Medical Applications Research Articles

Biomedical Applications of Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Cancer Therapy and Virus Inactivation

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), known for its ability to generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS), has emerged as a promising tool in many biomedical applications, including cancer therapeutics and virus inactivation. In cancer therapy, ROS and RNS induced by plasma have been shown to selectively target cancer cells, triggering apoptosis and inhibiting tumor growth while sparing healthy cells. This selective cytotoxicity makes plasma an attractive option for localized cancer treatment with minimal side effects. Additionally, the antimicrobial properties of ROS and RNS make plasma an effective agent for virus inactivation. By connecting the dots between cancer therapy and virus disinfection, this review paper sheds light on the potential of plasma-generated ROS and RNS as versatile tools in medical applications, offering a dual benefit of targeted cancer treatment and effective virus control. Specifically, this review explores the effects of CAP treatment on B16 melanoma cells, assessing changes in cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis and oxidative stress response. Dichloroacetate (DCA), a mitochondrial modulator, has shown promise in inducing apoptosis in melanoma cells. However, its clinical use is limited by side effects related to its neurotoxicity and suspected carcinogenicity. The potential of CAP in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of DCA on B16-F10 melanoma apoptosis is also explored. CAP therapeutics for other types of cancers are also explored in this review. Alongside its implications in oncology, CAP has gathered substantial attention for its extraordinary potential in neutralizing viruses. CAP’s exceptional precision in targeting viral envelopes, genetic material and structural components disrupts their integrity and vital functions. This orchestrated mechanism offers a swift and efficacious route to render viruses inactive, encompassing both enveloped and nonenveloped viral types. In parallel pursuit, this review examines CAP-generated reactive species’ proficiency in deactivating SARS-CoV-2 across various surfaces. The inquiry entails subjecting surfaces to CAP treatment, succeeded by quantifying viral load and scrutinizing viral integrity. The outcomes gleaned from these investigations provide pivotal insights into CAP’s potential as a robust surface disinfection strategy, poised to combat the propagation of viral transmission.

Fuzzy Soft Set Theory Applications in Medical Diagnosis: A Comprehensive Review and the Roadmap for Future Studies

This paper provides a literature review addressing the use of soft sets in medical diagnosis. Distinguishing itself from the existing literature, the study offers a comprehensive analysis of how fuzzy soft sets can be integrated into diagnostic processes, highlighting a novel fusion of fuzzy and soft sets in medical applications. Any soft set on a countably infinite universe can be regarded as a fuzzy set, recognizing the limitations of traditional diagnostic tools in dealing with vague and incomplete information, our research aims to utilize the flexibility and comprehensiveness of fuzzy soft sets to enhance decision-making accuracy in medical scenarios. The primary objective of this research is to present a thorough and critical analysis of fuzzy soft set theory in medical diagnosis, aiming to establish it as a fundamental approach in the field. By combining all of these results, we can generate a comprehensive picture of the connections between the many theories that account for fuzziness and imprecision, which helps to fill in the blanks left by recent surveys. The review will focus on identifying the main research trends in this field: the primary research topics that soft set theory addresses in medical applications, the community is currently facing and the major theoretical concepts used to study these topics. The primary objective of this review is to assist in the identifying of emerging research directions. Some of these trends are promising and will help shape a new role for soft set theory in the area of medical applications. The fusion of fuzzy and soft sets in medical applications represents a crucial and necessary stage in the research and diagnosis procedures. Key results include the study on development of algorithms and models that outperform traditional methods in accuracy and reliability.

DEPLOYMENT OF ENHANCED DEEP LEARNING MODEL WITH THE BEST ESTIMATORS ON OPTIMIZERS AND ACTIVATION FUNCTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE IN WEB APPLICATION

