HighlightsThe most dynamic X-ray QA meter available Supports all medical X-ray modalitiesOperates with all of Radcal’s ion chambers, solid state, mA and light sensorsIncludes customizable easy-to-use softwareReport generationWaveform analysisOptional WiFi capability
HighlightsDeepUnity Diagnost is our most advanced PACS Client and registered as a medical device. It comes with many additional functionalities to improve your daily workflow, such as advanced visualization and postprocessing tools for radiology and cardiology. Besides DeepUnity Diagnost we offer two other non-medical devices for less demanding tasks – solutions based on your needs.
Highlightssyngo Virtual Cockpit, a software for remote scanning assistance, lets you make the most of your imaging devices. Medical staff can use this software solution to connect remotely to scanner workplaces to assist personnel at a different location, especially where more sophisticated examinations are required.Boost confidence by sharing in-house expertiseEnhance patient satisfaction…
ECRI’s annual top ten technology hazard list alerts hospitals and healthcare providers of situations, products, and procedures they need to diligently monitor and/or take steps to improve. This non-profit technology Pennsylvania research firm has worked for over 50 years to make healthcare safer. The list reflects the organization’s collective judgment about the health technology risks that…
Fujifilm has announced its partnership with World Cancer Day, to reduce the global cancer burden, promote greater equity, and integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda.
Healthcare Automation and Digitalization Congress 2023 is held on September, 25-26, 2023, in Zurich, Switzerland. Automa+ 2023 gathers leaders and digital experts from hospitals, healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies with the main aim to drive the healthcare industry towards successful digital transformation.
Five years ago, JVC Kenwood redesigned its monitors from the ground up and launched the i3 Series - kicking off a success story.
A new study is among the first to survey the current landscape of FHIR apps, providing a snapshot of how the standard is used to enable the flow of health information.
Engineers have developed an electronic patch that can give medical professionals unprecedented access to crucial information that could help spot life-threatening conditions.
Time for modernisation: The current model for randomised clinical trials must be redesigned for the 21st century, according to leading European and American cardiology societies.
Medical imaging and healthcare IT company Esaote reports that it has completed the transition of its medical devices to comply with the new Medical Device Regulation (MDR).
As transparency surrounding the eco-footprint of hospitals becomes more important, medical device manufacturers must recognize the need for action to tackle global challenges, such as climate change.
Researchers have developed a so-called “heart attack on a chip”, which could one day serve as a testbed to develop new heart drugs and even personalized medicines.
A pioneering ‘smart contact lens’ to test the eye in a quick, non-invasive way could prevent deaths caused by fungal eye infections in developing countries.
Researchers use AI to develop personalized 3D-printed joint implants so that these delicate finger parts can be replaced when necessary (e.g. after illness or injury).
Tapping the thriving Radiology AI ecosystem, Bayer recently announced three collaboration agreements for its digital platform, Calantic Digital Solutions, as well as an AI accelerator program.
OpenRad announced at RSNA the launch of its enterprise remote reporting platform, which enables cloud-based reporting, collaborative workflows across companies and advanced mobile fleet management.
Breast cryoablation is an emerging treatment for early-stage, localized breast cancer that destroys malignant tumours by freezing them. During the past decade, it has been increasingly utilized as an alternative to lumpectomy, but its long-term benefits compared to other breast cancer treatments are still unproven.
Medical imaging is critical across many fields of healthcare – but accessing it in remote or rural locations can be a struggle, resulting in missed appointments or delayed diagnoses. Fujifilm Healthcare Europe is a leading provider of medical imaging solutions across all modalities, and offers a range of portable imaging systems that allow imaging solutions to be taken closer to the patient.
The first blood test to diagnose inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) could be in use in as little as a year, following the discovery of a molecular signal in the blood.
Innovative gastrointestinal imaging, medical panel PCs with hygiene optimisation, smartphone-based diagnostic tools, and sustainable hardware setups: At Medica 2022, manufacturers from Taiwan again showed their capability to adapt and provide solutions for a world radically changed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the “Taiwan Excellence” banner, outstanding products from the island nation’s…
At Medica, medical device company Ur24Technology Inc. showcased its TrueClr product line – a non-invasive catheter to minimise infection risk, increase patient comfort and reduce healthcare costs.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of these single-use diagnostics, or point-of-care tests has exploded. This is having major environmental consequences, experts point out.
Swiss researchers developed a new MRI method to visualise metabolic processes in the body. Their objective is to improve the future diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
New changes made to the timetable for the In vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulation (IVDR) across Europe could have a significant impact on manufacturers and users, an expert points out. While the extension of the transition period was a welcome step, other changes which were hoped for remain painfully absent.
Periprosthetic infections and revisions are on the rise in Germany and worldwide, with significant consequences for affected patients as well as for the healthcare systems. Precisely because the number of patients at higher risk of infection in arthroplasty continues to rise, attention is increasingly focused on how this dreaded complication can be avoided.
A custom-made new hip, a knee or maybe a piece of bone? The technology and possibilities for 3D printing are (almost) there. And such an implant from a 3D printer has many advantages, not only for the patient, but also for the surgeon who has to perform the operation. Koen Willemsen, physician, and medical engineer at the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), was at the cradle of the 3D lab…
In Europe, Germany has been bringing up the rear in implementing the electronic patient record (EPR) for years. While the EMRAM score of German hospitals continues to be negligible – on the international as well as on the European level – there are signs of progress that give reason for hope.
Innovative smart weighing scales are adding a new dimension to home monitoring for healthcare. By collecting data via sensors and proprietary technology as people stand on them, the scales can assess health metrics to give users more precise measurements for a deeper understanding of their body.
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.
New tests can identify over 50 types of cancer and boost detection of traditionally elusive cancers from tumour DNA in blood, researchers showed at the ESMO congress in September. These multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests in development can spot common cancer signals and predict where the signal comes from in the body, results from a prospective investigation suggest.
Eye4Care is a frontline healthcare staff support service, based on a proprietary platform, which enables real-time audio/video connection between healthcare specialists and the staff treating patients.
One of the world’s leading endoscopic imaging system companies, MedicalTek (MDTK) from Taiwan, launches its brand new endoscopic visualization system, Darwin MS-301. While keeping the main feature – conversion of 2D endoscopic images to 3D – from its predecessor MonoStereo, Darwin delivers the twice-better performance, more intuitive control, and Rigid and Flexible scope modes.
A smart-ring medical device is emerging as an effective and discreet wearable for round-the-clock blood pressure monitoring. Using photoplethysmography (PPG) signals to measure the bloodstream 24/7 through the wearer’s finger, a new feature of the “Cart-I plus” ring from manufacturer Sky Labs enables it to constantly monitor hypertension without user intervention.
Increasing accessibility of remote and home monitoring for patients with pulmonary diseases can help improve treatment and rehabilitation adherence, and support health systems and hospitals in tackling waiting lists. The various advantages of remote monitoring systems will be highlighted in a Medica session focusing on “Preventing chronic diseases with diagnostics and analytics”.
Speed or accuracy? As far as Covid-19 tests go, this was the choice you had to make. In the future, this dilemma could be a thing of the past.
The Pluslife Mini Dock System is a Next-Generation POC molecular diagnostic tool that can be used in different application scenarios, which aims to help the decentralization of MDx in diagnosing facilities.
Nowadays, the operating theatre is networked and staff have access to a wide range of information and image data. With the Clinio, Rein Medical offers a medical all-in-one (AIO) computer that has been designed for use in hygienically sensitive areas.
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.
Is joint decision making of healthcare professionals and their patients better than a doctor making the calls on his own? New research supports this notion for cardiology.
Engineers from EPFL and the University of Strasbourg have developed a surgical needle whose trajectory can be corrected on the fly, thanks to a flexible tip controlled with a simple button.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing its foothold in endoscopy. Although the algorithms often detect pathologies faster than humans, their use also generates new problems. PD Dr Alexander Hann attests to the great potential of AI helpers. However, the deputy head of gastroenterology at the University Hospital Würzburg points out that their use can affect not only the reporting of findings…
What if a test analysing cervical cells from a gynaecological swab could be used to detect four different female cancers at an early stage and also predict cancer risk over a healthy woman's lifetime? Researchers at the EUTOPS Institute in Innsbruck, Austria, are developing tests to do just that for breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancer detection.
At this year's Medica (Nov 14-17), the Health IT Forum offers a special focus on how health IT can contribute to more sustainability in healthcare, and on optimising treatment workflows.
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…
Blood pressure is one of the most basic parameters in any healthcare status assessment and holds considerable diagnostic significance. However, clinicians should never underestimate the complexity behind the assessment, cautions Dr Rhian M. Touyz.
Antibiotic prescribing in primary care could be monitored using health insurance data. And reduced with a simple test.
Bayer recently announced the launch of Calantic Digital Solutions, a new platform delivering access to digital applications, including artificial intelligence (AI) enabled programs for medical imaging.
A device using next-gen technology to automatically deliver insulin was found to be more effective at maintaining blood glucose levels than standard-of-care management for type 1 diabetes.
A research group has revealed that SARS-CoV-2 disrupts the vascular endothelial barrier by suppressing the expression of Claudin-5 (CLDN5) to invade the blood vessels.
Driving the healthcare industry towards digital transformation was the main direction of Automa+ 2022. The Congress gathered leaders from hospitals and healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, governmental bodies and institutions as well as medical device manufacturers, service providers and start-ups in Zurich, Switzerland on September, 26-27, 2022.
A new device for diagnosing bone fragility invented by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) and the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has been approved for marketing in the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The device is based on a new approach to assessing bone quality via blood sampling.
As the monkeypox outbreak continues to spread around the globe, a rare but potentially serious complication of the virus has been discovered.
Cancer – one word that turns the patients’ world upside down. In addition to uncertainty and fear, they often face an unnerving series of exams and treatments. With its new One-Stop Clinic concept, GE Healthcare now wants to help make this journey as smooth as possible. At a single location, in an environment designed for comfort, the patients undergo all necessary steps within a short period…
Patients looking for infos on implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) should not rely on YouTube videos, as quality content on the topic is few and far between, according to new research.
Ethical considerations continue to fuel the discussion around artificial intelligence (AI), a panel of experts showed at ECR 2022.
A new system capable of reading lips with remarkable accuracy even when speakers are wearing face masks could help create a new generation of hearing aids.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to detect COVID-19 infection in people’s voices by means of a mobile phone app, according to research to be presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.
New method for the detection of alcohols combines zero- to ultralow-field nuclear magnetic resonance with the SABRE-Relay hyperpolarization technique.
German researchers present a novel method for testing chemical agents that could help in the development of drugs against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
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.
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…
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.
Atrial fibrillation screening using conventional smartphones more than doubles the detection and treatment rate in older people compared to routine screening, new research finds.
It might sound like science fiction but it is reality in cardiology: with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) physicians can recognize from a patient’s headshot whether the person is suffering from coronary artery disease and is therefore at risk of myocardial infarction. But is that knowledge really useful? Professor Dr David Duncker calls for a differentiated and careful assessment of…
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.
A device with the appearance of a Wi-Fi router uses a neural network to discern the presence and severity of one of the fastest-growing neurological diseases in the world: Parkinson's.
Exposure to ionising radiation is a major health concern for many interventional radiologists. To help attain an understanding for radiation distribution in a clinical setting, experts tap into the potential of virtual reality (VR).
Holding its ground during the challenges of the pandemic, Health and Care Expo Medical Taiwan 2022 saw a 13% increase in visitors compared with last year, the organizers report.
Interventional cardiologists in Seattle recently performed a first-in-human procedure, successfully employing a catheter-delivered device to retrieve a benign tumor from inside a patient’s heart.
Researchers at McMaster University create device to replicate conditions in blood vessels after grafts.
Striving to improve the patient’s quality of life after laryngectomy, researchers conducted a study, during which they searched for pathologies in patients’ voices using artificial intelligence (AI).
Engineers have developed a biofilm capable of producing long-term, continuous electricity from an individuals' sweat.
A new device, which doesn’t rely on immunosuppressing drugs, may assist efforts to develop an artificial pancreas to treat diabetes.
To monitor the lung function of patients with severe respiratory or lung diseases outside of an ICU, researchers have developed a vest that records noises with integrated acoustic sensors.
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.
At the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna, Fujifilm Europe showcased a new flexible, hybrid C-arm and portable x-ray machine, called FDR Cross.
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.
By recreating the helical structure of heart muscles, bioengineers improve understanding of how the heart beats.
Rapid technical advances in ultrasound and increasingly tight healthcare budgets call for a change in ultrasound practice, experts explained in a session at the ECR in Vienna. Two experts presented possible models for the next two decades.
MIT researchers produced textiles that sense the wearer’s posture and motions. Their “smart” shoes and mats could be used in applications ranging from health care to prosthetics.
Automa + Healthcare is held in September, and gathers leaders from hospitals & healthcare providers, governmental bodies and institutions with the goal to contribute to further development of ongoing digital health trends.
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.
Spinal fusion—fusing two vertebrae together—can treat a wide variety of spinal disorders. A patient-specific 3D-printed smart metamaterial implant doubles as sensor to monitor spinal healing.
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.
Medical equipment that can be manufactured at low cost, is simple to use and can be easily maintained will help extend surgery to the 5 billion people worldwide who currently cannot get access to it.
A Stanford mechanical engineer creates multifunctional wireless robots to maximize health outcomes and minimize invasiveness of procedures.
New wearable technology creates new possibilities for assessing the neurological development of young children.
The European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM) held their annual congress on October 27th to 31st, 2021 in the city of Lisbon, to promote education, training and research in European acute care.
Colonoscopies performed with AI support may yield an increase in the overall rate of detection of adenoma, or cancerous and precancerous polyps, by 27% in average-risk patients, according to new data.
Over the past years, the world has been transforming into a post-Covid era. Taiwan has stepped up to the challenge on innovation and taking the advancement of digital healthcare to a whole new level.
Medical imaging and radiotherapy treatment devices are essential lifesaving technologies. In an era when hospital information systems are increasingly being attacked by cybercriminals, just how protected and safe is this equipment?
COVID-19 pandemic has caused “global collateral damage” by disrupting cardiac services . Across the world problems with heart health will “...continue to accrue unless mitigation strategies are speedily implemented”.
This overview introduces connected and continuous glucose sensing technologies, smart insulin delivery systems and more innovations that help patients and doctors monitor and manage glucose levels and guide decision-making in diabetes care.
Wireless bioresorbable pacemaker bypasses need to extract non-biodegradable leads, eliminating additional risk to the patient.
A wireless, bioelectronic pacifier could eliminate the need for invasive, twice-daily blood draws to monitor babies’ electrolytes in Newborn Intensive Care Units or NICUs.
Hospital-acquired infections are dangerous for patients and costly for clinics. A novel surface treatment could help improve the safety of medical devices and ease the economic burden.
Glucose is absorbed from the foods we eat and fuels every cell in our bodies. But could it also power tomorrow’s medical implants? According to a team of engineers, it might.
Two surgeons-in-training suggest some sustainable solutions for their energy-intensive discipline.
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.
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.
Portable MRI machines detected ischemic strokes, or strokes caused by clotting, in 90% of patients scanned.
The in vitro diagnostic regulation (IVDR) aims to make tests safer, more reliable, and sustainable. Unfortunately, it is also widely regarded a bureaucratic nightmare. At the ECCMID Day on Diagnostics, an expert proposed a more constructive approach.
During the first Chemnitz’ Robotic-Symposium, two experts reported on the current state and the future of robot-assisted surgery and highlighted why it is a good time to be involved in this field of technology.
The University Medical Centre (UMC) Utrecht, The Netherlands, collaborates with Fujitsu to realize their smart hospital initiative, using sensors, tags and IoT technology provided by the company.
Noninvasive sound technology breaks down liver tumors in rats, kills cancer cells and spurs the immune system to prevent further spread.
Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a telerobotic system to help surgeons quickly and remotely treat patients experiencing a stroke or aneurysm.
The COVID-19 testing device can detect coronavirus infection in as little as 30 seconds as sensitively and accurately as a PCR test.
A platform for studying how the human immune system responds to hepatitis C infection by combining microfluidic technology with liver organoids could speed the hunt for a vaccine.
Point-of-care testing (POCT) is a “win-win” scenario for patients and healthcare professionals in delivering care when and where it is needed, according to pathologist Adil Khan, MSc, PhD.
To transform human mobility, exoskeletons need to interact seamlessly with their user. Now, researchers gave users direct control to customize the behavior of an ankle exoskeleton.
Hygienic, single-use components are widely used in endoscopy to ensure patient safety but are considered wasteful. Reprocessing is a more sustainable alternative but requires special equipment and training to avoid equipment contamination. This creates an area of conflict for physicians, hospital staff, but also for manufacturers. We spoke with two experts at Pentax Medical about challenges in…
Researchers are developing wearable devices to catch early signs and symptoms of diseases or monitor sick patients. We spoke to wearables and medical device expert Professor John Rogers about the benefits, challenges, trends and innovation within the sector.
Contrast agents in the wastewater and power-hungry imaging systems: The eco-footprint of healthcare is huge, and radiology departments are among the main culprits. An expert panel at the ECR Overture explored ways to make the field “greener”.
A wireless sensor could offer doctors a way to monitor changes in brain chemistry without requiring a second operation to remove the implant.
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.
A proof of concept for a robot that can reach some of the smallest bronchial tubes in the lungs to take tissue samples or deliver cancer therapy.
To provide a solution for the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, Beckman Coulter recently launched the DxU Iris, a urinalysis solution which aims to improve lab workflows.
The AI-Guided Ultrasound Intervention Device is a lifesaving technology that helps a range of users deliver complex medical interventions at the point of injury.
More than 15 billion batteries are sent to landfill sites every year – technology that converts glucose and oxygen into electricity has the potential to reduce this waste and serve as a sustainable alternative power source for medical devices.
Smart textiles with built-in sensors and transmitters present themselves as a diagnostic solution as they can monitor heart rhythm over long periods and thus pick up on potential Atrial Fibrillation.
An anti-inflammatory drug incorporated into the coating around an implantable electronic medical device – such as a pacemaker – can reduce the body’s "foreign body" reaction.
A DNA test has been shown to identify a range of hard-to-diagnose neurological and neuromuscular genetic diseases quicker and more-accurately than existing tests.
Combining questions about a person's health with data from smartwatch sensors, a new app can predict within minutes whether someone is infected with COVID-19.
Fujifilm aims to become an entity that can contribute to the advancement of human health by supporting the ongoing transformation in the healthcare industry – as a “One-Stop” solution partner.
Hyaluronic Acid LT Assay is an in vitro diagnostic test (IVD) for the quantitative determination of hyaluronic acid based on the latex agglutination method. This turbidimetric method can be applied to general clinical chemistry analyzers.
A miniature colonoscopy robot on tank-like treads, which carries a camera and uses other small surgical tools, could have clear benefits for both patients and endoscopists.
A new risk calculator could reduce the number of unnecessary and invasive biopsies for prostate cancer.
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.
Researchers have developed a smartwatch that assesses cortisol levels found in sweat. The device opens new possibilities for personal health monitoring.
Despite a five-year transition period for In-vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulation (IVDR), experts fear many actors in the field are still not prepared for the regulations coming into force.
Meiko has a new online platform, the Meiko Experience Zone, and it is more than just a virtual showroom! Users can browse planning examples and a library of expertise, view videos and much more.
Dr Jan Stallkamp, Professor for Automation in Healthcare and Biotechnology, has a vision: robots that can treat patients more efficiently and more precisely than any human physician.
Does artificial intelligence (AI) need more diversity? This aspect is brought up by experts in the context of AI systems to diagnose skin cancer. Their concern: images used to train such programs do not include data on a wide range of skin colours, leading to inferior results when diagnosing non-white patients.
Interventional cardiology is entering a new era with the wider introduction of robotic procedures which bring significant benefits to the medical team and the patient. Two experts outlined the benefits at the ESC 2021 Digital Summit.
The team at the Institute of Medical Device Technology at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, is developing methods to produce top-quality medical devices at affordable prices. Professor Dr Peter Pott, the director of the institute, turns to 3D printers to successfully realize his vision of “high end at low cost”.
Evonik offers a comprehensive portfolio of 3D printable med-tech biomaterials that can be used to produce medical devices with temporary or permanent body contact. Marc Knebel, head of Medical Systems at Evonik, explains the benefits and applications of the new high-performance polymer VESTAKEEP Care M40 3DF.
Progress in miniaturising sensor technology has opened up new possibilities for monitoring vital signs outside the hospital environment. A subset of wearables are the so-called hearables – in-ear devices that are well suited for long-term monitoring as they are non-invasive, inconspicuous and easy to fasten. Hearables offer two major benefits: their proximity to the torso and vascular system of…
To detect wound complications as soon as they happen, a team of researchers has invented a smart suture that is battery-free and can wirelessly sense and transmit information from deep surgical sites.
A new technology solution which will provide low-power systems for use in bionic eyes, has been jointly developed by academics from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China and Northumbria University.
The number of gamified mobile applications is rising rapidly—especially in healthcare. Gamified apps or devices are used in many fields, from mental health therapy to stroke rehab to managing metabolic conditions. This article illustrates how gamification is employed in diabetes care.
An invisible protective wall of UV-C light developed by researchers in Munich could reliably curb the spread of viruses and other pathogens in rooms while allowing total freedom of movement.
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…
Doctors in Lisbon report on the case of a 61-year-old man who received a double lung transplant after his lungs were irreparably damaged by Covid-19.
One of the crucial future technologies in surgery is Augmented Reality (AR). Most experts agree that AR will increase safety and efficiency, improve surgical training and decrease costs.
Due to their complex design, reusable endoscopes have been long recognized to require thorough reprocessing to properly disinfect. In practice, the drying of the endoscope is often underestimated.
Connecting the brain with a machine has been a powerful dream of mankind. What used to be science fiction, from the Borg in Star Trek to the Matrix, has become mainstream thanks to Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg who have put their entrepreneurial commitments into the area of neurotechnology. Recently, Professor Surjo R. Soekadar outlined current and upcoming applications of brain-computer…
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.
Researchers at the University of Rochester, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands recently developed a 3D printing technique to engineer and study biofilms—three-dimensional communities of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that adhere to surfaces. The research provides important information for creating synthetic materials and in developing drugs to fight the negative effects of…
Providing innovative endoscopic solutions means understanding clinicians’ needs to optimally treat patients, based on their specific condition. Pentax Medical is expanding its offering, to present clinicians and healthcare providers with the power of choice. Pentax Medical provides a range of equipment to treat each and every patient in the most optimal way, in order to minimise the risk of…
Wearables are a trend in respiratory care and many products are being developed to monitor patients remotely. But how much can these tools really help clinicians? An Italian expert discussed current solutions and challenges to their development.
Since its introduction around 60 years ago, the screening of newborn babies for immune, hormone and metabolic disorders has prevented many people from experiencing severe disease progression. The scope of systematic early testing has been significantly enhanced through mass spectrometry (MS). In our interview, Professor Uta Ceglarek, one of the driving forces behind the introduction of MS…
A stethoscope is one of a doctor's most important instruments, but there haven't been any fundamental improvements in the device itself since the 1960s. Now, researchers at Aalto University have developed a device that analyses a broad range of bodily functions and offers the doctor a probable diagnosis, as well as suggestions for appropriate further examinations. The researchers believe that the…
Remote monitoring devices and pacemakers supporting patients with conditions such as heart failure could be vulnerable to cyberattack, according to a leading cardiology expert.
