Clues in the CSF: Researchers have developed the first high-precision method that can theoretically diagnose common brain tumors in children and adolescents without surgery.
A new type of 3D imaging reveals how amyloid β (Aβ) deposits spread along blood vessels in the human brain. This could lead to targeted therapies for Alzheimer's disease and CAA.
Even after a blood clot is removed from a large brain artery via thrombectomy, administering the thrombolytic drug alteplase to the area may improve stroke recovery, a new trial from Spain shows.
Promising new research points to a new immunotherapy approach that could help preserve viable neurons in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Scientists have shown that a type of laser similar to the one currently used in routine eye surgery could one day help surgeons remove unwanted tissues, such as tumours, with unprecedented accuracy.
Non-invasive, millimetre-scale diffusion MRI (dMRI) can be used to detect morphological changes in axons – a common hallmark of a wide range of neurological disorders, new research shows.
Scientists from Northwestern University have developed an injectable regenerative nanomaterial that helps protect the brain during the vulnerable window after a stroke.
A new University of Toronto-led study has discovered a possible biomarker linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression that could help identify patients most likely to benefit from new drugs.
Cardiovascular disease and depression do not co-occur by chance; the TO_AITION project aims to enable earlier diagnosis of comorbidity, better risk prediction and personalised treatment strategies.
To soften up tumors prior to cancer chemotherapy, a team of researchers paired high-frequency ultrasound waves with a type of sound-responsive particle to reduce the protein content of the tumors.
A novel AI-based method can distinguish between progressive brain tumours and radiotherapy-induced necrosis on advanced MRI. This could help clinicians more accurately identify and treat the issues.
New insights into the intestinal nervous system – or "gut brain" – open new avenues for advancing therapies for allergies, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and irritable bowel syndrome.
Delivering a pathology service in resource-constrained locations and developing countries remains a challenge. Cost is a significant barrier, as is the availability of equipment, trained staff and technical and IT support can also hinder a desire from clinicians and pathologists to give their patients a high level of service to help their diagnosis and recovery. The subject was tackled in a…
A major new initiative aims to enable the development of advanced, specific and highly reproducible human in vitro models for greater understanding of disease and the acceleration of new medicines.
New hope for patients with neurological diseases: A combination of focused ultrasound and gene therapy enables targeted, nonsurgical control of seizure-relevant brain regions.
Researchers developed an AI-assisted brain atlas for visualization at microscopic detail using MRI scans. The tool could transform early detection of Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.
With Taipei City Government's support, six Taipei companies will showcase innovative biotech and medical device solutions at MEDICA 2025 (Nov 17–20, Düsseldorf), advancing healthcare with speed and precision.
During menopause, many women experience forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and mental fatigue. A new review explores the link between brain changes during menopause and these symptoms.
HIV manages to persist in the body for decades after infection and treatment. Now, researchers discovered that the virus cloaks itself in the DNA of infected cells using unique DNA patterns.
Scientists have developed a new method to track the build-up of amyloid plaques – a key characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease – in real time – an important step forward towards new treatments.
At the EANS neurosurgery congress in Vienna, Italian medical imaging company Esaote presented I-Genius, a new open MRI system designed to provide real time checks during glioma surgery.
International research led by Leipzig and Ulm universities creates first standardized leptin reference values for all ages and weight classes, advancing personalized medicine
To tackle the shortage of donor organs, researchers have developed a 3D printer that doesn’t just print implantable tissues, it also sees and even co-designs parts of organs.
A biodegradable, electroconductive self-healing hydrogel combined with acupuncture could help restore motor function and protect brain neurons in Parkinson’s disease models.
Gadolinium-based contrast agents enhance visibility but also pose a significant health risk. A new AI-powered virtual MRI imaging technique is designed to offer a safer diagnostic approach.
Denoising of diffusion-weighted MRI data creates sharper images – but does it actually lead to better diagnostic results? Researchers explored the impact of noise removal on detecting abnormalities.
New research finds that neurosurgery students receiving AI-augmented, personalized feedback from a human instructor have better surgical performance, risk management and skill transfer.
After an infection with the coronavirus Sars-CoV-2, the virus is able to persist at low levels in the brainstem, new research finds. This helps explain some of the enduring neurological symptoms.
Melanoma testing could one day be done at home with a skin patch and test strip with two lines, similar to Covid-19 home tests, according to University of Michigan researchers.
In a new joint research center, scientists from Germany and South Korea aim to develop new technologies at the interface of nanoscience, synthetic cell biology, and neuroscience.
A new method to monitor blood flow in the brain helps neurosurgeons detect the risk of a stroke during surgery – and potentially prevent it. This could also be useful for other types of operations.
A new AI-based tool measures cancer aggressiveness by analyzing the ‘stemness’ of tumors – their similarity to pluripotent stem cells. This could pave the way for new therapies.
Using 48 cameras simultaneously to provide better insights during live surgery: A new kind of surgical microscope is designed to meet the need for better 3D imaging.
In an unconventional, but promising approach to treat neurological conditions like Parkinson, researchers use nanoscale magnetic pull to rebuild lost conncections between brain cells.
Using a keyhole surgery approach, surgeons have found a new way to access previously difficult-to-reach brain regions with faster recovery times. With the help of 3D modelling technology, the neurosurgeons succeeded in removing complex tumours from the cavernous sinus through the eye socket, avoiding complex brain surgery and enabling their patients to make a quicker recovery.
