New research highlights the potential of liquid biopsy in diagnosing pancreatic incidentaloma - lesions which can occasionally signal pancreatic cancer in its earliest stages.
Molecular pathology should become centralised in fewer labs to improve efficiencies and affordability, according to leading European experts.
How can innovations help to master challenges and demands in healthcare? This central question will be addressed at the Medica Health IT Forum, an established part of the programme at the trade fair.
A new method could open new avenues to quick, affordable cancer diagnosis, US researchers report. The method uses ultrathin membranes to capture extracellular vesicles.
Taipei City is set to make a splash at the Medica 2024 trade fair. The city's Department of Economic Development has curated an exhibition area, featuring six innovative biotech companies.
Immunotherapy has become the most promising strategy for treating several cancers, but its effectiveness is still very uneven. Three researchers explain how research is being done to change this.
A new study found that measuring circulating tumor cells (CTCs), rare cancer cells shed from tumors into the blood, is a reliable way to predict later treatment response and survival prospects with metastatic prostate cancer.
Before administering certain drugs, doctors check a patient’s kidney function by testing their blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. New research shows that gold nanoparticles might give more accurate results.
A new study confirms fibrosis as a prognostic indicator in HER2-negative, the most common breast cancer, and opens the way to antifibrotic drug treatments.
Researchers have identified biomarkers that, in conjunction with PET imaging, enable doctors to reliably distinguish between primary 4-repeat tauopathies and Alzheimer's disease.
Only 20-40% of patients respond positively to immunotherapy, and these rates vary across different types of cancer. Researchers now identified five key factors that determine response and survival.
Endometriosis can cause abdominal pain and cramping before, during and after menstruation, and may lead to infertility. Now, researchers identified promising approaches for better early diagnosis.
Can a mouthwash-based test help predict head and neck cancer recurrence? A new study suggests it might.
Using conventional ultrasound, researchers have developed a model that determines whether conditions such as fibrosis or edema are present in the lungs, and gives information about the severity.
A new method could lead to a significantly more precise and reliable diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. It is based on the selective detection of specific antibodies in blood samples.
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.
Researchers at MIT and ETH Zurich developed an AI model that identifies certain breast cancer stages likely to progress to invasive forms of cancer.
Diagnosis and monitoring medical conditions, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and infections: In this opinion article, Alix Joseph (Linxens) explores the potential of sweat analysis.
Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) often develop into more invasive forms of breast cancer. To predict which DCIS patients are likely to be affected, researchers have developed an analytic AI-based tool.
Researchers have developed a model to predict cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. The next step is an app that uses this model.
Microproteins hold great promise, according to new research: Since they are only expressed by liver tumor cells, the proteins could serve as a potential target for cancer vaccine development.
A new study shows that extracellular vesicles shed by prostate cancer cells contain tumor-derived material that can be used as biomarkers of therapy response and resistance in metastatic disease.
Why does obesity increase the risk of cancer and possibly metastasis? Researchers in Spain are currently investigating this very question.
Researchers have developed an AI model that increases the potential for detecting cancer through sugar analyses. The AI model is faster and better at finding abnormalities than current methods.
A novel blood test shows promise to predict Parkinson's disease in risk patients up to seven years before the typical motor symptoms appear.
Tackling standardization of molecular pathology at a European level remains a major challenge, according to speakers at the 35th European Congress of Pathology in Dublin. One leading expert warned it would be ‘very difficult’ to achieve, though the session also heard about potential solutions such as educational steps to consistently train future pathologists at a high and consistent level.
Digital twin technology can transform clinical practice by aiding patient-specific prediction and supporting personalized treatment models. Expert speakers at an ECR 2024 session in Vienna focussed on how radiology will play a leading role in the advance through data acquisition via a range of imaging modalities.
Pancreatic cancer stem cells exploit an antibacterial protein to evade the immune system. Removing this protein could pave the way to more effective immunotherapy, new research suggests.
A research group established a microfluidic control technology that can be applied to small blood testing devices and consequently developed a novel integrated immunoassay device.
Immunotherapy increases survival rates in kidney cancer, but does not work for everyone. A research team developed a new method to predict which patients will benefit from it.
Tissue biopsy and liquid biopsy can increasingly be used as complementary or alternative approaches, with advantages and limitations to each. While speakers at the recent 35th European Congress of Pathology in Dublin were quick to highlight that liquid biopsy was not about to replace tissue biopsy, the focus looked at the benefits and challenges of each through the lens of four expert speakers.
Structural differences in male and female brains might explain why women are more prone to concussions and experience longer recovery from the injury than men, according to a new preclinical study.
Endoscopy is pivotal in diagnosing and managing ulcerative colitis. Recent technology advances allow for early cancer detection, precise disease assessment and targeted biopsies, improving diagnosis and monitoring. The following article takes a look at the latest advancements.
Adding a new dimension to pathology: Researchers explore new, deep learning models that can use 3D pathology datasets to make clinical outcome predictions for curated prostate cancer specimens.
Coronary artery disease causes more than 1.8 million heart attacks each year in Europe. In most cases, rehabilitation helps the patients to return to their everyday life. But what happens once the patients have left the rehab clinic?
US researchers have developed and validated a new urine-based test for prostate cancer, which was shown to meaningfully reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies while providing highly accurate detection.
New research provides cause for optimism that long Covid can resolve over time. Following people from the first wave of Covid-19, it monitored the longevity of immune abnormalities after an infection.
