Innovative New Device Can Detect Blood Clots In Single Scan

A new study reveals an innovative development created by physicians to help speed up the process of identifying potentially deadly blood clots. Learn more here.

Miami, FL, United States – August 18, 2015 /PressCable/ —

In a newly published study, doctors have revealed a new method of scanning that will help to quickly identify blood clots in at risk patients. This new device will fast-track treatment of patients suffering from stroke caused by blood clots, turning a process that used to take three steps into a process that takes only one.

Those who have suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot face a dramatically increased risk that another will develop. By creating a machine that helps to quickly identify blood clots anywhere in the body, the chances that a potentially deadly clot will be found and treated in time will be substantially improved.

In the same group’s previous work at Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital, the team identified a peptide the binds to a specific protein fiber found only in blood clots called fibrin. In the current study, they developed a blood clot probe by attaching a radionuclide to the peptide, which can be detected anywhere in the body by using a PET scan. The researchers employed several radionuclides and peptides, in addition to testing many different chemical groups for linking the radionuclide to the peptide, to figure out which combination would provide the brightest PET signal in blood clots. They ultimately constructed and tested 15 candidate blood clot probes before deciding on the best combination.

When asked about this new development, Peter Caravan, Ph.D, and study author, said “Current methods are a shot in the dark. Patients could end up being scanned multiple times by multiple techniques in order to locate a clot. We sought a method that could detect blood clots anywhere in the body with a single whole-body scan.”

But, after testing this method in different animals, the researchers are finding that the scan returns different results. Dr. Caravan believes this may have something to do with the way different species metabolize the radionuclides, saying “Of course, the big question is, ‘How well will these perform in patients?’”

More information on this new development can be found at http://vascuvite.com/detect-blood-c…in-single-scan/.

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