Childhood cancer diagnosis times span from immediate to delays of several years, according to a new study. Young bone tumor patients are among the most affected by these delays.
Researchers evaluated the clinical value of using ChatGPT to interpret seizure semiology in order to predict which brain areas to remove to achieve seizure freedom in epilepsy patients.
Researchers used state-of-the-art 3D bioprinting to replicate the complex structure and environment of spinal discs. Their insights hold promise for understanding back pain and disc degeneration.
Using AI to analyse ultrasound scans can detect up to 35% more risk pregnancies than scans performed by healthcare professionals without AI decision support, according to new results.
A new biomarker for multiple sclerosis: the inflammatory cell rim from microglial cells surrounding brain lesions was found to directly correlate with the severity and speed of disease progression.
Bringing diagnostics and therapy closer together - that is the basic concept behind theranostics. Through further development of its PET/MR scanners, Siemens Healthineers aims to advance this approach. Andreas Schneck, Head of the MRI Division at Siemens Healthineers, talks about the new system, which was also presented at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna, and its advantages in…
A new AI tool can extract key information from brain MRI scans of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This could be used to improve disease and treatment response monitoring.
Using ‘parallel transmit’ technique, researchers have found a new way to detect lesions in the brain of patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy in an MRI scan, without imaging signal dropouts.
Giving separated blood plasma improves outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) or shock, whereas unseparated or “whole” blood may be best for patients with traumatic bleeding.
Researchers developed a new scanning method that combines light and ultrasound to non-invasively monitor cerebrovascular changes in the early stages of an ischemic stroke in real time.
Researchers developed an AI-based system which has has a broad ability to identify even subtle differences between medical images taken at different times, and to predict related outcome measures.
Using a prototype field cycling imager (FCI) scanner to examine breast cancer tissue, scientists distinguish tumour material from healthy tissue with more accuracy than current MRI methods.
By detecting nerve connections in the injured spinal cord, a newly developed radiotracer could help diagnose injuries more precisely, monitor recovery, and evaluate therapy effectiveness.
A new AI-enhanced technique makes breast cancer tissue “glow” on MRI scans. This not only improves breast cancer detection but also can help treat it more effectively, the researchers say.
Using a new technology and computational method, researchers have uncovered a biomarker capable of accurately predicting the aggressiveness of meningioma brain tumors and breast cancers.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases dementia risk, but the reasons are poorly understood. Now, a study explores the role of the brain's blood vessels as drivers of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers explore the connection between the gut and the brain and its impact on the onset of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s.
A new blood test that detects a specific brain protein may help doctors determine the type of a stroke faster and allow them to start safe treatment for people before they get to the hospital.
Two new radiotracers outperform the current FDA-approved tracer for detecting Alzheimer's disease, showing higher binding to affected tissue and greater selectivity for identifying tau tangles.
Helping the brain repair itself after a stroke: A new study based on unique tissue samples from Denmark's Brain Bank may pave the way for new treatments that support brain regeneration.
Researchers are developing a new in vitro model for stroke. If successful, this could significantly reduce reliance on animal models in stroke research by up to 1,000 animals each year across the UK.
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model to detect the spread of metastatic brain cancer using MRI scans, offering insights into patients’ cancer without aggressive surgery.
More than just a sports injury: A new study shows that head trauma may activate latent viruses, leading to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
In a new study, researchers have shown, for the first time, that a particular form of MRI, called diffusion tensor imaging, is capable of robustly detecting pre-malignant lesions in the pancreas.
Precise segmentation of anatomical structures greatly benefits cancer diagnosis. Using AI and deep learning methods, researchers are developing a high-precision 3D viewer software for medical image data.
US researchers have developed a comprehensive deep learning AI model designed to more accurately identify and classify cells in high-content tissue images.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects children differently than adults, a new study shows. The researchers found that paediatric patients are more prone to damage of the smallest brain vessels.
After a Covid-19 infection, patients may suffer from a variety of symptoms, including difficulty concentrating (“brain fog”). New research now linked the condition to impaired lung function.
A research team has found wearable organic x-ray sensors could be the answer towards safer radiotherapy protocols for cancer patients, reducing the debilitating side-effects of the treatment.
A new approach to fight glioblastoma: Swiss researchers have now developed an immunotherapy that not only attacks the brain tumor—it also turns its microenvironment against it.
In many cases, metastatic breast cancer is still incurable. To improve the odds, researchers have now analyzed the diversity of metastatic cells and their interactions with their cellular environment.
Misfolded proteins lead to Alzheimer's disease – but where do they come from? Using a particularly powerful imaging technique, Swiss researchers now uncovered a key mechanism.
Alzheimer’s disease may damage the brain in two distinct phases, based on new research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) using sophisticated brain mapping tools.
Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) have developed CAR-T cells capable of targeting malignant gliomas while preserving healthy tissue.
A new type of magnetically controlled prosthetic hand allows amputees to reproduce all movements simply by thinking and to control the force applied when grasping fragile objects.
Researchers have identified fibrotic scarring as a key source of resurgence of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The new insights could lead to better prevention of this type of brain cancer.
Researchers discovered a gene that might be a key factor in the progression of Huntington’s disease in organoids. The gene may contribute to brain abnormalities much earlier than previously thought.
Just a concussion? Head injury can lead to persistent symptoms, yet CT scans often fail to identify these cases. Researchers explore the potential of diffusion tensor imaging for better diagnostics.
