All articles tagged with #imaging
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured images of a roughly 60-foot-wide, 10-foot-deep crater on the Moon left by a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage that crashed after an extended, unstable trajectory. The orbiter photographed the site from about 60 miles altitude during Aug. 11–12, after global coordination among scientists and hobbyists to locate the impact, with the images released on Aug. 18.
Researchers at University of Glasgow have developed a preclinical imaging system that links whole-body PET scans with cellular-level microscopy by combining PET, bioluminescence and fluorescence. This enables tracking of cancer from the body down to individual tumor cells in mouse models, revealing how tumors grow, interact with nearby immune cells and blood vessels, and why different lesions respond differently to therapy. The technique could improve understanding of cancer biology and guide more precise preclinical testing and treatments, though it is not yet available for humans.
Scientists released the Sun’s most detailed surface image yet, captured by the National Solar Observatory and provided by the NSF. The ultra-high-resolution image highlights fine solar features and showcases advances in solar imaging, offering researchers a closer look at the Sun’s dynamic surface.
The White House proposed a rule to cut hospital payments for routine imaging services (X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs) to level with what doctor’s offices are paid, aiming to save about $9.5 billion for the Medicare trust fund over a decade (the CBO estimates about $7.6 billion in savings). The rule would apply to most scans except contrast-enhanced procedures, would take effect January 1, and is open to public comment before finalization. Proponents say site-neutral payments curb healthcare spending, while hospitals argue they cover more complex patients and higher overhead. This continues prior site-neutral efforts, including recent moves on off-campus drug administration.
In two major trials of enzalutamide for advanced prostate cancer, up to about 25% of patients showed radiographic progression on imaging despite stable or undetectable PSA levels, correlating with worse survival. The findings suggest PSA monitoring alone may miss disease growth, underscoring the value of periodic imaging—especially in the first two years—and may prompt updates to clinical guidelines. Possible mechanisms include tumors evolving to grow independent of androgen receptor signaling through lineage plasticity or neuroendocrine transformation.
In a 24-week trial, tirzepatide significantly increased brown adipose tissue activity and volume on PET/CT and MRI compared with placebo (about 65% vs 41%), suggesting the GLP-1 drug may boost energy expenditure and promote white-to-beige fat conversion, contributing to weight loss beyond appetite suppression.
New imaging studies reveal that fatherhood dramatically reshapes the brain: as men become dads, neural circuits tied to caregiving, emotion processing, reward, and threat detection reorganize to support bonding and responsive parenting, with changes persisting beyond early fatherhood and potentially influencing behavior and mental health.
Yankees left-hander Max Fried exited after three innings today with left elbow posterior soreness and will undergo imaging tomorrow to determine whether the issue is precautionary or more serious; Fried has a history of elbow problems, including Tommy John surgery in 2014 and forearm issues in 2023–24, and has been a key part of a strong Yankees rotation as Cole and Rodón deal with injuries.
New high-resolution imaging of 540-million-year-old filaments initially thought to be animal traces finds cellular structures consistent with bacteria or algae, not animals, suggesting an earlier microbial world and adding nuance to interpretations of the Cambrian timeline and fossil preservation.
Oxford researchers tested a CT scan paired with the tracer maraciclatide to spot early endometriosis. In a small pilot, the technique correctly detected endometriosis in 16 of 19 cases and matched 14 of 17 surgically confirmed diagnoses, suggesting a non-invasive path to earlier diagnosis. If confirmed in larger studies, it could shorten the current diagnostic journey that often requires invasive laparoscopy and help patients start treatment sooner.
A small trial (19 women) of the maraciclatide radiotracer with SPECT-CT found the scans matched surgical diagnoses in 16 of 19 cases and had no false positives, suggesting a non-invasive method could shorten the current lengthy delay in diagnosing endometriosis—especially for superficial peritoneal disease—though confirmation in larger phase 3 trials is needed.
Australian researchers show that PSMA PET/CT scans light up aggressive prostate cancers so clearly that many patients with inconclusive MRI can avoid invasive biopsies, potentially halving biopsy rates without missing clinically significant disease; the Primary2 trial (about 660 men) found that those with negative scans did not need biopsies and those with positive scans had targeted biopsies, with two-year follow-up and increasing availability in Australia and Europe.
Houston attorney Nate Broughty, known online as 'Nate The Lawyer,' fainted and developed severe headaches, leading doctors to discover a massive brain tumor (meningioma). Surgeons removed about 90% of it in a 15-hour operation; initial grading was grade 2 but later tests suggested a low-grade, near-benign tumor. Three months post-op scans showed no remaining tumor, and he is adjusting to life after surgery while doctors continue monitoring; the family had also faced his wife’s breast cancer diagnosis earlier in the year.
Using the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility's powerful X‑rays, researchers scanned a six‑egg clutch of Massospondylus carinatus embryos from 200‑million‑year‑old eggs found in South Africa, revealing tiny skulls and two distinct tooth generations—one temporary and shed before hatching, the other adult‑like—along with skeletal development consistent with two‑legged hatchlings and reptile–bird similarities.
Expansion microscopy uses a diaper-inspired hydrogel to physically swell biological samples, enabling higher-resolution visualization of tiny cellular structures with standard microscopes. By improving dye penetration and preserving overall architecture, it democratizes microscopy and reveals detailed cytoskeletal diversity across species.