Breast cancer and brain tumor stand as leading global causes of mortality. Brain tumor uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) which offers superior clarity in visualizing brain structures compared to other imaging modalities, while Breast cancer uses ultrasonography (US) serves as a common tool for detecting breast cancer despite its inherent limitations in image quality. Motion artifacts frequently hinder MRI scans, necessitating skilled radiologists for accurate interpretation. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems driven by artificial intelligence, present a promising solution by consistently assisting radiologists in analyzing US images. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) leverage various optimizers like Adam and Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD), RMSprop, Adagrad, and Adadelta as well as activation functions including PReLu, LeakyReLu, Elu, and ReLu for their construction and training. The comparative analysis highlights the importance of optimizers and activation functions in deep learning algorithms for predicting brain tumors and breast cancer. The Adam optimizer combined with the ReLU activation function achieved an accuracy of 85% for breast cancer prediction, while RMSprop combined with ReLU activation function achieved a higher accuracy of 93% for brain tumor classification. From this research, considerable deep learning configurations are identified for both breast cancer and brain tumor prediction, facilitating more precise and efficient diagnoses. The comparative analysis provides valuable insights for those involved in medical imaging applications. Furthermore, The CNN model is deployed in web interface using flask framework to streamline the integration of these models into healthcare systems. This interface simplifies the input of medical data including image data and provides real-time predictions. KEYWORDS—Convolutional neural networks, Comparative Analysis, Activation functions, Optimizers, Ultrasound images, MRI images, Breast cancer, Brain tumor, medical imaging applications, FLASK.

The Influence of Blood and Serum Microenvironment on Spin-Labeled Magnetic Nanoparticles

The investigation and clarification of the properties of surface-functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles in a biological environment are key challenges prior to their medical applications. In the present work, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) combined with the spin labeling technique was utilized to better understand the behavior of nitroxides attached to magnetite nanoparticles dispersed in body fluid. EPR spectra of spin-labeled, silane-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles in human serum and whole blood were recorded and analyzed for both room- and low-temperature values. In all cases, the obtained EPR signal consisted of a broad line from magnetite cores and a characteristic signal from the attached 4-Amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (4-amino-TEMPO). Even for liquid samples, the anisotropic components of magnetic tensors did not fully average out, which was reflected in the differences in the intensity of three narrow hyperfine lines from nitroxide. At 230 K the irregular slow-motion signal from the attached radical was also simulated using the EasySpin toolbox, which allowed to determine the parameters related to magnetic tensors and the dynamics of the spin label. The study showed that the anisotropy of the motion of the spin label 4-amino-TEMPO reflects its interactions with the surrounding medium and the manner of the attachment of the nitroxide to the surface of nanoparticles.

Integration of artificial intelligence with medical diagnostic sonography

AbstractRapid changes in artificial intelligence (AI) have already impacted the medical field. While the use of AI to assist medical diagnosis has been documented, AI is continually expanding within medical applications. AI applications in sonography and their effect on ultrasound examinations and sonographers are still indeterminate. Six papers were reviewed to investigate AI applications and effects within the sonography field. These papers provided results on a range of ultrasound applications including breast, obstetric, skin lesions, carotid, blood flow and cardiac ultrasound imaging when combined with AI. In this narrative review, the application of AI demonstrated that accuracy and speed of clinical diagnosis can be improved. These six aspects of ultrasound imaging combined with AI demonstrated the potential to assist the operator and clinicians with a diagnosis in various applications and settings. Additionally, AI can be beneficial to telehealth applications for rural and remote areas where healthcare access can be limited. These changes are opportunities to assist with medical care to provide benefits to patients, sonographers and clinicians as AI transitions to a positive integration within many aspects of clinical care.

Comprehensive investigation of the electronic properties of zinc and cobalt doped hydroxyapatite

AbstractThis study presents a comprehensive investigation into the electronic properties of Hydroxyapatite (HAp) doped with Zinc (Zn) and Cobalt (Co). Five distinct compositions, denoted as 0.15Zn-HAp, 0.15Co-0.15Zn-HAp, 0.30Co-0.15Zn-HAp, 0.45Co-0.15Zn-HAp, and 0.6Co-0.15Zn-HAp (at%,) have been systematically studied employing Density of States (DOS) and band structure calculations. The computed band gap values for these compositions were determined to be 4.6663, 4.6888, 4.7049, 4.7159, and 4.7082 eV, respectively. These results illuminate the profound influence of Zn and Co doping on the electronic structure of Hydroxyapatite. These findings hold significant implications for the potential applications of these materials in diverse technological and biomedical domains. The systematic approach and precise electronic property characterizations presented in this study provide a robust foundation for further advancements in the realm of advanced materials, with particular relevance to the development of innovative materials for use in cutting-edge technologies and medical applications.