A crucial component in joints, cartilage is notoriously difficult to repair. Now, US researchers have developed a promising bioactive material to regenerate cartilage in knee joints.
Researchers discovered islands of highly potent immune cells in the vicinity of glioblastomas. This may open up prospects for new therapies for these aggressive brain tumours.
US researchers applied an injectable new therapy, which harnesses fast-moving “dancing molecules,” to repair damaged human cartilage cells within just 4 hours.
Handheld point-of-care diagnostics, magnetic endoscopy, AI-enhanced robotic surgery, smart patient information management, wireless minimally invasive surgery systems, and much more: At the Medical Taiwan Health & Care Expo in Taipei this summer, visitors had the opportunity to see innovative medical products and solutions across a wide range of specialties. We took a closer look at selected…
Neurosurgeons have developed a minimally invasive surgical technique to remove lesions in the petrous apex. The method provides a new approach to these notoriously diffcult-to-remove tumors.
A whole-body MRI scanner with a compact 0.05 Tesla permanent magnet has been developed that operates on a standard wall power outlet without radiofrequency or magnetic shielding cages.
A new smartphone face-screening tool could help paramedics to identify stroke in seconds – much sooner and more accurately than is possible with current technologies.
Researchers demonstrated how the growth of malignant brain tumours can be greatly decreased by using iontronic technology to continuously administer low doses of cancer drugs.
Researchers have developed a technology for targeted stimulation of the brain with ultrasound. This could be used to treat diseases and conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, depression, addiction, and even the aftereffects of stroke.
Artificial cells to combat cancer: Research groups are working to create synthetic micro-organisms capable of detecting the presence of the disease and delivering anti-cancer therapies.
A new sensor prototype can detect errors in MRI scans in a way that is impossible for current electrical sensors – and hopefully pave the way for MRI scans that are better, cheaper and faster.
In Lithuania, United Imaging Healthcare has installed its innovative uMR 670 MRI system at the Antėja Clinic in Klaipėda, a port city situated on the northern coast of the Baltic Sea.
Diamond dust could be used in MR imaging, a surprising find shows. The nanometer-sized particles could serve as an alternative to the controversial contrast agent gadolinium.
Findings from the largest UK study of patients hospitalised with Sars-CoV-2 infection show that long Covid leads to ongoing inflammation which can be detected in the blood.
Could a chatbot-like AI tool locate brain damage after a stroke? In a new study, large language model GPT-4 processed text from health histories and neurologic examinations to locate brain lesions.
A new bioelectronic sensor enables continuous monitoring of bladder function. This could be a game-changer for people with paralysis, spina bifida, bladder cancer or end-stage bladder disease.
Researchers have developed the 'iKnife', a smart scalpel that is able to recognise healthy tissue from brain tumour in seconds as it cuts, with more than 98% accuracy.
How does a coronavirus infection cause neurological symptoms such as headaches, memory problems, and fatigue? A new study points to a different reason than previously assumed.
The loss of myelin sheaths in the brain is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis. Swiss researchers have now developed an MRI method that maps the condition of this nerve insulation layer more accurately.
Targeting a specific protein, Finnish researchers may have found a way to restore drug-resistant neuroendocrine prostate cancer to a state that responds to treatment.
Breast surgery is a traumatic experience for a woman, no matter whether breast-conservation surgery (BCS) or a mastectomy. Trauma levels are greatly enhanced, if pathological evaluation findings of an excised breast tumour following a lumpectomy suggest that additional cancer may still be in the margins, and a second surgical procedure is required. A new system with the ability to accurately…
A simple blood test could help diagnose patients with glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer, sparing them from undergoing invasive and highly-risky surgery, report UK researchers.
Three disease subtypes, based on causes rather than symptoms: A new classification model for Parkinson's disease aims to pave the way for better diagnostics and therapies.
Using diffusion MRI technology, researchers in Sweden have found differences in brain tissue structure between patients with persisting symptoms after Covid-19 and healthy people.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham have designed and developed a novel diagnostic device to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) by shining a safe laser into the eye.
A paper published in Trends in Cancer explains the advantages of RENACER, the world’s first repository of brain metastases live samples, created by researchers at CNIO.
Machine learning and AI are playing an increasingly important role in medicine and healthcare, and not just since ChatGPT. This is especially true in data-intensive specialties such as radiology, pathology or intensive care. The quality of diagnostics and decision-making via AI, however, does not only depend on a sophisticated algorithm but – crucially – on the quality of the training data.
Advances in positron computed tomography (PET) could lead to a more refined approach to the precise removal of brain tumors is on the horizon, experts from Poland point out.
A team of researchers has developed a visualisation tool that combines high-speed cameras and fluorescent injection to distinguish tumour tissue from normal tissue across cancer types.
A new AI method for CT brain imaging may bring the modality to the level of detail usually reserved for MRI scans. This could enhance diagnostic support for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
University of Oxford researchers demonstrated that neural cells can be 3D printed to mimic the architecture of the cerebral cortex. This could be used in patients after brain injuries.
A new type of microdevice could offer new ways to treat brain cancer. The shape and size of a grain of rice, it is implanted into a tumor to study the effects of ongoing therapies.
It had long been recognized that the brain was made up of two types of cells, neurons and glial cells. Now, neuroscientists discovered an additional type - with huge implications for brain disorders.
Endometriosis, which can cause debilitating pain each menstrual cycle, as well as infertility, is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. An expert from Yale Medicine sheds light on the condition.
