• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Saturday, August 30, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News

New technology can detect kidney diseases earlier than standard methods

by
July 10, 2024
in Science News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

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.

Postdoc Nikolaj Bøgh

Credit: Private photo

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.

“We can measure changes associated with the production of fibrosis 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 scar tissue early by imaging the building blocks that fibrosis consists of,” explains Nikolaj Bøgh.

Detecting early signs

The technology works by injecting a special form of pyruvate, a natural substance 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 Nikolaj Bøgh.

Transferable to other areas

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.

Nikolaj Bøgh and his colleagues have already initiated three clinical studies on patients with various kidney diseases.

The studies aim to demonstrate the method’s value, including in identifying diabetic patients at high risk of developing kidney disease.

Although the technology shows great potential, it will be challenging to implement it widely in clinical practice. 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 Nikolaj Bøgh.

 

Behind the research

Study type: Translational study

Collaborators: MR Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Urology Clinic, Aarhus University Hospital, Pathology Department, Aalborg University Hospital.

External Funding: Lundbeck Foundation, Karen Elise Jensen Foundation

Link to Scientific Article: Investigative Radiology

 

Contact:

Postdoc Nikolaj Bøgh
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine
Phone: +45 78456139
Email: [email protected]



Journal

Investigative Radiology

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Metabolic MRI With Hyperpolarized 13C-Pyruvate for Early Detection of Fibrogenic Kidney Metabolism

Article Publication Date

25-Jun-2024

Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

blank

Irrigation Patterns Impact Rice Growth in Burkina Faso

August 30, 2025

Allostery in SIRT6: Insights from Simulations and Biochemistry

August 30, 2025

Males Nurture Early-Stage Embryos in Treefrogs

August 30, 2025

MK801 Reduces Secondary Injury in Spinal Cord Trauma

August 30, 2025

POPULAR NEWS

  • blank

    Breakthrough in Computer Hardware Advances Solves Complex Optimization Challenges

    152 shares
    Share 61 Tweet 38
  • Molecules in Focus: Capturing the Timeless Dance of Particles

    142 shares
    Share 57 Tweet 36
  • New Drug Formulation Transforms Intravenous Treatments into Rapid Injections

    116 shares
    Share 46 Tweet 29
  • Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    82 shares
    Share 33 Tweet 21

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Irrigation Patterns Impact Rice Growth in Burkina Faso

Allostery in SIRT6: Insights from Simulations and Biochemistry

Males Nurture Early-Stage Embryos in Treefrogs

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.