We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Radiation-Free System Helps Diagnose Scoliosis

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 09 Jun 2015
Print article
Image: The Scolioscan ultrasound scoliosis assessment system (Photo courtesy Hong Kong Polytechnic University).
Image: The Scolioscan ultrasound scoliosis assessment system (Photo courtesy Hong Kong Polytechnic University).
Novel ultrasound technology captures the spine's three-dimensional (3D) profile using bony landmarks, enabling safer and more frequent screenings for scoliosis.

Developed by researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University University (PolyU; Hong Kong), the Scolioscan device uses ultrasound to assess a patient's spine in the standing posture and generate coronal images of spinal curvature, which can then be measured to determine the severity of the scoliosis (as determined by spinal rotation and deformity along different planes). The device is radiation-free and enables safer screening whenever needed, thus avoiding the health risks posed by radiation exposure, particularly in young patients.

The examination process takes about one minute to generate an ultrasound B-scan 3D image. This allows healthcare workers to detect adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) at an early stage, or avoid unnecessary treatments for patients with stable spinal angles. It also allows close follow-up and monitoring on the progress of spinal bracing or other treatments for AIS. The product has been commercialized by Telefield Medical Imaging (Hong Kong).

“The current verification standard is based on the Cobb's angle method, used to measure spinal deformity, but it does not always represent the true value of spinal curvature,” said Prof. Yongping Zheng, PhD, MEng. “The values of spinal curvature produced by Cobb's angle can vary by up to seven degrees. Therefore, further research is needed to find a better way to verify the angles measured by the Scolioscan or ultimately establish its own standard.”

Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. Although it is a complex 3D deformity, on an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line. Scoliosis is typically classified as congenital, idiopathic, or neuromuscular, when it has developed as a secondary symptom of another condition, such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, or physical trauma.

Related Links:

Hong Kong Polytechnic University University
Telefield Medical Imaging


Gold Member
STI Test
Vivalytic Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Array
Gold Member
12-Channel ECG
CM1200B
Silver Member
Wireless Mobile ECG Recorder
NR-1207-3/NR-1207-E
New
Forceps
BiClamp LAP

Print article

Channels

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: NTT and Olympus have begun the world\'s first joint demonstration experiment of a cloud endoscopy system (Photo courtesy of Olympus)

Cloud Endoscopy System Enables Real-Time Image Processing on the Cloud

Endoscopes, which are flexible tubes inserted into the body's natural openings for internal examination and biopsy collection, are becoming increasingly vital in medical diagnostics. Their minimal invasiveness... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The PATHFAST hs-cTnI-II high-sensitivity troponin assay has been developed for the PATHFAST Biomarker Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Polymedco)

POC Myocardial Infarction Test Delivers Results in 17 Minutes

Chest pain is the second leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits by adults in the United States, generating over 7 million visits annually. In the event of a suspected heart attack, physicians... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.