Researchers have developed an aero-elastic pressure sensor to provide increased precision and reliability across medical applications, such as minimally-invasive surgeries and implantable sensors.
Brain tumour progression to a malignant state is believed to be the result of an intricate interplay between cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment. Greek researchers shed new light on the mechanisms.
A tiny robot which can travel deep into the lungs to detect and treat the first signs of cancer has been developed by researchers at the University of Leeds.
Researchers at NIST have been working on several fronts to advance low-field MRI technology and validate methods for creating images with weaker magnetic fields.
Scientists have designed an AI tool that can rapidly decode a brain tumor’s DNA to determine its molecular identity during surgery — critical information that can guide treatment decisions.
Plastics are a part of everyday life, and an increasingly concerning factor of global environmental pollution. They also have infiltrated our bodies as microparticles (MPs) and nanoparticles (NPs), found even in placentas supporting foetal life. And they are in our blood. Now, researchers in Spain have developed a new method to detect and measure nanoparticles in human peripheral blood that is…
New research shows how AI can be used to fuse images from clinical X-ray CT and MRI scans to allow a clearer and more clinically useful interpretation of the images.
Surgical robots are becoming widespread in operating theatres, delivering accuracy and safety. An overview of the main systems, principal operators, the market and European initiatives in this field.
A research team from Barcelona studied the liver of Alzheimer's disease mice models, and demonstrated the importance of the liver-brain axis regarding the psychological symptoms of the disease.
An MRI invention from engineers at the University of Waterloo reveals better than many existing imaging technologies how Covid-19 can change the human brain.
Folate-based radiopharmaceuticals can be used in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to detect folate receptors in brain tumours, researchers from the University of Turku report.
Researchers have succeeded in introducing a vascular system into tiny living and beating model human heart muscles, an achievement which it's hoped will accelerate progress toward the ultimate goal of repairing damage from heart disease.
Premature infants, especially very low birthweight babies, are at risk for intraventricular hemorrhage. A frequent complication of these brain bleeds is hydrocephalus that can gravely disrupt brain development.
Using an organ from a donor who underwent cardiac death, Stanford Medicine surgeons transplanted a heart while it was beating - the first time such a procedure has been achieved.
Neurodegeneration, or the gradual loss of neuron function, is one of the key features of Alzheimer's disease. However, it doesn't affect all parts of the brain equally.
Genes are full of clues about a person's health and might also show the way for stroke recovery.
Multiple sclerosis affects three women for every one man. French scientists are studying the role of the sex hormones in order to better understand this discrepancy.
US researchers have developed a way to use MRI scanning to map body cell metabolism, opening up new possibilities for detecting cancers and revealing if a tumor is responding to treatment.
Cambridge researchers have developed a new type of neural implant that could restore limb function to amputees and others who have lost the use of their arms or legs.
A novel imaging modality that can visualize the distribution of medical radiopharmaceuticals with very fine resolution has been developed and successfully tested.
A new real-time imaging technique that uses a type of infrared light has, for the first time, been used during surgery to differentiate between cancerous tumours and healthy tissue.
Scientists from Japan demonstrated, for the first time, a successful chemogenetic suppression of widespread epileptic seizures in macaque monkeys. Their findings represent an essential step towards clinical trials, and effective treatment for patients with severe epilepsy.
Researchers at Linköping, Lund, and Gothenburg universities in Sweden have successfully grown electrodes in living tissue using the body’s molecules as triggers.
Synthetic hydrogels were shown to provide an effective scaffold for neuronal tissue growth in areas of brain damage, providing a possible approach for brain tissue reconstruction.
The world's first MRI scanner with a magnetic field strength of 14 Tesla will be built in Nijmegen. Its high sensitivity will allow scientists to image the brain in more detail.
The newly founded UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation is dedicated to advancing the development and adoption of the technology, which can be used to non-invasively treat tissue deep in the body.
Researchers have developed a Raman microscope that can acquire information hundreds of times faster than the conventional method. This could help expand its usefulness in biomedical applications.
A Korean research team successfully changed the properties of carcinogenic cells in the lungs and eliminate both drug resistance and their ability to proliferate out to other areas of the body.
It was previously assumed that bones lacked lymphatic vessels.Now, new research not only locates them within bone tissue, but demonstrates their role in bone and blood cell regeneration.
The distinction between primary tumors and metastases can be made quickly and accurately in brain tumors using radiomics and deep learning algorithms, a new study shows.
Monitoring the proper blood supply to the brain could be used to prevent or even treat neurological diseases. A new technique called πNIRS aims to do just that.
After an infection with SARS-CoV-2, some people fail to recover their sense of smell. US researchers took a closer look at the olfactory nerve cells to find the reason for Covid-19-induced anosmia.
Engineers have developed an electronic patch that can give medical professionals unprecedented access to crucial information that could help spot life-threatening conditions.
Identification of elderly persons at risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia could be made possible by examining ergothioneine levels in the blood, researchers from Singapore find.
Canadian researchers have developed a new method of killing brain cancer cells while preserving the tissue around it. A remarkable side-benefit: chemotherapy of the cancer suddenly becomes possible.
Radiographers could help design new artificial intelligence (AI) tools for radiation protection, Mark McEntee, professor of diagnostic radiography at University College Cork, Ireland, argued during the annual EuSoMII meeting in October.
