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UrduThe targeted use of ultrasound technology can bring about significant changes in brain function that could pave the way towards treatment of conditions such as depression, addiction, or anxiety, a new study suggests.
Tag: Ultrasound
IU School of Medicine expands point-of-care ultrasound training
Indiana University School of Medicine is expanding its training program for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by investing in portable ultrasound systems for all students, residents, and fellows across seven specialties to use in curricula and patient care at the academic health center in Indianapolis.
Ultrasound can briefly induce a hibernation-like state in animals
Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have used ultrasound to nudge rodents into an energy-conserving state that mirrors a natural, hibernation-like survival mechanism known as torpor. The technique could help buy precious time for patients in critical care.
A ‘FAAIRI’s touch to ease children’s fear of needles
Vaccinations, blood tests, or IVs – it’s fair to say that no child likes a needle. So, when it comes to the jab, a light touch and a caring approach is incredibly welcomed – both by the child and the parent. Now, world-first research from the University of South Australia shows that while many children suffer distress, new ultrasound-guided techniques could provide much-needed reprieve.
FAMU-FSU College of Engineering dean will lead U.S. Army study that uses ultrasound to examine burn wounds
Suvranu De, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, is leading a five-year, $1.3 million cooperative research agreement with the U.S. Army that will use ultrasound and artificial intelligence to investigate the characteristics and healing trajectory of burn wounds, leading to faster diagnosis and improved recovery.
NIH funds study of ultrasound with genetics to treat brain disorders
Researchers have developed methods to study and manipulate areas of the brain, though many of those methods are restricted by the limited depth that light can reach within the brain. A multidisciplinary team at Washington University in St. Louis plans to overcome that limitation by integrating ultrasound with genetics to precisely modify neurons in the brain.
Wireless wonder: wearable ultrasound patch goes completely cable-free
This fully wireless ultrasound patch, which can capture detailed medical information and wirelessly transmit the data to a smart device, could represent a major step forward in at-home health care technology.
How the combination of advanced ultrasound and AI could upgrade cancer diagnostics
Researchers have shown that an automated cancer diagnostic method, which pairs cutting-edge ultrasound techniques with artificial intelligence, can accurately diagnose thyroid cancer, of which there are more than 40,000 new cases every year.
New framework for super-resolution ultrasound
Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign used deep learning to develop a new framework for super-resolution ultrasound.
Induction of a torpor-like state with ultrasound
Some animals preserve energy and heat by going into torpor, during which body temperature and metabolic rate drop, similar to hibernation. WashU researchers have safely and noninvasively induced such a state in mice and rats using ultrasound. Their work could help people with health conditions and astronauts.
A New Strategy to Break Through Bacterial Barriers in Chronic Treatment-Resistant Wounds
Researchers in UNC’s School of Medicine’s department of Microbiology and Immunology and the UNC-NC State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering have developed a new strategy to improve drug-delivery into chronic wounds infections.
Microbubble Macrophages Track Tumors #ASA184
At the 184th ASA Meeting, Ashley Alva of the Georgia Institute of Technology will describe how attaching microbubbles to macrophages, a type of white blood cell, can create high-resolution and sensitive tracking images useful for disease diagnosis. Because of the attached microbubbles, the cells sent back an echo when hit with ultrasound, which is nonionizing and noninvasive and has great depth of penetration. This allowed the team to visualize the macrophages in vivo with high resolution and sensitivity. Visualizing macrophages in vivo could also provide a powerful tool for understanding immune responses and monitoring therapeutic efficacy.
Wearable Sensor Uses Ultrasound to Provide Cardiac Imaging On the Go
Engineers and physicians have developed a wearable ultrasound device that can assess both the structure and function of the human heart. The portable device, which is roughly the size of a postage stamp, can be worn for up to 24 hours and works even during strenuous exercise.
