WhatsApp in : design and evaluation of an tool to share dynamic images in hemodynamics.

Background: WhatsApp, like many other messaging Apps, enables messages, documents, and multimedia elements to be exchanged through a chat-based tool. Among the many potentialities of WhatsApp are: (I) the possibility to create groups (WhatsApp Groups) and (II) the possibility to install the app on a personal computer using the WhatsApp Web application.

Methods: The two functionalities (I, II) were used to set-up an environment for teleconsultation in telecardiology which will support the exchange of the dynamic images in hemodynamics. A proper client/server architecture was proposed to supply the environment. The files related to the dynamic study were preliminarily converted [using picture archiving and communication system (PACS) functions] into an audio-video interleave (AVI) format, which is compatible with mobile technology.

Results: The environment was configured. Five dynamic images were extracted from the PACS in the format AVI. The images were exchanged using WhatsApp Web on the server side and WhatsApp on the client side (smartphones). An acceptance analysis of five observers showed high satisfaction with the methodology.

Conclusions: From a global perspective, our contribution aligns with those of scholars in the field concerning the use of WhatsApp in medical imaging. Furthermore, this study suggests that research in the telecardiology field can be strengthened through the use of dynamic images and WhatsApp.