AI-Assisted CT as a Clinical and Research Tool for COVID-19.

There is compelling support for widening the role of computed tomography (CT) for COVID-19 in clinical and research scenarios. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnosis, has two potential weaknesses: the delay in obtaining results and the possibility of RT-PCR test kits running out when demand spikes or being unavailable altogether. This perspective article discusses the potential use of CT in conjunction with RT-PCR in hospitals lacking sufficient access to RT-PCR test kits. The precedent for this approach is discussed based on the use of CT for COVID-19 diagnosis and screening in the United Kingdom and China. The hurdles and challenges are presented, which need addressing prior to realization of the potential roles for CT artificial intelligence (AI). The potential roles include a more accurate clinical classification, characterization for research roles and mechanisms, and informing clinical trial response criteria as a surrogate for clinical outcomes.

A body-mounted device for MRI-guided spinal therapy.

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with no cure and limited treatment options. Recent studies have shown that delivering cellular therapeutics to the ventral horn of the spinal cord can effectively halt neurodegeneration associated with ALS in small animal models. METHODS: We developed a robotic system that assists with MRI-guided percutaneous injections to the spinal cord. The needle positioning robot consists of two linear axes with motorised translational sleds for two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) needle translation and a radial template for 2-DOF discrete rotation. RESULTS: The robot's targeting capability, evaluated using phantom models and swine cadavers, showed mean targeting errors of 0.48 and 2.84 mm, respectively. The duration of the targeting procedure is approximately 60 min, with an extra 10 min for each additional injection. CONCLUSIONS: The presented robot does not affect imaging quality during MRI-guided procedures, and it enables a simplified workflow for MRI-guided spinal therapy.

Heatguard: An ultra-low-cost three-dimensional-printed sensor for skin temperature alert and reporting system.

A heatstroke is one of the most serious forms of heat injury and is classified as a medical emergency. It is characterized by an elevated core body temperature along with the failed body cooling mechanism in response to the sudden heat-up. People vulnerable to a heatstroke are children, elders and sports professionals. Previous efforts have emphasized exercise adjustments and post-treatments, such as environmental-based activity modification and cold-water immersion. However, the general public, especially elders, will have difficulty to conduct such adjustments by themselves. Moreover, few studies have been conducted on the early preventive measurement stage. A wearable three-dimensional-printed thermochromic device proposed here can warn the people of a sudden rise in skin temperature and can advise them to take quick action. Combined with the smartphone applications, for both the android and iPhone platform, the device is able to monitor real-time skin temperature and alerts the people who are vulnerable to a heatstroke. The three-dimensional printable resin developed can change color at a specific activation temperature. The device has undergone a series of performance tests in order to optimize the color transition rate and stability of color change. The accuracy of our device is compared to the conventional thermometer; the regression analysis shows the R2 value is 0.7599 and the average error is 1.3 °C. Future work will be to mitigate the surrounding lighting effects on the smartphone camera and further improve our device accuracy.

MRI-powered biomedical devices.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is beneficial for imaging-guided procedures because it provides higher resolution images and better soft tissue contrast than computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and X-ray. MRI can be used to streamline diagnostics and treatment because it does not require patients to be repositioned between scans of different areas of the body. It is even possible to use MRI to visualize, power, and control medical devices inside the human body to access remote locations and perform minimally invasive procedures. Therefore, MR conditional medical devices have the potential to improve a wide variety of medical procedures; this potential is explored in terms of practical considerations pertaining to clinical applications and the MRI environment. Recent advancements in this field are introduced with a review of clinically relevant research in the areas of interventional tools, endovascular microbots, and closed-loop controlled MRI robots. Challenges related to technology and clinical feasibility are discussed, including MRI based propulsion and control, navigation of medical devices through the human body, clinical adoptability, and regulatory issues. The development of MRI-powered medical devices is an emerging field, but the potential clinical impact of these devices is promising.

Fabricating biomedical origami: a state-of-the-art review.

PURPOSE: Origami-based biomedical device design is an emerging technology due to its ability to be deployed from a minimal foldable pattern to a larger volume. This paper aims to review state-of-the-art origami structures applied in the medical device field. METHODS: Publications and reports of origami structure related to medical device design from the past 10 years are reviewed and categorized according to engineering specifications, including the application field, fabrication material, size/volume, deployment method, manufacturability, and advantages. RESULTS: This paper presents an overview of the biomedical applications of devices based on origami structures, including disposable sterilization covers, cardiac catheterization, stent grafts, encapsulation and microsurgery, gastrointestinal microsurgery, laparoscopic surgical grippers, microgrippers, microfluidic devices, and drug delivery. Challenges in terms of materials and fabrication, assembly, modeling and computation design, and clinical adoptability are discussed at the end of this paper to provide guidance for future origami-based design in the medical device field. CONCLUSION: Concepts from origami can be used to design and develop novel medical devices. Origami-based medical device design is currently progressing, with researchers improving design methods, materials, fabrication techniques, and folding efficiency.