Joseph Constance[email protected]Pathology, histologyTelepathology: Part 1 -- COVID-19 gives home working a pushBut telepathology, or remote pathology, can only be efficient if the pathologists at home, or elsewhere away from the lab, can qualitatively make as exact a diagnosis of tumors and other diseases on the computer screen as they can using a lab microscope.April 26, 2020Health TopicsVendors, labs scramble to meet needs of coronavirus outbreakOne of the primary bottlenecks is a shortage of RNA extraction kits in the U.S., which is throttling diagnostic testing for COVID-19 and further hampering the federal government's response to the coronavirus. Continued testing is needed to determine precisely the status of the outbreak.March 12, 2020Immune System DiseasesCRISPR proteins lead to novel POC diagnosticsCRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) represents a bacterial immune system that contains a programmable protein able to cut DNA or RNA. With this technology, genes can be edited and modified in living cells and organisms. While much effort has gone into developing CRISPR to treat disease, CRISPR is also a platform for diagnostics.February 9, 2020ValidationMass spectrometry brings speed, accuracy, specificity to labsIn the clinical setting, mass spectrometry has gained attention as a more specific alternative to immunoassays for determining the presence of sex steroids and for use in testing for illicit or abused drug use.Source: Strategic Directions International.February 2, 2020HPVNew HPV saliva test may speed detection of mouth, throat cancersInvestigators at Duke University, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and other institutions developed an acoustofluidic noninvasive technique that analyzes saliva for the presence of HPV type 16, the pathogenic strain that causes oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs). Their acoustofluidic platform detected OPC in the saliva of 80% of patients with cancer confirmed by tissue biopsies, reported co-lead investigator Tony Jun Huang, PhD, a professor of mechanical engineering and mechanical science at Duke, and colleagues.December 17, 2019SequencingLabs gear up to meet demand for genetic testingThe continuing drive toward personalized and precision medicine, combined with the declining cost of genomic sequencing, has led to greater use of genetic testing, most notably in oncology. But there's a problem: Analyzing individual patient samples for specific mutations is time-consuming and not overly efficient when it comes to determining the best treatments for patients.December 15, 2019TuberculosisStartup develops POC diagnostic for tuberculosisThe platform is initially intended for use in South Africa. Eventually, the technology could be applied to detect other organisms responsible for conditions in other geographies.December 8, 2019Diagnostic TechnologiesHigh cost rules out NIPT as 1st test for Down syndromeInvestigators at St. Paul's Hospital and at the University of British Columbia, both located in Vancouver, developed a microsimulation decision-analytic model that they used to perform a probabilistic cost-effective analysis (CEA) of prenatal screening and diagnostic strategies for Down syndrome -- the most common fetal chromosomal abnormality. For the analysis, they assumed a price of $490 for NIPT and they considered a wide range of factors, including testing accuracy, the cost of consultations, and the need for follow-up tests.December 4, 2019AsthmaSmartphones double as point-of-care diagnosticsThe technical capabilities of these phones have become so advanced that they can compete with technology once thought to be only the domain of physicians' offices and hospitals. Research groups and startup companies are developing apps and technology that turn smartphones into tools that can diagnose eye disease, perform home-based urinalysis, diagnose ear infections and respiratory disease, and help women learn about their reproductive health.December 1, 2019Blood ClotsNew blood test method rules out pulmonary embolismThe new approach, developed by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and Hamilton Health Sciences, a hospital network in Hamilton, is helpful with D-dimer blood tests, which physicians utilize when trying to rule out the presence of a blood clot.November 27, 2019Previous PagePage 4 of 6Next PageTop StoriesDiagnostic TechnologiesFDA said no to proficiency testing for LDT qualityInferior tests can pass through proficiency testing, among ways PT falls short for test safety and effectiveness for intended purposes.Trends and FinanceCue Health to cut 230 jobs in restructuring planFDA ClearanceLeica Biosystems, Sectra receive FDA 510(k) clearance for digital pathology systemPolicy and RegulationFDA releases LDT final ruleSponsor ContentVisit our Molecular Diagnostics Community