Researchers have developed an ultra-thin wireless device, called osseosurface electronic, that grows to the surface of bone and could someday help physicians monitor bone health and healing over long periods.
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.
Intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) appear to have systemic effects on the body like those of hormone replacement therapy, according to a breast MRI study being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Innovations in technology continue to improve clinical laboratory productivity. Total lab automation systems are responding to dramatic growth in internet-driven streamlined processes.
Virtual insights, telehealth devices portable imaging solutions and innovative approaches to endoscopy - at this year's Medica, Taiwanese companies again showcased their latest products. Even with a slightly reduced attendance due to the pandemic, the exhibitors found ingenious ways to promote their merchandise and attract the attention of potential business partners.
X-ray vision, context-sensitive guidance, coordinator, training assistant and more: augmented reality (AR) has hit the OR. While still in its infancy AR does grow rapidly and has already shown enormous potential. University Professor Dr Rüdiger von Eisenhart-Rothe, Chair of Orthopaedics and Sports Orthopaedics at the Technical University Munich, explains the advantages of different AR…
Since Compamed could only be held digitally last year, due to the pandemic, the event now takes place publicly again. Almost 500 registrations from exhibitors prove that there is a high level of interest from medical technology suppliers – a huge step towards reaching normality again.
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…
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.
How will digital technology impact healthcare in 2030? If challenges to acceptance and utilisation can be overcome, healthcare providers and patients will benefit significantly, according to physicians participating in a recent online seminar on this topic.
This September, the symposium 5G4Healthcare, organised by the Technical University of Applied Sciences (Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule - OTH) Amberg-Weiden, Germany, explored how 5G can contribute to greater efficiency in healthcare. The event was based on the insights from the 5G4Healthcare project at OTH. Launched in 2020, it is one of six research projects in the 5G innovation programme…
‘Bittium NeurOne is one of the quickest and most accurate EEG measuring devices in the world designed for clinical and research use,’ the manufacturer reports. ‘Bittium NeurOne system enables fully synchronised group measuring of up to 30 people simultaneously, for example in different types of psychological studies. ‘The solution is optimised for use with transcranial magnetic…
The Corona pandemic has a major impact on all areas of life. Nearly everyone is affected in some way – in their health, in their jobs, in their entire lives. But there are also notable bright spots. Chief among these effects is the rapid development of vaccines, test kits and, in the future, medicines that are making a significant contribution to overcoming the crisis. Microfluidic components…
WHO: Urinary Incontinence (UI) affects 10-36% of population. International Continence Society: 120 million men and 301 million women are affected by UI. Most studies report UI prevalence at 25–45%. Prevalence increases with age (over 40% women older than 70 years).
Distributor wanted for Anatomic Pathology Laboratory Devices – Made in Germany! Become Part of the successful international network of Medite Medical GmbH, www.medite.de, info@medite.de, or meet us at booth No. 3H33 in Hall 3!
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.
This year as every year, the very best in global HealthTech will be converging on Dusseldorf for the Medica trade fair. With more than 127 companies attending the event from November 15-18, France will have one of the largest contingents there. Grouped together under the brand umbrella of “French Healthcare”, the French MedTech companies will be presenting their many innovations to industry…
In May 2022 a shortage of several lab tests may come as many manufacturers struggle to comply with EU regulation requirements covering in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDR, Regulation (EU) 2017/746). Even modified tests and laboratory-developed tests will present a problem for hospitals and labs as explained by Dr Thomas Streichert.
Video streaming of surgeries, augmented reality displays and at-home assessment of sleep apnea: Medtech companies from Taiwan will showcase their newest products at Medica in Düsseldorf. Ahead of the trade fair, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) presented award-winning examples of the nation’s ingenuity.
"Virtual Care & Digital Therapeutics", "Medical Artificial Intelligence & Robotics", "Fields of Innovation" and "Societal aspects of digitized healthcare" are the topics of this year's Health IT Forum at Medica. New this year: In line with the hybrid event concept of the trade fair, the Expert Panels, Tech Talks and Deep Dive Sessions can be…
Medica trade fair (November 15-18) is once again a welcome field for many healthcare start-ups to present their products. The joint stand at the 'Medica Start-up Park' in Hall 12 has become the central cross-national meeting point for the healthcare start-up scene, the fair's organizers are pleased to report. "We bring innovators and investors together. This time, more than 40 start-ups are…
Scientists have used tin mono-sulfide (SnS) nanosheets to create the thinnest X-ray detector ever made, potentially enabling real-time imaging of cellular biology.
Leading medical XR experts gathered at Shift Medical to discuss developments on the use of immersive technologies in medicine. We interviewed Doctor Egidijus Pelanis of Oslo University Hospital, about applying extended realities in the operating room.
Leading functional & smart textile manufacturer Asiatic Fiber Corporation (AFC) introduces advanced wearable technology for electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): (EMS module / E-massage module) of the iQmax® series at the international trade fair MEDICA 2021, which will be held in Germany from November 15th to 18th.
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.
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…
French interventional radiologists are pushing the frontier by looking at opportunities to perform minimally invasive procedures in manned space flights. A new strategy explored by the French Society of Radiology (SFR) is to equip astronauts with an interventional kit when flying outside of the earth’s orbit, a leading interventional radiologist explained ahead of the JFR, the SFR’s annual…
The pandemic has put a spotlight on the increasing role of cyberattacks and weaknesses in healthcare. In healthcare as in other industries, cybercrime does not stop at national borders. With this idea in mind, the US consulate general in Düsseldorf and the US embassy in Vienna recently invited interested parties to their Cybersecurity in Healthcare Briefing.
Roche announced that it has entered an agreement with PathAI, a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered technology for pathology. Under the development and distribution agreement, the companies will jointly develop an embedded image analysis workflow for pathologists. This workflow will allow PathAI image analysis algorithms to be accessed within Navify Digital Pathology, the cloud…
“An artificial uterus – the incubator 2.0 – will become a reality within 10 years,” says Jasmijn Kok, one of the founders of Juno, a spin-off from the Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands. Together with researchers from the department of Industrial Design from the University, including her twin sister Lyla Kok, she wants to bring a technology that increases the chances of…
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’.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the first new major technological improvement for Computed Tomography (CT) imaging in nearly a decade. “Computed tomography is an important medical imaging tool that can aid in diagnosing disease, trauma or abnormality; planning and guiding interventional or therapeutic procedures; and monitoring the effectiveness of certain therapies,” said…
Rein Medical, a leading supplier of customised all-in-one computer systems, high-resolution displays, customised OR wall modules and video and image management software solutions across Germany and Europe, produces high-quality, robust products. ‘To maintain these high standards going forward, the JVC subsidiary has enlarged and redesigned the warehouse and production area and optimised the…
The FDA authorized marketing of software to assist medical professionals who examine body tissues in the detection of areas that are suspicious for cancer as an adjunct to the review of digitally-scanned slide images from prostate biopsies.
Customizable to individual patients and requiring less than 10 minutes to prepare and use, new surgical implant coating prevented 100% of infections in mice.
The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most divisive issues in cardiology. Two leading experts argue the pros and cons of its use, exploring its benefits and advantages to cardiac care, as well as highlighting the pitfalls and shortcomings of AI, while underlining the need for clear guidelines and regulations for its use going forward.
MedTech Europe, the European trade association for the medical technology industry including diagnostics, medical devices and digital health, ran an industry survey, which shows an urgent, high risk to the availability of IVD medical tests once the new IVD Regulation fully applies.
Agfa HealthCare is proud to be one of the first companies to receive the new European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certification, which was issued by Intertek on 25 August 2021. This certification, which covers Agfa HealthCare’s Class IIa Enterprise Imaging and Xero Viewer solutions, ensures that Agfa HealthCare can continue to deliver to customers innovative solutions that meet their real…
Researchers in Thailand have developed a device to get the most out of vaccine supplies: The automated vaccine filling machine from the Faculty of Engineering at Chulalongkorn University can fill AstraZeneca vaccine into syringes with precision, speed, and safety, helping to increase the number of vaccinated people by 20 percent. The prototype is now operating at Chula Vaccination Center and more…
Brexit could have a potential impact on healthcare delivery across the UK, according to an expert in the field. Dr Hugh Harvey believes that will be particularly noticeable in the area of Medical Device Regulation (MDR), with the UK and Europe seemingly going in different directions on the subject after the UK left the European Union (EU) at the end of last year.
Although artificial intelligence (AI) tools and smartphone apps that help identify suspicious moles and potential skin cancers are starting to proliferate, dermatology informatics has far to go before becoming a clinically adoptable technology. Many challenges need to be resolved, not least of which is the need for more image data representing people of colour.
3D metal printing technology is producing personalised medical-grade titanium-alloy plates that perfectly fit individuals suffering arthritis of the knee. Engineers at the University of Bath’s Centre for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) working with 3D Metal Printing Ltd, are using the TOKA (Tailored Osteotomy for Knee Alignment) treatment to improve the surgical procedure and fit of high-tibial…
Combining imaging modalities is helping to achieve better diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes for heart patients. The topic, discussed in detail by experts at the ICNC-CT online International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT, examined hybrid/fusion imaging as the standard in cardiovascular imaging, and its value in clinical practice. Professor Terrence Ruddy spoke about the role of…
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…
Until recently, TAVI, the minimally invasive procedure in which a replacement valve is inserted inside a diseased valve has been mostly prescribed for patients too weak to face open heart surgery – largely involving those in the 80-plus age group. Today, due to greater longevity plus advancing skills that result in risks reduction, TAVI is increasingly prescribed for patients in their 70s and…
An AI-led device to assess coronary CT angiographs has been designed to assess cardiac plaque that may lead to myocardial infarction (MI). In his presentation ‘Vascular inflammation and cardiovascular risk assessment using coronary CT angiography’ (CCTA), Charambalos Antoniades, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Oxford, presented the research team’s findings during…
Could machine learning (ML) help to predict sudden cardiac death (SCD)? According to Dr Sanjiv Narayan, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University, California, many exciting studies are using ML to predict sudden death in ways not previously possible. ‘Complex data, such as MRI geometry, very large electronic health records or continuous data streams from wearables, are difficult to probe…
Will telehealth replace traditional in-person healthcare? Healthcare and digital health professionals around the world have moved beyond this question. Telehealth scenarios are here to stay, and so is traditional healthcare. The relevant question is how both can be combined for optimum results. This is the focus of hybrid care models. Jonah Comstock of HIMSS recently presented a webinar on…
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet recently reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could reduce overdiagnoses and thereby improve prostate cancer screening. Now, the same research group has published a study in The Lancet Oncology, which shows that the addition of a novel blood test, the Stockholm3 test, can reduce the number of MRIs performed by a third while further preventing the…
Siemens Healthineers presents its second pathway for its AI-Pathway Companion at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Global Health Conference 2021 (HIMSS 21). This new pathway is focused on non-small cell lung cancer, supporting personalized and standardized decision-making along the whole treatment process.
A research team led by scientists in the labs of Jennifer Doudna, David Savage and Patrick Hsu at the University of California, Berkeley, is aiming to develop a rapid Covid-19 diagnostic test that is much faster and easier to deploy than qRT-PCR. It has now combined two different types of CRISPR enzymes to create an assay that can detect small amounts of viral RNA in less than an hour. Doudna…
Microwave engineers, infectious disease specialists and polymer scientists from the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Strathclyde have teamed up to create a novel microwave sterilisation method that could revolutionise the way ambulances and hospitals are being disinfected.
Operating rooms are extremely complex, and the level of complexity is steadily increasing. This is reflected in the growing number of medical devices, on the one hand, and in the continuously increasing volume of data, on the other. Nowadays, surgical staff are confronted with a flood of highly specialised technology. The challenge is to create workplaces that are as uniform as possible and…
Israel’s first virtual hospital has been created following the advances and applications learned from using telemedicine tools and techniques to care for coronavirus patients in isolation wards. Sheba Beyond was established in January and over the last few months has successfully delivered care to patients across a range of areas. The development of the project was outlined to the DMEA –…
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…
GreenBone Ortho, a company specialising in bone regeneration, announces that it has achieved its aim of recruiting 15 patients into the GreenBRIC study. GreenBRIC study is a prospective, open label, single-arm, First-in-Human clinical investigation, in male and female patients, aged between 18 and 70 years, undergoing surgery to correct bone defects using GreenBone Implant, specifically for iliac…
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…
The Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and EPFL teamed up to develop a new test that’s sensitive enough to measure the amount of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies present in the bloodstream. The scientists’ discovery, published in Science Translational Medicine, opens promising new avenues for tracking immunity acquired by infection or vaccination.
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.
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.
Researchers know that electricity can help speed up bone healing, but “zapping” fractures has never really caught on, since it requires surgically implanting and removing electrodes powered by an external source. Now, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have expanded on this principle and developed a device to speed up bone healing.
Medical monitoring tech company Umana Medical announced a collaboration with the Preventive Cardiology and Medical Prevention, Center of Cardiology at the University Medical Center Mainz and Bayer AG on a clinical study (MyoMobile study) to explore a novel real-time remote cardiac monitoring device in patients with heart failure.
Pioneering technology developed by University College London (UCL) and Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) researchers could transform the ability to accurately interpret HIV test results, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Academics from the London Centre for Nanotechnology at UCL and AHRI used deep learning (artificial intelligence/AI) algorithms to improve health workers’…
In a collaboration with the Faculty of Statistics at TU Dortmund and the University Medical Center in Mainz, a research team at the Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors in Dortmund (IfADo) has developed a test that can be used to predict the success of therapy for breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most common tumour diseases worldwide. One in eight women will…
Excessive noise, hearing loss, vascular constriction, old age – hearing difficulties can be caused by many factors. To help improve the quality of life of people with hearing impairment, Mannheim start-up Vibrosonic have developed a new hearing aid with an integrated loudspeaker that sits directly on the eardrum. This hearing contact lens is not an implant, and the sound quality it delivers…
Experts at University College London (UCL) and spinout company Odin Vision working with clinicians at UCLH have used artificial intelligence (AI) to help detect early signs of oesophageal cancer. The first procedure in the world using the AI technology was performed at University College Hospital by UCLH consultant gastroenterologist Dr Rehan Haidry. The system, called CADU, uses AI to support…
Computer models have been standard tools in basic biomedical research for many years. However, around 70 years after the first publication of an ion current model of a nerve cell by Hodgkin & Huxley in 1952, researchers at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), in collaboration with the Medical University of Graz and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, have finally…
Rapid tests effectively broke Covid-19 infection chains in spring 2021. This is shown by a model developed by researchers of the ECONtribute: Markets & Public Policy Cluster of Excellence of the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, the Collaborative Research Center Transregio 224 EPoS of the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim, and the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). According to the…
When patients are admitted to a hospital emergency room (ER) it is immediately vital to determine whether s/he has Covid-19. However, with a regular PCR test a result can take up to a few hours. Thus, initially, the patient must be isolated. During the height of the corona pandemic last year, researcher Ruben Deneer from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and clinical chemist Arjen-Kars…
Integrating laboratory functions on a microchip circuit is helping improve the cost-effectiveness of drug development. So-called ‘lab-on-a-chip’ or ‘human-on-a-chip’ technology can highlight which treatments may, or may not, work before advancing along the clinical trial process. It can also have benefits for chronic and rare diseases, as well as helping shape personalised medicine.…
Blood cultures are important laboratory tests to diagnose serious infections. Contamination is a constant concern – a patient could be misdiagnosed due to a false-positive test. Initial specimen diversion (ISD) could radically change this.
Nanoelectronics and digital technologies company Imec presents a proof-of-concept for determining arterial stiffness, a risk marker for cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart failure, and monitoring blood pressure. Imec’s approach uses an ultrasound sensor to measure the central pulse wave velocity. Measuring pulse wave velocity closer to the heart is also a more reliable proxy for…
Researchers at Northwestern and George Washington (GW) universities have developed the first-ever transient pacemaker — a wireless, battery-free, fully implantable pacing device that disappears after it’s no longer needed. The thin, flexible, lightweight device could be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or while waiting for a permanent pacemaker. All components…
A study involving virtual rather than real patients was as effective in evaluating a medical device used to treat brain aneurysms, according to new research. The findings are proof of concept for what are called in-silico trials, where instead of recruiting people to a real-life clinical trial, researchers build digital simulations of patient groups, loosely akin to the way virtual…
The idea of visiting the doctor’s office with symptoms of an illness and leaving with a scientifically confirmed diagnosis is much closer to reality because of new technology developed by researchers at McMaster University. Engineering, biochemistry and medical researchers from across campus have combined their skills to create a hand-held rapid test for bacterial infections that can produce…
After a stroke, doctors can try to remove clots in blood vessels to keep blood flowing freely to the brain. But even though most of these procedures are successful, less than half of people have a successful recovery from the stroke. A new study published in the medical journal Neurology sheds light on why that may be. The study found that trying more than once during a procedure to retrieve a…
With new Medical Device Regulations (MDR) now in force across Europe, the UK has chosen to retain pre-existing rules while also introducing mechanisms to allow it to draw up separate rulings for the sector in the future. The MDR took effect on May 26, aiming to harmonise and strengthen the pre-existing regulatory regime for medical devices, and enhance protection for consumers.
A new imaging technique has the potential to detect neurological disorders at their earliest stages, enabling physicians to diagnose and treat patients more quickly.
An in-depth analysis of more than 20,000 health related mobile applications (mhealth apps) finds “serious problems with privacy and inconsistent privacy practices.”
Inspired by kirigami, the Japanese art of folding and cutting paper to create three-dimensional structures, MIT engineers and their collaborators have designed a new type of stent that could be used to deliver drugs to the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, or other tubular organs in the body.
A team of Johns Hopkins researchers has developed a rapid blood test that could confirm a person has been vaccinated while they wait to board a plane or enter a sporting event.
Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy have had some treatment success with deep brain stimulation, but those require surgical device implantation. A multidisciplinary team at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a new brain stimulation technique using focused ultrasound that is able to turn specific types of neurons in the brain on and off and precisely…
The EU-funded consortium Laser and Ultrasound Co-analyzer for Thyroid Nodules (LUCA) has developed a non-invasive, low-cost device that brings a new solution for thyroid cancer screening.
Guerbet, a global leader in medical imaging, has announced the election of Marc Massiot as director for a six-year term. This nomination was approved at Guerbet's Annual General Shareholders' Meeting on May 28.
26 May 2021 marks the Date of Application of the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR). Replacing the Medical Devices and Active Implantable Medical Devices Directives, the Regulation is a welcome update for patient safety, transparency, and access to medical devices for Europeans. COCIR has been contributing to the development and implementation of the MDR since the very first discussions in…
New regulations covering medical devices are set to come into effect across Europe. Originally intended to be implemented in May 2020, the introduction of the updated Medical Device Regulation (MDR) was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new regulations – the first major update in three decades – now come into force on May 26, and to mark the date a special conference discussed…
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…
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…
A low-cost, rapid diagnostic test for Covid-19 developed by Penn Medicine provides Covid-19 results within four minutes with 90 percent accuracy. A paper published this week in Matter details the fast and inexpensive diagnostic test, called RAPID 1.0 (Real-time Accurate Portable Impedimetric Detection prototype 1.0). Compared to existing methods for Covid-19 detection, RAPID is inexpensive and…
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new material that prevents infections in wounds – a specially designed hydrogel, that works against all types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant ones. The new material offers great hope for combating a growing global problem. The World Health Organization describes antibiotic-resistant bacteria as one of…
A gene called GAS2 plays a key role in normal hearing, and its absence causes severe hearing loss, according to a study led by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The researchers, whose findings are published online in Developmental Cell, discovered that the protein encoded by GAS2 is crucial for maintaining the structural stiffness of support cells…
The majority of top-rated fertility apps collect and even share intimate information without the users’ knowledge or permission, a collaborative study by Newcastle and Umea Universities has found. Researchers are now calling for a tightening of the categorisation of these apps by platforms to protect women from intimate and deeply personal information being exploited and sold.
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.
A new research project will embrace the combination of 5G telecommunications technology and AI to offer continuous remote monitoring to seriously ill heart failure patients, for example those with Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs).
A collaboration spanning four research labs and hundreds of miles has used the organ-on-a-chip (Organ Chip) technology from the Wyss institute at Harvard Univesity to identify the antimalarial drug amodiaquine as a potent inhibitor of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The Organ Chip-based drug testing ecosystem established by the collaboration greatly streamlines the…
A new photonics device currently in development aims to reduce unnecessary disabilities by improving the instant, real-time monitoring of newborn babies with harmless light particles.
Fluxergy envisions that a fully articulated democratized testing health system has the potential to reduce the likelihood and the ultimate severity of pandemics like Covid-19. Our mission is to unlock the true potential of diagnostics to play a far greater and more important role in the early detection of diseases and ongoing monitoring of health status, where and when it matters most: at the…
First you see it as a transparent shape on a computer screen – a small electronic replica of the human pancreas. Then just 30 seconds later the tissue is printed out on a bioprinter, blood vessels and all, from a sample of human stem cells. This amazing feat is possible thanks to new technology created at EPFL’s Laboratory of Applied Photonics Devices (LAPD) and further developed by…
In just the last two years, artificial intelligence has become embedded in scores of medical devices that offer advice to ER doctors, cardiologists, oncologists, and countless other health care providers. But how much do either regulators or doctors really know about the accuracy of these tools? A new study led by researchers at Stanford, some of whom are themselves developing devices, suggests…
What happens when patients can no longer breathe on their own and need to be supported by machines? How far does infected air spread throughout a room? And what safety precautions do medical and nursing staff need to take? Respiratory specialists Dr. Dominic Dellweg and Dr. Jens Kerl together with Dr.-Ing. Conrad Völker, Amayu Wakoya Gena, and Dr. Hayder Alsaad from the Department of Building…
Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) want to build the world’s first prototype that tracks moving tumors with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in real time during proton therapy. They are combining a rotating open MRI device, designed for the LINAC-MR system from Alberta Health Services, with an actively scanned clinical-akin proton beam at OncoRay, the Dresden-based…
Over the past few years, modern appointment management has found its way into German medical practices. Nevertheless, there is significant room for improvement as some doctors can still be contacted only by phone and only during office hours.
Now Available: The Fluxergy Analyzer System is a testing platform designed for sample-to-answer point-of-care testing, enabling clinicians to cost-effectively conduct molecular in vitro diagnostic tests. The analyzer system is designed to deliver test results within one hour. This device is solely intended to be used by healthcare professionals.