For the first time, a new study has identified enlarged perivascular spaces in the brains of migraine sufferers. Results of the study will be presented at the annual RSNA meeting.
Siemens Healthineers presented its latest magnetic resonance tomographs designed for clinical and scientific use at the company's Shape 23 Keynote: The 3T Magnetom Cima.X and 7T Magnetom Terra.X.
It is the size of a common pencil eraser, but it could have a huge impact on the therapy of glioblastoma: Scientists in Virginia have developed a novel 3D tissue-engineered model of the brain tumour microenvironment, which can be used to assess how the glioma cell invades healthy tissue, proliferates, and reacts to chemotherapy drugs.
Blood stem cell transplantation is a radical but highly effective therapy for multiple sclerosis. A study examined how the treatment curbs the disease and how the immune system regenerates afterwards.
A new X-ray technology has been used to identify a link between the damage that severe Covid-19 can inflict on lungs and pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that causes severe scarring of lung tissue.
Treatment of central nervous system diseases and tumors is often hindered by the blood-brain barrier. A new method aims to overcome this obstacle using focused ultrasound intranasal delivery (FUSIN).
Many consider our eyes to be the windows to the soul. Yet the cornea, the panes of these windows, sometimes need significant repair. Friso Heslinga, PhD, created artificial intelligence models to support surgeons in one of the oldest and most common transplantation procedures.
Researchers mapped in detail how the immune system acts against pathogens invading the brain. This sheds new light on host-pathogen interactions and the long-term consequences of brain infections.
In the future, many types of open surgeries will be replaced with minimally invasive interventions, predicts Kevin Cleary, PhD, engineering lead at the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics and Radiology at George Washington University, both in Washington, D.C. Surgeons and interventional radiologists will be able…
A new study could one day help health workers determine whether bacteria of the species Streptococcus pneumoniae, which cause meningitis, are resistant to antibiotics.
Two-dimensional (2D) cultured cell lines and animal models have been the principal research tools for the past decade, but have several shortcomings. Three-dimensional cell cultures, or organoids, show great promise here.
Novel 3D imaging could comprehensively characterize a part of the brain that shows perhaps the earliest accumulation of tau protein, an important biomarker for the development of Alzheimer's disease.
A surprising mechanism explains why high-grade gliomas, the deadliest form of brain cancer, returns: The tumours adapt to treatment by recruiting help from nearby healthy tissue.
Researchers from the UK and Sweden have found that individual prostate tumours contain a previously unknown range of genetic variation.
Researchers are seeking alternatives to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) to help raise levels of patient safety. An open hybrid session at ECR in Vienna heard how research across several centres has been examining the options of new approaches to reduce reliance on GBCAs.
Similar to the way exercise helps muscles adapt to workouts, short, repeated bouts of reduced circulation with a blood pressure cuff may help prevent the worst outcomes of heart attacks and strokes.
Using deep learning, researchers created AI-driven computer models to analyze corneal and retinal images to help eye doctors in the future.
The classification of brain tumors—and thus the choice of optimal treatment options—can become more accurate and precise through the use of artificial intelligence in combination with physiological imaging.
Reseachers have developed a novel microneedle for injecting therapeutics into the eyes, potentially solving one of the major challenges of treating eye diseases.
When every minute counts: A Swiss team is currently developing a diagnostic procedure that can be used to start a tailored therapy for acute stroke in a timely manner.
Researchers have shown that aggregation of amyloid-beta, one of two key proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, causes cells to overheat and ‘fry like eggs.’
Researchers visualize brain inflammation using diffusion-weighted MRI. This detailed "X-ray" of inflammation cannot be obtained with conventional MRI, but requires data acquisition sequences and special mathematical models.
A special type of MRI found lung abnormalities in patients who had previously had COVID-19, even those who had not been hospitalized with the illness.
A new way of differentiating healthy from diseased cells could pave the way for more personalised treatment for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a common and aggressive type of brain tumour.
A research team in Spain and the US has created 3D-printed acoustic holograms to improve the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, among others.
A team led by scientists from Amsterdam have combined MRI and microscopy to produce 3D images of two entire brains with a previously unmatched level of detail.
A major advance demonstrates first multi-organ chip made of engineered human tissues linked by vascular flow for improved modeling of systemic diseases like cancer.
A protein vital in determining the organs affected by metastasis has been identified by Swiss researchers. This could lead to the development of therapeutic approaches to suppress metastasis.
Cedars-Sinai physician-scientists are pioneering imaging techniques and investigating new biomarkers to improve multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have shown that massive electrochemical waves in the brain act as a marker announcing an impending ischemic stroke.
Scientists use miniature brain models to understand how a mutated gene affects brain development.
MediSCAPE, a high-speed 3D microscope, can see real-time cellular detail in living tissues to guide surgery, speed up tissue analyses, and improve treatments.
Can mobile phones increase the risk of brain cancer? A new, large study was unable to verify such concerns. However, the researchers say it might still be a good idea to cut back on smartphone time.
Scientists are developing a novel method for treating brain haemorrhages which it is hoped could reduce the risk of brain damage and disability and increase patients’ chances of survival.
A brain-computer interface array featuring microneedles affixed to a flexible backing allows arrays of micro-scale needles to conform to the contours of the brain.
For a long time, the origin of metastasis remained obscure. Now, scientists have discovered some of the mechanisms these cells arise.
A mathematical analysis of data obtained with a MRI approach can identify brain cell damage in people at early stages of Alzheimer's.
