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.

Over 70 residents in Supertech Ecovillage-3, Royal Court Society and Himalaya Pride Society, Greater Noida have contracted food poisoning after they consumed a specific batch of buckwheat (kuttu) flour during Mahashivratri this weekend.

The widespread outbreak has caused panic and triggered a police investigation. As a result, officials sealed Prashant General Store, a retail shop in Royal Court Society and HD Spices, a primary warehouse in Chipiyana Buzurg village suspected of selling the spoiled batch.

Moreover, four people including the warehouse owner have now been detained by the Bisrakh police. Assistant Commissioner of Food, Noida, Sarvesh Kumar said lab tests are yet to confirm whether the infection was due to bacterial contamination, fungal toxins or adulteration.

This incident adds to a troubling trend of food and water contamination in the area, a topic that has recently reached discussions in Parliament. Improper storage allows toxic molds like aflatoxins to grow, triggering rapid-onset vomiting and dehydration, especially on the empty stomachs of fasters.

This "Buckwheat flour poisoning" occurs because the flour's high natural oil content makes it highly perishable; when stored in humid or warm conditions, these oils oxidize, creating a breeding ground for toxic molds and bacteria.

Why Is Buckwheat (Kuttu) Flour Harmful For Your Health?

Despite its reputation as a "pure" fasting food, buckwheat flour carries a hidden risk: its high natural oil content. Unlike refined grains, these healthy fats are highly unstable; when exposed to heat or moisture, they oxidize and turn rancid.

This transformation from a nutrient-dense staple to a source of food poisoning commonly occurs when households treat it like a non-perishable grocery item rather than the sensitive, short-lived ingredient it actually is.

The real danger of buckwheat flour lies in storage. Because buckwheat flour is used sporadically, it often sits in pantries in unsealed packets, warm cupboards or humid environments for months and becomes a silent breeding ground for dangerous molds and bacteria over time

The degradation is often hard to spot; a faint bitter aroma or slightly clumpy texture can easily be hidden by the strong spices and oils used in traditional fasting recipes.

Along with this, expired or damp buckwheat flour can harbor aflatoxins and other toxic compounds beneath the surface. Once ingested, these irritants attack the stomach lining, triggering a rapid physical "rejection," usually within just a few hours.

What Is Buckwheat-Caused Food Poisoning?

• Intense Nausea and Vomiting: Usually the first sign, as the body tries to expel the toxins.
• Acute Abdominal Pain: Sharp cramps or bloating in the stomach area.
• Fever and Chills: A sudden rise in body temperature as the immune system reacts.
• Diarrhea (Loose Motions): Frequent and watery stools.
• Extreme Weakness: Feeling dizzy, shaky, or completely drained of energy.
• Dehydration: Dry mouth and reduced urination due to fluid loss.

How To Safely Store Your Flour

• Buy Small, Buy Fresh: Purchase only the amount needed for the current fasting period. Avoid bulk buying buckwheat flour to store for the next season.
• Check the Date: Always look for the manufacturing date. If it’s more than two months old, it may already be turning rancid.
• Airtight & Cool: Transfer the flour to an airtight glass or metal container immediately. Store it in a cool, dry place, or better yet, refrigerate it to slow the oxidation of its natural oils.
• The "Sensory" Test: Before cooking, smell the flour. If it has a bitter, soapy, or musty aroma, throw it away. Fresh buckwheat flour should have a mild, nutty scent.
• Keep it Dry: Ensure your hands and measuring cups are completely dry before touching the flour, as moisture triggers fungal growth.
• Don't Mix Batches: Never mix new flour with old leftovers from a previous fast.

Who Is At The Highest Risk?

While anyone can get food poisoning, women, children and the elderly are at the highest risk. The practice of fasting can actually make the illness more dangerous. On an empty stomach, even a small amount of mold or bacteria can trigger an explosive physical response.

Furthermore, fasting usually involves lower water intake; once vomiting or diarrhea begins, the body loses its remaining fluid reserves instantly, leading to rapid, severe dehydration.

In a rare medical miracle, a team of doctors in New Delhi successfully treated a five-day-old baby diagnosed with congenital hydrocephalus -- a rare neurological condition caused by the abnormal accumulation of Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain.

While CSF acts as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord, as well as provides essential immunological protection, when in excess, it can increase pressure, cause tissue damage and turn fatal if untreated.

The baby boy, born to a family from Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, was born with an enlarged head that raised the potential for neurological damage.