Royal Philips and Ibex Medical Analytics announced a strategic collaboration to jointly promote their digital pathology and AI solutions to hospitals, health networks and pathology labs worldwide. The combination of Philips digital pathology solution (Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution) and Ibex’s Galen AI-powered cancer diagnostics platform, currently in clinical use in Europe and the…
Accessible and affordable healthcare is one of the topics of Healthcare Automation and Digitalization Congress. It will take place in Zurich, Switzerland on the 27th - 28th of September, 2021. At the Congress, top-management from healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, IT managers, and heads from technology companies will discuss the developing ways of the…
Scientists have designed a portable 3D imaging device which will improve the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. Current handheld gamma imaging tools are small and easy to use, but are limited to providing 2D information, giving doctors and surgeons only part of the overall picture. Much larger systems are able to give three-dimensional images, however, they are bulky and complex – often…
With interventional procedures becoming more and more complex the demands on the interventionalists are also increasing. Endovascular simulators allow practical angiography training. In December 2020, the University Hospital Essen, Germany, was the first European facility to install Mentice’s VIST G7+. Professor Dr Jens Theysohn, senior physician at the Institute of Diagnostic and…
A Japanese research group combined motion analysis that uses smartphone application and machine learning that uses an anomaly detection method, thereby developing a technique to easily screen for carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is common amongst middle-aged women. The disease causes compressed nerves in the wrist, causing numbness and difficulty with finger movements. While an…
Healthy and cancer cells can look similar under a microscope. One way of differentiating them is by examining the level of acidity, or pH level, inside the cells. Tapping on this distinguishing characteristic, a research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine whether a single cell is healthy or cancerous…
From swallowing pills to injecting insulin, patients frequently administer their own medication. But they don’t always get it right. Improper adherence to doctors’ orders is commonplace, accounting for thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in medical costs annually. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a system to reduce those numbers for some…
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…
GE Healthcare has launched a new wireless, pocket-sized ultrasound system called Vscan Air. The device runs in the tradition of GE's Vscan Family systems, of which the company report over 30,000 to be in use worldwide. The system is designed to transform the clinical exam by making it easier to acquire high quality ultrasound images. “Many of us are pressed to see patients, to give patients…
With the first-in-man implantation of the Berlin Heart Venous Cannula at the LMU University Hospital Munich, Germany, Berlin Heart offers patients with a failing Fontan circulation a unique chance to survive the waiting time for a donor heart. These patients are in a life-threatening condition: their health has deteriorated so much that they desperately need a new heart, but because of their poor…
Miniature cameras which patients can swallow to get checked for cancer are being trialled across the NHS. The imaging technology, in a capsule no bigger than a pill, can provide a diagnosis within hours. Known as a colon capsule endoscopy, the cameras are the latest NHS innovation to help patients access cancer checks at home. Traditional endoscopies mean patients need to attend hospital and have…
Smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, have proven adept at monitoring certain health care issues at home. For example, researchers at the University of Washington have shown that these devices can detect cardiac arrests or monitor babies breathing. But what about tracking something even smaller: the minute motion of individual heartbeats in a person sitting in front of a smart…
The impact of Covid-19 has been devastating; countless lives lost, millions of infections worldwide, health systems overwhelmed and economies rapidly shrinking. Screening, such as for breast or cervical cancer, is an area particularly affected, with numerous appointments delayed.
Due to the coronavirus, hospitals and medical staff developed new work practices involving, in acute settings, social distancing, rigid use of personal protective equipment (PPE), handwashing, and disinfection of equipment every day. Additionally, portable, highly-mobile and versatile equipment came to the fore in point-of-care (POC) – particularly when wards and operating theatres are spread…
A radiotherapy technique which ‘paints’ tumours by targeting them precisely, and avoiding healthy tissue, has been devised in research led by the University of Strathclyde. Researchers used a magnetic lens to focus a Very High Electron Energy (VHEE) beam to a zone of a few millimetres. Concentrating the radiation into a small volume of high dose will enable it to be rapidly scanned across a…
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…
The European Commission (EC) has concluded its review of the planned merger between Siemens Healthineers AG and Varian Medical Systems, Inc. and approved the transaction subject to certain conditions. In accordance with its commitments, the company will continue to keep its imaging and oncology software solutions interoperable with third-party offerings in the future. This concerns the connection…
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…
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…
Hospital data from a wide range of disciplines, departments and specialties strongly influences crucial decision-making and planning. Agfa HealthCare’s Business Intelligence solution, for example, uses data to measure, understand and predict developments, and aims to present this information in an accessible and transparent way so that administrators need not even ask for in-house generated…
To date, testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection mostly has relied on RT-PCR performed on a nasopharyngeal specimen. This testing method is very unpleasant for a patient: the professional tester has to tilt the patient’s head back slightly about 45°-70° to straighten the passage from the front of the nose, insert the swab through the nostril parallel to the palate, and the swab should reach a depth…
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have invented a new type of amputation surgery that can help amputees to better control their residual muscles and sense where their “phantom limb” is in space. This restored sense of proprioception should translate to better control of prosthetic limbs, as well as a reduction of limb pain, the researchers say. In most…
"Given the rapid transition towards digitisation, digital pathology is now unquestionably the future", reports pathologist Dr Talat Zehra from Pakistan. "However, some pathologists, particularly in underdeveloped countries, are still reluctant to accept its place in their labs. Among their many reasons, some feel that histopathology is a very complex and subjective field and…
The PCR test is the most accurate tool to identify SARS-CoV-2. However, valid results are often available only after days. Moreover, the laboratory must be well equipped, have trained personnel and sufficient financial resources. All of this is usually a problem in Africa. A portable suitcase could help. In cooperation with several African universities, scientists at Leipzig University have found…
A new type of quantum holography which uses entangled photons to overcome the limitations of conventional holographic approaches could lead to improved medical imaging and speed the advance of quantum information science. A team of physicists from the University of Glasgow are the first in the world to find a way to use quantum-entangled photons to encode information in a hologram. The process…
Wearable devices can identify Covid-19 cases earlier than traditional diagnostic methods and can help track and improve management of the disease, Mount Sinai researchers report in one of the first studies on the topic. The findings were published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. The Warrior Watch Study found that subtle changes in a participant’s heart rate variability (HRV)…
Over 23 million people around the world suffer from heart failure. The disease is usually treated with a transplant, but because donated hearts are hard to come by, there is an ongoing need for alternative therapies. With new developments in cardiac assistance systems, we can delay the need for a transplant – or even eliminate it altogether,” says Professor Yves Perriard, head of EPFL’s…
Coronavirus-associated concerns dominate the Top 10 list of important technology hazard risks for hospitals, in an annual report published by ECRI, a nonprofit technology Pennsylvania research firm. The list is derived from ECRI’s team of technology experts who monitor hospital and healthcare organizations, and published to inform healthcare facilities about important safety issues involving…
Engineers at EPFL’s Center for Artificial Muscles have developed a silicone aorta that can reduce how hard patients’ hearts have to pump. Their breakthrough could offer a promising alternative to heart transplants. “Over 23 million people around the world suffer from heart failure. The disease is usually treated with a transplant, but because donated hearts are hard to come by, there is an…
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…
Olympus Corporation announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Quest Photonic Devices B.V. for up to EUR50 million including milestone payments to strengthen its surgical endoscopy capabilities. Quest offers advanced fluorescence imaging systems (FIS) for the medical field, enabling more surgical endoscopy capabilities, compared to conventional imaging technologies.
When it comes to touch panels for medical equipment, there are some obvious requirements. For instance, medical professionals need the flexibility to use gloves, at any given moment. They may have wet hands or a wet screen but should still be able to operate the touch panel, where the response of the panel should and cannot not be affected.
Telepathology remains number one application for digital pathology, according to expert Professor Liron Pantanowitz, Professor of Pathology and Director of Anatomical Pathology at the University of Michigan. Speaking at the ‘7th Digital Pathology and AI Congress: Europe’, Pantanowitz outlined advances in telepathology, and its enabling access to broader expertise, image sharing and rapid…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released the agency’s first Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-Based Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) Action Plan. This action plan describes a multi-pronged approach to advance the Agency’s oversight of AI/ML-based medical software. “This action plan outlines the FDA’s next steps towards furthering oversight for AI/ML-based SaMD,”…
Abbott has received 510(k) clearance for the first rapid handheld traumatic brain injury (TBI) blood test, which will help clinicians assess individuals with suspected mild TBIs, including concussions. The test will run on Abbott's handheld i-STAT Alinity platform. Tests results are available within 15 minutes after plasma is placed in the test cartridge. TBIs, including concussions, are an…
Even those who understand the scientific process, trust medical experts and know how important vaccines are for fighting infectious diseases might still have some questions or concerns about the new Covid-19 vaccines. Here, Thaddeus Stappenbeck, MD, PhD, helps set the record straight on 8 common questions, concerns and myths that have emerged about Covid-19 vaccines.
Hologic, Inc. has completed the acquisition of Somatex Medical Technologies GmbH, a leader in biopsy site markers and localization technologies, for approximately $64 million. The company was previously owned by E-Med Solutions GmbH, Berlin, a group of investors led by German private equity company Westlake Partners.
Improving the detection of cancerous cells during surgery – this is the goal of the European research project CARMEN. The research institutes Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) from Germany and Multitel asbl from Belgium work together with companies from both countries, JenLab GmbH, Deltatec, and LaserSpec, to develop a novel, compact and multimodal imaging system. This could even allow the…
The Corona pandemic poses new challenges for health care facilities as well as manufacturers of health IT and medical technology. Marcel Herrmann, Marketing Manager Medical Imaging at JVCKenwood, explains in an interview what these are and how they can be solved.
Hundreds of thousands of cervical cancer cases per year could be prevented through widespread vaccinations for human papillomavirus (HPV) and annual pap smear tests, says an expert at a top American hospital, Cleveland Clinic, marking Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in January. Dr. Robert DeBernardo, Section Head of Gynecologic Oncology and Vice Chair Subspecialty Care for Women’s Health at…
This July, Fujifilm Sonosite launched Sonosite PX, its newest ultrasound system, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Diku Mandavia, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Fujifilm Sonosite, sat down with sonographer and Sonosite’s Director of Marketing Development Jodi Miller to discuss how Sonosite’s newest ultrasound system can help frontline health care workers combat the pandemic and why…
AI can help tackle inequities and bias in healthcare but it also brings partiality issues of its own, experts explained in a Hot Topic session entitled "Artificial Intelligence and Implications for Health Equity: Will AI Improve Equity or Increase Disparities?" at RSNA.
Stringent endoscope cleaning between procedures is vital. However, with so many steps in the process – plus high demand for rapid turnaround of endoscopes – contamination and biofilm build-up are still being reported. Endoscope hygiene and cleaning protocols were central to an online event organised by Pentax Medical, with important contributions from leading specialists. The event examined…
A smart ring that generates continuous temperature data may foreshadow Covid-19, even in cases when infection is not suspected. The device, which may be a better illness indicator than a thermometer, could lead to earlier isolation and testing, curbing the spread of infectious diseases, according to a preliminary study led by UC San Francisco and UC San Diego.
Patterns of brain activity can be used to forecast seizure risk in epilepsy patients several days in advance, according to a new analysis of data obtained from clinically approved brain implants by neuroscientists at UC San Francisco, the University of Bern and the University of Geneva.
Medicus AI announces the successful launch of its first live project under SafePlay, the digital platform supporting rapid antigen testing, which went live in partnership with Roche Diagnostics Germany and 21Dx in Munich this month. Medicus provides operators with a tech-enabled end-to-end solution that supports the logistical aspects of testing, managing the administrative workflow from…
Displaying medical images from different modalities such as CT, CR/DR, MR, ultrasound or mammography and pathology on one monitor - that is what most radiologists want. Many of them still use several medical displays next to each other. JVCKenwood's new CL-S1200 30.9-inch colour monitor makes this a thing of the past. The 12 megapixel device (4,200 horizontal and 2,800 vertical) can display…
The deployment of conversational user interfaces (CUI) or chatbots to healthcare has started gaining momentum. It is fueled by the rising power of artificial intelligence (AI), the increasing popularity of mobile health applications as well as the desire for engagement and usability. The past few years have seen a myriad of innovations in chatbots that can automate and engage in human-like…
Imagers need special scenarios, skills and tools to examine larger patients, who present more challenges when it comes to radiological procedures. New ultrasound devices could help reduce dose exposure in these patients, who are more likely to undergo x-ray based examinations and receive a higher dose during those, experts explained in a dedicated session during ECR 2020.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists developed the world’s first mobile genome sequence analyzer, a new iPhone app called iGenomics. By pairing an iPhone with a handheld DNA sequencer, users can create a mobile genetics laboratory, reminiscent of the “tricorder” featured in Star Trek.
Scientists at Heriot-Watt University have developed a technique that monitors a patient’s vital signs completely touch free. By using a continuous wave radar-based system to sense tiny chest movements, the new method can accurately measure an individual’s heart rate and respiratory rate without the need for wires, probes, wearable technology or other skin attachments. It could also identify…
Siemens Healthineers announced it has received CE Mark and 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the epoc NXS Host mobile computer. The epoc Blood Analysis System with the new epoc NXS Host offers an easy-to-use, hand-held device with intuitive software application to further advance point-of-care testing. The epoc NXS Host incorporates caregiver suggestions that enhance…
An Artificial Intelligence test has been shown to be able to rapidly screen patients arriving in Emergency Departments for Covid-19, using clinical information routinely available within the first hour of coming to hospital. Results of the CURIAL study, published in The Lancet Digital Health, show that the AI test correctly predicted the Covid-19 status of 92.3% of patients coming to Emergency…
Scientists at UC Berkeley and Gladstone Institutes have developed a new CRISPR-based COVID-19 diagnostic test that, with the help of a smartphone camera, can provide a positive or negative result in 15 to 30 minutes.
Bacterial infections have become one of the biggest health problems worldwide, and a recent study shows that COVID-19 patients have a much greater chance of acquiring secondary bacterial infections, which significantly increases the mortality rate.
The demand for more user-friendly ways to offer long-term ECG is growing and accelerated even more due to Covid-19. New devices and service models enable high quality ECG monitoring without patients having to leave their homes.
About 2,200 satellites are currently orbiting the Earth and soon space stations may be equipped with the latest medical imaging technology, including interventional radiology devices. In France, radiologists and astronauts are putting their heads together to make this vision materialise in a unique partnership between the French Society of Radiology (SFR) and the French Space Agency (CNES).
As a world leading manufacturer of medical devices, the subclassification of Contec Medical products includes numerous series for multi-parameter monitoring, ECG, oximeter, blood pressure, telemedicine health, respiratory sleep, and more. With the frequently increasing occurrence of respiratory diseases, Contec Medical reports on its great efforts in the research and development of related…
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…
Health industry digitalization is one of the highest priorities in the healthcare sector these times. In perspective, it improves current living standards with quicker and easier access to help. The Healthcare Automation and Digitalization Congress business program will cover digital trends in the healthcare industry. The Congress will take place in Zurich, Switzerland on the 22nd - 23rd of…
Chronic illnesses can have a dramatic impact on a patient's later life. An early diagnosis of such diseases opens up the possibility of taking medical action in good time.
For the first time in the history of MEDICA, the world-leading medical trade fair, and the industry’s number one platform for the suppliers of the medical technology industry, COMPAMED, held from 16 to 19 November 2020, took place entirely online due to the pandemic - but still won over their audiences due to their high degree of international resonance in this format too, as virtual.MEDICA and…
Patient safety in endoscopy must be approached from a holistic perspective, through solutions which increase detection rates of abnormalities, increase confidence in the safety of the reprocessing outcome, and control the risk of infection and cross-contamination. With these important benefits in mind, manufacturers should be continuously working to innovate products to establish solutions that…
Clinical biochemistry laboratories face many daily challenges, including managing high sample workloads, managing clinician requests for novel tests, and generating and reporting out results in a timely fashion. Irrespective of the methodology employed, high quality and reproducible results are imperative since patient diagnosis and treatment plans are based largely on lab results. For this…
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.
COVID-19 has rocked health care systems, revealing vulnerabilities in our supply chain, piling up unprecedented costs, and creating an alarming amount of medical waste. The health care sector was already a major source of pollution. The World Health Organization points to the burning and incineration of health care waste as a source of dioxins, furans, and particulate matter emissions that…
EEG is used in cognitive research or to diagnose conditions like epilepsy and sleep disorders. However, EEG electrode caps are difficult to wear. Read in the MEDICA magazine about a viable alternative: measuring devices made of printed electronics.
Wearable ultrasound sensors can help patients monitor their lung health from their own homes. The potential application of this technology were outlined in a session at MEDICA 2020.
Contec Medical Systems (Qinhuangdao) Co., Ltd., Stock Code: 300869 was officially listed on August 24, 2020. The company currently has a market capitalisation of more than 50 billion yuan.
For the first time in their history, the world-leading medical trade fair MEDICA and the international number one event for the medical manufacturing supply market, COMPAMED, will be held entirely online as virtual.MEDICA and virtual.COMPAMED from Monday, with around 1,400 exhibitors hailing from 56 countries. Throughout the four days of the trade fair (16 – 19 November 2020), international…
MEDICA in Düsseldorf is a world-leading platform for the medical technology business and the healthcare industry and has always been one of the places to be for the entire sector as it covers current digital health trends, innovative products and services for linking all of the major stakeholders in medical care. Consequently, digital health is a mainstay of virtual.MEDICA, which, due to the…
Cardiology tends to be surrounded by a maze of regulations, responsibilities and red tape. Leave it to the traditionally mercantile Dutch to streamline things. Case in point: HartKliniek, a chain of medical specialist diagnosis and treatment centres in the Netherlands which aim to transform cardiology to a more effective model – less personnel, more time for patients. We spoke with Menno and…
As the leading supplier for tube identification and sorting devices, ASP Lab Automation AG designed the new generation of their tube sorter ASP SortPro for a throughput of 3.600 tubes per hour.
Sony has announced an update to its vendor-neutral medical imaging platform Nucleus. This version built in direct response to the pandemic, introduces remote patient observation with new recording functionalities for use in the operating room (OR), Intensive Care Units (ICU), endoscopy suites, interventional rooms or anywhere else in the hospital.
Designer Leah Heiss considers her work as creating “emotional technologies”, i.e. wearable devices based on human-centred design principles. For her, empathy is everything!
Costantino Balestra, Professor of Physiology at Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant in Belgium, uses point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in environments that could not be more different from a typical hospital setting. His expertise lies in studying the effects of extreme conditions on the human body, including temperatures, altitudes, and ambient pressures, for example, in deep oceans. One of his areas…
Merck announced a collaboration with Mammoth Biosciences Inc. for the development, scale-up and commercial production of Mammoth’s CRISPR-based SARS CoV-2 diagnostic test.
This year, the MEDICA LABMED FORUM will offer a high-profile programme with top speakers which is free for registered online visitors.
oyal Philips announced the completion of a regional informatics project that consolidates radiology and nuclear medicine imaging data. The Region of Southern Denmark now has a single system for storing, retrieving, and viewing clinical images across all the locations and specialties in its extensive healthcare system.
Research and innovation hub Imec announced that it has started developing a groundbreaking SARS-CoV-2 test. Unlike current approaches (using blood, saliva, or a nasopharyngeal swab), the new test will identify SARS-CoV-2 virus particles in a person’s exhaled breath. The solution promises the accurate identification of a contagious case in less than five minutes.
In an emergency, point-of-care-testing can provide results in minutes. However, sources of error must be understood to ensure result accuracy and confident diagnosis (particularly important during the current pandemic). Medical teams frequently use POCT devices to assess acutely ill patients; a hospital’s diagnostic laboratory is responsible for the analysers, plus training non-laboratory…
An up-and-coming gene therapy for blood disorders. A new class of medications for cystic fibrosis. Increased access to telemedicine. These are some of the innovations that will enhance healing and change healthcare in the coming year, according to a distinguished panel of clinicians and researchers from Cleveland Clinic. In conjunction with the 2020 Medical Innovation Summit, Cleveland Clinic…
A method for detecting traumatic brain injury at the point of care has been developed by scientists at the University of Birmingham. Using chemical biomarkers released by the brain immediately after a head injury occurs, researchers are able to pinpoint when patients need urgent medical attention. This saves time in delivering vital treatment and avoids patients undergoing unnecessary tests where…
A team at Purdue University has developed a novel testing platform to evaluate how breast cancer cells respond to the recurrent stretching that occurs in the lungs during breathing. The technology is designed to better understand the effects that the local tissue has on metastatic breast cancer to study how metastases grow in a new tissue.
Royal Philips and LeQuest, a provider of online interactive simulation-based training for the use of medical devices, announced a partnership to provide online interactive training for the Philips Ultrasound Affiniti system. As a result, medical staff can train individually at their own convenience without the need for equipment, avoiding the resulting loss of operational time on the system, as…
A new mobile app has made it possible to analyse the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on a smartphone in less than half an hour.
An analysis by ECRI, the U.S.’s largest patient safety organization, shows that up to 70 percent of KN95 masks it tested do not meet its standards for effectiveness, raising risks of contracting Covid-19 for care providers and patients at hospitals and other healthcare organizations that imported masks from China.
As COVID-19 infections begin to rise again, a novel testing strategy proposed by researchers at the University of Oxford at the start of the pandemic has become urgent once again. The strategy aims to bring the virus’s reproduction number (‘R’) down to below 1, by concentrating testing resources on particular groups in the population that are most likely to spread the infection to others,…
Scientists from Texas A&M University, Hewlett Packard Labs and Stanford University have developed a new nanodevice that acts almost identically to a brain cell.
TransEnterix, Inc., a medical device company that is digitizing the interface between the surgeon and the patient to improve minimally invasive surgery, announced that Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center, a hospital in New Jersey, successfully completed its first surgical procedures using the Intelligent Surgical Unit (ISU).
According to the German Federal Ministry of Health, 400,000 to 600,000 patients are diagnosed with hospital-acquired infections every year. The treatment of these nosocomial diseases is complex. Hygiene is a must, especially in the operating room. The IT environment should be designed accordingly.
Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new method of 3D-printing gels and other soft materials. Published in a new paper, it has the potential to create complex structures with nanometer-scale precision. Because many gels are compatible with living cells, the new method could jump-start the production of soft tiny medical devices such as…
There are many reasons why for some patients a visit to the doctor’s office is difficult or well-nigh impossible – limited mobility after surgery, old age, or a handicap. For others, particularly in rural areas, the doctor is often far away and/or difficult to reach due to poor public transport. In times of corona, another important issue emerged: infection protection.
Ultrasound could become the prime modality in emergency settings for tracking disease progression in COVID-19 patients. While chest CT has held a key diagnostic role thus far, many experts now advocate the benefits of ultrasound within the context of the coronavirus epidemic. Dr Rachel Liu, who recently led a high-profile panel discussion with experts from the USA and areas of Europe with high…
Researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed the world’s smallest ultrasound detector. It is based on miniaturized photonic circuits on top of a silicon chip. With a size 100 times smaller than an average human hair, the new detector can visualize features that are much smaller than previously possible, leading to what is known as…
As Artificial Intelligence continues to impact on the development of digital pathology, potential users are still slow to implement key enabling technologies to harness the benefits, according to Dr David McClintock, who will detail critical steps for pathology departments to transition practice from glass (analogue) to digital (whole slide imaging) and embrace AI, to the 6th Digital Pathology…
Taiwan, 15-17 October – A physical international exhibition and “virtual trade show” hosted by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) will run as scheduled at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. ‘With both featuring exhibits at three-dimensional (3-D) booths simultaneously, Medical Taiwan will be a perfect online/offline platform that pulls exhibitors and buyers together and…
The healthcare system of Taiwan, renowned for its ability to tackle challenges, has held up very well during the COVID-19 pandemic. To underline the nation’s role as a healthcare innovator, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) presented several of the most promising companies and their products in an exclusive webinar. The event showcased cutting-edge technologies as well as…
For cardiology patients fitted with an implantable cardiac monitor, cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or pacemaker, home monitoring is a blessing. The system also has many advantages for medical staff, as Kristina Rauholt reports. The nurse and Certified Cardiac Device Specialist for Allied Professionals (CCDS) at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, in Sweden, has worked with home monitoring…
Royal Philips announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Intact Vascular, Inc., a U.S.-based developer of medical devices for minimally-invasive peripheral vascular procedures. Intact Vascular will enhance Philips’ image-guided therapy portfolio, combining Philips’ interventional imaging platform and diagnostic and therapeutic devices with Intact Vascular’s unique, specialized…
A new procedure to correct atrial fibrillation (AF) has been performed for the first time in the UK last week at Leicester's Hospitals. AF affects 1-2% of the general population, which amounts to more than 1 million people in the UK, and increases the risk of stroke by five times. Treating the condition with medicine is often ineffective, with many patients continuing to suffer from…
Medical device approved 3-D printers are producing clinically safe and effective nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 testing. A nasal swab may seem rudimentary, but is essential for testing COVID-19. Diagnostic test kits and components – nasal swabs, collection vials, and chemical reagents – have been in short supply worldwide, especially in March. Ironically, nasopharyngeal swabs are…
A new study from the USA highlights how low temperature sterilisation can jeopardise effective cleansing of medical tools and lead to transmission of dangerous bacteria to patients. Steam sterilisation was shown to be the most effective and robust sterilisation technology. However, the researchers, working at the University of North Carolina, also showed that vaporised hydrogen peroxide (VHP)…
The Center for Noise and Vibration Control at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced that their coughing detection camera recognizes where coughing happens, visualizing the locations. The resulting cough recognition camera can track and record information about the person who coughed, their location, and the number of coughs on a real-time basis. Professor…
Over the past decade, medicine and technology have needed to join hands to help change people's lives. Today, the healthcare and medical industry has become a huge business worth more than US$158 billion in applications of medical IOT.
