Diagnostics Product Guide

Scanning for calcium deposits may predict heart disease

Jim Marino — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:47:01 +0000

A new study shows that scanning the arteries in the heart for calcium deposits can help in predicting cardiac problems. The scanning is done using computed tomography and it costs $300 to $600. The scan may prove to be a competitor for less expensive tests, such as blood cholesterol and blood pressure readings.

Photo by Image Editor

MRI may predict malignant tumors

Jim Marino — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:17:17 +0000

According to British researchers, changes in blood flow within the brain in low-grade gliomas detected by MRI technology can help predict the occurrence of malignant brain tumors. Adam D. Waldman, Imaging Research Director at Imperial College National Health Service Trust in London, says that the treatment of low-grade gliomas has been controversial because the therapeutic options are not curative and the suspected patients are young and clinically well at the time of treatment.

PreMD NSE appeal upheld by FDA

Jim Marino — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:52:16 +0000

The PreMD’s appeal over the NSE (not substantially equivalent) letter it received for a premarket submission to expand indications for its skin cholesterol test has been upheld by the FDA. The FDA agreed that the clinical trial data was not sufficient to say if the product was substantially equivalent to other markers of cardiovascular risk.

HairDX launches genetic test for women’s hair loss

Jim Marino — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:24:20 +0000

HairDX LLC, pioneers of consumer-friendly genetic tests for hair loss, has introduced the first meaningful test using genetic markers strongly associated with Female Hair Loss, Female Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA). The HairDX test for Female Hair Loss provides women with a score, called the CAG repeat score. The smaller the score the higher is the risk for significant hair loss (Ludwig grade II or III hair loss) and vice versa. Female AGA loss has been difficult to diagnose because women don’t develop a pattern like men do.

GE Healthcare receives FDA nod for high-definition computed tomography scanner

Jim Marino — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:27:12 +0000

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.

Pathway Diagnostics launches SensiTrop II assay

Jim Marino — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:23:08 +0000

Pathway Diagnostics has released its patented, second-generation SensiTrop II assay for HIV-infected patients. The product combines the sensitivity of molecular heteroduplex tracking assay technology with molecular sequencing to determine the CCR5 co-receptor tropism status of patients, according to Pathway. It provides clinicians a fast, accurate, sensitive and economical testing alternative to biological HIV tropism assay.

Oxford Expression launches one-step virus titration kit

Jim Marino — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:44:32 +0000

Oxford Expression Technologies (OET) has introduced baculoQUANT™, a novel one-step virus titration kit which can give an accurate result within 2 hours without the need for plaque assays or immunoassays. baculoQUANT™ is based on a technique called quantitative PCR (QPCR) and is a fast and cost-effective method of recombinant virus titration. This novel titration method has been proven to be a very accurate, reproducible and fast way to titrate recombinant baculoviruses1, both for single-use titrations and for high throughput applications on automated systems.

Test for mother and baby blood type

Jim Marino — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:57:44 +0000

Researchers have come up with a new test that can determine whether the mother and baby are going to have different blood types or not. Published on bmj.com, the study further says that the test may substantially reduce unnecessary treatment. The baby’s blood group is predicted by typing its DNA in RhD negative pregnant women’s plasma.

Photo by enor

FDA approves Lexiscan injection for testing of coronary artery disease

Jim Marino — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:37:33 +0000

CVT Therapeutics Inc. has received FDA approval for its injection for the detection of coronary artery disease . The Lexiscan injection is designed as a pharmacologic stress agent in the testing to detect and characterize coronary artery disease for patients who are unable to undergo adequate exercise stress.

Obetech develops diagnostic test for obesity virus

Jim Marino — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:27:22 +0000

Obetech, LLC has developed a diagnostic test for those who have been infected with a particular common cold virus, human Adenovirus 36 (Ad-36). Ad-36 is rapidly gaining recognition as “the obesity virus,” and has been shown to trigger proliferation of fat cells, which ultimately leads to obesity in the infected person. Currently, Obetech offers a diagnostic test which checks for Ad-36 antibodies in the blood. By confirming an individual has been infected with Ad-36, the test can help them predict future weight problems and/or explain unexpected weight gain.