Digital pathology can be used to great effect in pharmaceutical research: it can accelerate analyses, give deeper insights into cellular mechanisms, and enable better understanding of their role into clinical development. This potentially offers clearer predictions on how patients may respond to treatment and lead to personalized therapies.
New approaches to cardiovascular radiology are evolving to help clinicians gain an increasingly better insight into heart conditions. Latest developments in cardiovascular radiology include myocardial strain imaging, 4D flow and photon-counting CT technology. An ECR 2024 session shone the spotlight on these areas of cardiovascular imaging with expert speakers outlining the pros and cons of each.
A new detection tool is designed to contribute to improving tumour research and classification by identification and quantification of chromosomal instability in the nuclei of cancer cells.
In diagnostics, there used to be a hard divide between radiology and pathology, where methods were largely considered incompatible with one another. However, to pave the way for next-generation diagnosis, Professor Regina Beets-Tan urged both sides to come out from their trenches and appreciate the synergies the fields have to offer. In her presentation at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR)…
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder globally. Patients at high risk for AF, such as those with heart failure or prior stroke, should be tested at every GP visit, experts say.
US oncologists are exploring a new combined chemotherapy and surgical approach to safely remove advanced pancreatic tumors that were previously considered inoperable.
A novel AI-based, non-invasive diagnostic tool enables accurate brain tumor diagnosis, outperforming current classification methods. The tool leverages MRI information to aid clinical decision making.
In a breakthrough for personalised oncology, scientists have developed and demonstrated a novel platform that can significantly reduce the time needed to determine the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs.
Most head and neck tumours are discovered in late due in part to the fact that there is no established method for early detection. To close this gap, a team at oncgnostics, a biotechnology company based in Jena, Germany, is participating in a study which aims to develop an early detection test.
Breast cancer has no “one size fits all” therapy approach: subtypes differ significantly in malignancy, progression, and treatment response. Therefore, the more is known about the type of carcinoma in a patient, the better the outcome. At the annual scientific EUSOBI meeting in Valencia, Dr Ramona Woitek pointed out the potential of novel imaging techniques and computational image analysis…
Researchers have unveiled a detailed understanding of immune responses in cancer, potentially paving the way for the development of new therapeutic strategies, the team hopes.
A newly-developed biosensor could be an alterative to MRI and mammography for breast cancer screening. The handheld device uses saliva on test strips to determine whether cancer is present.
Academic labs and biotech firms pioneer multi-cancer early detection with emerging technologies. Screening for multiple cancers with a simple blood or urinary draw could be a game-changer. Two research teams in particular have advanced the field.
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.
As a result from better living standards and medical advances, population longevity increases – a development which, paradoxically, current healthcare systems are ill-prepared for, Sir John Bell points out. The UK’s Our Future Health programme, which he chairs, exemplifies the paradigm shift to a prevention-centered healthcare approach.
The climate crisis and AI – arguably two of the most hotly-debated and relevant topics of our time – share an intricate relationship: While computation of complex AI routines commands an immense carbon footprint, it is these algorithms that might be the very key to mitigate the effects of global warming. In a dedicated session at ECR 2023, radiologists explored the societal and environmental…
A new US study suggests a new way to personalize mental health care: They found compounds in the blood of people with depression and suicidal ideation that could be detected using a blood test.
US researchers discuss three blood-based liquid biopsies, namely circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA and tumor-derived exosomes, as they relate to prostate cancer management.
Researchers and clinicians at Washington University in St. Louis found a way to improve diagnostic accuracy of potentially cancerous lesions in the ovaries and adnexal regions, or the fallopian tubes.
Dimensions: 755.7 × 1,740 × 828 mm (w × h × d)Weight: 254 kgSample throughput: Up to 100 samples / hPower consumption: 520 W*Highlights:The DxH 690T offers all the benefits of Beckman Coulter’s flagship DxH 900 hematology analyzer to mid-size labs, including an industry leading 93 % first pass yield and the Early Sepsis Indicator. The only…
Dimensions: 755.7 × 1,740 × 828 mm (w × h × d)Weight: 254 kgSample throughput: Up to 100 samples / hPower consumption: 520 WHighlights:The DxH 900 hematology analyzer is ideal for mid- to high-volume clinical laboratories performing complete blood count and white blood cell differential tests while minimizing repeat testing, allowing you to deliver the…
Highlights:A first-of-its-kind, hematology-based cellular biomarker, the FDA cleared Early Sepsis Indicator is designed to help emergency department physicians identify patients with sepsis or at risk of developing sepsis within 12 hours of ED presentation. Results are automatically reported as part of a routine complete blood count (CBC) with differential for adult emergency department…
Highlights:Excellent recovery thanks to low-binding propertiesRoutine-use primary container for sample collection and automated analyticsPatient-friendly sample volume of 2.5 mlCost-effective alternative to PET scanReliable pre-analytics for optimum sample integrityThe new CSF false-bottom tube (art. no.: 63.614.625) meets the requirements for reliable pre-analytics in Alzheimer’s disease…
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.
Researchers have developed a method for assessing the number and structure of aggregated blood platelets (or thrombocytes) that can potentially help quantify the risk of a severe Covid-19 infection. As a result, they have identified a predictive biomarker for the seriousness of a Covid-19 infection. This will allow physicians to adjust treatment at an early stage. The researchers used a method…
Ten times more detail than current 7T scanners, over 50 times more than 3T: A new type of functional MRI will allow neuroscientists to more precisely localize and trace brain networks.