A Customized Biohybrid presenting Cascade Responses to Tumor Microenvironment

AbstractIntrinsic characteristics of microorganisms, including non‐specific metabolism sites, toxic byproducts and uncontrolled proliferation constrain their exploitation in medical applications such as tumor therapy. Here, we report an engineered biohybrid that can efficiently target cancerous sites through a pre‐determined metabolic pathway to enable precise tumor ablation. In this system, DH5α Escherichia coli is engineered by the introduction of hypoxia‐inducible promoters and lactate oxidase genes, and further surface‐armored with iron‐doped ZIF‐8 nanoparticles. This bioengineered E. coli can produce and secrete lactate oxidase to reduce lactate concentration in response to hypoxic tumor microenvironment, as well as triggering immune activation. The peroxidase‐like functionality of the nanoparticles extends the end product of the lactate metabolism, enabling the conversion of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into highly cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals. This, coupled with the transformation of tirapazamine loaded on nanoparticles to toxic benzotriazinyl, culminates in severe tumor cell ferroptosis. Intravenous injection of this biohybrid significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastasis.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Assessing teratogenic risks of gadolinium in freshwater environments: Implications for environmental health

Gadolinium (Gd) is among the rare earth elements extensively utilized in both industrial and medical applications. The latter application appears to contribute to the rise in Gd levels in aquatic ecosystems, as it is excreted via urine from patients undergoing MRI scans and often not captured by wastewater treatment systems. The potential environmental and biological hazards posed by gadolinium exposure are still under investigation. This study aimed to assess the teratogenic risk posed by a gadolinium chelate on the freshwater cnidarian Hydra vulgaris. The experimental design evaluated the impact of pure Gadodiamide (25 μg/l, 50 μg/l, 100 μg/l, 500 μg/l) and its commercial counterpart compound (Omniscan®; 100 μg/l, 500 μg/l, 782.7 mg/l) at varying concentrations using the Teratogenic Risk Index (TRI). Here we showed a moderate risk (Class III of TRI) following exposure to both tested formulations at concentrations ≥ 100 μg/l. Given the potential for similar concentrations in aquatic environments, particularly near wastewater discharge points, a teratogenic risk assessment using the Hydra regeneration assay was conducted on environmental samples collected from three rivers (Tiber, Almone, and Sacco) in Central Italy. Additionally, chemical analysis of field samples was performed using ICP-MS. Analysis of freshwater samples revealed low Gd concentrations (≤ 0.1 μg/l), despite localized increases near domestic and/or industrial wastewater discharge sites. Although teratogenic risk in environmental samples ranged from high (Class IV of TRI) to negligible (Class I of TRI), the low Gd concentrations, particularly when compared to higher levels of other contaminants like arsenic and heavy metals, preclude establishing a direct cause-effect relationship between Gd and observed teratogenic risks in environmental samples. Nevertheless, the teratogenic risks observed in laboratory tests warrant further investigation.

Genie: the first open-source ISO/IEC encoder for genomic data

For the last two decades, the amount of genomic data produced by scientific and medical applications has been growing at a rapid pace. To enable software solutions that analyze, process, and transmit these data in an efficient and interoperable way, ISO and IEC released the first version of the compression standard MPEG-G in 2019. However, non-proprietary implementations of the standard are not openly available so far, limiting fair scientific assessment of the standard and, therefore, hindering its broad adoption. In this paper, we present Genie, to the best of our knowledge the first open-source encoder that compresses genomic data according to the MPEG-G standard. We demonstrate that Genie reaches state-of-the-art compression ratios while offering interoperability with any other standard-compliant decoder independent from its manufacturer. Finally, the ISO/IEC ecosystem ensures the long-term sustainability and decodability of the compressed data through the ISO/IEC-supported reference decoder.

