Low-dose CT chest scans could help detect pneumonia in at-risk patients while exposing them to only small amounts of radiation, a new study has found. The research, published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, shows that ultra-low-dose scans can effectively detect pneumonia in patients with compromised immune systems, enabling doctors to treat the infection before it becomes life-threatening. According to the researchers, these scans expose patients to just 2% of the radiation dose used in a standard CT scan.

"This study paves the way for safer, AI-driven imaging that reduces radiation exposure while preserving diagnostic accuracy,” lead researcher Dr Maximiliano Klug, a radiologist with the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, said in a news release. He added that CT scans are the gold standard for detecting pneumonia but there are concerns regarding the risk posed by repeated exposure to radiation. There is a solution- ultra-low-dose CT scan. However, the problem is that these scans can be grainy and hard to read, researchers said.

Study Gives Solution To This

To overcome that, Klug's team developed an AI program that could help "de-noise" low-dose scans, making them sharper and easier to read. Between September 2020 and December 2022, 54 patients with compromised immune systems who had fevers underwent a pair of chest CT scans -- a normal dose scan and an ultra-low-dose scan. The AI program cleaned up the low-dose scan, and then both sets of images were given to a pair of radiologists for assessment. Radiologists had 100% accuracy in detecting pneumonia and other lung problems with the AI-cleaned low-dose scans, but 91% to 98% accuracy in examining the scans that hadn’t been improved through AI, results show.

"This pilot study identified infection with a fraction of the radiation dose," Klug said. "This approach could drive larger studies and ultimately reshape clinical guidelines, making denoised ultra-low dose CT the new standard for young immunocompromised patients.

How Can You Detect Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid or pus and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The symptoms can range from milk to severe, which includes:

Coughing with or without cough

Fever

Chills

Trouble breathing

Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply or coughing

Sweating or chills

Rapid heart rate

Loss of appetite

Bluish skin, lips, and nails

Confusion.

How to detect Pneumonia in coughing newborns and toddlers?

Pneumonia can severely affect newborns and young children as their lungs are comparatively more sensitive. As per Dr Goyal, young children can cough for various reasons including seasonal infections and tonsillitis, which is very common in this age group. But if they look visibly irritable and have poor sleep patterns, then parents must reach out to an expert. "I am not saying that parents must visit a hospital but any local paediatrician would be able to detect pneumonia in your kid.

The Times Network India Health Summit 2026 – South Edition, held on June 20 in Hyderabad, honored the outstanding contributions of doctors and innovations across the Indian healthcare sector.

The event brought together leading voices from government, medicine, research, and the healthcare industry to discuss the future of India's healthcare system.

Across three panel discussions, experts deliberated on the growing burden of obesity and anemia in the country, the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and whether AI could outpace doctors, as well as the increasing incidence of violence against doctors and healthcare workers.

The summit featured renowned doctors, policymakers, hospital leaders, researchers and healthcare innovators. Discussions also covered preventive healthcare, artificial intelligence, women's health, public health policy and medical innovation.

The event was powered by Tamashii, with Gigglu as the associate partner, BMW Krishna Automotive as the automobile partner, Sumadhura as the real estate partner, and VOH (Voice of Healthcare) as the knowledge partner.

Also read: Times Network Health Summit 2026: Ignoring Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Can Lead to Anemia, Says Top Gynecologist

Times Network India Health Awards 2026 Winners

Serena Williams has openly spoken up about her weight loss struggle after the birth of her second daughter in 2023. As she returns to competitive tennis at the age of 44, discussion around her much leaner appearance was sparked again. Williams has been candid about attributing her weight loss to a GLP-1 drug called Zepbound.

Serena Williams Lost 34 Pounds With Zepbound

As Serena Williams made a high-profile return to singles competition at Wimbledon on June 30, fans did not miss the difference in her physique.

In 2025, Williams revealed that she was able to shed about 34 to 38 pounds (15 to 17 kg) with the help of the prescription GLP-1 medication Zepbound (tirzepatide), alongside regular exercise and healthy eating.

Her comeback to the sport also sparked debate over whether GLP-1 medications provide a competitive advantage and if they should be banned. But as of now, GLP-1 drugs are not banned by the anti-doping authorities.