Incidence of lung cancer among people who never smoked is rising. A new AI tool opens the door for opportunistic screening for this group, using existing chest X-rays in the electronic medical record.
A team of researchers has developed a handheld, non-invasive device that can detect biomarkers for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. The biosensor can also transmit the results wirelessly.
Faster, more accurate and cost-effective testing: Experts outline the beginnings and evolution of “lab-on-a-chip” technology, and its benefits for advanced and next-gen operational platforms.
In a new study, researchers use a very large dataset to identify predictive brain imaging-based biomarkers of mental illness in adolescents.
In a new study, researchers from Fudan University have developed a novel urine-based prognostic model that promises to transform the management and treatment of bladder cancer.
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.
MEDICA trade fair (Nov 13-16, Düsseldorf) is a major event for start-ups entering the health sector. Hundreds of young developers seek business contacts for cooperation concerning funding, production, approval, marketing or sales of their products.
Philips and Quibim have signed a multi-year agreement to work on an integrated solution including an AI-based software to automate real-time prostate gland segmentation in MR images.
University of Basel scientists have discovered that high levels of the amino acid arginine drive metabolic reprogramming to promote tumor growth. This could lead to improved liver cancer treatment.
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 imaging agent can predict early metabolic response to HER2-targeted treatment in metastatic breast cancer patients, according to new research published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Could a single biomarker detect all types of diseases related to dopamine deficiency in the brain? According to a Swedish research group, such a marker may have just been found.
Modern cancer therapies are tough on the tumours, but often, also on the heart of the patients. The “CARDIOCARE” project aims to reduce the cardiac burden of anti-cancer therapies through more patient-tailored treatment approaches. At the ESC 2023 cardiology congress, Professor Katerina Naka from the project’s consortium explained why older patients are at the highest risk of cardiotoxic…
Chemotherapy can be an effective means to fight breast cancer, but under certain circumstances, the treatment can cause dormant cancer cells to re-awaken, new research finds.
For the first time, researchers show that AI-based predictions can deliver comparable results to clinical tests on biopsies of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).
Can per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) increase the risk of breast cancer? A new study by US researchers examines the effects of the so-called “forever chemicals”.
Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have developed an advanced AI model that utilizes chest radiographs to accurately estimate a patient’s "true" age.
A new analysis exploring the finances of bringing new cancer drugs to market has found that precision oncology drugs could be $1 billion cheaper to develop than non-precision drugs.
While screening programs for several of the commonest cancers are now well established, lung cancer screening has yet to reach anywhere near the same proportion of at-risk patients.
A new device that combines microfluidics on paper, electrochemical transduction and immunoassays on magnetic nanoparticles is useful for easy and rapid diagnosis of lung diseases.
The International Alzheimer's Congress (AAIC) in Amsterdam saw the presentation of new guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease - with blood biomarkers taking a central role.
Combining aerosol sampling and ultrasensitive biosensing, researchers have created a real-time monitor that can detect any of the Sars-CoV-2 virus variants in a room in about 5 minutes.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School developed a new tool that promises to improve the way pathologists see and evaluate a tumor by providing detailed clues about the cancer.
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is an immunotherapy treatment that re-engineers a patient’s own T-cells to help them attack malignant tumour cells. It has been very effective in the treatment of blood cancers, including certain types of leukaemia and lymphoma. However, two serious side effects are common as a result of the treatment: cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune…
Women suffering from multiple sclerosis temporarily get much better when pregnant. Researchers have now identified the beneficial changes naturally occurring during pregnancy.
New research suggests that combining blood biomarkers with genomic information more accurately, cost-effectively predicts the risk of developing diseases.
AI could find critical biomarkers that predict non-response to conventional treatment in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) more quickly, researchers in Singapore find.
The accuracy of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening can be improved by including genetic factors that cause changes in PSA levels not associated with cancer, according to a multi-center study.
Damage to the brains of patients operated on for brain tumors may be assessed by measuring biomarkers in the blood pre- and postoperatively, a new study from the University of Gothenburg shows.
Researchers from the Organoid group (Hubrecht Institute) and UMC Utrecht have developed a biobank with organoids derived from patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).
Most AI techniques for rare disease diagnosis use anthropometric measurements of European origins, ignoring the genetic and morphological diversity of humans, a new study finds.
It is crucial that labs can rely on their slides for a seamless – and accurate – diagnosis. With many more commercial instruments focusing on flexibility and choice, these qualities are difficult to separate from subjectivity and complexity.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder associated with difficulties in interacting with others, repetitive behaviors, restricted interests and other symptoms that can impact academic or professional performance.
Genes are full of clues about a person's health and might also show the way for stroke recovery.
A new artificial intelligence model could bring much-needed clarity to doctors delivering prognoses and deciding on treatments for patients with colorectal cancer.
Researchers at the University of Campinas and the Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil have developed an electrochemical sensor that detects Parkinson's disease at different stages.
Like the better-known prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a biomarker that can tell physicians much about a patient's metastatic prostate cancer.
New research has found molecular signature differences in the blood of patients who fully recover from Covid-19 and those who develop long Covid.
A new clinical trial has shown that men diagnosed with prostate cancer can benefit from ‘radical radiotherapy’ that delivers treatment in five hospital visits instead of the typical 20.
A team of scientists has successfully generated genetically defined mouse models for two subtypes of multiple myeloma. This will contribute to a better understanding of how the disease develops in humans.
