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 Clarence High School in Bengaluru's Richards Town has suspended offline classes temporarily after more than 500 students and 21 staff members reported flu-like symptoms.

According to reports, at least two students have tested positive for H1N1 and one staff member is undergoing treatment at Bangalore Baptist Hospital. The school has been shut down as a precautionary measure as health officials continue to investigate the outbreak.

But before panicking, it is important to understand that 500-plus people falling sick suddenly does not mean there are 500 H1N1 cases. Many of those affected have reported common flu-like symptoms like fever, cough, cold, and body aches, and testing is needed to determine the exact cause.

What Is H1N1?

H1N1 is a subtype of influenza A virus. Patients with H1N1 may present common flu-like symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, runny or blocked nose, headache, fatigue, and body aches. Some children may also experience gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting or diarrhoea.

The contagious infection spreads mainly through respiratory droplets that get released when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. Crowded spaces like classrooms, school buses, and playgrounds can provide plenty of opportunities for virus transmission.

Children may spread the virus to others before realising they are sick, making it difficult to contain an outbreak.

Also read: H1N1 Flu Rising in India: Why Heart Patients Need to Watch

What Symptoms Must Parents Look For?

School settings are particularly prone to respiratory infections as children spend hours together indoors and frequently share objects and touch common surfaces.

In the Bengaluru case, school authorities have also raised concerns about sanitation and waste accumulation around nearby street-food vendors, although this has not been established as the cause of the H1N1 infections.

It is important to understand that not every seasonal flu is caused by H1N1 virus. But isolate your child if he or she child presents the following symptoms:

• High fever or chills
• Persistent cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or blocked nose
• Headache
• Significant body aches
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Vomiting or diarrhoea in some children

Please note that not every child with flu will develop a fever. So the absence of fever does not necessarily rule out influenza.

While most children recover without serious complications, some are at greater risk of severe influenza, including very young children and those with conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or neurological disorders.

Also read: Why Humidity Can Worsen Sinus Symptoms Even Without An Infection?

When Should Parents Seek Urgent Medical Help?

Certain symptoms should not be dismissed as 'just the flu'. Seek urgent medical attention if a child develops the following symptoms as they can indicate complications like pneumonia, severe dehydration, or other serious effects of influenza.

• Difficulty breathing or very rapid breathing
• Chest pain
• Blue or grey lips or face
• Severe dehydration or very little urine
• Persistent vomiting
• Seizures
• Severe weakness or unusual drowsiness
• A child who is difficult to wake or does not respond normally

India's National Centre for Disease Control lists breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, falling blood pressure and bluish discolouration among warning signs that warrant urgent medical attention.

Also read: Delhi Sees Nearly 6x Rise In H1N1 Cases: How Is It Different From Other Respiratory Infections?

Precautionary Measures Parents Must Take

Not every child with a cough or fever needs an H1N1 test. Testing decisions should be made by a doctor based on the child's symptoms, exposure, and risk factors.

Parents should also avoid administering antibiotics on their own. Remember that H1N1 is a viral infection, so antibiotics is not the right course of treatment.

If a child develops flu-like symptoms, the most important step is not to send them to school. Parents should also:

• Instruct them to wash hands frequently
• Teach children to cover while coughing and sneezing
• Avoid sharing bottles, utensils and towels
• Limit close contact with others while the child is sick
• Keep commonly touched surfaces clean
• Speak to a doctor about seasonal influenza vaccination, particularly for children at higher risk

American model and actress Paris Jackson has opened up about battling depression and dealing with suicide attempts.

In a recent podcast, Jackson revealed that she underwent electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which she said helped her. While describing the treatment as “painful,” she said it was not a “barbaric” experience.

The 28-year-old said she underwent nine ECT sessions over three weeks, with each session performed under general anesthesia.

Paris Jackson Describes Her ECT Experience

Jackson recalled that she had to replace the metal from her facial piercings with plastic earrings before undergoing the treatment.

“You go in, you get your hospital gown, they knock you out, strap you down, put a bite guard on your mouth [and] electrocute you,” she said while describing the procedure.

“It helps with the neuroplasticity in your brain,” Paris continued. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s still the leading most effective form of depression treatment.”

She said the first couple of sessions were “painful” and that she experienced significant side effects.

“The first time I woke up, and it was the most sharp pain I have ever experienced inside of my head,” she recalled, describing it as soreness after being electrocuted. She also said there were days when she felt “completely not in my head at all.”

Jackson Tried Several Treatments Before ECT

Jackson has previously opened up about her suicide attempts, describing her experience of self-hatred, low self-esteem and feelings that she was not worthy of living.