Using a novel probe for functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers have devised a way to monitor individual populations of neurons and reveal how they interact with each other.
A biocompatible ultrasound transducer chip could be a more effective way to harness the technology for biomedical applications.
Scientists have developed a neutron-based method to study brain slices and gain a better understanding of neurological diseases.
Children's National Hospital successfully performed the first-ever high-intensity focused ultrasound surgery on a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis. This is the youngest patient to undergo HIFU treatment in the world.
Researchers pinpoint a sound-sensitive mammalian protein that lets them activate brain, heart or other cells with ultrasound.
Scientists at University College London have developed a novel cancer therapy that uses an MRI scanner to guide a magnetic seed through the brain to heat and destroy tumours.
When a patient suffers a stroke, speed in treatment can mean the difference between successful recovery, permanent disability, or death. For Christopher Hess, success in stroke diagnosis is a question of workflow and efficient care delivery.
Researchers at the University of Sussex are one step further to developing a blood test capable of diagnosing the most aggressive form of brain tumour.
In both the mice and organoids, cytokines suppressed tumor growth after treatment, and defense cells migrated to the brain region affected by the tumor, alerting the immune system to its existence.
Mark Nicholls reports from the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) virtual Festival, with four expert speakers discussing the role of liquid biopsy in cancer detection.
Loosening hip implants can cause major damage to the bone and a simple replacement won’t suffice to carry the load during movements. “To solve this problem we have to turn to innovative technologies such as bioprinting. Scaffolds are required that – while adapting slowly – offer long-term stability,” says Professor Dr Dieter Wirtz, Director of the Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma…
A bionic eye being developed by a team of biomedical researchers has shown to be safe and stable for long-term implantation in a three-month study, paving the way towards human trials.
The joint research team of Prof. Hongsoo Choi (DGIST) & Prof. Sung Won Kim (Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital), developed an hNTSC-based microrobot for minimally invasive delivery into the brain tissue via the intranasal pathway.
A novel protein regulator of tumor angiogenesis, TMEM230, was recently characterized by researchers to have a role in tumor development and vascularization, with potential as a target for anti-tumor therapy in difficult-to-treat cancers such as glioblastoma.
Researchers at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis found a way to significantly reduce the noise and maintain image quality while reducing the laser energy needed to generate images by 80%.
A 'new technology shows promise by analyzing images of suspicious-looking lesions and quickly producing a detailed, microscopic image of the skin, bypassing several standard steps typically used for diagnosis - including skin biopsy, tissue fixation, processing, sectioning and histochemical staining.
Wearable technology has become an important part of medicine, from tracking vital signs to disease diagnosis. In surgery, wearable technologies can now assist, augment, and provide a means of patient assessment before, during and after surgical procedures. Wearable technologies are applied before the patient even reaches the operating room, for example in prehabilitation, i.e. pre-treatment…
Speed in treatment of ischemic stroke can mean the difference between successful recovery versus permanent disability caused by brain tissue damage or death. Time is of the essence to perform thrombolysis with a tissue plasminogen activate (tPA), a protein that can dissolve blood clots causing the stroke or intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy (IAT) because of large-vessel occlusion.
The damage caused by Covid-19 to the lungs’ smallest blood vessels has been intricately captured using high-energy X-rays emitted by a special type of particle accelerator. Scientists used a new imaging technology called Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT), to scan donated human organs, including lungs from a Covid-19 donor.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) from a single blood test picks up 31% more cases of rare genetic disorders than standard tests, shortening the ‘diagnostic odyssey’ that affected families experience, and providing huge opportunities for future research.
Researchers have leveraged the power of digital pathology and computational modeling to detect and quantify podocytes, a specialized type of cell in the kidney that undergoes damaging changes during early-stage kidney disease.
For the first time, researchers have used human data to quantify the speed of different processes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease and found that it develops in a very different way than previously thought. Their results could have important implications for the development of potential treatments.
At their workplace, neurosurgeons often have to make compromises since most ORs were not designed with the specific needs of their discipline in mind. To address this issue the University Hospital in Essen, Germany, equipped an OR especially for neuro- and spine surgery. The aim is nothing less than revolutionizing the field with the help of digitalisation and cutting-edge technology.
The first investigational transplantation of a genetically engineered, nonhuman kidney to a human body was recently completed at NYU Langone Health—marking a major step forward in potentially utilizing an alternative supply of organs for people facing life-threatening disease.
Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a completely new stimulation method, using ultra-thin microelectrodes, to combat severe pain. This provides effective and personalised pain relief without the common side effects from pain relief drugs. The study, which was conducted on rats, has been published in the research journal Science Advances.
Mass spectrometry – a powerful tool for analysing the molecular composition of a tissue sample – is invaluable during cancer surgery. However, mass spectrometers are complex and unwieldy, and certainly a poor fit for an operating room (OR). To create a bridge between the lab and OR, Professor Livia S Eberlin, from Baylor College of Medicine, has developed a very special ‘pen’.
Machine learning methods are being used to predict the health of the placenta from a 30-second MRI scan. Researchers hope the approach will offer an insight into the health of expectant mothers and unborn babies by detecting the early signs of dangerous conditions such as pre-eclampsia. Researchers from the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences at King’s College London (KCL)…
Researchers have found a possible explanation for why some patients recover much more poorly from brain injury if they later become infected.