Using highly complex analytical techniques, a group of researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin were able to observe in detail how different metals are released from joint implants and accumulate in the surrounding bone tissue. Findings showed a steady release of metals from various implant components. In contrast to previous assumptions, this was not related to the degree of…
Researchers at the University of Notre Dame are developing a new technique using artificial intelligence (AI) that would improve CT screening to more quickly identify patients with the coronavirus. The new technique will reduce the burden on the radiologists tasked with screening each image. Testing challenges have led to an influx of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 requiring CT scans which…
Fujifilm Sonosite, Inc. has announced the launch of the new Sonosite PX ultrasound system. It is the next generation in the manufacturer's point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices, with the most advanced image quality ever seen in a Sonosite system, a suite of workflow efficiency features, and an adaptable form factor.
A new mathematical model is helping develop the current understanding of how airborne diseases such as COVID-19 can spread during breathing and aerosol generating procedures. Researchers from Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh have developed a mathematical model of droplet migration. Dr Cathal Cummins of Heriot-Watt’s School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences and…
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a synthetic peptide that can make multidrug-resistant bacteria sensitive to antibiotics again when used together with traditional antibiotics, offering hope for the prospect of a combination treatment strategy to tackle certain antibiotic-tolerant infections.
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have showed that applying “temporal pressure” to the skin of mice can create a new way to deliver drugs. In a paper published in Science Advances, the researchers showed that bringing together two magnets so that they pinch and apply pressure to a fold of…
40 years ago, anticipating the huge impact of computers in radiology, a group of visionaries formed the Radiology Information System Consortium (RISC). In 1989, RISC created the Society for Computer Applications (SCAR) to promote computer applications in digital imaging. Those organisations became the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM). At SIIM 2020, a virtual meeting, experts…
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in video visits between patients and their doctors, but for many older adults, the shift has cut them off from care, rather than connecting them. A study by researchers at the University of California San Francisco has found that more than a third of adults over age 65 face potential difficulties seeing their doctor via telemedicine, with…
Antibiotic resistance is an increasing battle for scientists to overcome, as more antimicrobials are urgently needed to treat biofilm-associated infections. However, scientists from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick say research into natural antimicrobials could provide candidates to fill the antibiotic discovery gap.
Dr. Jesus Casado Cerrada, Internist at the Hospital Universitario de Getafe and Professor at the Universidad Europea, Madrid, Spain, has travelled to the Rasuwa district of Nepal to help a local NGO rebuild the region’s infrastructure following a severe earthquake in 2015. Dr. Casado explains: “University colleagues from the architectural and engineering departments had already established…
Researchers have developed a novel three-dimensional imaging system to diagnose cervical cancer faster, non-invasively and more efficiently than conventional methods.
To answer medical questions that can be applied to a wide patient population, machine learning models rely on large, diverse datasets from a variety of institutions. However, health systems and hospitals are often resistant to sharing patient data, due to legal, privacy, and cultural challenges. An emerging technique called federated learning is a solution to this dilemma, according to a study…
A team of researchers led by the University of Adelaide and University of Stuttgart has used 3D micro-printing to develop the world’s smallest, flexible scope for looking inside blood vessels. The camera-like imaging device can be inserted into blood vessels to provide high quality 3D images to help scientists better understand the causes of heart attack and heart disease progression, and could…
Medtech company BellaSeno announced the initiation of a first-in-human trial of its novel, absorbable soft tissue reconstruction scaffold (Senella). A patient with Pectus Excavatum congenital defect has undergone surgery at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, earlier this month. The procedure was performed by Dr. Michael Wagels, Principal Investigator of the trial and Plastic and…
Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Post-Pandemic Global Healthcare Market Outlook, 2020, forecasts that 2020 will be an unforgiving but transformational year for the healthcare industry. As the world grapples with a global emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry is expected to witness a drop in growth from 5.3% to 0.6% in 2020, with revenues remaining below the…
The AI-Rad Companion family supports radiologists, radiation oncologists, radiotherapists and medical physicists through automated post processing of MRI, CT and X-ray datasets. It saves the clinicians' time and helps them to increase their diagnostic precision.
CT has a critical role to play in management of mass casualty incidents with the ability to image patients from head to toe, offering a rapid overview for clinicians. The benefits of CT were outlined by Dr Elizabeth Dick during an ECR session examining the role of radiology in the management of mass casualty incidents, terror attacks and assaults.
The complex form of machine learning DLIR (Deep Learning Image Reconstruction) is based on a deep neuronal network which is similar to the human brain. The artificial neurons of this network learn according to their biological model through intensive training. For the DLIR image reconstruction, the network is fed with sample data from phantom images on the one hand and high-resolution images of…
Medical device company Biotronik is proud to announce the availability of its next-generation balloon-expandable cobalt chromium iliac stent system, Dynetic-35. When compared to leading competitors, the new peripheral stent has up to 14 times greater flexibility and up to 23% higher radial strength. It is indicated for the treatment of de novo or restenotic atherosclerotic lesions in the iliac…
Department B for Internal Medicine of the University Medical Center Greifswald successfully used, within an international multi-center trial, a special diaphragmatic stimulation therapy to treat a COVID-19 patient as the first clinical site in Europe. "The first patient treated in this trial happened to be a woman who survived COVID-19, but was not able to be weaned from mechanical…
While scientists recently confirmed the crucial role contact-tracing apps play in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, politicians are exploring which app architecture offers better privacy protection. However, there is no doubt that in Western countries such an entirely voluntary app can only be successful if the population at large supports it.
Nanoelectronics and digital technologies R&D and innovation hub Imec recently received NASA funding to test a new technology in a gravity-free environment. Eventually, this will enable astronauts to perform blood tests to monitor their health. We discussed the project and technology with Nicolas Vergauwe, CEO of miDiagnostics, the Leuven firm that developed the diagnostic device, and Susana B…
Featuring agile mobility with only 3kg and 44mm, dedicated and professional solutions, intuitive interface and comprehensive battery solution which can serve up to 8 hours, Mindray’s newly launched #MX7 portable ultrasound system helps clinicians to address diagnostic challenges and make rapid decision in the fast-paced, overburdened and demanding hospital environment. Click to explore more!
Major weaknesses exist in the evidence base for COVID-19 antibody tests, finds a review of the latest research published by The BMJ. The evidence is particularly weak for point-of-care tests (performed directly with a patient, outside of a laboratory) and does not support their continued use, say the researchers. Serological tests to detect antibodies against COVID-19 could improve diagnosis and…
East Germany has many more hospitalisations for heart failure compared to West Germany despite a nationwide healthcare system, according to research presented today on HFA Discoveries, a scientific platform of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Heart failure is the most common reason for hospital admissions and is responsible for a large part of the total health expenditure on…
Hospitals can get noisy, especially intensive care units, and the life-saving electronic machines monitoring patient vital signs are making most of the racket. Mike Rayo, an assistant professor of integrated systems engineering at The Ohio State University, is working to improve and organize the cacophony to help caregivers and patients alike. For almost a decade, Rayo has collaborated on…
A new polymeric heart valve with a life span potentially longer than current artificial valves that would also prevent the need for the millions of patients with diseased heart valves to require life-long blood thinning tablets has been developed by scientists at the universities of Bristol and Cambridge. The team's latest in-vitro results, published in Biomaterials Science, suggest that the…
Beckman Coulter announced that its Access SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Beckman Coulter has already shipped tests to more than 400 hospitals, clinics and diagnostics laboratories in the U.S., and has begun distribution of the new antibody test globally to countries that accept the FDA EUA and CE Mark. The…
In the world of laboratory diagnostics, ‘Abbott’ is a household name. Few people however are aware of the fact that the company, headquartered in Illinois, USA, is also leading in other fields. A number of innovations in cardiac and vascular diagnostics and therapy might soon put Abbott in the limelight. Dr Angela Germer, Regional Director DACH, and Volker Keller, Head of Marketing DACH,…
A group of senior clinical academics and physicians are concerned about the rapid roll out of COVID-19 antibody testing in England and are publicly questioning how good the tests are - or even what they mean. In a letter to The BMJ, they argue that there is currently no valid clinical reason for large scale testing, test performance has not yet been adequately assessed, and testing risks…
Cardiologist Professor Martin Cowie raised an important issue on the challenges of the digitisation of cardiovascular healthcare at the ESC Congress 2019 in Paris. In his presentation, he confirmed that, within digital health transformation, the role of physician and the patient-doctor relationship will continue. However, much of the preparation may be conducted remotely.
To develop and manufacture COVID-19 test kits in massive quantities was not part of their 2020 business plans. Yet, as the epidemic evolved into a global pandemic, the urgent need for diagnostic and antibody SARS-CoV-2 test kits triggered an unprecedented scramble among medical manufacturers.
A new technique could enable vascular surgeons to reach even the more difficult body regions. Instead of pushing catheters into minute veins, the system, devised in Canada by Professor Sylvain Martel and team at the Polytechnique Montréal Nanorobotics Laboratory, uses magnetic forces to pull a guidewire, or catheter, into remote physical locations, guiding medical instruments into narrow and…
A new joint report from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) presents the largest venture ever on precision medicine in diabetes. The report includes a detailed overview and roadmap for how this new approach to diabetes medicine can be evaluated and implemented into clinical practice.
Voice analysis by a smartphone app identifies lung congestion in heart failure patients, allowing early intervention before their condition deteriorates. The small study is presented on HFA Discoveries, a scientific platform of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “Speech is personal and as such, very small changes (related to the same person) can be detected – for example, the ability…
In a collaboration between Google Brain, Intel Corporation and the University of California, Berkeley, researchers have 'trained' robots to mimic surgical procedures through the use of instructional videos.
Dedalus Group, leader in Europe and one of the world’s leading players in clinical and healthcare information systems supporting clinical professionals and healthcare facilities has appointed Andrea Fiumicelli as CEO of the Group. The manager returns to Italy after several years spent abroad as top manager of large international companies operating in the ICT (Information & Communication…
Recently developed MRI techniques used to more precisely target a small area in the brain linked to Parkinson's disease and essential tremor may lead to better outcomes without surgery and with less risk of negative effects, a new study led by UT Southwestern researchers suggests.
Benchtop tools for studying the respiratory system misrepresent the interdependence between the diaphragm, abdomen and lungs. Meanwhile, computational models often hide the mechanisms in a black box computation, without a clear picture of what transpires in the process. This means students form a poor understanding of respiratory mechanisms and makes it hard to train clinicians for real scenarios…
Cloud computing isn’t exactly a new concept in the healthcare industry. Its benefits have become increasingly well-known across the sector and, without it, we wouldn’t have many health-related services that both healthcare professionals and patients now rely on. It’s no surprise then that the European healthcare cloud computing market is expected to be worth around £44 billion by 2025.…
Biomedical engineering researchers at Texas A&M University designed a medical device that mimics blood vessels to design and monitor drugs for patients with clotting disorders. This approach could be especially beneficial for pediatric patients. Unlike what a biology textbook may show, blood vessels are not straight cylinders. They are tortuous, meaning they have complex curves, spirals and…
Austria-based cochlear and hearing implants technology company Med-El has become one of the first manufacturers worldwide, and the first and only hearing implant manufacturer in the world, to be granted European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certification. The company made an initial announcement on the newly earned certification after making an early commitment to adopt the MDR in 2016. For…
A self-disinfecting reusable protective face mask was developed at the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) faculty of Materials Science and Engineering. The disinfection process occurs when a layer of carbon fibers in the mask is heated using a low current source, such as an electric mobile phone charger, the developers state. A patent application for this invention has been submitted in…
Tissue biopsy slides stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) dyes are a cornerstone of histopathology, especially for pathologists needing to diagnose and determine the stage of cancers. A research team led by MIT scientists at the Media Lab, in collaboration with clinicians at Stanford University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, now shows that digital scans of these biopsy…
Royal Philips has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market a wide range of its ultrasound solutions for the management of COVID-19-related lung and cardiac complications.
A British cyber security company, VST Enterprises has signed a contract with international digital health technology firm Circle Pass Enterprises (CPE), owner of ‘Covi-Pass’, to supply 50 million of its ‘digital health passports’ to 15 countries. VST was founded by tech entrepreneur Louis-James Davis to integrate its state-of-the-art VCode & VPlatform technologies into the Covi-Pass…
Roswell Biotechnologies, Inc., a manufacturer of molecular electronics sensor chips, and imec, a research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, announced a partnership to develop the first commercially available molecular electronics biosensor chips. These chips are the brains behind Roswell Technologies' new platform for DNA sequencing, to support precision medicine,…
An ingenious necklace which detects abnormal heart rhythm will be showcased for the first time on EHRA Essentials 4 You, a scientific platform of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “The wearable necklace-ECG (electrocardiogram) provides a new and easy method for detecting an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, which is a fast-growing public health problem,” said study…
Niels-Bjarne Woods, a researcher at Lund University in Sweden, has developed lung-specific mesenchymal stem cells to treat inflammation of the lungs and fibrosis. This research now may be the needed breakthrough for treatment of the severe respiratory issues related to COVID-19. A clinical study may soon be underway contingent on a successful application to the Swedish Medical Products Agency.…
As the coronavirus spreads and infections with Covid-19 further increase throughout Europe, ECMO therapy turns out to be a necessary option for patients with severe courses. Xenios AG provides ECMO consoles that can be used for the treatment of patients who develop severe pneumonia and ARDS with lung failure which also might result from infection with the coronavirus.
Diabetes is called an incurable disease because once it develops, it does not disappear regardless of treatment in modern medicine. Having diabetes means a life-long obligation of insulin shots and monitoring of blood glucose levels. Recently, a research team at Pohang University of Science and Technology developed a wirelessly driven ‘smart contact lens’ technology that can detect diabetes…
Researchers in The University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have developed a nanohybrid vehicle that can be used to optimally deliver drugs into the human body. The research was published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. Leading the study are Mahesh Narayan, Ph.D., professor, and Sreeprasad Sreenivasan, Ph.D., assistant professor, both from the…
Medical Taiwan, taking place October 15-17 at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2, features four major themes of medical devices, healthcare products, smart medical solutions and startups in the B2B medical industry. The show will not only showcase Taiwan's medical innovation and technology, but also include this year’s conspicuous theme – epidemic prevention.
The remote patient monitoring technology and devices market has attracted significant investment in the past decade and is growing at an extraordinary rate. Expected to reach around 28 billion euros by the end of 2023, this market is very attractive to many big name companies that want to be ‘connected’ such as Qualcomm Life, Inc., OSI Systems, Inc., Philips Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories…
The Central Laboratory at the Medical University Hanover, Germany, is prepared to handle virtually any clinical chemistry task, from a routine test to the most complex analysis. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and thanks to a high degree of automation, the team can process more than 3,000 specimens, mostly blood and urine, in a single day. Professor Ralf Lichtinghagen, European…
Until recently, the major challenges surrounding Point-of-Care-testing (POCT) concerned the quality of the results and improving the reagents and the procedures in order to optimise patient care. In the modern clinical environment, however, IT security of POCT devices is becoming increasingly important, in Germany also due to new industry-specific safety standards under the Act on the Federal…
Hsinhan Tsai and a research team in materials, nanotechnology, nuclear engineering and X-ray science at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Argonne National Laboratory in the U.S. demonstrated a new thin film X-ray detector prototype.
Siemens Healthineers AG took a big step last October. To incorporate treatment along an entire clinical path, the firm acquired Corindus Vascular Robotics, Inc., to combine image-guided diagnosis with robot-assisted surgery. A couple of months later, the Corindus endovascular robotic system CorPath GRX was used to implant a vascular stent into an obstructed coronary artery – the first use of…
Heraeus Medical, makers of the market-leading PALACOS bone cement, has enhanced its online HeraeusCare orthopedic care coordination solution to a new digital health platform that connects healthcare authorities and providers with patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The coronavirus crisis is putting enormous strain on healthcare organizations, with worried patients filling emergency rooms…
Scientists on Standby has been rapidly conceptualised and launched in response to the COVID-19 crisis and in anticipation of the increasing pressure on UK diagnostic testing laboratories and facilities in the coming weeks and months. The portal enables scientists with relevant skills and experience to volunteer their time, expertise and support for COVID-19 screening and testing.
The COVID-19 pandemic is putting extra pressure on radiology services. Radiographers are particularly at risk of catching and spreading the disease. This is why they must follow strict cleaning and disinfection protocols, according to Pablo Valdés Solís, President of the Spanish Society of Radiology (SERAM), who has just published new guidelines on how to protect staff and patients, as the…
People who are at high risk of developing lung cancer, such as heavy smokers, are routinely screened with computed tomography (CT), which can detect tumors in the lungs. However, this test has an extremely high rate of false positives, as it also picks up benign nodules in the lungs. Researchers at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have now developed a new approach to early…
In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Beckman Coulter announced that it is developing assays to identify IgM and IgG antibodies to the coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2. The assays will be designed for use on any of its high-throughput Access family of immunoassay systems, including the Access 2 and DxI series installed globally. Research has shown that after infection with SARS-CoV-2, viral…
Researchers at the German Red Cross Blood Donor Service in Frankfurt headed by Professor Erhard Seifried, and the Institute for Medical Virology at the University Hospital Frankfurt at Goethe University headed by Professor Sandra Ciesek succeeded in developing a procedure that makes it possible to immediately and dramatically increase worldwide testing capacities for detecting SARS-CoV-2.
Like most technologies, X-ray imaging software is evolving, delivering more automation and improved image quality. However, the fundamental imaging basics for radiologic technologists remain unchanged. In this article, manufacturer Carestream provides a helpful review of the imaging basics for rad techs. In today’s digital world, basic functions once performed by the operator are now…
University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have invented a portable surveillance device powered by machine learning – called FluSense – which can detect coughing and crowd size in real time, then analyze the data to directly monitor flu-like illnesses and influenza trends. The FluSense creators say the new edge-computing platform, envisioned for use in hospitals, healthcare waiting rooms…
The world’s first licensed, downloadable artificial pancreas app for people with type 1 diabetes now launched, based on over a decade of research by Professor Roman Hovorka at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The CamAPS FX app works with an insulin pump and a glucose monitor to automatically deliver insulin to people living with the condition…
Blockchain is a concept that could have significant benefits for healthcare – particularly in radiology – but several challenges remain. Although an effective conduit through which to share data and medical images, particularly across health systems, one drawback is speed, given the amount of data that can be involved. However, Professor Morgan McBee, paediatric radiologist and imaging…
The intentions behind the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) are good. Ultimately, the regulations should prevent inferior medical devices, technologies and pharmaceuticals from endangering peoples’ lives while increasing the quality of drugs and devices entering the market. At the same time, MDR could present several serious immediate challenges to European healthcare systems.
Biotechnology company bioMérieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, is announcing the forthcoming launch of 3 different tests to address the COVID-19 epidemic and to meet the different needs of physicians and health authorities in the fight against this emerging infectious disease. bioMérieux has finalized the development of the SARS-CoV-2 R-Gene test. This real-time PCR test…
Engineers at Rutgers University have created a tabletop device that combines a robot, artificial intelligence and near-infrared and ultrasound imaging to draw blood or insert catheters to deliver fluids and drugs. Their most recent research results, published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence, suggest that autonomous systems like the image-guided robotic device could outperform people on…
In a joint effort, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) take action to make more respirators, including certain N95s, available to health care personnel. Currently, the majority of respirators on the market are indicated for use in industrial settings. This action allows certain National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health…
St Helier Hospital in the London Borough of Sutton – part of the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust – has one of the largest renal medicine departments in the UK, and relies on Fujifilm SonoSite point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) systems to improve care and patient safety. Dr Pritpal Virdee, a senior registrar in the department, explained: “We have a very busy renal department…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) approval to Fresenius Medical Care North America and Xenios, a Fresenius Medical Care company, for long-term use of its Novalung system for patients with acute lung failure or acute cardiopulmonary failure.
Liquid biopsy offers a new dimension to detection and stratification of cancer – yet the technique also faces hurdles in becoming a mainstream diagnostic approach for more personalised treatments. A critical challenge lies in identifying the extremely low concentrations of the bio-analytes of CTC (circulating tumour cells), ctDNA (circulating tumour DNA) and exosomes in the blood.
Supermicrosurgery – operations on vessels ranging from 0.3 to 0.8 millimeters – is limited by the dexterity of the surgeon’s hands. To bypass this limitation, robots can assist in the surgical process. One such robot is MUSA – the world’s first robotic platform for supermicrosurgery, which was co-developed by researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the TU/e…
Smartphone apps used as ‘early warning systems’ for skin cancer are poorly regulated and frequently cannot be relied upon to produce accurate results, according to new analysis by experts at the University of Birmingham. Skin cancer detection apps are designed to ensure that the right people seek medical attention by providing a risk assessment of a new or changing mole. These apps use…
An exciting development from an innovative French company is poised for a major breakthrough in European markets. As is now well-known, coronary angioplasty is a procedure that widens and/or unblocks the arteries to the heart by the insertion and inflation of a balloon and/or stent into the vessel lumen. In modern practice, a stent is normally left in place to ensure the blood flow remains…
Modern healthcare without hand hygiene? Inconceivable – particularly in the operating room (OR). But what happens when it is not the surgeon who handles the scalpel, but a robot? Robotic surgery, just like surgery performed by humans, always carries a risk of microbial transmission to the patient, says Professor Johannes K-M Knobloch of University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). A specialist…
A popular proverb in Mandarin goes ‘Hearing something a hundred times is not as good as seeing it once’ (百聞不如一見). Visiting the Taiwan pavilion at this year’s Medica, it’s clear to see that the Bureau of Foreign Trade (MOEA) from Taiwan, together with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and its foster companies, have taken this sentiment to heart.