The influence of laser texturing on the tribological behavior of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V in medical applications

This paper analyzes the tribological behavior of the Ti6Al4V ELI alloy subjected to laser texturization for medical purposes. Laser texturing enables one to observe specific patterns of the material surface at established depths. Microtexturing of the samples was performed using a 355 nm picosecond laser. The influence of the microtexturing process (depending on the process parameters) on the geometric parameters of the proposed laser texturing pattern was evaluated. Selected samples were subjected to tribological testing using the ball-on-plate technique in dry and lubricant-sliding methods (in Ringer solution). The wear properties were evaluated by comparing the coefficient friction, wear volumes, and wear ratio. A scanning electron microscope characterized the morphologies of the wear scar and the wear mechanism. The experimental results show that the surface texturing and the changes in microgrooves can reduce wear. The results indicate, that samples after laser texturing were characterized by 15% higher microhardness, compared to those in the initial state. It was found, a 26% reduction in friction coefficient and 29% in the wear volume compared to the smooth, untextured surface samples under lubricated conditions. The decrease in value of the coefficient friction and wear volume for the samples after the laser texturing process is an effect of synergistic of entrapped wear debris in micro-grooves and increased hardness for samples after laser textured.

Dress protective potential of naturally green-colored domestic silk against ultraviolet-induced skin cell damage

Naturally green-colored domestic silk demonstrates remarkable antioxidant activity due to the presence of intrinsic antioxidant and pigmented substance flavonoids. Oxidative damage is one of the main causes of sun-induced skin damage. To investigate the potential protective effect of naturally green-colored domestic silk on skin cells against ultraviolet damage, the antioxidant was extracted and analyzed. An in vitro experiment which involves introducing ultraviolet damage to the human keratinocyte HaCaT cell line was used for the research. By adding the extract into HaCaT culture medium and then subjecting to ultraviolet irradiation, the data evidently showed that the cell apoptosis and growth inhibition of HaCaT were alleviated, indicating the protective effect of the extract to the HaCaT cell against ultraviolet damage. Meanwhile, a large number of the surviving damaged cells stagnated in the diploid (2n) phase, which is the main phase of gene repair during the whole cell cycle. The survival and repair of damaged cells also produced fewer gene fragments caused by ultraviolet damage. The detected reduction of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde induced by ultraviolet irradiation in HaCaT confirmed that the antioxidant extract from green silk cocoons does have intracellular and extracellular antioxidant effects. These findings suggest that naturally green silk has the potential to be utilized as a functional textile material for skin sunscreen products, and its extract can be further developed as a source of antioxidants in medical and safety health applications.

A Review of the Green Synthesis of Palladium Nanoparticles for Medical Applications

A Review of the Green Synthesis of Palladium Nanoparticles for Medical Applications

Advancing stroke therapy: the potential of MOF-based nanozymes in biomedical applications

In this study, we explored the growing use of metal-organic framework (MOF)-based Nanozymes in biomedical research, with a specific emphasis on their applications in stroke therapy. We have discussed the complex nature of stroke pathophysiology, highlighting the crucial role of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and acknowledging the limitations of natural enzymes in addressing these challenges. We have also discussed the role of nanozymes, particularly those based on MOFs, their structural similarities to natural enzymes, and their potential to improve reactivity in various biomedical applications. The categorization of MOF nanozymes based on enzyme-mimicking activities is discussed, and their applications in stroke therapy are explored. We have reported the potential of MOF in treating stroke by regulating ROS levels, alleviation inflammation, and reducing neuron apoptosis. Additionally, we have addressed the challenges in developing efficient antioxidant nanozyme systems for stroke treatment. The review concludes with the promise of addressing these challenges and highlights the promising future of MOF nanozymes in diverse medical applications, particularly in the field of stroke treatment.

Viscose fibers decorated with silver nanoparticles via an in-situ green route: UV protection, antioxidant activities, antimicrobial properties, and sensing response

