Belle Dume

According to the World Health Organization, 80% of the vision impairment linked to AMD could be avoided if the condition were diagnosed and treated early enough, noted study lead author Timothé Laforest, PhD. Unfortunately, standard ophthalmic exams based on visual acuity tests -- the familiar wall charts -- are not accurate enough.

By Belle Dumé, Physics World contributing editor March 6, 2020 -- A new scanning technique that uses hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI to monitor the metabolism of different types of breast cancer can identify how rapidly a tumor is growing. The technique, developed by researchers at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and the University of Cambridge, could help doctors prescribe the best course of treatment for patients and follow how they respond.

An artistic rendering of the terahertz field transmitted by an abstract object. (Courtesy: University of Sussex) A new type of microscope that can detect terahertz (THz) electromagnetic waves with unprecedented accuracy could be used to reconstruct detailed images that are inaccessible through standard methods.