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Non - Invasive, smartphone image-based screening for sickle cell disease at the point-of-need
Eudorah F Vital1, Meredith Haak LiCalzi1, Robert G Mannino2
1Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 30332, US.
Heliyon
|February 3, 2025
Summary
A new smartphone app screens for sickle cell disease (SCD) using fingernail images and symptoms. It offers accurate, non-invasive screening, especially for children in resource-limited areas.
Area of Science:
- Digital health
- Mobile health applications
- Point-of-care diagnostics
Background:
- Sickle cell disease (SCD) screening is crucial, especially in resource-limited settings.
- Smartphone accessibility is increasing in healthcare.
- Existing screening methods can be invasive or require specialized facilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a smartphone application for non-invasive SCD screening.
- To provide instant, point-of-need SCD risk assessment.
- To improve early detection of SCD, particularly in underserved populations.
Main Methods:
- Developed a smartphone app analyzing fingernail images for anemia and patient-reported symptoms.
- Calculated a Sickle Cell Image and Patient profile-based Likelihood Estimation (SIMPLE) score.
- Validated the app on 485 pediatric patients at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
Main Results:
- The app achieved 74% sensitivity and 76% specificity for SCD screening in children aged 6 months to 21 years.
- In the target demographic (6 months to 5 years), sensitivity was 100% and specificity was 75%.
- The SIMPLE score effectively estimates disease probability based on anemia and symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The smartphone app offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for SCD screening.
- It efficiently identifies and stratifies individuals for further formal screening.
- The app shows particular promise for early detection in young children and those who missed initial screening opportunities.