AbstractMultifunctional cellulosic fibers are in high demand for use in a variety of applications. Functional cellulosic fibers obtained through green and sustainable approaches are getting special attention because of the need to limit the environmental impact of hazardous chemicals. Herein, a novel facile, efficient, and eco-friendly approach for multifunctional viscose fibers@Ag NPs (VF-Ag) was designed by a rapid, facile, and one-pot biosynthesis green route using guava leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. UV–Vis, TEM, SEM, EDX, FTIR, and XPS were used to analyze the formation of silver nanoparticles and their subsequent deposition on the surface of viscose fibers. The silver nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of viscose fibers endowed a yellow/brownish color to the fibers as well as improving the dyeing with reactive dye. The VF-Ag samples have multifunctional properties like protective activities against UV radiation and microorganisms, antioxidant activity, and sensor ability toward Hg2+. The results demonstrated that the UPF values of VF-Ag samples ranged from 280 to 355 compared to 103 for VF. The antioxidant activities of VF-Ag ranged from 79 to 85% compared to 9% for VF. VF-Ag samples exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, very good activities against yeast, and low activities against fungus.VF and VF-Ag were dyed using reactive dye (CI-reactive blue-19) at two color intensities (2.5, and 5%). The results show that the color of VF turned blue, while the color of VF-Ag turned greenish. The color strength of VF-Ag significantly increased with increasing silver content. Furthermore, VF-Ag showed high sensitivity to naked-eye colorimetric sensing for the detection of Hg2+. In straightforward, this innovative approach provides an easy, quick, and low-cost that will open the door for a range of versatile applications for modified viscose fibers in the fields of medical and analytical applications.

Characterization of selected additive manufacturing materials for synchrotron monochromatic imaging and broad-beam radiotherapy at the Australian synchrotron- imaging and medical beamline.

This study aims to characterize radiological properties of selected additive manufacturing (AM) materials utilizing both material extrusion and vat photopolymerization technologies. Monochromatic synchrotron X-ray images and synchrotron treatment beam dosimetry were acquired at the hutch 3B of the Australian synchrotron - imaging and medical beamline (AS-IMBL).
Approach: Eight energies from 30 keV up to 65 keV were used to acquire the attenuation coefficients of the AM materials. Comparison of theoretical, and experimental attenuation data of AM materials and standard solid water for MV linac was performed. Broad-beam dosimetry experiment through attenuated dose measurement and a Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation were done for the studied materials to investigate its attenuation properties specific for a 4 tesla wiggler field with varying synchrotron radiation beam qualities.
Main results: PLA plus matches attenuation coefficients of both soft tissue and brain tissue, while ABS, ASA, and Draft resin have close equivalence to adipose tissue. Lastly, PLA, CPE plus, TPU, and White resins are promising substitute materials for breast tissue. For broad-beam experiment and simulation, many of the studied materials were able to simulate RMI457 SolidWater and bolus within +/-10% for the three synchrotron beam qualities. These results are useful in fabricating phantoms for synchrotron and other related medical radiation applications such as orthovoltage treatments. 
Significance and conclusion: These 3D printing materials were studied as potential substitutes for selected tissues such as breast tissue, adipose tissue, soft-tissue, and brain tissue useful in fabricating 3D printed phantoms for synchrotron imaging, therapy, and orthovoltage applications. Fabricating customizable heterogeneous anthropomorphic phantoms (e.g. breast, head, thorax) and pre-clinical animal phantoms (e.g. rodents, canine) for synchrotron imaging and radiotherapy using AM can be done based on the results of this study.

Fungal mycelium-based biofoam composite: A review in growth, properties and application

Recent years have shown a surge in interest in incorporating living systems into materials research to synthesize functional materials using biological resources. Among these, mycelium-based materials, notably biofoam, have emerged as innovative solutions for repurposing organic wastes that were previously considered unusable. The growth of mycelium, vital for the synthesis of biofoam, is influenced by a multuple of factors including substrate composition, moisture content, temperature, nutrient availability, pH levels, oxygen concentration, and measures for contamination control. Additionally, physical stimulation techniques have been explored to enhance mycelium growth, ranging from cold stress-induced adaptations to electrical shock-induced modifications and optimization of sound treatments and light exposure. This review highlights the growing interest in biofoam composite materials, a novel class of environmentally friendly and cost-effective materials that are gaining popularity, for advancing sustainable construction practices. Biofoam composites use organic fungal growth as a low-energy bio-fabrication process to transform abundant agricultural byproducts and waste into viable alternatives to energy-intensive manufactured building materials. Their versatility in composition and manufacturing methods allows them to be used in a wide range of applications, including insulation and door cores, panelling, flooring, and furniture components. Notably, biofoams outperform synthetic foams and engineered wood in terms of thermal insulation, sound absorption, and fire resistance, making them highly promising for construction industry. Besides, due to its customizable composition and production method, biofoam can be used in the replacement of foams, leather, wood, and plastics in a variety of applications such as water treatment and filtration, medical supplies and healthcare applications. However, despite their remarkable properties, biofoam typically serve as non- or semi-structural supplements to traditional construction materials due to inherent limitations. Nevertheless, the useful material properties of these materials, combined with their low cost, ease of manufacture, and environmental sustainability, imply that they will have an important part to play in the development of environmentally friendly materials in the future.

