A new hand-held scanner can spot minuscule changes in veins and arteries deep within human tissues, which could provide better and earlier diagnoses of conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis, researchers say.
The technology should be available for use in patients in three to five years, subject to further testing. It works by using laser-generated ultrasound waves to build a 3D image of changes in the body’s network of blood vessels.
Current 'PAT' scanners, as they are known, are too slow to produce high-quality images. Patients also have to remain still, a task made more difficult by older technology, which takes more than five minutes to capture an image. The new scanner works instantly in real time, making it more suitable for people who are frail or poorly.
Study co-writer, Prof Paul Beard, of University College London, said the technology can visualise the networks of tiny blood vessels that are present in almost all human tissues with greater clarity than existing medical imaging techniques. “This will allow the subtle vascular changes associated with diseases such as cancer, diabetes or arthritis to be detected,” Prof Beard told The National.
“This could enable the more accurate diagnosis and treatment of these highly prevalent diseases resulting in better patient outcomes and cost reductions to healthcare providers. Our scanner could potentially detect changes in the small blood vessels in the lower limbs of patients with peripheral arterial disease, a complication of diabetes and other diseases which affects 25 million people across the USA and Europe.”
If left untreated, the condition can lead to amputation. But by detecting vascular changes that precede irreversible tissue damage, the scanner could help reduce the risk, prompting treatment required to avoid amputation.
To assess its potential, the new scanner was used during preclinical tests on 10 patients with type-2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or breast cancer, along with seven healthy volunteers.
In three patients with type-2 diabetes, the scanner was able to produce detailed 3D images of the small veins in the feet, highlighting deformities and structural changes in the vessels. It was also able to visualise the skin inflammation linked to breast cancer.
Andrew Plumb, Associate Prof of Medical Imaging at UCL and consultant radiologist at UCLH and a senior author of the study, said: “One of the complications often suffered by people with diabetes is low blood flow in the extremities, such as the feet and lower legs, due to damage to the tiny blood vessels in these areas. But until now we haven’t been able to see exactly what is happening to cause this damage or characterise how it develops.
“In one of our patients, we could see smooth, uniform vessels in the left foot and deformed, squiggly vessels in the same region of the right foot, indicative of problems that may lead to tissue damage in future. Photoacoustic imaging could give us much more detailed information to facilitate early diagnosis, as well as better understand disease progression more generally.”
“We’ve come a long way with photoacoustic imaging in recent years, but there were still barriers to using it in the clinic,” said Prof Beard.
“The breakthrough in this study is the acceleration in the time it takes to acquire images, which is between 100 and 1,000 times faster than previous scanners. This speed avoids motion-induced blurring, providing highly-detailed images of a quality that no other scanner can provide,” he added.
One key potential use for the new scanner is to assess inflammatory arthritis, which requires scanning all 20 finger joints in both hands, said Prof Beard. With the new scanner, this can be done in a few minutes – older PAT scanners take nearly an hour, which is too long for elderly, frail patients, he said.
The study was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Pathaan
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
GOODBYE%20JULIA
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Islamic%20Architecture%3A%20A%20World%20History
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now