The New Kids On The Block: Emerging Medical Technologies

Abstract

THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: EMERGING MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES OF THIS CENTURY. DANIEL MANGELS Emerging from the computer—savvy era of compact touch—pad phones, crystal—clear televi- sion screens, and speedy computers is perhaps one of the more humanitarian applications of technological expertise. In a nation where the leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer and stroke, early and efficient detection of inju- ries and illnesses is crucial for successful treat- ment and recovery (cdc. gov). The advents of nan- otechnology, biotechnology, and medical devices have significantly enhanced the ability of medical professionals to accurately diagnose and treat pa- tients. It is too easy to underestimate the tremen- technologies that have proven to be both practical and effective. Imagine a camera that can travel inside a gas- trointestinal tract and film everything it encoun- ters, including dangerous tumors. In 2001, the FDA approved a new technology called capsule endoscopy, which is used for diagnostic imaging of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Given Imaging became one of the first companies to develop an endoscopic capsule device, appropriately named the PillCam, as a way of detecting Crohn’s dis- ease, Celiac disease, benign and cancerous tu- mors, ulcerative colitis and other diseases of the Imagine a camera that can travel inside a gastrointestinal tract and film everything it encounters, including dangerous tumors. dous assistance that medical technology offers the American healthcare system. Detecting bone injuries and cancers has become a matter of turn- ing on an X—ray machine. The recording of abnor- mal heartbeats and electrical signals would have been flawed by human error had the electrocar- diogram not been incorporated as the standard for patients needing heart monitoring. By the end of 2006, the medical device market was worth $86 billion and employed over 400,000 workers in the bioscience sector. Yet the demand for technology, especially nanotechnology, is projected to grow by more than 17 percent annually, reaching $53 billion in 2011 (The Freedonia Group 2007). The medical community is on the fringe of delving into a new age in which advanced medical tech- nology will make detecting disease easier and treating illness more effective. Topping the list of these cutting—edge medical devices are six new stomach and small intestine. The PillCam requires a patient to fast for 10 hours prior to its use. The vitamin—sized capsule is swallowed and travels throughout the GI tract over an eight—hour time span. A single camera inside the capsule takes two snapshots every second, accumulating about 50,000 pictures by the end of its journey (Bren 2005). The images taken with the camera are sent to wire sensors found on a belt worn around the patient’s waist. The images are compressed into a sequential format that plays like a video and re- veals continuous footage that can be used for di- agnosis by a physician. The PillCam passes out of the GI tract via excretion within 72 hours. PillCam Colon and PillCam Esophagus are also products of Given Imaging that offer a more specific target of imaging. In 2006, a reported 39.5 million peo- ple visited a doctor with symptoms of a digestive disorder. Since its release, approximately 700,000 BERKELEY SCIENTIFICJOURNAL - TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN INTERACTION ' FALL 2009 ' VOLUME 13 ' ISSUE 1 ' 15