However, as the doctors at HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, had detected the condition during the last trimester of the pregnancy, they initiated the treatment soon after the baby was born.

“The biggest advantage was the early diagnosis during pregnancy, which allowed us to plan the surgery well in advance,” said Dr. Anurag Saxena, Cluster Head, Neurosurgery, at HCMCT Manipal Hospital.

How Did The Doctors Save His Life?

The 34-year-old expectant mother, also from Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, underwent a fetal MRI to help doctors assess the extent of the condition while she was still pregnant.

Once born, the baby boy underwent a surgical procedure that drained the excess fluid from his brain.

The highly delicate neurosurgical procedure involved the placement of a programmable ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, which helped drain excess fluid from the brain and relieve intracranial pressure.

Explaining the intricacies involved in the surgery of newborns, Dr. Saxena said: "Performing neurosurgery in a newborn is always challenging due to the delicate anatomy, very low circulating blood volume, risks of hypothermia, and the complexities of anesthesia. However, timely intervention and a multidisciplinary team helped us achieve a positive outcome."

What is Congenital Hydrocephalus?

It affects an estimated 2.2 to 18 per 10,000 live births globally. Its prevalence is much higher (up to 12.3 per 10,000) in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Latin America.

In India, it has an estimated incidence of roughly 0.2-0.5 per 1,000 live births, though some studies suggest rates as high as 3-4 per 1,000 births. Boys are more susceptible to the condition than girls.

It can occur due to problems in brain development during pregnancy, genetic factors, or blocked fluid flow, which can further lead to serious brain damage if not treated in time. However, early diagnosis and treatment are key.

“Congenital hydrocephalus can cause serious and irreversible neurological damage. If left unaddressed, it can lead to severe brain injury, developmental delays, seizures, and may also turn life-threatening,” Dr. Saxena said.

“Following surgery, the baby showed a smooth and stable recovery in the NICU, with no post-operative complications. Early intervention not only ensured a successful surgical outcome but also significantly reduced the risk of long-term complications,” added Dr. Meenu Grewal, Consultant – Neonatologist at the HCMCT Manipal Hospital.

Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has announced a collaboration with the Gates Foundation to provide universal access to modern and affordable healthcare to its residents.

In alignment with Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s vision for ‘Healthy Andhra Pradesh', Yadav announced that the changes will make medical services more accessible and technologically advanced.

He also noted that the partnership will improve nutritional food security and public health outcomes, shift treatment planning from reactive to preventive and focus on a predictive healthcare approach. It also focuses on nutrition programs and digital medical services, moving beyond traditional treatment models.

Yadav further added that the government plans to introduce early disease detection systems, personalized health profiling, advance warning mechanisms for potential illnesses, individual health cards and expanded digital health services, including telemedicine.

The Health Minister assured residents that the State has created a high-power expert advisory group comprising of 10 international experts to review existing healthcare systems and recommend reforms, based on the Foundation's suggestion. Three sub-committees are also being formed to focus on specific areas, he added.

What Role Will AI Play In These Reforms?

“Around 100 applicants participated and, after two rounds of screening, 20 were shortlisted, he said. The shortlisted technologies are currently being tested in government hospitals under a pilot program and a final winner will be decided by the end of March.

Yadav explained that the program's focus areas included AI-based diagnostic tests, portable point-of-care testing centres, smart monitoring and wearable devices, telemedicine tools for remote areas and data integration and disease surveillance.

He said health data collected from various sources will be integrated with the RTGS “Aware” platform to enable early detection of disease outbreaks and data-driven policy formulation, which will help the state go-through with its planned reforms.

Andhra Pradesh Plans To Ban Social Media For Teenagers

Nara Lokesh, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance and Human Resources Development Minister for Andhra Pradesh, told Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland: "As a state, we are studying Australia’s under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment.

READ MORE:Living in High-Rises Linked to Higher Air Pollution Exposure, IIT Delhi Study Finds

"Youngsters below a certain age should not be on such platforms, as they do not fully understand the content they are exposed to. Thus, a strong legal framework may be required."

TDP national spokesperson Deepak Reddy supported Lokesh's claim and stated: "Children below a certain age are not emotionally mature enough to comprehend the negative and harmful content that is freely available online. That is why the Andhra government is studying global best practices and examining Australia's under-16 social media law."

If implemented successfully, Andhra Pradesh would be the first Indian state to issue the ban and could pave the way for other states to consider such policies. State officials are yet to clarify when the rule will be implemented and if any fines will be attached to it.