Friday, October 11, 2024
Home Latest Health News New technology can detect kidney diseases earlier than standard methods

New technology can detect kidney diseases earlier than standard methods

by Medical Xpress
0 comment


Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Using an advanced scanner, researchers from Aarhus University, among others, have developed a technology that can detect the earliest changes in the kidney when scar tissue begins to form. Their study is published in the journal Investigative Radiology.

“We can measure changes associated with the production of earlier than all current methods, which measure the amount of already produced fibrosis,” says postdoc Nikolaj Bøgh from the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University, who is the lead author of a new study on the technology.

With the technology, known technically as hyperpolarized 13C-pyruvate MRI, doctors can now see fibrosis formation before it occurs. This makes it possible to start treatment earlier and potentially prevent irreversible damage to the kidney.

“The method takes a completely new approach, catching early by imaging the building blocks that fibrosis consists of,” explains Bøgh.

The technology works by injecting a special form of pyruvate, a in the body’s energy production, into the patient’s body. When pyruvate molecules are hyperpolarized, their magnetic signals are significantly amplified, more than 20,000 times. This allows tracking their conversion in the body using an MRI scanner.

By tracking how pyruvate converts into other substances, doctors can detect early signs of fibrosis before there are visible structural changes that can be captured with standard methods. The method is not only more effective but also safer and more comfortable for patients, as it eliminates the need for invasive biopsies.

“The scans can open a whole new front in the treatment of kidney patients. We expect to use them to tailor treatment to the individual patient when we can identify patients who need rapid and targeted treatment,” explains Bøgh.

The technology has the potential to be applied in other areas beyond kidney diseases.

Fibrogenesis, which the technology measures, is not unique to the kidneys but can also be relevant to other organs, such as the heart in certain types of heart failure. However, to transfer the technology from the laboratory to the clinic, further trials on patients are required.

Bøgh and his colleagues have already initiated three on patients with various kidney diseases. The studies aim to demonstrate the method’s value, including in identifying at high risk of developing kidney disease.

Although the technology shows great potential, it will be challenging to implement it widely in . There are only about 24 of these advanced scanners in the world, and even fewer can examine humans with the technology.

Over the coming years, however, researchers hope to see the technology become more accessible and widespread.

“We hope to see the technology become more available so that patients can benefit from a scanner that is more than 20,000 times more sensitive than the conventional scanners we use in hospitals today,” says Bøgh.

More information:
Nikolaj Bøgh et al, Metabolic MRI With Hyperpolarized 13C-Pyruvate for Early Detection of Fibrogenic Kidney Metabolism, Investigative Radiology (2024). DOI: 10.1097/RLI.0000000000001094

Provided by
Aarhus University


Citation:
New technology can detect kidney diseases earlier than standard methods (2024, July 10)
retrieved 10 July 2024
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-technology-kidney-diseases-earlier-standard.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.





Source link

You may also like

Leave a Comment

Edtior's Picks

Latest Articles

All Rights reserved, site designed by Yellohost.co.za