Ultrasound News and Research

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Ultrasound is a procedure in which high-energy sound waves are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echo patterns are shown on the screen of an ultrasound machine, forming a picture of body tissues called a sonogram. Also called ultrasonography.

Ultrasound can detect risk of psychiatric disorders in premature infants

Infants born prematurely are at risk for injuries to the white and gray matter of the brain that affect cortical development and neural connectivity. Certain forms of these injuries can be detected in the neonatal period using ultrasound, according to Columbia University Medical Center researchers.

15 Jul 2011

FDA grants Novian Health IDE approval for Novilase ILT System to treat breast cancer

Novian Health, developer of Novilase® Breast Therapy, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted investigational device exemption (IDE) approval for the company to start a multi-center study of its Novilase® Interstitial Laser Therapy (ILT) System. Novian developed the ILT System for the ablation of small (up to 20 mm) malignant breast tumors.

14 Jul 2011

InfraReDx commences LipiScan IVUS System Phase 2 trial against heart attack

InfraReDx, Inc., a medical device company providing intelligent cardiovascular diagnostic imaging technologies, today announced enrollment of the first patient in its Phase 2 clinical trial, CANARY (Coronary Assessment by Near-infrared (NIR) of Atherosclerotic Rupture-prone Yellow).

13 Jul 2011

'Vanishing' girl population in India

India must urgently tackle its "vanishing" girl population as the nation awaits the birth of the world's seven billionth baby, says child rights organisation Plan International.

11 Jul 2011

Toshiba receives FDA approval for new MR software upgrade

To streamline diagnosis and enable greater overall exam efficiency, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. has announced FDA approval of VirtualExplorer Version 3.1, a software upgrade package for Toshiba MR VirtualExplorer workstations.

11 Jul 2011

Solution for treating obesity-related diseases may reside in fat tissue

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have shown that the quality – not just the quantity – of adipose, or fat, tissue is a significant contributing factor in the development of inflammation and vascular disease in obese individuals. The study, which is a special feature on the iPAD version of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, provides compelling evidence that the answer to treating cardiovascular disease and other obesity-related disorders, such as type 2 diabetes and cancer, might be found in the adipose tissue itself.

7 Jul 2011

Endoscopic testing prior to lung cancer surgery improves quality of life

Patients who underwent endoscopic testing prior to surgery for lung cancer had significantly better quality of life at the end of the staging process, with no significant difference in costs between the two strategies, according to data presented at the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

7 Jul 2011

Study: 'Vanishing twin' linked to increased risk of congenital malformations

Professor Michael Davies will tell the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today that the "vanishing twin" phenomenon, in which only one child is born from a pregnancy that originally starts as a multiple pregnancy, is linked to a nearly two-fold increased risk in any congenital malformation and to a nearly three-fold risk of multiple malformations.

6 Jul 2011

Study: Threatened miscarriages complicate 20% of all pregnancies

Dr Kaltum Adam, an honorary clinical research fellow at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester (UK), told the annual meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology that around 20% of all pregnancies were complicated by threatened miscarriage, and up to 20% of these would miscarry.

5 Jul 2011

ICSI study shows strong increase in first trimester pregnancy loss after the age of 38

The research, presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, also showed that rates of preclinical abortion, miscarriage and overall pregnancy loss during the first trimester remained more or less constant until the age of 34, but increased steadily from the age of 35 onwards.

5 Jul 2011

Adipose tissue might serve as target for treating obesity-related disorders

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have shown that the quality - not just the quantity - of adipose, or fat, tissue is a significant contributing factor in the development of inflammation and vascular disease in obese individuals.

5 Jul 2011

MR-guided focused ultrasound effective for treating essential tremor

The last ten years have been challenging for Billy R. Williams of Fort Valley, Virginia. The former Pentagon employee, who survived the 9/11 terrorist attack, has suffered from essential tremor, a progressive and debilitating neurological disorder.

30 Jun 2011

Data from microarrays co-developed by OGT to be presented at ECC 2011

Oxford Gene Technology (OGT), provider of innovative clinical genetics and diagnostic solutions to advance molecular medicine, has announced details of its upcoming workshop at the European Cytogenetics Conference 2011, held in Porto, Portugal (2–5 July).

From Oxford Gene Technology 28 Jun 2011

Body sculpting technique eliminates abdominal fat with few side effects

A "body sculpting" technique using high-intensity focused ultrasound to eliminate unwanted abdominal fat effectively reduces waist circumference, with only minor pain and side effects, reports a study in the July issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

28 Jun 2011

Focused ultrasound changes 27 year-old uterine fibroid patient's life

On June 12, 2011, viewers of the CBS Evening News learned about Stephanie Small's gripping story. Suffering from a large uterine fibroid, the 27 year-old was treated last December as part of a MR-guided focused ultrasound clinical trial at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

24 Jun 2011

Scientific evidence is key driver for gaining reimbursement for MR-guided focused ultrasound

Medical researchers have a critical role to play in gaining optimal health insurance reimbursement for MR-guided focused ultrasound. As Susan Klees, Director of Patient Access for the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation, reports, "Scientific evidence is the key driver for reimbursement, and it all begins with the way studies are designed. Today, research priorities must be grounded in sound science as well as the realities of the marketplace."

24 Jun 2011

PCIB reports main results of Amphinex Phase I/II study against multiple cancers

PCI Biotech (PCIB) the Norwegian biopharmaceutical company, reported today the main results of the completed Phase I/II study of the new component Amphinex in the combination productPC-A11, where Amphinex is used in combination with the cytotoxic agent bleomycin.

24 Jun 2011

NSBRI expands use of ultrasound during spaceflights and on Earth

The remoteness and resource limitations of spaceflight pose a serious challenge to astronaut health care. One solution is ultrasound.

24 Jun 2011

Gaining regulatory approval for new medical devices easier than convincing insurers to provide coverage

What's easier: gaining regulatory approval for a new medical device, or convincing insurers to cover the treatments it provides? According to Susan Klees of the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation, many experts say regulatory approval is the easier task.

23 Jun 2011

More frequent use of ultrasound recommended in twin pregnancies

Featured in the June edition of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada is a new clinical practice guideline which suggests that carrying twins requires greater monitoring and, therefore, the more frequent use of ultrasound technology to conduct the ongoing assessment of twin pregnancies.

23 Jun 2011