Latest News

  • Researchers Identify Better Biomarker for Stroke and Dementia Risk

    Diagnostics World | Over the past few years, a multidisciplinary team of experts has been spreading the news that an abnormality of the heart’s left atrium (LA), known as LA myopathy, can be a marker of elevated risk of stroke and dementia—even in the absence of atrial fibrillation (AFib). The current “gap in the field” is that there is no established way to characterize the condition.

    Apr 24, 2025
  • ‘Lab-in-a-Box’ Diagnostics in the Post-Theranos Era

    Diagnostics World | The clinical relevance and limitations of so-called “lab-in-a-box” (LIAB) diagnostics, which surged in popularity during the COVID pandemic, have since that time been under considerable scrutiny, most notably among investors still spooked by the notorious Theranos scandal. One of the more enduring problems among LIAB developers is that they tend to get “blinded by the beauty” of their technology.

    Apr 22, 2025
  • Immunosensor Could Improve Blood-Based Testing for Colorectal Cancer

    Diagnostics World | Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are developing a point-of-care device for diagnosing colorectal cancer which, like blood glucose devices, uses electrochemical sensors. The microchip electrode features an immunosensor that detects disease biomarkers in a drop of blood, opening the possibility of an accessible, inexpensive test for the nation’s second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

    Apr 17, 2025
  • ‘Funky Shape’ Gets Magnetic Robots Rolling in the Colon in Search of Cancer

    Diagnostics World | Magnetic flexible endoscopes (MFEs) have up to now had a few disadvantages limiting their use inside the human body for performing virtual biopsies, notably navigation-related difficulties related to their traditional cylindrical shape. These robot-assisted devices use magnetic forces to propel and maneuver through lumens like the colon, but rotation happens in only two directions that limits the scope's ability to effectively perform procedures.

    Apr 16, 2025
  • Latest Biological Clock Ties ‘Bioenergetic Capacity’ to Alzheimer’s Risk

    Diagnostics World | The “bioenergetic capacity” of individuals, as marked by the level of certain cognition-associated molecules in the blood, could potentially be predictive of the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other age-related diseases. A simulated clinical trial suggests that turning back the wheels on that biological clock could be just as effective at slowing cognitive decline as the latest drug to be approved for that purpose by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Apr 15, 2025
  • Diagnostic Imaging Developments: Researchers Pursue New Tools, Technologies, and Techniques to Read X-Rays, Enhance Image Quality, and Improve Visualization

    Diagnostics World | Researchers worldwide are looking to revamp traditional approaches to medical imaging and develop alternative solutions that could improve visualization, speed, and accuracy in diagnostic settings. At the University of Arkansas, for example, one group is developing an AI tool designed to help radiologists and doctors analyze chest X-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans, with an emphasis on understanding how the AI assistant arrives at its conclusions.

    Apr 10, 2025
  • Throat Swabs May Hold Clues to General Health of Older Individuals

    Diagnostics World | The impact of the throat microbiome on the health of older individuals has gone unappreciated, especially among individuals being cared for in long-term care facilities. One big reason is that they are largely isolated and often forgotten by the public, even as these facilities have become home to a greater proportion of the overall population.

    Apr 8, 2025