Carestream Health is funding and participating in an innovative pilot with OSIC that could lead to radiographs providing an early window into manifestations of IPF that are currently undetected.
A second-generation lab test for early detection of cervical cancer is the most recent addition to Oncgnostics’ portfolio. In particular, the company’s solution will help women in countries with limited cancer screening. Moreover, new research on the early detection of vulval and vaginal cancer might soon enable the development of tests for these cancers.
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.
Canadian researchers are developing a new, ultra-sensitive biosensor to screen for Alzheimer’s disease and other diseases. The device has successfully completed the proof-of-concept stage.
Artificial intelligence (AI) may help improve care for patients who show up at the hospital with acute chest pain, according to a new study published in Radiology.
A new blood test that can track and follow the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease - and exclude other dementias.
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.
AI-based models for multimodality hybrid imaging have the potential to be a potent clinical tool but are currently held back by a lack of transparency and maturity, says Dr Irène Buvat, from the Laboratory of translational Imaging in Oncology, Institute Curie in Paris, France.
An international study shows that a new method can easily find multiple types of newly formed cancers at the same time – including cancer types that are difficult to detect with comparable methods.
Scientists from Singapore discovered a novel low-cost method of testing for cancers. The test sequences heated clinical samples to isolate cancer-specific signatures found in a patient’s blood.
In surgery, artificial intelligence (AI) is applied mostly in imaging, navigation, and robotic intervention. However, AI can also play a major role in preoperative planning. Objective decisions-making, optimal utilisation of operating theatres and less overtime are additional advantages that are achieved with the use of AI in surgery.
This summer, The European Commission launched I3lung, a new research initiative as a part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation program. This research initiative aims to create a cutting-edge, decision-making tool to help clinicians and patients select the best lung cancer treatment based on each patient’s specific needs and circumstances.
At this year's Medica tradefair, laboratory medicine, medical technology and life sciences give new impulses to the entire healthcare market - especially in times of the corona pandemic. An overview.
White matter hyperintensities (WMH) on the brain seen on MRI represent a biomarker associated with a 50/50 risk of death within five years after a first incident acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA).
Imagine, one single standardising solution, enabling uncompromisingly fast results and providing you with the exact same predictable turnaround time.
With the rise of syndrome-style infections, co-infections and the current antimicrobial resistance challenges, the need for multiplexed diagnostics is now more important than ever.
To assess diffuse liver disease, MRI is currently the modality of choice. New developments in artificial intelligence (AI) could tip the scales in favour of CT imaging. At ECR 2022 in July, experts showed how AI technology enables CT to quantify liver fat as exquisitely as MRI.
Renal cell carcinoma is among the fifteen most common cancers worldwide. Dr Titus Brinker, from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), looked at whether a convolutional neural network (CNN) can extract relevant image features from a typical H&E-stained slide to predict 5-year overall survival.
As more genomic alterations become targets for therapy, health institutions and hospitals are creating specialist Molecular Tumour Boards to support better decision-making for patient care. This evolving team, and its role, was highlighted in a presentation at the 34th European Congress of Pathology in Basel, Switzerland.
Deaths from cancer are currently estimated at 10 million each year worldwide. Conventional cancer staging systems aim to categorize patients into different groups with distinct outcomes. ‘However, even within a specific stage, there is often substantial variation in patient outcomes,’ Markus Plass, academic researcher from the Medical University of Graz, Austria, explained to Healthcare in…
Researchers from Japan have developed a method to detect build-up of amyloid β in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, from biomarkers in blood samples.
Women can suffer for years with the debilitating pain and medical complications of endometriosis without a diagnosis. Now, researchers believe they may be able to diagnose the condition using just menstrual blood.
A new study led by researchers in Barcelona has determined the protein TIMP-1 as a valuable biomarker for the progression of lung adenocarcinoma. The results open the door to new treatments.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to transform cancer treatment management worldwide. Their ability to rapidly analyse and integrate routinely acquired diverse data will improve the accuracy and effectiveness of precision medical treatments.
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust have developed a new biosensor capable of accurately monitoring the condition of a chronic wound.
Advanced staining evolved with growing complexity, resulting in many variations and combinations to get the right staining quality. It felt the flexibility brings you total control, but actually what we see is the introduction of multiple variables. This endless tweaking has taken its toll.
Researchers from the University of Bern and Inselspital provide an overview of the latest technologies in precision oncology. Translating these into clinical application is still a major challenge.
Urine screening tests using only immunoassays are the most common procedures used to identify drug abuse. They are inexpensive, automated, and produce rapid results. But they may generate false-positive or false-negative results, which vary based on the drug, drug class, and the assay used. Hair toxicology analysis is another form of drug testing which, unlike urine tests, enable analysis of drug…
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.
Swiss researchers have demonstrated how sensors could help detect health problems in the elderly at an early stage. This could help seniors to live a self-determined life at home for longer.
With the life expectancy of populations improving, experts believe the rising diagnosis and prevalence of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) will have a significant impact on healthcare services going forward.
The prototype device combines eRapid and SHERLOCK technologies into a single, postcard-sized system that can simultaneously detect the presence of both SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies in a patient’s saliva.
Cardiomyopathy is not a uniform disease. Rather, individual genetic defects lead to heart failure in different ways, an international consortium reports.
The development of a simple blood test for glioblastomas could mean earlier diagnosis and more effective and personalised treatment options against the most common type of malignant brain cancer.
