A groundbreaking new test that uses lasers to identify various forms of dementia in mere seconds could “revolutionise” the way we diagnose the disease, according to scientists.
The study, led by researchers at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) and the University of Southampton, uses lasers to analyse bodily fluids like blood, spinal fluid or mucus to detect early signs of dementia. Currently, diagnosing dementia can take up to two years, but this innovative laser-based method is not only cheaper than existing tests, but also delivers results in just seconds, say the researchers.
Preliminary tests have demonstrated an impressive average accuracy rate of over 93% in detecting Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Chris Kipps, a consultant neurologist at University Hospital Southampton, hailed the new technique as “a breakthrough in medical technology” that could “change the way we approach dementia diagnosis”. He added: “This innovation is not just a leap in healthcare quality; it’s a paradigm shift, redefining our approach to neurodegenerative disease in the clinic.”
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Over 850,000 people in the UK are currently living with dementia, a figure expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. The condition comes in many forms, including Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, which progressively worsens over time, reports Gloucestershire Live.
Diagnosing dementia is a lengthy process, often taking over two years using current methods such as brain scans and memory tests. Unfortunately, many patients don’t get diagnosed until the disease has progressed to a more advanced stage where treatments are not as effective, say researchers. They highlight that one of the biggest hurdles is differentiating between similar types of dementia. However, there’s new hope on the horizon with the development of multi-excitation Raman spectroscopy (MX-Raman).
This cutting-edge technology aims to create what the team refers to as a “biochemical fingerprint” of individuals, which could significantly improve the accuracy of dementia diagnoses. Professor Sumeet Mahajan from the University of Southampton is optimistic about the potential impact of this innovation.
He stated: “Our integrated approach has the potential to revolutionise dementia diagnostics. There is an urgent unmet clinical need for more discriminatory, efficient and cost-effective solutions. Our holistic MX-Raman technique is uniquely equipped to address these challenges and we want to see this technology lead to vastly improved patient outcomes.”
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