Star Trek-type scanner could spot cancer

[Al-khiyal]

May 22, 2007 -- Scientists are a step closer to developing a Star Trek-style scanner which can pick up signs of disease and give a diagnosis with no more than a wave over the body.

They found that x-rays of cancer patients contain patterns which can reveal the genetic profile of their tumours. These genetic fingerprints can then be used to tailor a patient's treatment.

The technique gives doctors information on how a patient's cancer is progressing which was previously available only by taking a tissue biopsy.

The research team believes the system, at the moment the size of a large garden shed, may eventually be capable of diagnosing diseases other than cancer.

"Potentially, one can use imaging directly to reveal multiple features of diseases that will make it much easier to carry out personalised medicine, where you are making diagnoses and treatment decisions based exactly on what is happening in a person," said Howard Chang, a geneticist at Stanford University in California and co-author of the study, which appears in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

The team examined x-rays from patients with liver cancer and identified more than 100 patterns that correspond to levels of gene expression within the tumours. Using only 28 of these patterns, they were able to work out 80% of the tumour's genetic profile, which is made up of more than 5,000 individual genes.

The scientists compare their work to the 1799 discovery of the Rosetta Stone, which enabled archaeologists to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics.

"In almost every episode of Star Trek there's a device called a tricorder, which they used noninvasively to scan living or non-living matter to determine its molecular makeup," said Dr Chang.

"Something like that would be very, very useful."

Star Trek-type scanner could spot cancer

[Cheba_Mami]

science fiction can be the basis of inventions.

something else:
laserlight was already foreseen in such movies until it became truely possible to make such an energetic beam.

_When will they make the DNA transmitter then people can travel trough cables and be rebuilt at the other side : confused: ok that was scary.

back on topic, this invention is very very good for cancer diagnosis. A great tool. It would be better to avoid carcinogens in daily life and make the environment better to prevent cancer though.....

[Bent_Bladi]

carcinogens are everywhere though.......... so - we can only prevent cancer to a certain extent.

bas good, alhamdulilah - these inventions/discoveries are happening a lot now.... we're going so fast.... in 5 years who knows where we'll be