All articles by Schattopadhaya
Schattopadhaya
Laser focus: detecting cancer through OCT
A team of European scientists has developed the world’s first cancer scanner that detects blood vessels grown by a malignant melanoma with an infrared laser beam. UK project leader Jon Holmes of Michelson Diagnostics tells Dave Callaghan how optical coherence tomography is enabling specialists to capture 3D images of microscopic structures under the skin in less than 30 seconds.
Sharp practice: innovative injection technology to avoid needle-stick incidents
Developments in injection technology to reduce the costs of needle-stick infections are remapping the path to achieving needle safety. Philip Tanner, assistant director of health, safety and well-being for NHS Blood and Transplant, talks to Eleanor Wilson about how his organisation is balancing better training with innovative equipment.
A dangerous game: ‘Keep Anitbiotics Working’ campaign
Experts around the world warn of a ‘postantibiotic apocalypse’ and ‘the end of modern medicine’. Public Health England launched a major new campaign to help ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’, which is especially targeted at nurses, we discuss what this will mean with Dr Susan Hopkins, a Public Health England consultant.
Fancy footwork: preventing diabetic amputations
Foot ulcers are a major problem for diabetic patients and amputation rates are rising across the UK as more people are diagnosed with diabetes. But a team headed by Dr Richard Paisey, diabetes footcare lead for the south-west region of England, was able to buck the trend. He says this success is the result of collaboration between clinical commissioning groups, the south-west strategic clinical network and 100 clinicians.
Take the pressure down: preventing pressure ulcers
Pressure ulcers, or bed sores, can be a chronic source of pain and discomfort for patients, but a new dressing could help improve their condition. Dave Callaghan gets an expert view on the matter from Carol Johnson of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, and Elaine Thorpe, from University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
On the buzzer: centralised patient monitoring
While patient monitoring has saved many lives, the majority of alarms in hospital rooms are clinically insignificant, causing nurses to develop ‘alarm fatigue’. The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, US, is addressing this head-on by monitoring patients off-site. Dr Daniel Cantillon tells Abi Millar how centralised monitoring can more effectively use hospital resources and improve patient care.
The power of microbubbles
Researchers in Canada have shrunk bubbles to 1μm diameters, which means that they are now suitable for use in ultrasound services – and possibly a host of other medical equipment. Dr Scott Tsai from Ryerson University talks to Andrew Putwain about what microbubbles are, exactly, and what these developments mean for the future of microfluidics.
AI in medicine: the end of human error?
Artificial intelligence researchers at Houston Methodist hospital have developed computer software that can read mammogram results more quickly and accurately than a human. Reportedly, it is 30 times faster than doctors and has a 99% accuracy rate. Andrew Putwain speaks to co-senior investigator Dr Stephen Wong, chief of medical physics, about what the study means for patients.
Made to measure: MRI technique to assess lung cancer
A new MRI technique might provide a reliable way to assess how lung cancers are responding to treatment. Kerry Taylor-Smith speaks to study leader Professor Nandita deSouza, translational imaging professor at the Institute of Cancer Research, about the tumour-measuring technology.
Embracing neonatal MRI
A revolutionary neonatal MRI system is enabling hospitals to run more brain diagnostics on premature babies in intensive care units than ever. Elly Earls talks to Uri Rapoport, CEO of Aspect Imaging, about this game-changing new technology.