madagascar in
Tulear Region in partnership
with the Association “Amici di
Ampasilava” that built the Anda-
vadoaka Hospital with personal
expenses and great committ-
ment.
MobileDiagnosis will support the Local People
staff of Andavadoaka Hospital
and there will train selected pe-
ople from all villages from which
come patients.
Year 2012
Country Madagascar
Cities Tulear Region
Rural House
Local Child
12

13. One the greatest advantages
of Mobile Diagnosis is its ver-
satility, here are some exam-
ples.
Connecting
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sis alt
no
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wo
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Mobil
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or
be
te
t
rd
iag
nosis Oral Cavity
Tympanus
Ortopaedics
Dermatology
Radiology
Evidence Based
Microscopy
Applications

14. Applications
Oral cavity
Simply taking an image of the oral
cavity with your m-phone allows you
to analyze and diagnosticate several
1 2
1 Tongue lesions 2 Aphtous
Avitaminosis
3 Tongue lesions 4 Tongue congenital
Avitaminosis Hemangioma
3 4
14

15. Applications
Tympanus
Mobile Diagnosis method allows to
take pictures with the otoscope and
-
panus area allowing to detect and
treat various illness of the ear.
1 2
1 Tympanus 2 Tympanus
3 Tympanus 4 Tympanus
3 4
15

16. Applications
Orthopaedics - Lordosis
Taking an image of the patient and
sending it for a distant consult allows
healthworker to be sure of the tre-
1 2
1 Lordosis - front 2 Lordosis - rear
view view
3 Lordosis - right 4 Lordosis - front
view view
3 4
16

17. Applications
Dermatology
Taking an image of involved tissues
and sending it for a distant consult
allows healthworker to be sure of the
1 2
1 Allergic reaction 2 Fungine lesions
to drugs (Mala- and bacteric
rone) infection
3 fungine skin 4 Nevo
lesions
3 4
17

18. Applications
Radiological Examination
Taking an image of the x-ray scan
and sending it for a distant consult
allows healthworker to be sure of the
1 2
1 Cranium x-ray 2 Feet x-ray scan
scan
3 Ankle x-ray scan 4 Ankle x-ray scan
3 4
18

19. Applications
Ultrsound Scan
Taking an image of the ultrasound
scan and sending it for a distant
consult allows healthworkers to de-
tect malformation or disfuction of the
phoetus and to choose appropriate
treatment.
1 2
1 Phoetus Scan 2 Phoetus Scan
3 Ultrasound scan 4 Ultrasound scan
3 4
19

20. Applications
Evidence Based
Taking an image of the area invol-
ved and sending it for a distant con-
sult allows healthworkers to be sure
of the illness of the patient and of the
treatment needed.
1 2
1 Oedema in 2 Skin lesion pa-
Children with glo- rasyte microlar-
merulonephritis vae
3 skin fungine 4 Skin lesion pa-
lesions rasyte microlar-
vae
3 4
20

21. Applications
Microscopy
Microscopy
Hematology
Mycobacteria
Parasites
Trypanosomes
Malaria
Fluorescence
Histology
Urin Analysis
Pap Test
21

22. Applications
Hematology
Several deseases of the blood cells
can be detected taking a picture of
enlarging it.
1 2
1 Hematological 2 WBC maturative
alterations in phase
thalassemia
3 Immature RBC 4 Immature WBC
3 4
22

23. Applications
Mycobacteria
Mycobacteria like the responsible for
TB and leprosis can be detected in
a blood stained slide with the use of
a microscope.
1 2
1 Tuberculosis 2 Tuberculosis
3 Leprosis 4 Leprosis
3 4
23

24. Applications
Parasites
In the rural areas where drinkable
-
sites infections are one of the most
common diseases. MobileDiagnosis
helps to solve this problem.
1 2
1 Ascaris Lumbri- 2 Trichiuris
coides
3 Strongiloides 4 Fasciola Hepatica
Sterco Larvae
3 4
24

25. Applications
Trypanosomes
Trypanosomes’ infection is detecta-
ble in blood stained slide; enlarging
for healthworkers.
1 2
1 Trypanosome 2 Trypanosome
Brucei Brucei
3 Trypanosome 4 Trypanosome
Gambiense Crusi
3 4
25

26. Applications
Malaria
In the rural areas where malaria is
present MobileDiagnosis is an im-
-
sitivity even if done as negative by
simply enlarging the image.
1 2
1 Malaria Game- 2 Malaria infected
tocytes red cells
3 Malaria 4 Trohpozoites
3 4
26

27. Applications
Fluorescence
-
gnosis allows to take pictures of the
-
dition.
1 2
1 Fluorescence 2 Fluorescence
example. example.
3 Fluorescence 4 Fluorescence
example. example.
3 4
27

28. Applications
Histology
The study of tissues is easier if you
detect anomalies. MobileDiagnosis
allows also healthworkers who are
not sure of the diagnosis to ask for a
second opinion.
1 2
1 Histological exam. 2 Histological exam.
3 Kidney Glomerule 4 Prostatic Ipertro-
with sclerosis phy adenoma
3 4
28

29. Applications
Urin Analisys
There are several pathologies that
can be detected via urin analisys.
The analisys of the pictures can re-
veal even the less obvious patolo-
gies.
1 2
1 Uric Acid Cristals 2 Spermatozoas
3 Urinary tract 4 Calcium Oxalate
infection cristals
leukocytosis
3 4
29

30. Applications
Pap Test
MobileDiagnosis can help women
cancer diagnostics enabling easier
diagnosis even for the lesser skilled
hearthworkers.
1
1 Pap Test Urinary
epitelial cells
2 Pap Test
2
30

31. Mobile Diagnosis Creative Team
info@mobilediagnosis.net
mdcreativeteam@gmail.com
Giovanni Azzolina
Roberto Ingrassia
Domenico Scarpinato