Robocath, a company that designs, develops and commercializes cardiovascular robotic systems for the treatment of vascular diseases, announced it has successfully completed six robotic coronary angioplasties with R-One, a first for the continent of Africa. The Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI) were performed by Dr Faizel Lorgat, an interventional cardiologist at the Netcare Christiaan…
Complex challenges require interdisciplinary approaches. To find out at first hand which topics are of interest to experts is the key objective of ETIM 2020 (Emerging Technologies in Medicine), which is held from February 28-29 in Essen, Germany. Be there when experienced physicians, engineers and computer scientists talk about future topics in radiology. And after the lectures, take advantage of…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the global launch of Cure ID, an internet-based repository that will allow the clinical community to report their experiences treating difficult-to-treat infectious diseases with novel uses of existing FDA-approved drugs through a website, a smartphone or other mobile device. The platform enables the crowdsourcing of medical information from…
Dramatic developments in digital technologies have fuelled the growth and need for a mobile workforce, with the number of mobile workers predicted to climb to 1.87 billion by 2022 – accounting for almost half (42.5%) of the global workforce. The healthcare industry is no exception to this. In fact, the global healthcare mobility solutions market is predicted to experience a 25% year on year…
Layering minute amounts of Manuka honey between layers of surgical mesh acts as a natural antibiotic that could prevent infection following an operation, new research has shown. Meshes are used to help promote soft tissue healing inside the body following surgery and are common in operations such as hernia repair. However, they carry with them an increased risk of infection as the bacteria are…
At RSNA 2019, GE Healthcare launches more than 30 new, imaging intelligent applications and smart devices designed to drive efficiency in radiology departments, aiming to double productivity and cost savings for systems by 2025. For healthcare executives, the new offerings help systems to save costs, improve technology utilization, and increase patient volumes. Clinicians also will benefit from…
Although breast cancer (BC) mammography screening enables early detection of breast cancer, mammography presents issues such as variability between the radiology readings and shortage of radiologists. This area of medical imaging is where artificial intelligence (AI) could help make the biggest difference and improve patient outcome.
With over 100 exhibitors at the annual Radiological Society of North America conference using NVIDIA technology to bring AI to radiology, 2019 looks to be a tipping point for AI in healthcare. Despite AI’s great potential, a key challenge remains: gaining access to the huge volumes of data required to train AI models while protecting patient privacy.
Medical Japan - 6th Int’l Medical & Elderly Care Expo Osaka will be held from February 26-28, 2020 in INTEX Osaka, Japan, organised by Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd. This edition will be larger than the last year’s edition with 160 newly joining exhibitors, the organisers announce. In addition to companies from Asian countries, companies from US, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, etc. will…
Artificial intelligence (AI) opens up a host of new diagnostic methods and treatments. Almost daily we read about physicians, researchers or companies that are developing an AI system to identify malignant lesions or dangerous cardiac patterns, or that can personalise healthcare. ‘Currently, we are too focused on the topic,’ observes Professor Christian Johner, of the Johner Institute for…
It’s a world’s first. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is collaborating with Amazon to provide reliable health information from the service’s website through voice-assisted technology. In a speech announcing the service, Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, addressed the need for dependable information.
Minimally-invasive surgery (MIS) benefits from 3D visualization with improved image quality and depth perception. Now, a 3D solution for gastroscopy and colonoscopy is available, by simply connecting a device to the hospital’s existing flexible endoscopy equipment with a 3D monitor. This solution is presented by MedicalTek (MDTK), a Taiwanese company specialized in the field of medical image…
With the right tools, physicians could transform the lives of patients and scientists. For Kimberly Powell, Vice President of Healthcare at NVIDIA, artificial intelligence is such a tool, and could meet the increasing demand for personalised medicine and next-generation clinics. ‘AI is the biggest technological breakthrough of our lifetime.’
In children, middle ear infections are the number one indication for antibiotic prescriptions or surgery. Nearly every child around the world will suffer at least one middle ear infection (otitis media) severe enough to see a doctor, and most will experience repeat occurrences throughout childhood. Internationally, there is significant over-prescription of antibiotics for otitis media, leading to…
From Augmented Reality to Robotics, and all exciting technologies in between, the Taiwanese companies present at Medica always manage to impress visitors with health tech innovations. In co-operation with the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) of the Taiwanese Ministry of Economics and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), 20 elite healthcare companies put on display their…
Omnia Medical’s ‘Boxcar’ has been granted the first US FDA 510(k) clearance for a cervical vertebral body replacement (VBR) system manufactured from PEEK-OPTIMA HA Enhanced polymer. The system has been designed for use in cervical-corpectomy procedures – the replacement of a collapsed, damaged, or unstable vertebral body located in the cervical spine. Robert Gewirtz, MD - Neurosurgeon,…
Dr Philippe Mahiou practices anaesthesia in the Grenoble area, splitting his time between a private clinic and working as a helicopter doctor to attend mountaineering accidents. As part of his work, Mahiou routinely uses ultrasound, and understands the importance of the technology to guide anaesthesia in the operating room and assess patients in the field. When anaesthetist Dr Philippe Mahiou…
September: Basel, Switzerland: ‘Intelligent Health 2019’, a conference dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, underlined the growing interest by the rising number of attendees – 1,400 in 2018, its first year, to 2,027 this year. With examples of AI use from around the world, the common thread throughout was how AI can serve humankind by enabling better understanding of…
In practice, the drying of the endoscope is often underestimated and therefore a possible pitfall for hygiene and reprocessing steps. As the importance of endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) procedures and their impact on patients’ lives remains unwavering, the medical community is continuously looking for ways to improve this field of expertise. What better way to learn more…
‘Northern Ireland (NI) is a prime location for Life & Health Sciences businesses, thanks to a unique combination of talented people, world-class research and strong links between industry, academia and clinicians, in the commercialisation of innovative research,’ as explained by the organisers of the Northern Ireland exhibits in Hall 16 Stand K11-1. ‘The region has a strong reputation…
Refining hospital processes saves costs, improves workflows and patient care plus outcomes. To realise those aims, a hospital in the Netherlands has installed an Internet of Things (IoT) mesh network. A pilot project initiated by a Dutch children’s hospital has enlisted an entire ward as an Internet of Things (IoT) playground, to experiment with various type of tags, sensors and switches in a…
Thanks to a four-limb robotic system controlled by brain signals, a patient with a cervical spinal cord injury could walk and control both arms for the first time in a proof of concept. Developed by CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), the system is driven via the long-term implant of a semi-invasive medical device to record brain activity.
Scenario: A physiotherapist arrives in a ward pushing a new device towards a patient in bed. There, she introduces rehabilitation robot Robert and points to its multi-jointed arm. She places a cuff around the patient’s lower leg to link it to Robert’s arm and presses the start button; Robert raises the leg slightly. Manually, the physiotherapist performs movements, which Robert memorises to…
ACEMSO15F is a new focusable and flexible LED examination light designed by the Italian firm ACEM. The touch panel controls all lamp functions, including light intensity adjustment and beam focusing. The result is a uniform, homogeneous and shadow-less light.
Health tech Made in Taiwan is among the mainstays of every MEDICA; this year’s fair is no exception. In co-operation with the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) of the Taiwanese Ministry of Economics and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), 20 world-class healthcare companies are demonstrating innovative medical solutions based on national advances in Artificial Intelligence…
From an initial focus on innovative manufacturing, in-house ICT technologies drove production efficiency and quality. Today, Taiwan has advanced to become a leader with its "Asian Silicon Valley" concept. The government also wants to further strengthen Taiwan's key position by independently developing medical products that meet the high demands of international markets – at…
COCIR was proud to celebrate its 60 years of bringing the benefits of innovation in medical technology to society and patients. To celebrate this landmark, more than 100 healthcare stakeholders from the European institutions, along with medical technology industry leaders gathered for a Gala event and Conference in the Autoworld Museum in Brussels.
Consider the diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities resulting from access to pertinent data from thousands of anonymized patient medical scans. What new patterns, options, or evidence for actionable insights could be derived from all this information? Cloud-based data is easily accessible via computer, smartphone, or tablet and is a valuable complement to the insights from the millions of…
Getting a good night’s sleep is important and insufficient sleep has been linked to poor health in many studies. Analysing data collected from wearable trackers, researchers from the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine (PRISM) and the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) recently demonstrated that chronic sleep deprivation is associated with increased cardiovascular disease…
A partnership between the Royal Stoke University Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, and a UK industry-leading medical devices company have been rewarded for its use of an innovative bioelectronic technology to prevent life-threatening blood clots in acute stroke patients – winning in the category: Best use of technology (acute care), at the Building Better…
Dr Nicolas Azulay is a general medicine doctor specialising in scheduled and emergency ultrasound examinations at the University Hospitals of Nice, where he works at the Pasteur II and Cimiez hospitals. As part of the clinical research programme GERICARE, he recently studied the impact of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) assessment of patients admitted to the short-stay geriatric unit at Cimiez,…
Unlike other surgical specialties, ear nose and throat (ENT) has been poorly served by the introduction of robotic platforms to enhance procedures. Since the da Vinci system first gained FDA approval in 2000, robot-assisted surgery has become commonplace in many specialties, including neurology, urology, etc. with numerous other general surgical applications. However, existing systems including…
The world’s first low-cost, point-of-care (POC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system was presented by Hyperfine Research Inc. at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Scientific Assembly 2019. The system aims to make MRI available anytime, anywhere, to any patient who needs it. Hyperfine makes MRI inexpensive, accessible, and easy to use by leveraging the ten million-fold…
A photonics tech company from Vilnius are on their path to solve the 50-year-old task of making non-invasive blood analysis possible. With the help of a unique broadband laser-based sensor, the scientists and engineers at Brolis Sensor Technology are able to remotely sense concentration level of main critical blood constituents such as lactate, glucose, urea, ketones or ethanol without drawing…
With the medavis REFERRER PORTAL your referrers have easy online access to the reports and studies you created. The web-based portal works with any RIS via standard HL7 interfaces to create a smooth workflow. Reports and images are automatically transmitted to the portal in the background as soon as you release them in your RIS. The referrers can then easily access their patients’ data – from…
Scientists of Jena University Hospital, Germany, conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate benefit and risk of paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty compared to conventional balloon angioplasty as therapy of intermittent claudication. The study confirms an increased all-cause mortality, which has formerly been stated, and found a broad heterogeneity in the effectivity of the procedure depending on…
The current introduction of instant access to all patient clinical imaging and medical documentation in one picture archiving and communication system (PACS) for use throughout the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust (PAHT), in Essex, UK, lies in the hands of Imaging Systems Manager and radiographer Stephen Townrow. In 2017, Townrow went to his hospital’s Board with a business case to consolidate…
To demonstrate advances in 5G connectivity for healthcare, a UK team has linked a paramedic in a simulated ambulance to a hospital-based clinician. The paramedic wore a robotic or ‘haptic’ glove, which received signals over the live 5G network. Using a joystick, the clinician remotely directed the paramedic to move the ultrasound sensor to where on the patient the clinician wanted to scan.…
A smartphone application has been developed that can help parents detect early signs of eye disease by searching their children’s photographs for traces of leukocoria, also known as “white eye”. The CRADLE app (ComputeR Assisted Detector LEukocoia) searches for traces of abnormal reflections from the retina called leukocoria or “white eye,” a primary symptom of retinoblastoma, as well…
Scientists at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich have used machine learning methods to improve optoacoustic imaging. This relatively young medical imaging technique can be used for applications such as visualizing blood vessels, studying brain activity, characterizing skin lesions and diagnosing breast cancer. However, quality of the rendered images is very dependent on the number and…
As a member of the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) planning committee Professor Elmar Kotter suffered no serious challenge in pinpointing subject matter for the IT sessions. More than 300 submissions were received on artificial intelligence (AI). From the presentations, Kotter, Professor of Radiology and Senior Consultant at the Clinic for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, at the…
Nosocomial infections present enormous challenges for medical facilities, involving huge hygiene efforts from staff, on patients as well as medical and non-medical products. At MedtecLIVE 2019, in Nuremberg, Susanne Harpel (Dipl. Ing), Deputy Head of the Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine at Giessen/Marburg University Hospital, presented desirable contamination efforts during the…
Scientists have determined a new way to protect the hair follicle from chemotherapy in an effort to prevent hair loss as a result of cancer treatments. Researchers based at The University of Manchester have discovered a new strategy for how to protect hair follicles from chemotherapy, which could lead to new treatments that prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss – arguably one of the most…
During its latest keynote presentation, tech giant Apple announced cooperations for health studies. The latest model of their smartwatches are to be key in their execution. Apple announced the three medical studies in partnership with leading US academic and research institutions.
Richardson Healthcare announced it has received CE Mark approval for its ALTA750 X-Ray Tube, a form, fit and function replacement for the Canon/Toshiba CXB-750D/4A. Richardson ships the tube with a new cable and heat exchanger, and offers a full warranty. The CE Mark confirms that the product meets the requirements of the European Medical Device Directive, and signals conformity to patient and…
Healthcare is going digital worldwide at an incredibly rapid pace. More and more applications for prevention, diagnostics and therapy are being made into apps (with matching hardware) for smartphones and tablets or are even available as wearables for direct use on the body. Digitalisation is also striding forward in Germany, where doctors, therapists and patients still take a fairly analogue…
More and more people aged 50 and over are suffering from age-related vision disorders. According to the World Health Organization, in four out of five cases they could be avoided if they were diagnosed at an early stage. A European team of scientists, including the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT) in Jena, has now researched a new method that will enable doctors to better…
A new study, presented as ‘Late Breaking Science’ at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) annual congress, highlights the feasible use of mobile health (mHealth) devices to help with the screening and detection of atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart condition. AF causes an irregular and sometimes, abnormally fast heart rate. The heart’s upper chambers (atria) contract randomly and…
Most people think their heart is located on the left side of their chest, and this is also the direction science has looked, so far. However, just as the heart sits at the centre of the chest, disease also affects the right side of the organ. Cardiologists must now look right to improve patient prognosis, according to Professor José Luis Zamorano, Vice President of the European Society of…
A remarkable number of studies and innovations were presented at the 30th anniversary of Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in San Diego, California. TCT 2019 will take place in San Francisco, CA between 25-29-Sep-2019. On the clinical side, the long-expected results from COAPT trial studying MitraClip device in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation and heart failure…
In a busy hospital, thousands of devices and equipment are on the move every hour of every day. Beds, blood pressure monitors, wheelchairs, or infusion pumps can be taken to different locations and, at times, even ‘lost’. Keeping track of vital tools is a challenge, particularly given the massive throughput of patients and staff shift changes. However, innovative tracking systems are evolving…
The 2nd Medical Japan 2019 Tokyo – the international Medical and Elderly Care Expo in Tokyo – will be held from October 23-25, 2019 in Makuhari Messe, Japan by Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd. The scale of the second Tokyo edition is expanding with 610 exhibitors, and this growth is gathering great attention from the industry. In this edition, innovative products with cutting-edge technologies,…
The School for Translational Medicine and Biomedical Entrepreneurship (sitem-insel School) in Bern, Switzerland, starts for the third time its Study Program in Translational Medicine and Biomedical Entrepreneurship. The program offers continuing education to specialists in industry, hospitals and academia in the field of translational medicine and biomedical entrepreneurship, expertise highly…
A novel neck brace, which supports the neck during its natural motion, was designed by Columbia engineers. This is the first device shown to dramatically assist patients suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in holding their heads and actively supporting them during range of motion. This advance would result in improved quality of life for patients, not only in improving eye contact…
Pathologic-radiologic correlation is already utilised in various settings as a tool to assess the interpretive performance of imaging studies and identify radiologic features corresponding to histologic findings. However, correlative assessment is currently limited mainly to the fields of research and quality assurance, and is generally not a routine element of the radiologist or pathologist…
Surgery complications, implant rupture, tissue contractures or even plain immune intolerance – silicone breast implants can cause a variety of unfavourable conditions. Because of this, many women think twice about breast augmentation. A new kind of implant might change this up a bit. BellaSeno GmbH, a company developing absorbable implants using additive manufacturing technology, now announced…
Mayo Clinic and Boston Scientific Corp. have launched a new venture to accelerate the development of medical technology and new minimally invasive treatments for many health conditions that impede quality and longevity of life. The accelerator, known as Motion Medical, will have its research facilities in One Discovery Square, the bioscience center in the Discovery Square research district. Both…
Blood clotting is one of the most critical, protective processes in human physiology. When something goes wrong with clotting, either because there is too much clotting, leading to a stroke, or not enough, leading to internal bleeding, the outcome can be catastrophic. Now, University at Buffalo researchers have established an in vitro model of this process that will help clinicians improve…
Analytically sensitive and specific detection of pharmaceuticals or metabolites in bodily fluids, as well as fast and reliable detection of human pathogens, are major challenges for instrument-based analytics in medical diagnostics. Over the past few years the combination of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and microfluidic devices (Lab-on-a-Chip) has emerged as a perfectly suited…
If a health sector employee falls ill with a bloodborne disease, the cause is often a previous injury from a sharp, contaminated object. Direct blood-to-blood contact, such as with a needlestick injury (NSI), is among the recurring causes of infection. It isn’t possible to vaccinate against HIV, for instance, and the consequences of an infection remain fatal. Among the most effective ways to…
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is showcasing its latest instruments, assays and software for improving speed, accuracy and usability across clinical and research labs during the 71st American Association for Clinical Chemistry Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Laboratory Exposition (AACC 2019). Thermo Fisher is exhibiting in booth 2110 at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif., August…
The School for Translational Medicine and Biomedical Entrepreneurship (sitem-insel School) in Bern, Switzerland, offers a new Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging. The course aims to equip Medical Doctors (MDs) with the necessary skills to take a leading role in the AI-driven transformation of medicine. The course program was developed for medical…
For patients with kidney failure who need dialysis, removing fluid at the correct rate and stopping at the right time is critical. This typically requires guessing how much water to remove and carefully monitoring the patient for sudden drops in blood pressure. Currently there is no reliable, easy way to measure hydration levels in these patients, who number around half a million in the United…
Formed in 2007 – under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, UAE – the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) oversees the healthcare system. Driven by the private sector, the country’s healthcare growth is a notable success story. We asked Dr Ibtesam Al Bastaki, Director, Investments & PPP’s at DHA about the vision for…
In endoscope reprocessing, time and storage space are always limited. During the ESGE Days in Prague the IKEM hospital facilitated the live procedures and had to deal with an exceptionally high demand for endoscope reprocessing. Hana Kubecova, head nurse of their endoscopy department, explains how a new solution, the PlasmaTYPHOON, helped her team to deal with this high work load whilst still…
Scientists have developed minute flexible robots that could help revolutionise drug delivery in the future. These ‘microrobots’ are so small that they could be ingested, or inserted into human veins to deliver drug therapies directly to diseased body areas.
About one in ten people in southern India is diabetic. Around one in three suffers from a so-called diabetic retinopathy (DR), a disease of the retina caused by diabetes. Untreated, DR is often the cause of visual impairment and blindness. However, many of those affected have symptoms only in the late stages of the disease. Early detection is therefore all the more important in order to intervene…
Within a groaning 140-tonne particle accelerator a patient receives proton therapy, whilst down a few corridors, acupuncture needles are being placed and herbs mixed. Tradition and high tech walk hand in hand in Taiwanese healthcare. That’s what we learn during our visit to several facilities near Taipei.
Engineers at the University of Edinburgh have devised a fabric dressing whose thickness and elasticity can be custom-matched to specific areas of the body. The material is able to be absorbed by the skin’s own tissue as it heals. Two synthetic materials are blended to produce nanometre-sized fibres – thousands of times thinner than a hair – which can be fabricated in minutes. Edinburgh…
Siemens Healthineers and Mentice AB announced the collaboration to fully integrate Mentice’s VIST Virtual Patient into the Artis icono angiography system from Siemens Healthineers. The VIST Virtual Patient thus becomes a fully integrated simulation solution for the angio-suite. The global partnership between the two companies will allow interventional radiologists, neuroradiologists, and…
Epilepsy affects around 70 million people worldwide, making it the second most common neurological disorder after migraine. Epileptics bear a terrible burden because they experience recurrent seizures that strike without warning. Their symptoms range from brief suspension of awareness to violent convulsions and sometimes loss of consciousness. Epilepsy is also responsible for numerous deaths –…
Radiation measurement often requires different devices for varying applications adding to the cost and complexity of data collection. The new RaySafe 452 Survey Meter is a versatile, powerful tool that can be used for multiple situations, reducing the number of devices technicians need to carry, learn, and calibrate. The 452 Survey Meter is the ideal tool to measure radiation in a wide variety of…
Cancer - this diagnosis affects almost every second German at some point in his life. It is the second most frequent cause of death in Germany. But the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the greater are the chances of surviving it. A team of researchers from Jena present a groundbreaking new method for the rapid, gentle and reliable detection of tumors with laser light at the leading trade fair…
Hot-glue guns can be used for more than putting together cardboard furniture, home decorations, and toys. In fact, researchers at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology have developed a hot-glue gun to adhere human tissues that have been seriously injured.
FUJIFILM displayed its evolving portfolio of medical informatics and Enterprise Imaging innovations, by presenting REiLI, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Medical Imaging initiative at HIMSS & Health 2.0 Conference.
Staff shortages are among the most urgent healthcare problems. While digitisation might offer relief, unfortunately many hospitals lag behind in transforming their processes. As pressure mounts, the chorus is heard: ‘It’s high time for bold changes’. Indeed, this was the motto of the 2019 Western German Health Congress held in Cologne, an event that focuses on health policy and health…
Humanity is not doomed to submit to machines as in the Terminator movies – or at least not yet. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are still far from capable to imitate the human brain in all its complexity. Yet there is no doubt that AI will have a global and huge impact, particularly for professionals such as radiologists, who should look at AI critically and focus on the many new…
Cheap and compact instrument based on two near-infrared light techniques diagnoses poor blood flow quickly and noninvasively.
People with untreated White Coat Hypertension are twice as likely to die from heart disease. Researchers at Penn Medicine say findings underscore the need for increased out-of-office blood pressure monitoring
A new targeted therapy using non-thermal radio waves has been shown to block the growth of liver cancer cells anywhere in the body without damaging healthy cells, according to a study conducted by scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health.
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is widely used in hospitals across the country. However, as these systems are often shared between departments, and consultants may work at more than one hospital within a trust, there is a clear advantage to choosing instruments from a single supplier wherever possible. Jim McWilliams, Associate Director for Technical Services at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in…
Virtual reality (VR) can identify early Alzheimer’s disease more accurately than ‘gold standard’ cognitive tests currently in use, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. The study highlights the potential of new technologies to help diagnose and monitor conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, which affects more than 525,000 people in the UK. In 2014, Professor John…
The new Yumizen H2500 is a high-end haematology analyser with CBC, 8-DIFF, NRBC, reticulocytes, optical platelets and Body Fluids (CE). Full automation for demanding haematology diagnostics, can be integrated into the Horiba T6000 conveyor belt solution, with the option of a fully-automatic blood smear and staining unit (Yumizen SPS).
Since the firm was created almost 30 years ago, Roland Steger, the founder and CEO of Axon Lab AG, always regarded it as important for it to help resolve social challenges as well as achieving commercial success: “It was always clear to me that a purely economic, profit-focused business strategy is not sufficient in the long term. A spirit of partnership and cooperation, supporting projects…
Using urine to obtain diagnostic insights has been done for thousands of years and still remains an important tool to obtain crucial information. Covering a range of tests, urinalysis may be used to screen for or help to diagnose ailments such as urinary tract infections, kidney disorders, liver problems, diabetes or other medical conditions, just to name a few. Because urinalysis has been around…
Fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapies are widely used, at least in the European area, for treating various types of cancer including digestive, breast, throat and brain cancer. Fluoropyrimidines are a group of anticancer drugs including the well-known 5-FluoroUracil (5-FU) and the prodrug capecitabine.
