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People with gum disease are more likely to suffer from atherosclerosis

A new study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center provides the most direct evidence to date that preventing gum disease could significantly improve your chances of avoiding vascular problems.

7 Feb 2005

Special imaging study shows failing hearts are energy starved

Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for the first time to examine energy production biochemistry in a beating human heart, Johns Hopkins researchers have found substantial energy deficits in failing hearts.

7 Feb 2005

New way to assess the potentially damaging effects of prenatal drug exposure

Scientists have demonstrated a new way to assess the potentially damaging effects of prenatal drug exposure--a technique that could also be used to monitor a fetus's response to therapeutic drugs--using sophisticated, noninvasive medical imaging tools.

7 Feb 2005

New study details trends in diagnosis, treatment of brain tumours

A two year study involving over 560 patients with the newly-diagnosed malignant brain tumors shows that patterns of care are varied and there is a need for new, detailed clinical guidelines for management of brain tumors. The study is published in the Feb. 2, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

3 Feb 2005

Nicotine may hold promise in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

The chemical nicotine--a main ingredient in tobacco--may hold promise in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, give insight into therapeutic interventions for nicotine addiction and possibly complement the diagnosis of certain forms of lung cancer, according to a study in the January issue of the Society of Nuclear Medicine's Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

31 Jan 2005

Physical traits, genetic test help with early diagnosis of aneurysm syndrome

A research team led by Johns Hopkins doctors has defined the physical traits and genetic basis of a new aortic aneurysm syndrome that is extremely aggressive and can cause death in early childhood. Early diagnosis of the syndrome and rapid surgical repair of the swollen aorta can save lives, the researchers report in the Jan. 30 advance online section of Nature Genetics.

30 Jan 2005

Increase in small babies is major reason behind the increase in U.S. infant mortality

An increase in the birth of very small infants is the major reason behind the increase in U.S. infant mortality in 2002, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The increase in infant mortality, from 6.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 7.0 in 2002, was the first increase in the infant mortality rate since 1958 and was reported last year by CDC.

26 Jan 2005

Exposure to infant siblings decreases multiple sclerosis risk

Adults who report having had higher exposure to infant siblings during their first 6 years of life have a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study in the January 26 issue of JAMA.

26 Jan 2005

Brain regions decide where we look

Scientists have found the brain regions that decide where we look, and where to direct our eyes when we’re faced with a difficult choice, such as looking someone straight in the eye or looking away.

25 Jan 2005

Sex hormones modulate brain damage in multiple sclerosis

Abnormalities in sex hormone levels may contribute to the damage to brain tissue typical of multiple sclerosis, indicates research in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

16 Jan 2005

Study identifies potentially valuable applications for new drug Nifrolidine

Along with aiding efforts to study addicted smokers, a new drug that attaches only to areas of the brain that have been implicated in nicotine addiction may help studies of people battling other disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.

12 Jan 2005

Research into the physical basis of beliefs and subjective experience

A multidisciplinary research centre at the University of Oxford will examine all types of beliefs, from those that make children think their stockings are filled by Santa Claus to the faith that drives fundamentalist terrorism.

12 Jan 2005

Morse code for human cells

Morse code is a simple, effective and clear method of communication and now scientists believe that cells in our body may also be using patterns of signals to switch genes on and off. The discovery may have major implications for the pharmaceutical industry as the signalling molecules that are targeted by drugs may have more than one purpose.

10 Jan 2005

Smaller lymph nodes seen on abdominal CT scans in "healthy" people are not clinically significant

Smaller lymph nodes commonly seen on abdominal CT scans in "healthy" people are not clinically significant and require no further imaging, a new study confirms. The study was performed because there is no standard as to what should be done about these patients so they often undergo additional testing to rule out inflammation, cancer or other diseases.

9 Jan 2005

Promising new evidence for the optimal use of biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis

A major cause of pain and disability, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is also potentially the most treatable form of chronic arthritis. Researchers, doctors, and patients agree that a group of drugs called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can effectively reduce joint pain and stiffness.

7 Jan 2005

Old fashioned cod piece helps shield male gonads when X-rayed

Shielding the male gonads using a type of lead capsule previously only used in X-ray imaging also reduces indirect radiation to the testes during MDCT of the abdomen and pelvis, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Technology of Aachen in Germany.

5 Jan 2005

Functional magnetic resonance imaging helps visualize the human brain as a massive, interacting, complex network

A team headed by scientists at Northwestern University, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), has shown how to visualize the human brain as a massive, interacting, complex network governed by a few underlying dynamic principles.

5 Jan 2005

May soon be possible to identify people at risk and even to treat a heart problem with a drug that works on the brain

Sudden cardiac death from emotional stress may be triggered by uneven signals from the brain to the heart, according to a study by University College London (UCL) scientists published in the January issue of Brain.

23 Dec 2004

Rural imaging center takes aim at medical mistakes in healthcare

Thumb MRI Center is taking the initiative to decrease costly medical errors and increase the quality of healthcare by integrating a patented artificial intelligence technology developed by AIdentity Matrix.

22 Dec 2004

Brisk walks substantially improve blood vessel function both before and during the hours after eating a fatty meal

A 90-minute walk lowered triglycerides and improved blood vessel function in a small group of lean and obese men, and the benefits persisted into the following day, even after participants ate a fatty meal, according to a new study in the Dec. 21, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

21 Dec 2004