A team of doctors, along with the Sense About Science charitable trust, based in the U.K., has said that it does not agree with the way the Do It Yourself (DIY) tests are being targeted at the general public. Previously, U.K. government advisors had warned private firms offering body scans. A study by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (Comare) also said that cancer risks may increase if people expose themselves to radiations through unnecessary scans.

The latest addition to Royal Philips Electronics’ HD ultrasound products range, the Philips HD7 ultrasound system, works by providing grayscale and color Doppler imaging with one button optimization. It also produces Tissue Harmonic Imaging. The product caters to the basic scanning needs of the high-volume cardiovascular, OB/GYN, anesthesiology, oncology, electro physiology, stress echo, pediatric, orthopedic, urologic, emergency and other arenas.

The system is currently not available in the U.S.

Covidien Ltd. has received tentative FDA approval for the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for its generic version of Cardiolite. The product, a Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi Injection, is a myocardial perfusion imaging-agent that is designed for detecting coronary artery disease. The product would receive final approval once Cardiolite’s marketing exclusivity period expires on July 29.

X-ray imaging is unable to differentiate between certain types of cells, since the X-ray light is strong and passes through the soft tissue. Scattering substances such as iodine can be used to increase the resolution of the X-ray image. However, these can only be used where the blood flow is high. Lon Wilson from the Rice University, Houston, has proposed the use of carbon nanotubes that can be filled with iodine solution and coated with special proteins. This would allow the X-ray machine to target the desired types of cells.

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