A palm-sized portable 3D ultrasound system has been developed for radiation-free scoliosis mass screening at PolyU's department of biomedical engineering in Hong Kong, China.
Five things to know:
1. The device, labeled Scolioscan Air, aims to deliver accurate, safe and cost-efficient mass screening.
2. It received the Grand Award, Gold Medal with the Congratulations of Jury, and Special Merit Award at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva in April.
3. urrently X-ray imaging is the gold standard for scoliosis assessment but radiation exposure may cause an increased risk for cancer.
4. Scolioscan Air can capture images in any postures, provide vertebra rotation and muscle-related information and generate a 3D spinal model for the three-dimensional analysis of deformity of spine.
5. It consists of a palm-sized wireless ultrasound probe with an optical marker mounted at its bottom, a depth camera and a laptop or tablet computer with dedicated software.
"It would facilitate the implementation of school-based scoliosis screening to detect and treat spinal curvatures before they become severe enough to cause chronic pain or other health issues among adolescents," said Professor Zheng Yong-ping, head of biomedical engineering at PolyU.