Diagnostic devices

Two new diagnostic techniques hope to help catch the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer. One study measures gene expression in tumors to predict disease severity, while another details a new imaging technique to detect metastatic disease.

The treatment of infections can be challenging, as it takes time to determine if harmful bacteria are even present, and to then figure out which antibiotic would work best. A simple new test, however, is said to answer both questions on the spot.

For some time now, the tracking of eye movements has served as a means of assessing neurological health. A new system is said to do so more precisely than ever, providing highly accurate readings in just 10 seconds.

The dream of a non-invasive device to continually monitor blood glucose levels has never become reality. The latest prospective technique, from the University of Warwick, uses artificial intelligence to detect low blood glucose from simple ECG data.

If someone has a swallowing disorder, they typically have to pay visits to a clinic, where their throat is monitored as they perform swallowing exercises. A new sensor could change that, allowing patients to be remotely monitored in their homes.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has delivered a Breakthrough Device Designation to a novel eye-tracking technology that claims to offer objective and early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. The FDA designation is hoped to accelerate the approval process for the test offering clinicians a new and reliable way to diagnose the degenerative disease at its earliest stage.

Diagnosing asthma in small children is often challenging, as standard measures such as lung function tests can't be used below a certain age. A new blood-analysis device could help, however, delivering definitive results in less than two hours.

A new study is suggesting a novel blood test could effectively predict a person’s risk in developing a broad array of different diseases. The test is dubbed a “liquid health check” and detects patterns of proteins linked to certain health conditions.

A team of Australian researchers has developed a novel early detection test for Parkinson’s disease based on a short series of drawing and writing tasks. The team is aiming to move through final trial stages and bring the new test to market by 2022.

Researchers from the University of Michigan have developed cancer traps that can be implanted just below the skin. In mouse tests, these traps caught biomarkers that can tell doctors if cancer is present, if it’s spreading or if it’s preparing to.

An innovative system is suggesting white noise from a smart speaker can monitor breathing and movement in sleeping babies. So far, the prototype device can detect infant respiratory rates with accuracy matching standard vital sign monitors.

A new device has been designed to improve diagnosis of dry eye disease, perhaps also leading to more effective treatments.