How smartphones can be used to detect anemia

Anemia is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues. Having anemia can make you feel tired and weak. There are many forms of anemia, each with its cause. Anemia can be temporary or long-term, and it can range from mild to severe.

Depending on the causes of your anemia, you might have no symptoms. Signs and symptoms, if they do occur, might include:

·         Fatigue

·         Weakness and pale skin

·         Irregular heartbeats

·         Shortness of breath

·         Dizziness or lightheadedness

·         Cold hands and feet

At first, anemia can be so mild that you don't notice it. But symptoms worsen as anemia worsens.

• Researchers have reached an algorithm that predicts anemia with an accuracy higher than 70%.
• Images taken of the inner eyelid with smartphones make it possible to estimate blood hemoglobin concentration.

The researchers selected the inner lower eyelid, called the ‘palpebral conjunctiva’ because it has the following unique features:

• It is more approachable for photography.

·         The distance between the surface and blood vessels is very small.

• Temperature and other environmental factors do not significantly affect blood flow to this area.

By zooming in on a small region in each photo, the researchers were able to evolve an algorithm that maximizes color resolution and a predictive model comparing the skin and whites of the eyes to hemoglobin levels.

The findings showed that the model was 72.6% accurate in predicting anemia. Its accuracy in predicting severe anemia that would necessitate a blood transfusion was higher, at between 86% and 94.4%.

Dr. Girish Nadkarni, commented, “Using a smartphone to screen for anemia is beneficial due to the decentralized nature of the screening — avoiding the need to draw blood — and the time and effort savings this entails.”

Resource