Digital photography
- 1Centre for Aviation, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE), St James’s School, London, UK
- 2The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Correspondence to: J S Windsor Centre for Aviation, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE), Flat 2 St James’s School, George’s Road, London N7 8HD, UK; jswindsor{at}doctors.org.uk
- Received 6 January 2006
- Accepted 11 April 2006
Abstract
Objective: The emergence of a new generation of “point-and-shoot” digital cameras offers doctors a compact, portable and user-friendly solution to the recording of highly detailed digital photographs and video images. This work highlights the use of such technology, and provides information for those who wish to record, store and display their own medical images.
Methods: Over a 3-month period, a digital camera was carried by a doctor in a busy, adult emergency department and used to record a range of clinical images that were subsequently transferred to a computer database.
Results: In total, 493 digital images were recorded, of which 428 were photographs and 65 were video clips. These were successfully used for teaching purposes, publications and patient records.
Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of informed consent, the selection of a suitable package of digital technology and the role of basic photographic technique in developing a successful digital database in a busy clinical environment.
Footnotes
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Competing interests: None.
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JSW completed the data collection and writing of the manuscript. GWR, PMM and SM reviewed and edited the manuscript and facilitated data collection and the completion of the project.