As knowledge about Covid-19 advances, so does the arsenal of techniques to predict, diagnose and follow up on the disease. At ECR, researchers presented a range of promising imaging modalities to keep track of Covid-19 symptoms, severity, and mortality, often including AI support to enhance or accelerate diagnostics.
A sensor identifies misfolded protein biomarkers in the blood. This offers a chance to detect Alzheimer's disease before any symptoms occur. Researchers intend to bring it to market maturity.
A Europe-wide project aims to improve medical radiation protection for patients and staff by better understanding and evaluating the health effects of exposure to low-dose ionising radiation resulting from diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Researchers in Sweden have now discovered a faster and easier way to determine who has an aggressive form of prostate cancer, and who has not.
Researchers created a special ultrathin sensor, spun from gold, that can be attached directly to the skin without irritation or discomfort. The sensor can measure different biomarkers or substances to perform on-body chemical analysis.
Physicians use AI-powered technology for faster and earlier detection of diseases. At ECR Overture, Dr Steven Schalekamp, PhD, discussed the application of AI for chest radiography in paediatrics.
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.
The speedy, high-tech method of inexpensive, accurate and high-throughput protein biomarker assay testing is being touted as a much-needed development in point-of-care (PoC) testing.
Recovery from severe Covid-19 is characterized by a reduction of certain white blood cells and changes in the molecular regulation of the immune system, an international research team found.
A simple blood test could be a better predictor of whether cancer immunotherapy will be successful for a patient with lung cancer than an invasive tumor biopsy procedure.
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.
"Crown-like structures" surrounding breast tumors in overweight and obese patients could hinder their response to therapy. The findings of this study could potentially be used to improve personalized treatment for patients.
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 combination of digital pathology and quantitative biomarker analysis in the emerging concept of ‘smart’ cytology has a potential role in the detection and diagnosis of cancer.
Engineers have developed a prototype of a wearable that can continuously monitor several health stats—glucose, alcohol, and lactate levels—simultaneously in real-time.
Researchers developed a new microfluidic chip with broad applications for detecting viruses, pathogens, bacteria and other biomarkers in liquid samples.
Computational approaches are being applied on enormous amounts of data from sequencing technologies to develop tools to help clinicians manage cancer more effectively.
Involving cancer patients more closely in the treatment pathway can modify care and deliver better outcomes. Carefully designed questionnaires and treatment response monitoring are helping clinicians take therapies to a new level.
Scientists have taken the first step to creating the next generation of wearable health monitors, which could monitor the body’s health by detecting the gases released from a person’s skin.
Six in ten people with Covid-19 still have at least one symptom a year later, a new study has found. Furthermore, symptoms that don’t clear up after 15 weeks are likely to last at least a year.
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.
The advantages and limitations of the value of traceability chains in therapeutic drug monitoring will be explored during a key session at the EuroMedLab event.
Big data is transforming diagnosis and medical care, but the critical challenge remains over how to equally apply the benefits it delivers across real-world clinical settings, according to industry expert Prof Benoît Macq.
New insights in the metastasis process: tumour cells pass themselves off as platelets to go undetected in the bloodstream, researchers from Granada have discovered.
Sepsis is the cause of one in five deaths worldwide, killing nearly 11 million people each year, many of them children. It is also a major cause of disability, affecting millions more. To combat the condition, many hospitals have implemented sepsis performance improvement programmes. A meta-analysis of 50 observational studies showed that these programmes are associated with better compliance…
Liquid biopsy performed on serum samples taken from breast cancer patients can provide increasingly accurate information on progression and enable earlier detection of recurrence.
Liquid profiling is offering clear benefits in terms of cancer diagnostics and targeted therapy, but challenges remain in bringing it into the clinic.
A mathematical analysis of data obtained with a MRI approach can identify brain cell damage in people at early stages of Alzheimer's.
Close liaison between pathologists and data scientists is pivotal in the successful introduction of digital pathology and artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical workflows, according to one of France’s leading pioneers in the field.
Molecular radiotherapy shows great potential in becoming a more mainstream treatment for cancer, but the field is being hampered by a limited radionuclide supply.
Nerve damage in multiple sclerosis can be detected via the concentration of neurofilament light chain in the blood. This could offer valuable information on future disease course and therapy effectiveness.
Researchers have identified a previously unrecognized key player in cancer evolution: clusters of mutations occurring at certain regions of the genome.
There has to date been no reliable objective method of diagnosing tinnitus. Now, Swedisch researchers may have found a way to measure changes in the brain associated with constant tinnitus.
Cleveland Clinic has launched a landmark study to better understand why millions of people around the world suffer from brain diseases, with the goal of pinpointing disease biomarkers early, well before clinical symptoms present themselves.
Under the roof of integrated diagnostics, radiology, laboratory medicine and pathology are forming a powerful alliance. Hedvig Hricak, MD, PhD, explains the potential for cancer patients and details the role of radiologists within the construct.
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.
A connection between the Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis has long been suspected. A new study provides ‘compelling evidence of causality’.
A new biopsy tool will enable scientists and clinicians to simultaneously profile many biomarkers in cells and tissues.
Researchers used artificial intelligence to identify sets of genes that predict whether a patient will acquire severe sepsis.
Researchers outline a new minimally invasive and inexpensive blood test that can identify cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms and whether these cancers have metastasised in the body.
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.
