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Researchers develop new way to reduce radiation dose in CT perfusion procedure

Perfusion CT scanning, an emerging imaging technology, got a bad rap last year when a machine set to incorrect radiation levels overdosed hundreds of people in Los Angeles. In the wake of this incident, researchers at the Mayo Clinic, excited by the technology's promise for diagnosing stroke, cancer, and possibly heart disease, have developed a way to reduce the amount of radiation involved in the procedure -- which, when done properly, already involves very little risk.

21 Jul 2010

Health Canada grants Osiris Priority Review for Prochymal NDS

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that the Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate of Health Canada has completed its initial evaluation and accepted for full review the company's New Drug Submission (NDS) of Prochymal (remestemcel-L), an adult stem cell therapy for the treatment of graft vs. host disease (GvHD). Based on a separate review of summary clinical data, Health Canada has notified Osiris that the application has been granted Priority Review, shortening the examination period from 300 to 180 days.

21 Jul 2010

Next generation robot could eliminate 'the doctor'

As physician-guided robots routinely operate on patients at most major hospitals, the next generation robot could eliminate a surprising element from that scenario -- the doctor.

21 Jul 2010

Zimmer sued over defective hip implant

Wendy R. Fleishman, a partner in the national plaintiffs' law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, announced that William Kokoszka filed a personal injury lawsuit against Zimmer Inc., the nation's largest producer of orthopedic devices. Following his 2006 hip replacement, Kokoszka suffered constant and devastating pain for over 18 months before having to undergo a second hip replacement surgery due to an allegedly defective hip implant manufactured and sold by Zimmer under the brand name Durom Cup.

21 Jul 2010

Patent application for inexpensive CyPath assay filed by Biomoda

Cancer diagnostics company Biomoda,filed a U.S. patent application on a quantitative method for scoring cells labeled with the CyPath® assay to determine whether cells are dysplastic or carcinomic by measuring the photon emission rate.

21 Jul 2010

Harvard Apparatus/ Hugo Sachs Elektronik business collaborates to develop lung regeneration bioreactor

Harvard Bioscience, Inc., a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialized products used to advance life science research and regenerative medicine, announces that its Harvard Apparatus / Hugo Sachs Elektronik business collaborated with Dr. Harald Ott and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to design and manufacture a novel bioreactor that was used to grow a functional lung. The lung was subsequently transplanted into a rat.

21 Jul 2010

Vanderbilt University Medical Center performs specialized PET/CT scan to locate cancerous tumors

Vanderbilt University Medical Center and affiliated VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System are the first in the U.S. to perform a specialized PET/CT scan to successfully locate the presence of tumors.

21 Jul 2010

Endovenous laser treatment can painlessly remove varicose, spider veins

Up until approximately a decade ago, vein stripping was the only means of eradicating unsightly varicose veins. This method involved making an incision in the leg, and using a hooked wire to pull the affected vein out of the body. The invasiveness of vein stripping often resulted in an overnight hospital stay and considerable restriction of physical activity for up to a month. However, since the laser surgery method first became FDA approved ten years ago, it has come a long way in allowing for more convenient, painless and rapid removal of problematic veins. One particular organization, the Renaissance Laser and Vein Institute, has become a beacon of successful laser treatment for phlebitis sufferers in Los Angeles and Southern California.

21 Jul 2010

Hybrid Linac-MR imaging system tracks cancer tumors in real time

Today, at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) in Philadelphia, a group of researchers from Stanford University will describe the latest developments toward their goal of integrating two existing medical devices -- medical linear accelerators, or "linacs," which produce powerful X-rays for treating cancer, and magnetic resonance imagers (MRIs), which are widely used to image tumors in the human body.

21 Jul 2010

GCSF administration can reduce side effects of cancer neurobastoma in children

Children given a hormone growth factor alongside chemotherapy for the aggressive cancer neuroblastoma are less likely to suffer a potentially deadly side-effect, according to a major international study published today (Tuesday) in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

21 Jul 2010

Frameless radiosurgery can treat most sensitive regions of brain: Study

While four in 10 clinicians use frameless radiosurgery exclusively to treat cranial indications, user data collected at the 5th International Conference of the Novalis Circle, held last month in Munich, Germany, shows that there are still significant opportunities to increase utilization of the effective treatment approach.

20 Jul 2010

ASTRO accepts 4 abstracts on Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for NSCLC

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has accepted four abstracts from users of Elekta Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) technology on the use of SBRT to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The clinicians will present their findings during presentations at ASTRO's 52nd Annual Meeting (October 31 - November 4) at the San Diego Convention Center.

From Elekta 20 Jul 2010

Athletes who undergo tissue transplant surgery for knee damage can return to sports: Study

Athletes with bone and cartilage knee damage who are treated with transplanted tissue can return to sports after surgery, according to a Hospital for Special Surgery study reported at the annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, held July 15-18 in Providence, Rhode Island. The study (abstract 8970) overturns the widely held belief that patients who undergo this surgery do not return to athletics.

20 Jul 2010

PSI to release evidence supporting quality scale-up of male circumcision

Following the remarks on male circumcision made today by former President Bill Clinton and philanthropist Bill Gates, PSI will release the results of a groundbreaking study on a new model of efficiency that will allow for quality and cost-effective scale-up of male circumcision.

20 Jul 2010

Univfy, Stanford scientists develop first validated prognostic test for predicting IVF live birth outcomes

Univfy, a pioneer in the development of personalized in vitro fertilization (IVF) prognostic tools, announced today the publication of new research findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) by its founding scientific team and clinical collaborators from Stanford University.

20 Jul 2010

Vertos Medical announces 12-week data from MiDAS I clinical study for lumbar spinal stenosis

Medical device company Vertos Medical Inc. has announced the unveiling of 12-week clinical data from its prospective, 75-patient MiDAS I (mild Decompression Alternative to open Surgery) study that further validate the safety and efficacy of mild for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Consistent with the positive six-week study results released in March and May, the new MiDAS I data demonstrate that mild patients continued to experience statistically significant improvement in pain, physical function and mobility 12 weeks following treatment.

20 Jul 2010

Arthroscopic hip surgery may help athletes resume their sport back: Study

Hip problems can sideline even the best athletes, but a new study led by orthopedic experts from Rush University Medical Center indicates that the use of minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery to treat painful disorders of the hip may give athletes who undergo the procedure another opportunity to resume their sport back at their pre-injury level of competition.

20 Jul 2010

Low radiation CT scans now at Saint Francis Hospital

Patients requiring a CT scan at Saint Francis Hospital will now be exposed to up to 40 percent less radiation than traditional CT scans. The hospital has acquired state-of-the-art GE™ scanning equipment featuring Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASiR) that uses an advanced image reconstruction technique that makes it possible to dramatically reduce radiation dose without compromising image quality.

20 Jul 2010

Botched breast reduction wins Victorian woman $133,000 compensation

A Victorian woman, Bronwyn Hooper, 47 moved to court after her breasts were disfigured during reconstructive surgery. The court has awarded her $133,000 as compensation. Her legal battle lasted five years with Dr. Narine Efe of East Melbourne.

19 Jul 2010

Robotic therapies reduce blood vessel trauma during minimally invasive procedures

Research conducted by surgeons from the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center shows that using robotics reduces blood vessel trauma during minimally invasive procedures to repair diseased arteries. Research results were presented at the Society for Vascular Surgery's 2010 Vascular Annual Meeting in Boston.

19 Jul 2010