Smartphone ultrasound to find and treat dangerous injuries in Cameroon
Official title: Smartphone ultrasonography to improve diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening injuries for trauma patients in Cameroon
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11360490 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project teaches Cameroonian trauma clinicians to use smartphone-connected ultrasound so they can find and treat life-threatening bleeding and other injuries faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $171,220 |
| NIH project number | 4R33TW012609-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360490 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Trauma patients presenting to participating hospitals in Cameroon, especially those with suspected internal bleeding or signs of shock, would be ideal candidates to benefit from this program.
✕Less likely to help
People treated at facilities not participating in the program, patients with only minor injuries that do not require imaging, or conditions not visible on ultrasound may not receive direct benefit.
What this research studies
If I were injured and taken to a participating hospital in Cameroon, local clinicians trained by this project would use a smartphone-connected ultrasound device at the bedside to look for internal bleeding and other serious injuries. Trainers will deliver a focused curriculum, measure short- and medium-term skill and knowledge gains, and adapt the teaching to local needs. The program will be rolled out in clinical settings to see whether more trauma patients receive diagnostic imaging and timelier treatment. The long-term aim is to lower preventable deaths from injuries by expanding access to diagnostic imaging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to quicker detection of internal bleeding and other injuries and reduce preventable trauma deaths in Cameroon.
How similar studies have gone: Handheld and provider-performed ultrasound programs have improved diagnosis in low-resource settings, though smartphone-specific implementations in Cameroon are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Christie, Sabrinah Ariane — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Christie, Sabrinah Ariane
Related research
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Smartphone ultrasound to speed trauma diagnosis in Cameroon
A low-cost smartphone ultrasound program is being tested to help frontline trauma teams in Cameroon quickly find life-threatening injuries.
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Smartphone ultrasound to speed diagnosis and care for trauma patients in Cameroon
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.