She also emphasized that the medication was an addition to, not a replacement for her existing fitness habits. According to NBC, she announced a partnership with the company Ro, which prescribes GLP-1 medications through telehealth.

Also read: Did Donald Trump Take Eli Lilly's Weight Loss Drug? What Did White House Say

The RO website features Williams, stating: “After kids, she was doing everything right, but nothing worked. Ro finally helped her get back to her strongest self," it says. "After losing weight with another GLP-1 provider, Serena chose Ro to continue her weight loss journey. She has used both branded vials and pens.”

In a conversation with People that her weight struggle began after the birth of her daughter. She said that she was not able to get to the weight she wanted regardless of her efforts.

She said, “It was crazy because I'd never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy, and could never get down to where I needed to be at.”

Apart from weight loss, she also spoke about other benefits she experienced after starting Zepbound.

She said, “I just can do more. I'm more active. My joints don't hurt as much. I just feel like something as simple as just getting down is a lot easier for me. And I do it a lot faster. I feel like I have a lot of energy, and it's great. I just feel pretty good about it.”

What Is Zepbound And How It Is Different From Ozempic?

Zepbound’s active ingredient is tirzepatide. While it is called GLP-1 medication, it is more than that. It mirrors two hormones that your body naturally releases after you eat:

GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1)

This hormone makes you feel full sooner, slows stomach emptying, so food stays in your stomach longer, reducing appetite. It also helps the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar rises.

GIP (Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide)

This improves insulin response, enhances metabolism, and works together with GLP-1 to produce greater weight loss than GLP-1 alone.

Zepbound's two-way action is the biggest factor that distinguishes it from Ozempic. The latter mimics only one hormone, GLP 1, which reduces appetite and hunger by promoting a feeling of fullness.

Zepbound, on the other hand, performs the function of GLP-1 while also improving insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism effectively.

A suspected Ebola case at a hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, has been ruled out after the patient tested negative for the virus, health officials confirmed.

The patient was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in the early hours of June 30.

The precautionary response had prompted heightened infection control measures and an assessment by specialist teams, but authorities said there is no confirmed case of Ebola and no risk to the wider public based on current findings.

"The test result has now been received and is negative," said a spokesperson from the Public Health Scotland (PHS).

If confirmed, it would have been the first case in the UK since an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in May.

The PHS noted it has established protocols including contact tracing, clinical assessment and precautionary testing for assessing and testing travelers arriving in the UK from areas affected by Ebola.

Ebola Outbreak Continues in Africa

Also read: Ebola Outbreak: The Unique Symptoms Seen In Patients Infected With Bundibugyo

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 1,333, including 399 deaths, government data showed on Tuesday (June 30, 2026).

The confirmed cases have been recorded from three provinces – Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.

The virus has now also reached Haut-Uele province, which borders South Sudan and the Central African Republic, according to AFP.

Haut-Uele province is home to around 15 million people. Health officials said the first case in Haut-Uele was detected after an infected person travelled from Bunia, the capital of Ituri. The patient later died, according to sources at the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB).

The outbreak in Africa was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) in May. So far, the deadly disease has been limited to Congo and Uganda. A case of Ebola was reported in France in a doctor who contracted the virus while on a humanitarian mission in Congo.

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised its emergency response to the outbreak to Level 1, its highest activation level. The designation, reserved for the most severe public health emergencies, allows the agency to deploy its maximum response capacity.

Despite the escalation, the CDC said the risk of Ebola spreading to the United States remains low.

What Is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Since then, more than 30 outbreaks have been recorded, primarily in Central and West Africa.

Common Symptoms of Ebola

• Fever
• Headache
• Weakness and fatigue
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
• Unexplained bleeding or bruising

In severe cases, the disease can lead to organ failure, internal bleeding, shock, and death. Aid organizations warn that without stronger surveillance, expanded testing, faster laboratory turnaround times, and more effective contact tracing, the outbreak could continue to grow in the coming weeks and months.

Unlike flu or Covid, Ebola is not an airborne virus, so it is not spread simply by being near an infected person.