Credit: Canva
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.
Credit: Chester Zoo
In a world first, a 15-foot reticulated python named Jodie Foster has successfully undergone electrochemotherapy, a pioneering cancer treatment usually used in humans.
The reticulated python is a species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the world’s longest snake and the third heaviest.
The 50kg python, named Jodie Foster after the Hollywood star, underwent the treatment after being diagnosed with fibrosarcoma, a malignant tumor, in her jaw. The tumor was initially removed through surgery but later returned and began invading her jawbone.
“Months later, 50kg Jodie Foster is cancer-free and back to her usual ‘bright and feisty’ self,” Chester Zoo in the UK said in a statement.
Keepers became concerned when Jodie started eating less and became more inactive. Tests confirmed a fibrosarcoma in her jaw. Vets initially removed the tumor through surgery.
Tests confirmed she had a fibrosarcoma, a malignant tumor, in her jaw. Although vets initially removed the tumor, it later returned and started destroying part of her jawbone. Doctors feared further surgery alone would not be enough and that the tumor could eventually make it difficult for her to eat.
“We were facing the possibility of losing her as the tumor made it more and more difficult for her to eat, so we worked with cancer specialists to see whether we could adapt electrochemotherapy for a snake," said Ian Ashpole, Veterinary Officer at Chester Zoo :
“As far as we're aware, this is the first time it's ever been used in one," Ashpole added.
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With no operating table large enough for a python of Jodie's size, the veterinary team had to improvise.
For the operation that lasted 90 minutes, Jodie was first anaesthetized in her habitat before being taken to the veterinary center.
Two operating tables were placed together to create a surface roughly the size of a double bed. Heated blankets and warm air were also used to keep her body temperature stable.
Dr. Ashpole first removed the tumor and performed a hemi-mandibulectomy, removing part of the diseased jawbone. Electrochemotherapy was then used to target any remaining cancer cells.

According to Cancer Research UK, electrochemotherapy combines chemotherapy with small electrical pulses.
It is used to treat some cancers that begin in the skin or have spread to the skin. However, its use in Jodie Foster marks a world first in veterinary medicine for a snake.
“Electrochemotherapy is an emerging treatment, and this was the first time it had been used in a snake,” said Jose Alvares Picornell, Department of Small Animal Clinical Science, University of Liverpool, who was part of the three-hour-long surgery.
The treatment combines the cancer drug bleomycin with carefully controlled electrical pulses delivered directly to the tumor site.
Read More: Microplastics Found In Anchovies’ Edible Muscle: What It Means For Brain Health
Despite losing part of her jawbone, Jodie's appetite and hunting ability have not been affected, the Zoo officials said, adding that she continues to strike, grip and swallow food without difficulty.
Months of observation have shown no problems with feeding, and a final check confirmed that she remains free of signs of the cancer returning. The officials added that Jodie is eating normally, exploring her habitat and behaving as usual.
“Seeing her back to her normal bright and feisty self has been incredibly rewarding. A few months ago, we genuinely didn't know whether she'd survive," Dr Ashpole added.
Credit: iStock
Delhi is witnessing a significant rise in influenza A H1N1 infections, with the cumulative tally reportedly reaching 1,777.
As per National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) data, Delhi recorded 1,449 H1N1 cases up to August 12, more than six times the 229 cases reported during the same period last year. Mumbai and Bengaluru are also reporting a sharp rise in cases.
Amid the rise, Union Health Minister JP Nadda reviewed preparedness, including:
The “situation is being closely and continuously monitored”, said Nadda. The Health Minister also emphasized continued vigilance, robust surveillance and proactive preparedness, along with respiratory and hand hygiene.
People with persistent or severe respiratory symptoms, breathing difficulty or other warning signs were advised to seek medical attention promptly.
The Health Ministry is coordinating with States/UTs, hospitals, laboratories and other stakeholders for early detection, timely clinical management and effective surveillance of seasonal influenza, including H1N1.
Doctors Flag Atypical H1N1 Symptoms
Dr. Atul Kakkar, Senior Consultant and Head of Department, Internal Medicine, Sir Gangaram Hospital, told HealthandMe that H1N1 cases are significantly higher than last year, possibly partly due to seasonal changes.
