For his work on the cardiovascular activity of cannabinoids (chemical compounds derived from cannabis), Yehoshua Maor was one of the winners of this year’s…
Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death but may increase the risk of subsequent heart failure in patients who…
The new nanobeam at the IBC will be able to provide data about the radiation sensitivity of tumours. Some tumours are known to be normally radiation resistant,…
A new imaging method has revealed early signs of emphysema in smokers with no external symptoms of the disease, according to a study published in the June issue of Radiology. The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, details a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique that appears to be much more sensitive to lung changes than even the current modality of choice, computed tomography (CT).
“With this technology, we have shown that it is possible to measure the se
Developing superior screening options is paramount in the treatment of colon cancer, as it has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers when detected early. Scientists are continuing to refine the practice of colorectal screening, evaluating novel methods aimed at increasing patient comfort while improving outcomes and further decreasing the risk of developing the disease. Research presented today at Digestive Disease Week® 2006 (DDW) offers updates in colon screening sedation to improve pa
Modern-day doctors may soon start using smell to detect the early warning signs of different illnesses thanks to technology that replicates – and improves upon – the human olfactory system thanks to tiny bioelectronic sensors.
The new interdisciplinary technology approach, developed and tested by researchers in Spain, France and Italy with funding from the European Commission’s FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) initiative of the IST programme, will ultimately lead to el
A revolutionary breath analysis machine is going on trial in a clinical environment for the first time. The invention of Professor David Smith and Professor Patrik Spanel from Keele University’s Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, in Staffordshire, is a revolutionary technique known as SIFT-MS, which works by measuring trace gases or metabolites present in the breath.
It is so sensitive that it is capable of detecting a single molecule amid several billion molecules of air,
Finding and treating vulnerable plaque early could prevent heart attack and death
Virtual histology. Thermography. Palpography. Computed tomography. Today, during the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 29th Annual Scientific Sessions in Chicago, Dr. Gregg W. Stone will explore these and other promising imaging techniques in a featured Hildner Lecture entitled, “Prospects for the Invasive and Non-Invasive Identification of Vulnerable Plaque.”
In response to concerns from hospitals to prepare for eventual pandemic flu outbreaks, the French company AirInSpace, with support from ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme, has successfully adapted technology developed to protect astronauts for use in critical care centres to protect immune-deficient patients against airborne pathogens such as the avian flu virus.
Independent tests conducted at the Laboratory of Virology and Viral Pathogenesis in Lyon, France, by Professor Bruno Li
Orthopedic Surgeons at Rush Are Co-Developers of Implant That Focuses on Shape, Not Size
The first knee replacement shaped to fit a woman’s anatomy has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and will be distributed to orthopedic surgeons to use next week. Dr. Aaron G. Rosenberg and Dr. Richard A. Berger, orthopedic surgeons at Rush University Medical Center, were two of the 10 developer surgeons who sought to address shape-related differences of a wo
Innovations for society
Imaging techniques are increasingly at the forefront of progress in science and technology. The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is among the leaders in this development. Imaging techniques turn objects visually inside out, allowing ever greater precision– for instance in medical diagnosis. They also contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of certain diseases, like Alzheimer’s or osteoporosis. Further applications occur in materials resea
A new radiation protection technique can significantly reduce physician radiation exposure during coronary angiography, according to a researcher at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.
Using the new device, physicians monitor patients’ angiograms and control exam table movement from behind a lead plastic shield. A newly developed extension bar allows the physician to remain safely behind the shield and still retain table control for panning, acco
A promising new technique to ensure complete tumor removal at breast cancer excision is introduced in the May issue of Radiology.
Researchers used light waves in a newly explored region of the electromagnetic spectrum–the terahertz region–to examine excised breast tissue and determine if the removed tissue margins were clear of cancer, with good results. This technology has the potential to eliminate the need for multiple surgeries and tissue samples to get clear surgical margins.
A new technology for implants that may improve construction or repair of bones in the face, skull and jaw, has been developed by researchers from the American Dental Association Foundation (ADAF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Described in recent and upcoming journal articles,* the new technology provides a method for making scaffolds for bone tissue. The scaffold is seeded with a patient’s own cells and is formed with a cement paste made of mi
Fat may have finally met its match: laser light. Researchers at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) have shown, for the first time, that a laser can preferentially heat lipid-rich tissues, or fat, in the body without harming the overlying skin. Laser therapies based on the new research could treat a variety of health conditions, including se
Today a new hearing aid in the form of a pair of glasses was unveiled. These hearing-glasses are called ’Varibel’ and offer older people the chance to stay active longer – free from the aesthetically unpleasing and technologically limited traditional hearing aids. Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands originally developed the hearing-glasses. Varibel developed these glasses into a consumer product in partnership with Philips, Frame Holland, the design agencies MMID and Verhoe
Feedback
