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
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




Molecular Imaging Technique Improves Endometriosis Diagnosis

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 08 Jun 2022
Print article
Image: 99mTc-maraciclatide planar imaging has the capacity to image the whole body (Photo courtesy of Serac Healthcare)
Image: 99mTc-maraciclatide planar imaging has the capacity to image the whole body (Photo courtesy of Serac Healthcare)

Endometriosis is a common inflammatory condition affecting women, associated with painful periods, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. It is believed to be due to tissue that resembles the lining of the womb sticking to areas outside the uterus, usually in the pelvis. However, diagnosing endometriosis often results in multiple visits to physicians, multiple scans and often surgery to confirm the diagnosis. As a result, there is a delay to get a diagnosis of endometriosis, mainly due to lack of non-invasive tests capable of detecting all endometriosis subtypes (ovarian, superficial, and deep disease). Now, a new research study is investigating whether a 20-minute imaging scan can detect the most common types of endometriosis, which currently require surgery to diagnose.

Endometriosis experts at the University of Oxford (Oxford, UK) have joined hands with Serac Healthcare Ltd. (London, UK) to investigate whether an experimental imaging marker (⁹⁹ᵐTc maraciclatide) that binds to areas of inflammation can be used in endometriosis to visualize the disease on a scan. The imaging marker has been used for detecting inflammation in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis in other research studies across the UK, EU and US. Maraciclatide is for investigational use only and is not approved by the FDA or UK and European regulatory authorities.

The potential strengths of the scan lie in the way the imaging marker binds to areas of inflammation, which may allow doctors to distinguish between new and old lesions and detect endometriosis in areas not easily seen during surgery such as the lung. The development of a 20-minute imaging test would reduce the need for repeated visits to doctors, for repeated investigations, and for invasive surgery to obtain a diagnosis. This would ultimately reduce the time taken to confirm or exclude endometriosis.

Initially, the study will involve women who are scheduled to have planned surgery for suspected endometriosis. Two to seven days before their operation, the participants will be invited for an imaging scan which will compare the suspected locations of disease detected on the scan and in surgery to confirm whether this imaging test could be an effective non-invasive method of detecting all endometriosis subtypes.

“There is an urgent unmet clinical need for a non-invasive marker to identify or rule out endometriosis as it is such a very common disease affecting more than 190 million women worldwide,” said Professor Christian Becker, Co-Director of the Endometriosis CaRe Centre in Oxford, who will lead the study.

“We are excited about the potential of ⁹⁹ᵐTc maraciclatide to diagnose endometriosis non-invasively and delighted to be working with the internationally renowned team at Oxford on this important first study,” said David Hail, CEO of Serac Healthcare.

Related Links:
University of Oxford 
Serac Healthcare Ltd. 

Gold Member
Solid State Kv/Dose Multi-Sensor
AGMS-DM+
Under Table Shield
3 Section Double Pivot Under Table Shield
New
Ultrasound Table
Powered Ultrasound Table-Flat Top
MRI System
uMR 588

Print article

Channels

Radiography

view channel
:	Image: The AI model could be a valuable adjunct to human radiologists in breast cancer diagnoses and risk prediction (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

AI Model Predicts 5-Year Breast Cancer Risk from Mammograms

Approximately 13% of U.S. women, or one in every eight, are predicted to develop invasive breast cancer over their lifetime, with 1 in 39 women (3%) succumbing to the illness, according to the American... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The AI system uses scintigraphy imaging for early diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

AI System Automatically and Reliably Detects Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Scintigraphy Imaging

Cardiac amyloidosis, a condition characterized by the buildup of abnormal protein deposits (amyloids) in the heart muscle, severely affects heart function and can lead to heart failure or death without... Read more

General/Advanced Imaging

view channel
Image: The CIARTIC Move self-driving mobile C-arm has received FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Siemens)

Self-Driving Mobile C-Arm Reduces Imaging Time during Surgery

Intraoperative imaging faces significant challenges due to staff shortages and the high demands placed on surgical teams in the operating room (OR). A common challenge during many OR procedures is the... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more

Industry News

view channel
Image: Samsung Medison CEO Mr. Yongkwan Kim and Bracco Imaging CEO Dr. Fulvio Renoldi Bracco endorsed a MoU agreement (Photo courtesy of Bracco Group)

Samsung and Bracco Enter Into New Diagnostic Ultrasound Technology Agreement

Samsung Medison (Seoul, South Korea) and Bracco Imaging (Milan, Italy) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement to pioneer a new area for diagnostic ultrasound devices and contrast agents.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.