A new technology that can study which therapies will work on patients with solid cancerous tumours has been developed by scientists at University College London (UCL). Researchers say the tool, which can rapidly test tumorous tissue against different treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy, could be used by clinicians to pinpoint the best therapy for a particular patient.
Molecular imaging, guided by novel tracers, is emerging as an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool in cardiovascular medicine. Delegates at ICNC-CT, the online International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT, also heard that cardiology can learn from fields such as oncology and neurology that have already made important advances in this area. Professor Frank Bengel, who is…
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have 3D-printed a first-of-its-kind glioblastoma tumor that mimics a living cancer malignancy, powering new methods to improve treatment and accelerate the development of new drugs for the most lethal type of brain cancer. Glioblastoma is notoriously fatal as it accounts for the majority of brain tumors and is highly aggressive. The average survival time of…
The Biomedical Genomics laboratory at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) Barcelona has developed a computational tool that identifies cancer driver mutations for each tumour type. This and other developments produced by the same lab seek to accelerate cancer research and provide tools to help oncologists choose the best treatment for each patient. The study has been published in the…
Researchers at the Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg have developed an improved therapeutic approach to resuscitate people after cardiac arrest - often without neurological complications. Around 50,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest in Germany every year. When occurring outside a hospital, the chances of survival are only ten percent. Survivors often suffer from severe permanent…
Cécile Geneviève is one of the few women who lead research and development (R&D) at a major company and her increasingly female team reflects women’s growing interest in the field. But while gender balance is an important criterion, it takes a broad palette of skills to innovate to alleviate pain for millions of patients, she explained in an interview with Healthcare in Europe.
The tell-tale signs of a person’s susceptibility to a stroke may appear up to 10 years before the event, suggests research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Stroke patients experienced much steeper declines in cognitive abilities and routine daily functioning, starting around a decade before their first stroke, than people who didn’t have a stroke,…
Researchers from ETH Zurich and University of Zurich have developed a new microscopy technique that lights up the brain with high resolution imagery. This allows neuroscientists to study brain functions and ailments more closely and non-invasively.
Handheld laser devices that help surgeons quickly spot liver damage could transform transplant procedures, research suggests. The non-invasive technique could provide medical staff with instant data on the health of donor livers and help them to identify which organs are suitable for transplant. If widely adopted, the light-based tool could allow more livers to be transplanted safely and…
Tiny 3D models that mimic vital aspects of the human nervous system have been developed in a step that could accelerate drug research for neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The millimetre-wide models – created using stem cells from human skin samples – will be used to study myelin, an insulating substance that helps nerve cells communicate with each other. Researchers…
At a cost of $38 billion a year, an estimated 5.3 million people are living with a permanent disability related to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The physical, mental and financial toll of a TBI can be enormous, but new research from the University of Georgia provides promise. In a new study, researchers at…
An innovative hydrogel – called a double network (DN) gel – can rapidly reprogram differentiated cancer cells into cancer stem cells, researchers at Hokkaido University and the National Cancer Center Research Institute have reported in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. The hydrogel can be used to help develop new cancer therapies and personalized medicines targeting cancer stem cells.
Tumor vaccines can help the body fight cancer. Mutations in the tumor genome often lead to protein changes that are typical of cancer. A vaccine can alert the patients' immune system to these mutated proteins. For the first time, physicians and cancer researchers from Heidelberg and Mannheim have now carried out a clinical trial to test a mutation-specific vaccine against malignant brain tumors.…
Due to their tissue-like mechanical properties, hydrogels are being increasingly used for biomedical applications; a well-known example are soft contact lenses. These gel-like polymers consist of 90 percent water, are elastic and particularly biocompatible. Hydrogels that are also electrically conductive allow additional fields of application, for example in the transmission of electrical signals…
MRI scanning can more precisely define and detect head, neck, thoracic, abdominal and spinal malformations in unborn babies, finds a large multidisciplinary study led by King’s College London with Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London (UCL). In the study, published in Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, the team of researchers and…
Hyperpolarized MRI is a recent development and its research and application potential has yet to be fully explored. Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz (HIM) have now unveiled a new technique for observing metabolic processes in the body. Their singlet-contrast MRI method employs easily-produced parahydrogen to track biochemical processes in…
AI is revamping workflows and experts showed how radiologists can integrate it into their department to improve daily practice and healthcare at ECR. The panel also discussed the health economics side of AI to help radiologists define which products make more economic sense for their department. The session tackled automated organ segmentation, an interesting application for AI in radiology.
Tumour metabolism can be imaged with MRI as a technique to help determine cancer aggressiveness and response to therapy. The work by a UK-based group, on probing cancer metabolism non-invasively with clinical hyperpolarised carbon-13 MRI, can detect metabolic changes in the tumour. As metabolic changes occur much earlier than change in tumour size, this could have implications for quicker…
Grafting neurons grown from monkeys’ own cells into their brains relieved the debilitating movement and depression symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison report. In a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, the team describes its success with neurons made from induced pluripotent stem cells from the monkeys’ own bodies.…
Researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona obtained a highly accurate recreation of human glioblastoma’s features using a novel 3D microscopy analysis. The study, published in the journal Acta Neuropathologica Communications, provides new information to help with the diagnose, by finding therapeutical targets and designing immunotherapeutical strategies.