Most patients are presenting with flu-like symptoms, cold, cough, body aches, and upper respiratory tract infections.
However, doctors are also seeing atypical symptoms.
“We are seeing patients having diarrhea also and myalgias, which are getting very, very frequent.”
Patients at extreme ages are more prone to complications and may require oxygen, high-flow oxygen, NIV or BiPAP, he said.
Those at higher risk include people who are unvaccinated against flu, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and those with COPD, bronchial asthma, cancer or on immunosuppressive treatment.
“Evidence shows early antiviral treatment reduces complications and hospital stay, so we must expand rapid diagnostic capacity across primary care centres and ensure affordable antivirals are available at the point of care,” Dr. Sabine Kapasi, Global Health Strategist and UN Advisor, told HealthandMe.
What Is H1N1?
H1N1 is a subtype of influenza A virus. Common symptoms include:
The virus mainly spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
Children can also spread the virus before they realize they are sick.
Red-flag symptoms include:
As per experts, H1N1 infection may also be associated with cardiovascular complications, including:
Dr. Saurabh Gupta, Associate Director, Internal Medicine, Yashoda Medicity, said H1N1 may cause fluctuations in heart rhythm or inflammation involving the heart.
“Those with pre-existing heart conditions should be more vigilant whilst they’re recuperating. As the infection puts more work on the body, you can find that previous heart problems are more noticeable,” he added.
People recovering from H1N1 should seek medical attention if they develop:
Chitetsu Watanabe recognised as the world’s oldest man by Guinness World Records on 12 February 2020, died at the age 112. Pic: Reuters
Research shows that there are an estimated 300 to 450 living supercentenarians—people aged 110 or older—around the world at any given time. Japan is particularly known for healthy ageing, with an average life expectancy of over 84 years and nearly 100,000 centenarians.
While maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle may partly explain their longevity, a new study by a A team of Japanese scientists suggests that it may also be linked to an abundance of cancer-fighting immune cells.
The human immune system has specialized cells called CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD4 CTLs), which have been shown to kill tumor cells in some cancers.
When a person gets sick, these cells multiply through a process called clonal expansion to help fight infection.
The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, showed that these immune cells may also play a role in healthy ageing among supercentenarians.
“Immune aging is not simply a process of decline,” said first author Kosuke Hashimoto, an associate professor at the University of Osaka in Japan.
“The selective expansion of certain T cells suggests that, even in extreme old age, the immune system may continue to adapt to age-related challenges,” Hashimoto added.
CD4 CTLs are a cellular signature of supercentenarians—people who live to age 110 and beyond. The researchers discovered that these cells expand and adapt within this older population.
“CD4 CTLs are an atypical and relatively rare T cell population,” Hashimoto said. “So, their marked increase in supercentenarians may provide important clues as to how the immune system is maintained in extreme old age.”
The small study analyzed blood samples from 28 adults divided into three age groups:
The findings showed that the proportion of CD4 CTLs increased with age, with median percentages of 4%, 9.6% and 17.6%, respectively.
Researchers found that older adults may be responding to persistent immune threats. As a result, CD4 CTLs clone themselves when the immune system is under attack.
The most prominent clone accounted for an average of 33.3% of CD4 CTLs, indicating that older adults may be responding to persistent immune threats. In one centenarian’s blood sample, a single clone accounted for 53.8% of their CD4 CTLs.
Next, researchers matched the receptor sequences of each participant’s top CD4 CTL clone with those in a public database. Nearly three dozen matches belonged to people with cancer, namely lung, breast and liver cancers.
Because none of the centenarians or supercentenarians studied had been diagnosed with these cancers, researchers theorized that their CD4 CTL expansion may reflect early immune responses.
“Some CD4 CTLs may recognize cancer-related targets, although their exact targets remain unknown,” Hashimoto said.
The study, which focused on T cells circulating in the blood, does not prove that having an abundance of CD4 CTLs prevents cancer or causes a person to live longer.
Hashimoto said the team’s next step is to research how these cells behave in human tissues.
“As we age, abnormal cells, including senescent and cancerous cells, become more common,” Hashimoto said. “Our findings suggest that immune adaptation to these changes may contribute to exceptional longevity.”
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