Far IR field Generation by mixing of Cosh-Gaussian and Dark Hollow Gaussian laser in encapsulated plasma

Abstract Abstract: A scheme of laser plasma interaction by mixing of cosh Gaussian and dark Hollow Gaussian laser in rippled density plasma is revisited when external periodic electric field wiggler is applied in view of the emission of far infrared field lying in the terahertz frequency regime. Unusual mixing of CHG and DHG laser broadens the field of THz radiation from unifocal to multifocal by control of beam order and decentralized parameter. Moreover, wiggler field wavenumber provide two additional resonance condition which govern the emission of multiple components of far IR field resonantly that may have extensive medical applications. Field amplitude of such emissions and their efficiency may be increased manifold if parallel plates of wiggler are made to nanometer level experimentally.

Recent advances in solid–liquid triboelectric nanogenerator technologies, affecting factors, and applications

Converting dispersed mechanical energy into electrical energy can effectively improve the global energy shortage problem. The dispersed mechanical energy generated by liquid flow has a good application prospect as one of the most widely used renewable energy sources. Solid–liquid triboelectric nanogenerator (S–L TENG) is an inspiring device that can convert dispersed mechanical energy of liquids into electrical energy. In order to promote the design and applications of S–L TENG, it is of vital importance to understand the underlying mechanisms of energy conversion and electrical energy output affecters. The current research mainly focuses on the selection of materials, structural characteristics, the liquid droplet type, and the working environment parameters, so as to obtain different power output and meet the power supply needs of diversified scenarios. There are also studies to construct a theoretical model of S–L TENG potential distribution mechanism through COMSOL software, as well as to obtain the adsorption status of different kinds of ions with functional groups on the surface of friction power generation layer through molecular dynamics simulation. In this review, we summarize the main factors affecting the power output from four perspectives: working environment, friction power generation layer, conductive part, and substrate shape. Also summarized are the latest applications of S–L TENG in energy capture, wearable devices, and medical applications. Ultimately, this review suggests the research directions that S–L TENG should focus on in the future to enhance electrical energy output, as well as to expand the diversity of application scenarios.

Evaluating the integration of traditional gong methods in smart home environment for the recovery of health functions of stroke patients

Since the 21st century, network and mobile communication technology are gradually entering the medical and health services field. Combining body area networks, broad-generation mobile communications, and cloud platforms has made various medical applications for large-scale populations possible. The development of digital medical technology, especially digital telemedicine, is increasingly proving to be an important means of significantly reducing the cost of medical care and access, changing the distribution of medical resources, and improving the overall level of care. To observe the effects of traditional Chinese medicine gongfu combined with rehabilitation therapy on mild depression, anxiety, and functional recovery of activities of daily living (ADL) in patients recovering from stroke, and to provide new treatment methods to improve the function and daily living ability of the group who develop mild depression and anxiety after stroke. In this paper, the digital medical engineering application combining information technology and medical treatment integrates various high-end information technologies such as body domain network and cloud computing to solve the difficulties in the current application one by one, to provide the national people with the system provides “timely”, “local” and “bottomless” remote digital health services to the Chinese people.

A comparative study of an on premise AutoML solution for medical image classification

Automated machine learning (AutoML) allows for the simplified application of machine learning to real-world problems, by the implicit handling of necessary steps such as data pre-processing, feature engineering, model selection and hyperparameter optimization. This has encouraged its use in medical applications such as imaging. However, the impact of common parameter choices such as the number of trials allowed, and the resolution of the input images, has not been comprehensively explored in existing literature. We therefore benchmark AutoKeras (AK), an open-source AutoML framework, against several bespoke deep learning architectures, on five public medical datasets representing a wide range of imaging modalities. It was found that AK could outperform the bespoke models in general, although at the cost of increased training time. Moreover, our experiments suggest that a large number of trials and higher resolutions may not be necessary for optimal performance to be achieved.