Media & Book Reviews: App review: Neuro Toolkit

At the start of my neurology residency, I strove for organization and efficiency in my evaluation of patients in the emergency ward. Unfortunately, I often found myself frantically searching through a disorganized stash of sheets and handouts for protocols on treating status epilepticus, calculating a stroke scale, or testing visual acuity. I yearned for an efficient method to rapidly access neurologic reference information. The Neuro Toolkit app for the iPhone and iPad provides such a solution at a competitive price for residents and fellows ($2.99). Unlike bulkier applications that take several seconds to load and update, Neuro Toolkit launches instantaneously to an opening screen with 8 self-explanatory icons that neatly organize a set of medical calculators (e.g., corrected phenytoin levels, ABCD2 TIA scale), clinical scoring scales (e.g., Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Expanded Disability Status Scale), and other reference information (e.g., McDonald criteria, American Academy of Neurology brain death criteria, antiepileptic drug dosing). My personal favorites are the Snellen Eye Chart and NIH Stroke Scale, the latter of which allows quick access to the standardized images and phrases to screen for dysarthria, aphasia, or visual neglect. The creator of Neuro Toolkit, Kent Ellington, regularly updates the application based on user feedback. The current version could be improved by adding a dermatome map, Ishihara plates, and the spinal and nerve innervations of common muscle groups. I recommend Neuro Toolkit to all neurology practitioners as an up-to-date, simple, and straightforward app that will assist in the evaluation of patients in a wide range of settings, from the emergency room to the outpatient clinic.

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