In the modern diagnostic lab, analytical challenges demand increased sensitivity, speed, robustness and reliability of any diagnostic system, and mass spectrometry is no different. Designed and manufactured with industry-leading technologies, Citrine meets these challenges head on, giving you confidence in your results and the best possible service to your patients. Citrine MS/MS from SCIEX…
A team of seasoned European healthcare entrepreneurs announced the foundation of MCG motion capture GmbH (MCG), the world’s first precision motion analysis and digital care company. The team combines decades of expertise in the medtech, digital health and biopharmaceutical industry, including big data integration, analysis for decision support, and long-standing experience in clinical trials as…
CMEF, as a highly curated global platform to showcase technological innovations in medical and healthcare sectors, will bring forward a theme of "Intelligence-architected Future" to propel and spearhead these sectors and the trend of times at the National Exhibition Center (Shanghai) May 14-17, 2019. Driven by the intelligent technology core, the expo will reveal a new medical niche…
Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is an established powerful tool in routine clinical use and clinical research. However, to further capitalise on its benefits, instrument and consumables vendors should continue to improve accessibility and ease-of-use, according to Dr Debadeep Bhattacharyya, senior marketing manager for clinical and forensic at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Remarkable…
Artificial intelligence clinics and rehab bikes, exoskeletons and stylish protections masks – healthcare in Taiwan has many faces and facets as the international medical & healthcare exhibition Medical Taiwan in Taipei will show from 27 to 30 June 2019. We visited participating companies and hospitals to give you a sneak preview of some of the highlights that might well create a buzz in…
The 35th Korea International Medical & Hospital Equipment Show (KIMES) again proved to be a great success. Over 73,000 visitors from 96 countries entered the show in Seoul, attracted by, for example, the latest developments in AI-assisted diagnostics, robotic surgery and rehabilitation, healthcare solutions for the aged and comprehensive smart hospital systems. The KIMES motto, ‘Meet the…
The current innovation process for medical technologies risks stifling the development of new devices, a leading researcher has argued. Alejandro Frangi, Professor of Computational Medicine at the University of Leeds, says the present system was geared towards small, incremental changes to existing technology or the development of new technologies that work for ‘most’ people but are…
The speed of the human brain is remarkable. Almost immediately upon being exposed to stimuli, neurons are activated, prompting subconscious reactions and, a fraction of a second later, thought. But the speed at which we can noninvasively follow brain function using an MRI is not as impressive. Functional MRI (fMRI), which measures changes in blood-oxygen levels, has revolutionized neuroscience by…
Biotechnologists, physicists, and medical researchers at FAU have developed technology for microscopic imaging in living organisms. A miniaturised multi-photon microscope, which could be used in an endoscope in future, excites the body’s own molecules to illuminate and enables cells and tissue structures to be imaged without the use of synthetic contrast agents. The findings have now been…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to Balversa (erdafitinib), a treatment for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer that has a type of susceptible genetic alteration known as FGFR3 or FGFR2, and that has progressed during or following prior platinum-containing chemotherapy. Patients should be selected for therapy with Balversa…
The safety of blood transfusions is questioned again and again by the mass media. Sometimes ‘bad’ blood causes infections; sometimes a transfusion leads to cancer years later. The fact is that transfer blood is subjected to the highest safety standards – there are very clear statutory regulations. Nonetheless, there will be shortages of ‘life’s fluid’ because, given increasing…
Hackers can access a patient's 3-D medical scans to add or remove images of malignant tumors, thus placing patients at risk of misdiagnoses. The new study, published by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev cybersecurity researchers, showed that the altered scans successfully deceived both radiologists and artificial intelligence algorithms used to aid diagnosis. A 3-D CT (computerized…
As a result of the final phase of exhibitor registrations for the world’s leading medical trade fare MEDICA 2019 in Düsseldorf (running between 18 and 21 November), one thing is already apparent: Exhibitors have a positive view of the updated allocation of subjects to the trade fair halls and are aligning their participation to the new structure with regard to target group orientation and…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced important new steps to modernize breast cancer screening and help empower patients with more information when they are considering important decisions regarding their breast health care. For the first time in more than 20 years of regulating mammography facilities, the agency is proposing amendments to key regulations that would help improve…
With increased precision, speed of service and reduced cost, 3D printing presents an opportunity to transform traditional healthcare and its delivery, and radiology is at the center of this new technology. In the ECR 2019 Special Focus Session “The 3D printing lab from bench to bedside”, the speakers emphasized that 3D printing does not only enable a new and innovative way to display imaging,…
Fujifilm SonoSite is pleased to announce the launch of its redesigned SonoSite Institute, a comprehensive online educational resource dedicated to empowering and educating healthcare providers about point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). The enhanced website takes account of feedback from current users worldwide to offer an improved user experience, easier to locate content, and reconfigured learning…
Stretchable electronics is emerging as a promising new technology for next-generation wearable devices, according to a review published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. The technology has many possible applications for healthcare, energy and the military. But there are several challenges involved in finding suitable materials and manufacturing methods. The biggest challenge for…
A newly developed ultra-small circuit (IC) could pave the way for a new generation of hearing aids with advanced connectivity features. These are jointly developed by Semtech Corporation, a supplier of analog and mixed signal semiconductors and algorithms, and Sonova, a company specializing in innovative hearing care solutions. Their advanced radio system features an IC as a main component,…
Researchers from the University of Bath are developing a new tool for detecting the presence of Dengue fever early on, helping prevent people from suffering potential life-threatening complications.
Atrial fibrillation can be correctly detected using commercially available smartwatches. This is the conclusion of a study by researchers of the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) at the University Medicine Greifswald and researchers from the Basel University Hospital.
COCIR, the European Coordination Committee of the Radiological, Electromedical and Healthcare IT Industry, published an open letter to the European Commission & National Competent Authorities for Medical Devices.
Canon Medical Systems Europe B.V. introduces a new angiography configuration featuring its Alphenix Sky+ C-arm and Hybrid Catheterization Tilt/Cradle Table for interventional procedures with its Aquilion One Genesis CT system. The new pairing, called the Alphenix 4D CT, allows clinicians to efficiently plan, treat and verify in a single clinical setting. “The all new Alphenix 4D CT was designed…
Molecular imaging is an exciting field for scientists who are willing to explore and innovate, prominent Spanish physicist José María Benlloch pointed out when he reviewed some of the most impacting and recent innovations in his portfolio during a meeting in Valencia. ‘Our mission is to develop innovative sensitive and harmless medical imaging instruments for early detection of diseases and…
This is a 20th anniversary year for Fujifilm’s Synapse, the world’s first web- based PACS. Today, Synapse 3-D offers advanced 3-D rendering in the Synapse PACS Viewer to perform fast, accurate extractions, stenosis measurements, brain perfusion CT, MRI, and more, the company reports. The Fujifilm Healthcare IT platform includes a comprehensive medical informatics and enterprise-imaging…
AI has made an extraordinary qualitative jump, particularly in machine learning. This can help quantify imaging data to tremendously advance both pathology and radiology. At a recent meeting in Valencia, delegates glimpsed what quantitative tools can bring to medical imaging, as leading Spanish researcher Ángel Alberich-Bayarri unveiled part of his work. The boom in companies and start-ups…
The professionals we all rely on to keep us healthy, they rely on X-Ray imaging systems empowered by flat panel detectors and software solutions provided by Thales. Our solutions offer superior accuracy and advanced image processing to help image interpretation while decreasing radiation exposure. They also include a variety of innovative features that simplify the daily workflow of healthcare…
AI algorithms are making their way not just into diagnostic workstations, but will also in future be found in the diagnostic methods themselves. Prof. Mathias Goyen, Chief Medical Officer Europe at GE Healthcare, discusses AI algorithms in radiology. "According to a study by the consultancy firm Accenture, the estimated annual market volume for AI applications in healthcare in the USA will…
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde have developed an innovative, low cost test for earlier diagnosis of sepsis which could save thousands of lives. The simple system for sensitive real-time measurement of the life threatening condition is much quicker than existing hospital tests, which can take up to 72 hours to process. Using a microelectrode, a biosensor device is used to detect if…
Imagine being able to install a new MRI anywhere with almost no external restrictions. Based in Ulm, Germany, lnterflex Medizintechnik GmbH has supplied systems for Faraday cages and exclusive MRI interiors since 2005. In addition, all MRI-providers have relied on the international experience of this firm. “The Intercabin shielding room ensures the operating reliability of modern MRI-systems.…
Rising temperatures due to global warming are creating a permanent habitat in Europe for mosquitos from Asia. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), or Aedes japonicas, are important vectors for the transmission of pathogens previously only found in tropical regions, like dengue fever, West Nile fever and the Chikungunya virus.
During our interview with Professor Felice Eugenio Agrò, Professor, Director and Chairman of the Postgraduate School in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, he spoke of the use of Mindray’s TE7 ultrasound system, which provides a touchscreen and focused exam pre-sets. ‘Anaesthesiologists are seeking safe and accurate methods during procedures. Many…
Physicians in Germany remove around 200,000 gall bladders annually, mostly by minimally invasive surgery, the so-called keyhole surgery. While gall bladders and appendices can be removed through a tiny aperture in the body, large tumours cannot. Patients also profit from the keyhole technique with joint and bone problems in the knee, shoulder or elbow. Advantages: small cuts, less blood loss,…
The heart's motion is so powerful that it can recharge devices that save our lives, according to new research from Dartmouth College. Using a dime-sized invention developed by engineers at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, the kinetic energy of the heart can be converted into electricity to power a wide-range of implantable devices, according to the study funded by the National…
A wearable brain-based device called NGoggle that incorporates virtual reality (VR) could help improve glaucoma diagnosis and prevent vision loss. Duke University researchers funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) have launched a clinical study testing the device in hopes that it could decrease the burden of glaucoma, a major cause of blindness in the U.S. The device consists of head-mounted…
A significantly more effective, minimally invasive treatment for pancreatic tumors may be on the horizon, thanks to a new endoscopy tool created in the Penn State Department of Mechanical Engineering. On average, only about 20 percent of pancreatic cancer patients are eligible for a surgical removal of the tumor, which is currently the most-effective treatment option. The location of the pancreas…
In intensive care units (ICU), some monitoring device or other is always sounding the alarm. Whether it’s a patient whose blood oxygen level is too low, someone in the next bed whose intracranial pressure is rising, or someone else whose blood pressure has taken a nosedive. Or perhaps just because a patient has shifted position in bed. False alarms like this last are all too common. They…
Carestream Health will showcase its latest version of Vue Clinical Collaboration Platform at the HIMSS 2019 tradeshow (Booth #2741) being held February 11-15 in Orlando, Fla. The latest release of its Clinical Collaboration Platform includes a zero-footprint offering with additional modules, as well as report analytics using natural language processing (NLP) to enable data-mining of diagnostic…
Shantou Institute of Ultrasonic Instruments Co., Ltd. (SIUI), has been dedicated to innovative development of healthcare and safety, and persistently engaged in R&D and manufacture of medical imaging systems and non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment. SIUI has achieved significant breakthrough and is maintaining steady and rapid growth.Today SIUI has become a renowned key high-tech…
In his talk at the Garmisch Symposium, entitled “MRI in 5 minutes – Dream or Reality?” Dr. Daniel Sodickson of the New York University School of Medicine will give attendees a preview of the MR scanners of the future, which he likens to self-driving cars. Sodickson — a professor and vice chair for research in the department of radiology at NYU, a principal investigator at the Center…
Researchers have developed a prototype medical device based on silicon photonics for the screening of arterial stiffness and for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases such as arterial stenosis and heart failure. This is a cooperation between imec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technology and Ghent University, together with Medtronic and other…
Efforts have been made to digitise pathology in the Netherlands, where the Dutch pathology network PALGA has run since 1990, connecting all of the Netherlands’ laboratories. Paul J van Diest, head of the pathology department at the Utrecht University Medical Centre, presented the brand new Dutch digital pathology platform during ECP 2018. Launched this year, this enables quicker, easier…
You’re sweating and feverish and have no idea why. Fortunately, Sandia National Laboratories scientists have built a device that can pinpoint what’s wrong in less than an hour. Unlike most medical diagnostic devices which can perform only one type of test — either protein or nucleic acid tests — Sandia’s SpinDx can now perform both. This allows it to identify nearly any cause of…
A new device developed by Stanford University researchers could make it easier for doctors to monitor the success of blood vessel surgery. The sensor, detailed in a paper published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, monitors the flow of blood through an artery. It is biodegradable, battery-free and wireless, so it is compact and doesn’t need to be removed and it can warn a patient’s doctor if…
As Shimadzu celebrates its 50th anniversary in Europe, we spoke with Stéphane Moreau, Manager of LC-MS & Life Sciences at the Marketing Europe/Analytical Business Unit of Shimadzu Europa GmbH, about today’s and many more decades of exciting clinical developments.
A new neurostimulator developed by engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, can listen to and stimulate electric current in the brain at the same time, potentially delivering fine-tuned treatments to patients with diseases like epilepsy and Parkinson's. The device, named the WAND, works like a "pacemaker for the brain," monitoring the brain's electrical activity and…
Mosul, Iraq’s second city, is slowly rebuilding its healthcare infrastructure after years of war and destruction. Dr Henryk Pich, a consultant anaesthetist and intensive care physician at the University of Dresden, Germany, visited the region soon after the fighting had ended, supported by the independent aid organisation CADUS. Moved by the makeshift treatment centres he witnessed in the…
The Czech Republic has a long tradition of ground-breaking medical innovations. At Medica 2018, the presence of Czech companies and traders underlined that medical devices and technologies from this country have continuing strength and value. Having recorded steady growth over the past few years, the Czech medical technology sector now produces a volume of around €870 million. 13,400 people…
Researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) are literally breaking barriers using ultrasound waves emitted from a flexible patch to accurately measure central blood pressure and help detect cardiovascular problems earlier. For a while now, smart, wearable devices have had the ability to capture how many steps we take in a day or measure our heart…
The new Vacuette branded Safelink tube holder facilitates quick and easy blood collection. The tube can be used in combination with all medical products that have a standard female luer lock connection, such as winged cannulae. Above all, it stands out thanks to its simple handling. The luer lock feature sets the Vacuette Safelink apart from the conventional Greiner Bio-One tube holders and makes…
From May 15 to 17, 2019, the international exhibition Bulmedica/Buldental will bring together in Bulgaria’s capital city - Sofia experts and leading companies from the sphere of medicine and dentistry. Being held at Inter Expo Center, Bulmedica provides a meeting place for manufacturers, importers, agents, distributors and dealers of medical equipment, furniture, devices, tools and consumables.…
New accelerator-based technology being developed by the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University aims to reduce the side effects of cancer radiation therapy by shrinking its duration from minutes to under a second. Built into future compact medical devices, technology developed for high-energy physics could also help make radiation therapy more…
Professor Marc Dewey, Vice Chair of the Department of Radiology at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, made value-based radiology the main theme of the Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Honorary Lecture during ECR 2018. Radiology practice needs change, he said, and radiologists should grasp at new technology to drive their future. His lecture was summarised in a recent comment in The Lancet.
The ability to accurately check the position of the endotracheal tube for patients in intensive care units is crucial to their wellbeing and safe treatment. A pivotal element of this lies in identifying the position of the carina, a ridge of cartilage in the trachea that occurs between the division of the two main bronchi. Yet highlighting its location often proves problematic on portable chest…
As 3D printing technology continues to evolve, read how radiology will be involved in managing digital workflow related to patient care. “3D printing is a part of medicine, and radiology is at the center of this impactful new technology,” said RSNA 3D Printing Special Interest Group (SIG) Chair Jane Matsumoto, MD, assistant professor of radiology and co-director of the 3D Printing Lab at the…
Engineers have developed a new high-quality ultrasound transducer that could dramatically lower the cost of ultrasound systems. The innovation – created by a team from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada – is portable, wearable and can potentially be powered by a smartphone. Study lead, Dr Carlos Gerardo, from the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer…
A 4G symbol next to the signal strength bar on a smartphone assures fast data transmission. 5G, the next generation of technology, is already waiting in the wings and could herald a new era for tele-surgery, PD Dr. Michael Kranzfelder is convinced. However, there are a few obstacles to overcome first.
Whilst acknowledging that state-of-the-art bioengineering approaches are being applied in preventing Medical Device Related Pressure Ulcers (MDRPUs), Professor Amit Gefen, from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tel Aviv University, believes there are gaps in knowledge and technology in this area and therefore more must be done to improve patient care and avoid additional healthcare…
On April 29th 2011, a car accident injured Tian-Zong’s spine and since then he has not been able to feel his legs and couldn’t to stand or walk again. His visual field has shrunk from 180 cm standing height to 110 cm when sitting on his wheelchair. At the time when the accident happened, he was only 36 years old and the scheduled wedding was forced to be cancelled. Sitting on a wheelchair,…
The number of surgical interventions in Germany over the last ten years has increased by around 30%, but it would be wrong to talk of a heyday – mainly due to a lack of young talent, says Prof. Dr. Jörg Fuchs. The president of the German Society of Surgery (DGCH) and director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Urology at Tübingen University Hospital talks about…
The Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade and some special medical firms are eager to meet delegates and visitors for an early evening get together on Tuesday, 13 November at Medica.
Although traditionally an imaging modality, ultrasound also has applications as a measurement tool. An innovative application is to assess ear infections. Otitis Media (OM), a middle ear infection, is the number one indication for antibiotic prescriptions for children and the leading cause for surgery. This problem is global. Nearly every child will suffer at least one middle ear infection severe…
Here at Medica, the Taiwanese start-up Maisense is demonstrating Freescan, its artificial intelligence (AI) based solution to screen for stroke through the early detection of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Speaking of the system’s aims, Maisense summed up this huge health problem. ‘Every four minutes, someone dies of stroke. Thirteen percent of these are classified as haemorrhagic stroke. When…
The new 1.5 Tesla MRI from Siemens Healthineers, Magnetom Sola, is packed with helpful algorithms and other functions. AI-supported systems monitor patients and scan parameters and ensure consistent image quality. Whilst visitors at this year’s ECR-Expo admired the new device, Prof. Ulrike Attenberger has already tested it in practice.
Growth! New hardware, new software, richer imaging, enhanced communication and image transfer plus artificial intelligence (AI) are all pushing the pace that medical organisations, radiologists and device manufacturers must run to keep up. We spoke with Dr Erik Ranschaert, President of EuSOMII, about today’s changing face of radiology.
On November 12, 2018, U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell will visit the MEDICA trade show in order to support the over 500 U.S. firms exhibiting at the show and conduct bilateral discussions with key industry stakeholders. Grenell is particularly interested in how the Medical Device and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulations will affect U.S. and European manufacturers.
Made by EKF Diagnostics, the Lactate Scout 4 hand-held analyser is a fast, accurate sports performance monitoring device designed for use as a training companion for individuals or sports teams. This year at Medica the manufacturer is showing the new analyser plus many POC testing devices, including the recently FDA cleared DiaSpect Tm haemoglobin analyser and Quo-Lab® HbA1c analyser that was…
Over in the United Kingdom Pavilion (Hall 16) you can expect quality among the latest medical devices, diagnostic software and digitally-enabled technologies produced by nearly 100 pioneering British health technology companies. ‘With over 97,000 people working in the UK’s HealthTech sector, it’s the life sciences’ biggest employer, and its importance has rightfully been recognised by the…
In future, healthcare intelligent IoT solutions for real-time and location-based management of assets, employees and patients will be integral. ‘Medicosolution is working on holistic digital concepts for the healthcare sector and offers a platform for integration for existing solutions,’ the IT firm reports. ‘All processes can be tracked in real time,’ Max Schröfelbauer, its CEO,…
Back in 1987 Meyer-Haake GmbH introduced the first high-frequency surgical device with an output power in the megahertz range. Due to the high-frequency it was possible to conduct surgery with minimal heat development, resulting in less thermal damage and tissue shrinkage. Thus, the firm’s devices were quickly bought. For its latest models – radioSURG 2200 ‘PT’ and ‘PTA’ –…
Hip and dental implant operations are routine. But not entirely risk-free. They may result in infection that is difficult to control with oral or intravenous antibiotics. In such cases, the implant will probably need to be replaced. Fraunhofer researchers can now apply a precisely matched drug directly to the replacement implant while significantly increasing the effectiveness of the antibiotic…
Taiwan’s long-term investment in research and development has transformed the country from the low-cost production center of yesterday into the go-to source for original technologies for the global community of healthcare professionals and medical device manufacturers. Still, Taiwan develops and manufactures high-quality medical devices at costs that are far lower than those in Europe and the…
Imec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, released and is making available its state-of-the-art high-density neural probe, Neuropixels, to the global neuroscience research community. With almost a thousand electrodes, and 384 recording channels on a single shank, the Neuropixels probe provides an unprecedented resolution for mapping brain…
Checking a lump for malignancy, finding out if food is fresh, just with your smartphone? It’s possible, according to Eindhoven University of Technology researchers in the Netherlands. Their recently presented spectrometer is small enough to insert into a smartphone. This device is not yet ready for use on a big scale, Professor Andrea Fiore, supervisor of the Eindhoven research team points out.…
Often referred to as the ‘Achilles’ heel’ of histopathology, the sample entry has posed considerable challenges in pre-analytics for several decades. We visited the Munich-based lab automation start-up Inveox GmbH. Time-intense, highly manual processes in labs are expensive, error-prone and the most common reason for irregularities in cancer diagnoses. In Germany alone, every year hundreds…
Manchester United Football Club has announced a renewed multi-year agreement with Canon Medical Systems Europe as its official medical systems partner. The unique partnership will ensure that world-class players continue to gain instant access to advanced imaging equipment to examine injuries and undertake pre-emptive screening for preventable injuries, improving player welfare and maintaining…
Researchers at McMaster University have solved a vexing problem by engineering surface coatings that can repel everything, such as bacteria, viruses and living cells, but can be modified to permit beneficial exceptions. The discovery holds significant promise for medical and other applications, making it possible for implants such as vascular grafts, replacement heart valves and artificial joints…
The term “Cardiology” means the division of science that converses functions, diseases and health activities related to heart. It is also connected with blood, arteries and veins, as blood is the vital component of human body, upon which the heart works and for it we survive. The world cardiology market includes cardiac biomarkers, interventional cardiology and cardiovascular devices. The…
The IN-TIME study remains the only major trial to show a clear mortality benefit for remote monitoring in heart failure (HF) patients. A recent analysis by Hussar et al. suggests workflow processes such as daily, multiparametric data transmitted using Biotronik Home Monitoring, may be key to this benefit. Dr Wilfried Mullens, Head of the Heart Failure and Cardiac Rehabilitation Section at…
Nearly two-thirds of all cancer patients in the United States will undergo radiation therapy as part of their treatment, and as many as 90 percent of those patients will experience radiation dermatitis – a rash or burn on the skin. Topical treatments commonly such as silver sulfadiazine cream contain heavy metals. Therefore, patients have historically been advised to avoid using these…
Imagine a first responder answering the call to a natural disaster, a house fire, or an active shooter incident where there may be multiple injuries and unknown casualties. The information the responder needs to fulfill the mission is immeasurable. When you also consider the volume of data they receive from other responders, dispatch, command centers, victims, and onlookers while receiving and…
Researchers recently evaluated the accuracy of a technology to monitor blood glucose levels without needles or a finger prick. Early results show that the noninvasive technology measures blood glucose levels as effectively as a finger prick test — without drawing blood.
