BOSTON – A new technology developed by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital allows for easier and faster diagnoses of disease. Investigators have developed a small, portable, handheld diagnosis device that can detect tuberculosis and other communicable diseases within hours.
The diagnostic device measures a mere 2.5 centimeters by 7.5 centimeters, or roughly the size of a standard microscope slide. It uses micro nuclear magnetic resonance to diagnose infections and “determine the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains,” a critical component in determining the correct treatment for bacterial infections.
The new technology is able to make diagnoses by detecting “biomarkers” in small blood or tissue samples obtained from patients. The device is able to recognize certain DNA and ribosomal RNA sequences that can lead to a field diagnosis of diseases such as tuberculosis, E. coli, streptococcus (strep) bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and ten other dangerous diseases.
The new diagnostic tool is a great improvement on previous ones due to its smaller size, increased sensitivity, and faster results. The device’s handheld design essentially allows for an entire diagnostic lab to travel wherever it is needed, giving people in rural areas improved access to healthcare. Moreover, the device offers more accurate diagnoses. The device has shown to be “sensitive enough to detect as few as one or two bacteria in a 10 mL blood sample,” allowing for high confidence in its test results. The device also offers results in as few as two to three hours, making a significant improvement over standard culturing practice, “which can take as much as two weeks to provide a diagnosis.”
The new device could prove beneficial to healthcare providers in developing nations due to its size and quick results. The technology’s small size makes it highly portable, allowing diagnostic tools to reach rural areas where they could not go before. Additionally, the device’s fast results can allow for rapid treatment and containment of diseases, allowing for improved healthcare for individuals and communities alike.
– Jordan Kline
Sources: Science Daily, Discovery News