Machine learning model builds on imaging methods to better detect ovarian lesions
Research from Quing Zhu’s lab yields a novel method to use ultrasound to enhance machine learning’s ability to accurately diagnose – or rule out – ovarian cancer.
Awake patients can have kidney stones moved, blasted
In the procedure, the physician uses a handheld transducer placed on the skin to direct ultrasound waves towards the stone. The ultrasound can then be used to move and reposition the stones to promote their passage, a process called ultrasound propulsion, or the break up the stone, a technique called burst wave lithotripsy (BWL).
Combined ultrasound technique can reposition and break up urinary stones in awake patients
A new technique combining two types of focused ultrasound waves offers a promising approach for treatment of urinary stones located in the ureter, according to a feasibility study in The Journal of Urology®, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
Ultrasound Could Save Racehorses from Bucked Shins
When racehorses enter training at about 2 years old, they can develop tiny stress fractures and new bone formations in their legs. This condition, called bucked shin, occurs in about 70% of the animals. In The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, researchers have developed a method to screen for bucked shin using ultrasound. Axial transmission, in which an ultrasound emitter and receiver are placed on the skin to induce and measure wave velocities, is frequently used to study osteoporosis in humans. The method could detect bucked shin more easily and preserve the health and growth of young horses.
Increased Precision and Safety in Spinal Tap with PASS – An Ultrasound-Guided Lumbar Puncture Procedure
PASS (Point-Assisted Spinal Sonography), an ultrasound-guided lumbar puncture device from Chula doctors and engineers, helps increase the precision and confidence in spinal tap procedures while reducing risks and pain for patients.
Moths use ultrasound to defend against bats
Scientists discovered that ultrasonic defenses moths use to avoid bats are widespread in the insects, and that many harmless moths seem to mimic their toxic cousins to avoid becoming prey.
Blacks Found Twice as Likely to Have Atherosclerosis as Hispanics in Young Adult Populations in Underserved Communities
A unique Mount Sinai study focused on a multi-ethnic, underserved community in New York City shows that young Black adults are twice as likely to have atherosclerosis as similarly situated young Hispanic adults.
Hepatic Steatosis Detection by Ultrasound Versus MRI Proton-Density Fat Fraction
According to ARRS’ American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), ultrasound-derived fat fraction (UDFF) is strongly associated with MRI proton-density fat fraction (PDFF) and provides high sensitivity for detecting hepatic steatosis.
Ultrasound-Assisted Laser Technique Vaporizes Artery Plaque #ASA182
Atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque, can lead to heart disease, artery disease, and chronic kidney disease and is traditionally treated by inserting and inflating a balloon to expand the artery. During the 182nd ASA Meeting, Rohit Singh, of the University of Kansas, will present a method that combines a low-power laser with ultrasound to remove arterial plaque safely and efficiently.
UNC Landmark Study Paves the Way for Universal Obstetric Ultrasound
Establishing accurate gestational age with ultrasound early is essential to delivering high-quality care. Yet, the high cost for equipment and the need for trained sonographers limits its use in low-resource settings. A new study introduces a novel opportunity to democratize obstetric ultrasound.
New tech gives kidney stone patients options
A clinical trial at the Kidney Stone Center at UW Medical Center – Northwest is testing the ability of ultrasound waves to dislodge and move small fragments left behind after surgery so they can naturally be expelled
Artificial Intelligence Tool Improves Accuracy of Breast Cancer Imaging
A computer program trained to see patterns among thousands of breast ultrasound images can aid physicians in accurately diagnosing breast cancer, a new study shows.
Focused Ultrasound Breakthroughs from the Summer of 2021
Here are eight amazing developments in the use of Focused Ultrasound from just the last three months, including: treating cancerous tumours, triggering the targeted release of medicine in the body, immunotherapy, and pain management. See more in the Focused Ultrasound Channel
Ultrasound remotely triggers immune cells to attack tumors in mice without toxic side effects
A new cancer immunotherapy pairs ultrasound with specially engineered CAR T cells to destroy malignant tumors while sparing normal tissue. The new experimental therapy significantly slowed down the growth of solid cancerous tumors in mice.