Lab-on-a-chip devices harness electrical signals to measure glucose, discern blood type and detect viruses or cancer. But biological samples need hafnium oxide for protection from electric fields.
Enthusiasm for an emerging digital health tool, the smart pill, is on the rise but researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have published a paper in the American Journal of Bioethics that cautions health care providers and policymakers to slow down when it comes to allowing this technology in patient care settings.
Test results are denoted by a colour change and could be further analysed by a smartphone app, making it attractive as a point-of-care diagnostic device.
1,240 exhibitors & 30,000 visitors gather from February 20th-22nd, 2019 at the Intex exhibition space in Osaka, Japan for Medical Japan 2019, the 5th international medical and elderly care expo and conference. Medical Japan 2019 delivers the best platform covering the entire healthcare industry. This show has been chosen by many exhibitors and visitors as the best platform. The show's…
In recent years, clinicians have increasingly focused on vitamin D deficiency. Studies show that previous reference values – particularly for Vitamin D3 – were most probably set too high. Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) can help achieve more precise measurements of vitamin D levels than previously established immunoassay procedures, explains Dr Torsten Binscheck-Domass,…
Pre-analytics, in particular venous blood sampling has a major impact on the quality of laboratory diagnostic results. An estimated 75 percent of all "lab errors" are caused by errors during pre-analytics. Thus, the German Medical Association’s national guideline on laboratory diagnostics includes detailed guidance on pre-analytics, in particular venous blood sampling. In their…
FUJIFILM SonoSite has recently become an Official Supplier of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB), providing point-of-care ultrasound systems to support the first-class care of riders and teams competing in the championship. The company’s robust and highly portable ultrasound systems will provide the BSB medical team with on-site imaging capabilities, complementing clinical…
Buying a laboratory information system (LIS) means entering a long-term relationship with a software vendor. The selection criteria are many, but which, ask Markus Neumann, Harald Maier and Gabriele Egert, are just fashionable and which might be underestimated? The decision to buy a LIS – i.e. to form a relationship with one or more software vendors – is based on a slew of criteria, and…
Driving breast cancer screening compliance is an essential part of improving clinical outcomes, and one way to do this is to educate women about their breast density, advises Tracy Accardi, Hologic’s Global Vice President of Research and Development for Breast Health & Skeletal Solutions.
Magnets may play a central role in the future of surgery. This summer, US surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Cadeddu performed the first of several magnet-assisted prostate cancer surgeries he has now done. “Every hole you create in a patient has a risk associated with it. Every incision means increased pain, increased risk of hitting a blood vessel,” days Dr. Cadeddu. The new magnetic approach might prove…
A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota have, for the first time, fully 3D printed an array of light receptors on a hemispherical surface. This discovery marks a significant step toward creating a “bionic eye” that could someday help blind people see or sighted people see better. The research is published in Advanced Materials, a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering…
Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is an increasingly important guiding tool for structural heart disease interventions – without general anaesthesia. José Ribeiro, who works in the thorax and circulation unit at Gaia Hospital Centre, Portugal, who has worked with this technology for the past two years, explained its benefits and limitations.
Experts report that a new blood test to diagnose heart attacks could be carried out on a hand-held device in the not-too-distant future. The test, devised by a team at Kings College London, uses similar technology to the troponin test, but instead analyses cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyC). In research presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester, UK, this June,…
When delegates from around 150 countries converge on Munich for ESC Congress 2018 they will no doubt reflect on what they themselves eat. Yes, nutrition is up for debate, questioning, for example, whether weight loss therapies can also prevent heart attacks and strokes. Results from the CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 trial of 12,000 overweight individuals with established cardiovascular disease or diabetes…
Rutgers University–New Brunswick engineers have created a smart wristband with a wireless connection to smartphones that will enable a new wave of personal health and environmental monitoring devices. Their technology could be added to watches and other wearable devices that monitor heart rates and physical activity.
Over the last several years, technological advancements have enabled the development of tests that can be performed right where the patient is, whether that’s in a hospital room, primary care office, or community health center. This is a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery that will make it easier for patients to get accurate diagnoses and treatment, and could especially benefit patients in…
Scientists have developed a new bone engineering technique called Segmental Additive Tissue Engineering (SATE). The technique allows researchers to combine segments of bone engineered from stem cells to create large scale, personalized grafts that will enhance treatment for those suffering from bone disease or injury through regenerative medicine.
A team led by the University of California San Diego has developed a chip that can detect a type of genetic mutation known as a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and send the results in real time to a smartphone, computer, or other electronic device. The chip is at least 1,000 times more sensitive at detecting an SNP than current technology. The advance could lead to cheaper, faster and…
‘With Vacuette safety products you can minimise the risk of contamination and injury,’ the manufacturer Greiner Bio-One reports. ‘Needlestick injuries from contaminated puncture devices are the most common source of infection for diseases transmitted by blood or other bodily fluids and are still among the most common occupational accidents today. This is a serious danger!
Researcher have created an ingestible sensor to non-invasively monitor indicators of disease in the stomach and intestines.
Administering needle-based procedures in anesthesiology is a complex and delicate procedure and the current training methods for doctors are costly and fall short in preparing them. Engineers have developed a low-cost, hand-held device that simulates the tactic feeling of the instrument passing through several layers of tissue.
SLAC and Stanford researchers are developing a device that combines electrical brain stimulation with EEG recording, opening potential new paths for treating neurological disorders. It could help bring back lost brain function by measuring how the brain responds to therapies that stimulate it with electric current.
Confidently scanning patients varying in size is one of the main difficulties in ultrasound imaging. With their new system Acuson Sequoia, Siemens Healthineers respond to this challenge. We spoke with Thomas Hartley, Senior Director of Global Marketing and Communication for Ultrasound at Siemens Healthineers, about the new device which aims to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in…
LC/MS, i.e. the combination of liquid chromatography (LC) with mass spectrometry (MS) – an analytical method developed primarily for environmental analysis and live science – remains a keen topic in the medical laboratory. In recent European Hospital issues, we have outlined various reasons why this procedure is in increasingly popular in the medical lab. Here we continue with an interview…
The emergence of Blockchain technology is set to play an ever-increasing role within healthcare settings within the next two years, according to industry experts. One organisation focusing on its potential is global consultancy and software development company DataArt, which sees more healthcare organisations embracing its applications in the not too distant future. Blockchain is a continuously…
More than a million neonatal deaths worldwide each year are estimated to be due to sepsis. In the UK there are approximately 90,000 admissions to neonatal intensive care units per year. Nearly all these patients receive antibiotic therapy during their hospital stay, but babies with a specific genetic change can suffer irreversible hearing loss as a result. Now, in a collaboration between…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first stand-alone prosthetic iris in the United States, a surgically implanted device to treat adults and children whose iris is completely missing or damaged due to a congenital condition called aniridia or other damage to the eye. The iris is made of thin, foldable medical-grade silicone and is custom-sized and colored for each individual…
Genrui Biotech Inc., one of the leading Chinese developers and manufacturers of IVD equipment and reagents, present their latest POCT devices at the China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF). Among the presented devices are the 5-Part Auto Hematology Analyzer KT-6610, which uses advanced tri-angle laser scattering, flow cytometry technology to deliver white blood cell differential…
Held in Seoul, this March, the 34th annual KIMES (Korea International Medical & Hospital Equipment Show) proved to be the largest in the event’s history, hosting 1,313 companies from 34 countries. Achieving this milestone clearly demonstrates the increasing significance of this show to the world’s leading medical device manufacturers and service providers, who recognise the importance of…
New products and technologies in medical practice expect the specialists of the leading international exhibition Bulmedica/Buldental from 16 to 18 May at Inter Expo Center. This year, the medical profile of the exhibition will focus on the progress in imaging, physiotherapy, aesthetic medicine. Once again Bulmedica/Buldental will be a platform to keep an eye on the tendencies, a meeting point of…
The first patient in a multicenter pivotal trial using focused ultrasound to address the major motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease has been treated at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York. This randomized, double-blind clinical trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of using Insightec’s Exablate Neuro device in more than 100 patients…
We were at the spring 2018 China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF) in Shanghai and had a good look at the many exciting devices the exhibitors had on show. Click here to see our best-of from this year's CMEF!
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the School of Engineering & Applied Science is redefining the notion of a wisdom tooth. The team is developing a smart-tooth technology that could someday be used to detect early signs of certain diseases in high-risk patients by analyzing saliva or gingival crevicular fluid.…
Beckman Coulter announced its exclusive sponsorship of the ESCAVO Sepsis Clinical Guide (Sepsis app), a point-of-care medical reference mobile application for healthcare professionals who manage septic patients in acute-care settings. Beckman Coulter’s sponsorship of the Sepsis app ensures that the tool will remain free for all users and that content will continue to be maintained and updated…
A thin copper wire wrapped around a channel slightly thicker than a strand of hair could be the key to manufacturing a compact electronic device capable of counting white blood cells from the comfort of one’s home, a Kennesaw State University researcher says. Hoseon Lee, an assistant professor of electrical engineering in the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering…
Spine deformities, such as idiopathic scoliosis and kyphosis (also known as “hunchback”), are characterized by an abnormal curvature in the spine. The children with these spinal deformities are typically advised to wear a brace that fits around the torso and hips to correct the abnormal curve. Bracing has been shown to prevent progression of the abnormal curve and avoid surgery. The…
China International Medicinal Equipment Fair (CMEF), launched in 1979, is held twice annually – spring and autumn. After over 39 years of continuous innovation and self-improvement, CMEF has become the largest fair of medical devices, related products and services in the Asia-Pacific region. The fair widely covers 15,000 products such as medical imaging, IVD equipment and reagent, medical…
Horiba Medical is proud to announce the development of its offer with the extension of the Hematology portfolio into the Hemostasis field. For over 30 years, Horiba Medical has developed its recognized proficiency in blood cell analysis. This scientific knowledge, innovation, leadership and cutting edge technology has been utilized to propose a new and comprehensive range of systems and reagents…
Imagine a small paper device that can rapidly reveal from a drop of blood whether an infection is bacterial or viral. The device could help reduce the overuse of antibiotics – which kill bacteria, not viruses. Misuse of antibiotics has led to antimicrobial resistance, a growing global public health issue. Senior biomedical engineering students at Rutgers University–New Brunswick came up with…
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed nationally among men. The National Cancer Institute estimates 161,000 were diagnosed in 2017. While there are many treatment options for men with prostate cancer, a recent national study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared the effectiveness of treatments for high-risk prostate cancer. Said Daniel Krauss,…
The FDA has been closely tracking the relationship between breast implants and a rare type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma since we first identified this possible association. We’ve been working to gather additional information to better characterize and quantify the risk so that patients and providers can have more informed discussions about breast implants,” said Binita Ashar, M.D., director of…
The heart is capable of terminating arrhythmias itself after local gene therapy, potentially avoiding the need for patients to undergo painful electric shocks, according to a proof-of-concept study presented today at EHRA 2018, a European Society of Cardiology congress. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia). Treatment aims to restore the heart’s normal rhythm…
Over the last four years, Dr Thomas Stimpfl and his team have integrated mass spectrometry into routine analysis. The analytical technique liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography (or HPLC) with the mass analytical capabilities of mass spectrometry (MS). LC- and MS procedures were not originally developed for…
The term telemedicine has been around since the 1980s. Ten years later Deutsche Telekom demonstrated the first applications designed to provide medical services to people living remotely such as (based on American ideas) astronauts in space, workers on oilrigs or injured personnel in field hospitals. Since then, the concept of medical care across long distances via telecommunication has not…
With the European Union regulation on medical packaging coming into effect February 2019, Track & Trace technology and serialisation have become a key topic in the medical packaging industry. Work processes must now allow for the authentication of products with individual serial numbers printed on each or its packaging, a process called serialisation. The industry is adapting to the new…
By 2020 medical devices manufacturers must document the clinical effectiveness of their devices more extensively. The Medical Device Regulation (MDR) presents a fundamental impact on innovation and price calculation for medical devices. Since the faulty PIP breast implants scandal in France (March 2010), there have been frequent calls for tighter licensing regulations for medical devices within…
Although robotics is now an established arm of medical technology – with the Da Vinci surgical system a trailblazer – many basic issues need to be resolved before nurse Robot can report for the morning shift in a ward. Since centre-forward Robot and nurse Robot are closely related, we spoke with the developer of soccer robots about current progress.
Sports injuries often require immediate attention to shorten recovery times and prevent further damage, creating a demand for healthcare professionals who specialise in sports medicine and have the flexibility to adapt to the changing pressures of the sporting seasons. Point-of-care ultrasound is establishing itself in this field, supporting the assessment and treatment of a range of injuries…
The integrated wiring of a medical device imposes great requirements on the cable system’s producer as well as the device manufacturer. This calls for a partnership collaboration particularly in development to ensure the system solution exerts a positive effect on mobility, user friendliness and robustness – long-term and reliably.
Two new systems developed by Hologic Inc. recently received the European CE Mark: The MyoSure Manual and the Brevera Breast Biopsy System with CorLumina Imaging Technology.
As a trusted imaging components leader, Varex has a laser focus on providing customers with high-quality and cost-effective products. Excellence in imaging is a top priority. Varex delivers best-in-class components that help equipment manufacturers to quickly develop and launch their next-generation systems powered by our components.
Researchers at Imperial College London (ICL) have shown how the Microsoft HoloLens headset can be used during reconstructive lower limb surgery. Surgeons at London’s St Mary’s Hospital are using the device, a self-contained computer headset that immerses the wearer in ‘mixed reality’, enabling them to interact with holograms visible through the visor.
The New Horizons Lecture at the RSNA annual meeting is a keynote address that looks to the future, and the inventor of a major innovation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, Daniel K Sodickson MD PhD, did just that. His lecture entitled ‘A New Light: The Birth and Rebirth of Imaging’ looked back at how MRI has evolved and forward at what it will become.
In the next five to 10 years, artificial intelligence is likely to fundamentally transform diagnostic imaging. This will by no means replace radiologists, but rather help to meet the rising demand for imaging examinations, prevent diagnostic errors, and enable sustained productivity increases.
Radiologists must ensure precise scientific data and radiology-based evidence are used to regulate the use of Gadolinium Containing Contrast Agents (GCCAs), a Spanish leading radiologist explained in closed-door leadership meeting earlier this year in Barcelona.
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its role and future impact on the radiology profession was the dominant theme at RSNA 2017, whether in scientific presentations or in the technical exhibitions. Keith J Dreyer DO PhD addressed this subject head-on in his presentation ‘Healthcare AI – Radiology’s Next Frontier.’ Dr Keith Dreyer, vice chairman of radiology informatics and chief…
SP Services (UK) is ready to supply thousands of newly designed lightweight tourniquets for use in public places in the event of a bomb, shooting or knife attack. The medical equipment has been specifically designed for people without medical experience by Brigadier Tim Hodgetts CBE, a UK surgeon who has worked in multiple war zones and is renowned for his innovations in dealing with combat…
To date, examining patient tissue samples has meant cutting them into thin slices for histological analysis. This might now be set to change – thanks to a new staining method devised by an interdisciplinary team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM). This allows specialists to investigate three-dimensional tissue samples using the Nano-CT system also recently developed at TUM. Tissue…
Up to the early 16th century, essentially medical diagnostics was limited to uroscopy – the observation of a urine sample in a uroscopy flask with a candle providing light. One hundred years later, the first microscopes were developed and from then on the development of technical devices and instruments boomed. Combining chromatography instruments and mass spectrometers began with the sole…
Manufacturers are required to prevent so-called anomalous use. This includes, for instance, the use of cuvettes that are not licensed in products like Teco’s Coatron-X. Norms and directives are the backbone of medical devices manufacture. Frequent updates keep them current, but also often create unforeseen problems, especially for smaller and medium-size companies, because the bureaucracy is…
The International Forum Bulmedica /Buldental will be held from 16 to 18 May at Inter Expo Center - Sofia, Bulgaria
Siemens Healthineers has appointed Dr. Deepak Nath as President of Laboratory Diagnostics effective February 1. Nath succeeds Franz Walt, who served from 2014-2017, and led the business during its launch of the Atellica Solution. Nath will continue the endeavor to transform care delivery in the laboratory by growing the business, leveraging his extensive operational experience in healthcare. He…
For centuries, hands, eyes and ears were the physicians’ most important instruments when it came to detecting and diagnosing disease. Today, one of the traditional techniques, percussion, is being revived, supported by state-of-the-art technology and dressed in a new name: optoacoustics. In one of the most exciting visionary ideas in modern healthcare short laser pulses (optics) are transmitted…
Each year up to two thousand hearing impaired children are born in Germany. For some of them a cochlear implant can offer relief. So far, it was not clear which processes take place in these children when they start to learn language later than their contemporaries with normal hearing—and why they differ in their success to reach a normal level of language. The Max Planck Institute for Human…
SCIEX Diagnostics, the in vitro diagnostics division of SCIEX, a global leader in mass spectrometry in the life sciences industry, announced the launch of the Citrine Triple Quad MS/MS and Citrine QTRAP MS/MS systems for clinical diagnostics. The Citrine system is designed specifically to meet the unique needs of clinical labs that require maximum sensitivity, the highest throughput, a wide…
Engineers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) have created a biodegradable pressure sensor that could help doctors monitor chronic lung disease, swelling of the brain, and other medical conditions before dissolving harmlessly in a patient’s body. The UConn research is featured in the current online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The small, flexible sensor is…
The tech world descended upon Las Vegas this week for the annual Consumer Electronics Show, and plenty of health IT’s biggest players were in attendance. While much of the discussion was on consumer-friendly health tools and novel digital interventions, there were still a handful of products and discussions between executives and entrepreneurs focused on healthcare’s largest roadblocks —…
Move over, lab-on-a-chip and lab-on-paper. There’s a new diagnostic technology in research labs that is gaining credibility. It is called lab-on-skin technology and some scientists are quite excited about how it might be used for a variety of clinical purposes. A recent story published in ACS Nano titled, “Lab-on-Skin: A Review of Flexible and Stretchable Electronics for Wearable Health…
Cancer surgeons perform an estimated 1.7 breast biopsies each year, according to the American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations. This makes the procedure a significant proportion of cases referred to anatomic pathologists. This surgery, however, is time-consuming and not always accurate due to shortcomings in existing surgical technology and to human error. Now, a 3D-printed…
Smith & Nephew, the global medical technology business, announces the European launch of MolecuLight i:X, the easy to use, handheld imaging device that instantly measures wound surface area and visualises the presence and distribution of potentially harmful bacteria in wounds. Currently wound assessments are made with the naked eye which can lack the accuracy required to most effectively…
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and engineers have developed a “brain-on-a-chip” device aimed at testing and predicting the effects of biological and chemical agents, disease, or pharmaceutical drugs on the brain over time without the need for human or animal subjects. The device, part of the Lab’s iCHIP (in-vitro Chip-Based Human Investigational Platform) project,…
Up to the early 16th century, essentially medical diagnostics was limited to uroscopy – the observation of a urine sample in a uroscopy flask with a candle providing light. In a visual examination the doctor would determine the colour of the urine as well as cloudiness and precipitates, followed by a smell and taste test. The information he gathered provided the basis of his diagnosis. 100…
3-D visualisation, augmented reality, automated tumour classification – today, the Republic of China produces cutting-edge medical technology and it’s a long time since ‘Made in Taiwan’ stood for inferior, copied products. Over recent years, this island state has successfully morphed into a productive and, above all, innovative manufacturer of medical technology available on the world…
Radiation therapy often is used to treat cancer patients. Now, doctors at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that radiation therapy — aimed directly at the heart — can be used to treat patients with a life-threatening heart rhythm. They treated five patients who had irregular heart rhythms, called ventricular tachycardia, at the School of Medicine. The patients…
Luke Skywalker’s bionic hand is a step closer to reality for amputees in this galaxy. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created an ultrasonic sensor that allows amputees to control each of their prosthetic fingers individually. It provides fine motor hand gestures that aren’t possible with current commercially available devices. The first amputee to use it, a musician…
The Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) has organized, in partnership with TeraRecon, Vizua, Microsoft and Digital Evolutis, the live broadcast of the first surgery performed in the world with a collaborative platform of mixed reality at the Avicenne Hospital AP-HP, and interacting with remote doctors. Dr. Gregory Thomas, Head of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology Hospital Avicenne…
Determining where breast cancer ends and healthy tissue begins is a critical part of breast cancer surgery. Surgeons are used to working closely during surgery with anatomic pathologists who generate pathology reports that specify the surgical or tumor margin, an area of healthy tissue surrounding a tumor that also must be excised to ensure none of the tumor is left behind. This helps prevent the…
GE Healthcare and NVIDIA announced they will deepen their 10-year partnership to bring the most sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) to GE Healthcare’s 500,000 imaging devices globally and accelerate the speed at which healthcare data can be processed. The scope of the partnership, detailed at the 103rd annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), includes the…
With the growing need for hospitals to raise their competitiveness in the context of budgetary constraints, doctors and healthcare professionals are under ever increasing pressures to maximize their time and ensure each individual patient is treated as fast as possible without compromising quality of care. This is an environment where medical technology can excel.
Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, announced agreements with 3D Systems and Stratasys, two global leaders in the 3D printing industry, to help progress patient care and improve the clinician experience. Advanced 3D modeling provides radiologists with additional views to help strengthen anatomical knowledge which could enhance clinical impact in reviewing complex,…
Treating stroke has long been governed by the clock. If it has been less than three hours since the onset of symptoms, the clot-busting drug t-PA will likely work. If it has been four and a half hours, some selected patients might benefit. However, if it has been more than six hours, treatment options have been few. Now that conventional wisdom has been turned on its head. The final results of…
Samsung Electronics, a leader in medical imaging technology, will debut its OmniTom mobile 16-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2017 Annual Meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago. OmniTom received 510(k) FDA clearance for the U.S. market on August 18 of this year, and attendees will get to see it for the first time at RSNA booth #2543 (South…
Testing for fever, high pulse rate, crackly breath sounds, and low oxygen levels could be key to helping GPs distinguish pneumonia from less serious infections, according to a large study published in the European Respiratory Journal. Pneumonia is a severe lung infection that can be life-threatening and often requires treatment with antibiotics. However, it is notoriously difficult to…
Samsung Medison, a global medical equipment company and an affiliate of Samsung Electronics, introduced the RS85, a new premium ultrasonic diagnosis device that provides enhanced image quality, usability, and convenience for medical and radiology professionals. “We are pleased to launch the RS85, a new premium medical device with superior image quality and usability based on Samsung’s…
Training was at the heart of the biggest annual fair in the world, thanks to the newly introduced Medica Academy sessions, i.e. full-day seminars that dealt with practical questions, current techniques and advances in medicine. One of the hot topics tackled by the new format was emergency ultrasound, as renowned experts such as Dr Wolfgang Heinz from Stuttgart gave hands-on training on this…
30 years ago, monitoring in most intensive care environments was via an ECG display with a numeric value for heart rate combined with intermittent manual measurements of blood pressure. Advances in technology have greatly increased monitoring parameters. Eight, for example, are included in the current minimum standards for monitoring under anaesthesia but more than ten further sensors are…
A pioneering single-use Diathermy Abbey Needle with suction that helps surgeons improve performance and outcomes during a range of procedures is on show at this year’s Medica.
