A new highly-sensitive cardiac scanner using magnetic field analysis will make earlier diagnosis of heart conditions possible.

The new portable magnetometer, developed from research in quantum physics, is being developed at the University of Leeds with support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

The device’s unique sensitivity to magnetic fluctuations enables it to detect a number of conditions, including heart problems in foetuses, earlier than currently available scanners.

The portable magnetometer will also be cheaper, smaller, simpler to operate and able to gather more information than other technologies. For the first time, nurses as well as doctors will be able to carry out heart scans. The device can be used through clothes, and can be taken to a patient’s home.

“What we’ve been able to do is combine existing technology from the areas of atomic physics and medical physics in a completely unique way,” said Professor Ben Varcoe, who is leading the research team.

The new magnetometer can reveal tiny variations in the heart’s distinctive magnetic ‘signature’ that indicate a cardiac condition. The team is working to miniaturise the device, which could be ready for use in routine diagnosis within three years.

“Early detection of heart conditions improves the prospects for successful treatment. This system will also quickly identify people who need immediate treatment,” said Professor Varcoe. “But our device won’t just benefit patients – it will also help ease the strain on healthcare resources and hospital waiting lists.”

The device is expected to be particularly effective in detecting ischaemic heart disease. It could also shorten surgical procedures to correct cardiac arrhythmia: scanning the heart with the new device during the operation would offer a much quicker way of pinpointing the node to be cauterised, reducing the time needed by 80%.

Portable magnetometer

Health Minister Mike O’Brien MP has visited the 3M Health Care site at Loughborough to see the company’s advanced medical products.

Mr O’Brien was given a tour of the Derby Road manufacturing site, where more than 1,000 medical devices and other healthcare products are marketed.

The site has recently seen the installation of a production line for the Cavilon durable barrier cream, which protects the skin of incontinent patients. Global manufacturing of this product has moved here from the USA.

The Minister was also given a demonstration of the new Littmann 3100 stethoscope, which amplifies sound up to 24 times more than a standard stethoscope while reducing background noise by 85%. This year, 3M plans to launch the 3200 model, which uses Bluetooth technology to transmit sounds wirelessly to the patient’s electronic record or to another consultant.

Gary Stapleton, Director of 3M Health Care, said: “Clinical trials are currently under way in the UK which combine use of the 3200 stethoscope with advanced diagnostic software to better detect heart murmurs. Such timely intervention will help save lives and offer significant savings for the NHS. We were delighted to be able to share these latest technologies with the Minister.”

Mike O’Brien commented: “Innovation in medical technology can play a vital role in helping the NHS meet changing care needs and increase efficiency. We are therefore keen to support businesses which produce in the UK to help them succeed not only in the domestic market but also internationally, and champion the UK as a global partner of choice to overseas companies.”

3M is a diversified technology company. The UK and Ireland is home to one of its largest subsidiaries outside the USA.

Mike O’Brien (third from left) at 3M

A new spin-out company from Cardiff University aims to bring a range of innovative surgical instruments to market.

Asalus Medical Instruments is developing three innovative devices aimed to improve the safety and efficiency of laparoscopic or ‘keyhole’ surgery.

The surgical start-up is a new portfolio company from Sheffield-based Fusion IP, which owns the exclusive rights to commercialise research from Cardiff and Sheffield universities.

Neil Warren, founder and Chief Technical Officer of Asalus, said: “Fusion’s support, both commercially and financially, has been invaluable and we look forward to bringing our novel product range to market in the near future.”

The combined power of commercial investment and scientific expertise was highlighted by Dominic Griffiths, Portfolio Investment Manager of Fusion Cardiff and Director of Asalus: “This is a great example of how the injection of know-how and money from the commercial sector can facilitate the rapid conversion of Cardiff’s world-class IP pipeline into businesses with real value.

“Asalus has a great opportunity to be a developer of some of the UK’s leading laparoscopic devices, and we look forward to supporting the company as it commercialises its product range.”

Digital mammography delivers 22% less radiation on average than film mammography, according to a study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

The study, part-financed by the National Cancer Institute in the USA, indicates that digital radiology is preferable on safety grounds – but not that film mammography should be avoided as such.

