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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.
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Women who are conflicted while choosing between an injectable contraceptive, a copper intrauterine device (IUD) or a hormonal implant may not need to worry about its impact on human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. While many HPV infections go away on their own without causing problems, some high-risk types can persist and increase the risk of cervical cancer in the long run.
Before this study, scientists debated whether hormonal contraceptives could affect a woman's immune response, making it easier to contract HPV or harder for the body to clear the infection.
According to a new study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Africa, your choice of contraception may not have an impact on the risk of contracting HPV.
Researchers found that women using a commonly used injectable contraceptive known as depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-IM), copper IUDs, and levonorgestrel implants had similar chances of contracting HPV and clearing existing infections.
Also read: You Can Still Get HPV If You're Not Sexually Active
The researchers examined data from women who participated in the large ECHO (Evidence for Contraceptive Options and HIV Outcomes) clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three contraceptive methods:
They then compared how often women acquired HPV during the study and how often those who already had HPV were able to clear the infection naturally. The analysis found no meaningful differences between the three contraceptive methods.
Women using the injectable contraceptive were no more likely to acquire HPV than those using a copper IUD or a hormonal implant. Similarly, women across all three groups cleared HPV infections at comparable rates.
Also read: Teplizumab: UK NHS To Roll Out World-First Drug To Delay Onset Of Type 1 Diabetes
Earlier studies finding the link between hormonal contraceptives and HPV have reported mixed results. Some suggested that hormonal birth control might increase the risk of HPV infection or make infections last longer, while others found no clear outcomes.
This new research provides stronger evidence because it is based on a randomized clinical trial. The findings suggest that the type of contraceptive a woman chooses is unlikely to have an impact on her risk of getting HPV or her body's ability to clear the infection.
The study allows women to choose between these commonly used contraceptive methods based on factors such as effectiveness, convenience, side effects, and personal preference, rather than concerns about HPV risk.
However, experts stress that no contraceptive method protects against sexually transmitted infections, including HPV. Using condoms can help reduce the risk of HPV and other STIs.
The human papillomavirus causes more than 200 known infections. While some types lead to benign skin warts, others are responsible for severe health threats, such as cervical, throat, anal, and penile cancers. The HPV vaccine provides strong protection against the most lethal strains, avoiding long-term health complications.
The HPV vaccine helps the immune system recognize and fight off high-risk strains of the virus before they cause harm. It protects against:
Experts also stress that HPV vaccination and regular cervical cancer screening remain the most effective ways to prevent cervical cancer and detect abnormal changes early.
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People in the UK can, from today, access the Wegovy weight loss pill through pharmacies with a doctor's prescription. It is the first oral glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medicine approved in the UK for weight loss.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the tablet on June 11, marking the first oral GLP-1 treatment available in the country for obesity management.
"Having met the MHRA's rigorous standards of safety, quality and effectiveness, the semaglutide tablet has been approved in the UK for weight loss and weight management," Julian Beach, Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access at the MHRA, said in a statement.
"As with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, this is a prescription-only medication," Beach added.
Novo Nordisk called it an "important milestone for obesity care in the UK".
"For the first time, people living with obesity have access to a GLP-1 treatment in a daily pill, allowing them the choice and flexibility of oral treatment to support their long-term weight management," said Sebnem Avsar Tuna, General Manager at Novo Nordisk UK.
Also read: US Medicare Set To Cover GLP-1 Drugs For Weight Loss: All You Should Know About Eligibility, Costs
The semaglutide (Wegovy) tablet can be prescribed alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for adults who:
Patients must begin with the lowest dose of 1.5 mg once daily, which can be gradually increased to:
People currently taking 2.4 mg weekly semaglutide injections privately can switch directly to 25 mg semaglutide tablets once daily.
Read More: This 45-Minute Weight-Loss Procedure May Work Better Than Semaglutide Pills, Study Claims
According to the MHRA, the tablet should be:
Patients are advised to carefully follow the instructions in the Patient Information Leaflet.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that mimics the action of the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone released after eating.
It acts on areas of the brain that regulate appetite by:
Not yet. Although the medicine has received MHRA approval, it is not currently available through the NHS.
The MHRA said NHS availability will depend on the usual evaluation process by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
NICE said Novo Nordisk has not yet formally approached it, but that it is in active discussions with the company, BBC reported.
The most commonly reported side effects are gastrointestinal and include:
The MHRA said it will continue to monitor the medicine's safety and effectiveness. Anyone experiencing side effects should speak to their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse and report them through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
Community pharmacies say they are preparing for a surge in demand following the launch. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) urged patients to obtain the medicine only from regulated pharmacies following a proper clinical consultation.
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is battling one of its deadliest Ebola outbreaks in recent years. While it is driving innovation in medical science with new clinical trials and diagnostic tests, it is also a stark reminder of the urgency to contain the outbreak as soon as possible.
According to the latest data, the death toll in DRC has now crossed 500 with at least 1,528 cases that are reported and confirmed.
While Ebola is not a new disease, the current outbreak stands apart because it is being caused by a rare strain of the virus, Bundibugyo.
Unlike previous outbreaks dominated by the Zaire strain of Ebola, the current epidemic, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, is a much less common species of the Ebola virus family.
The rarity of the strain has created unique scientific and emergency public health challenges, as there is currently no licensed vaccine designed to protect against Bundibugyo Ebola virus.
During outbreaks caused by the Zaire strain, vaccination became an important part of outbreak control. In the current epidemic, however, public health officials are being forced to rely heavily on rapid diagnosis, infection prevention, surveillance, and existing medical care.
Read more: Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Grips NYC After At Least 14 Cases Reported Across 2 Neighborhoods
In a major scientific breakthrough, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently added the first molecular diagnostic test for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus to its Emergency Use Listing (EUL).
The test detects the virus's genetic material in blood samples, enabling laboratories to confirm infections more quickly and accurately.
WHO and its partners have launched the first clinical trial specifically evaluating treatments for Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.
Researchers are testing the experimental monoclonal antibody MBP134, the antiviral drug remdesivir, and a combination of both to determine whether they can improve survival.
The Bundibugyo virus was first identified in Uganda in 2007 and has caused only a few outbreaks since then. As infections have been relatively uncommon compared to the Zaire strain, researchers have had limited opportunities to develop vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests.
Due to this, healthcare workers have been compelled to rely primarily on rapid isolation of patients, intensive supportive care, contact tracing, and strict infection prevention measures to slow transmission.
Currently, Eastern DRC is the hotspot for the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, where conflict, population displacement, skepticism, and insecurity have made it difficult for health workers to reach affected locations.
Here, access to healthcare still remains uneven in many areas. Additionally, movement of people across districts and states in the country can accelerate the spread of infection significantly.
As scientists race to validate new diagnostics and evaluate experimental treatments, the Bundibugyo outbreak is becoming more than a public health emergency. It is also serving as a critical test of how quickly the global health community can develop and deploy new tools against an emerging infectious disease.
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