The FDA has approved a portable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing device, which can be used by military doctors to diagnose novel H1N1 flu infections in troops stationed overseas. The device, called (Joint Biological Agent Identification and Diagnostic System), is a rugged, suitcase-sized instrument that can run PCR-based molecular diagnostic tests. It has been under development for several years by a consortium of military health research centers, the CDC and academic medical laboratories.

General Electric Co.’s GE Healthcare unit has received FDA approval of its LightSpeed CT750 HD, the first high-definition computed tomography (CT) scanner. According to the company, the product improves image quality while reducing dose by up to 50% across the entire body and by as much as 83% for cardiac scans.

Abbott Laboratories has introduced the Architect i1000SR immunochemistry analyzer. The analyzer can process up to 100 tests per hour, accommodate 65 patient samples and prioritize emergency test results to provide results in less than 16 minutes. The launch of the Architect i1000SR analyzer has expanded the company’s Architect family of diagnostic instrument systems for clinical laboratories.

CombiMatrix Corporation announced that its subsidiary, Combimatrix Molecular Diagnostics, has completed the clinical validation of its highest density constitutional array genetic test to date, the BAC HD Scan test. Following the successful validation, CombiMatrix has launched the test, which can diagnose over 125 genetic disorders.