The study analysed the results of the 2005 Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial, involving 49,528 women. It found that digital mammograms detected up to 28% more cancers than film mammograms in women aged below 50 who had not experienced menopause and women with dense breast tissue.

Carol Lee, Chair of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Commission, said the new study showed that digital mammography “can be achieved with overall a lower radiation dose”. Lowering the dose is preferable, she said: “We certainly want to keep radiation doses as low as possible and still achieve the desired goal of a good image.”

However, Lee emphasised that where digital mammography is not available, women should not avoid film mammograms if these are recommended.

A new report from the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) draws up a road map for the advancement of the life science industries in the UK through collaboration between the public, private and academic sectors.

Life Sciences 2010: Delivering the Blueprint has been welcomed by industry trade associations as taking forward and building on the measures proposed in the OLS Blueprint six months ago.

The OLS initiative has focused on improving the commercial environment of the life science industries, with participation from trade associations representing medtech, biotech and pharma.

The report brings together existing and impending measures aimed at improving the route from UK innovation to NHS practice. These include:

• Industry-Higher Education Forum – bringing together relevant stakeholders to identify critical disciplines and skills gaps within life science research.

• Capability Clusters – strengthening collaborative work between the NHS, academia and industry to develop new therapies (focusing initially on respiratory and inflammatory joint disease).

• NHS Operating Framework – embedding clinical trials within core NHS activity.

• RegenMed – a £21.5m programme managed by the Technology Strategy Board to support key areas of commercial R&D and develop R&D partnerships.

• Patent Box – reducing corporation tax on innovative UK industry activity.

• Innovation Pass – assisting rapid NHS uptake of treatments that show potential to deliver patient benefits but struggle to show cost-effectiveness at launch.

• NHS Life Sciences Delivery Board – improving the uptake and adoption of innovative technologies and medicines.

Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive of ABHI, said: “The OLS has reinforced the role of the medical technology industry in the provision of innovative products for the NHS and delivering benefit to patients. For our industry, the establishment of the NHS Life Sciences Delivery Board is a major development in the intelligent utilisation of medical technology to deliver benefits for the NHS – both for patients and for cost-effective service provision.”

Doris-Ann Williams, Director General of BIVDA, commented: “The work of the OLS has provided an excellent example of what can happen when Government and business work together.”

A newly-launched syringe designed in the UK offers higher stability for sensitive drugs and a gentler injection for sensitive patients.

The InJentle syringe system, designed by Cambridge Consultants for SCHOTT forma vitrum ag, has unique features that improve drug storage and application.

The ‘pinch seal’ closure ensures that the drug is not in contact with the metal needle or the adhesive of the syringe, protecting sensitive drugs from interacting with these potential contaminants. The syringe can meet the same stability requirements as a storage vial.

The syringe’s needle shield protects the needle and minimises the risk of it developing a ‘hook’. The sharper ‘virgin’ needles make the injection less painful for patients. InJentle can be combined with very thin needles (up to 32 gauge) which are siliconised, improving the patient application.

The needle shield also has a robust tamper-evident closure that enables doctors and patients to determine easily whether the syringe is unused. InJentle has the potential to include further anti-counterfeiting features such as RFID tags.

“InJentle is both ‘drug friendly’ and ‘patient friendly’,” said Carmen Heiter, Product Manager, Syringes at SCHOTT. “On the one hand, it enables even very sensitive drugs to be stored safely; on the other hand, it offers easy handling and the ability to use particularly thin needles for a gentle application.

“We are delighted with the result of this partnership with Cambridge Consultants, whose experience of developing novel injection technology has been invaluable in getting this product to the manufacture stage so effectively.”

Cambridge Consultants develops innovative products, creates and licenses intellectual property, and provides business consultancy in technology-critical issues for clients worldwide. SCHOTT is a technology-driven international group that supplies high-tech solutions for healthcare and other uses.

InJentle syringe

Siemens Healthcare has contributed supplies of hand-held scanners and blood testing devices to the disaster relief effort in Haiti.

Immediately following January’s earthquake, the company shipped diagnostic systems and supplies through Project HOPE to aid healthcare workers on the island.

Siemens has donated 20 Acuson P10 ultrasound systems: small handheld systems for triage and emergency situations, providing doctors and paramedics with accurate clinical assessment in seconds.

