June 1, 2016 (Vol. 36, No. 11)
Rating:
Strong Points: Nice organization, good isotopes reference
Weak Points: Videos require Internet connection
Platform:
iPad/iPhone/Android
Cost:
Free
Summary:
Exposure to significant amounts of radioactivity can of course result in serious health problems and usually warrants urgent medical care. The Mobile REMM (Radiation Emergency Medical Management) app by the National Library of Medicine provides physicians a convenient, portable reference for the diagnosis and treatment of emergency radiation injuries. The app is nicely organized into a number of tabs on the home screen that include different triage flowcharts, management algorithms, a dose estimator tool, and emergency contacts. In addition, the app provides links to a number of informative videos—including a tutorial for the app—although the videos are on YouTube and therefore an Internet connection is required. The “isotopes of interest” section of the app provides a useful reference not just for physicians but also for chemists and other scientists working with radioactive isotopes, as it lists the decay mode, half-life, exposure pathways and treatments for a number of isotopes.
