Researchers at the University of Calgary have developed technology that will allow doctors to diagnose life saving treatment from the field using an iPhone.

MRI's and CAT scans are important diagnostic tools but doctors say sometime it takes too long before they can see them. That's where the iPhone comes in.

"The patient could come in and get scanned. While I am outside the hospital they can phone me on the iPhone and I could bring up that patient and start looking at their scans right now," says Dr. Ross Mitchell.

Being able to deliver a 3D image on the iPhone could mean life-saving treatment, for things like strokes, could be delivered sooner.

"The actual visual quality of this device is good enough that I believe you could actually diagnose a stroke on this device. So that means I could say start the treatment while I am on my way in instead of -wait for me to get in before you start treatment - and that 10 -20 minutes could be all the difference for the patient," says Dr. Mitchell.

The university is marketing the technology in partnership with Calgary Scientific Incorporated. They expect it to show up in the hands of Calgary doctors by the end of the year.