Aria Medical Equipment now offers a line of vein illuminators, including the new Veinlite EMS. The EMS model is the most affordable pocket Veinlite, designed for general vein imaging and access in adults and children. It’s lightweight and boasts a slim form-factor, making it ultra portable and manageable.

Its C-shaped design and 16 dual-colored, light emitting diodes (LEDs) allow superficial veins to be seen anywhere on the body. It secures the vein in place and stretches the skin for easy needle insertion. Includes battery charger, 50 covers, light shield and pediatric adapter. The Veinlite EMS comes with a one-year warranty.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday the approval of the cobas TaqScreen WNV test, a test that can detect West Nile virus in donated blood and organs.

The FDA says the test is capable of detecting the genetic material of the virus early in the infection process. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says blood donors may be carrying West Nile virus and show no symptoms, making this type of testing a necessary precaution.

According to Dr. Jesse Goodman, director of the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, this test gives blood centers and hospitals a choice between two FDA-approved methods to screen for West Nile virus.

“This action is the culmination of the dedicated efforts of FDA, our sister agencies, blood establishments and manufacturers to bring donor screening tests to market for this increasingly common virus,” Goodman said.

As of August 21, the CDC reported 58 blood donors as possible carriers of the virus and said that it is still early in the West Nile virus season. Visit the CDC West Nile Virus page for more information.

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GE Healthcare announced this week that its new mobile mammography device has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Senographe Essential promises the largest digital detector in the mammography market, advanced ergonomic design for the technologist, optimized patient comfort and seamless workflow connectivity.

David Caumartin, general manager of Global Mammography for GE Healthcare, said the Senographe Essential is designed to make breast cancer screening more accessible to women around the world.

“GE’s goal is to enhance breast care for women worldwide and bring this technology to those who otherwise would not have access to it,” Caumartin said.

The National Cancer Institute found that use of mammography screening had dropped 4 percent from 2000 to 2005. For the group with the highest risk, women aged 50 to 64, screening was down 7 percent. By creating this mobile system, GE hopes to see an increase in the number of women who participate in regular breast cancer screenings.

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Being figuratively tethered to a cell phone is something that we’re used to seeing these days. I can’t count the number of people I see talking on their phones while driving down the freeway or walking their dogs through my neighborhood. But soon, people may find themselves literally tethered to their cell phones as well.

The Berkeley Institute of Design has put together the ultimate cell phone add-on: a pervasive health monitoring system. Using cutting-edge technology, students have created a prototype of the monitor that can be interfaced with a Windows Mobile cell phone.

Once connected, this little gizmo can record ECG, body temperature and several other bits of valuable health information. Imagine going to the doctor with your cell phone connected to electrodes on your body and showing him what you’ve learned about yourself.

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Danny Charbel is the public relations and marketing specialist at Aria Medical, who can hardly wait to get this gadget connected to his cell phone. E-mail danny [at] ariamedical [dot] com or call (800) 330-3591 ext. 102.

New Zealand company Aranz Medical recently developed a mobile, hand-held medical device known as the SilhouetteMobile, which uses lasers to capture information about a wound at the point of care without ever touching the patient.

The device features a built-in camera and software that captures images and measurements of the wound. This information is then stored, analyzed and managed in a database. The information can be wirelessly gathered in a central repository or sent to a wound-care specialist for further consultation and advice.

The Silhouette camera was previously used to help digitize and animate Gollum from The Lord of the Rings movies.

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