Drug delivery, blood extraction, contrast agent injection – many procedures in modern medicine would be utterly impossible without needles. Despite the benefits, inserting pointy metal tubes into a patient also comes with several drawbacks. By downscaling the to micrometer-size, Japanese researchers open even more areas of application for needles, while bypassing some of the most important…
Radiologists in Paris have developed a standardised simple visual lung damage CT severity score for Covid-19 patients who do not have symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) at the time of initial treatment.
The Swiss-based CAMAG DBS Laboratory in collaboration with the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bern, Switzerland, has developed a novel approach for the fully automated analysis of the direct alcohol marker phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in dried blood spots (DBS). The use of a DBS autosampler with an embedded hematocrit (HCT) scanner combined with an LC-MS system permits analysis of large…
Even as we battle one pandemic (Covid-19), we sit on the cusp of another. Europe has one of the highest burdens of chronic liver disease (CLD) in the world, driven largely by alcohol overconsumption, viral hepatitis, and obesity. Furthermore, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly common and is a significant contributor to CLD – especially in people with diabetes, where its…
Test could measure patient immunity against multiple COVID-19 variants such as Omicron and Delta at once and inform which synthetic monoclonal antibody to use for treatments.
Researchers have found that regular blood tests can help detect whether prostate cancer patients have resistance to drugs treating the condition. The findings were presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) virtual Festival.
Digital technology solutions create new opportunities in diagnosis and assessment of renal conditions. With whole slide imaging (WSI), improved workflow and better visualization, such technology already yields a ROI for hospitals and laboratories.
Professor Dina Tiniakos, from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, predicts that NASH (Non-alcohol related steatohepatitis) cases will soar worldwide by 2030, with 800,000 liver deaths, costing health economies billions of dollars.
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…
An innovative collaboration has been formed in the UK between academic researchers and industry to develop a rapid integrated liquid biopsy platform for early detection of recurrent breast cancer. Breast cancer specialists Professor Charles Coombes, who is Professor of Medical Oncology at Imperial College London (ICL), and Professor Jacqui Shaw, Head of the Department of Genetics and Genome…
Considerable advances in point-of-care testing (POCT) devices are emerging from lab-on-a-chip platforms, innovations in smartphone-based technology and wearable technology. Cloud-based deep learning systems herald a future revolution.
Together with Imperial College London (‘Imperial’), molecular diagnostics company DNAe has been awarded a UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) by Innovate UK to support development of its next generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic platform for use in cancer monitoring. The KTP program connects innovative businesses with academic experts who can help them deliver their ideas. This…
A research team led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), in collaboration with clinical partners from Singapore General Hospital, has developed a smart wearable sensor that can conduct real-time, point-of-care assessment of chronic wounds wirelessly…
Researchers at the DZNE and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) have identified molecules in the blood that can indicate impending dementia. Their findings, which are presented in the scientific journal “EMBO Molecular Medicine”, are based on human studies and laboratory experiments. Various university hospitals across Germany were also involved in the investigations.
Scientists have identified two subtypes of metastatic prostate cancer that respond differently to treatment.
Some blood lipid biomarkers linked to cardiovascular disease risk are also associated with a lower risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) suggest the findings of a large epidemiology study. ALS is the commonest form of motor neuron disease - a progressive nervous system disease that destroys nerve cells responsible for voluntary movement such as walking and talking.
Extremely premature infants are at a high risk for brain damage. Researchers at the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna have now found possible targets for the early treatment of such damage outside the brain: Bacteria in the gut of premature infants may play a key role.
Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, have identified a new growth factor produced by blood vessels that enables tumor cells to metastatically colonize organs.
Triage HF Plus, highlighted in the BCS conference session ‘Digital Innovation in Cardiology - What's new?’ is a digital heart failure care project that uses a customised algorithm to detect early signs of deterioration in patients with implanted devices. During her presentation ‘Digital solutions to identify worsening heart failure’, consultant cardiologist Dr Fozia Ahmed discussed the…
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…
In a new study, researchers at Lund University and Uppsala University have seen a clear connection between how long a person sleeps and a number of biomarkers linked to cardiometabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
The risk of colorectal cancer can be predicted more accurately by determining seven blood-based micro-RNAs (miRNAs) than by using traditional methods - and can be done so many years before a diagnosis is made. In a current study, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg show that miRNA profiles provide greater predictive…
Beige is considered a calming paint color, and scientists have new evidence that beige fat has a similar impact on the brain, bringing down the inflammation associated with the more common white fat and providing protection from dementia. They have found that beige fat cells, which are typically intermingled with white fat cells in the subcutaneous fat present on “pear shaped” people, mediate…
A study by an international research group identified 15 novel biomarkers that are linked to late-onset dementias. These biomarkers are proteins, which predict cognitive decline and subsequent increased risk of dementia already 20 years before the disease onset. The proteins are related to immune system dysfunction, blood-brain-barrier dysfunction, vascular pathologies, and central insulin…
Home test kits to check for Covid-19 spike proteins and anti-Covid-19 antibodies are fast and simple to use but lack the sensitivity and accuracy of laboratory tests. Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology with Utrecht University have developed a new type of sensor that combines the sensitivity and accuracy of current laboratory-based measurements with the speed and low-cost of…
Markers in our blood – ‘fingerprints’ of infection – could help identify individuals who have been infected by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, several months after infection even if the individual had only mild symptoms or showed no symptoms at all, say Cambridge researchers. The team has received funding from the National Institute for Health Research to develop a test…
A researcher at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has developed a mathematical model for use in automated image analysis of tissue samples. The model provides the possibility for better and more similar cancer prognosis and treatment.