Building better bubbles for ultrasound could enhance image quality, facilitate treatments
NIBIB-funded researchers are investigating long-lasting, customizable nanobubbles for ultrasound contrast agents.
Tiny, Wireless, Injectable Chips Use Ultrasound to Monitor Body Processes
Researchers at Columbia Engineering report that they have built what they say is the world’s smallest single-chip system, consuming a total volume of less than 0.1 mm3. The system is as small as a dust mite and visible only under a microscope. In order to achieve this, the team used ultrasound to both power and communicate with the device wirelessly
Breaching the Blood-Brain Barrier to Deliver Precious Payloads
RNA-based drugs may change the standard of care for many diseases, making personalized medicine a reality. So far these cost-effective, easy-to-manufacture drugs haven’t been very useful in treating brain tumors and other brain disease. But a team of researchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University has shown that a combination of ultrasound and RNA-loaded nanoparticles can temporarily open the protective blood-brain barrier, allowing the delivery of potent medicine to brain tumors.
The Science of Sound, Vibration to Better Diagnose, Treat Brain Diseases
As part of a five-year, $2 million NSF project, Georgia Tech researchers uncover new methods for using sound and vibration to treat and diagnose brain diseases. The research could eliminate reliance on MRIs, paving the way for less costly and simpler systems that could serve a wider population.
‘Leap forward’ in risk management of rectal cancer
Rectal cancer, along with colon cancer, is the third-most common type of cancer in the United States, and treatment and surgery greatly affect the quality of life of patients. A multi-disciplinary team at Washington University in St. Louis has developed and tested an innovative imaging technique that is able to differentiate between rectal tissues with residual cancers and those without tumors after chemotherapy and radiation, which could one day help to avoid unnecessary surgeries in some patients who have achieved complete tumor destruction after chemoradiation.
Ultrasound tracks down misfiring heart sites
Abnormal heart rhythms—cardiac arrhythmias—are a major worldwide health problem. Now scientists are using ultrasound for more accurate maps of arrhythmic sites in the heart for improved success of ablation procedures.
Head and Neck Imaging Expert Appointed Chief of Radiology at Mass Eye and Ear
Dr. Mary Beth Cunnane, a radiologist who specializes in the imaging of patients with diseases of the eyes, ears, nose and head and neck, has been appointed Chief of Radiology at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston.
Singing a Tumor Test Song
Singing may be the next-generation, noninvasive approach to determining the health of a patient’s thyroid. When a person sings, the vibrations create waves in the tissue near the vocal tract called shear waves. If a tumor is present in the thyroid, the elasticity of its surrounding tissue increases, stiffening, and causing the shear waves to accelerate. Using ultrasound imaging to measure these waves, researchers can determine the elasticity of the thyroid tissue. They demonstrate the technique in Applied Physics Letters.
Lung Ultrasounds Could Help Determine COVID-19 Outcome
Researchers have developed a method using ultrasound imaging to score a patient’s lung health, which may help predict if a patient with COVID-19 will worsen. Using 14 points in the lungs, they looked for abnormalities and assigned each spot a score out of 3 based on its severity. Adding up all the points, the researchers found the total lung ultrasound score was higher for those who had a worsening outcome of COVID-19. Umberto Sabatini’s presentation will be a part of the 179th ASA Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.
Tiny Nanospindles Enhance Use of Ultrasound to Fight Cancer
Ultrasound can be used to treat cancer when used in combination with molecules that sensitize the system to sound waves. These sonosensitizers generate toxic reactive oxygen species that attack and kill tumor cells. In Applied Physics Review, scientists report a new type of sonosensitizer based on a vanadium-doped titanium dioxide that enhances the amount of damage ultrasound inflicts on tumors. Studies in mice showed that tumor growth was markedly suppressed when compared to a control group.