She has also spoken about engaging in behaviours she felt were inappropriate for her age and trying to grow up too quickly.

Before undergoing ECT, Jackson said she had tried “everything,” including multiple medications and treatment at “five different institutions.”

She also tried CBD, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).

She recalled trying different forms of therapy, saying, “I had talked to the empty chair, held the pillow, beat the things with bats while screaming.”

Jackson also underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which she said “helped a little bit with [her] OCD but had no effect on [her] depression.”

Her psychiatrist subsequently brought up ECT as another treatment option.

Jackson now focuses on “holistic health” to make her recovery “sustainable” and sees a behavioral specialist for her OCD.

What Is Electroconvulsive Therapy?

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure performed under general anesthesia. During the treatment, small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure.

According to Mayo Clinic, ECT appears to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly improve symptoms of certain mental health conditions.

When May ECT Be Recommended?

ECT is known to rapidly improve severe symptoms of several mental health conditions. It may be used for:

• Severe depression with suicide risk
• Treatment-resistant depression
• Severe mania
• Catatonia
• Agitation and aggression in people with dementia

ECT may be considered when a person cannot tolerate medicines or has not found relief from other forms of treatment.

Can ECT Reduce Suicide Risk?

ECT can be used for severe depression accompanied by suicide risk and is known for rapidly improving severe depressive symptoms.

However, ECT is not a universal treatment for suicidal thoughts or behaviour. Its use depends on the individual's condition, medical history and response to other treatments, and it is administered under medical supervision.

ECT Side Effects

Jackson also spoke about amnesia as one of the side effects of ECT.

“Friends visited me, and I don’t remember even seeing them [even though] I have evidence. … I don’t remember the conversations,” she said.

Memory problems are a known side effect of ECT and can affect a person's ability to recall events around the time of treatment.

Amid a rise in infectious diseases, particularly measles, a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that kindergarten vaccination rates declined during the 2025-26 school year.

The report also shows an increase in vaccine exemptions among children.

Kindergarten Vaccination Rates Decline

The CDC report showed that coverage for key childhood vaccines, including measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP), polio and varicella, decreased in more than half of US states.

• DTaP vaccine coverage: 92%
• MMR vaccine coverage: 92.4%
• Polio vaccine coverage: 92.4%

The CDC, in a statement, said the data showed a 0.1% decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten.

Further, the data showed that about 280,000 kindergartners attended school without documentation of completing the MMR vaccine series during the 2025-26 school year.

Vaccine Exemptions Rise

Exemptions from one or more vaccines among US kindergartners increased to 4.2% during the 2025-26 school year, up from 3.6% in the previous school year, the CDC said.

Exemptions rose in 41 states and Washington, D.C. Of these, 24 states reported exemption rates exceeding 5%. The number of kindergartners exempt from one or more vaccines was about 155,000.

Measles Cases Hit 35-Year High

The decline in vaccination rates comes amid continued debate over the Donald Trump administration's vaccine policies and controversial changes to childhood vaccination recommendations.

Importantly, the period has seen measles cases reach levels not seen in more than three decades, threatening the US's measles elimination status.

With 38 new outbreaks reported in 2026, there have been 2,566 confirmed measles cases reported in the US as of August 13.

In comparison, a total of 2,289 confirmed measles cases were reported in the US during the full year of 2025. There were 48 outbreaks reported in 2025.

Children Account for Nearly Half of Measles Cases

In 2026, nearly 20% of measles cases, or 497 cases, were reported among children under 5 years of age. Of these, 10% were hospitalized due to the highly infectious disease. The highest number of cases was reported among children aged 5 to 19 years, with 1,222 cases, or 48%, followed by adults aged over 20, with 835 cases, or 33%.

In total, 93% of measles cases occurred among people without vaccination, and 7% were hospitalized.

AAP Warns About Falling Vaccination Rates

According to public health officials, overall measles vaccination rates should remain above 95% to maintain herd immunity.

"When it comes to vaccination rates, however, anything less than achieving an A+ grade is not good enough. For some diseases like measles, even a small decrease in vaccination rates can lead to more outbreaks of disease because community immunity requires over 95% of susceptible individuals to be immunized," said Dr. Andrew Racine, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in a statement.

He added, "This risk is real: The United States is experiencing a 35-year high for measles cases as federal officials continue to elevate misleading and disproven information about vaccines, inserting unnecessary fear and confusion into families’ decision-making. And we are seeing the results. More than a quarter of a million children started kindergarten last year without protection from the MMR vaccine."

Meanwhile, Trump signed an executive order last week calling for fewer childhood vaccinations by limiting the inoculation schedule to 11 immunizations. The order also recommended splitting the MMR vaccine into three shots taken at separate visits.