The Acuson P10 provides Focused Abdominal Sonography for Trauma, which can identify organ ruptures and foreign objects inside the body. The system runs on battery power, and can scan continuously for an hour on one charge. An average scan in emergency conditions only takes minutes. The Acuson P10’s light weight (1.6lb) and pocket-sized design make it particularly suitable for cramped working conditions.

Siemens has also donated 10 RapidPoint 350 Blood Gas analysers to Project HOPE. These systems can be used to deliver blood gas and electrolyte test results within minutes in a field hospital setting. The company’s partner, Smiths Medical, has donated enough sterile blood sample syringes for 90,000 blood tests.

In addition, Siemens has donated enough Multistix 10 SG Urinalysis Strips to perform 90,000 urine tests. The tests assist rapid diagnosis in kidney and liver function, urinary tract infections and glucose metabolism.

The Siemens technical team gave telephone support to Project HOPE in the set-up and operation of the systems.

Acuson P10 image

A new health board in south Wales has purchased digital radiology solutions for two new hospitals currently under construction.

The new Aneurin Bevan Health Board has ordered six Carestream DRX- Evolution systems, which provide flexible solutions for developing DR facilities.

The first two systems will be installed in the Aneurin Bevan Hospital in Ebbw Vale this year, and the remaining four in the Ystrad Fawr Hospital near Caerphilly – the biggest new Welsh hospital in three decades – by early 2011.

The Aneurin Bevan Health Board delivers healthcare services to more than 600,000 people living in Gwent.

The Carestream DRX-Evolution combines the positioning flexibility of a cassette-sized detector with the rapid workflow of a fully-automated DR suite.

The six new suites will incorporate autopositioning, autotracking and autocentering facilities, which can move the radiology equipment to predefined positions at the press of a button.

Carestream Health is a global provider of medical imaging systems and healthcare IT solutions.

A new primary care health centre in Blackpool has installed an MRI scanner to make diagnostic imaging available outside hospital.

The Whitegate Health Centre, a primary care facility offering GP services, has installed a Magnetom Avanto 1.5 Tesla MRI from Siemens Healthcare.

The installation will widen the provision of medical imaging in the local community, helping to reduce the workload of Blackpool Victoria Hospital. The new MRI suite will be available five days a week.

The Health Centre will initially use the Avanto for musculoskeletal and neurological work. Use of contrast procedures has begun, and the system may soon be used for vascular and aortic screening as well.

“A very detailed clinical evaluation of different MRI systems was carried out before the Avanto was selected,” said Stewart Whitley, Radiology Advisor to NHS Blackpool. “Radiologists and radiographers at Blackpool Victoria Hospital are already using Siemens equipment, so staff can easily transfer between the two sites without having to retrain on a new platform. The Avanto is a modern system that can be used on an ongoing basis for the foreseeable future and will help further enhance healthcare services within the local community.”

“The Avanto’s lightweight coils and low table position help create a more relaxing and comfortable scanning environment for patients,” said Chris Scarisbrick, Regional Sales Manager at Siemens Healthcare. “Its rapid image acquisition and superior quality will help speed up diagnosis and further increase access to MRI services in the community.”

Magnetom Avanto 1.5 Tesla MRI at Whitegate Health Centre

Healthcare corporation Medtronic has pledged $1 million to support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

The funding, made through the Medtronic Foundation, is directed towards both immediate and long-term relief efforts.

The Foundation will match employee donations up to $250,000, with the funds directed to Partners in Health, for short-term relief in Haiti. Medtronic employees worldwide are being offered five days’ paid leave to assist in recovery efforts.

Medtronic Foundation grants worth $750,000 will also be directed towards the rebuilding of healthcare infrastructure in Haiti. The Foundation is currently assessing potential non-profit partners to lead the rebuilding work.

In addition, the company is actively developing product donation schemes with several partners already working in Haiti. Medtronic’s total contribution to the relief effort, including product and employee donations, could exceed $1.25 million.

The company is already responsible for a five-year $500,000 grant to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies disaster relief fund, which provides immediate financial support in response to emergencies.

Based in Minneapolis, USA, Medtronic is a leading global supplier of medical technologies. The Medtronic Foundation makes grants to support health, education and community-building initiatives worldwide.