Artificial intelligence (AI) could match the impact of PACS on radiology. Covid-19 stimulated the development and testing of AI diagnostic-aiding tools in radiology, an unintended consequence of the pandemic. More image data sets have been created to train AI software – an unexpected benefit for radiology research.
Cancer care and the treatment clinicians can offer patients is being increasingly enhanced by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The technology has a role in diagnosis, with algorithms trained to design and deliver patient care, can match patients to clinical trials they may benefit from, and even help predict outcomes and those at greatest risk.
Dr. Hayder Amin and Dr. Caghan Kizil from the DZNE’s Dresden site aim to speed up developing drugs against brain diseases through cutting-edge technology. To this end, they are generating an innovative technology platform, termed “i3D-Markers”, based on high-density microelectrode arrays and 3-dimensional networks of human neurons. Compounds to be tested will be dripped onto this setup, and…
A new positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer can detect abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and potentially predict when they will rupture, according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2021 Annual Meeting. Targeting a novel biomarker associated with AAA, the radiotracer is effective both in diagnosis and in providing information to assist in the…
The effects of Covid-19 on the brain can be accurately measured with positron emission tomography (PET), according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) 2021 Annual Meeting. In the study, newly diagnosed Covid-19 patients, who required inpatient treatment and underwent PET brain scans, were found to have deficits in neuronal function and…
Researchers from the University of East Anglia have developed a new urine test for prostate cancer which also shows how aggressive the disease is.
A simple blood test could help doctors spot deadly damage to the aorta, the body’s largest blood vessel, according to research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference.
Beckman Coulter announced the launch of an AMH test that uses a validated cut-off to aid in the assessment of poor ovarian response. This new assay helps clinicians predict poor ovarian response in those who plan to undergo controlled ovarian stimulation as part of an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) protocol.
Brown University researchers have developed a technique that could allow deep brain stimulation devices to sense activity in the brain and adjust stimulation accordingly.
By 2030, the most lethal form of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Not only are therapeutic options limited, but nearly half of PDAC patients who have their tumors removed surgically experience disease recurrence within a year, even with chemotherapy. For more advanced stages,…
The Covid-19 pandemic made it clear technological innovations were urgently needed to detect, treat, and prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus. A year and a half into this epidemic, waves of successive outbreaks and the dire need for new medical solutions — especially testing — continue to exist. In the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, researchers from the University of Florida and…
Thin-film electrodes developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have been used in human patients at the University of California, San Francisco, generating never-before-seen recordings of brain activity in the hippocampus, a region responsible for memory and other cognitive functions. In a study published in the journal Nature Communications, surgeons at UCSF placed the flexible…
Is artificial intelligence (AI) technology ready to be utilized as a clinical tool by interventional oncologists? Not yet, but when it is, AI technology’s clinical impact may be as profound as advanced imaging is today, two leading experts agree.
New research has uncovered a surprising role for so-called “jumping” genes that are a source of genetic mutations responsible for a number of human diseases. In the new study from Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI), scientists made the unexpected discovery that these DNA sequences, also known as transposons, can protect against certain blood cancers. These…
Body composition information derived from routine chest CTs can provide important information on the overall health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including their risk of all-cause mortality. This is the result of a new study, published in Radiology. COPD is a group of chronic, progressive lung diseases that affect about 30 million people in the United States alone.…
In a recent study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers, findings indicate that among patients with heart failure, obesity is associated with a higher risk of heart failure hospitalization or death due to cardiac causes. However, achieving biomarker-based treatment goals in heart failure improves the prognosis for patients irrespective of their obesity status.
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) develops within the liver. With one to two cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Germany, ICC is one of the rare diseases overall, but it is the second most common liver cancer. The aggressive bile duct tumour remains clinically inconspicuous for a long time, so that it is often only detected late. Because the tumour also only responds to chemotherapy to a limited…
Researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Francis Crick Institute have developed a mass spectrometry-based technique capable of measuring samples containing thousands of proteins within just a few minutes. It is faster and cheaper than a conventional blood count. To demonstrate the technique’s potential, the researchers used blood plasma collected from Covid-19 patients.…
Rapid tests, PCR tests, self-tests… there are many test options to determine contamination with Covid-19. In most this is done by inserting a cotton swab deep into the nose and/or throat to extract some mucus – unpleasant for adults and often a drama for children. Towards the end of 2020, a new system emerged to rule out a Covid-19 contamination. The electronic SpiroNose performs a…
It is possible to identify Parkinson’s Disease based on compounds found on the surface of skin, according to new research. The findings offer hope that a pioneering new test could be developed to diagnose the degenerative condition through a simple and painless skin swab. Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed a technique which works by analysing compounds found in sebum -…
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.