Before Wilhelm Röntgen, a mechanical engineer, discovered a new type of electromagnetic radiation in 1895, physicians could only dream of being able to see inside the body. Within a year of Röntgen’s discovery, X-rays were being used to identify tumors. Within 10 years, hospitals were using X-rays to help diagnose and treat patients. In 1972, computed tomography (CT) scans were developed. In…
In many ways, our brain and our digestive tract are deeply connected. Feeling nervous may lead to physical pain in the stomach, while hunger signals from the gut make us feel irritable. Recent studies have even suggested that the bacteria living in our gut can influence some neurological diseases. Modeling these complex interactions in animals such as mice is difficult to do, because their…
Someone has a stroke every 40 seconds in the US, resulting in death every 4 minutes. Stroke is the leading cause of disability from a medical condition. When it happens, blood clots or bleeds kill a part of the brain – it goes dark – and can no longer control part of the body. People stop being able to walk, see, talk, or control their hand or arm the way they once did. Although treatments…
Blood draws are no fun. They hurt. Veins can burst, or even roll — like they’re trying to avoid the needle, too. Oftentimes, doctors use blood samples to check for biomarkers of disease: antibodies that signal a viral or bacterial infection, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, or cytokines indicative of inflammation seen in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and…
To quickly and correctly diagnose diseases, medical professionals depend on identifying what biochemicals are present in tissue sections, where the biomolecules are, and at what concentrations. Mass spectrometry imaging—which can identify multiple biochemicals in a single experiment—is a promising technique to achieve this.
A new generation of tissue microarrays are delivering more efficient and time-effective solutions to answering complex clinical and scientific questions. Sitting at the core of this new approach is digital pathology, allowing specific and targeted analysis of small areas of tissue.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston have developed a novel blood test using an enhanced form of liquid biopsy capable of detecting the most common types of genetic mutations that occur in glioma brain tumors. The test is easy to use, inexpensive, produces results rapidly, and can be performed in most clinical laboratories. The researchers believe that the blood test has…
A scalpel-free alternative to brain surgery has the potential to benefit people with Parkinson’s disease symptoms that are much more severe on one side of the body, new research suggests. More testing is needed, but the approach, which uses a technology called focused ultrasound, could offer a new option for patients whose symptoms are poorly controlled by medications and those who cannot or do…
Brain metastases can only develop if cancer cells first exit the fine blood vessels and enter into the brain tissue. To facilitate this step, cancer cells influence blood clotting, as scientists from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University Hospital have now been able to show in mice. The cancer cells actively promote the formation of clots, which helps them to arrest in the…
Childhood neuroblastomas display extreme differences in the way they develop: they can shrink spontaneously or spread aggressively to healthy tissue. It is molecular super-enhancers that activate the regulatory circuits that steer the tumor down one path or the other. These are the findings of research conducted by scientists from the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), the German…
Just a few doses of an experimental drug can reverse age-related declines in memory and mental flexibility in mice, according to a new study by UC San Francisco scientists. The drug, called ISRIB, has already been shown in laboratory studies to restore memory function months after traumatic brain injury (TBI), reverse cognitive impairments in Down Syndrome, prevent noise-related hearing loss,…
To target ionised radiation as precisely as possible, imaging a tumour is vital in radiotherapy planning. ‘Today, imaging is used increasingly during the therapy itself,’ explained Professor Mark Ladd during the 51st annual meeting of the German Society for Medical Physics (DGMP).
Italian neurosurgeon Professor Francesco Di Meco, explored the current and potential role of intra-operative ultrasound in neurosurgical oncology during the annual meeting of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) this October. The extent of resection is considered a prognostic factor in operative neuro oncology surgery and image-guided surgery is being regarded as one of the…
Higher than normal blood pressure is linked to more extensive brain damage in the elderly, according to a new study published in the European Heart Journal. In particular, the study found that there was a strong association between diastolic blood pressure (the blood pressure between heart beats) before the age of 50 and brain damage in later life, even if the diastolic blood pressure was within…
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is indispensable in medical diagnostics. However, MRI units are large and expensive to acquire and operate. With smaller and cost-efficient systems, MRI would be more flexible and more people could benefit from the technique. Such miniature MRI units generate a much weaker signal that is difficult to analyze, though. Researchers at the Göttingen Max Planck…
Specialists from the Department of Fundamental Medicine of Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) with Russian and Japanese colleagues have probed into mechanisms of COVID-19 inside-the-body distribution linked to erythrocytes damaging.
In order to analyze tumors, they have to be cut into thin slices. Now, a new technology has been developed that makes pieces of the tumor visible in 3D without cutting them.
The Focused Ultrasound Foundation (FUS) has published its 2020 State of the Field Report, a 63-page annual update detailing new potential indications, laboratory research, clinical trials, treatments and growth in worldwide procedures performed in 2019.
In the first study of its kind in cancer, researchers have applied artificial intelligence to measure the amount of muscle in patients with brain tumours to help improve prognosis and treatment.
The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is known to infect cells via the receptor ACE2. An international research team under German-Finnish coordination has now identified neuropilin-1 as a factor that can facilitate SARS-CoV-2 entry into the cells’ interior. Neuropilin-1 is localized in the respiratory and olfactory epithelia, which could be a strategically important localization to contribute to…
Focused ultrasound waves help researchers at ETH Zurich to deliver drugs to the brain only to where their effect is desired. This method is set to enable treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders and tumours with fewer side effects in the future.
Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have identified highly effective antibodies against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and are now pursuing the development of a passive vaccination. In this process, they have also discovered that some SARS-CoV-2 antibodies bind to tissue samples from various organs, which could potentially…