Acoustics Virtually Everywhere: Schedule for ASA Meeting Press Conferences Dec. 9-11
Press conferences at the 179th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of American will cover the latest in acoustical research, from the impact of face masks to the beating of mosquito wings, and will be held virtually Dec. 9-11. To ensure the safety of attendees, volunteers, and ASA staff, Acoustics Virtually Everywhere will be hosted entirely online.
Ultrasound Technique Offers More Precise, Quantified Assessments of Lung Health
Researchers have developed a technique that uses ultrasound to provide non-invasive assessments of pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary edema. The technique has been shown to both quantify lung scarring and detect lung fluid in rats. A study on pulmonary edema in humans is under way.
$13.48M Awarded To Johns Hopkins Scientists To Develop Implantable Ultrasound Devices For Patients With Spinal Cord Injury
A team of Johns Hopkins neurosurgeons and biomedical engineers has received $13.48 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop implantable ultrasound and other devices that could revolutionize care for people suffering from spinal cord injuries. The results could benefit thousands of U.S. service members and civilians who sustain spinal cord injuries every year.
Rush Focused Ultrasound Program Changing Lives of Patients With Movement Disorders
A Rush team of neurological and neurosurgical clinicians is the first in Illinois and among the first in the United States to offer an innovative, noninvasive treatment for medication-refractory tremor: MR-guided focused ultrasound.
Mammogram device under development to use light, ultrasound to better screen patients for breast cancer
The University at Buffalo has received a four-year, $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a new, portable breast-imaging system that has the potential to better identify breast cancer.
Children with cognitive delays are more likely to have CT scan to diagnose appendicitis
Computed tomography (CT) is used at a higher rate than ultrasound in children with developmental and cognitive impairments to diagnose appendicitis, even though CT scans increase radiation risk in smaller bodies.
Researchers Demonstrate Fundamentally New Approach to Ultrasound Imaging
Researchers have demonstrated a new technique for creating ultrasound images. The new approach is substantially simpler than existing techniques and could significantly drive down technology costs.
Targeted ultrasound for noninvasive diagnosis of brain cancer
Brain tumors are typically diagnosed using MRI imaging, as taking a sample for a tissue biopsy is risky and may not be possible due to tumor location or a patient’s health. Researchers are developing a method to diagnose brain tumors without any incisions.
A sound treatment
University of Utah biomedical engineering assistant professor Jan Kubanek has discovered that sound waves of high frequency (ultrasound) can be emitted into a patient’s brain to alter his or her state. It’s a non-invasive treatment that doesn’t involve medications or surgery and has a unique potential to treat mental disorders including depression and anxiety and neurological disorders such as chronic pain and epilepsy.
A Novel Method to Precisely Deliver Therapeutics Inside the Body
A new way to deliver therapeutic proteins inside the body uses an acoustically sensitive carrier to encapsulate the proteins and ultrasound to image and guide the package to the exact location required.
Video — More Than Baby Debuts: Ultrasound Is Used To Deliver Drugs, Treat Tremors
Ultrasound is probably most associated with a parent’s first glimpse of a baby in the womb. However, a new video from the Acoustical Society of America showcases the technology’s abilities to do more than show images of our insides. This video is the second in a series celebrating the International Year of Sound.
Ultrasound-Assisted Molecule Delivery Looks to Preserve Blood for Years
Blood can typically be stored for only six weeks after donation, but a potential solution attempts to dry blood by using a sugar-based preservative. New work in ultrasound technology looks to provide a path to inserting these sugars into human red blood cells, allowing the molecule trehalose to enter the cells and prevent their degradation when dried for preservation. The researchers discuss their work in this week’s Biomicrofluidics.
Robot designed to simplify blood draws
Bioengineers have created a blood-drawing robot that performed as well or better than technicians. The device could increase blood draw success from difficult- to-find veins and allow healthcare workers more time to treat patients.