Harnessing the power of radiomics, and adopting an integrated approach to combine imaging and patient data could lead to better clinical cancer outcomes. The move has opened the door for clinicians to explore a non-invasive approach to identify the heterogeneity of a tumour and more accurately target regions for biopsy. During a presentation at ECR 2021 in March, Professor Evis Sala will…
Pan-European lung cancer screening is challenged due to the range of approaches in different countries. As attitudes towards smoking and smoking cessation programmes vary, experts are attempting to establish more unified lung cancer screening. The introduction of consistent pan-European lung cancer screening will be outlined at a special session during the online ECR 2021, with presentations…
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a soft, stretchy skin patch that can be worn on the neck to continuously track blood pressure and heart rate while measuring the wearer’s levels of glucose as well as lactate, alcohol or caffeine. It is the first wearable device that monitors cardiovascular signals and multiple biochemical levels in the human body at the same…
AI-based vocal biomarker company Vocalis Health announced results of a clinical study conducted in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) at their NESCO Covid-19 Center to validate Vocalis Health’s Covid-19 screening tool, VocalisCheck. The study included over 2,000 participants who spoke numerous languages including English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati. Results…
Apheresis, a procedure that separates and removes particular blood constituents, shows promise for Covid-19 cases: the first patient successfully underwent so-called CRP apheresis, which can prevent potentially fatal consequences of the infection.
Beta-glucan tests are proving to be pivotal in the better detection and diagnosis of fungal infections. As a robust complimentary test for traditional testing techniques and biomarkers, it is helping clinicians deliver rapid results and offering greater reassurance in more accurately identifying such infections. β-glucan testing, which is an in vitro diagnostic test, is regularly used at…
Inhibiting a key enzyme that controls a large network of proteins important in cell division and growth, paves the way for a new class of drugs that could stop glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer, from growing. Researchers at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and University of Toronto (U of T), showed that chemically inhibiting the enzyme PRMT5 can…
A new EU-wide repository for health-related imaging data could boost development and marketing of AI tools for better cancer management. The open-source database will collect and harmonise images acquired from 40,000 patients, spanning different countries, modalities and equipment. This approach could eliminate one of the major bottlenecks in the clinical adoption of AI today: Data bias.
Hybrid PET/CT imaging can fully play to its strengths and steer treatment towards more effective procedures for diagnosing prostate cancer. The examination of the specific antigen PSMA with hybrid PET imaging enables treatment monitoring with significantly higher diagnostic accuracy than conventional imaging and therefore, Professor Clemens Cyran believes, will soon become the standard diagnostic…
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Patients are determined to have prostate cancer primarily based on PSA, a cancer factor in blood. However, as diagnostic accuracy is as low as 30%, a considerable number of patients undergo additional invasive biopsy and thus suffer from resultant side effects, such as bleeding and pain.
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…
Our biological or circadian clock synchronizes all our bodily processes to the natural rhythms of light and dark. It’s no wonder then that disrupting the clock can wreak havoc on our body. In fact, studies have shown that when circadian rhythms are disturbed through sleep deprivation, jet lag, or shift work, there is an increased incidence of some cancers including prostate cancer, which is the…
Predicting cancer outcome could help with a clinical decision regarding a patient’s treatment. In his keynote speech during the online ‘7th Digital Pathology and AI Congress: Europe’, Johan Lundin, Research Director at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) at the University of Helsinki and Professor of Medical Technology at Karolinska Institute, discussed ‘Outcome and…
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.
A deep learning model to predict RNA-Seq expression of tumours from whole slide images was among the industry innovations outlined at the 7th Digital Pathology and AI Congress for Europe. Created by French-American start-up Owkin, the detail of how the company’s HE2RNA model provides virtual spatialization of gene expression was detailed to online delegates by senior translational scientist…
The advent of digital pathology is offering a unique opportunity to develop computerized image analysis methods to diagnose disease and predict outcomes for cancer patients from histopathology tissue sections. Such advances can help predict risk of recurrence, disease aggressiveness and long-term survival, according to a leading expert in the field, Professor Anant Madabhushi from Case Western…
Men die about five years earlier than women across the world. As initiatives to boost awareness of men’s health unfolded in November, an international project is bringing the forefront of AI research to tackle prostate cancer (PC), the second most frequent type of cancer in men and the third most lethal in Europe.
A software tool to predict the most effective therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) developed by applying deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) to positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) images has been developed by researchers at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida. The tool is designed to provide a noninvasive, accurate method to…
Rather than using techniques separately, researchers have determined that coupling image-based and serum-based biomarkers achieves a higher diagnostic accuracy in detecting stage two liver fibrosis, or above. The study team, from the NAFLD Research Center, University of California at San Diego (UCSD), and colleagues at Yokohama City University in Japan, used magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)…
The new generation troponin I assay unveiled by Beckman Coulter is helping improve heart attack diagnosis. Delivering high sensitivity, and rapid result turnaround times, every element of the Access hsTnI assay has been redeveloped and updated, including the antibodies and the paramagnetic particles used. As specialists in developing and manufacturing products that simplify and automate complex…
A UK biotech laboratory has used mass spectrometry in a new approach to coronavirus testing. MAP Sciences developed a gargle test, which collects samples from the back of the throat, and avoids the unpleasant sensation of the current PCR (polymerase chain reaction) swab tests. From there, the sample is tested for coronavirus using mass spectrometry (MS) with high levels of accuracy.
Experts have identified two distinct immunological and cellular profiles in the lungs of Covid-19 patients which they believe could help define treatment pathways. From some of the earliest Covid-19 autopsies conducted in Europe, Swiss-based researchers have performed integrative digital pathology and transcriptomic analyses of lung tissues of 16 coronavirus patients who died from respiratory…
Large proportions of patients can be safely triaged either to rule out discharge or rule in lifesaving management – if following the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines Class I recommendation of two serial measurements of hs-cTnI on admission and after one hour, if there are assay specific cut off values for the 0/1 algorithms. The Pathfast hs-cTNI assay is an approved system to…