In the area of bioinformatics, NASA's Ames Research Center has developed software that can construct 3-D images from a series of CAT scans. The method eliminates the interference common to most rendering techniques. Researchers hope to develop another version for MRI, and will eventually turn their attention to sonograms. Among the technologies ready for commercialization is the Prosound ultrasound technique for measuring carotid-wall thickness. To use the system, a operator using a PC identifies the approximate location of the arterial wall's boundary.
Specialized logic analyzes each detected boundary point and rejects questionable reads.
Carotid-artery wall thickness is a highly sensitive indicator of cardiovascular disorders such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. The device delivers millimeter-wave and microwave energy via a catheter, selectively targeting and heating atherosclerotic lesions. It can be used to remove fatty deposits without scarring the blood vessel, thereby preventing restenosis. Nonintrusive, the procedure can be used as a preventive measure and can precede stenting. In other news.