Manufactured in Italy, the STARLED3 NX lamp, based on next generation LED technology, provides cold, shadowless light, long life and low energy consumption, and directs light beams according to needs, so is suitable for diagnosis, gynaecology, dermatology, general medicine and surgery.
Given the aim to provide ‘affordable care’, the economical organisation of operating theatres is critical. Surgical procedures also contribute as much as 60-70% of hospital revenues. Thus surgical efficiency and flexibility are paramount in surgical departments.
Automation continues to conquer healthcare, including diagnostic imaging. Christian Kollmann, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Technology, Medical University Vienna, Austria, highlights innovative software, fast hardware and artificial intelligence in ultrasound – today and in the future. Automated analyses are already supporting the diagnostic work-up. In…
Bright and new come the revolutionary portable ultrasound scanners EXAPAD and EXAPAD mini which French manufacturer ECM Echo Control Medical reports were developed in close collaboration with key opinion leaders in various medical fields. ‘Optimal image quality for a perfect visualisation, an intuitive and streamlined user interface for a fluid workflow and the unique and useful features…
EKF Diagnostics, the global in vitro diagnostics company, introduces POC Connect - a data management smartphone application for its DiaSpect Tm hemoglobin analyzer. At Medica 2017 on Stand H3/C70, EKF will be highlighting how DiaSpect Tm is the only reagent-free hemoglobin analyzer with mobile connectivity. Lightweight and palm-sized, the DiaSpect Tm analyzer delivers laboratory quality…
FUJIFILM SonoSite was pleased to support a Spanish medical team on a humanitarian mission offering critical medical assistance in Kenya, supplying a point-of-care ultrasound system for them to take on their trip. Angela Cepero, team member and radiologist, described the recent trip: “This summer, a group of healthcare professionals – the majority from the Hospital Clínico Universitario…
A preliminary human study was conducted to validate an advanced wearable sensor which has been developed by the start-up company BioBeat Technologies Ltd, comparing it to the common manometry method. The 2015 guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension on The requirements of the International Protocol (revision 2010) were used to define the difference between the commonly used device and…
Medical Augmented Reality (AR) assistance systems overlay information onto a surgeon’s field of view. This technology is complex and expensive. Therefore, the procedure must offer a big advantage compared to conventional treatment and diagnostic methods to qualify for standard use. The objective is a system that shows a surgeon a 3-D image of inside the body plus instruments used during surgery…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has enormous potential to revolutionise the delivery of healthcare, being able to remove the drudgery’ of routine tasks, join up fragmented care records, trigger alerts when abnormal results occur, speed-up the process of identifying clusters of patients by digging deep into electronic health records, and increase efficiency of healthcare staff resources.
Everyone is unique – and so is human anatomy. Thus orthopaedics or implantology call for medical products that provide a perfect fit and demand is high for one-off components, or small production runs. At the same time, the materials used and manufacturing standards applied must fulfil extremely stringent quality control. This also holds for specialised surgical instruments and medical devices,…
When Taiwan-based Adlink acquired Penta, the buyer benefited from 20 year’s experience in design and hardware manufacturing. Today, Adlink provides state-of-the-art computing products such as advanced TCA processor blades and platforms, compact PCI/PlusIO, VPX blades, industrial SBCs, motherboards and chassis, plus embedded flash storage, computer-on-modules, rugged small form factor SBCs &…
German firm Plum Medical Solutions is launching its 2nd generation MED-TAB, reported to be the world’s first portable medical imaging workstation. ‘It’s the only standards compliant portable device available for use in radiology and medical image analysis,’ the manufacturer explains.
‘Visiomed, a French leader in medical grade connected devices and services that advocate patient engagement as a primary component to maintaining good health, is proud to launch VisioCheck BW-XO7HD – the first scalable and connected mobile and evolving telemedicine station that weighs under 10.5 ounces,’ the company reports.
A Swiss hospital group is using drones to fly medical laboratory specimens between its key centres. In what is believed to be a world first, the eight-hospital Ticino EOC organisation has partnered with Swiss Post and US drone manufacturer Matternet to spearhead faster, more efficient specimens transport.
Just two decades ago, even though promising, point-of-care testing (POCT) was only used in hospitals and surgeries by a small number of specialists. Today POCT is in use throughout healthcare.
A research team in the United States has developed a revolutionary technique that has encoded an image and short film in living cells. Scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and Harvard Medical School (HMS) used CRISPR gene editing to encode the image and film in DNA, using this as a medium to store information and produce a code that relates to the individual…
After this year's successful 1st congress about Emerging Technologies in Medicine (ETIM) in Essen, the organizing committee sets the stage for the second edition in February 16/17, 2018. This year, the event is dedicated to the role of artificial intelligence and robotics in medicine.
Computer Tomography (CT) is a standard procedure in hospitals, but so far, the technology has not been suitable for imaging extremely small objects. In PNAS, a team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) describes a Nano-CT device that creates three-dimensional x-ray images at resolutions up to 100 nanometers. The first test application: Together with colleagues from the University of…
Not long ago, POCT was a specialist diagnostic discipline used by only few laboratory staff. This has changed considerably over recent years. Initially, the main focus had been on determining electrolytes, blood gases, blood clotting and blood count, but further parameters, such as kidney function, cardiac enzymes, urine tests and testing for autoimmune diseases have now been added. Whilst the…
For POCT, point-of-care testing, a lab has to purchase new equipment, perform new measurements and handle new parameters – right? Right! However, more importantly, POCT requires the adaptation and integration of the existing lab organisation, with all its consequences, from additional quality control down to new areas of responsibility. Dr Herbert Stekel is currently integrating three…
New technology being deployed across the NHS in central England is helping to deliver more secure mobile systems for healthcare professionals. The partnership between Toshiba and the Birmingham CrossCity Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is bringing the work of health and social care organisations closer together. One of the initiatives planned for the Birmingham area is the introduction of…
Useful IT tools are abundant in today’s laboratories – ranging from software to evaluate analyses to specialist software for quality control, and middleware linking different devices. However, all these tools generate data, the adequate utilisation of which is not an easy task, said Udo Margraff, CEO of Laboratoires Réunis in Luxembourg, during our European Hospital interview. Among other…
Connected, high performance tablets enable healthcare anywhere.
Pocket ultrasound accelerates diagnosis at the point-of-care reducing the role of the radiologist. You can buy a pocket ultrasound probe online, download an app to your smart phone and start making your own diagnoses of joints and organs. ‘It’s popping up everywhere. But is this a good thing?’ asked Michael Bachmann Nielsen, a radiologist at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, during a…
A controversy regarding the benefit of early screening programmes for breast cancer continues. Germany, Austria and Switzerland have developed individual strategies. European Hospital asked three experts from these countries to outline each chosen system. Markus Hahn MD, senior consultant at the University Breast Centre in Tübingen, Martin Daniaux, MD, Head of Breast Diagnostics at the Breast…
At the 30th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), Octobre 21-25 at the Austria Center Vienna, Siemens Healthineers debuts the Biograph Vision, a positron emission tomography/computed tomography system designed to deliver a new level of precision in PET/CT imaging.
In a potential major breakthrough in breast cancer research, scientists at the Center for Translational Cancer Research (CTCR) at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute of Christiana Care Health System have developed a revolutionary new blood test to diagnose breast cancer.
A team of scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin has invented a powerful tool that rapidly and accurately identifies cancerous tissue during surgery, delivering results in about 10 seconds—more than 150 times as fast as existing technology.
As cancer grows, it evolves. Individual cells become more aggressive and break away to flow through the body and spread to distant areas. What if there were a way to find those early aggressors? How are they different from the rest of the cells? And more importantly: Is there a way to stop them before they spread?
In the nineties Deep Blue, the famous chess computer, defeated Kasparow. Only a year ago Google’s Deepmind managed to master the ancient Chinese Go, known for its utmost complexity.
Electrospun materials bring a spark of hope to a cardiovascular landscape darkened by setbacks for reabsorbable stents. It was famously said that implanting a device in a person to cure a disease is to implant a new disease. Simply put, the human body will continually fight against foreign materials, leading to chronic inflammations or repeated interventions.
Shielding cardiologists from harmful radiation is the goal for two systems capable of navigating the vascular highway.
Over seven million people were using remote monitoring in 2016, mainly for cardiac rhythm management (CRM) and sleep apnoea therapy. The number of users will soar as they can increasingly connect to servers and clouds, Swedish analyst Anders Frick predicts.
Leading cardiologist and healthcare researcher Professor Harlan Krumholz has warned that medical practitioners must embrace the potential of digital data generated by patients if they are to avoid being left behind as the digital revolution moves forward at an ever-advancing pace
A pioneering study has certified that wearable technology produced better results in monitoring cardiac patients and improving their quality of life compared to conventional systems.
Coronary angioplasty is arguably the most revolutionary breakthrough in the history of cardiology. While the technique is today performed on millions of patients worldwide, its origins can be traced back to Zurich, Switzerland, in the late 1970s.
With 4,500 accepted abstracts, 600 sessions and 30,000 expected attendees, ESC Congress 2017 is undoubtedly the world’s largest cardiovascular event. On healthcare-in-europe.com, Dr Stephan Achenbach, Congress Program Committee Chairperson, gives an overview of issues and events unfolding in Barcelona from August 26-30.
Celebrating 40 years of PCI, cardiologists fret over their future with big data, machine learning and robots.
A French start-up eases international peer-to-peer teaching in TAVI, PRP or S-ICD and other leading medical procedures by taking physicians directly in the operating suites.
Researchers at the Swedish Medical Nanoscience Center at Karolinska Institutet have developed an innovative way of hacking conducting plastics so as to prevent bacterial growth.
The European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association EDMA (*) presented 2014 market data, and some countries, such as Germany, also provide estimates for 2015, based on Q1 through Q3 2015.
Columbia Engineers make major advance in helping the hearing impaired follow a conversation in a noisy environment - and bring cognitive hearing aids a step closer to reality.
One in ten CT scanners and one in five MRI scanners are technically obsolete. Radiologists are sounding the alarm. In 2008, around 60% of all CT scanners and 55% of all MRI scanners were up to five years old; 31% of all CT scanners and 32% of all MRI scanners were between five and ten years old; 9% of all CT scanners and 16% of all MRI scanners were over ten years old.
In the 21 years since its launch in Germany, Kugel medical has become a leading manufacturer of histopathology equipment on a global level, with a presence in laboratories, forensic centres, universities, anatomical institutes, pharmacy firms and veterinary pathologies.
Dr Massimo Calabrese, head of the Complex Operative Unit of Diagnostic Senology in Genoa’s San Martino Hospital, examines aspects of stereotactic breast biopsy procedures and workflow and the need for improvements in certain areas of breast diagnostics.
Thermo Scientific presents its TSX505 Series - undercounter refrigerators designed to provide sustainable cold storage for demanding applications.
With MEDICA 2017 drawing ever nearer, Joachim Schäfer, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, sets the stage with the following statement:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the first MRI device specifically for neonatal brain and head imaging in neonatal intensive care units.
The EASY PULSE® is an unbelievably small and light mechanical chest compression device. Performing manual chest compressions well for an extended period of time is almost impossible. Not only is it physically demanding, but other actions, such as vital signs monitoring, are also required simultaneously. SCHILLER’s EASY PULSE® is the solution for more efficient resuscitation: this portable,…
Medical Fair Thailand 2017 will be its largest edition yet, with booth space fully sold out since May, featuring 700 exhibitors from 45 countries including 18 National Pavilions and country groups on a show floor that has expanded by 20% compared to 2015, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. Held biennially, Medical Fair Thailand 2017 confirms its position as Thailand’s most…
Surgeons at Johns Hopkins Medicine report that their first series of a minimally invasive procedure to treat chronic pancreas disease, known as severe pancreatitis, resulted in shorter hospital stays, less need for opioids and fewer complications, compared with standard surgical approaches.
Canadian researchers have invented an intraoperative probe that reliably detects multiple types of tumour cells.
Led by six globally-recognised experts in cancer care, the organisation known as CHILL, Cancer-related Hair Loss, International Leadership and Linkage, announced today an initiative to collect and track evidence-based patient information and clinical guidance. Data will be used to establish clinical best practices to ensure maximum effectiveness of scalp cooling to minimise chemotherapy-induced…
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics along with partner Diazyme Laboratories announces FDA clearance of a new procalcitonin (PCT) assay, an important tool for the management of bacterial infections and sepsis.
The University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is actively recruiting for a clinical trial that is researching the effectiveness of a breath test for breast cancer diagnostics. The BreathLink device, manufactured by Menssana Research, Inc., captures a two-minute sample of a patient’s breath and provides immediate results on whether there are indications of breast…
Scientists have discovered that dying tumor cells release small pieces of their DNA into the bloodstream. These pieces are called circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA).
Lightweight, sturdy and simple to operate – the Oxylog VE300 is Dräger’s newly developed emergency and transport ventilator that is particularly apt for use outside of the hospital environment. Emergency doctors and paramedics can provide patients with the most important ventilation modes and, if necessary, use the device for CPR.
Medical device companies CurveBeam and Carestream Health announced a collaboration to support and facilitate education and research for weight-bearing computed tomography imaging.
A newly developed tissue scanner allows looking under the skin of psoriasis patients. This provides clinically relevant information, such as the structure of skin layers and blood vessels, without the need for contrast agents or radiation exposure. A team of researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) recently introduced the technology in ‘Nature…
In a new study presented at the 2017 American Thoracic Society International Conference, adult asthma patients treated with bronchial thermoplasty (BT) had fewer severe exacerbations and were able to reduce their ER visits and hospitalizations in the two years following treatment.
Anaesthetists working in perioperative medicine have increasingly taken a whole body approach to patient evaluation known as TUBE – Total Ultrasound Body Examination – thanks to the development of point-of-care ultrasound. Dr Christophe Aveline, Consultant Anaesthetist in critical care and surgery at the Sévigné Private hospital in Rennes, is an advocate of TUBE and works closely on its…
Research published in Experimental Physiology shows that diabetes-induced changes in heartbeat are primarily regulated by the β1-adrenoceptor. This discovery, once confirmed in humans, may lead to better treatment of heart problems in diabetics by enabling more targeted drugs to be produced.
The global WannaCry ransomware cyberattack had a particularly acute impact on health services across the UK. Mark Nicholls looks at how the NHS was left vulnerable to the WannaCry cyberattack. While affecting computers across the world – from Russia to the US – NHS hospitals were forced to cancel routine surgery and GP appointments as systems were affected by the cyberattack or were…
Robocath, a medical robotics start-up that designs and develops innovative solutions for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, announces the conclusion of a new round of fundraising worth €4.7 million. This round was led by M Capital and Normandie Participations. It also involved past investors Go Capital and NCI, who have been supporting the company since 2013.
‘You can’t get 100 percent security, you can’t avoid all risks – but you can improve security tremendously just by considering some rules,’ explains Torbjörn Kronander, Board member, CEO and President of Sectra AB.
FUJIFILM SonoSite has given two M-Turbo point-of-care ultrasound systems to the non-governmental sea rescue organisation Proactiva Open Arms, based in Badalona, near Barcelona, to support its efforts in rescuing refugees.
Children with cancer could be spared dozens of doses of general anaesthesia by projecting a video directly on to the inside of a radiotherapy machine during treatment, according to research presented at the ESTRO 36 conference.
A tiny robot that gets into the human body through the simple medical injection and, passing healthy organs, finds and treats directly the goal – a non-operable tumor… Doesn’t it sound at least like science-fiction? To make it real, a growing number of researchers are now working towards this direction with the prospect of transforming many aspects of healthcare and bioengineering in the…
‘From an IT perspective, medicine is now networked to a very large degree, no matter which departments you look at,’ says Stefan Bücken, IT Security Officer at Erlangen University Hospital, Germany.
A computer-driven automated drill, similar to those used to machine auto parts, could play a pivotal role in future surgical procedures. The new machine can make one type of complex cranial surgery 50 times faster than standard procedures, decreasing from two hours to two and a half minutes.
Over the next few years, in a research project funded by the EU, an international consortium is developing a new technology for a better treatment of multiple sclerosis. The idea of the innovative “Nose2Brain” approach is to transport a special active substance directly through the nose into the central nervous system.
A unique womb-like environment designed by pediatric researchers could transform care for extremely premature babies, by mimicking the prenatal fluid-filled environment to give the tiniest newborns a precious few weeks to develop their lungs and other organs.
Forensic radiology was, yet again, a central theme at ECR 2017, as Italian radiologists unveiled details of their work in the investigation following the shipwreck in the Mediterranean in April 2015.
Researchers who studied beer drinkers at the Munich Oktoberfest have found that the more alcohol consumed the higher was the likelihood of developing abnormal heart rhythms called cardiac arrhythmias.
A new app measuring the biomechanics of the voice could impact the market of ENT and speech pathology products.
This year’s edition of MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND is set to be its biggest yet with more than 700 international exhibitors expected. 17 national and country pavilions will present more than 5,000 state-of-the-art medical and healthcare products, equipment and solutions to a targeted audience of 10,000 medical and healthcare professionals. The impressive figures highlight once again, MEDICAL FAIR…
Paxman Coolers Limited announced today that The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the company to market the Paxman Scalp Cooling System, a scalp cooling technology that was developed by a British family to reduce hair loss (alopecia) in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The healthcare industry is a competitive environment and clinical institutions have to deliver an ever higher quality of care. Keeping up with trainings and certifications is thus of utmost importance. The online learning platform PEPconnect from Siemens Healthineers enables caregivers to conveniently access continuous education and performance support anytime and anywhere. At the same time, it…
COCIR welcomes the adoption of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) after successful vote during the European Parliament Plenary Session today. These new rules should allow for continuing improvement to the safety of medical devices, benefitting patients and ensure timely access to innovative healthcare technology.
Space missions are famous for driving innovation, from Mylar blankets to microchips. So when French scientists learned one of their compatriots would be aboard the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft to reach the International Space Station (ISS), they gathered cutting edge technologies for him to carry into orbit.
‘It’s cheap, it’s accessible, and 3-D printing helps students to rapidly try out their product ideas,’ said Robert Webster, a visiting speaker at TU Delft from Vanderbilt University School of Engineering.
The Technion breathalyzer would give pathology groups and medical laboratories unprecedented ability to support physicians in diagnosing and treating cancers, chronic diseases, and other illnesses.
Pentax Medical EMEA announces its continued cooperation with SMART Medical to support the distribution and deployment of SMART’s G-EYE technology integrated with Pentax Medical’s HD+ systems to the EMEA market.
A pioneering scalp cooling treatment that prevents alopecia in early stage breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy will be showcased at the 15th St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference, Vienna.
BodyCap, a company specialized in miniaturized wireless monitoring devices for e-health applications, yesterday announced that it has obtained the medical CE mark for e-Celsius from the LNE Gmed certifying organization.
Big reveal is going to happen at KIMES fairs in Seoul. SMARTTECH together with its Korean Distributor, the KAIS Company, will present the 3D scanning technologies dedicated to medicine. KIMES provides attendants with the opportunity to identify and confirm the great potential and prospect of the future medical industry as well as the latest medical industry trend as a venue where 1,200 domestic…
Endoscopy Devices Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $40,854 million by 2022 from $27,273 million in 2015, registering a CAGR of 5.7% during the period 2016 to 2022. The flexible endoscopes are expected to dominate the global endoscopy devices market. North America is projected to continue its lead, accounting for more than…
Bracco Imaging S.p.A., a leading global company in the diagnostic imaging business, today announced at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) the launch of the "Bracco Fellowships", a new, unique initiative to promote excellence among European radiologists in partnership with the European Society of Radiology (ESR).
Employing new photonics technology, European scientists are developing a new Augmented Reality surgical visor in a bid to improve accuracy of interventions, showing anaesthetic and medical data while superimposing a patient’s x-ray in perfect unison with their body, meaning surgeons never having to look away during an operation and surgery times reduced by over 20 minutes for every 3 hours.
Ever more imaging devices are characterised by very extensive movement sequences while simultaneously being compact. Both device manufacturers and suppliers must consider mounting dynamic requirements when developing their products and ensure their long-term system integrity.
Missing standardized MR labeling information – related to EN IEC 62570 “MR Safe” / ”MR Conditional” labeling requirements for medical devices and MR accessories – endangers MR user and MR patient safety.
‘I am sorry, the electricity will be cut off because we’re going to simulate an attack, or emergency exercise, this morning,’ explained Dr Wim Develter, when he suddenly delayed his interview with Mélisande Rouger of European Hospital. They were about to discuss computed tomography, and its role not only in advanced healthcare and other more unexpected areas, such as the arts and…
Focused ultrasound can effectively destroy tumor cells. Until now, this method has only been used for organs such as the prostate and uterus. At the European Congress of Radiology, Fraunhofer researchers will present a method, developed as part of the TRANS-FUSIMO EU project, that enables focused ultrasound treatment of the liver, an organ that moves while breathing. In the future, this could…
Since launching meX+ DR solutions in 2009 the imaging and X-ray solutions producer medical ECONET has installed the range internationally. Physicians in diverse areas and fields of expertise, medical crews on ships and oil-rigs, paramedics in military ambulances, as well as disaster relief forces in conflict areas, report satisfaction regarding the lightweight and flexible meX+ X-ray devices in…
It is a collaboration that could push vascular imaging to a new level.
NEW: Evolution 3.0 EPIQ ultrasound upgrade offers high-res PureWave crystal transducer technology, shear wave elastography, contrast enhanced ultrasound, and image fusion. Could you ask for more?
At the Health IT Conference (HIMSS) 2017 in Orlando, Siemens Healthineers has announced a digital platform for healthcare providers as well as for providers of solutions and services, aimed at covering the entire spectrum of healthcare. The platform is to foster the growth of a digital ecosystem linking healthcare providers and solution providers with one another as well as bringing together…
With a ceremonial opening in presence of the German ambassador in Korea on February 6th, 2017 the cross-national „Applied Plasma Medicine Center“ (APMC) of the Leibniz-Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP Greifswald) and the Plasma Bioscience Research Center (PBRC) in Seoul, Korea was founded.
New state-of-the-art technology helps clinicians provide personalised pain relief
RDT, a leading provider of pre-hospital care solutions, will be previewing its Tempus ALS™ monitor defibrillator at Arab Health 2017. Visitors to Stand Z1A59 will be able to see this innovative solution – which offers the benefits of a fully ERC-compliant defibrillator and an advanced monitor in a small and lightweight package – ahead of its official launch later in the year.
UK scientists are developing an interactive holographic video created from an MRI or CT scan that can display live footage of internal organs in front of a user where features can be rotated, enlarged, and isolated, delivering a breakthrough in medical imaging and education.
Cedars-Sinai neurosurgeons have begun using a high-definition imaging device to see inside the brain during surgery, allowing them to map safer pathways to reach and remove tumors.
The power of computing grows more pervasive as it is increasingly integrated into everyday items within our immediate environment, as in smart toothbrushes, for example, or a vortex whistle for managing chronic lung function via smartphones. This September, scientists, developers and designers from around the world met in Heidelberg, Germany, for two parallel events: ACM International Joint…
